Oh For a Closer Walk

We’re as close to Jesus Christ as we want to be. He has given us every opportunity to walk in fellowship with him. But what doth the Lord require of thee, than to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

There are many reasons for staying excited to walk with him. The first is forgiveness. Not that we were worthy by our own works, but that he died for us… for he who knew no sin was made the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we who were dead in trespasses and sins may be made the righteousness of God in him. For God commended his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for the ungodly. Unworthy was I of the grace that he gave… but he made me worthy and now by his grace, his mercy has made me his own. Where sin abounded grace abounded all the more. I was crucified with Christ. It’s no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

From what have we been forgiven? The world stands convicted before a righteous God because of man’s sinful nature passed down from Adam’s original sin. We inherited our sin nature through Adam’s bloodline. Before salvation, we were slaves to sin… we had no choice because of our sin nature. There is none righteous (in the flesh,) no not one, for the wages of sin is death… death is the default condition. Ultimately sin must be judged by a righteous judge. To be able to know what it means to be a follower of Christ, we must first know the depth of the depravity of sin from which he has forgiven us. Salvation from the penalty of sin is available, not because we repented, but because Jesus died in our stead and accepted the penalty for our sin on our behalf.

After we were born again, if our prayer is, “God, I know that I’m not the man I knew to be, God make me that man,” this is a prayer that God is longing to answer. How we battle the flesh between now and heaven will determine whether he says at the judgment seat of rewards, “well done, my good and faithful servant.” How close to Jesus do you want to be? If your desire is to be close to him, you need to know him intimately. To live the Christian life, we need to spend time in his presence and in his Word… we need to be committed to the gospel of Christ. He is the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh to the father but by him. The gospel of Christ is the message of salvation to those who were born in sin. Is your heart’s desire to become just like Jesus? To walk in fellowship with him, we need to experience the reality that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose. Those who are not close to God ask God the wrong questions. “Why” questions are the wrong questions. Who am I to question God’s motives? The right question is, “God, what are you teaching me through this trial?” The man of God who is settled in his heart that Jesus is Lord of his life, approaches God from a heart of meekness and humility… not my will, but thine be done. If this is the heart of the man of God, his story will be a witness of His Story.

To walk with God, we must know the importance of forgiving others. God has already forgiven us for the purpose of salvation. After we have been saved, in order to walk in fellowship with him, our heart must be in the right place with respect to those whom God brings across our path. Our example is Jesus Christ himself. While he was being crucified Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” If any man has anything against his brother, before bringing a gift to God’s altar, Jesus said, “first forgive your brother, and then come back and present your gift to God.” Forgiving others is not for God, but for me… I forgave and set the prisoner free, only to find that the prisoner was me. Unforgiveness resulting in resentment is the greatest burden. It’s hard to forgive until we know that for which we have been forgiven. When we, like the apostle Paul, understand that unto me who am the least of all saints is this grace given, it’s easy to forgive others. Grace is amazing when we know by experience that he “saved a wretch like me.”
Although we were unworthy, now by his grace, his mercy has made us his own. If you know Jesus Christ, you’re clean all over. However as we walk in this world, we must allow Jesus to wash our feet daily. This is our daily cleansing along the journey of life: If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Jesus Christ has called us to serve others as he has served us. Those who share their faith are those who are thankful for the grace of God. A thankful heart is the key to living in the joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is contagious… Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. He has called us to deliver the message and to be the message. Therefore, preach the gospel. If necessary, use words.

May God richly bless you,
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Why Follow Him?

Behind enemy lines, we must approach God’s altar and humble our hearts before him. In our own strength we can do nothing. A broken and a contrite heart is the key to approaching the heart of our heavenly father. When we forsake ourselves, we can follow him with reckless abandon. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ… it is the gospel of God unto salvation. For we preach not ourselves but Jesus Christ and him crucified.

A disciple is a disciplined follower. There are five reasons for following Christ.
The first is that we have been forgiven. When we realize the depth of forgiveness, we can leave behind our old man nature at the foot of the cross, and seek the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus. To experience his forgiveness, is to know and understand our Savior and the depravity of the sin nature from which he has saved us.

The second reason for following Christ is security. Security is putting our hopes and dreams into something that can never be taken away. Why dedicate ourselves to something that is here today and gone tomorrow? Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Security comes with the blessed assurance that I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which he’s committed unto me against the day of judgement.

This third reason for following Jesus Christ is joy. He chose us for a purpose to be his disciples and to follow him. Our mission is to walk with him, to follow him and to make him known… when necessary, use words. My purpose is to know him because he is my Lord, my friend, my comforter, and my deliverer. As we follow him, he will teach us how to become just like him. To know him and the power of his resurrection, being conformed to his image… through suffering and endurance in following him, he will teach us to conform, not to the world’s mold, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds… to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

The fourth reason for following Christ is that when we stray, he will discipline us to return us to an upright position. According to Hebrews, God disciplines those he loves. The word of God is profitable for doctrine, reproof and correction. Correction is training to live uprightly. This corrective discipline hurts, but produces upright growth in truth, righteousness, and character. Our victory in Christ is not at the expense of others. If we feel envious of those whom God has blessed, he will teach us humility. We are not competing with our brothers in Christ. God will teach us how to live uprightly and to cheer for those who are less well off than we are… to rejoice with those who do rejoice and to weep with those who weep.

The final reason for following Christ is peace. Peace is the remedy to anxiety, worry, fear, and disillusionment. Our Peace is the result of our reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ. To reconcile is to bring back together that which has been separated. Only through Christ’s reconciliation can our hearts be connected with God’s heart. God has reconciled us to himself through the sinless sacrifice of his only begotten son. For Jesus Christ who knew no sin became the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him. There is no peace without knowing the Prince of Peace. Jesus said, “peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you… not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

The ultimate promise of the beatitudes is, “great is your reward in heaven.” Before we can rejoice and be exceeding glad in this great promise, we must experience and endure poverty in spirit, meekness, mourning, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, reviling, persecution and all manner of false accusations for righteousness’ sake.

When Arthur Blessing came to Birmingham to conduct a revival at Pete’s traditional Southern Baptist church, some of the traditionalists in his church thought that Blessing was “desecrating the temple.” Blessing was known for ministering to the hippies on Sunset Strip. When he was reprimanded for leading a cheer for Jesus, Arthur led the hippies outside of the church to do another cheer. God is in the business of afflicting the comfortable. When the holy spirit moves, it “breaks the powers of cancelled sin and sets the prisoners free. His blood can make the foulest clean, his blood availed for me.”

Jesus did not say, “come join my church.” He said, “follow me.” Life is a journey. Journey, from the French word for “day” originally meant a “day’s walk.” The prophet Micah said, “but what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.”

Influencers and the Journey Groups are means to connect men’s hearts to God’s heart… to create an environment where God can help himself to our hearts. Our prayer is “O that I were the man I knew to be. Lord, please make me that man!” This is a prayer that God yearns to answer. God says come and die; lay your life on the line… die to self to live for me. Jesus said, “he who loses his life for my sake shall find it.” For I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live, I live by the faith of him who loved me and gave himself for me.

God give us men! Men who have a heart totally devoted to you.

May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Transformation happens in proximity of Jesus Christ. There are things in us where God is calling us to pray, “God come and help yourself to our lives.” God knows our hearts and intends to speak to his men individually and collectively to will and to do of his good pleasure. He calls us to listen with the Pentecostal gift of hearing… to listen to his still small voice. He says come to me all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Jesus said, “my sheep hear my voice and they know me… and I Give unto them eternal life.” God said, “be still and know that I am God.”

Frank’s Message: Behind enemy lines

If Christ is not the Lord of your life, how will you know who the enemy is? If you don’t know your commander in chief, how can you know who stands against him. You’ve got to share the values, virtues, and righteousness of our Lord and Savior in order to know who stands against truth, for Jesus said, I am the way the truth and the life.

Ecc 5: guard yourself when you go into the house of God. Fools are ignorant and do wrong. God is in heaven and you upon earth, so let your words be few. Be careful how you surrender your life to him…

1 Sam 16 is about the anointing of David as the next king of Israel. God commanded Samuel to go to Jesse’s house and to bring an animal to sacrifice to the Lord. His purpose was to anoint the next king of Israel to replace Saul. Jesse didn’t even call his youngest son David to be considered for the anointing. Man looks on the outward appearance but God looks on the heart. David, though Jesse’s most insignificant son, was a man after God’s own heart. In chapter 18:5 David was successful in everything God commanded him to do. Saul became jealous of David’s victories. From that point on, David was pursued by Saul and lived behind enemy lines.

To live behind enemy lines, seek out God’s four provisions. God is provident: He will provide.

The first provision is that God is your map to guide you to safe ground. Only those who are his understand what it means to live behind enemy lines. Before David did anything, he went to the Lord. God was David’s map. When God is your map, he will be your protection.

The second of God’s provisions is that you must put on the armor of God. Ephesians 6:10ff… Finally be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put ye on therefore the full armor of God so that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against powers and dominions and against spiritual wickedness from on high.

The third provision is shelter. We need a place of shelter when fighting the enemy. Psalm 143:9 David said, “Deliver me from mine enemies, in you I take shelter.” Psalm 46:1 The Lord is my refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble.

The fourth provision is that God has provided you with a weapon. 2 Tim 3:15 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof and for correction which is instruction in righteousness. You need to exercise your weapon to be able to hit the target every time.

The devil dresses like a sheep and he looks like you. You must have the power of God and the weapon of his word to discern truth from error.

To transform men’s lives, God afflicts the comfortable and comforts the afflicted.

October 17, 2015

Through it all, it is well with my soul.

Frank worked as an undercover police officer and also as a private security guard. He always wore his bullet proof vest. We have to be prepared by putting on the full armor of God that we may be able to stand in the evil day and having done all, to stand. In Revelation 3:15, there is a warning about being lukewarm. If lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, God will vomit you out of his mouth. Our challenge is to keep from being lukewarm. See 2 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant for your adversary prowls about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Sober: don’t be influenced by external influences or let your senses be dulled by sleep. Vigilant: deliberately shake myself out of the stupor, be alert and on guard.
1 John 2:1 Our advocate is Jesus Christ who pleads our case before the father. Our brothers in Christ also advocate for us. God has set us in the body of Christ so that we can edify and build each other up.

Not only must you know your advocate and commander in chief, you also must know your enemy. We’re here to help each others’ unbelief. He didn’t call us to stand alone against the evil one. When two or more are gathered together in his name, he said, “there am I in the midst of you.”
Hate is from the devil: he hates God’s people. The enemy is satan himself, his hosts and the powers of darkness and principalities from on high.

Frank’s testimony: Which hat is God calling you to wear in this season of your life? The helmet of salvation takes on many forms: God will save us through the storms of life… Our prayer is not that God will deliver us from the storm but rather, through the storm. The helmet of salvation protects our mind, for the battlefield is in the mind. I beseech ye therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present yourselves a living sacrifice holy and wholly acceptable unto God which is your reasonable, logical, and purposeful service. And be not conformed to this world’s mold, but be ye transformed by the “upward newing” (Greek anakainosis) of your mind that ye may know what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God…

What hat are you wearing? Brazil, Detroit, Tulsa? Our challenge is to go where God has called us and to bloom where he has planted us.

Lord, give me one moment in time, when I’m racing with destiny… and in that one moment of time, I will see eternity. Cataclysmic moments in this life are God’s wake up calls… When life hits us upside the head with a 2 x 4, our response should be, “Thank you, Lord, I needed that.” These are life’s “come to Jesus” moments… come to Jesus and live…

Influencers and the Journey Groups are means to connect men’s hearts to God’s heart… to create an environment where God can help himself to our hearts. Our prayer is “O that I were the man I knew to be. Lord, please make me that man!” This is a prayer that God yearns to answer. God says come and die; lay your life on the line. For I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live, I live by the faith of him who loved me and gave himself for me.

God give us men! Men who have a heart totally devoted to you.

You will be filled with power after that the holy spirit has come upon you. And you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and Judea, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. God has not called us to serve… he has called us to know him and the power of the resurrection. Jesus did not say “join my church.” He said, “come and follow me.”

Saturday evening
What’s important is what God is saying to each of us individually. Hearing from the holy spirit starts with brokenness and repentance. Pride is the nature of sin. Sin must be broken in order to repent and turn from our wicked ways. Quench not the holy spirit and grieve not the holy spirit. Grieving the holy spirit is rejecting the holy spirit and his offer of forgiveness. Forgiveness is the doctrine of salvation and once saved, the doctrine of fellowship, relationship, and communion with him.
Israel lost the battle against Ai because there was sin in Israel’s camp. To move from victory to victory, sin had to be excised from the camp. Sin must be dealt with aggressively and decisively. Search me O God and open my spiritual eyes and ears to show me where I need to turn from my wicked way… see if there be any hurtful way in me and lead me into thy everlasting way.

Frank’s Message

Review the four points of provision for fighting the enemy behind enemy lines.
Review always being prepared for the attacks: know who your advocate is and know who your enemy is.

John 15:5 I am the vine ye are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him produces much fruit. Without me you can do nothing.

If you are a child of God, never leave a brother behind. God himself said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. Are you ready for God to teach you total abandonment and absolute trust? James 1:2 says consider it great joy when your experience bears great trials. For trials produce endurance so that you may be complete lacking nothing.

Review Frank’s story about his 16 years on the Tulsa police force. God has to be the center of every man’s life, especially in law enforcement. In this line of work you are on the line every day to make two life changing decisions: to take someone’s life, or to set a captive free.

God’s command to his disciples was to go and make disciples of all nations. John 13:34 You didn’t choose me but I chose you so that your fruit will remain, that whatsoever you ask the father he will give you. A new commandment I give you, that ye love one another.

Review David Wilkerson’s last sermon: A Call to Anguish. The man who started Teen Challenge. holydesperation.com

Sunday Morning
Pete grew up in a Southern Baptist church. As a child, he thought that his denomination was the only one who had it together, though he had not been taught this by his church. By God’s mercy and grace, he came to know Jesus Christ. His church had a revival about twice a year. In the early 70’s a man of God took Pete under his wings. At one revival Pete heard Author Blessing speak at his church in Birmingham. Blessing was known for carrying a cross down Sunset Boulevard and witnessing to anyone who would listen to the gospel. Blessing preached to the hippies in Birmingham who came to the revival. There was a separation between the traditionalists in the sanctuary and the hippies who came to hear the Word preached. Revival broke out in the city with the youth who were far from traditionalists.

What is there to get excited about if not for the Gospel of Christ? Why is it OK to cheer for your favorite team but not get excited about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?

God’s strategies are always counter-intuitive to man’s strategies. Remember the story of Gideon’s army. Remember the story of Joshua taking the city of Jericho. The shout of the Lord is a sound that breaks the chains of the devil. The breaking is not by the trying but by the supernatural power of God in manifestation. The shout of the archangel will break the power of the evil one. The power of God through the shout of God will break down the strongholds of the adversary. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but spiritual to the pulling down of strongholds.

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. We are righteous not in our own flesh but in him and through him. Holy living breaks the chains of spiritual bondage. Pray the Word to God back to God and he will bring his word to pass as we confess it and believe it. Our prayer is to break our jars of clay so that the light of the treasure of his spirit within us can shine forth in a world of darkness. God only needs his remnant of believers to change the world. Jesus did not call the multitudes to change the world. He called twelve and from the twelve, he chose three.

God is in the business of changing men’s lives. Even you who were dead in trespasses and sins hath he quickened so that we may be dead to sin but alive to him. For he who knew no sin became the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him. For I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live, I live by faith in the one who loved me and gave himself for me.

Refreshing

We have a tradition at each Influencers Men’s Retreat: We gather around the fire pit early in the morning to acknowledge a brother in our lives who has influenced each of us in our Christian journey. We recognize this brother by throwing him an orange and expressing our gratitude for how he encouraged us along the way. Dennis threw me an orange and thanked me for publishing notes from our Influencers meetings on Friday mornings. He said that during the week he tries to remember what the message was about the previous Friday. When he reviews the notes, the message comes flooding back and he’s refreshed all over again.

When I was thinking about who to acknowledge by throwing him the orange, a thought came to my mind from Jerry Leachman’s message at last year’s Men’s Retreat. The message could be summarized as, “Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!” Jerry said that we are God’s ammunition, his ordnance, his laser guided missiles. Sin is missing the mark. God has called us to press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. In order to hit the mark, we need God’s reconnaissance to locate and to mark the target with his “laser designator.” To hit the target, a smart bomb needs propulsion, control, and guidance. The propulsion is the power of the holy spirit. Control is discipline and “temperance” to deliberately adjust our heading according to his directions. Guidance is his directing our path according to his laser-designated target. I threw my orange to Hector. He has shown me what it means to be God’s ordnance actively seeking the mark of the high calling.

We spend time in God’s presence and in the presence of like minded men to refresh and comfort one another with the comfort of the holy spirit. He has placed each of us in the body of Christ as fittings within the body, fitly framed together, bound by the bond of love and allowing God to work in us and through us to will and to do of His good pleasure.

May God richly bless you.
Michael

Our Mission, Our Commission

The greatest danger in life is not that you’ll fail, but that you’ll succeed in something that doesn’t really matter. How do you define success? What really matters in your life? Are you living for the moment or are you living for eternity? Oh Man of God… do you really want to be God’s man? To what are you are willing to commit your life? Where is your allegiance? Is there more to life than the fleeting comfort of this world?

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in his address to the United Nations, “We’ll do anything we have to do to preserve our nation and our people. We survived the Roman Empire and the third Reich, we will overcome the crises in this moment.” In our turbulent times, we Christians have to pray like Jehoshaphat… We have nothing, and of ourselves we are nothing. The Word of the Lord is the final authority even when it defies the decisions of earthly kings. Therefore our power and our deliverance is only in you, Lord. Desperate men make the best soldiers… men who have nothing of value and nothing to loose. As Mother Theresa said, “God works best with nothing.” To defeat the Adversary and spiritual wickedness from on high, those whom God has called to his team must have no confidence in their own might… The winning team consists of men who have died to self to live for Christ. When we empty ourselves of our selves, the power of God will increase as we decrease.

When Jesus called his twelve he gave them moral and spiritual authority when they followed him. Before the resurrection, he said, “ye shall receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” This is the power from on high. The holy spirit will teach you how to follow the master and to become just like him. God is looking for men who are willing to make his Word the final authority in their lives. Jesus called his team together… A ragtag band of men who were not highly esteemed in the world. They were fishermen, sons of thunder, doubters, a tax collector and a religious zealot who wanted to overthrow the government. Jesus called this diverse band to follow him and to make them fishers of men. He explained to them, “the greatest among you must be servant of all.” In verse 5 of Matthew 10, he sent them out to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As ye go, say” the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead to life, cast out devils.” Preach the kingdom in word and deed. Freely I have given you this authority, freely give it away. Take no provisions along the way, but rely on the kindness of those to whom you minister. You have to rely on those whose hearts God has prepared to minister to you and to be blessed in their giving. In your learning to receive, you will also learn the meaning of meekness, humility and trust. These are some of the hardest lessons to learn. Living a life of faith is to decrease that He might increase. Jesus said, “He who tries to save his life shall lose it, but he who loses his life for my sake shall find it.” Jesus sends his men out as sheep in he midst of wolves… To determine the best course of action, do the thing that requires the greatest amount of trust in God in order to serve him.

If they don’t accept you and the message, shake the dust off of your feet and move to the next city. You don’t need to prove anything… Your job is to do the will of him who sent you. Don’t worry whether or not they accept you. Things of the world are constantly changing… Nations, politically correct opinions, and doctrines of this world are in a constant state of flux. Only the Word of God liveth and abideth forever. Therefore as Joshua said, “choose ye this day whom ye shall serve, as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.”

Life is s series of decisions. The moral authority of Jesus Christ is the key to choosing the right path. He is the way the truth and the life through the narrow gate to the narrow way. Like the prophet Micah who knew God’s purpose, “what does the Lord require of thee but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

Freedom isn’t free. Release from the bondage of this world cost God the price of the innocent blood of his only begotten son. For he who knew no sin became the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.

The day has come, when the culture tries to eradicate our allegiance to the one true God in the name of “tolerance” and political correctness. God has called his men for such a time as this, as his emissaries in a foreign land to deliver a peace treaty from the prince of peace. For he has given us His word and has committed unto us the ministry of reconciliation. Therefore we pray you in Christ’s stead be ye reconciled to God.

God has commissioned men of God as fellow laborers on Christ’s team against the rulers of the darkness of this fallen world. We have been called to deliver the message and to be the message from the Sovreign Lord of our home in heaven. Our mission and our commission is this: give ’em heaven!

May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Teamwork

As Christians, we have been called to God’s team, for we are fellow laborers with Christ. The fields are white and ready for harvest. According to Luke 2, Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

Our times are in thy hands. Though Israel stands alone against the world, God said that he who blesses Israel shall be blessed and he who curses Israel shall be cursed. The Word of God shall come to pass despite the world’s division and confusion. The solutions to the world’s problems are beyond the ability of the adversary, his minions, and the world’s masses who do not believe his Word of truth. In every cataclysmic event in world history, God always preserves a remnant of his faithful ones. Our decision is not whether God is on our side but whether we are on God’s side. When the crisis comes God expects his men to have such confidence in him that we will be the reliable ones who stand according to his power and endure faithfully to the end.

A team is a group on one side of a contest where winning or losing is at stake. We inherited our sin nature from Adam and were born into the losing team. However, we were born again of God’s holy spirit into the winning team. In the spiritual contest, we have formidable foes. In my own power of the flesh, I can do nothing. However, upon the new birth, I have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live I live by faith in the one who loved me and gave himself for me. I have been bought with a price… by the payment of the innocent blood of Jesus Christ. For he who knew no sin was made the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him. Jesus prayed all night for those on his team… not for those who abandoned him, but for his disciplined followers whom he had personally called. A winning team has a shared vision. He didn’t call them to join his organization. Rather, Jesus said, “come and follow me.” As John the Baptist declared, “I’m not the bridegroom, I’m here to introduce the Bride to her Bridegroom… I must decrease that he might increase.”

No faith other than Christianity can say, my Lord lives with me and within me. His team members are those who have been crucified with him, and have given up their own selfish rights in allegiance to him. They represent not themselves, but Christ who lives in them. Our faith and our hope is in him. This hope is the foundation of our security. According to Ephesians 4:14-15: In (Christ) whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest (guarantee) of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. Therefore I am persuaded that he is able to keep that deposit of holy spirit that he has committed unto me against the day of judgement.

There is no security in the things of this world… Love not the world. Rather, set your affections on things above and not on things of the earth. To turn our eyes away from worldly things is to press toward the mark of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus. Our mission is to impact the world for Christ. He has called his disciplined followers to influence the world and not to be influenced by the world.

The final characteristic of a successful team is that they love one another. Therefore above all things put on charity which is the bond of perfectness. We are to put on God’s unconditional love which binds us together in the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. As we love our Lord, we love each other with the love with which he has loved us. We have been called as bondservants, slaves who are bound not by chains of guilt or obligation. Rather we are bound to him by a bond of love to serve him willingly… for believing works by love. Love energizes believing that appropriates the power of God into manifestation.

There are four types of love in Greek. The first is “phileo” or friendship. The second is familial love; Greek word “storge.” We have no control over the family into which we’re born. The third type of love is “eros” or romance. These three types of love are “reciprocal.” Each requires the same type of love in return. If these types of love are not returned, one party is shortchanged. The fourth type of love is “agape.” This is the unconditional Love of God. This is the love of grace and mercy… a totally unconditional giving love of God that requires nothing given in return. There is nothing that a team cannot accomplish when the team loves one another and doesn’t care which team member gets the credit. Love covers for one another. It bears up under suffering and pressure… it sacrifices for the good of others, even those who have taken advantage of us. Love transcends personal likes and dislikes.

The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but spiritual to the pulling down of strongholds. The best way to defeat your enemy is to make him your friend. The battlefield is in the mind. Therefore casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God…. bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

Only with the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation can we stand against the schemes of the devil. We must put on with love the armor of God to prepare for the spiritual battle. The victory in the battle starts with surrendering our heart to our Lord Jesus Christ. The breastplate of righteousness can be donned only by understanding that we are righteous in him and not in our own flesh.

Therefore, in the spiritual battle, be thou my vision O Lord of my heart, Naught be all else to me save that thou art. To win the battle, we must surrender our selves upon the altar of Christ… I beseech ye therefore brethren, by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto him which is your reasonable, logical, and wholly committed service.

God has called us to his winning team. In the words of the old hymn by Eugene Bartlettt:

O victory in Jesus, my Savior forever.
He sought me and bought me With His redeeming blood; He loved me ere I knew him, And all my love is due Him, He plunged me to victory, Beneath the cleansing flood.

May God richly bless you!

Meditate on These Things

We need to be reminded of the things that God has taught us over the years.  Often God reveals his will for our lives in retrospect.  God has called men of God to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified and to let the chips fall where they may.  Our job is to plant and water and then allow God to give the increase.  God’s minister must spend time in his presence, listening to the voice of God.  Jesus said in John 15:5, If you abide in me and I in you you shall bear much fruit.  A pastor’s job is to come out of his prayer room encountering Christ, and then tell the congregation what he saw.

Discipleship is often shaped according to the culture to which God calls his men of God.  Regardless of the form of church government, if Christ is leading, then God will allow the fruit  to grow and flourish.  God has called men to be men of faith and not men of fear.  The first command of Christian living is “fear not.”  What are we afraid of?  We must acknowledge that we cannot live the Christian life on our own.  I must decrease that he may increase…  less of me and more of thee.  As Mother Theresa said, God works best with nothing.  God chooses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.  I can’t keep all the rules.  I must allow him to keep the rules in me and through me.  Jesus said, behold I stand at the door and knock.  According to Psalm 1, Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful..  But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

We need to incline our ear to the Lord…  our prayer is to keep our ear close to the mouth of God.  Therefore, meditate on these things (the Word of God,) commit thyself holy and wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear to all.

No one can overcome sin by confronting it head on.  Concentrating on the darkness only makes it darker.  The remedy to sin is the savior from sin.  We must call to God… only he can defeat sin and the spiritual powers of darkness.  The encounter is not against powers but rather the encounter is against Truth.  Did we in our own strength confide, our battle would be loosing, were not the right man on our side the man of God’s own choosing.  Doth ask who that may be?  Christ Jesus it is he, and he must win the battle.

The battle is not against political correctness, rather the battle is against good and evil.  Only the word of God defines that which is good.  The devil and his minions will bombard you with lies and deception.  The only way to overcome the lies is with the truth of the Word of God.  Christians who are casual about absorbing the things of the world will become casualties of the spiritual warfare.  God has called us to deliberately, intentionally and purposefully take hold of the reins of our own minds.  Therefore, meditate on the things of the Word of God…  According to Phil. 4:8, “Finally, brethren whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things.”  Galatians 5 says, “Walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts (over desires) of the flesh, for the the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, so that you cannot do the things that ye would.”  There is always a choice to walk according to the flesh or according to the spirit.  For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  Therefore, choose life.

What do you do after sinning and missing the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus?  The key is repentance…  to turn back from sin and toward Christ.  If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father, Morning by morning new mercies I see.  All I have needed thy hand hath provided.  Great is thy faithfulness Lord unto me.  Our prayer is, “Lord I want to be the man that you created me to be…  God please make me that man.”  This is a prayer that God is longing to fulfill in the men whom he has called.

In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus said, “Come unto me all ye who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon me and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart:  and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  In God’s power, there is no heavy burden.  Burdens and obstacles, are proportionate to the power used to overcome them.  Every problem, trial, or tribulation is minuscule compared to God’s disproportionately omnipotent power.  To come boldly before the throne of grace is to humble ourselves and allow our Lord Jesus Christ to wash our feet…  for even though our heart condemns us God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things.  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not according to the flesh but according to the spirit…

May God richly bless you!

Your brother in Christ,

Michael

The Word of God, Your Conquering Power

There are three Greek words used in the Bible for the word translated “word.” The first word “graphe” usually translated “scripture” is the literal ink and paper upon which the word of God is written. This is the word used in 2 Timothy 3:16: All Scripture (graphe) is God-breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, and for correction which is instruction in righteousness. This is the written Word of God which shall come to pass according to God’s sovereign will. The scripture itself cannot save. Rather, the scripture leads to the Savior Jesus Christ, the word of God made manifest in the flesh. Jesus Christ is the message and the meaning of the word of God.

The second Greek word translated “word” is “Logos” which is the eternal and unchanging Word of Truth. The Logos is the word of God and Jesus Christ is the Word or Logos of God made manifest. The Word (Logos) became flesh and dwelt among us. According to Hebrews 4:12, For the word (Logos) of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The third Greek word translated “word” is “rhema.” This is the spoken word which activates the power of God upon the lips of a believing Believer. The word of God becomes active when God speaks his word in and through his Believer. In Matthew 4:4 Jesus said, “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word (rhema) that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” According to Romans 10:17, “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word (rhema) of God.” There is power in the spoken word so be careful what you say. In Matthew 12:36 the warning is not to use the word (rhema) idly but to use it carefully and for God’s purposes.

The effectiveness of the Word depends on the person speaking the “rhema.” In Genesis, Israel blessed his son Jacob instead of his first-born Esau. Part of the blessing to Jacob was “He will be established with new wine and with grain.” There is power in God’s blessing, spoken according to the Word of God, by those to whom God has given authority to speak. Jacob’s mother called her son “Son of my grief.” However, the child’s father Jacob, had God’s authority to name him “Benjamin” which means “the son of my right hand” or “the son of my hand of blessing.” In Genesis 49:5 Simeon and Levi would be scattered throughout the land according to the words of their father. However, even though both tribes were declared “scattered,” the tribe of Levi was blessed by God when they stood against Israel when Israel bowed down to the golden calf in the wilderness.

There is power in the spoken word and they have an effect on others… even more so when they are the words of God. Ephesians 4:29 says “let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” Proverbs 12:14: A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompence of a man’s hands shall be rendered unto him. According to verse 18, The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. In Proverbs 13:3 Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.

What are the effects of the Word of God? Isaiah 55:11 says, “so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” According to 1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” Ephesians 3:10 says that the purpose of the church is to make known to the powers of darkness God’s wisdom: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.

Proclaiming the Word of God unleashes God’s power in the four categories: The first is against spiritual attacks. According to Daniel 4:37, King Nebuchadnezzar makes some some profound statements about the wisdom and power of God: Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

The second reason for proclaiming the Word is to allow God’s protection. Psalms 91:1-4 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, andfrom the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

The third is benefit of proclaiming the Word of God is to release his power of healing. See Psalm 103. Proverbs 3:5-8: Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel and marrow to thy bones. “Health in verse 8 means “medicine.”

The fourth category for proclaiming the Word is to defeat sin. According to Micah 7, there is no other God like you. You forgive sin and delight in showing your mercy… you will hurl sin into the depth of the sea. 1 John 1:9 is about repentance to return to fellowship with God: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Sin means to “miss the mark.” The “flip-side” sin is to “press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 says, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” According to Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

The word of God on the lips of a believing Believer produces results according to the Power of God in manifestation. The truth of the Word of God is Jesus Christ as he himself declared: I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father except by me. The true meaning and significance of the Word of God is Jesus the Christ the Son of the living God… for o man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael