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
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