Friday, December 31, 2010

CHANGE--- TURN--- and REPENT!

“For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”  1 Peter 4:17 NIV
Christ has no condemnation for His Church but He has much to complain about.   He says in Rev. 3:15-17,   15-17"I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You're not cold, you're not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You're stale. You're stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, 'I'm rich, I've got it made, I need nothing from anyone,' oblivious that in fact you're a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless. “
Our churches today are largely in a “lukewarm” condition. There is very little a lukewarm hearted church can do spiritually.  Lukewarm churches are no threat to the kingdom of Satan. Whereby they will not make a difference in their community, city or region, there may be events or activities going on but there is an absence of ‘spiritual fire.’
Revival may be threatened but instead of waiting upon the Holy Spirit for His power we get a forced worship service and soul winning is for bragging.  It’s a time to pat ourselves on the back for the number of sinners we’ve “won” to Christ.
We are offered a warm fuzzy feeling, a few tears and drama to convince us that we are in the presence of God.   We are in the presence of a spirit but it is NOT the Holy Spirit!
These spirits are called familiar and religious spirits.  These demonic spirits have taken over and hold many churches captive!
How does a church become lukewarm?    Self-Deception!
People follow man instead of Jesus.    People put their faith and trust in man, NOT God’s word!  People do not question man’s control, opinions or actions.  They believe if the ‘man’ acts spiritual he must be who he says he is!  Self-Deception!
Christ sees so many churches today that have spiritual poverty in their hearts.  These churches produce lukewarm Christians, aka: Show Christians, who have no true repentance in their heart.  They still talk, live, dress, and act like the world.
Show Christians have more world in them than Jesus; they are self-deceived.  They carry their bibles to church and display an academy award act of Christianity all the while hiding their worldliness, addictions, jealousy, pride, hatefulness, control, lovelessness, haughtiness, lust, greed, and etc.  You know the type; they talk the talk, look and act pious but once leaving the church they don’t walk the walk.
Show-Christians like to fit in both worlds….they have one foot in the church and the other foot in the world. They want to be liked by everyone.  NO separation of the church and the world.
We all know that going to church does not make us a Christian. 
We do know that right?     Our bodies may be in church but where is our heart?
What is the spiritual temperature of our heart?
CHANGE--- TURN----and  REPENT!
 11-14But make sure that you don't get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work he began when we first believed. We can't afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight. Get out of bed and get dressed! Don't loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress yourselves in Christ, and be up and about!”  Romans 3: 11-14  The Message Bible

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

WAKE UP CHURCH!!!!!!!! ARISE!!!!!!!! SOUND THE ALARM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Church must rid itself of worldly influences, man-made traditions, ego’s, pride, control & manipulation, .……it all boils down to getting rid of the fleshly—carnal man and putting the Holy Spirit back as the Head of the Church.
The Church must get rid of these religious spirits that have hidden God’s glory by casting a veil on a true relationship with God, so that the truth of God’s word will be seen in clarity.
Only then will we witness a true move of God in purifying His Church from fleshly and worldly influences.  Truly God desires an intimate relationship with His people so that His personality will be reflected through our lives, our actions, and our words to those around us.
We’ve all encountered people who look and act according to their prejudiced standards; aka… “Show-Christians”.   They pretend to have a relationship with Christ and yet have a nasty attitude towards others. They are condescending, arrogant, jealous, controlling, rude and hateful.  Their actions speak louder than their words!
Who are those people winning to Christ?   NO ONE!   Their focus is more on themselves; their appearance, their gifts & talents, their emotions, their desires,. .…they want all the attention on themselves.  They are too busy trying to impress others, show-offs; they act all self-righteous & pious, rather than represent a true Christ to a lost world.
There’s something to be said about the inward work of Christ in ones heart.  His inward work will produce an outward manifestation.  This means God will promote you!  It will not only be in your appearance it will also be in your attitude.  (Eph. 4:13)
We do not need another superstar leader in the Church to take us to the next level.  The Church needs to take its rightful position as the Body of Christ!
We are many members, yet we have only one Head…..Jesus!
We are a diverse body. The world has not really taken notice of Jesus because we are focused more on ourselves.  That’s why the spirit of religion has seemingly suffocated a true intimate relationship with Jesus.
The spirit of religion has us focused and consumed with offenses, jealousy, rules, procedures, superstar personalities, control, ego’s, money, unforgiveness, fame and selfishness!
The world can no longer see Christ in the Church because the Church has the world focused on me, myself, and I.   The world can no longer see Christ in the Church because sin has found comfort in the pews.     NO CONVICTION!    No True Repentance!     Show Christianity!!    NO CHANGE!
We are deceived into believing we can get to heaven by being good, nice, throwing our left over change in the bucket, acting pious and carrying a bible.   We continue to pretend we like each other and we don’t want to make others uncomfortable with their hidden sins.  We are also happy to be a ‘Christian’ as long as we can dress and act like the world……you know….’so we don’t look different’---we wouldn’t want to stand out—otherwise the world would not want to associate with us and then “how could we win them to Jesus?????”   We are too busy trying to fit in rather than live the consecrated life that Jesus died to give us.  He died to set us apart…..to be known as His people.  He places His mark upon us and we are trying to cover it up with the sins of the world.
The Church is going to experience God’s wrath so He can purify His bride.  He will do whatever it takes to prepare the Church for His Bridegroom.  
WARNING!!!!!!
Get ready Church the rumbling of an earthquake has begun!     
Get Ready------Change is coming!           Wake up Church!!!      Arise!    
Sound the alarm!
Jeremiah 6:16-20 (The Message)
Death Is on the Prowl
 16-20God's Message yet again:
   "Go stand at the crossroads and look around.
   Ask for directions to the old road,
The tried-and-true road. Then take it.
   Discover the right route for your souls.
But they said, 'Nothing doing.
   We aren't going that way.'
I even provided watchmen for them
   to warn them, to set off the alarm.
But the people said, 'It's a false alarm.
   It doesn't concern us.'
And so I'm calling in the nations as witnesses:
   'Watch, witnesses, what happens to them!'
And, 'Pay attention, Earth!
   Don't miss these bulletins.'
I'm visiting catastrophe on this people, the end result
   of the games they've been playing with me.

They've ignored everything I've said,
   had nothing but contempt for my teaching.
What would I want with incense brought in from Sheba,
   rare spices from exotic places?
Your burnt sacrifices in worship give me no pleasure.
   Your religious rituals mean nothing to me."

Monday, December 27, 2010

A WARNING TO THE CHURCH

A Warning to the Church         

         
".......the First of God's creation, says:
 15-17"I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You're not cold, you're not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You're stale. You're stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, 'I'm rich, I've got it made, I need nothing from anyone,' oblivious that in fact you're a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless.
 18"Here's what I want you to do: Buy your gold from me, gold that's been through the refiner's fire. Then you'll be rich. Buy your clothes from me, clothes designed in Heaven. You've gone around half-naked long enough. And buy medicine for your eyes from me so you can see, really see.
 19"The people I love, I call to account—prod and correct and guide so that they'll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God!
 20-21"Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I'll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That's my gift to the conquerors!
 22"Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches."   Rev. 3  Message Bible

Jesus Loves Me!

Sunday, December 26, 2010

God's Watching....Don't Give Up!!!!!

“I can’t impress this on you too strongly, God is looking over your shoulder. Christ himself is the Judge, with the final say on everyone, living and dead.  He is about to break into the open with his rule, so proclaim the message with intensity; keep on your watch.  Challenge, warn, and urge your people. Don’t ever quit. Just keep it simple.
You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy.  They’ll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages.  But you—keep your eye on what you’re doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the message alive; do a thorough job as God’s servant.
All praise to Him, praise forever!  God be with you.  Grace be with you!”    2 Timothy 4  Message Bible
Jesus Loves Me!

Saturday, December 25, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!!!!!

“Unto us a Savior is born”….. His name is Jesus…..Immanual ……Prince of Peace…
He came to earth knowing His final destiny would be a cruel death by the very people He came to save.
He came as a baby… a precious lamb for the slaughter.  His shed blood brought redemption for all.
Thank you, Jesus for being selfless, giving, loving and forgiving!   
  HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS!!!!!!!!!!!    
I LOVE YOU!!!!!

Friday, December 24, 2010

What Looks Right Can Be Wrong.....

The woman at the well (John 4) made a point of telling Jesus their worship was determined by the place. She was emphatic about Mount Gerizim, “the place where men ought to worship” (Jn 4:20).   Jesus  explained to her that it did not matter where she worshipped; it was the how that she had to be correct about.  The how of worship is in spirit,that is, being properly tuned to God spiritually.
Jeremiah’s parable of the ripe and spoiled figs reveals this to be true (Jeremiah 24).   The good figs were the Jews who had been taken captive to Babylon, while the rotten figs were the Jews who remained in the Holy Land.
Babylon was suppose to be the evil place, Judah the good.  But that was not true of the figs, for the rotten ones were in the good place; the good ones were in the rotten place.
This speaks volumes to my heart!  Babylon with all its evil did not corrupt the captive Jews.  Why?     Because their hearts were right though their surroundings were evil.  It was exactly the reverse with the Judean Jews, whose hearts were wrong though their surroundings were right.
Often times we have a tendency to blame our friends, family, job or environment for hindering our relationship with God.  The blame lies within our own negligent heart.  The battle is won or lost within me.  Babylon can become my purest heaven or Judea my deepest hell, depending upon my heart condition.
“Lord, I promise that I will not allow my relationship with You be determined by my place of worship.”
“God is spirit; and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”  John 4:24
The Holy Spirit gave me a word one day; it was a warning for me to be on guard.  He said, “...what looks right can be wrong…..”
Jesus Loves Me!

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Emotions can deceive us

So often religion stops when emotions are touched.  We usually sing, “….send your power..O’ Lord…” or “….come Holy Spirit…” which usually means; give me a warm fuzzy feeling, make me cry and feel spiritual. We tend to think the service was touching, if the tears flowed, or if we were made to feel humbled and holy or if we were coaxed by worship to ‘feel’ the presence of God.  Not necessarily!    How quickly we forget that there is another ‘presence’ that can come upon us… “he disguises himself as an angel of light..”  2 Cr 11:14-15.  We must go beyond feelings.  Our emotions are part of our flesh and they can deceive us!
The emotional service is good if it serves to rend our hearts.  If we experience the presence of God, then live the rest of the week in sin; jealousy, unforgivness, hatred, strife, anger, selfishness, lying, greed, lust, pride, haughtiness, careless words, control, manipulation, fear and intimidation our hearts have been left unrent!  NO CHANGE!!!  The question is: were we really in the presence of God?
So many decisions are made today based on feelings/emotions.  But once the emotions settle down we return back to our former way of living.  There will be no change until we learn to crucify our flesh, emotions, desires and selfishness to the cross and choose to serve God based on His word and faith.  A true heart change will reveal whether or not we were in the presence of the Most Holy God!
The prophets of old were emphatic that repentance show itself in truth, love for everyone in equity, and reaching out to those who are hurting and lost.  To them the right attitude towards God means a kind, loving and gracious attitude towards others.
Sackcloth and ashes, ripped clothes and sacrifices mean very little unless they are expressions of my inward rendered heart, where the very roots of my life are changed.  I thank You, Jesus, that when You give us the power of Your Spirit, it always is “in the inner man” (Eph. 3:16).  That is where we need it the most, down in the root of our personality, where life-changing action occurs.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:9
Jesus Loves Me!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Jesus Christ Came Into the World to Save Sinners!

“Here’s a word you can take to heart and depend on: Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.  I’m proof---Public Sinner Number One---of someone who could never have made it apart from sheer mercy.  And now he shows me off---evidence of his endless patience—to those who are right on the edge of trusting him forever.
Deep honor and bright glory to the King of All Time----One God, Immortal, Invisible, ever and always. Oh, yes!
I’m passing this work on to you…… The prophetic word that was directed to you prepared us for this.  All those prayers are coming together now so you will do this well, fearless in your struggle, keeping a firm grip on your faith and on yourself . After all, this is a fight we’re in.
The first thing I want you to do is pray.  This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.  He wants not only us but everyone saved……Jesus who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free.  Eventually the news is going to get out.  This and this only has been my appointed work; getting this news to those who have never heard of God, and explaining how it works by simple faith and plain truth.    
……prayer is at the bottom of all this……raising holy hands to God.  
…..salvation only comes to those who continue in faith, love and holiness, gathering it all into maturity.   You can depend on this!”     1 Tim. 1: 15-18,  1 Tim 2: 2-8    The Message Bible
Jesus Loves Me!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

God says, "I'm Sick of Your Religion!"

“When you come before me, who ever gave you the idea of acting like this, running here and there doing this and that---all this sheer commotion in the place provided for worship!
Quit your worship charades, I can’t stand your trivial religious games; Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings---meetings, meetings, meetings---I can’t stand one more!  Meetings for this, meetings for that, I hate them!  You’ve worn me out!  I’m sick of your religion, religion, religion, while you go right on sinning.   When you put on your next prayer performance, I’ll be looking the other way. No matter!  how long or loud or often you pray, I’ll not be listening.  And do you know why?  Because you’ve been tearing people to pieces, and your hands are bloody.  Go home and wash up.  Clean up your act.   Sweep your lives clean of your evildoings so I don’t have to look at them any longer.
Say no to wrong.  Learn to do good. Work for justice.  Help the down and out.  Stand up for the homeless.  Go to bat for the defenseless.
Come, sit down.  Let’s argue this out.  This is God’s Message:  “If your sins are blood-red, they’ll be snow-white.  If they’re red like crimson, they’ll be like wool.   If you’ll willingly obey, you’ll feast like kings.  But if you’re willful and stubborn, you’ll die like dogs.”  That’s right.  God says so.”    Isaiah 1:12-20   Message Bible
Jesus loves me!

Monday, December 20, 2010

Free Will

Free Will

When Jesus died He freed me from the guilt of my sins.  He brought me out from the auth. of Satan.  My ownership was transferred at Calvary, not terminated.  I am now just as liable to the auth. of my new Master as I had been to the old one.  I am no longer obligated to serve the kingdom of darkness, nor am I free to decide what I will do, eat, wear, say, or go where I want.  The fact that I so often please myself does not mean that I have the right to do so.
When I served Satan I had no choice, I ‘walked according to the things of this world. (Eph. 2:2)  I was content that way because I knew no better. I was walking in my flesh; selfishness, pride, strife, jealousy, haughtiness, greed, lust, idols, hatred, anger….etc.    So there was not conflict---no spiritual warfare … just a natural existence.
But, now I serve Jesus, even though He has all rights to me, He lets me choose to serve Him: “I beg you…brethren…present your bodies a living sacrifice.”  (Rom.12:1)  He owns me and yet He begs me; He bought me completely and yet He waits upon my decision.  He allows me to live with a free will.  I can live for myself or die to myself and live for Him.  
Free will, am I willing to sacrifice it?  Am I really willing to give up everything to serve Him?   Do I really understand what this means?  Will I totally surrender no matter what the cost may be?
Can I surrender my idols, my money, my things, people I love, my life or my choices?
Why did He give me a free will when He bought me with such a costly price?    It must be because He wants no legal love, or reluctant obedience.  He wants me to want Him for Himself, not because I have no other choice.  Whereby, our relationship is a love relationship.
“Those who trust God’s action in them find that God’s Spirit is in them----living and breathing God!  Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life.  Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God.  Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God.   That person ignores who God is and what he is doing. And God isn’t pleased at being ignored.”  Rom. 8: 5-8  Message Bible
“….if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God…” Rom 8 13-14  NIV
Jesus loves me!

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Law vs. Heart Knowledge

“Answer this question: Does the God who lavishly provides you with his own presence, his Holy Spirit, working things in your lives you could never do for yourselves, does he do these things because of your strenuous moral striving or because you trust him to do them in you? Don’t these things happen among you just as they happened with Abraham?   He believed God , and the act of belief was turned into a life that was right with God.  
It is not obvious to you that persons who put their trust in Christ (not persons who put their trust in the law) are like Abraham: children of faith?  It was all laid out beforehand in Scripture that God would set things right with non-Jews by faith. Scripture anticipated this in the promise to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed in you.”
So those now who live by faith are blessed along with Abraham, who lived by faith---this is no new doctrine! And that means that anyone who tries to live by his own effort, independent of God, is doomed to failure.  Scripture backs this up: “Utterly cursed is everyone who fails to carry out every detail written in the Book of the  law.”
The obvious impossibility of carrying out such a moral program should make it plain that no one can sustain a relationship with God that way.  The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God arranges for him.”       Gal. 3  5-12    The Message Bible
JESUS LOVES ME!

Friday, December 17, 2010

God Has Called You To a Free Life!

“It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows.

“For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then?
My counsel is this: live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?
It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulations of mental and emotional garbage, frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on. This isn’t the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God’s kingdom.
But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.
Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good---crucified.
Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives.” Galatians 5: The Message Bible

Are You Sick and Tired of "playing church?"

So many people are sick & tired of phone-show Christians. They are sick & tired of playing church, sick & tired of traditional church svc, sick & tired of the same old messages with yesterdays mold.
I am one of ‘those’ people who is sick & tired of “playing church.” I am grieved by the same old dried up anointing. No...thing is fresh or new! Old wine skins gone bad—dried up and hidden behind ‘flowery’ patches.

How about you? Are you sick & tired of playing church?
I am grieved by the same rhetoric for revival. Most people wouldn’t recognize revival if it bite them on the leg. Revival begins in our hearts, not in a church building. It can’t be ...forced, faked or ‘convinced”. A true revival is experienced not announced!
I’m sick & tired of being told I’m in the presence of God. If we were truly in the Holy presence of Jehovah—Jesus Christ, we would be changed from glory to glory. Just as Moses was changed by being in God’s presence, we too would be drastically changed. (Ex 33)
We would glow with His Holy presence whereby change would occur. No one would have to tell you, you were in His presence-----you would know it beyond a doubt! NO Question!
If we truly were in the Holy presence of God we would drop to our knees and worship Him (see Rev. 19:4) rather than con’t our regularly scheduled agenda with a ‘matter-of-fact’ attitude.
If we truly were in the Holy presence of God we would not con’t to live under the influence of the demonic spirits of: control & manipulation, fear & intimidation, jealousy, hatred, favoritism, unforgiveness, lovelessness, meaningless words, prejudices, phoneyness, bloated wind-bags or people allergic to God…..’
Sadly most of the “church” today has lost the fear of God. “Church” has become a safe haven for sin! No conviction! “Church” dose not want to offend the sin! Most people do not want to change---it’s comfortable and easy to play ‘church’. Change is painful!!!!
If we were truly in the Holy presence of God we would see supernatural healings. Lives would be changed. Yet……we see the same people at the alter wk after wk w/o change. Still sick ---still sinning. Why?
Do you have the courage to rise up and change? Our families, churches, cities, nation and God’s kingdom need us to boldly arise and change. Jesus desires to have an intimate relationship with me. it requires me to change…which means I must totally die to my flesh, will & emotions!
“Wasn’t I the one? God? it had to be me, I’m the only God there is--- the only God who does things right and knows how to help. So turn to me and be helped----saved!----everyone, whoever and wherever you are. I am God, the only God there is, the one and only. I promise in my own name: every word out of my mouth does what it says. I never take back what I say. Everyone is going to end up kneeling before me. Everyone is going to end up saying to me,”Yes! Salvation and strength are in God!” Isa 45:21-24 The Message Bible
Change starts with me! Jesus loves me!

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