The Rest of the Gospel

May 10, 1976 Paul Harvey began his radio broadcast.. The Rest of the Story. The broadcast consisted of stories presented as little-known or forgotten facts on a variety of subjects with some key element of the story (usually the name of some well-known person) held back until the end. The broadcasts always concluded with a variation on the tag line “And now you know the rest of the story.”  One of the main things that God has been showing me in the past few years is the rest of the story or should I say The Rest of the Gospel. Did you know that there is a Rest that God wants us all to enter back into and actually live from? Remember Adams first day was on the day of rest and the will of God has not changed for us. God wants us all to enter and live in Rest. As we understand the Rest of the Gospel through the finished work of the cross we too will than be able to cease from our own dead works  for  apporval and simply Rest in all that’s already been done! Legalism is the attempt to get us out of  Rest and into frantically trying to do something or to posses  something that we already have. If we are not in Rest than we are not in Faith. Faith believes the work was finished at the cross and Faith also believes that it is now God who now works in me both to will and to do His good pleasure. But  never mistake Rest for inactivity because Rest is not inactivity.  Rest is very active. In fact as we enter in Gods rest we will accomplish a whole lot more living in His rest then we could ever do living outside of His Rest! Why? because now our outward activity is coming from a new source. It is now coming from the source of the Spirit and not the flesh. Everything Jesus did He did from His position in Rest and we know that Jesus accomplished more in just three short years then anyone before Him or after Him has ever accomplished. The enemy knows the effectivness of those living in Rest and for this reason he has  made it his number one priority to draw us out of Rest into unrest . Our advesary knows that very little will ever be accomplished to  advance the kingdom of God as long as he can keep the church busy in unrestful type activities . O many things may appear to be happening with building projects , programs and  many other busy church activities but  like the tower of Babel much of this activity is solely being accomplished from a place of unrest,seeking apporval, vain imagination and more to make a name for ourselves then to really advance the kingdom of God. The Bible says that which is Spirit is Spirit and that which is flesh is flesh. We cannot advance God kingdom by  our fleshly methods and ideas! I always said whatever is built by the flesh must then be maintained by the flesh and this can become a  very slippery slope! The Spirit is not going to support or maintain something that began by flesh even if  its  good flesh or sincere flesh He will not support it. We must know what we are doing or building is a God Idea and not just another Good Idea , because there is a Big difference between the two. On that note I have  always wondered sometimes why the church has to build such huge elaborate  expensive buildings? and are we missing the whole point of what it really means to be a witness in our communties? I mean in the early church there were no such elaborate buildings but one person living in Gods Rest and  filled with the Holy Ghost could go into a city and  turn the entire city right side up by the power of Christ, but today we can have huge church buildings on every corner and programs coming out the wazoo and yet the city still remains lost and in bondage. I say these things not to condemn but for us to maybe stop much of the carnal insanity and question if our methods are really working?. I mean they say that the deffinition of insanity is to keep doing the same things over and over and expect diffrent results . One of the main things that I believe we have  been missing is in Rest.  Remember when God gave Abraham the promise of a Son through Sarah and how that Abraham and Sarah than got a little bit  ansey because they got their eyes off the promise and on the flesh? They then proceeded with their own good Idea of making this promise come to past, instead of waiting for God to bring the promise in His time and we of course still see the results of there decision today. Flesh is Flesh and Spirit is Spirit, The Spirit only works as we  stop  all of our fleshly activity doing and enter into the Rest of God . As we work He cannot work but when we cease from our works thats when God goes to work. Jesus said   “upon this Rock I will build my Church” do we  believe that Jesus is really  still able to do what He said? Well many would argue we are His hands and feet ! so God doesnt expect us to just sit back and do nothing! He has told us to go into all the world and preach the gospel . Yes He has  told us to go but as we go; we go in rest and are to be led by His Spirit not just our Brains ! Again Rest does not mean inactivity it just means we are doing the activity from a diffrent source. The source of all our christian activity must be from the Spirit not the flesh. If we are not living in Rest then it will be difficult to be led by the Spirit. The apostle Paul makes it clear what the source of all his activity comes from.

Colossians 1:29

Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Notice the two words “in me”  These two little words are two of the most imporatant words in the new testament. These two little words are also two words that our advesary does not want us to understand. He does not care if we are busy with  external christian activity but he does not want us to live our christian life from the one who know lives “in me”

 

I Fought the Law and the Law Won

I decided to go through every  new testament scripture about the law and give a brief outline about the law , so that their can be no mistake as to why the law was given and what Gods full intention was for giving the law to us.

Rom 3:19                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      The Law as given to stop every mouth so that all  would stand guilty before God! The ulitmate proof that we need Christ is that no one has ever kept the law of God. Why ? because its impossible! Our sin nature would never allow us to.

Rom 3:20  No flesh is justified by the Law.

Romans 3:21 God provides righteousness apart from the Law.

Rom3:27 No one can boast in the law …

Rom 3:28 We are justified by faith in Christ ,apart from the Law

Rom 3:31 The Law can only be esatablished through faith in Christ

Rom 4;13 Our inheritance does not come through the Law but by faith

Rom 5:20 The Law was given so that sin would abound…. Like adding fuel to the fire!

Rom 6:14 The Law will cause us to be slaves to sin and not free from it!

Rom 7:4  We are no longer married to the Law but to Christ that we may bring forth fruit unto God

Rom 7:5 Sin is aroused by the Law

Rom 7:9 The law brings death

Rom 8:3  Flesh cannot keep the Law

Rom 8:4 The righteousness of the Law is fullfilled as we walk in the Spirit and not the flesh

Rom 9:31 Israel tried to keep the Law and did not attain it

Rom 9:32  The Law is only fullfilled by faith in Christ.

Rom 10:4 Christ is the end of the Law for the believer

Rom 13:10 Love fulfills the Law

2 Corinthians 3:14  . But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

2 Cor 3:6-8   Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth 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 doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

The Law is glorious but it  kills,Its called the ministry of death and condemnation and we are to be able ministers of the spirit not the letter

1Cor 15:56 The strength of sin is the Law

Gal 2:16 By the works of the Law no one is justified

Gal 2:19 we must become dead to the Law to Live unto God

Gal 3:10 Those under the Law are under a curse

Gal 3:12 The Law is not of Faith

Gal 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law

Gal 3:18 Our inheritance is by promise and not the Law

Gal 3:24 The Law was our school teacher to point us to Christ

Gal 4:4 Jesus was born under the Law. The Law did not end until the cross

Gal 4:21 Those who desire to be under the Law need to hear what the Law says

Gal 5:3 The Law is an all or nothing propostition.

Gal 5:4 Those who turn back to the Law have fallen from Grace

Gal 5;18 We are to be led by the Spirit and not the Law!

Gal 5:23 Fruit of the Spirit needs no Law

Gal 6:13 Those who preach the Law do not keep the Law,\.

Eph 2:15 Jesus abolished the Law in His flesh at the cross.

2 Cor 3:7-9  The Law is called the ministry of death and condemnation

Philp 3:5 Paul knew the law and at one time was zealous for the law but next to knowing Christ its now all dung.

1 Tim 1:7 Teachers of the Law do not even understand what they are teaching

1 Tim 1:8 The Law is good if used Lawfully

1 Tim 1:9 The Law is for the unbeliever not the believer

Heb 7:2 With the change of the priesthood came a change of the Law as well.

Heb 7:16 The new Law is the Law of endless Life !

Heb 7:19 The Law made nothing perfect but it did bring a hope that did.

Heb 8:10 The new Law is written on our hearts internally

Heb 9:10 Under the law God established the blood economy

Heb 10:1 The law was a shadow of good things to come

James 2:10 Whoever keeps the Law and offends in one point is guilty of all or breaking all the Law.

It is clear that the law was given to point us to Christ not to make us righteous. We are no longer to live by the Law which includes the ten commandments. If we insist on keeping the Law we place our selves under a curse. We also place ourselves under condemnation and death!

In the past few years I have learned that much of  the church has been fighting the wrong thing! We often preach on sin mangement programs and install sin accountability groups trying our best to deal with sin but sin management is like having a lawn maitenance program . Yes we can cut the grass and trim the bushes but the grass will still eventually grow back . The only way to keep the grass from growing is to deal with its root!  Now when we preach the Law in an effort to kill or restrain sin , its  like adding fertilizer to the lawn! The lawn will grow better,greener and faster. The Law only excites sin. Our main attention does not need to be on fighting sin ! Our main focus needs be teaching  people that they are no longer under  the Law but Grace . Gods  Grace is the only way for the believer to be set free from the power of sin . The Law was never given to justify us or to free us from the power of sin It was given to show us our true sinful colors. It was given to show even the most outwardly nice,good moral person that at the core they still had a sinful nature and in need of a saviour who is Christ.

Zoe Life

We have  made the forgiveness of sins and going to heaven one day the most important aspects of salvation but did  you know these are not the most important aspects of salvation? What ? this almost sounds blasphemous ! I know it sounds blasphemous because  the enemy has so blind sided us to the truth that when we hear the truth the truth almost sounds blasphemous. Remember when Jesus spoke the truth to the pharisees how they use to cover their ears and scream at Jesus ? We often do the same thing today! and If we are not careful we too can become the modern-day pharisees and miis truth that is right in front of us! Now here we go ! The most important aspect of salvation and the main reason Christ came was not just to forgive us of our sins but it was to give  us His Life! Jesus said it himself ! I have come that you might have Life nad have Life more abundantly (Jon 10:10) . Now this Life that Jesus promised to give was much more than giving His Life at the cross or giving us a better quality of Life but  what Jesus was saying is that He came to restore the very Life of God back into us! In other words Jesus came to give His life so that He could then give His Life to us or you could say Jesus came to die for our sins and remove the sin nature that was passed down to us by Adam so that He could in turn put His Life back into us! Complete  forgiveness of sin  and dealing with the sin nature was the only  way that God could then breath His Spirit  Life back into us. So the main aspect of salvation is not forgiveness of sins but Life, not natural Life but Zoe Life !

God has given more than eternal Life , He has given us internal Life ! We need to understand what God did in the beginning when God created man.

Genesis 2:7

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

God formed man and then breathed into man Life! God put His very Life into man! This Life was more than just natural life as other animals have. No ! This Life was the very Spirit Life of God. The nature of God. The essence of God was put into man. Man was not just flesh with a soul No ! Man was Body,Soul and Spirit a Living Soul. But what happened? God told Adam He could eat of every tree but one. The one tree was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and God said if you eat from the tree you will die! Well we know what happened Adam and Eve both ate from the tree but did they die? Well we know they didnt die physically or naturally but they did die spiritually ! The Life of God that they once had departed ! and now Adam and eve were no longer living souls but dead souls They were no longer ruled by the Life of God but by their own souls and their own lusts,appetites,imaginations and desires. They also had a sin nature that they were now ruled and governed by. This same sin nature was then passed on to the entire human race.

I Cor 15:22

For as in Adam all die,even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

In Adam all die. This means the entire human race was in essence born dead, all have sinned and all  have a sin nature that needed to be dealt with and the only one that could deal with it was Jesus Christ. God coming down in the flesh and giving His life to deal with the sin nature in man so that God in turn could make us alive again by His Spirit. One of the first things that Jesus did after He was raised from the dead was to breathed His Life back into His disciples.

John 20:22

And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

Christs death paved the way for Gods Life to be restored back into man. You see eternal life is not just about going to heaven one day but its reccieving the bery Life of God back into us. In fact through the cross God has now permantly joined himself to us and we will never be seperated for Him again!

1 Corinthians 6:17

But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

Now we have been given more then a better  natural life but the God Life or Zoe life. What is Zoe? Zoe is the greek word for Life that is more then just natural life it means Gods Life.

As Christians we are called to now live by this new Zoe Life that God has put inside of us just as Adam lived before the fall or you could say before Adam decided to go rogue and live by his own soul.

Romans 6:4

 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 

Romans 5:10

 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

We are saved by His Life . What does this mean? Well first salvation is more then just going to heaven one day but it means a lot more than that! Saved means to be delivered, healed,made whole and a host of other things . So what this scripture is saying is that as we begin to recognize the reality that God has given us  His Zoe life and as we begin to walk and live in this new way of Life then we will  be healed,made whole and walk in all that God has created us to be.

I am convinced that our adversary does not care so mach that we know we are forgiven but He does not want us to know that we posess the very Zoe Life of God and He sure does not want us to begin living by this new Life !

Now Im going to shock you ! Did you know that we as new covenant Christians possess something that not one of the great prophets of old ever had? In fact the least in Gods kingdom of God now is greater than any of them! Yes we are greater than Abraham. Issac, Jacob, David, Elijah even John the Baptist! But I didnt say this Jesus did!

Matthew 11:11

Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Why did Jesus say the least in the Kingdom now is greater than ever man of faith and prophet that had ever lived? because we have something they never had! We have been given the very Life of God! The Holy Spirit was with them but the Holy Spirit now lives in us! Remember the scripture that says ” greater is He that’s in you than He that is in the world. We have through the new birth been created a new and been filled with the very Zoe Life of God and that makes us greater!

They served God the best that they could through the law and the flesh but we are called to live by the Zoe Life Spirit  of God that is in us!..

The enemy of course does not want us to tap into this new Zoe life so he finds ways to keep us distracted from awakening to this life and one way he does it is through the law. If the enemy can get us to live the Christian life by the flesh then he knows  this will keep the Zoe Life of God contained within but Jesus said we would know the truth and the truth would set us free! As we begin to agree with truth about what God says about us then His Life will come alive in us and will be revealed through us. His Life revealed through us is called fruit.

I love the old song  I have the Life of God in me, I have the Life of God in me, I have His Life ,His nature and His ability , I have the Life of God in Me!

We are Family

I love the old song by sister sledge “We are Family” because it reminds me of Gods big happy family. Church is not a meeting,service,building,institution,organization,business or army , Church is a Family. Church means “called out ones”  all those who have believed in Christ have been called out of darkness into His marvelous light (1Peter 2:9) and are now part of the family of God. Their are no Baptist,Assembly of God,Church of God,Lutheran,Methodist or even non denominational church institutions in Gods kingdom! These have all been created by man. In Gods Kingdom we are family and God is not our Boss,Drill Sergent or strict Dictator, He is our Father and Daddy (Gal4:6). When I see my daughter she always gives me a big hug, smiles and says High Daddy ! This makes me feel great everytime she does this! Why/ because its personal and expresses love and affection. This is how God wants us to appoach him now. God also wants us to see  Him as Pappa and each other as family. When we come together it should not be to hold a meeting or service but it should be seen as a family reunion. Every borb again Christian has been grafted into the family tree. We are now sons,not slaves but Sons because we have been fully and completly adopted by God. God see us as family.

Gal 4:6 ( from the message) You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, “Papa! Father!” Doesn’t that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you’re also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance.

The Mole

In espionage jargon, a mole (also called a penetration agent,  deep cover agent, or sleeper agent) is a long-term spy (espionage agent) who is recruited to work his way into the target organization. The mole is most popularly used to mean any long-term clandestine spy or informant within an organization, whether government or private. One of the moles main missions is to spy , collect information and then to sabotage the organization they are spying on. A mole usually goes undetected because the mole appears to be one who is on the team and even a vital part of the organization .

The devil is like a mole. He is it for the long haul. He does not come in with a pitch fork and horns but as an angel of light. His ministers also come in the same way as preachers of righteousness! but believe me when I say this  “their mission is not to bring life and freedom but to kill,steal and to destroy!” and to enslave the free.

2 Cor 11:13

¹³ For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

¹⁴ And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

¹⁵ Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

We need to understand that not everyone who says they are a man of the cloth is sent from God. Also not everyone preaching in Christs name is of Christ. The devil is a mole. He will come carrying a bible and look the part! but he is not on a mission to bring life and freedom but to bring death and bondage..

 Gal 2:4                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        [My precaution was] because of false brethren who had been secretly smuggled in [to the Christian brotherhood]; they had slipped in to spy on our liberty and the freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might again bring us into bondage [under the Law of Moses].

One of the main missions of  our adversary the mole is to install belief systems that will contain, frustrate and shut down the life  and grace of God within the believer and I use the word believer and not church because the mole has already been very successful at causing most of us to believe that the church is a brick building we go to every sunday morning instead of  the true  meaning which is “the called out ones”. or those who have been called out of darkness and transferred into His marvelous light.

One of the moles most popular  installed belief systems is to get the believer to be on a constant search for what the will of God is for their lives and keeping them on such a frantic search for the future will of God that they will then miss out on the present perfect will of God thats right in front of them! The Bible does not tell us to frantically search out for Gods will but instead it reveals Gods will. One of the main reasons God gave us His word was to reveal His will to us. for example                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1 Thessalonians 5:18
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  

You know its amazing what a life of thanksgiving will do for you.. It will transform your life , but the mole would rather get us to look else where for Gods will then focus on what is right in front of us . As Paul said I have learned to be content no matter what state that I am in.. and when Paul said this he was not talking about the state of South Carolina or Michigan but the state or place that God had placed him in at that particular time. Did you know the Apostle Paul wrote most of the New Testament while he was in prison?

I  mean most of us would be singing the Folsom prison or even worse the He Haw Blues ! but Paul knew the will of God was not to sing the He Haw Blues but to continually give thanks no matter what state he was in. The mole does not want us to discover the power of thanksgiving. Why because thanksgiving will open doors especially prison doors ! Thanksgiving not only sets us free but will set others around us free as well!

So our adversary the mole will often sow thoughts of discontentment in our minds. He will say things like  “the grass is always greener on the other side !” but what he does not tell us is that the grass on the other side has the same ol weeds and thistles that the grass were in right now has! Our adversary does not want us to be happy and thankful or content but he wants our hearts to be full of discontentment and complaint! because he knows he knows the power of thanksgiving!

Another very popular belief system installed by the mole is the belief  that the cross  and forgiveness of sins was the ultimate purpose of the God when in fact it was just the beginning. The mole has been very successful at getting us to  focus on ,believe and even preach only one half of the gospel and that’s the cross half. Now don’t get me wrong the cross half was very vital before the other half  of Gods plan could even take place but non the less the cross side of the gospel is still just one half of the gospel and Gods ultimate intention. The mole does not want us to know the other half. Why? because as we begin to see the other half it will  expose his mole activity and render him completely ineffective in our lives.

So what is the other half of the gospel? The other half is the resurrection! O but there is so much more than what you  may think! because   it’s not just that Jesus was raised from the dead but its this.. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead now lives in me!

We need to understand that forgiveness of sins gave us more than eternal life but it gave us internal life! forgiveness of sin and the actual removal of  our sin nature has in fact provided the way for God to put His very Life back into us and this is the one thing the mole does not want us to understand. Why? because the mole  can deal with me but he is no match for the Holy Ghost inside me! The mole knows that greater is He that’s in me then he that is in the world ! 1 John 4:4

Christ living in the believer was completely understood and a big reality in the early church but today it is very rare that you even hear a message about the reality of Christ living inside the believer. Why is this? because the mole has done a very skilful job at shifting the believers attention away from present reality to some future distant events. The mole gets our heads so far up in the clouds that we are no earthly good . Its called cloud gazing! we are waiting when we should be occupying. The mole also keeps us busy with a lot of self ministry through the law and condemnation. Our adversary knows that the law brings condemnation so he uses the law of Moses (which by the way includes the ten commandments!) to keep the believer in a vicious cycle of  short time victory followed by  failure ,defeat and more condemnation.

The mole has been so successful at promoting the law that he has even convinced much of the church to preach it, promote it and even hang it all their walls ! even though the bible  says that those who come to Christ are no longer to be joined to the law and in fact are to be dead to the law they still insist the way for right living is by trying their best to be law keepers !

The moles far most popular and most effective way to contain,and keep the church imature and in bondage has been through the promotion of the law.

Of course we know the mole goes to church every sunday! he in fact may be one of the most faithful in attendance but he is on a mission. The mole loves religious systems that are driven by works,performance and the law because he knows what the law will do to those who embrace any part of it and for this reason he know that he does not have to come with all the law but just a portion of the law. He knows that just a little leaven will leaven the whole lump!

The mole knows the bible better then most christians and knows how to put the right spin on it so that instead of bringing life it  actually does the opposite it brings bondage and death.

The mole is the ultimate spin doctor! he knows how to spin the word around to convince the listeners  to embrace what he is saying is the truth when in fact it is a lie.

A mole is like a computer virus It sneaks in undetected and then goes to work to gather information and to shut you down.

Our adversary does not care so much that we are saved as long as he can keep what is on the inside of us contained and shut down!

He is the master of deception and lies. In fact he is called the father of lies!

You are the Interpreter of the Holy Spirit

One year I had the incredible opportunity to go to Puru and preach the gospel . I didn’t know the language so of course the only way that I could effectively communicate what I was saying was through an interpreter . Now  this was the first time that I had ever preached using an interpreter but I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed it . I mean  this interpreter was incredible! This interpreter stayed right in rhythm with me all the way. I mean when I  would speak then he would speak and when I would walk he would walk with me . This  interpreter even had the same hand gestures and would emphasize the same certain words and points of the message like I did. I will never forget how easy it was to work with him because he was completely  in the zone and paying close attention to everything that I was saying and doing.

Now as I began to think about this interpreter experience I felt like the Lord began to show me somethings about our new relationship with the Holy Spirit. The Lord than reminded me of some things that Jesus said to those around Him.

John 5:19

¹⁹ Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

John 16:13

¹³ Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

So out of this I began to see something amazing about how the Godhead works and how we are to now be a vital part of this same work as well. Notice Jesus never did things independently of the father, Jesus would only speak and do the things that the father would show him to do and speak, Likewise the Holy Spirit operates the same way! The Bible says that the Holy Spirit does not speak of himself but only what He hears He speaks and who does He speak to? He speaks to  us! The Holy Spirit speaks to believers in this earth to communicate Gods will and love and desire in a language that in turn the world can then understand!

This is amazing because what this is telling us is that we are in essence the interpreters of the Holy Spirit! and just as the interpreter from Puru would carefully watch and listen to me so that he could then in turn communicate to others, we too are to carefully observe,watch and listen  to the Holy Spirit staying in rhythm with Him so that we may also effectively communicate to those who do not understand the language of the kingdom.

This is very important for us to understand because it changes the entire way  that we have been taught to move in ministry. We have often been trained to minister to others by the letter not by the Spirit. What do you mean ? Well we have often instructed people to know and memorize scriptures like the four spiritual laws and then take our memorized scriptures and just randomly share them with others. So whats wrong with that? because the letter kills and it is only the Spirit that gives life. We must understand that  only true ministry comes from the Holy Spirit and not from our fleshly effort.  We can actually do more harm then good by throwing scriptures around then good.  Let me ask you a question. If Jesus did no ministry independent from the Father and the Holy Spirit does no ministry apart from the rest of the God head then who are we to think we can just go out with our own words or the letter and bring life to anyone? We must learn to hear what the Spirit is saying and stay in rhythm with Him. He speaks and then we interpret what He is saying. This is true ministry! Many today have actually been taught  that it is a dangerous thing for christians to try and hear the voice of God.. They go on to explain that everything that God wants to say to us is written in the Bible and that He has nothing else to say.. Well Im sorry but this is completely contrary to what the written word even says. If fact the written word highly encourages us to hear and listen to the voice of God on a regular basis! In fact if we cannot hear God then we cannot properly minister because all true ministry comes from hearing and speaking what God is saying through the Holy Spirit.. of course the Holy Spirit will not speak anything contrary to the letter because the letter and the Spirit will always agree, but for us to say that God only speaks today through the written word is error. The fact is that the enemy does not want us to know that the Holy Spirit is in fact very close and speaks often to us . The truth is that  the Holy Spirit is so close to us that the Bible says He actually lives in us! I mean how much closer can you get then that!

So why do we feel like we need just go out with the letter and speak the word? It often has do to with pressured legalism and a performance based gospel that tells us we must go out and win a certain amount of souls to Lord if we want to be found pleasing to Him. We will then usually at least once or twice a year leave the security of our church buildings and go on a mission in search for a good  random prospect to win to the Lord and when we find one we then use the four spiritual laws or other memorized written script methods to then shame people into saying a sinners prayer with us so that we in turn can really  feel better and more relieved about our relationship with God. I mean after all hasnt God called us to go out and win the whole world to Him? and if we dont win a certain number will we hear the words well done or depart from me ?  but  I believe that God wants to show us a much better , effective and restful way to ministry then our usual high pressured salesman tactics of preaching the gospel and Its called walking in a simple love relationship with the Lord and as we commune with Him we will then even hear the slightest whispers on His heart  and will then be able to be freely communicate His love to others. There is alot to say about hearing Gods voice but lets not make the mistake of turning hearing God into another thing we have to learn to do. Let me ask you a question do you have to work hard at hearing or recognizing the voice of someone you love and are intimately familiar with? no! I mean you know the voice of the one you love and It’s the same with God. Hearing and knowing His voice comes out of our simple love relationship with the Lord ,  this is why Jesus said my sheep know my voice.. The sheep know His voice because they know Him.. Never forget  Your greatest witness to the world is your deep obvious love relationship with the Lord this is where all true ministry flows from.

Study to Show Yourself Approved of God !

‎2 Timothy 2:15                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Did you know one of the main reasons we are  to study the Bible? Well  its not to make God  more happy with us if we do. I mean its not like God is sitting up in heaven, looking down to see who’s studying their Bible and who’s not. Many need to get delivered from this idea that God is like some kind of spiritual santa clause and that hes making a list ,checking it twice  and hes knows who is reading their Bible and who’s not! Thats just flat silly!  The main reason we study the word is for us to understand how much God loves us and is for us and not against us, Its also to show us that God has provided a new and living way for us to approach and relate Him and its not by our saying ” Im just a poor ol miserable no good rotten sinner” No ! Stop that confession! You are not just a poor ol sinner you are the righteousness of God in Christ ! God takes no pleasure in such confessions. When we confess we are poor ol sinners we are agreeing with the devil and not God!  Gods says we are clean and we are righteous and in fact God says we are now perfect in Christ! So one of the main reasons we are to study the word is to show ourselves that we are already approved by God through Christ and never never ever have to be ashamed or motivated by guilt and shame again. We have a new motivation now called Truth and LOVE.. Read your new contract below and believe it!

Hebrews 10:14-23

¹⁴ For by a single offering He has forever completely cleansed and perfected those who are consecrated and made holy.

¹⁵ And also the Holy Spirit adds His testimony to us [in confirmation of this]. For having said,

¹⁶ This is the agreement (testament, covenant) that I will set up and conclude with them after those days, says the Lord: I will imprint My laws upon their hearts, and I will inscribe them on their minds (on their inmost thoughts and understanding),

¹⁷ He then goes on to say, And their sins and their lawbreaking I will remember no more.

¹⁸ Now where there is absolute remission (forgiveness and cancellation of the penalty) of these [sins and lawbreaking], there is no longer any offering made to atone for sin.

¹⁹ Therefore, brethren, since we have full freedom and confidence to enter into the [Holy of] Holies [by the power and virtue] in the blood of Jesus,

²⁰ By this fresh (new) and living way which He initiated and dedicated and opened for us through the separating curtain (veil of the Holy of Holies), that is, through His flesh,

²¹ And since we have [such] a great and wonderful and noble Priest [Who rules] over the house of God,

²² Let us all come forward and draw near with true (honest and sincere) hearts in unqualified assurance and absolute conviction engendered by faith (by ^[b]that leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness), having our hearts sprinkled and purified from a guilty (evil) conscience and our bodies cleansed with pure water.

²³ So let us seize and hold fast and retain without wavering the ^[c]hope we cherish and confess and our acknowledgement of it, for He Who promised is reliable (sure) and faithful to His word.

We often teach people to focus on their imperfections rather then their perfection in Christ.  Let me make this as clear as possible w are not transformed by constantly looking at and grieving over our past or even present imperfections but we are transformed by beholding the glory of the Lord and seeing His glory in us as in a mirror. We are to see ourselves the way that God see us and God does not see all of our imperfections but He see us perfect in Christ..as you begin to agree with the truth about what   says about you then you will be free!

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Now let me preach a little… By preaching the law or mixed gospel of grace and law we have created a bunch of whiney,fearful,condemned,guilt ridden,immature babies! , who fight over silly things like what color the carpet should be in the sanctuary! divisions and strife and immaturity are not fruits of the new covenant and Holy Spirit living but are the fruits  of  embracing a flesh driven performance based gospel!  Our ignorance of the new covenant and preaching a mixed gospel is one of the main reasons for much of the trouble we see in much of the church today, but the good news is that we are beginning to see see Gods grace in its fullness and the lies of the enemy are being exposed and in the end the church will shine with the glory of the Lord

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You Suck at Living for God and Its Ok to Admit it!

Did you know that when it comes to living for God and walking holy and righteous before God that we all really do suck at it? Now when I first heard this message  my first reaction was shock! I have never heard anyone preach a message that says we all suck at living for God! I mean most of the messages that I have ever heard  about living for God was all about just trying harder and doing more to measure up , but I have never heard a message about just admitting that when it comes to living for God through our own self effort and will power that we all really do suck  at it ! So after I got over the shock of the  we all suck at living for God statement my next reaction was laughter because  after I had thought about it, I had to admit “Yes If Im honest with myself most of the time I really do suck when it comes to living for God by the flesh.  Now something else also happened when I admitted that I really sucked at living holy and righteous before God  there was actually a sense of relief and Joy that came with it! Its like God was telling me its ok to say you suck at living for me that’s why I provided a different way of living and its a new way of living!  So one of the scriptures that I believe God directed my attention to was the one where the Apostle Paul said “when Im weak  that s when Im strong!

2 Cor 12:9

And he said unto me, My grace is  for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

After reading this scripture  I began to realize that it really is okay to admit to our weakness ( to say we suck ) because that’s where Gods Grace which is the power of Christ works the best!. I dare you to try it! Just come before God in a solemn prayer and tell God ” I really do suck when it comes to me trying to live for you!” and then say ” God please live your life in and through me!” You will find as you do this that you will  begin to experience a new sense of freedom like never before because you have just shifted the focus from yourself back to Christ. Now  you will know longer have to go around with a christian mask on or put up a christian veneer, why? because you have just admitted that you are weak, but He is strong! and you really do need for Christ to live the Christian life in you anyway. You are now not even trying to live for God because you suck at it anyway !, you simply rest in the power of Christ who is in you to live His life in you and through you.

Did you that most of our failing to live the Christian life is due to the fact that we are trying our best to live the Christian life by the flesh and not  resting in the Spirit?

In Romans chapter 7 the  Apostle Paul is basically giving us an honest account of what it was like trying to measure up and live for God by the flesh.

Romans 7:14

¹⁴ For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

¹⁵ For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

¹⁶ If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

¹⁷ Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

¹⁸ For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

¹⁹ For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

²⁰ Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

²¹ I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

²² For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

²³ But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

²⁴ O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

²⁵ I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Law was good and holy the only problem was that we could not live up to it! In other words when it came to living for God by the flesh we really do suck at it! The Apostle Paul admitted to this as well. Paul said the harder I tried the more I failed at it. In other words Paul without all his holier than thou religious facade on was coming clean and in essence was saying   “I really did suck at me trying to live for God!”  Its not that Paul didnt want to keep the law but he just could not do it! but the  good news  is that God  showed Paul just as He has shown us a new and better way to live the Christian life and it is not by the agonizing of the  flesh or by my self  effort but its by the Spirit of Grace.

Now one thing I did notice in Romans 7  was the word I and how many times that it was used just in this one chapter alone ! The word I is used over 28  times  and Spirit only once! Where as in Romans Chapter 8 the word I is only used I think twice and Spirit over 16 times. Romans 7 represents a person that is trying  their best to live for God by the I factor but the harder I try to live for God the more I fail. However Romans 8 shifts the persons focus from the I factor to living in the Spirit and what a difference it makes , now instead od frustration and condemnation there is life and peace!

Romans 8:3-4

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

The  Law was holy and good but it had one major flaw and that was we could never keep the Law nor be justified by the Law by the flesh or through sheer will power and determination so God had to do a new thing; God put His Spirit in us so now we do not live for God by self effort but  by faith in Gods Spirit who now lives in us!

Christianity is not about us trying our best to live for God but its about God now living in us! And one key to seeing God coming alive in us is to die to the law and our self effort of trying to live out the Christian life and instead resting in and being confident in the one who is now working in us.

Lets look at what Paul says in Galatians 2:19

 19 .For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

The Apostle Paul found the secret to true transformation and holiness and it was not through His agonizing efforts but by a new life that God had put in Him through the new birth

Galatians 2:20

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

This new life we now live in the flesh is not the old covenant way of striving and trying our best to keep the law or even live out the Big 10 by the flesh but its is the new life of Christ who is now literally alive  in us. I now believe that I have another way to live for God and it’s not by my flesh but it is now the life of  Christ  living in me and through me and I now live by the faith of the Son of God who loves me and gave His life for me.

And notice it’s not even my faith but its His faith that I live by!  My full confidence is now in Christ from start to finish! He that began a good work in me will finish it! For it is God who lives in me both to will and to do His good pleasure                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Also when it says Christ loved me and gave Himself for me this speaking more than christ giving his life for me at the cross but after He rose from the dead He then gave me His very divine  nature to come and live inside me.

Philippians 3:3   The Apostle Pauls new revelation that set him free was this

For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

It really is okay to say that when it comes to my flesh I really do suck at living for God and therefore I will put no confidence in my flesh but all my confidence is in Christ alone.

When  Jesus came  He not only brought a word of forgiveness,grace and healing but He also came bringing some pretty strong words to those who were living a diluted life of thinking that they did not suck when it came to living for God in fact they felt they were pretty good at it! They would even boast to others about how great they were! One rich young ruler even told Jesus when it came to the law he was perfect and kept it all! of course this was deception of the worst kind because no one could ever keep the whole law . So to pull these boaster out of their delusion Jesus brought the law in its purest form to show them that they in fact not only failed to keep the law but failed miserably! Jesus told the rich young ruler “one thing you lack go and sell all you have and give to the poor” of course the young rich ruler went away sad because he had great possessions or should I say his possessions had him! To other boasters of keeping the law Jesus would tell them things like if your eye offends you pluck it out or if your hand offends you cut it off! Why did Jesus bring such a harsh word? because He knew that the only way for them to come into the new way of living that they had to first be honest with themselves and admit when it comes to living for God by the flesh we all really do suck at it! I love the new song that speaks about this new way.

I found a new way of living , I found a new life divine, I have the fruit of the Spirit because Im Abiding, Abiding in the vine!

 

Will you Marry Me?

Have you ever seen someone propose to somone else on tv in front of a big crowd? The guy usually takes the girl by suprise , pulls out a ring, maybe gets down on one knee and then looks into her eyes with love and affection and tells her that he loves her and wants to spend the rest of his life with her, He then puts the ring on her finger and asks the big question”will you marry me?” nervously waiting for the response the girl looks in his eyes and says yes I will! They both hug and kiss and the crowd goes wild with joy and applause.  Likewise did you know that the guy is really a representation of Jesus  looking at us with love and affection , telling us he is madly in love with us and wants to spend all of eternity  with us. He also has a ring on our finger called the new covenant and is asking us to marry him? Now Many of us have already said yes we will marry you and there was  great applause in heaven when we did. The Bible says that all of heaven rejoices when just one says yes to Christ, but there are many that still have not said yes. Regardless Jesus is still on one knee looking with love and affection and asking will you marry me? He is waiting for your response. Its that simple ! Whatever you have heard about christianity the simple truth is that God loves us and wants to sppend all of eternity with us and He has provided a way for that to happen through His Son. Its not about rule keeping as much as it is about  a living ,loving realtionship with God.

A New Law

Matthew 5:17-18

¹⁷ Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill

¹⁸ For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Many will often use this scripture and say” see we need to still follow the Law even though we are saved we are to still  look at and keep the Law and use it as our moral compass for living and those of course who say this are not talking about keeping the whole ceremonial law but the Ten Commandments.

The argument here is that Jesus said it  himself ! “till heaven and earth pass away  not one jot or tittle shall pass away from the law until all be fulfilled” and the last time I looked heaven and the earth are still here , so the law must still be in force an relevant and part of what they say is true but one of the key words in this scripture is the word fulfilled. Jesus said the law would be firmly in place until all is fulfilled.

First we need to realize that Jesus was not born under the new testament but the old? The new had not yet been established .

In fact we need to understand that the New Testament did not start with Matthew chapter 1!  I know when you open your bible your that the New Testament begins in Matthew chapter 1 but that’s not really where the New Testament began! The New Testament really begins when Jesus said it is finished and died! It was at Christ’s death not His birth that the Old Testament expired and the New Testament was then established. It was also at this point that the old law that Jesus spoke of was also fulfilled!

But didn’t Jesus say that not one jot of title of the law would pass away until all is fulfilled? Thats right! and  when Jesus said it is finished He wasn’t just talking about the sacrifice for our sins being finished but He was also speaking about the fulfillment of the law. Jesus fulfilled the law and all it’s just requirements at the cross and because He fulfilled the law then all those who are now in Christ have also fulfilled the Law in Christ. Let’s look at what the Bible says about the cross and what happened to the law at the cross.

Colossians 2:13-15

And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,  having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.  Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Not only were our sins forgiven at the cross but the hand writing of requirments was taken out of the way and nailed to the cross! So when you look at the cross dont just see your sins nailed  there but the law was nailed ther too!

Also It’s amazing to see that one of the greatest ways that Jesus disarmed the devil was by nailing not only nailing our sins to the cross but the law to the cross!

The devils main weapon of choice against us has been two fold. First to make us believe that we are only partially forgiven at the cross and that it takes our continual remembering and confession of sins that keeps us forgiven and also that even though we are under a new covenant that we are to still keep portions of the old law to keep God happy with us but neither of these things are true. We are not patially forgiven but we have completley forgiven once and for all! and its not through our continual  trying to remember and confess our sins that we are forgiven No we are forgiven because of the blood of Christ and God telling us in the new covenant that says our sins and iniquities He would remember no more! also we are no longer to be joined to any of the old law but we are to be dead to it becuase we are not fully joined to the Lord Rom 7

Romans 10:4    Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to all who believe.

Now some say well I know we don’t need law for righteousness but we do need it as a moral compass and guide. Now at first this sounds right but it is not what the word teaches us, the law is not to be our moral guide anymore but the Holy Spirit is now to be our moral guide. The Holy Spirit leads us and guides us into all truth.The Bible actually teaches that we will be led by one or the other but we cannot be led by both! Its either law or Grace take your pick.

Gal 5:18                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Hebrews 8                                                                                                                                                                                                                               God has provided a new law and way to lead and guide us and its is no longer by the external mosaic laws but a new internal law written on our hearts and mind and this new law is what will now compel us for right living.

What is this new Law? If it’s not the Big 10 what is it?  This new law is the law of love, but even this new law of love is not the same as the old law commandment of love you could say “it’s a new kind of love with a new approach”. The old way of love was more again focused on me trying my utmost best with all my strength to love others as I love myself! This old way law of love was still very flawed because of the weakness of our flesh it was impossible for us love others more than we love ourselves! But Jesus has given us a new way to love that makes loving even the most unlovable possible!

John 13:34   …. a new commandment I give that you Love one another as I have Loved you!

1 John 3:23

 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

This is very important for us to understand. This new law of love is not that we love according to the old mosaic covenant kind of law love but that we love according to the new commandment of Jesus way of love and the new commandment was that we love as He has loved us! So the real big difference here is that all real love and the ability to even love does not come from us but it comes as a result of the divine revelation of Gods great love for us! As we receive Gods unconditional love for us then we are able to love others.

I John 4:10    Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

I John 4 again defines this new kind of love, it’s not that we loved God but that He loved us so much to send His only son. This new kind of now shifts the focus from me trying my best to love God and others back to the cross and seeing Gods unconditional love me. The more I receive Gods unconditional love the more I will then be able to share it with others.