Christmas weekend is over...and New Years is upon us once again. What are you going to do? What am I going to do, what are we going to do about it? What are you goals, what are your dreams, and what are your desires for this New Year? Will we even take the time to consider what this New Year will bring. What we will accomplish, what we are believing for, what we are praying for? Or will this year look just like last year except your a little older and a little closer to death? Oops that wasn't very nice!
The Bible says Mark 9:23 "All things are possible to them that believe." What did Jesus mean here? I was taught growing up that if we believe in Jesus all things are possible. But if that were true there would not be so many people going to Heaven but living like hell during their time on earth. When the Bible says "All things" it means "All things". I think we make the mistake of thinking the Bible means all things or all kinds the way we use the term. "Bro you have to go check out the sale at Nordstrom they have all kinds of jeans on sale." But Nordstrom doesn't carry every brand of jean that there is out there and they don't carry every style of every brand of jean, therefore they don't really have "all kinds" of jeans on sale. It's just an expression. I think we make the mistake of integrating our modern vernacular into the Bible's teaching so we think that if you believe a bunch of stuff is potentially possible. But that's not what God's word says. It says all things. But if simply believing in Jesus made all things possible then why are so many people who believe that Jesus saved them from their sins and going to heaven sick, and broke, and depressed, ect? Beveling in Jesus and REALLY believing in Jesus is two different things. Every Christian believes that Jesus can take away their sin, but it's obvious that not every Christian believes that God can use them to heal another person, or help them be successful in life, or empower them to live out a lifestyle of holiness. Because if they believed REALLY believed it would be possible. The things that are possible are the things that YOU BELIEVE are possible!!!
So what does the New Year hold for you? I'll tell you what it holds for you...it holds what you believe is possible! Believe in your dreams, believe in yourself, and MOST importantly believe that God is working in you to accomplish great things! Your success as a Christian brings God glory! How are we going to win the world and establish the Kingdom of God on the Earth with Churches, families, bodies, businesses, finances that are broke down as Christians? We aren't! We may be able to win a certain sect of people living like that but God's intent isn't that you are able to win the lower class and not the upper class of society. God cares about and loves everyone and wants his children to shine his light into every corner of society and transform the world for his glory. The thing about having the blessing of God on your life is that it sets you apart and makes you different in a good way. I think God intended Holiness to mean different I don't think he ever intended it to mean weird...the way some of us have made it. Our success is God's success when we live for him and give him glory for all he's blessed us with. Open up your mind, read the word of God, take God out of the box of the religion you grew up with and see that God is bigger than that. He has a great plan and purpose for all for his creation including you! What are you gonna do about it this year? All things are possible to them that believe! I'm believing God this is going to be a great year for you in Jesus Name!
Happy New Year!
Chad
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Empowered!!!
Philippians 2:12b-13 - Be even more careful to put into action God's saving work in your lives, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him. - New Living Translation
...A great verse here! And just another example of how we as God's children, heirs of the promises of God, are co-workers with Jesus (2nd Corinthians 6:1). The statement the Holy Spirit gave me in regards to this concept of being partners with Christ is this: I have a part to play and God has a part to play in every aspect of my life. As Christians we often limit the concept to hearing from God so that we can do his bidding on the Earth. While this is absolutely true it's also incomplete. Because that's not true partnership. God is interested in your desires, your thoughts, your dreams too! When he created man in his image (Genesis 1:26) he didn't do so so he could have employees he did so so that he could have friends and partners. Now...I realize that this may be somewhat difficult to grasp, AND we run the risk with this truth of getting into the flesh, getting selfish, getting into the ME mentality that scripture is so clearly in opposition to. I also realize that this truth may seem to contradict teaching you've been taught in church...but hang in there. I understand and absolutely agree with the teaching of letting the spirit of God rule and reign in your life. Giving God full control over your thoughts and actions and will. Jesus prayed before his death "Father not my will but yours". When God gives specific instructions we are to follow them! Think of it like this...God's Kingdom is the longest running and most successful company in the history of existence! God the father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit have been running it since the inception. When you get saved or come into the kingdom you have permission and invitation to become a partner in the business. In fact you are a partner immediately. But you are new to the business. Before you start to get input you need to prove that you understand the business, you are a motivated/hard worker, ect. The business owner doesn't just let the new employee make decisions about the business his first day, week, or month on the job! But the owners goal is to get the new employee into a position where they understand the business, know how the owner thinks and would respond to various situations, and how to efficiently conduct the goings on of the business. So for a season it's I tell you what to do and you do it. So it is on the journey of being spirit led in the Kingdom. The first step in beginning to walk in partnership with Christ is learning his way of doing things, which is found in scripture and doing them. If you can't follow simple instructions from God's written word why would he ever give you more responsibility? Because he who is faithful over little will be made ruler over much. As we progress in maturity, show ourselves approved we begin to obtain more responsibility. God's final intent isn't for us to decrease so that he can increase. Although that statement is in scripture in John 3:30, and I think a lot of people quote it not understanding what it means. It's a condition of the heart. Is your heart that...I get noticed, I get complimented, I get attention, I get praise for the things I do for God? Well then you can quote that scripture all day, but your heart is still wrong. It also does not mean that we as Christians are to shrink back, be weak, hide from the world, or be lazy (because God hasn't told me to do anything and I'm spirit led. God has told you what to do....read the Bible!). It means living our life so that others see Jesus in us! It's our destiny Romans 8:29...to become the image of Christ on the Earth. SO just as with the business owner who doesn't want to spend the rest of their life babysitting employees it is with God. He wants you to become mature, he want you to constantly press for more understanding and knowledge and wisdom in him. He wants you to be transformed by renewing your mind to his word (Romans 12:2) so that your NATURAL response to life is what HIS NATURAL response to life is. Then he can begin to trust you to act as a partner....instead of an employee. I believe to get to this point it takes discipline, desire, and a lot of proactive action on our part. As we are faithful to do what we know and learn concerning God's order...we'll find ourselves in the same position Moses did at the Red Sea saying "God what are you going to do?" and having God's response be "What are you going to do?" you know how I think...do what I'd do and my power will be there to back you up!
Okay back to Philippians 2. Be careful to PUT INTO ACTION God's saving work! Too many Christians are saved and on their way to Heaven when they die but are living like hell while they are on earth...constantly facing crisis and sickness, depressed, broke, ect. I understand life is full of seasons. I've learned that especially in the past few years of my life. But God's desire is for our lives to show the world his power and glory, and for us to overcome the trials of life and come out victorious!! Where does it start? Philippians 2: end of verse 12 - Obeying God! If Christians would obey God's word and keep his word in front of their eyes and on their lips and DO what it says to do, I think we would avoid a lot of the disasters of life. And when those seasons of challenge come, we will win in life! I love verse 13 - For God is working IN you not falling on you. You don't need to pray for more of God you just need to position your heart to access what is already in you! It's a choice! Giving you the DESIRE The SPIRIT (the part of you that God resides within, the deepest part of you) is willing but the flesh is weak Matthew 26:41---to obey him and the POWER we don't need more power...God is already in us working! The bible says in 2 Corinthians 12:19 my strength is made perfect in weakness. That means when our flesh is rising up we can still obey God. When we are beaten down and discouraged and life is hard we can still obey God. But it's a choice the bible says in Colossians 3:2 set your mind on things above. To set or position your mind is a choice...we are inundated with the messages of the world. It's a choice to set our minds on the realities of Heaven (NLT). Which doesn't mean thinking about what the angels look like or what your mansion in heaven is going to be like...you can do that but it's not going to do you much good right now. It means set your mind on God's word...meditate on what God says...and you will be empowered by his spirit living in you to do what pleases him.
Do you know why God gave us scripture? Do you know why God set his order in motion and asks us to follow that order? Because he has good plans for us, and he knows that his outline for life is going to produce the ultimate happiness, success, and fulfillment we could ever experience on the Earth and in Eternity. He isn't fascinated with seeing us struggle to do what he says, he's not interested in us asking "how high" when he says jump. He simply loves us, and want's the best for us, and knows how to get us to that place of fulfillment we all long for anyway! DECIDE to be a doer of the word...and you are on your way to success in life!
-Chad
...A great verse here! And just another example of how we as God's children, heirs of the promises of God, are co-workers with Jesus (2nd Corinthians 6:1). The statement the Holy Spirit gave me in regards to this concept of being partners with Christ is this: I have a part to play and God has a part to play in every aspect of my life. As Christians we often limit the concept to hearing from God so that we can do his bidding on the Earth. While this is absolutely true it's also incomplete. Because that's not true partnership. God is interested in your desires, your thoughts, your dreams too! When he created man in his image (Genesis 1:26) he didn't do so so he could have employees he did so so that he could have friends and partners. Now...I realize that this may be somewhat difficult to grasp, AND we run the risk with this truth of getting into the flesh, getting selfish, getting into the ME mentality that scripture is so clearly in opposition to. I also realize that this truth may seem to contradict teaching you've been taught in church...but hang in there. I understand and absolutely agree with the teaching of letting the spirit of God rule and reign in your life. Giving God full control over your thoughts and actions and will. Jesus prayed before his death "Father not my will but yours". When God gives specific instructions we are to follow them! Think of it like this...God's Kingdom is the longest running and most successful company in the history of existence! God the father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit have been running it since the inception. When you get saved or come into the kingdom you have permission and invitation to become a partner in the business. In fact you are a partner immediately. But you are new to the business. Before you start to get input you need to prove that you understand the business, you are a motivated/hard worker, ect. The business owner doesn't just let the new employee make decisions about the business his first day, week, or month on the job! But the owners goal is to get the new employee into a position where they understand the business, know how the owner thinks and would respond to various situations, and how to efficiently conduct the goings on of the business. So for a season it's I tell you what to do and you do it. So it is on the journey of being spirit led in the Kingdom. The first step in beginning to walk in partnership with Christ is learning his way of doing things, which is found in scripture and doing them. If you can't follow simple instructions from God's written word why would he ever give you more responsibility? Because he who is faithful over little will be made ruler over much. As we progress in maturity, show ourselves approved we begin to obtain more responsibility. God's final intent isn't for us to decrease so that he can increase. Although that statement is in scripture in John 3:30, and I think a lot of people quote it not understanding what it means. It's a condition of the heart. Is your heart that...I get noticed, I get complimented, I get attention, I get praise for the things I do for God? Well then you can quote that scripture all day, but your heart is still wrong. It also does not mean that we as Christians are to shrink back, be weak, hide from the world, or be lazy (because God hasn't told me to do anything and I'm spirit led. God has told you what to do....read the Bible!). It means living our life so that others see Jesus in us! It's our destiny Romans 8:29...to become the image of Christ on the Earth. SO just as with the business owner who doesn't want to spend the rest of their life babysitting employees it is with God. He wants you to become mature, he want you to constantly press for more understanding and knowledge and wisdom in him. He wants you to be transformed by renewing your mind to his word (Romans 12:2) so that your NATURAL response to life is what HIS NATURAL response to life is. Then he can begin to trust you to act as a partner....instead of an employee. I believe to get to this point it takes discipline, desire, and a lot of proactive action on our part. As we are faithful to do what we know and learn concerning God's order...we'll find ourselves in the same position Moses did at the Red Sea saying "God what are you going to do?" and having God's response be "What are you going to do?" you know how I think...do what I'd do and my power will be there to back you up!
Okay back to Philippians 2. Be careful to PUT INTO ACTION God's saving work! Too many Christians are saved and on their way to Heaven when they die but are living like hell while they are on earth...constantly facing crisis and sickness, depressed, broke, ect. I understand life is full of seasons. I've learned that especially in the past few years of my life. But God's desire is for our lives to show the world his power and glory, and for us to overcome the trials of life and come out victorious!! Where does it start? Philippians 2: end of verse 12 - Obeying God! If Christians would obey God's word and keep his word in front of their eyes and on their lips and DO what it says to do, I think we would avoid a lot of the disasters of life. And when those seasons of challenge come, we will win in life! I love verse 13 - For God is working IN you not falling on you. You don't need to pray for more of God you just need to position your heart to access what is already in you! It's a choice! Giving you the DESIRE The SPIRIT (the part of you that God resides within, the deepest part of you) is willing but the flesh is weak Matthew 26:41---to obey him and the POWER we don't need more power...God is already in us working! The bible says in 2 Corinthians 12:19 my strength is made perfect in weakness. That means when our flesh is rising up we can still obey God. When we are beaten down and discouraged and life is hard we can still obey God. But it's a choice the bible says in Colossians 3:2 set your mind on things above. To set or position your mind is a choice...we are inundated with the messages of the world. It's a choice to set our minds on the realities of Heaven (NLT). Which doesn't mean thinking about what the angels look like or what your mansion in heaven is going to be like...you can do that but it's not going to do you much good right now. It means set your mind on God's word...meditate on what God says...and you will be empowered by his spirit living in you to do what pleases him.
Do you know why God gave us scripture? Do you know why God set his order in motion and asks us to follow that order? Because he has good plans for us, and he knows that his outline for life is going to produce the ultimate happiness, success, and fulfillment we could ever experience on the Earth and in Eternity. He isn't fascinated with seeing us struggle to do what he says, he's not interested in us asking "how high" when he says jump. He simply loves us, and want's the best for us, and knows how to get us to that place of fulfillment we all long for anyway! DECIDE to be a doer of the word...and you are on your way to success in life!
-Chad
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Grow Up...
I felt like doing some writing today...it's been while. I was reading in Galatians 4 today...and that chapter in the Bible always gets my wheels turning. The beginning of the chapter talks about the inheritance we have as children of God. It speaks of how God is not only our master but our daddy or "abba" father. We are rightful heirs to all the blessings and promises of God because we are his loved children! What great news! A second great news is that we as God's heirs are no longer under the law of sin and death. We aren't made right with God by keeping tradition, doing enough good things, or sinning as little as possible. We are made right with God by believing in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Wow! If that's not something to be thankful for during this Thanksgiving holiday I don't know what is!!!
However...it concerns me that we may leave things at that and not understand or give attention to the very beginning of chapter 4 which in essence states that an heir as long as they are children are no different than slaves or employees...meaning they work for the father but have no access to the inheritance that belongs to them. We have to understand that the good news of being heirs to all of God's promises in unconditional, but actually receiving all that God has for us and wants to give us IS CONDITIONAL. To walk in the blessing of God to have access to an unlimited inheritance we've got to grow up.
The Lord wants to unlock the doors of inheritance to all his children. I believe this is what the bible is talking about when it says that the reaper will overtake the sower. Because inheritance is something you don't earn...it's given to you. You see you can't sow enough to receive the ability to heal the sick. You can't sow enough to see the wealth of the wicked turned over to the righteous. These type of things that will facilitate a true Godly change on the earth and begin to allow the changes that are on the Father's heart to take place on the earth are the inheritance God wants to give his children but he's got to see maturity in order to release what he wants to release. Otherwise you end up with a generation of prodigal sons and daughters that misuse their inheritance.
So how do we get mature? Wow if I fully knew the answer to that and was living it out that would certainly be great. But the truth is as much as I love God, and as much as I want to be a part of changing the Earth, and as much as I know I'm living for eternity I struggle with maturity issues as much as the next person. I make stupid choices at times...I grieve the Holy Spirit at times with my actions and attitudes...and I sacrifice what I know is right for the momentary pleasures of sin from time to time as well. While you or I may or may not struggle with overtly sinful lives we've got to understand that we all fall short of God's glorious standard daily (for the most part). You see we like to rank sin...which is where we get into a religious spirit. Because God doesn't rank sin...the homosexual is not a worse sinner than the liar, the drug user is not a worse sinner than the selfish person, the person who sleeps with someone outside of marriage is not a worse sinner than the person who just looks at inappropriate things...It's all sin to God. Even mature Christians should understand that the dispensation of grace released a higher standard into the earth. Jesus' finished work and Jesus himself set the bar higher when he paid the price for your sin once and for all. The Bible goes so far as to say anything that is not faith is sin(Romans 14:23). So the grace that offends you...should be the grace you are holding onto. Because if Romans 14:23 is true than worry, unbelief, lack of confidence in God to provide for your needs, fear, ect is all sin. And if the greatest commandment is to love God and love people...anything that done in selfish ambition is sin. So gossip, lying, putting your own needs ahead of others needs, conceit, insecurity, depression, selfishness, a "mine" mentality...that's all sin too. Get it??? Many of us think we don't live in sin...but we do. We simply don't see sin under the high bar that has been set. That's why the person who is offended that there is continuous grace for the person who keeps going back to drugs, or that keeps making the same mistakes may want to reconsider their position. Because we all need that same grace that forgives stupidity, repeat offenses, and a sinful lifestyle. HOWEVER!!!!!! That is never to say it's okay to settle into a lifestyle of sin on any level!!!!! I repeat GRACE never makes it OKAY to live in sin!
So back to maturity. Damon Thompson defines spiritual maturity this way: The consistent application of elementary things. Or in other words doing the basics consistently: Reading the word, praying, worshiping, fasting, ect. I love that definition. That is a great starting point for us! A couple more thing's I'd add to that to help the reader. We've got to understand that we are never going to completely figure God out, yet we must never stop trying. maturity has little to nothing to do with how much you know or think you know about God. It has to do with the way you think and live. The day you think you have it figured out is the day you stop growing in spiritual maturity. Therefore forfeit the remainder of your inheritance. I love what Craig Kinsley says "If you haven't challenged your theology on some level in the past year you probably haven't grown up spiritually in the last year." He's not talking about foundational spiritual truths...he's talking about how we relate to and think about God and YES even how we relate to think about and see much of God's word. Do we see it through religious eyes or eyes that are opened and enlightened by the Holy Spirit? The point here....never stop growing. Never stop reaching for more understanding and always be open to change your way of thinking. Because two truths about God can be opposite yet true. God is good he's also severe. God is love, he's also a mighty warrior. God's grace is sufficient to forgive any sin yet he detests sin and expects his children not to live in sin. Are you getting this? Are you picking up what I'm putting down? I hope so!
God is good all the time! Let's be thankful for all he's done and made available to us this Holiday season and consistently strive to live a live that opens up the doors of the amazing inheritance God has made available to us!
Love ya'll....now go eat some food!HAPPY THANKSGIVING
Chad
However...it concerns me that we may leave things at that and not understand or give attention to the very beginning of chapter 4 which in essence states that an heir as long as they are children are no different than slaves or employees...meaning they work for the father but have no access to the inheritance that belongs to them. We have to understand that the good news of being heirs to all of God's promises in unconditional, but actually receiving all that God has for us and wants to give us IS CONDITIONAL. To walk in the blessing of God to have access to an unlimited inheritance we've got to grow up.
The Lord wants to unlock the doors of inheritance to all his children. I believe this is what the bible is talking about when it says that the reaper will overtake the sower. Because inheritance is something you don't earn...it's given to you. You see you can't sow enough to receive the ability to heal the sick. You can't sow enough to see the wealth of the wicked turned over to the righteous. These type of things that will facilitate a true Godly change on the earth and begin to allow the changes that are on the Father's heart to take place on the earth are the inheritance God wants to give his children but he's got to see maturity in order to release what he wants to release. Otherwise you end up with a generation of prodigal sons and daughters that misuse their inheritance.
So how do we get mature? Wow if I fully knew the answer to that and was living it out that would certainly be great. But the truth is as much as I love God, and as much as I want to be a part of changing the Earth, and as much as I know I'm living for eternity I struggle with maturity issues as much as the next person. I make stupid choices at times...I grieve the Holy Spirit at times with my actions and attitudes...and I sacrifice what I know is right for the momentary pleasures of sin from time to time as well. While you or I may or may not struggle with overtly sinful lives we've got to understand that we all fall short of God's glorious standard daily (for the most part). You see we like to rank sin...which is where we get into a religious spirit. Because God doesn't rank sin...the homosexual is not a worse sinner than the liar, the drug user is not a worse sinner than the selfish person, the person who sleeps with someone outside of marriage is not a worse sinner than the person who just looks at inappropriate things...It's all sin to God. Even mature Christians should understand that the dispensation of grace released a higher standard into the earth. Jesus' finished work and Jesus himself set the bar higher when he paid the price for your sin once and for all. The Bible goes so far as to say anything that is not faith is sin(Romans 14:23). So the grace that offends you...should be the grace you are holding onto. Because if Romans 14:23 is true than worry, unbelief, lack of confidence in God to provide for your needs, fear, ect is all sin. And if the greatest commandment is to love God and love people...anything that done in selfish ambition is sin. So gossip, lying, putting your own needs ahead of others needs, conceit, insecurity, depression, selfishness, a "mine" mentality...that's all sin too. Get it??? Many of us think we don't live in sin...but we do. We simply don't see sin under the high bar that has been set. That's why the person who is offended that there is continuous grace for the person who keeps going back to drugs, or that keeps making the same mistakes may want to reconsider their position. Because we all need that same grace that forgives stupidity, repeat offenses, and a sinful lifestyle. HOWEVER!!!!!! That is never to say it's okay to settle into a lifestyle of sin on any level!!!!! I repeat GRACE never makes it OKAY to live in sin!
So back to maturity. Damon Thompson defines spiritual maturity this way: The consistent application of elementary things. Or in other words doing the basics consistently: Reading the word, praying, worshiping, fasting, ect. I love that definition. That is a great starting point for us! A couple more thing's I'd add to that to help the reader. We've got to understand that we are never going to completely figure God out, yet we must never stop trying. maturity has little to nothing to do with how much you know or think you know about God. It has to do with the way you think and live. The day you think you have it figured out is the day you stop growing in spiritual maturity. Therefore forfeit the remainder of your inheritance. I love what Craig Kinsley says "If you haven't challenged your theology on some level in the past year you probably haven't grown up spiritually in the last year." He's not talking about foundational spiritual truths...he's talking about how we relate to and think about God and YES even how we relate to think about and see much of God's word. Do we see it through religious eyes or eyes that are opened and enlightened by the Holy Spirit? The point here....never stop growing. Never stop reaching for more understanding and always be open to change your way of thinking. Because two truths about God can be opposite yet true. God is good he's also severe. God is love, he's also a mighty warrior. God's grace is sufficient to forgive any sin yet he detests sin and expects his children not to live in sin. Are you getting this? Are you picking up what I'm putting down? I hope so!
God is good all the time! Let's be thankful for all he's done and made available to us this Holiday season and consistently strive to live a live that opens up the doors of the amazing inheritance God has made available to us!
Love ya'll....now go eat some food!HAPPY THANKSGIVING
Chad
Friday, October 23, 2009
Light it up!
What up blog readers! It's been a min. since my last post...my bad. Life lately has been busy, challenging, fun, hard, and amazing all at the same time. That's the way I like it and I think that's the way God likes it as well! My little boy Jalen started first grade and he's doing awesome! I'm in the process of starting a new business...always fun...and always a challenge. I also started training mixed martial arts...it's only been a couple months. I seem to be picking it up well, although the drawback is...I'm pretty much sore all the time :)
In DVi8 on Thursdays we've been talking from the launching point of Luke 11:33-36 about the way we view life. Is our perception of life and all that goes on around us filtered through the light of God or the darkness of the world? Many Christians today are saved and going to be with the Father when they die, but aren't living the life they could be living on earth because they are living in darkness. Why? Because of how they view life...how they see things. They don't understand why they are depressed, sad, sick, angry, or frustrated. But the Bible says one reason may be because of your perception of life. If you're filter through which you perceive life's circumstances, events, challenges, ect. is dark (negative, pessimistic, scared, and so on) your whole body (or your whole life) is filled with darkness. Jesus also says in this scripture reference...and I love this..."Be careful that the light you THINK you have is not really darkness" or in other word's be careful that your religious background, the fact that you have attended church for 2,5,10, or 30 years, you read a lot of christian books, watch a lot of christian TV, can speak in Christianize and quote religious rhetoric give you the false notion that your life is full of light. Too many Christians today are living in darkness and don't even realize it. Why are so many Christians sick, depressed, living in poverty, having relational issues ect? Because the filter to their soul is dark or negative. It doesn't take all that much time of being around a person to learn if they see life through a light or a dark filter. The bible says in Luke 6:45 that "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." Rhetoric and christian cliche's only last for so long eventually what is really in your heart comes out. Put a little pressure on a person, a little heat, and see what begins to manifest from their mouth! Now...I don't say this to imply that I or you are any one's judge. That's half the problem in Christianity today. We are always looking at everyone else and refuse to look at ourselves, when the fact is is that I'm the only person I have control of. I give this example of the tongue revealing the heart to encourage the reader to begin to evaluate what comes out of their mouth in the midst of challenge. What's your first response? Especially to challenges? Does your mind and your mouth go immediately to the worst possible result of the circumstance? If so, it's a good indication that your eye is bad. "but I've been a Christan for a long time" you say. I know...but you are a christian with a eye that filters the world through darkness and the Lord wants you to be a christian who filters the world through his eyes. Your life will be better, full of light (gladness, joy, happiness, power) and you will have positive impacts on the people around you!
How do I do it? Here are a few key's:
1. Decide you want to (Deuteronomy 30:19) - Life is basically a bunch of choices. Our choices determine everything. God sets life and death before us everyday. Choose...decide...you want the lamp to your soul to be filtered through a lens of light.
2. Get Knowledge (Hosea 4:6; Joshua 1:8) - Both of these scripture references teach us the importance of knowing God's word. The Christian lifestyle is meant by God to be a lifestyle of constant growth and adjustment. When you stop learning you stop growing.
3. Words (Luke 11:33-36) - Making a decision that you want to change, and beginning to get the knowledge of God into you will produce a change in the way you think and speak. The bible says that the words we say come from what's on the inside of us. Change what goes in and you change what goes out. But also remember this matter too is a choice it may take a great deal of disciple in the beginning, but you can do it. Speak the truth of God...not just what you feel!
3. Take action! (James 2:20) - Faith without action ain't faith at all.
Hope this helps break down seeing life "though the light lenz". Love ya!
For the Kingdom and the King,
Chad
In DVi8 on Thursdays we've been talking from the launching point of Luke 11:33-36 about the way we view life. Is our perception of life and all that goes on around us filtered through the light of God or the darkness of the world? Many Christians today are saved and going to be with the Father when they die, but aren't living the life they could be living on earth because they are living in darkness. Why? Because of how they view life...how they see things. They don't understand why they are depressed, sad, sick, angry, or frustrated. But the Bible says one reason may be because of your perception of life. If you're filter through which you perceive life's circumstances, events, challenges, ect. is dark (negative, pessimistic, scared, and so on) your whole body (or your whole life) is filled with darkness. Jesus also says in this scripture reference...and I love this..."Be careful that the light you THINK you have is not really darkness" or in other word's be careful that your religious background, the fact that you have attended church for 2,5,10, or 30 years, you read a lot of christian books, watch a lot of christian TV, can speak in Christianize and quote religious rhetoric give you the false notion that your life is full of light. Too many Christians today are living in darkness and don't even realize it. Why are so many Christians sick, depressed, living in poverty, having relational issues ect? Because the filter to their soul is dark or negative. It doesn't take all that much time of being around a person to learn if they see life through a light or a dark filter. The bible says in Luke 6:45 that "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." Rhetoric and christian cliche's only last for so long eventually what is really in your heart comes out. Put a little pressure on a person, a little heat, and see what begins to manifest from their mouth! Now...I don't say this to imply that I or you are any one's judge. That's half the problem in Christianity today. We are always looking at everyone else and refuse to look at ourselves, when the fact is is that I'm the only person I have control of. I give this example of the tongue revealing the heart to encourage the reader to begin to evaluate what comes out of their mouth in the midst of challenge. What's your first response? Especially to challenges? Does your mind and your mouth go immediately to the worst possible result of the circumstance? If so, it's a good indication that your eye is bad. "but I've been a Christan for a long time" you say. I know...but you are a christian with a eye that filters the world through darkness and the Lord wants you to be a christian who filters the world through his eyes. Your life will be better, full of light (gladness, joy, happiness, power) and you will have positive impacts on the people around you!
How do I do it? Here are a few key's:
1. Decide you want to (Deuteronomy 30:19) - Life is basically a bunch of choices. Our choices determine everything. God sets life and death before us everyday. Choose...decide...you want the lamp to your soul to be filtered through a lens of light.
2. Get Knowledge (Hosea 4:6; Joshua 1:8) - Both of these scripture references teach us the importance of knowing God's word. The Christian lifestyle is meant by God to be a lifestyle of constant growth and adjustment. When you stop learning you stop growing.
3. Words (Luke 11:33-36) - Making a decision that you want to change, and beginning to get the knowledge of God into you will produce a change in the way you think and speak. The bible says that the words we say come from what's on the inside of us. Change what goes in and you change what goes out. But also remember this matter too is a choice it may take a great deal of disciple in the beginning, but you can do it. Speak the truth of God...not just what you feel!
3. Take action! (James 2:20) - Faith without action ain't faith at all.
Hope this helps break down seeing life "though the light lenz". Love ya!
For the Kingdom and the King,
Chad
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Who I am - Who he is...
I am discovering more and more the wonderful tension in the Holy Scripture. I love it...although at times in the capacity of my human intellect I feel like I may be a little schizophrenic. But God is Holy which does mean pure...but it also means more so that he is different...different than us and beyond our understanding. Maybe that's why demonic oppression causes schizophrenia because the enemy loves to taint and counterfeit the things of God. He can't make anything new so he just creates a perverted version of the real thing. Anyway these are just some thoughts. I'm certainly not saying be wishy washy and two different people. Obviously that's not God and frankly it's just weird but check this thought:
The bible says in Hebrews 10:35 "cast not away your confidence in which is great reward." I absolutely love teaching on being self confident! It's not God's plan or purpose for you to be weak, insecure, or timid. God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power love and a sound (disciplined) mind. So...if we aren't careful we can get so caught up in finding out who we are in Christ that we forget that's it's Christ in us which is our hope of glory Colossians 1:27. So who's right? The teacher that teaches us we need to be self confident to be in God's will or the teacher that teaches us that we need to be completely dependant on God to be in God's will? I propose it's both. In our human way of thinking we always think it's got to be one way or the other. Which is true in relation to good an d evil, but it seems that we think of God as if he's humanity at times...not having the power to be so big and vast and different that he could ever want me to depend on myself and him at the same time. So...we go to one extreme or the other. Ultimately we depend of God!! First and foremost he is our portion, he is our source, and he is our creator! The mistake we make on this end of the spectrum is that we mistake God's sovereignty for a license to do nothing and make nothing happen in our own lives and for the kingdom on earth. "God is sovereign if he wants revival he'll send revival, if he wants me to be blessed he'll bless me...." WRONG THINKING. The mistake we make on the other end of the spectrum is being so caught up in who we are that we forget who he is. So confident and so sure of ourselves and our abilities to do things for our self and the kingdom we forget to be dependant on him! WRONG THINKING.
I know it's hard to grasp concepts that seem almost to oppose each other. I'm wrapping my human intellect around some of these things as best I can. Maybe I just need to wrap my spirit around and my intellect will follow. In closing be confident in who you are in Christ! AND be dependant on God! Find from God the balance that will put you into the center of his will....BE SPIRIT LED!
Much love!
Chad
The bible says in Hebrews 10:35 "cast not away your confidence in which is great reward." I absolutely love teaching on being self confident! It's not God's plan or purpose for you to be weak, insecure, or timid. God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power love and a sound (disciplined) mind. So...if we aren't careful we can get so caught up in finding out who we are in Christ that we forget that's it's Christ in us which is our hope of glory Colossians 1:27. So who's right? The teacher that teaches us we need to be self confident to be in God's will or the teacher that teaches us that we need to be completely dependant on God to be in God's will? I propose it's both. In our human way of thinking we always think it's got to be one way or the other. Which is true in relation to good an d evil, but it seems that we think of God as if he's humanity at times...not having the power to be so big and vast and different that he could ever want me to depend on myself and him at the same time. So...we go to one extreme or the other. Ultimately we depend of God!! First and foremost he is our portion, he is our source, and he is our creator! The mistake we make on this end of the spectrum is that we mistake God's sovereignty for a license to do nothing and make nothing happen in our own lives and for the kingdom on earth. "God is sovereign if he wants revival he'll send revival, if he wants me to be blessed he'll bless me...." WRONG THINKING. The mistake we make on the other end of the spectrum is being so caught up in who we are that we forget who he is. So confident and so sure of ourselves and our abilities to do things for our self and the kingdom we forget to be dependant on him! WRONG THINKING.
I know it's hard to grasp concepts that seem almost to oppose each other. I'm wrapping my human intellect around some of these things as best I can. Maybe I just need to wrap my spirit around and my intellect will follow. In closing be confident in who you are in Christ! AND be dependant on God! Find from God the balance that will put you into the center of his will....BE SPIRIT LED!
Much love!
Chad
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Reflections on the Uprising
WOW!!! It really could be left at that. What a great weekend the Uprising youth and young adult conference was! I haven't blogged in forever. Pretty much because the majority of my waking moments the past few weeks were spent on getting the church building (not yet fully complete) in functional order for the conference. So much thanks to all who were involved in that aspect of the event! You know who you are and you are truly amazing, selfless people. I love the fact that I run this race with you! Also so much thanks to all of those who gave of their time in setup and tear down, and during the event doing all that was necessary to have a well run and well facilitated conference you all rock! Thank you to those who gave of their finances! You can't do big things for God without the means. Ultimately God provides but he always uses earthly vessels to facilitate his purposes on the earth. The Uprising was put on debt free by a ministry with virtually no budget. God's provision is crazy awesome!
The conference was kicked off Friday night and Ivan really set the stage for everything that was to come with his prophetic insight to the shifts that needed to take place in the spiritual environment. It was amazing to see how the atmosphere changed as Ivan heard from the Lord and began to call out words of knowledge. When deaf ears start opening up you can't help but sit up and take notice. There were many salvation re commitments and healing that took place Friday night and throughout the rest of the weekend! Too many to try listing here. I'd like to get a testimony page on the website. If you were healed, saved or delivered during this event and you'd like people to know please let us know by emailing info@dvi8ministries.com. Saturday was more of the same goodness of God! The shift that took place is the worship from Friday night to Saturday was noticeable. Just about everyone was highly engaged in worshiping God. It's so awesome to see people worshiping God like he truly is the God of the universe! I preached on Saturday morning. I think I had like six pages of notes...but I couldn't stick to them long. I'm not even sure what all I said. I'll have to listen to the playback. But eventually we made our way to Ezekiel 37 and began to pray and prophesy over dead, dry, disjointed things in the lives of young believers inhibiting them from being the army God has called them to be. Saw more miracles....one of my favs of the weekend took place when a young man the size of Pastor Ray came up to have tendinitis in the knees prayed for. He couldn't bend his knees much at all when he came up. God touched him immediately as we prayed and he could bend and move his knees much better but not all the way. We pressed in for a complete healing and got it!! He was a high school football player and it was cool to tell him he's going to be playing ball with no tendinitis this year! I believe God has great things in store for that young man. Pastor Ray Arnold brought an amazing word on "Being the Uprising" Saturday night. Every person in the place was prayed for and touched by God. Several people have already shared with me how Ray's words both in the sermon and in personal moments with him have confirmed things in their spirits, and changed their life! Thanks so much Ivan and Ray for being with us for the Uprising it was great to hang out and we know that God always moves through you guys!
So here we are on Tuesday and if you're like me...which you're probably way more holy! The flesh is already attempting to rear it's ugly head! I always find it amazing how the enemy will attack the things you've made commitments on during an amazing time with God. Now...you could be like most church people and not talk about that. Or you could and should get honest with yourself and realize: if you want to bring to maturity in your life the seeds that were planted in your heart at the Uprising it's going to be a fight! The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak the Bible says. Theres always temptation...even if the temptation is not direct explicit sin there is always temptation to conform to the world and fit in and not be a freak for Jesus. I'm all for not being a weirdo for the sake of being a weirdo...but I'll not let today's American Christan society dictate to me how radical I should be for Christ...I'll reserve that right for the Bible. Remember the kingdom of God comes in seed form. To bring a seed into a state of maturity 3 things are needed. 1. Soil - which represents a good heart...a heart that wants to be right and wants to live for God. 2. Water - which is a representation of God's word and Jesus himself directing our life. and 3. Heat - Which represents a burnging heart for God! To maintain the level of heat that hit you at the Uprising it's going to take a conscious act of your will to preserve that flame. It's going to take a decision that "I'm going to do the basics of Christianity (prayer, bible reading, Christan fellowship, accountability, ect) daily!
My hope and prayer is that the seeds of a weekend begin to over time transform the landscape of a city as fruit is produced! One of the primary purposes of the fruit is to produce more seed which begins a glorious cycle of continuous multiplication as long as you continue to plant new seed and put pressure on the seed in the areas we talked about to produce fruit. Love you all thanks to all who attended the Uprising this year....greater things are yet to come....greater things are still to be done in this city in Jesus name!!
Chad
The conference was kicked off Friday night and Ivan really set the stage for everything that was to come with his prophetic insight to the shifts that needed to take place in the spiritual environment. It was amazing to see how the atmosphere changed as Ivan heard from the Lord and began to call out words of knowledge. When deaf ears start opening up you can't help but sit up and take notice. There were many salvation re commitments and healing that took place Friday night and throughout the rest of the weekend! Too many to try listing here. I'd like to get a testimony page on the website. If you were healed, saved or delivered during this event and you'd like people to know please let us know by emailing info@dvi8ministries.com. Saturday was more of the same goodness of God! The shift that took place is the worship from Friday night to Saturday was noticeable. Just about everyone was highly engaged in worshiping God. It's so awesome to see people worshiping God like he truly is the God of the universe! I preached on Saturday morning. I think I had like six pages of notes...but I couldn't stick to them long. I'm not even sure what all I said. I'll have to listen to the playback. But eventually we made our way to Ezekiel 37 and began to pray and prophesy over dead, dry, disjointed things in the lives of young believers inhibiting them from being the army God has called them to be. Saw more miracles....one of my favs of the weekend took place when a young man the size of Pastor Ray came up to have tendinitis in the knees prayed for. He couldn't bend his knees much at all when he came up. God touched him immediately as we prayed and he could bend and move his knees much better but not all the way. We pressed in for a complete healing and got it!! He was a high school football player and it was cool to tell him he's going to be playing ball with no tendinitis this year! I believe God has great things in store for that young man. Pastor Ray Arnold brought an amazing word on "Being the Uprising" Saturday night. Every person in the place was prayed for and touched by God. Several people have already shared with me how Ray's words both in the sermon and in personal moments with him have confirmed things in their spirits, and changed their life! Thanks so much Ivan and Ray for being with us for the Uprising it was great to hang out and we know that God always moves through you guys!
So here we are on Tuesday and if you're like me...which you're probably way more holy! The flesh is already attempting to rear it's ugly head! I always find it amazing how the enemy will attack the things you've made commitments on during an amazing time with God. Now...you could be like most church people and not talk about that. Or you could and should get honest with yourself and realize: if you want to bring to maturity in your life the seeds that were planted in your heart at the Uprising it's going to be a fight! The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak the Bible says. Theres always temptation...even if the temptation is not direct explicit sin there is always temptation to conform to the world and fit in and not be a freak for Jesus. I'm all for not being a weirdo for the sake of being a weirdo...but I'll not let today's American Christan society dictate to me how radical I should be for Christ...I'll reserve that right for the Bible. Remember the kingdom of God comes in seed form. To bring a seed into a state of maturity 3 things are needed. 1. Soil - which represents a good heart...a heart that wants to be right and wants to live for God. 2. Water - which is a representation of God's word and Jesus himself directing our life. and 3. Heat - Which represents a burnging heart for God! To maintain the level of heat that hit you at the Uprising it's going to take a conscious act of your will to preserve that flame. It's going to take a decision that "I'm going to do the basics of Christianity (prayer, bible reading, Christan fellowship, accountability, ect) daily!
My hope and prayer is that the seeds of a weekend begin to over time transform the landscape of a city as fruit is produced! One of the primary purposes of the fruit is to produce more seed which begins a glorious cycle of continuous multiplication as long as you continue to plant new seed and put pressure on the seed in the areas we talked about to produce fruit. Love you all thanks to all who attended the Uprising this year....greater things are yet to come....greater things are still to be done in this city in Jesus name!!
Chad
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Where is the substance??
At the beginning of Chapter 12 of Luke huge crowds of people are coming to see Jesus. To hear his preaching and be ministered to. His disciples are at his side ready to do the deal and he does something interesting. On the way to go do what he was put on earth to do, and lead his disciples into what they were ultimately put on earth do do he turns to them and says at the end of verse 1 "beware of the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy." He goes on to say that "what is done in secret will be shouted from rooftops and whatever you do in the dark will be shown in the light."
It's interesting to me that Jesus would choose a time like this when there were no doubt thousands of people eager to hear what he had to say and be ministered to to say something like this to his disciples. In a world today where church is often service, conference, worship service or event driven, we can all take a lesson from the King of Kings. To him it wasn't all about the crowds. His first priority for himself and his disciples was the secret place because he knew that's what mattered most. That's not to say that the church service and events that minster to people are not important because they are. But we've got to understand especially if your role is to minister in those settings, the only way the results of what you do in a corporate setting is going to be fruitful is if what you do in a private setting is real. Because it's what's done in the dark that is seen in the light and it's what's said in secret that's shouted from the rooftops.
Leaven or yeast is an agent that expands the dough in baking. One of the things about yeast is a little goes a long way. It's often said that a little leaven leavens the whole lump. The other thing about yeast is that it results in the impression of substance when there is really a lack of substance. That's so true in the church today where we get up on the stage and pretend to be something we aren't in the private places of our lives. Or go to the service or the prayer meeting and try to be something in front of the crowd that we aren't in the private places of our lives. It's meaningless to be this way because there is no substance behind the show and without spiritual substance the results of your public displays or efforts will be short lived at best.
So let's be people of substance in the private place because weather we realize it or not that's what shines through in the public place and makes a difference in peoples lives! We know it's God who makes the difference in reality but we also know that according to his order he uses men and women like you and I to accomplish his purposes on the earth he gave us dominion over in the beginning. He uses pure vessels to plant lasting seeds into the lives of others!
-Chad
It's interesting to me that Jesus would choose a time like this when there were no doubt thousands of people eager to hear what he had to say and be ministered to to say something like this to his disciples. In a world today where church is often service, conference, worship service or event driven, we can all take a lesson from the King of Kings. To him it wasn't all about the crowds. His first priority for himself and his disciples was the secret place because he knew that's what mattered most. That's not to say that the church service and events that minster to people are not important because they are. But we've got to understand especially if your role is to minister in those settings, the only way the results of what you do in a corporate setting is going to be fruitful is if what you do in a private setting is real. Because it's what's done in the dark that is seen in the light and it's what's said in secret that's shouted from the rooftops.
Leaven or yeast is an agent that expands the dough in baking. One of the things about yeast is a little goes a long way. It's often said that a little leaven leavens the whole lump. The other thing about yeast is that it results in the impression of substance when there is really a lack of substance. That's so true in the church today where we get up on the stage and pretend to be something we aren't in the private places of our lives. Or go to the service or the prayer meeting and try to be something in front of the crowd that we aren't in the private places of our lives. It's meaningless to be this way because there is no substance behind the show and without spiritual substance the results of your public displays or efforts will be short lived at best.
So let's be people of substance in the private place because weather we realize it or not that's what shines through in the public place and makes a difference in peoples lives! We know it's God who makes the difference in reality but we also know that according to his order he uses men and women like you and I to accomplish his purposes on the earth he gave us dominion over in the beginning. He uses pure vessels to plant lasting seeds into the lives of others!
-Chad
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Still can't count em'......
I was just out for a little evening jog and on the cool down walk home I noticed what a beautiful night out it was. My thoughts immediately jumped to Genesis 15 when the Lord told Abraham then named Abram to go outside and count the stars...so I decided to count. After about 200 or so with seemingly more appearing out of nowhere every second and not having even turned my head...I decided to take God's word for it...you can't count the stars in the sky...there's too many of them!
This got me thinking about the fact that this biblical account was all God's response to Abrams desire for 1 child. 1 heir of his own. If you are a Christan you are the seed of Abraham and an heir to the same promise that the Lord made him. I believe in this day and hour that the Lord wants to expand your vision! What kind of God given dreams are in your heart? What talents, abilities, and desires reside on the inside of you that can some how some way be tied to building God's Kingdom...I'm not talking about being a pastor, teacher, evangelist, prophet, or apostle necessarily...I'm talking about God given destiny. Because before you were born in your mother's womb the Lord knew you and designated your purpose (Jeremiah 1:5). Psalm 37:4 says "delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." We all have fleshly desires inside of us that are selfish and ungodly...but we also all have desires on the inside of us that were given to us by the Lord before we were ever born...Delighting in him is the key to unlocking those God given desires...But not only does the Lord want to open your heart to the desires that reside insight you that come from him but he also wants to give you the fulfillment of those desires. He wants to equip you to not only achieve what you dream but so much more! What's your dream today? Now multiply it by the number of stars in the sky! That's God's dream for you! Seek first the kingdom of God...and all these things will be added unto you! God has a great plan for your life. Believing that and loving him are the first things we've got to do to see his desires and our desires become reality!
Count the stars!!
Chad
This got me thinking about the fact that this biblical account was all God's response to Abrams desire for 1 child. 1 heir of his own. If you are a Christan you are the seed of Abraham and an heir to the same promise that the Lord made him. I believe in this day and hour that the Lord wants to expand your vision! What kind of God given dreams are in your heart? What talents, abilities, and desires reside on the inside of you that can some how some way be tied to building God's Kingdom...I'm not talking about being a pastor, teacher, evangelist, prophet, or apostle necessarily...I'm talking about God given destiny. Because before you were born in your mother's womb the Lord knew you and designated your purpose (Jeremiah 1:5). Psalm 37:4 says "delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." We all have fleshly desires inside of us that are selfish and ungodly...but we also all have desires on the inside of us that were given to us by the Lord before we were ever born...Delighting in him is the key to unlocking those God given desires...But not only does the Lord want to open your heart to the desires that reside insight you that come from him but he also wants to give you the fulfillment of those desires. He wants to equip you to not only achieve what you dream but so much more! What's your dream today? Now multiply it by the number of stars in the sky! That's God's dream for you! Seek first the kingdom of God...and all these things will be added unto you! God has a great plan for your life. Believing that and loving him are the first things we've got to do to see his desires and our desires become reality!
Count the stars!!
Chad
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Is...was...is to come...
Revelation 1:8 - Jesus describes himself as Alpha and Omega...beginning and end. the one who is, who was, and who is to come. Wrap you mind around that....oh wait...you can't. That's the thing about the Lord, the second you think you have him figured out...you're wrong. But that doesn't mean we stop striving to know him more. We've got to know about him, and we've got to know him intimately. We've got to know his word...we've got to know his voice. We've got to strive to feel his powerful presence...we've got to walk by faith and not by sight...knowing he is there and directing our steps when we feel nothing! We've got to walk out the practicality of scripture...we've got to believe the Lord for signs, wonders, and the supernatural.
The tension of the scripture is a beautiful thing! God is big! God is vast! He's beyond comprehending fully...but the more you seek him the more of himself he will reveal to you! He's here...but he's coming in greater measure and greater power to a people who will seek him! Don't forget to be a God seeker today!
The tension of the scripture is a beautiful thing! God is big! God is vast! He's beyond comprehending fully...but the more you seek him the more of himself he will reveal to you! He's here...but he's coming in greater measure and greater power to a people who will seek him! Don't forget to be a God seeker today!
Sunday, May 31, 2009
The greatest antilogy!
"What is this crazy person writing?" you many say yourself if you read the title of this blog. An antilogy, also called and auto-antonym is a word that can have an opposite meaning of itself. An example of an antilogy would be the word clip. Used in one sentence if could mean to hold something together tightly. Used in another sentence it could mean to cut something off. Get it? Okay, honestly this isn't an English lesson I promise. Read on if you'd like to know the spiritual connection I'm gonna be making here....
One of my spiritual mentors encouraged me to chew on Luke 14:25-35 recently. I've read this passage several times in the past few weeks. One thing that's really hit me as I've read over this text is that the CROSS is the greatest antilogy in history! It's death, but it's also life! To the sinner and the unbeliever the cross means nothing more than "yeah Jesus died on one of those"/ It's a tool of death. But the the Christ follower it's life! In Luke 14:27 Jesus tells us "whoever does not take up his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." Does this mean we will have to physically die for our faith as Jesus and most of the apostles did? Well...if we were only counted so worthy the reward would be great. Study what the bible has to say about those who are physically killed in this world for their faith. I have come to the conclusion that one must be counted worthy because of the life they have lived on earth to ever inherit the opportunity to die for their faith, but that's a theological tid bit that we don't have time to discuss and frankly I may not be qualified to share my opinion on.
But here's the deal...I believe that the first cross we as Christians must ever carry to be qualified for something greater is the putting to death of our flesh. Most Christians never make it that far. Most people Christains absolutely included are nothing more than slaves to their flesh. We act, speak on, make decisions based on what we feel constantly. But I believe that if we can go to a deep level in killing our flesh the antilogy of the Cross will come to light as absolute life to our spirit!
Death is never pretty...to carry the cross of death to flesh may not be the most enjoyable experience. The cost is great, but as Jesus states we must count the cost and determine weather we want ALL that God has for us in this life and in eternity or not. Life and death is set before us which life will we choose? Abundant or average Christianity? Will we chose to let the flesh live because it's easier and it feels good and it's too hard to kill it anyway? Or will we fight until victory is ours until flesh has been killed and our spirit is alive on a level we had never thought truly possible? I get the fact that God works in our lives daily, and he's in the small things of life. But don't EVER let that fact deceive you into thinking God intends for your life to be ordinary! The devil would love for you to come to terms with the thinking that I'll just be a normal christain and whatever God wants to do in my life he'll do. But the bible is clear the "the Kindom of God is forcefully advanceing and the violent take it by force". We settle for ordinary because we simply won't pay the price for anything greater. Killing the flesh will cost you pleasure, convenience, time, energy, and the ability to walk by what you see, and the ability to see yourself as average. But Jesus says this is what a true disciple does. Are you a disciple or you among one of the many average christains, luke warm, unpassionate, self centered, and weak? Don't trick yourself into thinking the tough things you go through in life is your cross...if that were true everyone would be a disciple right? The cross is something you choose to take up and take responsibility for after counting the cost of doing so. Not what comes your way as a natural recource of living on a cursed Earth, and certainly not the fruit of living life your own way. The flesh is the first thing we must nail to the cross...but in that death there is a life to which no comparison can be made.
I have counted the cost, I have stepped over the line, my decision has been made. I am and always will be a disciple of Jesus Christ. I'm not perfect, my flesh is not yet dead. I fight it daily. Some days are better than others, but I never give up the fight. I am a warrior, and my flesh will indeed die. Galatians 2:20 - I am crucified with Christ! It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me, and the life I NOW live I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.
Do you have the guts to count the cost friends? Do you have it in you to go against normal Christianity and go for something greater? Any old fish can swim downstream with the current of the world, but it takes a fighter to swim upstream against normal, against average. God has a great plan for your life. I hope you made it all the way to the end of this post withour being overly offended. My purpose isn't to make you mad, but some times we need words that challenge us to change our thinking and get out of our comfort zones! Put a microscope on your own life today and let God's spirit tell you where your flesh is beating you and hodling you back from the best he has for you. Let it induce change in your life. Make Jesus, not other Christains, your Momma or your Daddy be your standard for the life you live. Put the word of God to the test. He is faithful to his word!
Love ya,
Chad
One of my spiritual mentors encouraged me to chew on Luke 14:25-35 recently. I've read this passage several times in the past few weeks. One thing that's really hit me as I've read over this text is that the CROSS is the greatest antilogy in history! It's death, but it's also life! To the sinner and the unbeliever the cross means nothing more than "yeah Jesus died on one of those"/ It's a tool of death. But the the Christ follower it's life! In Luke 14:27 Jesus tells us "whoever does not take up his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." Does this mean we will have to physically die for our faith as Jesus and most of the apostles did? Well...if we were only counted so worthy the reward would be great. Study what the bible has to say about those who are physically killed in this world for their faith. I have come to the conclusion that one must be counted worthy because of the life they have lived on earth to ever inherit the opportunity to die for their faith, but that's a theological tid bit that we don't have time to discuss and frankly I may not be qualified to share my opinion on.
But here's the deal...I believe that the first cross we as Christians must ever carry to be qualified for something greater is the putting to death of our flesh. Most Christians never make it that far. Most people Christains absolutely included are nothing more than slaves to their flesh. We act, speak on, make decisions based on what we feel constantly. But I believe that if we can go to a deep level in killing our flesh the antilogy of the Cross will come to light as absolute life to our spirit!
Death is never pretty...to carry the cross of death to flesh may not be the most enjoyable experience. The cost is great, but as Jesus states we must count the cost and determine weather we want ALL that God has for us in this life and in eternity or not. Life and death is set before us which life will we choose? Abundant or average Christianity? Will we chose to let the flesh live because it's easier and it feels good and it's too hard to kill it anyway? Or will we fight until victory is ours until flesh has been killed and our spirit is alive on a level we had never thought truly possible? I get the fact that God works in our lives daily, and he's in the small things of life. But don't EVER let that fact deceive you into thinking God intends for your life to be ordinary! The devil would love for you to come to terms with the thinking that I'll just be a normal christain and whatever God wants to do in my life he'll do. But the bible is clear the "the Kindom of God is forcefully advanceing and the violent take it by force". We settle for ordinary because we simply won't pay the price for anything greater. Killing the flesh will cost you pleasure, convenience, time, energy, and the ability to walk by what you see, and the ability to see yourself as average. But Jesus says this is what a true disciple does. Are you a disciple or you among one of the many average christains, luke warm, unpassionate, self centered, and weak? Don't trick yourself into thinking the tough things you go through in life is your cross...if that were true everyone would be a disciple right? The cross is something you choose to take up and take responsibility for after counting the cost of doing so. Not what comes your way as a natural recource of living on a cursed Earth, and certainly not the fruit of living life your own way. The flesh is the first thing we must nail to the cross...but in that death there is a life to which no comparison can be made.
I have counted the cost, I have stepped over the line, my decision has been made. I am and always will be a disciple of Jesus Christ. I'm not perfect, my flesh is not yet dead. I fight it daily. Some days are better than others, but I never give up the fight. I am a warrior, and my flesh will indeed die. Galatians 2:20 - I am crucified with Christ! It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me, and the life I NOW live I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.
Do you have the guts to count the cost friends? Do you have it in you to go against normal Christianity and go for something greater? Any old fish can swim downstream with the current of the world, but it takes a fighter to swim upstream against normal, against average. God has a great plan for your life. I hope you made it all the way to the end of this post withour being overly offended. My purpose isn't to make you mad, but some times we need words that challenge us to change our thinking and get out of our comfort zones! Put a microscope on your own life today and let God's spirit tell you where your flesh is beating you and hodling you back from the best he has for you. Let it induce change in your life. Make Jesus, not other Christains, your Momma or your Daddy be your standard for the life you live. Put the word of God to the test. He is faithful to his word!
Love ya,
Chad
Monday, May 18, 2009
Wait...did God move?
If one of the traits of God is that he is omni present...Why is it that we as Christians are constantly going in and out of his presence? Is it because he moved? Or took his presence away from us? When we feel the glory of God in a worship service or a prayer meeting does that mean God just came into the room? Well if the theological concept of God's omni presence is true (I believe it is) then God was there already. So what changed?
I believe as a Christan I have the ability to constantly live my life in the glorious presence of God. Do I do it? No....Why? Because it's a costly venture. It takes me giving up my life for the life God intended for me. Giving up my thoughts for God's thoughts. It requires consistent repositioning of myself into God's presence. Because when I feel God and when you feel God it doesn't mean that he's moved to come hang out with you. It means that you and I have moved to go hang out with him!
This is the reason a consistent prayer life is important. This is the reason it's important to worship every day and read God's word every day. Because we reposition ourselves to access something that's available to us 24/7...God's glorious presence. I am determined to become a person who can live life in God's presence. In his presence is fullness of joy and peace! In his presence we are empowered to be and do all God dreams for us to be and do! The moments of sacrifice, the times of giving up what the flesh would prefer to do will pale in comparison to the glory of what our lives could be if we would learn to live in his presence and walk in his power! Let's go for it...!
I believe as a Christan I have the ability to constantly live my life in the glorious presence of God. Do I do it? No....Why? Because it's a costly venture. It takes me giving up my life for the life God intended for me. Giving up my thoughts for God's thoughts. It requires consistent repositioning of myself into God's presence. Because when I feel God and when you feel God it doesn't mean that he's moved to come hang out with you. It means that you and I have moved to go hang out with him!
This is the reason a consistent prayer life is important. This is the reason it's important to worship every day and read God's word every day. Because we reposition ourselves to access something that's available to us 24/7...God's glorious presence. I am determined to become a person who can live life in God's presence. In his presence is fullness of joy and peace! In his presence we are empowered to be and do all God dreams for us to be and do! The moments of sacrifice, the times of giving up what the flesh would prefer to do will pale in comparison to the glory of what our lives could be if we would learn to live in his presence and walk in his power! Let's go for it...!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Thoughts on Ephesians 6:16
In my daily bible reading Ephesians 6 was in the mix and it Got me thinking about Ephesians 6:16 which in the New Living Bible says "In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the firey arrows aimed at you by satan".
Here's was rushed off my pen: The only weapon the devil has from an already defeated position is distraction (Damon Thompson quote). Faith sees, believes, and walks out what God says and has promised regardless of the circumstance for as Eph 6:10 indicates our real battles are not earthly but they are in the spirit. Faith in God does not view the distractions the enemy throws at you and the negative circumstances of life as true reality, but rather as another opportunity to grow and become stronger. By using faith in God and his word to shield yourself from the distraction the enemy intends to create with negative circumstance you keep yourself on the fast track to purpose and destiny in Christ, and you live life to the fullest free from the shackles of anxiety and fear. In other words I see the circumstance and I'm walking through it with the victory already in my hand so I have nothing to trip about. I see victory in the realm of the Spirit and I'm not worried, I'm not afraid I simply press on! God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of POWER, LOVE, and a SOUND MIND 2 Tim 1:7
That's good stuff right there. Thanks Holy Spirit!
Love y'all,
Chad
Here's was rushed off my pen: The only weapon the devil has from an already defeated position is distraction (Damon Thompson quote). Faith sees, believes, and walks out what God says and has promised regardless of the circumstance for as Eph 6:10 indicates our real battles are not earthly but they are in the spirit. Faith in God does not view the distractions the enemy throws at you and the negative circumstances of life as true reality, but rather as another opportunity to grow and become stronger. By using faith in God and his word to shield yourself from the distraction the enemy intends to create with negative circumstance you keep yourself on the fast track to purpose and destiny in Christ, and you live life to the fullest free from the shackles of anxiety and fear. In other words I see the circumstance and I'm walking through it with the victory already in my hand so I have nothing to trip about. I see victory in the realm of the Spirit and I'm not worried, I'm not afraid I simply press on! God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of POWER, LOVE, and a SOUND MIND 2 Tim 1:7
That's good stuff right there. Thanks Holy Spirit!
Love y'all,
Chad
Friday, April 17, 2009
No Weapon
The Bible says in Isaiah 54:17 the no weapon formed against me shall prosper. For the believer this is an inheritance! The bible also states in Romans 8:28 that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose. This scripture is also an inheritance of the believer telling us that situations, challenges, issues to be dealt with, as well as attacks from the enemy will never be able to defeat us as children of the most high God! What a revelation and truth that we can hold onto in time of turmoil! It's awesome to know that we have access to all the promises contained within God's word to humanity...the Bible.
But the Bible also says in Galatians 4 that the heir, as long as they are a child differ not from a servant, but are under tutors and governors until the time appointed by the father...telling us in terms of practical application to our Christian lives and the inheritance of God working in our lives that we are responsible for coming into a state of maturity in our walk with Christ in order to have access to all of our inheritance. I don't believe maturity in the realm of the spirit has much to do with how long you've been attending church, because I know people who have attended church for 40 years who are spiritually immature, and their lives, their actions, and their words reflect it. But I also know people who have only been saved for a short period of time who have come to great levels of maturity in that short season. Damon Thompson defines spiritual maturity this way: Doing the basics of Christianity daily. I believe this is a very simple yet profound definition because it gives us insight into the fact that our Christianity is not based on what we do Sunday. It's based on what we do everyday. The fact that spiritual maturity is a daily process also indicated to me that it's never done. As believers and disciples of Jesus we should be constantly growing. The reason the majority of the church world gets stuck in a rut, experiences a measure of the power of God in their lives but not it's fullness, and ultimately fails to live out the fullness of their purpose on this earth I believe is that they decide they have reached maturity and stop growing. The moment you stop growing in Christ, the moment you come to the decision that you have it all figured out and this is how God works...this is how church works...this is how ministry works ect....is the moment you forfeit your destiny. Certainly there are foundational truths in scripture that we DO NOT compromise...that's a given! What I'm saying is that we must always have an open heart to the things that God would want to teach us, about his word, about ourselves, about himself. The definition of repentance is literally to change your way of thinking. If as the body of Christ we would be humble enough to admit we don't have it all figured out and be willing to change even if it's uncomfortable and even if the people who think they've come into fullness in maturity don't like it very much, I believe we would begin to access greater measure of our true Godly inheritance on the earth!
Well...I was originally talking about no weapon formed against us prospering...Again this is our inheritance! But to access that inheritance we must have a certain level of maturity I believe. Because I've been around people who quoted the scripture, then turned around after their prayer didn't get answered in exactly the way they saw it in their own mind being answered or wasn't answered immediately and decided that the battle was God trying to teach them a lesson and sunk into mediocrity, and ineffectiveness. Can God teach us something through a battle or an adversity? Yes! Does the Lord test us at times? Yes. Does God put pain into our lives or cause bad things to happen to someone who is walking in communion with him? I believe that the answer is No. We lived on a cursed Earth. Bad things are going to happen all around us because we live amongst fallen humanity, and frankly because of the decision WE make at times bad things happen. God never intended for us to accept pain, sickness, poverty, lack, or any other negativity of life as out lot in life. He always intended for his children to overcome adversity! As Jesus said "with faith the size of a mustard seed you can say to this mountain move and it will be cast into the sea." Was he talking about a literal mountain? Probably not that would be a little weird and we would probably have no more mountains left on the Earth by this point 2000 years later. What he is saying is that with even a little bit of faith you can speak to situations, you can speak to obstacles, you can speak to the issues of your life that are not of God and command them to be removed. Is that abracadabra? A magic potion that makes our life easy and without struggle? No, because faith at it's core is a fight the bible instructs us to "Fight the good fight of faith". So our faith is not necessarily a magic wand that we wave over a situation (although I do believe, and have seen and experienced miraculous signs and wonders that DO happen in a moment!). Many times we have to walk our faith out...! Malachi says that SUDDENLY the Lord who you seek will come to his temple, so even the signs and wonders come to those and to situations that have qualified themselves with a seeking heart. So I believe that walking out a life of faith in God's word and properly reacting to situations that life, other people, or we our self bring our way
is all part of coming into the level of maturity that God desires us to walk in. If faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen...then it's not the answer to the prayer, what the bible says, or the miracle. Faith is what we do, and how we respond. We show our faith regardless of how we act or speak or thing about any given situation. Either we have faith in God, or we have faith in the negative that could happen. Choose God! Respond to all situation is Faith! Not denial...mind over matter is merely humanism and should not be taught in the church, but true faith sees that situation for what it is sometimes there are emotions that go along with that...but faith chooses to see what God says and believe what God says. Choose faith today!
Wow that turned into a long blog!
Love ya!
Chad
But the Bible also says in Galatians 4 that the heir, as long as they are a child differ not from a servant, but are under tutors and governors until the time appointed by the father...telling us in terms of practical application to our Christian lives and the inheritance of God working in our lives that we are responsible for coming into a state of maturity in our walk with Christ in order to have access to all of our inheritance. I don't believe maturity in the realm of the spirit has much to do with how long you've been attending church, because I know people who have attended church for 40 years who are spiritually immature, and their lives, their actions, and their words reflect it. But I also know people who have only been saved for a short period of time who have come to great levels of maturity in that short season. Damon Thompson defines spiritual maturity this way: Doing the basics of Christianity daily. I believe this is a very simple yet profound definition because it gives us insight into the fact that our Christianity is not based on what we do Sunday. It's based on what we do everyday. The fact that spiritual maturity is a daily process also indicated to me that it's never done. As believers and disciples of Jesus we should be constantly growing. The reason the majority of the church world gets stuck in a rut, experiences a measure of the power of God in their lives but not it's fullness, and ultimately fails to live out the fullness of their purpose on this earth I believe is that they decide they have reached maturity and stop growing. The moment you stop growing in Christ, the moment you come to the decision that you have it all figured out and this is how God works...this is how church works...this is how ministry works ect....is the moment you forfeit your destiny. Certainly there are foundational truths in scripture that we DO NOT compromise...that's a given! What I'm saying is that we must always have an open heart to the things that God would want to teach us, about his word, about ourselves, about himself. The definition of repentance is literally to change your way of thinking. If as the body of Christ we would be humble enough to admit we don't have it all figured out and be willing to change even if it's uncomfortable and even if the people who think they've come into fullness in maturity don't like it very much, I believe we would begin to access greater measure of our true Godly inheritance on the earth!
Well...I was originally talking about no weapon formed against us prospering...Again this is our inheritance! But to access that inheritance we must have a certain level of maturity I believe. Because I've been around people who quoted the scripture, then turned around after their prayer didn't get answered in exactly the way they saw it in their own mind being answered or wasn't answered immediately and decided that the battle was God trying to teach them a lesson and sunk into mediocrity, and ineffectiveness. Can God teach us something through a battle or an adversity? Yes! Does the Lord test us at times? Yes. Does God put pain into our lives or cause bad things to happen to someone who is walking in communion with him? I believe that the answer is No. We lived on a cursed Earth. Bad things are going to happen all around us because we live amongst fallen humanity, and frankly because of the decision WE make at times bad things happen. God never intended for us to accept pain, sickness, poverty, lack, or any other negativity of life as out lot in life. He always intended for his children to overcome adversity! As Jesus said "with faith the size of a mustard seed you can say to this mountain move and it will be cast into the sea." Was he talking about a literal mountain? Probably not that would be a little weird and we would probably have no more mountains left on the Earth by this point 2000 years later. What he is saying is that with even a little bit of faith you can speak to situations, you can speak to obstacles, you can speak to the issues of your life that are not of God and command them to be removed. Is that abracadabra? A magic potion that makes our life easy and without struggle? No, because faith at it's core is a fight the bible instructs us to "Fight the good fight of faith". So our faith is not necessarily a magic wand that we wave over a situation (although I do believe, and have seen and experienced miraculous signs and wonders that DO happen in a moment!). Many times we have to walk our faith out...! Malachi says that SUDDENLY the Lord who you seek will come to his temple, so even the signs and wonders come to those and to situations that have qualified themselves with a seeking heart. So I believe that walking out a life of faith in God's word and properly reacting to situations that life, other people, or we our self bring our way
is all part of coming into the level of maturity that God desires us to walk in. If faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen...then it's not the answer to the prayer, what the bible says, or the miracle. Faith is what we do, and how we respond. We show our faith regardless of how we act or speak or thing about any given situation. Either we have faith in God, or we have faith in the negative that could happen. Choose God! Respond to all situation is Faith! Not denial...mind over matter is merely humanism and should not be taught in the church, but true faith sees that situation for what it is sometimes there are emotions that go along with that...but faith chooses to see what God says and believe what God says. Choose faith today!
Wow that turned into a long blog!
Love ya!
Chad
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
It's my and most likely your natural tendency to want to have everything going right in life. It annoys me that despite my greatest efforts, despite the fact that I love God and serve him to the best of my ability everyday. That my life is far from the picture of perfection. There are issues that I still face, there is still a past that whispers in my ear, there is still sin that tries to infiltrate my life. There is a level I want to go to with God that I don't fully understand how to get to, the constant negotiation tactics of the enemy of my soul trying to keep me from my purpose and settle into a life marked as ordinary Christianity that I so militantly despise, and the constant nagging of my flesh to just let it feast if even for a little while...yes friends I have issues. And you do to...but the Lord said through Paul in 2nd Corinthians 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you. My strength is made perfect in weakness"
Oh how I thank God that it's his strength that gets us through! Not that we wait for God's strength to fall on us and blame God if we don't get it, but as Paul also says "I press on toward the goal of the upward calling of Christ", and he instructs Timothy to "fight the good fight of faith." So we fight...we do our part...we battle everyday. It's what makes us warriors. But in our weakness he's strong. I'm grateful that I don't fight alone, and that victory is assured for those of us who don't loose heart, but endure in our faith. (Hebrews 6:11)
So let me encourage you...fight the good fight of faith again this week. Let not a mountaintop experience end you back down into a valley for the kingdom is designed to go from glory to glory, faith to faith and strength to strength! Keep fighting, you may not win every battle but the end of the war is predetermined! Don't settle for society's version of Christianity. Look to the bible. Look to the gospels and the Epistles...fight for that, and know...in your weakness his strength is made perfect!
Oh how I thank God that it's his strength that gets us through! Not that we wait for God's strength to fall on us and blame God if we don't get it, but as Paul also says "I press on toward the goal of the upward calling of Christ", and he instructs Timothy to "fight the good fight of faith." So we fight...we do our part...we battle everyday. It's what makes us warriors. But in our weakness he's strong. I'm grateful that I don't fight alone, and that victory is assured for those of us who don't loose heart, but endure in our faith. (Hebrews 6:11)
So let me encourage you...fight the good fight of faith again this week. Let not a mountaintop experience end you back down into a valley for the kingdom is designed to go from glory to glory, faith to faith and strength to strength! Keep fighting, you may not win every battle but the end of the war is predetermined! Don't settle for society's version of Christianity. Look to the bible. Look to the gospels and the Epistles...fight for that, and know...in your weakness his strength is made perfect!
Friday, March 6, 2009
Talk is cheap
Yo yo...it's been a long time since I've hit up the blog! Hello to all the readers...all 2 haha. Okay maybe a few more than that...! Here's some thoughts I thought I'd drop on ya that really have hit me as revelation from the Lord in the past few days.
Mark 11:22-24 Jesus said to his disciples "Have Faith in God. For assuredly whoever says to this mountain be removed as cast into the sea and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them"
BAM! Sick scripture isn't it? Believe what we ask of God and we will receive and we will have what we asked God for! But it seems strange to me especially when I hear Christians talking about the fact that all we gotta do is believe we receive, and talking about what they are praying for, but in the same breath talking about how bad it is out there, how tough life is, how there whole life has been a challenge, yet they've never done anything exceptionally great. I'm like "what's been the challenge then? To barely get by? Is that what your telling me you've been praying for then?" And maybe it is...or maybe it's just all talk...or maybe they heard a preacher quote the verse one time and they could remember it because it rhymed...I don't really know. However what I do know it that in my walk with God I will take a whole approach to scripture. Because the glory of God follows the order of God. And God's power is shown is a life that is built on the entirety of truth, not simply the part that's on TV or our denomination emphasizes or whatever. So i don't want to pick and choose the parts of the word of God I like and fit into my preconceived theology, but true revelation and understanding of God's word which we can really only get by the power of the Holy Spirit anyway. Not in our own intellect. Although we must thoroughly study scripture. And it's not a bad idea to take the time to have understanding of theological concepts such as the law of first mentions and the law of reciprocals to truly dig into scripture and have the Holy Spirit make it life to us.
The bible gives us this definition of what faith truly is in Hebrews 11:1 the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. That can be a far off, out of grasp concept and verbiage without revelation from the Holy Spirit. Because I've probably quoted that scripture over a hundred times in various circumstances of my life or to friends who were having an issue that I was praying with them about...but up until a week ago I don't think I realized that if according to James 2:20 faith without works (or corresponding action is dead.) Then the evidence and the substance of the faith is actually my responsibility!!! It's not a far off evidence, it's not far off substance. The answer to the prayer is not the evidence and the substance...IT'S THE ANSWER. Faith is what produces the answer according to scripture right? "Believe that you receive and you will have what you say"
The Holy Spirit gave me this definition or understanding of evidence and substance which you could really say is the definition of faith: I produce the evidence, I produce the substance of the faith I SAY i have in the way that I'm talking, acting, and responding to the situation I say I have faith in God about.
I'm always grateful for fresh revelation from God, but in some ways this sucks for me and now you the reader who now has responsibility for this information, because we must understand that faith is more than words, faith is more than a feeling, faith is walking out the reality of what you say you have faith about. And the actions that prove our faith is what produces results in our lives...NOT SIMPLY THE PRAYER. You see in the Christan world we take that parts of scripture we like and apply those then if we don't get our prayers answered it "must be God's will." Nope - It's our lack of faith!
Listen I'm not there yet...every time I pray for something it doesn't always happen. I have glaring areas of my life that need imporvement. But I believe that by keeping focused on maturing spiritually which simply means "doing the biblical basics of Christianity consistently", and renewing my mind everyday to the word of God and applying truth to my life I am getting there. I am being transformed into the image of Christ which is my destiny. The intention of the witting today is to draw your attention to the fact that FAITH is more than talk, and FAITH is 100% our responsibility. FAITH is guaranteed to produce results!
It's much easier to blame lack of results in prayer on God's will or God's timing, but maybe he's just waiting for a people who will quit talking about it and be about it to do something amazing through. Just somethings to think about...maybe in my next blog I'll talk about the rest of the chapter in Mark 11 - Forgiveness and Prayer. Or maybe you could read it yourself and evaluate the reality of the condition of your heart. Let's do what it takes to be effective Christians!!! Even if that means some difficult self evaluation. Even if that means a lot more responsibility than we'd like to take on at the moment. Or if you'd prefer you can keep blaming lack of effectiveness on God's will and wait around to get to Heaven a little longer...But there are so many things that must take place before Heaven is even a consideration and what we do with the life God gave us determines what our eternity looks like. Listen any eternity with God is better than eternity in hell...but why waste our time here on earth because of laziness, lack of faith, bad theology or anything else. God gave you a life for a purpose...it's up to you to use it for a purpose that brings eternal value. A third great awakening is coming...and you won't be able to simply hop on the bandwagon when it's here. The ones who will pay the price today will be the leaders God uses tomorrow...Peace out!
Chad
Mark 11:22-24 Jesus said to his disciples "Have Faith in God. For assuredly whoever says to this mountain be removed as cast into the sea and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them"
BAM! Sick scripture isn't it? Believe what we ask of God and we will receive and we will have what we asked God for! But it seems strange to me especially when I hear Christians talking about the fact that all we gotta do is believe we receive, and talking about what they are praying for, but in the same breath talking about how bad it is out there, how tough life is, how there whole life has been a challenge, yet they've never done anything exceptionally great. I'm like "what's been the challenge then? To barely get by? Is that what your telling me you've been praying for then?" And maybe it is...or maybe it's just all talk...or maybe they heard a preacher quote the verse one time and they could remember it because it rhymed...I don't really know. However what I do know it that in my walk with God I will take a whole approach to scripture. Because the glory of God follows the order of God. And God's power is shown is a life that is built on the entirety of truth, not simply the part that's on TV or our denomination emphasizes or whatever. So i don't want to pick and choose the parts of the word of God I like and fit into my preconceived theology, but true revelation and understanding of God's word which we can really only get by the power of the Holy Spirit anyway. Not in our own intellect. Although we must thoroughly study scripture. And it's not a bad idea to take the time to have understanding of theological concepts such as the law of first mentions and the law of reciprocals to truly dig into scripture and have the Holy Spirit make it life to us.
The bible gives us this definition of what faith truly is in Hebrews 11:1 the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. That can be a far off, out of grasp concept and verbiage without revelation from the Holy Spirit. Because I've probably quoted that scripture over a hundred times in various circumstances of my life or to friends who were having an issue that I was praying with them about...but up until a week ago I don't think I realized that if according to James 2:20 faith without works (or corresponding action is dead.) Then the evidence and the substance of the faith is actually my responsibility!!! It's not a far off evidence, it's not far off substance. The answer to the prayer is not the evidence and the substance...IT'S THE ANSWER. Faith is what produces the answer according to scripture right? "Believe that you receive and you will have what you say"
The Holy Spirit gave me this definition or understanding of evidence and substance which you could really say is the definition of faith: I produce the evidence, I produce the substance of the faith I SAY i have in the way that I'm talking, acting, and responding to the situation I say I have faith in God about.
I'm always grateful for fresh revelation from God, but in some ways this sucks for me and now you the reader who now has responsibility for this information, because we must understand that faith is more than words, faith is more than a feeling, faith is walking out the reality of what you say you have faith about. And the actions that prove our faith is what produces results in our lives...NOT SIMPLY THE PRAYER. You see in the Christan world we take that parts of scripture we like and apply those then if we don't get our prayers answered it "must be God's will." Nope - It's our lack of faith!
Listen I'm not there yet...every time I pray for something it doesn't always happen. I have glaring areas of my life that need imporvement. But I believe that by keeping focused on maturing spiritually which simply means "doing the biblical basics of Christianity consistently", and renewing my mind everyday to the word of God and applying truth to my life I am getting there. I am being transformed into the image of Christ which is my destiny. The intention of the witting today is to draw your attention to the fact that FAITH is more than talk, and FAITH is 100% our responsibility. FAITH is guaranteed to produce results!
It's much easier to blame lack of results in prayer on God's will or God's timing, but maybe he's just waiting for a people who will quit talking about it and be about it to do something amazing through. Just somethings to think about...maybe in my next blog I'll talk about the rest of the chapter in Mark 11 - Forgiveness and Prayer. Or maybe you could read it yourself and evaluate the reality of the condition of your heart. Let's do what it takes to be effective Christians!!! Even if that means some difficult self evaluation. Even if that means a lot more responsibility than we'd like to take on at the moment. Or if you'd prefer you can keep blaming lack of effectiveness on God's will and wait around to get to Heaven a little longer...But there are so many things that must take place before Heaven is even a consideration and what we do with the life God gave us determines what our eternity looks like. Listen any eternity with God is better than eternity in hell...but why waste our time here on earth because of laziness, lack of faith, bad theology or anything else. God gave you a life for a purpose...it's up to you to use it for a purpose that brings eternal value. A third great awakening is coming...and you won't be able to simply hop on the bandwagon when it's here. The ones who will pay the price today will be the leaders God uses tomorrow...Peace out!
Chad
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
08 Reflections
Okay so maybe it's a little late for this...but whatever. It's on my mind and it's my blog lol. I just was looking over my vision statement, my list of desires, my goals, and my confession for 2008. I honestly have to say in the midst of massive adversity 2008 was absolutely the best year of my life! I've never walked through greater challenges, but I've never achieved so many victories in areas that truly matter in life and for eternity than in 2008. If you listen to the biblical numerologists 2008 was a year of new beginnings. I generally think most of that stuff is bunk crap, but be that as it may '08 was certainly a year of new beginnings for me. New relationships and friendships that I know will last a life time, a new perspective about what is truly important in life, a new resolve to give my whole life to God and his Kingdom, a new church, a new ministry, just to name a few of the new things.
Before 2008 I loved the Lord, and I was walking fervently for him. But in 2008 I made up my mind that life was about him and him alone. That I would give up my life and my way of thinking for the life he had for me. I certainly wasn't perfect in 2008 but I made major breakthroughs in stronghold areas of my life through confession and accountability and discipline. I became a zealous student of the word. I estimate that I listened to 800+ sermons on my ipod in 2008 (many of them repeats). I read my bible through entirely and then some. I read through the gospels numerous times and proverbs 8 times (I had to take a short break at the end of the year plus there was nowhere left to highlight of make notes). I connected and created friendships with amazing spiritual leaders and mentors in my life that helped give me the courage to take a step of faith and to step out into what I felt God was leading me to do, and spoke prophetically into my life opening up my eyes to bits and pieces of what God has in store for my life if I'll not hold back and not give up. I met the greatest person of prayer that I have ever encountered and I am blessed to pray with in the same room on a consistent basis. The hands of mighty men and women of God were laid on me in prayer numerous times. After much prayer, consideration, council, and confirmation I made the step to move my life to Eugene Oregon from Seattle Washington. I left behind amazing friendships, an amazing church, relationships I wished I could have developed further, really my entire life of the past 9 years and followed the Lords leading back to Eugene OR, the town I grew up in the 1st 18 years of my life. So far God has done amazing things. God has connected me with the right people at the right place and the right time. We have launched a ministry called DVi8 for young adults and youth. We are connecting denominations and in the process of beginning to make a difference in our communities! The young adults meet every Thursday night to worship and get into the Word. It's small yet but I have faith for exceedingly and abundantly more than I can ask or think according to the power of Jesus at work inside me and all of us collectively! We have some what could seem to be daunting goals for the year of 2009, but I am confidently faithful that as we do our part God will empower us by his spirit to meet the goals I believed are birthed directly from his Spirit. The new church building will be complete this year and new doors for ministry will be made open by a larger facility! The Korean Church inside of the Church is absolutely amazing and the pastor mighty, mighty woman of God! It's already growing but it's about to blow up according to Gods order!
2009 is about to be sick! I'm so excited to see what God has in store...I have my thoughts, I have my goals, and I have my plans...but my prayer is "Father your kingdom come, and you will be done in my life and on earth as it is in Heaven". Whatever the means are to that end I'm down...lets do this. Have a great year everyone...loose your self to find yourself...it's going to be the best year yet!
Before 2008 I loved the Lord, and I was walking fervently for him. But in 2008 I made up my mind that life was about him and him alone. That I would give up my life and my way of thinking for the life he had for me. I certainly wasn't perfect in 2008 but I made major breakthroughs in stronghold areas of my life through confession and accountability and discipline. I became a zealous student of the word. I estimate that I listened to 800+ sermons on my ipod in 2008 (many of them repeats). I read my bible through entirely and then some. I read through the gospels numerous times and proverbs 8 times (I had to take a short break at the end of the year plus there was nowhere left to highlight of make notes). I connected and created friendships with amazing spiritual leaders and mentors in my life that helped give me the courage to take a step of faith and to step out into what I felt God was leading me to do, and spoke prophetically into my life opening up my eyes to bits and pieces of what God has in store for my life if I'll not hold back and not give up. I met the greatest person of prayer that I have ever encountered and I am blessed to pray with in the same room on a consistent basis. The hands of mighty men and women of God were laid on me in prayer numerous times. After much prayer, consideration, council, and confirmation I made the step to move my life to Eugene Oregon from Seattle Washington. I left behind amazing friendships, an amazing church, relationships I wished I could have developed further, really my entire life of the past 9 years and followed the Lords leading back to Eugene OR, the town I grew up in the 1st 18 years of my life. So far God has done amazing things. God has connected me with the right people at the right place and the right time. We have launched a ministry called DVi8 for young adults and youth. We are connecting denominations and in the process of beginning to make a difference in our communities! The young adults meet every Thursday night to worship and get into the Word. It's small yet but I have faith for exceedingly and abundantly more than I can ask or think according to the power of Jesus at work inside me and all of us collectively! We have some what could seem to be daunting goals for the year of 2009, but I am confidently faithful that as we do our part God will empower us by his spirit to meet the goals I believed are birthed directly from his Spirit. The new church building will be complete this year and new doors for ministry will be made open by a larger facility! The Korean Church inside of the Church is absolutely amazing and the pastor mighty, mighty woman of God! It's already growing but it's about to blow up according to Gods order!
2009 is about to be sick! I'm so excited to see what God has in store...I have my thoughts, I have my goals, and I have my plans...but my prayer is "Father your kingdom come, and you will be done in my life and on earth as it is in Heaven". Whatever the means are to that end I'm down...lets do this. Have a great year everyone...loose your self to find yourself...it's going to be the best year yet!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Getting Higher
I am very familiar with the standard ways of "getting higher" that this world has to offer us. My past is filled with long nights that I'd like to ferget. However it's amazing how when looked at in the proper perspective the past can fuel your future. I remember a time in my past where I was constantly looking to "get higher" the worlds way. It ended me up in some rough neighborhoods, passed out behind the wheel of my car, amelessly wondering the streets at all hours of the early morning among other less than gratifying or satisfying exeriences. What I found in my pursuit of getting high the worlds way is that no matter how high I got it was never enough...Proverbs 27:20 says that just as Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so human desire is never satisfied. So if this is true we have a choice to make...what are we going to fill our life with? Because this verse does not just mean that we won't be satisfied with a shallow level of sin. If the law of reciprocals is true it also means that once we begin to fill our hearts, minds, and spirits with good and Godly things we will desire more of that in out lives as well. So the choice is ours. Who will we be? Someone who is in constant pursuit of negative destructive things that the world offers us, and literally shoves down our throats daily or will we deviate from the patterns of this world, and be a person who runs in pursuit of good, and Godly things? Deuteronomy 30:19 - Life and death is set before us every day. What will we choose?
Which leads me back to the subject of "getting higher". The bible is full of people who had to get higher to receive what they needed from God. Abraham had climb to the top of the mountian as did Moses. Zacheus had to climb a sycamore tree to see Jesus, and the paralytic had to be carried onto the top of a roof, and then break a hole in the roof to receive what he desired from the Lord! But the cost of going higher was always worth the time it took to climb the mountain, or the uncomfortable moments of being the one running ahead and climbing the tree. Because if you can encounter God your life will never be the same...it will always be better! But sometimes that takes us taking the step of faith to "get higher". Becasue sometimes you just need an unabstructed view. What are the issues of your life that are keeping you at a low level? And how can you get higher? I know many times in my life getting higher has meant a time of getting humble, and getting honest. Aswering an alter call when it was the last thing I wanted to do, dancing before the Lord in a worship service, or crying out with a loud voice. Sometimes it means getting up at 5 am or staying up till 1 to get into the precense of God, but just as those in the Bible never regretted getting higher I never have either. And if we can just make a decision to do what it takes in our lives to see Jesus we won't regret it and we will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to be all God predestined us to be! Ask the Holy Spirit what you can do to get an unabstructed view. Maybe it's more time in the Bible. Maybe it's more prayer, maybe it's something I haven't mentioned...but if you'll get higher you'll see him. The bible says those who seek him will find him. Don't ever give up on your pursuit of his face! Keep getting higher...constantly advancing and growing in the Epignosis (intimate, 1st hand, relational knowledge) knowledge of Yahweh living life on another level in Him!
Produce Fruit,
Chad
Which leads me back to the subject of "getting higher". The bible is full of people who had to get higher to receive what they needed from God. Abraham had climb to the top of the mountian as did Moses. Zacheus had to climb a sycamore tree to see Jesus, and the paralytic had to be carried onto the top of a roof, and then break a hole in the roof to receive what he desired from the Lord! But the cost of going higher was always worth the time it took to climb the mountain, or the uncomfortable moments of being the one running ahead and climbing the tree. Because if you can encounter God your life will never be the same...it will always be better! But sometimes that takes us taking the step of faith to "get higher". Becasue sometimes you just need an unabstructed view. What are the issues of your life that are keeping you at a low level? And how can you get higher? I know many times in my life getting higher has meant a time of getting humble, and getting honest. Aswering an alter call when it was the last thing I wanted to do, dancing before the Lord in a worship service, or crying out with a loud voice. Sometimes it means getting up at 5 am or staying up till 1 to get into the precense of God, but just as those in the Bible never regretted getting higher I never have either. And if we can just make a decision to do what it takes in our lives to see Jesus we won't regret it and we will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to be all God predestined us to be! Ask the Holy Spirit what you can do to get an unabstructed view. Maybe it's more time in the Bible. Maybe it's more prayer, maybe it's something I haven't mentioned...but if you'll get higher you'll see him. The bible says those who seek him will find him. Don't ever give up on your pursuit of his face! Keep getting higher...constantly advancing and growing in the Epignosis (intimate, 1st hand, relational knowledge) knowledge of Yahweh living life on another level in Him!
Produce Fruit,
Chad
Saturday, January 10, 2009
The Box Marked Ordinary
I will not settle in...to a life inside the box marked ordinary. I have been called...I have been created for more! I will not let the pursuit of wealth, fame, popularity, acceptance, or a life with no challenges trick me into letting my focus become unclear, because I am an all out warrior for King Jesus. I march to the cadence of the heart beat of Yahweh...his will is my goal. I will not settle into a life inside the box marked ordinary...
If people think I'm strange it's a small price to pay...if I loose friends so be it. If I never gain fortune or fame or if I do gain fortune and fame, my life is and always will be marked and defined with Kingdom purpose. I'm tired so tired of ordinary...my soul yearns for more. Religion sickens me, the average church service dulls me...and what has become the normal Christian scares me. Not just for our society but for them and their eternal state as well. I will not become the normal Christian I will not conform to anyone but Christ. I will search for those and cherish those who are walking this road and will walk this road with me. I will not settle into a life inside the box marked ordinary.
I will live my life to see the Kingdom come to Earth as it is in Heaven, not to get by or make a living. For I know that a life lived for anything but the Kingdom is an embarrassment to my purpose. I will follow the vision of Jesus rather than setting my long term goals and calling that a Godly vision. I won't ever let my relationship with Yahweh be something I work into my schedule...it will always be what I live for. I won't settle for a plastic life or a plastic relationship with God. I am a seeker, and when I seek him, I find what I am looking for. I will worship God with all that is with in me, I will proclaim the fame of Jesus when I'm scared, I will give God all my guts...and when he accomplishes something through me give all the glory to him and take none for myself...I will not settle into a life inside the box marked ordinary.
I will not let extraordinary become a cliche in my life...I will not let extraordinary be about what I do for me...extraordinary is about him and is more about my daily life than feats, accomplishments, or notoriety. I'll choose powerful over famous. I'll choose holiness over size. I'll choose the glory over money. I will choose Jesus over everything. To him who is able to do exceedingly and abundantly more than I can ask or think according to him who works in me and through me be the glory! I will not settle in to a life inside the box marked ordinary...
If people think I'm strange it's a small price to pay...if I loose friends so be it. If I never gain fortune or fame or if I do gain fortune and fame, my life is and always will be marked and defined with Kingdom purpose. I'm tired so tired of ordinary...my soul yearns for more. Religion sickens me, the average church service dulls me...and what has become the normal Christian scares me. Not just for our society but for them and their eternal state as well. I will not become the normal Christian I will not conform to anyone but Christ. I will search for those and cherish those who are walking this road and will walk this road with me. I will not settle into a life inside the box marked ordinary.
I will live my life to see the Kingdom come to Earth as it is in Heaven, not to get by or make a living. For I know that a life lived for anything but the Kingdom is an embarrassment to my purpose. I will follow the vision of Jesus rather than setting my long term goals and calling that a Godly vision. I won't ever let my relationship with Yahweh be something I work into my schedule...it will always be what I live for. I won't settle for a plastic life or a plastic relationship with God. I am a seeker, and when I seek him, I find what I am looking for. I will worship God with all that is with in me, I will proclaim the fame of Jesus when I'm scared, I will give God all my guts...and when he accomplishes something through me give all the glory to him and take none for myself...I will not settle into a life inside the box marked ordinary.
I will not let extraordinary become a cliche in my life...I will not let extraordinary be about what I do for me...extraordinary is about him and is more about my daily life than feats, accomplishments, or notoriety. I'll choose powerful over famous. I'll choose holiness over size. I'll choose the glory over money. I will choose Jesus over everything. To him who is able to do exceedingly and abundantly more than I can ask or think according to him who works in me and through me be the glory! I will not settle in to a life inside the box marked ordinary...
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Thoughts on life's trials...
Some thoughts I had written down in the bible I was reading through last year...apparently after reading 1st Peter Chapter 5:
"We are going to go through trials while we live on an imperfect Earth. However, we must be aware that our response to trials indicates to God, ourselves, and others where we truly stand spiritually. A correct response to suffering will help us grow in our faith and anointing, and be a testimony to those in our lives. An incorrect response to suffering indicates to God we are not yet ready for the next thing he has for us. Our response to trials should be faith filled, hopeful, prayerful, steadfast, and strong. A positive Christ like response to trials and suffering will bring God glory & allow us to take the next step into the fullness of life God has for us on earth and in eternity."
Psalm 105:19 says in the New Living Translation "Until the time came to fulfill his word, the Lord tested Joseph." To think no tests or trials ever come from God or are in his will for us I don't believe is accurate, because the word of God clearly indicates otherwise. Maybe instead of constantly rebuking the devil that we have an issue, we should take a look at how God can use the issue we are going through to form a fashion us to further Kingdom purposes. The bible says "all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose" - Romans 8:28. It didn't say that everything is always good, and if it's not it's the devil attacking us. To be a vessel of honor fit for the masters use we must be pure vessels. Fire is the only place that the dross is removed from silver but in the midst of the tests and trials we must remember that we are being refined if we will submit to the process and learn from the trial instead of worry about it. "The angel of the Lord encamps around all those who fear him, And delivers them" - Psalm 34:7. Meaning...for the purposes of this discussion, when we are going though an issue or a trial...we ought not trip or freak out. The Word says "I will keep them at perfect peace whose mind is stayed on me." Psalm 34 goes on to say "Oh! Taste and see the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in him! Oh! Fear the Lord all you saints! There is no want to those who fear him! Those who seek the lord shall no lack any good thing!............God is a good God! In the midst of trial there is always still blessing if you will not waver in your trust in him.......and you will come out of the fire a little bit more refined, and further developed for the Masters use and your ultimate purpose on Earth and for Eternity's gain.
PS. A very important note on this writing: I certainly do not believe that all trials come from God! I do NOT believe that sickness or poverty ever comes from God or is ever in his will for our lives! I do not believe that the trials we produce for ourselves are ever Gods will for our lives, and I do certainly believe Satan attacks us to steer us of the course God has intended. I believe specifically if the trial tests your character along the path to your purpose it very well may be a testing from the Lord. If the trial has been meant to destroy you, it has been sent by the Devil. I still believe however according to the Word of almighty God that ALL things work together for good for those who love him! As has been demonstrated time and time again in the lives of many mighty men and women of God. Respond to your trials rightly...!
Produce Fruit,
Chad
"We are going to go through trials while we live on an imperfect Earth. However, we must be aware that our response to trials indicates to God, ourselves, and others where we truly stand spiritually. A correct response to suffering will help us grow in our faith and anointing, and be a testimony to those in our lives. An incorrect response to suffering indicates to God we are not yet ready for the next thing he has for us. Our response to trials should be faith filled, hopeful, prayerful, steadfast, and strong. A positive Christ like response to trials and suffering will bring God glory & allow us to take the next step into the fullness of life God has for us on earth and in eternity."
Psalm 105:19 says in the New Living Translation "Until the time came to fulfill his word, the Lord tested Joseph." To think no tests or trials ever come from God or are in his will for us I don't believe is accurate, because the word of God clearly indicates otherwise. Maybe instead of constantly rebuking the devil that we have an issue, we should take a look at how God can use the issue we are going through to form a fashion us to further Kingdom purposes. The bible says "all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose" - Romans 8:28. It didn't say that everything is always good, and if it's not it's the devil attacking us. To be a vessel of honor fit for the masters use we must be pure vessels. Fire is the only place that the dross is removed from silver but in the midst of the tests and trials we must remember that we are being refined if we will submit to the process and learn from the trial instead of worry about it. "The angel of the Lord encamps around all those who fear him, And delivers them" - Psalm 34:7. Meaning...for the purposes of this discussion, when we are going though an issue or a trial...we ought not trip or freak out. The Word says "I will keep them at perfect peace whose mind is stayed on me." Psalm 34 goes on to say "Oh! Taste and see the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in him! Oh! Fear the Lord all you saints! There is no want to those who fear him! Those who seek the lord shall no lack any good thing!............God is a good God! In the midst of trial there is always still blessing if you will not waver in your trust in him.......and you will come out of the fire a little bit more refined, and further developed for the Masters use and your ultimate purpose on Earth and for Eternity's gain.
PS. A very important note on this writing: I certainly do not believe that all trials come from God! I do NOT believe that sickness or poverty ever comes from God or is ever in his will for our lives! I do not believe that the trials we produce for ourselves are ever Gods will for our lives, and I do certainly believe Satan attacks us to steer us of the course God has intended. I believe specifically if the trial tests your character along the path to your purpose it very well may be a testing from the Lord. If the trial has been meant to destroy you, it has been sent by the Devil. I still believe however according to the Word of almighty God that ALL things work together for good for those who love him! As has been demonstrated time and time again in the lives of many mighty men and women of God. Respond to your trials rightly...!
Produce Fruit,
Chad
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