Your new Tenant

If you have received Christ then you have a new tenant living on the inside of you . The old tenant ( your old nature) has been evicted once and for all and now a brand new tenant has moved into it’s place.

Therefore if any person is ingrafted in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old previous moral and spiritual condition has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! ( 2 Corinthians 4:17 ) Amp

One of the main truths that we need to understand is that when Jesus moved in He didn’t tell the old tenant to move over and make room for Him. No! Jesus evicted the old tenant! he threw The old tenant out ! He did away with Him! , in fact He even put to death that old nasty tenant and gave him a proper burial. Today a brand new re-created tenant lives in you. This new tenant is Christ in you the hope of glory. (Col 1:27)

The Gospel is much more then what God did for us but it’s also about what God did to us , to the old us! When Christ was crucified our old tenant was crucified with Him.

Are you ignorant of the fact that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him by the baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious [power] of the Father, so we too might [habitually] live and behave in newness of life. Romans 6:3-4 amp

I wonder how many Christians are still ignorant of the fact that when we received Christ or old nature got the boot ! And a new nature was put in the old natures place. Listen to what Galstians 2:20 says about this

I have been crucified with Christ in Him I have shared His crucifixion; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me.Galatians 2:20

Many Christians are under the false belief that they have two natures inside of them and that these two natures are wrestling for control! Kind of like a black dog and a white dog scrapping for there territorial rights ! But this is just not the case. Jesus is not roommates with our old nature . Jesus isn’t still wrestling for control , He’s in control! Jesus didn’t ask our old nature to scoot over so that He could then bunk with our old nature. No! He evicted our old nature!

So the most common question is this ” if the old nature is dead and gone then why do I still have struggles with fleshly desires and attitudes? Why do I still at times have old emotional swings and fleshly habits? Many think that it’s because the old tenant still lives in their house but its not because the old tenant lives their but it’s really because of what the old bad tenant left behind!

We need to understand that before the old tenant was evicted and was crucified by Jesus our new tenant , that the old tenant was not a very good tenant! I mean the old tenant really tore up a lot of stuff and did some major damage while he was living in our house! . The old tenant also left a lot of extra trash and junk that now needs to be cleaned up by our new tenant!

I’ve rented houses to tenants before and I can tell you that some tenants are good and some tenants are not so good. Some pay on time and keep the property nice and clean and then other tenants are like the nightmare on elm street tenants!

We need to understand that our old nature was a real nightmare on elm street tenant ! Not only was he evil but he was bent on destroying us . But the day we said yes to Jesus Christ is the day that we then gave Jesus legal permission to come in, evict our old evil tenant and establish the new .

But after our old tenant was evicted the old tenant also left behind some serious damage. Yes when Jesus came in everything became brand new in our spirit, but our soul , which is our mind , will and emotions and our body suffered some damage. The good news is that not only does our new tenant Jesus give us a brand new spirit but he also then goes to work to restore our soul and give new life to our broken bodies damaged by the old tenant .

And if the Spirit of Him Who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, then He Who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also restore to life your mortal (short-lived, perishable) bodies through His Spirit Who dwells in you. (Romans 8:11 Amp)

The way that Jesus restores our bodies and soul is by our agreeing with the truth of the gospel.

Romans 1:16 says that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes it.

The gospel is true whether you believe it or not ! But the gospel will only work for those who believe it.

The Greek word for salvation is Sozo , which means much more then the forgiveness of sins . Sozo means to heal,deliver, restore, recover,to make whole . As we believe the full gospel of grace then grace is then able to go to work to restore what the old tenant damaged.

Psalm 23 tells us the The Lord our Shepherd leads us beside the still waters where He then restores our soul.

The still waters represent our believing and resting in all that has already been done for us through the finished work of the cross and our new identity in Christ. As we enter into The rest of God ( Hebrews 4: 10) then God is able to bring restoration to us. It’s no coincidence that the first word in restore is rest. As we rest then God restores. As we rest that’s when God works.

The other great thing about our new tenant is that we will never have to be afraid of getting an eviction notice!

God is never going to evict those He came to save ( Romans 8:31-39)because of a Gods great love for us He did something that can never be undone! God has actually joined us to to our new tenant who is Jesus. (2Corinthians 6:17 ) and when Jesus died he didn’t just pay the rent , He bought the whole house! Today our house has been bought and paid for by The Lord !

Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own, [20] You were bought with a price [purchased with a b preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body. 1Corinthians 6:19-20 amp

We are joined to our new tenant Jesus , so for God to evict us He would have to also evict the one that we have now been joined to! and that’s never going to happen.

Today we are in Christ and Christ is in us. We have also been sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise . We rest in our new tenant who is Jesus . The old tenant is gone and the new tenant has come. As we rest and respond to The Lord then God works out what He has already worked in

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13

Just a closing note. God is not telling us to be nervous and afraid of Him . This is not what this scripture is telling us . The word Fear here means to stand in awe of and worship. Just the fact that God , the creator of all things actually lives in us and is working out His life through our lives should cause us all to stand in awe and wonder! This working in and out , is what the bible calls , Christ in us , the hope of all glory.

What about Things?

God does not mind you having things as long as things don’t have you. Case in point .

The Young Rich Ruler
Now as.Jesus was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.'” And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.” Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.( Mark 10:17-27)

Now the first thing we notice is that the young rich ruler wanted to know what he had to do to inherit eternal life . We need to understand that eternal life does not come by our doing but it comes by our believing in what Christ has already done for us! Jesus knew that He had to bring this young rich ruler to an end of all his doing ways so He could then bring him into the faith way. Jesus often used the law to accomplish this. The law was never given for us to keep but to show us that no matter how hard we tried , we couldn’t keep it! The law was never given to justify us , make us righteous or give us eternal life , but the law was given to bring us to the end of all our doing ways and to point us to complete faith in Christ (Galatians 3:11) ( Galatians 3:24-27)

So Jesus played along with this young rich ruler and said “you know the commandments , and then Jesus began to list the big ten one by one , of course the young rich ruler immediately interrupted and responded back to Jesus with ” Oh yes I’ve kept them all from my youth up!”

I like the next response of Jesus , it says that Jesus just looked at him and loved him. Jesus knew that this young rich ruler was bound by his own legalistic deception. Jesus knew that nobody including this young man had ever kept the law. There was only one that had ever kept the law and He was standing right in front of this young man looking at Him with eyes of love.

Jesus also knew that this young rich ruler not only had many things but his many things had him ! This is why Jesus told him specifically to go and sell his things. I have heard many who were so bound by legalism that they often tell people ” see we must sell everything before we can be saved! ” I recently heard one very popular author and mister say ” that we cannot claim to be a true follower of Christ unless we sell everything and give it to the poor!” Talk about heaping condemnation on folks ! My first thought after I hear someone preach things like this is ” have you really sold everything and given it to the poor?” And the answer if they are honest will always be no! So why are they demanding everyone else do this? If they haven’t ? Legalism will always bear fruit of hypocrisy . Sometimes I wonder if preachers really ever stop long enough to think about what’s really coming out of their own mouths!

So Let me set the record straight ! God is not telling everyone to put all their stuff on eBay before they can qualify for heaven! No! Jesus was dealing with this one man that was bound by his own legalistic deception and Jesus knew that this young man had a coveting and a idolatry issue in his heart The issue was not that the young rich ruler had things the problem was that things had him!

God does not mind us having things , in fact I believe that God blesses us with a lot of things and wants us all to have nice things ! God even desires to give us things and is even eager to add things to us but we must not make seeking things our top priority in life. God shows us in the word the healthy way of seeing things coming our way so that we possess things but things will never possess us!

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33

Now if a God didn’t want us to have anything then why does God tell us that all these things will be added to us ? God is showing us the ultimate healthy way of living in this life . We are to see first the Kingdom of God and He righteousness then all these other things will be added to us.

When our priorities are right then we never have to look for things , things will look for us! In fact Gods blessings will run us down and overtake us!( Deut 28:2)

It’s the same way with money the bible does not say that money is the root of all evil but the love of money is the root of all evil. Money is a tool , but money is not to be our God. We do not trust money we trust God who gives us the power to obtain wealth for His kingdom purposes.( Deut 8:18)

Now for the shock treatment ! We are never to use our faith to seek for things..if we will instead use our faith to seek Gods kingdom and His righteousness , then all these other things will be added to us.

Faith in the past has often been used to seek things , when we should be using our faith to seek Gods kingdom ( His Will ) and ( His righteousness ) (Faith Righteousness)

Faith Righteousness is one of the main things that we should be using our faith for. Faith righteousness is the key to accessing all that God has already given to us in Christ. (Ephesians 1:2)

For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. (Romans 10:1-4 NKJV)

Many Christians today are still ignorant about faith righteousness. Many believe that righteousness is something they have to do , when the truth is that true righteousness is something that we receive. True righteousness can only be received and never achieved.
Over and over the word tells us that new covenant righteousness is a gift that is believed and received not achieved. You can’t earn or achieve righteousness you can only receive righteousness..

So why is it so hard for man receive righteousness as a free gift ? Why do men still feel like righteousness is something they need to work hard for or achieve? Well there is no short answer for this but it really goes back to the garden .

When Adam ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil , man spiritually died and the fruit of the tree also put in Him the need to perform! Or to somehow earn his way back to God, it took man out of his simple walking relationship with man and put in man a rule mentality way of trying to relate to God. This rule , what must we do? way has ultimately become the root of all religion today.

Today you have two kind of ways that all men try and relate to God . The rule way and the relationship way and God is much more interested in the relationship way over the rule way.

This is why Religion often sees righteousness as a work or a list of rules they do instead of a gift they receive. But It is only as we first receive the gift of righteousness that we will ever produce the true fruit of righteousness or right living . Our right living is a by-product of believing that we have already been made right with God through the cross.

Right believing and right receiving will always produce right living. If we get the cart before the horse then we might have works but they will be dead works. Dead works are the by-product of men trying to earn righteousness with God, but again you can never earn righteousness , you can only receive righteousness.

As we learn to believe and rest in the true righteousness of God through the finished work of the cross. Then all other things will be added to us. It’s Gods pleasure to give you His kingdom.

When the disciples asked Jesus ” who then can be saved” after they saw the way Jesus dealt with the young rich ruler, Jesus said ” with man it’s impossible! but with God all things are possible!” Jesus was telling them right here that it was impossible for man to save himself. No matter how hard man tried to keep the law or do the right thing man cannot save himself or fix himself. It took God sending His son to the cross to save us! And as we believe in Christ we will be saved and experience all the blessings of the Kingdom.

Resting in Grace

Grace is the unearned, undeserved favor of God . The one thing we need to understand about grace is that there are various aspects and functions of grace. Grace has more then one function.

As every man has received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.(1Peter 4:10)

The manifold grace of God , means that there are various aspects and functions of Gods grace.

Religion will often limit grace to one aspect or function and thats the forgiveness of sins , but grace is far more then just the forgiveness of sins . Now don’t get me wrong forgiveness of sins is a huge part of Gods grace . In fact without forgiveness of sin then the fullness of Gods grace couldn’t really come in and do it’s work in our lives.

Forgiveness of sins was the door that then allowed the fullness of Gods grace to then move in to restore and transform us for the glory of God.

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Ephesians 1:7 KJV)

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2)

The bible says that we are saved by grace through faith. (Ephesians 2:8) and the word save comes from the Greek word Sozo which means to , heal, make whole, protect, deliver and a host of other incredible things. So Gods grace is not only for forgiveness but it’s for our wholeness . Gods Grace continues to work in our lives even after salvation to completely restore us , heal us and deliver us.

We need to understand that before we came to Christ we had an old nature or an old tenant that did a lot of damage to our house (body and soul) before Jesus finally evicted him. Gods grace is the gift that God gives to all who receive Christ. Grace is the one who moves to save (restore) everything that was damaged by our old tenant nature.

Grace is for salvation and salvation means to restore and make whole. Man could never fix himself no matter how hard he tried. No amount of work or self effort could ever fix the damaged caused by our old tenant . Gods grace is mans only hope for salvation and wholeness and Grace does not just restore us back to our original condition but grace restores us back to a far superior place then man has ever been before. When God restores , He always makes in better then new .

Grace not only saves us but grace also enables us, equips us, encourages us, empowers us and enlightens us. Grace even teaches us and Grace directs us . Grace is like our own personal internal GPS guidance system . Grace is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ. (Romans 8:2) and grace is the new law that God has written on our hearts (Hebrews 8:10).

Grace will help us to make the right moves and decisions . Grace will make the necessary course corrections in our lives . Grace helps to keep us on the right tack. Grace helps to keep us on the road of life and out of the ditches of despair. Grace is a gift that you cannot earn , you can only receive grace, rest in grace, rely on grace and respond to grace.

Grace is the power of God and the strength of Christ that gives us the supernatural ability to do anything that God calls us to do. Gods grace is sufficient for anything that God has called us to do (2 Corinthians 12:9) We were born again by grace (John 3:16 ) and we grow in grace ( 2 Peter 3:18) and our hearts are to be firmly established in grace so that we will not be carried away by strange and perverse doctrines (Hebrews 13:9) .

We are never to leave grace or exchange grace for any self effort or law . Our flesh could never fix us and our flesh cannot perfect us ( Galatians 3:2) . In fact it’s a very foolish thing to ever move away from grace and to stop relying on grace. To think we only begin in grace and then take over perfecting ourselves by the flesh is very foolish.

The gospel is the gospel of grace and it’s the only gospel that leads us to Christ. If we are not preaching the gospel of grace then we are preaching another gospel that is no gospel at all! (Galatians 1: 6) and in fact will not lead us to Christ but away from Christ.

There is only one gospel and it’s the gospel of grace( Acts 20:24 ) if we are not preaching the gospel of grace then there will be no power to save ( Romans 1:16 ) .

We should never allow anyone to tell us that we can receive too much grace , that too much grace is dangerous and will cause people to run wild and reckless in sin . You can never receive to much grace , in fact we not only need grace we need abundance of grace! even hyper grace to reign in this life ( Romans 5:17) the more grace the better ! As we receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness we will then reign as kings in this life.

Grace will cause us to reign over sin and over any other thing in this life that would attempt to bind us (Romans 6:14) and Grace only works through faith righteousness ( Romans 5:21) Grace is always frustrated by the law and self effort ( Galatians 2:21) but Grace works best as we Rest. Grace is Gods redeeming ability to change everyone. There is no sin greater then grace, there is no addiction more powerful then grace. Grace can heal and deliver the most bound person on earth . Where sin abounds grace does much more abound ( Romans 5:20) This is why grace is called Amazing! Grace continues to flow like the waves on the shore , Grace upon Grace.

Grace is our ultimate teacher (Titus 2:11-12) and grace is how we are now made alive in Christ ! Grace also quickens our mortal bodies and restores our souls Grace also works to prosper us and bless us ( 2 Corinthians 9:8) Again Grace only works through faith (Ephesians 2:8). As we believe and rest in all that God has already done for us through the finished work of the cross and in all that God is now doing in us and through us then we give permission for grace to continue to work and work out what God has already worked in . ( Philippians 2:13)

we need Grace from start to finish . We receive grace , we rest in grace , we rely on grace and we respond to grace . I am what I am by the grace of God all that I am and all that I do is by Gods grace.

But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. (1 Corinthians 15:10)

People as me how I can preach, teach , write or do all the things that God has called me to do and I always tell them it’s all grace!

Are you Sweating like a Sinner? or Resting like a Saint ?

Are we sweating like a sinner or resting like a saint?

The law was about striving, sweating and trying real hard to please God. Grace is about receiving and resting in green pastures and eating from a table that’s already been set and spread with the fullness and  goodness of The Lord.(Psalm 23)

The gospel is true, whether you believe it or not, but the gospel will not do you any good unless you believe it’s true for you! The gospel says everything that needed to be done to pay sins debt and to fulfill the law has already been accomplished through the body and sacrifice of Jesus.

The power of God to save, deliver and heal will only be realized by those who believe the gospel! ( Romans 1:16)

The law is about what I do for God through my own sweat and self effort, but Grace is about what God has already fully done for me and now I can rest and receive all that God has done. Grace says,” It’s a done deal!”

If we are still fearful, wondering if God is really pleased with us or if we are really  accepted and approved  of God, it reveals that we have not yet  fully believed what has already been done for us.

The Apostle Paul affirms in the book of Ephesians what God has already done for us.

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  not of works, lest anyone should boast. [For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. …(Ephesians 2:4-11) Faith says, “I believe it!”

The law boasts what it does for God, but Grace will always boast in what the Lord has done for it.

Jesus did not say, “It’s half finished!” No! He said, “It is finished!” And after he said, “It is finished”, the veil that separated us from God  was torn from the top to the bottom. Today, in grace, we have complete access to God. In fact God tells us to always come boldly and confidently to a Him and never doubt that the way has already been made.

Today we are already seated with Christ because we are in Christ and joined with Him (1Corinthians 6:17 ) . We are not working our way to God; we are already there!

We are in Christ so now His experience has now become ours. As He is so are we in this life.

Today we are under a new covenant grace  and  we are clearly taught  that our new relationship to the law  is to be death! (Romans 7); so that we can bear fruit unto God.

Fruit is not a product of our own self effort or flesh but it is  a natural by product  of the spirit that comes by  believing and resting in the finished work of Jesus.

We bear fruit as we abide in  the vine. To abide in the vine means to rest, relax or live in the vine .    

I live in a condo on the beach, when I go home I don’t try  real hard to  live there!  I don’t  walk through the door and sweat saying, “Oh, now I’ve got to try really hard to live here!” No! I usually go in, flop on the coach and enjoy living where I stay.  Also,  I know that no one is going to knock on my door and evict me!  Why?  Because the rent  has already been paid!  We need to understand that our new place in Christ has already been fully paid for! Jesus doesn’t pay rent,  He bought the house, and paid for the house in full! He is not going to evict me!  Abiding in Christ means that we now live in Christ . I don’t try and live in Jesus. I rest  in Him and I  enjoy my new position in Him.  Out of my abiding in Him I bare fruit.

Religion wants you to be in constant fear of  eviction. Religion wants you to believe that God, your landlord, is going to evict you,  kick you to the curb or  throw you out, if you don’t get busy paying Him back for what He’s done for you. But that’s not true! Yes we now have the privilege of  participating with the Lord in bringing His kingdom to earth, as it is in heaven, but God is not in the eviction business! (Romans 8:31-38)

Religion wants to pull you out of rest and confidence  into unrest  and uncertainty. Religion is a system of striving, working  and  of sweating.Religion wants you to sweat like a sinner instead of resting like a saint.

The  gospel is a gospel of rest because it says Jesus finished the work and then sat down and we who believe are now seated with Him. Today we rest because we know we have been forever forgiven and justified. (Romans 5:1)

In Acts 13:38-39 One day Paul and Barnabas walked into an Antioch synagogue filled with Pharisees  and Paul preached an amazing message of grace. This is part of what he preached.

Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

 

Forgiveness of sins,  justified , acquitted, declared not guilty, made righteous. This is the gospel.

Romans 5:1 -2 says being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. By whom we also have access into this grace by which we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

If the gospel your believing is not producing in you rest, peace, joy, love, unity  and freedom, then you need to reconsider  what gospel you are believing because it very well could be what Paul calls another gospel that is not the gospel of Christ. (Galatians 1:6-7.)

The true gospel is the gospel of grace, unearned, unmerited, undeserved favor from a God who is madly in love with you and wants to spend eternity with you!

If your being constantly reminded of sins and being told that God may not be happy or pleased with you because you are not doing enough, giving enough, attending church enough, praying enough, reading your bible enough or witnessing enough, then you need to say enough is enough! Because what Jesus did in His death, burial and resurrection was enough!

It’s not what you do that pleases God or makes you righteous before Him, but it’s what has already been done for you! Jesus said, “It’s finished,” and when He did, it was enough to fully satisfy the justice of God!

Today we live under a new blood covenant that’s speaks better things then the blood of Abel. Abel’s blood cried out for justice but the blood of Jesus cries out, the justice of a God has been satisfied!

We are under the new covenant promise of God. This new covenant is a covenant of Grace and peace; not law and  condemnation, but grace and peace!

The old  covenant was called the old because it no longer applies. Yes, we can still learn from the old, but we are no longer under the old covenant. Today we are under a brand new  covenant with far better conditions.

For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the LORD. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” (Hebrews 8:7-12)

Today we are under one new covenant, not two but only one!  And we are to never mix the two together! If we mix the two then we will  never realize the  full benefit of the new. Even though we have an inheritance, we will not see the  benefits of our inheritance if we mix the old and new together. We cannot eat at both  tables. We cannot eat from the table of law and grace.

Romans 7:4 and 6 tells us what our new relationship is to be with the old covenant law.

Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another-to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. (Romans 7:4 )

 But now we are discharged from the Law and have terminated all intercourse with it, having died to what once restrained and held us captive. So now we serve not under [obedience to] the old code of written regulations, but [under obedience to the promptings] of the Spirit in newness [of life].( Romans 7:4) Amp

Many times  people ask the question “well if we do not have the ten commandments to go by then how are we to know right from wrong? that’s easy ! Under the new covenant God has given us a new internal law, an internal GPS called the law of the spirit of life! Romans 8:2. The Holy Spirit has now been placed inside of you to lead us and to guide us into all truth.(John16:13)

  “If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you . No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you (John 14:15-18)

Resting in Gods Love for Us

Our greatest spiritual discipline is not what we do for God but it’s to rest in what God has already done for us!

The key words of the gospel are not strive, try harder, do more and sweat but they are believe ,rest, and faith.

It’s amazing to me that people in religion get angry at you for preaching too much love or grace. I mean, can you ever really get too much of God’s love or grace?

Will receiving too much love or grace make you a lazy reckless sinful Christian? According to the scripture the very opposite is true. The Bible says that as we receive the abundance of God’s grace and the gift of righteousness and as we know the love that God has for us then this will not cause us to become reckless in life but to reign in life! (Romans 5:17) It’s by our receiving God’s abundant grace, not law that sin no longer has dominion over us (Romans 6:14).  For us to say that we need to balance God’s grace and love with the law is to poison our minds and stop up our living wells (Acts 14:2) ( John 4:14). We must never allow anyone to convince us that receiving too much grace or love is a bad and dangerous thing. This is not the voice of God but it is the voice of the one who wants to frustrate what God wants to do in and through our lives. ( Galatians 2:21 )

I use to be one of those preachers who thought that he was doing God a favor by trying to balance grace with law. I guess I did it because I didn’t trust that God’s people could properly hear or be led by the Holy Spirit for themselves. So I decided that it was my job to help put bounders up, You know, so the sheep wouldn’t scatter. I needed to help fence them in to protect them from their wayward ways! Until one day the Lord revealed to me that under the new covenant it’s not about an external fence but it’s about an internal working and knowing. The Lord then began to show me that under the new covenant that He has written a new law on the hearts of His people.

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”(Hebrews 8:10-12)

This new covenant law is not the 632 laws of the old covenant but it’s the law of love and the law of the Spirit of life in Christ (Romans 8:2-16). The greater that we, His sons and daughters, know and receive the revelation of Abba’s great love for us and rest in what has already been given to us in Christ , the more we will then naturally  obey and bear fruit unto God ( Romans 7:4) The main thing that will keep us constrained is not any external laws or rules ( for they never could restrain us anyway) but  its Gods  love for us!. As we continue in God’s love then everything else will naturally just fall into place. When people have the right root then they will naturally bear the right fruit! The right root is to become thoroughly convinced of the love that God has for us. So you see those who say that preaching too much love or grace can be dangerous are sincere but they are sincerely wrong! Faith only works through love. So if there is no love there is no faith and if there is no faith then there is no grace because grace can only work through faith. So you see believing and receiving God’s love becomes the key to everything! God says, “I even had my servants write these things down so that those who read it could then run with it!”

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.  But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  not of works, lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:1-9 )

God has always been in love with us! Even when we were dead in sins! Do you remember when you were out doing a bunch of crazy sinful destructive stuff? God was still madly in love with you! Jesus did not come for the well; He came for the lost and the sick. While we were yet sinners Christ died for us. When He was on the cross you were on His mind! The greatest revelation that we can ever have is the revelation of God’s great love for us.

Paul’s prayer was that “Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”   (Ephesians 3:17-9)

You see the main root system is love. The more we believe God’s love for us, then the more we will be able to comprehend the purpose that God has for us. In other words God’s love will heal us from our spiritual amnesia! You know when Adam fell, he bumped his head and developed a condition called spiritual amnesia. He forgot who he was and why he was created and then he passed this condition on down to us!  God’s love is the main antidote to heal our soul that has been damaged by sin. Our soul somehow believed that God was out to get us; when in fact He is only out to heal us and to restore us. When Adam fell he immediately ran in fear from the presence of God and man has been running ever since! God is now in pursuit of us and has provided a way through the cross to become completely restored back to Him.  God demonstrated His love to us by sending His son to die for us. (Romans 5:8). Can we ever get too much love or grace/ Absolutely not!  God’s Love is what we need to heal and to deliver us from all our fears. Those who fear have not yet fully been established in the Love that God has for them. ( 1 John 4:17-19)

The way that people are filled with all the fullness of God is not by trying to slap it into someone,but it’s by knowing the great love that God has for them.

Keys to staying free from condemnation

Keys that that will set you free from guilt and condemnation.

First we need to believe and confess what Gods word says about condemnation. God is not in the condemning business He is in the saving business, healing business and life giving business but God is not in the condemning business. God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world but to save it. John 3:16-17 . When the religious folks brought a women and threw her at the feet of Jesus they actually did the women a favor! They threw down at the feet of the one who did not come to condemn but to seek and save the lost. The Pharisees then told Jesus that the law commanded that she be put to death but Jesus said ” ok whichever one of you is without sin go ahead and cast the first stone!” Well we know the rest of the story . One by one they dropped their rocks and left. After all the women’s accusers were gone Jesus then looks at the women and says” where are your accusers?” She looking around said ” their are none.” Jesus then tells the women ” neither do I condemn you ! Go and sin no more so a worst thing will not come on you” the only one that could have condemned the women was Jesus but He didn’t condemn her, He forgave Her. Jesus was also the very expression of the father . Jesus told the disciples ” when you’ve seen me you’ve seen the father” so not only did Jesus not condemn her neither was the father condemning her.

So what about the art where Jesus said ” go and sin no more unless a worst thing comes on you?” Well first Jesus was not telling the women ” I forgive you this time but the next time you mess up I’m coming back with a bag of rocks to throw at you!” What Jesus was telling the women is that sin does have consequences. In other words sin will hurt you if you continue to play around with it. Sin does not care if your righteousness or not sin will burn you of you keep playing with it. Just because we are forgiven does not then give us permission to play with fire. Sin like fire will burn you if you stick your hand into it.

But we need to firmly believe that God is not in the condemning business. Romans 8:1 says ” there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ” for God to condemn us He would then have to condemn the one we are in! We are in Christ and because we are in Christ there is now no more condemnation. Anytime the voice of condemnation comes your way tell it to speak to the nail scared hand because your not listening!

God does not want you in condemnation for even one nano second. It is never God who condemns. The Holy Spirit convicts but He does not condemn! and conviction does not mean condemnation , conviction actually means to convince, illuminate or turn the light on! The Holy Spirit is always going to help to restore us and show us the way to freedom. The idea that When we fail that God takes off His belt and beats the tar out of us as He’s scolding us does not represent the true nature of God. God desire is to always restore us.

Second to be free from condemnation we must shift our focus from our failures to Gods forgiveness. When we fail it’s no great surprise to God . It’s like God is like shocked or thrown completely off guard . God has already made provision for the forgiveness of all sins. Past , present and future. In fact we need to understand tans that when Jesus died All of our sins were future sins because we hadn’t even been born yet! This in no way should give us a passive attitude toward sin or give us a license to sin but it’s really to keep us free form sin. When we know that God has forgiven us of all sin and has given us the free gift of no condemnation , it in fact will empower us to go and sin no more! The ones who do not know in their heart that they’ve been forgiven are usually the ones that have an on going struggle with sin . Romans 6:14 says that sin will no longer have dominion over those who are no longer under the law but grace. Those who continually receive Gods undeserved favor , forgiveness and the gift of righteousness will reign over sin! Romans 5:17 , sin will not reign over them , they will reign over sin!

The Bible says ” sin abounds grace does much more” . Gods Grace is far more powerful then any sin or temptation that might come our way. Where sin abounds , Gods grace under the new covenant super abounds! Romans 5:20-21 . Sin is no match for the power of sin. Sin may look like Goliath but Grace is mighty like David ! Grace wins every time! To be free from condemnation and sin embrace Grace! Believe and confess that Gods grace is sufficient.

Third for us to stay free from condemnation we must keep our eyes off of our performance and obedience and instead keep our eyes on the obedience of Christ. The Bible tells us that it is through one mans obedience that we have been made righteous and that one man is not you but it’s Christ.

For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. Romans 5:17-19 NKJV

When a thought comes our way that tries to accuse us by telling us that we are unworthy or that God is angry with us or disappointed with us because we are not doing enough, giving enough , reading our bible enough or a host of other things that we are not doing enough of, then the Bible tells us to immediately take all those thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ ! 2 Corinthians 10:5 . We are not righteous today because of anything that we do or have done , we are righteous today because of what Christ has already done for us! It’s because of the obedience of Christ that we have been fully approved and accepted but God. To stay free from condemnation take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ 2 Corinthians 10:5

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 2 Corinthians 10:4-5

Forth to stay free from condemnation know that God is for you , He is not against you !

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Romans 8:31-34 NKJV

Again God is not condemning those He has justified! The condemner is not God , it’s the devil! So when the devil comes with his lies or accusations to condemn is we can know that God is always there to free us from the accusers voice. Even if that condemnation is coming from us! Form our own hearts! Often times it’s not the devil condemning us it’s we who are condemning ourselves! It’s our own hearts condemning us but again God is much greater then even the condemnation in our own hearts and knows how to deliver us. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.1John 3:20

Last to stay free from condemnation we must stop confessing our failures and unworthiness and start confessing the truth. The truth is that no matter how much you think you have messed up you are righteous and worthy because of the one who has made you righteous. There was a great exchange that took place when Jesus died. He who knew no sin became sin so that we could be made the righteousness of God in Him. This means that we are always worth and righteous. There is never a time that we are unrighteous or not worthy because we are now in Christ who is righteous and worthy! Our righteousness does not fluctuate with our performance! We are not righteous one day and not righteous the next day. Because most Christians do not understand the finished work of the cross they still think it’s about them! We have really come to believe more of the gospel of you then the gospel of Christ!

Many Christians are like yo-yos ! Up one minute and down the next because they believe it’s about them. Many are saved on Sunday and lost on Monday ! We need to come to the knowledge of the truth and the truth is that we are righteous today because of what Christ has done and because we have come to believe what He has done is enough. We are righteous when we are doing good and we are righteous when we are not doing so good. To stay free from condemnation we must keep the breastplate of His righteousness over our hearts! We never remove the armor , we keep it on! If we are struggling with some sort of habit or attitude the worst thing to do is to condemn yourself saying things like ” I’m a sorry excuse for a Christian!” Or if I were a real Christian I wouldn’t be doing this or having an attitude like this!” No ! The best thing to do in the middle of a struggle is to pull out the sword of the spirit which is the word of God and confess ” I am the righteousness of God in Christ!” ” I am a new creation in Christ,” ” I am loved by God” ” God is for me not against me” ” I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”

The Dolphin Story

Many people have asked my wife and I over the past few years why we decided to move to Myrtle Beach. I usually then tell them the Dolphin story. The dolphin story is really a story about faith and how God will often speak in very unique ways to get our attention and to direct our path. It’s also a story about resting and enjoying a simple  walk and relationship with the Lord and then being willing to step out of our boats into things that are often beyond reason and logic. As we stepped out in simple trust, then we saw the hand of the Lord working in some of the most incredible ways which resounded unto the glory of God.

So here is the dolphin story. My wife and I lived in Charlotte , NC for around 10 years  and during that time The Lord had led us to open up three coffee houses.. After owning the coffee houses for a few years, we sold all three coffee houses to some of our regular customers who had asked us if we would be willing to sell our businesses to them. After prayerful consideration we agreed to sell them. We then began to seek the Lord about what our next new adventure would be with Him. After about a  year my wife and I then decided that we would take a short weekend getaway trip and go down to Myrtle Beach, SC . We had only been to Myrtle Beach once the past 10 years but the time that we did go, we have a very nice time so we thought it would be a good, quick trip for us to make again. So we made plans for our trip and booked a condo in North Myrtle Beach where we would stay. Two weeks before we left on our trip a friend of mine Jerome Nelson calls me out of the blue and says, ” Rick, I just felt like the Lord wanted me to call you and tell you something a little strange. I said, ” Ok.You have my attention. What strange thing does the Lord want you to tell me?” He then said, “I felt like the Lord wanted me to tell you that people are like two kind of fish.Some are sharks and some are dolphins, but you are definitely a dolphin!”  I then laughed and said, “Well I guess I would rather be a dolphin then a shark! Maybe I’ll get a t-shirt that says, ‘the Dolphin Club’ on it and anyone that wants to join can then join the Dolphin Club! Well we both had a pretty good laugh about this whole dolphin thing, but really did not know why the Lord would even bring up this thought about dolphins. Why would God tell my friend to call me and tell me that I’m a dolphin? It didn’t make any sense.

Well two weeks later my wife and I took off on our little weekend get away trip to Myrtle Beach. After our our two day stay in North Myrtle Beach we then began our trip back to Charlotte and as we were leaving town we noticed the new Myrtle Beach boardwalk . I then said to my wife, “I’ve never seen this part of Myrtle Beach before. Let’s park and walk on this nice boardwalk.” She agreed, so we parked the car and began to walk on the boardwalk. It was a beautiful sunny day in April of 2010.  It wasn’t too hot or too cold. The weather was just perfect!

The Myrtle Beach boardwalk also runs along the ocean and the beach so it was just a really beautiful and nice way to end our weekend get away trip. As we began to walk on the boardwalk I then began to think and say to my wife ” you know this would be a great place for a coffee house! Wow! Wouldn’t it be incredible to live here and own a coffee house with this kind of view?” So as we continued our walk and day dreamed about owning a coffee house on the boardwalk . At one point we just stopped and began to look out at the ocean  as we  just enjoyed The Lord. When all of a sudden someone comes up form behind us,  leans into us and says, ” Have you guys seen the dolphins today?”

Well when I heard this, ” Have you seen the dolphins today?” my very first thought immediately went back to the phone call that I had just recently received from my friend two weeks earlier about dolphins and then my second thought was ” OK. What’s up with all this dolphin business?” And then I felt The Lord say ” Rick pay attention because I’m getting ready to show you my next wonderful plan for your life.” I thought, “OK.  Lord, you have my attention!”

I really did not know who this man was that approached us and who it was that asked us if we’d seen the dolphins today but I do know the Lord’s voice and that God was up to something. As we looked out where the man was pointing, there were about 6 to 8 dolphins swimming just off the shore. This was like the icing on the cake for our trip to Myrtle Beach. We then began to talk with the man telling him that we were from Charlotte and had owned three coffee houses in Charlotte and had just recently sold all three. We also began telling him how that we had just been day dreaming about the idea of having a coffee house right on the boardwalk. The man then said, “That’s funny because I just happen to own a building right on the boardwalk and it’s for lease! In fact, I had been thinking that a coffee house would be a great compliment to my restaurant business next door!  Well needless to say, my wife and I looked at each other and thought, “The Lord is up to something and we need to pay close attention.”

The man then took us into the empty building on the boardwalk . The building had been had only been used for storage for over 14 years but since the new boardwalk had been constructed the building had become a great spot to put a retail business in. As we went inside the building my wife and I both instantly knew that God was showing us that His next plan for us was to open a coffee house on the boardwalk in Myrtle Beach! Talk about quick ! Within 15 minutes after the man approached us about the dolphins we had decided and he had agreed to leasing us the spot that is now known as the Boardwalk Coffeehouse. That very next week I came back down to Myrtle Beach and began to up-fit the building for the coffee house . One weekend trip has turned into five years on the boardwalk. Since our move to Myrtle Beach we have seen God move in so may ways that it would literally take another full book just to write down all the miracles and testimonies of how we have seen God work in so many ways and through so many people. Now when people ask us, “How did you end up in Myrtle Beach?” we just smile and tell them the Dolphin story.

Resting in the obedience of Christ

Christianity Today just reported on a LifeWay survey which reveals that 56% of self-proclaimed evangelical Christians believe “people must contribute their own effort for personal salvation.” This is an urgent wake-up call for pastors nationwide to realize that a majority of churchgoers are not actually feasting on the solid food of God’s grace. Andrew Farley

When I first saw this survey I was shocked ! but then I thought ” you know that really sounds about right . In fact I’m actually kind of surprised that only 56% of Christians believe that their own self efforts contribute to their own salvation. I thought the number would be much higher. I mean just take a trip to the local Christian book store and you will find hundreds of books on the steps you need to do in order to maintain your righteousness with God and you will find only a very few books on the gift of righteousness and on resting in the finished work of Jesus.

Religion will often boast of what it does for The Lord but grace will always boast in what the Lord has already done for it.

Just before Jesus died He didn’t cry out ” its half finished!” No! He cried out ” it is Finished!” Jesus was crying out , everything that needed to be done to secure our eternal salvation with God is now complete ! and now there is absolutely nothing left to do but to receive and rest in what has already been done. After Jesus cried the vail that separated God from man was torn from the top to the bottom. Today the only vail that remains is the vail over the hearts of those because they do not believe it’s all finished. 2 Corinthians 3:14

It really is hard for the flesh to simply believe and receive that grace and righteousness are actually a free gift from God , first because flesh loves to receive glory for what it does and second it’s hard for the flesh to really believe that God is that good.

Flesh wants to say ” yes I’m saved by grace through faith but it’s my works and my obedience that keep me qualify me to access Gods presence. Listen , for us to really receive Gods amazing grace then we must crucify every self effort thought of our trying to earn our way with God and instead humbly receive by faith all that God has already made available to us in Christ.

All we have today in Christ has really nothing to do with us or our works or even our obedience but it has everything to do with the obedience of one man and that one man is Jesus Christ . Because Jesus fully obeyed we have now been made the righteousness of God in Him.

So what is our part in all this? Our part is to simply believe that Christ’s obedience was enough to pay the price for all our sins and to make us righteous in Him. Our part is to believe and receive the gift of grace and the gift of righteousness . Listen to what the Apostle Paul says in Romans 5:17

For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:17-19)

This scripture is telling us that in order for us to really reign in this life then we must choose to simply believe and receive Gods grace which s Gods favor and the free gift of righteousness apart from any of our self effort or works. In other words there can be no self effort addendum attached to,receiving Gods grace and right standing with Him ! This scripture is also telling us that just as we were all made sinners through one mans disobedience who was Adam , today we who believe in Jesus are now made perfectly righteous through one mans obedience and that one mans obedience is not your obedience but it’s the obedience of Christ . Because of Christ’s obedience we are now made right with God period ! I mean you would almost have to be blind not to see this! The thing that pleases God more then anything else is that when we believe that His Sons obedience to the cross was sufficient to make us eternally righteous in Him.

When we think that it is Jesus plus what I do that makes me righteous in essence what we are saying is that the obedience of Jesus was not sufficient !

We need to understand that when Jesus died that a great exchange took place. He who knew no sin became sin so that we could then be made the righteousness of God in Him. Jesus took our place so that we could take His! Today we are not righteous because of all the perfect works that we do but we are perfect because of the perfect work that Jesus has already done for us , again nothing pleases Gd more then when we believe this truth.

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2Corinthians 5:21)

Today we can rest in the truth that we are now righteous in Christ apart from our own works or performance . We can rest in the obedience of Christ , because Christ obeyed we are now righteous period ! End of story!

Now when thoughts come our way that try and tell us that we are not righteous because we don’t pray enough, give enough, serve enough, attend church enough, or a host of other doing things then we must tell those thoughts to take a hike! Because our right standing with God has nothing to do with my performance , it’s all about Christ’s obedience ! He alone has made me righteous !

The biggest trick of the devil is to draw us out of the finished work of Christ for righteousness and to draw us back into thinking that it’s up to my own self effort to somehow maintain my right standing with God. But again when these self effort thoughts for righteousness come our way we are to Immediately cast them down and Immediately bring our thoughts back to the obedience of Christ.

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,( 2 Corinthians 10:4-6)

strongholds are often wrong thoughts . It’s the same way with arguments , arguments are thoughts that are trying to argue and convince us of something that is contrary to the true knowledge of God and are contrary to the new covenant of the grace of God . But every thought that tries to tell you that your right standing with God is based on what Jesus did plus what you do is contrary to the gospel ! And should be cast down ! If a preacher tries to convince you that God is not pleased with you because your not doing enough or attending church enough then this preaching is contrary to the gospel ! And should not be taken to heart ! It’s not Jesus plus me , it’s Jesus plus nothing else! Now these arguments can be at times very convincing and persuasive . One reason they are so convincing is because these thoughts do have a certain flesh appeal! that is they appeal to the flesh because the flesh loves glory! But again when these thoughts of it’s Jesus plus my performance come to your mind then we must Immediately turn our thoughts back to the finished work of the cross and say ” no way ! It’s not me and my self effort plus Jesus that make me righteous , it is Jesus plus nothing else! ”

Today we must choose to rest in the obedience of Christ for righteousness and as we do we will find rest and peace for our souls and we will begin to experience the peaceable fruit of righteousness .Romans 5:1

The Apostle Paul at one time was going down the wrong road of works righteousness through the law , until one day He had an encounter with The Lord on the road to Damascus . This is where Paul’s entire theology began to change! Paul was struck blind and led to a street called straight so that The Lord could open up his eyes to the truth and straighten out Paul’s wrong theology ! You see Paul had a lot of zeal for God but zeal without true knowledge can become very dangerous . Paul in his self righteous zeal for God at one time was killing Christians believing that he was doing God a favor !

But once Paul understood how to receive the true righteousness of God , Paul then became very zealous in a good way with the good news of Jesus Christ and Paul began to then proclaim to all who would hear the righteousness of God by faith and not by self performance . Listen to what Paul writes in Philippians 3:7

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; Philippians 3:7-9

Today we must know that our righteousness is solely by faith in Christ’s obedience and instead of trying to achieve righteousness by works instead choose to rest in righteousness that comes through faith in the obedience of Christ. Jesus has eternally made us righteous apart from any work or performance . If we believe we are righteous by faith then our right believing will naturally produce the peaceable fruits of righteousness unto the glory of God.

Resting in Gods Favor

Resting in Gods favor.

Grace is the unearned, undeserved favor of God. Grace can never be achieved it can only be received. It someone attempts to earn grace by what they do then it is longer favor it is seeking favoritism.

Favoritism is different then Grace . Favoritism is something that you attempt to do in order to earn or to maintain favor with someone. Favoritism is earned favor or maintained favor but grace is the unearned , undeserved favor of God . We cannot work for grace we can only receive grace. For us to really reign in this life we must continually choose to humbly receive the undeserved , unearned favor of God and at the same time we must also reject any temptation of trying to earn Gods favor . We must make up our minds that we will never try and earn what God has already freely given to us in Christ.if we try and earn what God has given to us as a gift then it is no longer grace ( unearned favor ) but it’s earned favor which is favoritism. It’s the same way with the gift of righteousness., if we try and earn the gift of righteousness then it’s no longer faith righteousness but it is self righteousness. Self righteousness is a result of someone trying to earn or maintain their righteousness with God but the true Righteousness of God can never be earned , it can only be received as a gift. A key scripture for this truth is found in Romans 5:17

For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Romans 5:17 NJKV

The only way that we will ever reign in this life is if we will make up our minds to never try and earn or achieve Gods favor or earn or achieve our righteousness with God but to only receive the abundance Gods favor and the gift of righteousness .

Gods grace can never be achieved by our performance but can only be received . God gives us grace because of His great love and compassion for us, because God loves us He gives us His grace . The only thing that He asks us to do is to humbly receive His grace through faith.

God doesn’t have favorites He really loves us all equal . We are all Gods favorites . God does not favor one person over another person. We should never buy the lie that tells us that God loves brother domore more then He does sister doless because brother domore does more then sister doless. If that were the case then that would be God showing favoritism to brother domore because brother domore does more then sister doless .God does not show favoritism based upon any works that we do but God does give us His grace because of what Jesus has already done for us.

Faith simply believes and receives all that God loves and desires to give. The Bible says that we are saved by grace through faith. We are not saved by grace alone but we are saved by grace through faith. We can only experience the benefit of grace as we humbly receive Gods grace as a gift . This is also why the Bible tells us that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.The proud refuses to receive Gods grace as a gift. The proud are determined to earn what they receive. The proud will often say things like ” I’ve never allowed anyone to give me anything! I always work for everything I have!” Well this may sound real noble and humble but in Gods kingdom this is pride of the worst kind. This kind of pride will never see the grace of God at work in their lives. We must always humbly receive all that God has already given to us because of Christ.

Remember when The Lord washed His disciples feet? And when a Jesus came to Peter , Peter said ” no way your washing my feet! Jesus then told Peter if you don’t allow me to wash your feet then you’ll have no part of me!” Peter thought he was being real humble to tell The Lord he would never allow His Lord to wash his feet but this was really more pride then humility! The humble will always allow The Lord to wash their feet and to give them His abundant grace.

If someone wants to give you a gift you don’t say ” I can’t receive this! , please allow me to do something for this gift ! Let me at least mow your yard or do some other chores around your house.” The problem with this is way of thinking is that If you did something for the gift it would no longer be a gift but it would be a wage or something that you have earned. A gift can only be received and in no way earned. I like how the New Living Bible explains it in Romans 4

When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it: “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin .(Romans 4:4-8 ) NLT

If you work forty hours in a week your boss doesn’t then come up to you at the end of the week and say ” here’s your love gift for working all week! ” I mean you would look at him like ” are you was crazy? ” It’s the same with grace and righteousness . When we try and earn what God can only freely give as a gift , He implores us to please just rest and receive all that has already been paid for through the cross.

God is the blesser and we are the blessee . We must choose to do our part so that God can then do His! God really does want to bless us , so we need to humbly allow God to do what God wants to do and that’s to bless us !

The Bible says that it’s Gods pleasure to give us the kingdom ! So do your part and receive the kingdom .

Gods favor can only be received as a gift. Favoritism is something we do in order to try and earn favor with men or with God.

The incredible thing about receiving and resting in the favor of God is that once you receive Gods favor then you will never have to try earn favoritism with anyone else again because Gods favor will not only give you favor with God but with people too! . In other words you will begin to see the ripple affect of Gods favor working all around you . You will begin to see Gods favor begin to open up doors that you could have never opened up through your own self seeking efforts of trying to earn favoritism with men. New opportunities will even come up behind you and surprise you. Because of Gods favor you will not have to chase Gods blessings because Gods blessings will begin to chase you and overtake you ! (Deut 28:2)

The Bible says that Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.(Luke 2:52)

Jesus not only grew in wisdom and stature but he also grew in favor with God and with all people.

Now this doesn’t mean that Jesus earned or worked for the favor of God but it means that the favor Jesus already had continued to grow and increase with intensity ! It’s the same with us as we grown in knowing the love that God has for us and begin resting in what God has already given to us in Christ then Gods favor will continue to increase and intensify all around us.

I can’t tell you how many times that I have seen the favor of God working in and through my life as I choose to simply rest in Gods favor and love for me. I remember one day The Lord telling me ” Rick you don’t need money to accomplish what I have called you to do , all you need is my favor! And then He said ” and you already have my favor!” So today I simply walk with God , enjoy God and I thank Him for His favor and the more I rest then the more I see Gods favor at work all around me.

As we Rest then Gods favor really does work !

Today we are living in the acceptable year of The Lord ! Gods heart is to give you His favor and to bless your socks off ! But never try and earn what can only be received as a gift . Begin to receive and rest in Gods favor today.

Resting in the Fathers Love

 

God hates sin because God Loves you ! God hates sin because of what sin does to the ones He loves! Have you ever told your child that they couldn’t do something or eat something because you knew if they did , it would hurt them ? I mean no loving parent is going to ever tell their kids to go play out on the freeway ! My grandson Isaiah was born with a peanut allergy , the way his parents found out is that one day after eating a big spoonful of peanut butter his little face blew up like a ballon ! Now today he has to stay away from certain foods that may taste good but are not good for him and could in fact be deadly ! His momma has to often tell him no that’s an oweee for Isaiah , that’s not good for you! Now he’s still young so he doesn’t always understand why others seem to be able to eat tasty things and he cant , but he trusts in his mothers love to look out for what’s best for him . Sin is like a beautiful tasty cheese cake laced with cyanid , it may look good and even taste good but sin always leads to death. God loves us and only wants to protect us from things that He knows may look good but in the end will only harm us. God really does love us and He is for us , He is not against us . God is not trying to keep anything good from us and He’s not trying to ruin all our fun and make us miserable ! No ! this is a lie from the one who really does want to harm us . we must trust that Father knows best even when we don’t understand.

One of the biggest reasons that many do no believe God is because we do not believe the love that God has for them . Faith works by love ! , which really means that as we see The love that God has for us then we will begin to easily believe that God only wants what is best for us , once we are fully convinced about the incredible love that God has for us then we will believe a God. Faith works by Love . Not our love for God but Gods great love for us! (1 John 4:16-19)

Believing and resting in the Love that God has for us is really key to everything.

In the past there has a lot of emphasis about faith but true faith only works by understanding Gods affectionate love for us..

I remember a story about a minister that carried his little girl in his arms while shopping and never once his little girl say ” I confess with my mouth and believe in my heart that you daddy will never drop me ! ” faith is not a formula , faith works by love ! The daughter simply rested in her fathers arms because she knew and trusted in her fathers love for her. She was so relaxed that she fell asleep! There was no striving to even hold on, why because the father clung to her! The Father had her safe in His arms , while she simply relaxed in His arms. Today Our Father has us in His arms and we are safe. Papas grip is much stronger then ours! Religion tells you to hang on to God with all your strength don’t let go ! But grace says that God us hanging on to us and His grip is much stronger then ours.

As we receive a greater revelation of love Gods for us then faith will arise in our hearts and we will find ourselves striving less and resting more.

Rest shows that we have come to believe the love that a God has for us even when the storms of life hit! I’m reminded about the time that Jesus wen out on a boat with his disciples, who were still in the process of learning the Love that God had for them.

And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? (Mark 4:37-40) KJV

How could Jesus be in so much rest that He was fast asleep on a pillow during a raging storm? The same way the the little girl could be asleep I her fathers arms , Jesus knew the Love that the Father had for Him and knew that He was in the protective care of His father. The bible says that perfect love casts out all fear , again this perfect love is not our perfect love for God but Gods perfect love for us! As we receive, believe and rest in the love that God has for us then we will be delivered from all fear even when the storms life come our way we will be kept in perfect peace because we are resting in Gods love.

One of the most recognized and most memorized verses in the bible is John 3:16 . Most could not tell you want the Ten Commandments are not they can quote John 3:16 . for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life! We were not created to live by external rules and laws but by love. When God created man He did not hand him a rule book , He breathed life into him and man became a living soul or a quickening spirit . The whole reason God created us was because of Love. We were created to be loved and express love. Where there is no love then their is no real purpose.
(1 Corinthians 13:1-13 ) the greatest gift that we possess and can ever express is Gods love.

We may have come from a family where love was not the most evident thing in the house, so it’s not always very easy to relate to this God kind of Love but what I have learned through out my walk with The Lord that if we will simply begin to confess and believe the love that God has for us whether we feel it or not , His love will begin to be manifest in and through you . It will happen and as you begin to experience Gods love for you , you will be completely become filled with all the fullness of God. Listen to the apostles Paul’s prayer on this.

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is . ( for you ) ( that ) may you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. ( Ephesians 3:14-19 NLT )

What was Paul’s prayer about knowing and experiencing od has for us ?

First that we would be strengthened in our inner man by Gods unlimited resource of power and strength by His Spirit , which is His grace!

Second that Christ would make His home in us as we trust Him and that our roots would grow down into Gods love to make us strong ! Third that we would then come to know how vast Gods love is for us ! Gods love is beyond human comprehension and it takes Devine revelation to know The love that God has for us , but the more we come to know Gods love then the more we will be filled with the life of God! Today we need to learn to Rest in the love that God has for us , see yourself safe and resting daddy’s arms.

I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, p neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow— not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. [39] No power in the sky above or in the earth below— indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.( Romans 8:38-39)