“Only One Guy Moved!”

        

       Do you remember when I wrote “faith is a verb and an action word?” Well, let’s go back in time and visit the scene where Jesus and the crew are engaged in the middle of the sea.

       We can see Jesus out on the water in the midst of the turbulent sea extending His hand to Peter. Even in the crisis of adversity, Christ could not avoid another “teaching moment” and He said to Peter, 

     

        “Be of good cheer; it is I. Do not be afraid. And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

                                                                         (Matthew 14:24-33)

       Jesus just got finished telling Peter that it was Him out on the water and not to be afraid. Then Peter did the unthinkable. He asked Jesus, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”  Can you imagine Peter being so paralyzed with fear that He couldn’t even recognize Jesus’ voice? Only one guy moved when Jesus said, “Come.” Only one! If the others had any faith at all, they all would have jumped off the boat to meet Jesus in the sea. One of the many things we learned from this story is that the overwhelming majority of people can’t hear.

       “O you of little faith” is a searing indictment against the individual. I submit to you that “little faith” is not synonymous with “no faith” but, rather, “little faith” is worse than having “no faith” at all.

        If you accept His Crown, you must accept His Cross!

"Don't Look Back: Remember LOT'S WIFE...!"

"...But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt."                                                                                      (Genesis 19:26)

"Pillar of Salt"...God's warning (memorial) to His people that He will not tolerate wickedness among His people. Edith (Lot's wife) lingered physically and spiritually in Sodom because she couldn't stand the thought of leaving the depravity of the city behind her. Her lingering made her a victim of God's wrath as the judgement rained down fire, brimstone and sulfur from heaven. No doubt, when she was stricken by the molten lava, it calcified upon her body and the salt-rich area of the Dead Sea where they lived manifested the mineral covering over her disobedient body for what we know today as the "pillar of salt."

There is always a certain calamity associated with "looking back." Most often, when you look back you can't see what's ahead of you, your feet stop moving forward and, in many cases, you're distracted. The simple message is: DON"T LOOK BACK!

The danger of losing focus in the Kingdom of God (KOG) can result in utter separation from God because the angel of the Lord is dragging you "kicking and screaming" into your destiny. Although they had been warned that the city would be destroyed, they didn't want to leave. They even debated with the angels on where God wanted them to go. Furthermore, after all that, they still needed to be led by the hand out of the city!

In this instance, it wasn't enough for God to send two angels to warn them of His plans to destroy a certain paradigm their your lives(in Lot's and Edith's [Lot's wife's name] case, it was the destruction of Sodom) or for Him to save them for themselves. The angels had been under siege by all of the men of Sodom who wanted to rape them (Genesis 19:5). The angels then struck all the men with blindness from the youngest to the oldest as punishment for their wickedness.

Once Lot was safe in Zoar, the entire valley was destroyed along with all of its inhabitants. What do we learn from the actions of Edith? She is not alone in longing for and living in the past. The past is a comfortable place for many people. It is comfortable because it is known, sure and, even if it was rocky, we know how it all turned out. Not so with the future. The unknown scares people. But it only scares people who don't have faith in God. 

Faith in God (trust in God) and fellowship with His Holy Spirit is a guarantee that your future is safe, secure and eternal. Amen...

"JESUS is NOT on the CROSS!"

If Joseph of Arimathea was alive today he would confirm my assertion that Jesus is no longer on the Cross (John 19:38-40)! He would tell you that he received permission from Pontius Pilate to take His body away and prepare it for burial. He would also tell you that they buried Jesus in the tomb he had reserved for himself and that He is no longer in the that tomb either!

It was never God's intent for Jesus to remain on the Cross. Christians spend way too much time driving another spike into His wrists and feet to keep Him there. Why? I suspect it is because they don't want to face the Christ. Christ is the revelation of God as the judge of mankind. His discernment for our innate trickery and deception is unparalleled. In short, you can't lie to God. You can't fool God. You can't cheat God!

Our fear of exposure, our lack of integrity and our failure to exemplify true discipleship are several reasons why many stay away. Think about it; aren't these reasons why we should press even closer to His bosom? In the Book of Acts, Paul rebukes the Athenians for worshipping an UNKNOWN GOD (Acts 17:23-25). You can't get much more carnal than that! What do you say to a God you don't know? What can he do for you if you don't know what his capabilities are? Carnal Christians are rooted in idolatry; worshipping things they don't know or understand.

Christians love Jesus being on the Cross because "it's a good story" and Christians love to have stories read to them because they believe the lack of interpersonal confrontation with Christ protects them from their sin. It doesn't! Christians love church because it is easy to hide in a crowd. They believe there is "safety" in numbers. It's not! Christians love to carry their bibles because it makes them look holy. In fact, you can't wash someones feet carrying a bible, or cut your neighbors lawn or help a single mother move into her new home with the book in your hands. Hide your bibles!

The place that God has reserved for you to hide the Word of God is in your heart. Hiding His Word in your heart requires fellowship with the Holy Spirit. No person can do that for you. You have to read, study and meditate on God's Word for yourself. 

As long as someone else reads the Word to you, Jesus will remain dead on the Cross. But when you read the Word for yourself and fellowship with the Master in your secret place, His Word will renew your spirit, mind, body and soul and He will come alive! 

You wanna see Christ? Hide His Word in your heart and serve His people in the marketplace! Other than that, you will remain THE UNKNOWN SERVANT!

"The EROSION of FAITH!"

"The Grand Canyon was once a little crack in a big rock!" 
                                                                                             Blackfoot Indian Proverb

Am I going deaf? That is the only way a Believer should lose faith in the natural. In the spirit realm, the Believer must always stay focused on the heart, mind, soul and spirit of the One True God. Faith is the currency of the Kingdom of God!

"So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). 

Erosion is the weakening of the foundation of something over time as a result of the introduction of some foreign substance (in this case, FEAR) or outside influence (in this case, ADVERSITY and Satan's angels). Eroding faith can also be impacted by false teachers of the Word of God who add to or take away for its content. The erosion of faith is subtle and in many instances invisible until it's too late. It doesn't always take something catastrophic to destroy faith if faith is left unattended or unguarded; these are the elements that can chip away at "little faith" (Matt. 8:26; 14:29-31; 17:20 and Luke 12:27-28).

In contrast, "strong faith" laughs in the face of the impossibilities of man. There is a symbiotic relationship between faith and works; faith and works are not enemies (James 2:20). Very few Christians will ever face the hard choice of life or death for accepting or rejecting their love for Christ. Most of us will be the victims of a daily deterioration of our passion, drive and commitment to the things of God because the pull of the world (temptation) is so strong and, quite frankly, enjoyable.

So what can we do? What options do we have to combat the wiles of the devil? The simple truth is that we have to want to stay connected to the Lord God by following the direction of the Holy Spirit. Faith rejects common sense. Common sense (natural realm) vehemently opposes faith (spiritual realm). Common sense is directed by impulse where faith is driven into the heart of the Believer through inspiration. Common sense relies on facts. Faith is the harbinger of truth. It is the power and intent of God to "educate our faith" because the nature of faith is to make its object real.

What is the straw that breaks the camel's back or the last drip, drip that causes the dam to break in a person's life? No one can tell for sure, but a lack of perception on the part of the Believer does not lessen the tragedy of a fall from God's grace through a loss of faith! Selah...

"The SPIRIT of CARNALITY!"

"...So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus (Mars Hill), said, :Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious!"  (Acts 17:22)

The definition of idolatry (carnality), according to Webster, is "the worship of idols or excessive devotion to, or reverence for some person or thing." The most prevalent form of idol worship from ancient times until today is the worship of images of pagan deities, practices and rituals. We love our idols! Sports, entertainment, movies, mascots; it doesn't matter. We over indulge on what we like.

Paul was making an astute observation about the religious and political leadership in Athens. He was basically saying, "You brothers are full of crap and ya'll need to get your minds right!" He was telling them that there was a cost associated with their choices.

The correlation between idolatry and carnality is striking. Carnality is related to the pursuit of physical, especially sexually and sensual, appetites of the body for the express purpose of pleasure. It is often referred to as the "flesh" but, in reality, it is a "spirit."

Carnality, in essence, is too much time being spent on non-spiritual activities even if they are not sinful. 

The critical mistake that many Christians make is to associate carnality with lewd and sinful behavior exclusively. Many Believers are captivated with hours of non-productive time spent on Face book, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin and other social media outlets. In addition, they spend hours watching Reality TV shows, surfing the Net and "channeling" Maury Povich and Iyanla Vanzant with all of their foolishness and witchcraft.

Don't get it twisted, you can do just as much damage to your spirit man by watching Jerry Springer as looking for pornography on your smart phone! Selah...

"The POWER of FORGIVENESS!"

In the Greek language the word "forgiveness" is translated, "aphesis" or "freedom" and represents the utmost of maturity and integrity in a Believer. I am by no means saying it is easy to forgive, but it is absolutely necessary to do so. Our ability to forgive is rooted and grounded in God's ability to forgive us (Psalms 103:12).

Carrying the anger and weight of unforgiveness will reduce the host to a shadow of him or herself replaying the video of the hurt over and over again in their minds. The mental images quicken our mortal bodies whereby we re-live the episodes that kindle and activate our most base instincts and responses to our transgressors. In short, the images make you mad as hell!

What would you do to the person who wronged you if you could get away with it? Would your retaliation involve physical harm, slander, defamation of character or worse? How did you feel after you "got even?" Was God pleased with your response? Did you or your transgressor feel the spirit of freedom after your encounter?

The course of action for the Believer is simply to forgive them (Luke 15:11-32). The Lord God even declares that we should LOVE them! Are you kidding? How do we do that? In order to be healed and delivered from the stench of your wrath, you must forgive AND forget. The ability to love them can only come from the love of Christ through the presence of the Holy Spirit. Your heart of stone is transformed into a heart of flesh.

As God forgave us our many transgressions, so to must we forgive others. Just think what we would look like without the ability and the desire to forgive one another.

The conclusion of the matter is this; true forgiveness must involve "forgetting" in order to be authentic and effective. If  you say to your transgressor, "I forgive you, but I won't forget what you have done," that is not true forgiveness. 

Forgiving someone starts the process of healing and forgetting what they did cancels their debt entirely! Selah...

"The Anatomy of DREAMS and VISIONS!"

"...Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more."                                                                                                       (Genesis 37:5)

Be very careful who you tell your dreams and visions to!

The story of Joseph and his brothers is one of the most compelling in the Word of God. It is the tale of generational favoritism that has plagued Israel even until this day (the Edomites = Esau and the Israelites = Jacob). Jacob favored Joseph over all of the rest of his sons. This favoritism kindled hatred among his siblings. It wasn't the coat of many colors or the dreams per se that made them hate their brother. It was the fact that their father esteemed him over the others.

A deeper investigation of this story reveals that Joseph's character was beyond reproach. In fact, only he and Daniel are the only OT patriarchs not to have been plagued with some manner of sin! Perhaps Joseph's impeccable character is what Jacob saw in him that created the favor; either way, favoring one child over another will create a hostile environment in the family structure.

But the point of this writing is dreams and visions. This tale might give you a snapshot as to why people could try to crush your dreams. Maybe it is because you have favor with God and man. Or it might be that you are a person of high character. Finally, it could be none of these reasons and it may reside in the fact that God trusts you and knows that you will execute His will in the earth without question.

"Dreams" were created for the man who wonders and examines the possibilities. Dreams are self-induced by life's experiences; our hopes and prayers. They are a succession of images, ideas, emotions and sensations that usually occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. In many instances, dreams are never realized. They remain in dreamland, never to see the light of day because the Dreamer is rooted in "waiting for all conditions to be right before they move." Too often the "right time" never comes and the dream never becomes a reality.

"Visions" are those experiences in which a person, thing or event appears vividly and credibly in the mind, although not actually present, often under the influence of a divine agency (God). Visions are for those Believers God has chosen from the foundation of the world to walk out something significant in the marketplace. Visions most often come to an individual while they are wide awake. The Visionary is driven to complete his assignment. He has no choice because it is not his vision, it has been given to him by God! He must act or die trying! The vision will surely come to pass as God has ordained it (Habakkuk 2:2-3). The manifestation of the skyline in Dubai, UAE, for example, is no doubt a series of visions received by God! Why? because there is nothing else like it in the world!

Dreams can trigger a vision in the minds of others that they do not like. They may react to you like Joseph's brothers with indifference, jealousy, envy or rage. They might even act like they support you, but in reality despise the favor that God has given you (to make it plain, they might be unhappy that God picked you instead of them for a particular assignment). They could even resent your high character and personal integrity. Dreams can be dangerous in the wrong hands (mouths). Be careful who you share your dreams with; even those close to you (including your family). 

The visions that God has given to you are too big for you to take credit. You are merely a vessel for God to bring it to pass. Although you are important, you are not indispensable. 

Don't get it twisted; God will do it with or without you! Selah...

"NICODEMUS: ENCOUNTERS with JESUS!"

"Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, that unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."  (John 3:3)

In the Gospel of John 3, Jesus is speaking with Nicodemus regarding the concept and execution of eternal life. Nicodemus was a "night crawler" and a Pharisee. A night crawler is a person who acts holy and righteous during the day, but transforms into someone doing evil at night. Nicodemus was a real person, but in the Body of Christ, it is a "spirit." The spirit of Nicodemus is deaf, dumb and blind! Nicodemus, the spirit, can not comprehend things of the spirit. They are foolishness to him. He cannot hear from God, speak to Him or see his mighty hand at work in the natural or spirit realm.

He was also a Pharisee. A "Pharisee" was one who embraced all of the Old Testament; believed in spirits, angels, the soul and the resurrection; were sectarian purists (they were obsessed with "strict legalism" which is enforcement of the "letter" versus the "spirit" of the Law); and were artisans and merchants from the lower and middle class of Jewish society. The Body of Christ is overrun with legalistic arrogance disguised as religious authority. This widespread attitude has produced a Body on "life support!"

Nicodemus spent his day as a practicing Pharisee, but at night he tip-toed around to seek wisdom from encounters with Jesus on the things of the Kingdom of God. He was looking right at the Kingdom of God embodied in the person of Jesus, but could not see it, because he was already condemned. Nicodemus was condemned because he did not BELIEVE HIM! How many of you are bridled with bondage through unbelief?

Jesus said the condemnation would be that the non-Believers would not love the light (exposure), but would love darkness because their deeds were evil. And that everyone practicing evil would not come to the light and that others doing good would welcome the light so that people would know that the deeds they did were done in (for) God (and the advancement of His Kingdom).

Don't be like Nicodemus, coming around to see the King after He is gone, bringing gifts to appease your guilt for ignoring Him while He was right in front you and acting like you were one of His kids:

"...And Nicodemus, who first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about one hundred pounds." (John 19:39)

"CIRCUMCISION of the HEART!"

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Matthew 5:8)

The man or woman who is in hot pursuit of the things of God will encounter hardship, trouble, trials and tribulation. In short, they will face adversity. It is critical that they be in proper vertical alignment spiritually with God and that their hearts be pure (circumcised) with the Holy Spirit and with fire (adversity).

This circumcision of the heart is performed by the Chief Surgeon in the heavenlies in the person of the Holy Spirit. This entails much more than just memorizing the word of God, knowing the letter of the perfect Law of Liberty and posturing as a "super saint." The superficial hypocrisy of the person who "knows a lot of stuff" but doesn't "know God" is a peril to himself and others he engages. In contrast, the true sons of God have an intimate knowledge of the Spirit that leads and guides all Believers. This man is a force because his will can only be the will of God.

This circumcision (or cutting away the flesh) is necessary for the stony, wicked heart to be exposed to the light and love of the Holy Spirit. Most importantly, it is the "touch" of His grace and mercy that affords us the opportunity to receive a heart of flesh through His acceptance of our repentance, reconciliation and redemption. When this occurs, God now has something to work with!

"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." (Proverbs 4:23)

The new heart is carved out of honor, praise and worship for the Lord God. He is not affected by the designs of man for his life; only the designs God has transferred to and through his heart as a child of the Most High (Jeremiah 29:11-14).

At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is that the person whose heart has been circumcised wants to change! This is critical! The man has got to change; more so, he first must have the desire to change. Knowing what to do and actually doing it are two profoundly different things. One reflects the spirit of deception; the latter reflects the spirit of Christ which is manifested through demonstration.

"Too Many MARTHA'S and Not Enough MARY'S!"

The story of Mary and Martha of Bethany is the tale of two cities. It is the story of two sisters with two agendas. They were the two sisters of Lazarus; that's right, the same Lazarus that Jesus raised from the dead and they were very close friends with the Lord.

However, Jesus had a very different relationship with the sisters; and it was specifically based upon the way they attended to Him in His Presence. 

Martha was the gregarious hostess who was eager to serve Jesus and His disciples upon their arrival at their home. She was busy coordinating seating, meals and sleeping arrangements but Mary was fixated on Jesus; sitting at His feet and listening to His wisdom as He taught the Word (Luke 10:39-42). The lesson in this scripture is all about establishing your priorities. 

In short, Jesus was telling Martha that she needed to get her priorities straight. She was "busy" but she was not effective. She was distracted by the cares of the world like so many of us. You see, Mary had the spirit of recognition which needs no prompting from outside sources. Mary had supernatural discernment and without provocation knew she must tend to the Lord God; no matter what the cost (see the "alabaster box" in John 12:1-3).

We are witnessing this same problem today in the modern day church; we have too many Martha's (people preoccupied, too busy doing nothing and distracted by the enemy) and not enough Mary's (people fixated on Christ and serving Him first and then meeting the needs of His people in the marketplace). The spirit of Martha is NOT GENDER SPECIFIC. There are too many men burdened with the spirit of Martha as well and they need to be delivered from that spirit by spending more time at the feet of Jesus...

That is the place (at His feet) where the Believer will acquire the spirit of Mary! Selah...

"The Tip of the GOSPEL SPEAR!"

"It is the ordinary people who are filled with the Holy Spirit."

A spear is a pole weapon used primarily for hunting, fishing and fighting in combat. It has two major functions, 1) to be used in melee hand to hand combat by thrusting and piercing with both hands, and 2) to be thrown like a javelin at an intended target or enemy combatant.

                                             

The tip of the spear is the most important part of the weapon because it the first part of the spear to engage and encounter the enemy. It is the tip of the spear that is the most feared because it can strike a vital organ and disrupt the confidence of the adversary. It can kill immediately upon impact or cause a long, slow death. Either way, the result is the same; elimination of the impending threat.

However, the "tip of the gospel spear" are those that the Lord God has set aside as the remnant that will collect the lost sheep and bring them back to the Shepherd. It is the Holy Ghost that will snatch these jewels from the clutches of the enemy and loose them in the earth as mighty spiritual warriors to be used for the advancement and protection the Kingdom of God.

There is a profound duality to this gospel spear. The same spear that can kill and destroy is the same spear that can prick the hearts of the wicked and bring them to the place of repentance through healing and deliverance in Christ Jesus. This spear (True Believers) can pierce and kill the heathen unto death in the spiritual realm, but avail him the grace to be raised from that death by faith to everlasting life in Christ Jesus.

Are you the Tip of the Gospel Spear or its Intended Target? Selah...

"To Those Walking In DARKNESS: It is YOU, Not SATAN!"

LIVING IN HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS IS A CHOICE!

The Holy Spirit (HS) interprets God's will vs. Satan's will for the life of a Christian (those immature  in the faith). A Believer (those mature in the faith) understands this premise and knows that God's Word is the remedy for darkness (Psalms 119:105).

In many instances, choosing light over darkness is a function of the heart and the human condition. The "flesh" (our will to pursue sinful behavior with great enthusiasm and pleasure) is much more than our physical bodies wanting to be satisfied with various lusts. It will take you down a road so dark that "blackness" will be the norm and you won't even know that you are in the dark!

Blackness is that state of being black; of being soiled, dirty; a total absence of light; thoroughly evil and invoking the supernatural. Invoking is "an earnest request or petitioning for help for some outside source." By pursuing the things of the flesh, you are invoking help and support from the kingdom of darkness (thoughts, ideas, dreams and aspirations). It might feel good for a time, but the end is always destruction and death (separation from God) - (2 Cor. 4:1-6).

Appealing to sin gives the evil spirits authority over your heart, mind, body, soul and spirit. Your total being is coming into agreement with the realm of darkness. You are saying to the demons, "I hear what you are telling me to do, let's do it! Just let me know what I need to do to put your plan into action." The enemy inserts his will into the lives of those living in darkness by manipulating your flesh which, in essence, is your will. This is not rocket science, but the individual is hopelessly trapped in iniquity without the HS coming to their rescue! The choice to live a life of holiness and righteousness opens the door for repentance, redemption and reconciliation. In short, a life in the presence of God.

In every instance, while in darkness, you are doing exactly what you want to do, you enjoy it and you don't perceive the activity as sinful because you are blinded by selfishness. The flesh can't respond to God because it is the enemy of God. The flesh is hostile to God. It opposes, antagonizes and resists the things of God in our thoughts, hearts and deeds. God said no flesh would glory in His Presence (1 Cor. 1:29-31).

How corrupt and evil is the heart of man as he pursues life in the spirit of darkness and not the light? The answer can be found in Genesis 6:5-7, 11-13. You have to be dead to miss this! Selah....

"GOD vs. MAN: A WAR of WILL'S!"

Subduing and submitting our will to the Will of God is a major task for most Christians. "Free will" has been the calamity of mankind since the beginning. Our ability to make our own choices without interruption from the One True God has corrupted the heart, mind, soul and spirit of mankind. How often have we heard or said these words, "Not my will, but your will be done" (that is, until we find out that God's will is not what we want to take on at that time).

God's has perfect knowledge of mankind. His will is perfect for our lives. "And this is the will of God, that I should not lose one of all those He has given me, but that I should raise them up in the last day." (John 6:39)

Our will keeps us in reverse; God's will keeps us moving forward!

The key to being in God's perfect will requires complete and total submission to His Will, His Word and His Way. Submission opens up all the vulnerable parts of our lives. In this posture, the Believer is not seeking the "position of God" but, rather, the "presence of God."

It is the small things that hinder our relationship with God; "Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes." (Song of Solomon 2:15) It is critical for the Believer to obey God at all costs. Obedience is better than sacrifice. The Believer must write a spiritual "Eviction Notice" to whatever they want to vacate their lives.

Once you enter into the presence of God, the war is over. The white flag is raised. You lay down your weapons of resistance (fear, pride, arrogance, wickedness and deception) and submit to the Father. Once you have been captured by Christ, you are free. Sounds like a paradox doesn't it? Well, it is. Everything in the Kingdom of Heaven works in reverse...

The conclusion of the matter is this, "Obey and be blessed" (Duet. 28:1-14); Disobey, and be...well, you already know how that story ends! Selah...

"True, Unbroken FELLOWSHIP with SIN!"

"But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son, cleanses us from all sin."  (1 John 1:7)

As a whole, mankind is fully committed to a lifetime of sin. Whether it is in a diminished capacity or a full blown assault on the kingdom of darkness, we have unbroken fellowship with sin. But there is a caveat.

No man truly knows what sin is until he is born again. Deliverance from sin is predicated on the spirit that recognizes the nature of the sin that I have inside me (or that you have inside of you). It requires the absolute impartation of God's Perfection (which is the Holy Spirit) for any man to really appreciate the depth and breath of his carnality. 

The conscious sin and the unconscious sin in me are both recognized, identified and understood by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, in turn, activates the spirit of recognition, repentance and redemption inside of us. The Blood of Christ eliminates the need for God to censure me because the light consumes the darkness so that the light (me, as the new man created by abandoning conscious sin) and the Light (Christ Jesus) can walk together in true, unbroken fellowship with love, peace and joy.

My true, unbroken fellowship with God protects me from falling prey to the tricks of the enemy and creates an "aggressive resistance" to the devil's bag of deception and destroys the true, unbroken fellowship I once had with sin. My goal is the Son; His will and His way.

In the end, a holy and righteous life is our most effective witness to the world (sin). Selah...


"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called sons of God. Therefore the world (sin) does not know us, because it (sin) did not know Him." 
(1 John 3:1)

"FORSAKING the ASSEMBLY of NON-BELIEVERS!"

"And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembly of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."  (Hebrews 10:24-25)

This scripture has sent an entire generation of Christians down the wrong path of revelation, interpretation and false condemnation for Believers who choose not to attend a house of worship on a consistent basis (for whatever reason). Most often, this scripture is used in reference to indict those wayward Believers without a "church home."

In the Kingdom of God, everything is opposite. You would think that being a non-member of a church would make you an "outsider." However, if you are "in Christ" how can you be "outside the Kingdom?" Since I am "in Christ," that is why I sit on the inside with Christ; 

"...And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:6)

The congregation (church folk) often misquote this scripture for a few reasons, 1) they heard their church leaders misquote it, 2) they probably never read it for themselves and, 3) they don't understand the revelation of the history, content and context of the scripture.

In the first century, the word "church" represented the "spiritual, invisible body of Believers" and had nothing to do with coming to a building since early Christians met in private homes, in local marketplaces and on hillsides, etc. The "forsaking" reference in this scripture was addressing the early Christians who stayed away from the fellowships out of fear of persecution by the Roman garrison. It was more about "staying alive" than "going to church." They were actually killing Christians for sport (see crucifixions, Roman Colosseum, lion's den, etc.). As a result, many of them were very cautious and afraid while others were bold and fearless.

It wasn't until the third century, during the reign of Constantine, that temples became prominent throughout Christendom and church membership became the paradigm of mankind and not God. Christians demanded temples, idols and gods they could see and touch. I often say, "God doesn't take attendance!" Modern day church membership is inextricably connected to one main ideology; the more members you have, the more money you can make! This is certainly not the kingdom mindset which says, the more members you have, the more you can serve God's people in the marketplace.

The power of Believers' coming together can be great no matter where they meet as long as the focus of the gathering is to point others to Jesus. For the Christians that choose to attend their local churches and fellowship with one another, more power to you. If you believe you are growing spiritually and have discovered your gift and are using that gift to edify the body; keep on keepin' on. 

In my opinion, the preoccupation with church membership is overrated. By overrated I don't mean being a member of a church, I am talking about the concern over how many people attend your church. Too many churches are fixated on numbers. How many people are members. How many "giving units" they have. How many seats are empty at first service. How many people came to the Easter play. This stuff is meaningless. These things are the focus of non-Believers. I will forsake them.

Greedy, man-centered activities and lifeless congregations are rampant inside the Body of Christ. The persistence and prevalence of evil, wickedness and perversion have contaminated the Body and corrupted its witness, influence and integrity. Church leaders fighting over church members leaving, plummeting youth attendance and participation in church activities, bishops sending out eviction notices to delinquent tithers and "down low" ministry leaders leading double lives and deceiving the elect have the modern day church in a downward spiral. 

Again, this appears to me to be the activities of a group of non-Believers. What do you say to this? Are these people and activities something you would forsake? I will never apologize for my forsaking the assembly of non-Believers. I don't want to be anywhere near a group of non-Believers unless they want to hear and learn about the Gospel of Peace. I will forsake them.

So when someone says to me that they are praying for me to find a church home, I have to chuckle. What do I need with a church home when I am a citizen of the Freakin' KINGDOM? Are you kidding me? I am walking out Matthew 25 with other men and women who truly love God. We are impacting systems. We are making a difference in the lives of the disenfranchised. We are a blinding light to the kingdom of darkness.

As for me, I choose to stay in Christ Jesus. He is the Shepherd and Bishop of my Soul (1 Peter 2:25). The spirit led, invisible church is just fine for me. I can't get enough of the fellowship and worship I have with the Holy Ghost. 

The individualized attention ain't bad neither!

"The PATMOS Experience: Adversity in the Spirit!"

When John the Revelator was banished to the Island of Patmos in the Greek Isles 2000 years ago, he took with him the most valuable survival kit one could have...the Holy Spirit! When Rome sent John away in the latter years of his life (around 92 years old), he was the last active member of the original twelve disciples teaching and preaching the gospel. He was banished by the Roman government for believing the Word of God and for giving the testimony of Jesus Christ (Rev. 1:9-11) as Messiah, Savior and Lord.

The Island of Patmos ("my killing" in Greek) was a Roman penal colony created to punish religious and political opponents of the Roman Empire. It was a rocky, desolate and sterile place on the Aegean Sea where most of the inhabitants labored in the local quarries under arduous conditions for life! In Patmos, there was no coming back for most everyone; that is, except for the "Beloved Disciple!" However, a later Roman Emperor who succeeded Domitian freed John from Patmos and he returned to Ephesus where he died of natural causes at almost 100 years of age.

John is a picture of a man with his mind made up. No matter what, he was going to finish the race that God had placed before him. He suffered incredible adversity, hardships and near death experiences. Keep in mind, this was during the time of the pinnacle of Christian persecution amidst the backdrop of the slaughters in the Roman Colosseum, lion dens, crucifixions, banishment's, etc. John even survived being dipped into a cauldron of boiling oil! 

He stood flatfooted in the midst of the pot preaching the gospel of peace to the amazement of the crowd! They were waiting for him to scream, but he never cried out. He just kept on preaching Jesus as the Messiah, Savior and Lord! It is recorded that he won many souls to the kingdom that day. It was his survival of the boiling oil that sent Domitian off the deep end and he subsequently sent John to Patmos as further punishment.

While on Patmos, John suffered great adversity, however he endured. It was in the midst of his trying times that he stole away from the intense middle eastern heat into a cave where the Revelation of Jesus Christ came to him in a vision. 

Most Christians avoid their Patmos Experience like the plague! They don't want the hard times. They don't want the trials and tribulations. They don't want the thing they have most in common with their big brother Jesus; and that is He was roasted, stewed and barbecued for our sin (iniquity: inclination toward sin and manifestation: the act of walking your sin out in real time). Jesus embraced His destiny. His life. ministry and truth was an offense to the hypocrites of His day. Even today, the Word is the same; it still offends those living in darkness!

The hard truth is this: If you don't want adversity, you can't have Jesus! Selah...

"The Spirit of WHITE SUPREMACY!"

There are more than 100 scriptures in the Bible about casting out demons. In fact, demonic possession is very real. More than 25 different scriptures in the New Testament testify of Jesus casting out demons more than any other "miracle" He performed. The demons trembled at His Name and were subject to His every command. He rebuked the spirit of white supremacy even then! I'll tell you how in a few moments; keep reading.

The hard reality is that the spirit of White Supremacy is a very old spirit. It's not new. It didn't just appear out of nowhere and land in the old South. They weren't born during the Civil Rights era and weren't conjured up by Jim Crow. It was not a creation of Adolf Hitler or David Duke. They have been around a very, very, very long time!

Demons are disembodied spirits. They need the permission of a weaker vessel to enter in and occupy that body. The weaker vessel then becomes the host for the demon and ultimately executes all the evil, wickedness and mayhem they can muster. When the demon is through with the weaker vessel, it vacates the host because it has either killed the body or the body has been delivered by the Holy Spirit and therefore cannot coexist in the same body. 

These are the characteristics of the spirit of white supremacy: it is insecure, it is a liar, it is a manipulator, it hangs out with gangs, it is a coward, it hides his face, it is a fear monger, it is ignorant, it is blind, it has an evil heart, it is violent and it has no relationship with the Lord God! 

The simple truth is that the spirit of white supremacy is born of Satan! It is the formation of a legion of demons and imps organized and dispatched by the devil. He gives them their assignments according to the DNA of the demon. I believe that all demons were created at the same time and that they have been waiting their turn in eternity until the heart of man devolved to a new level of perversion or wickedness in order for them to gain entrance into this realm and occupy the body of the host. 

In short, an alcoholic spirit requires an alcoholic body to welcome it in to be its host. The same holds true for a white supremacist spirit. Once the hate, venom and ignorance exceeds a certain level in the heart of man, the imp looks to Satan and shouts out, "Put me in the game Coach!" He then dispatches a legion of angels to that area to overwhelm the citizens and captivate the hearts of those individuals living in darkness. They quickly become a mob; they become agitated and unruly and seek to steal, kill and destroy. Sound familiar?

Satan is the deceiver. He is the father of lies. Satan is an old spirit. He has been around from the foundation of the world. Don't think that the spirit of white supremacy is a new spirit, it is just Satan disguising  himself as the spirit of white supremacy through his evil flunkies to deceive the people, create fear and destroy your faith.

Satan is the modern day "bone collector." How many dry bones can he add to his collection before the sons of God rise up against him and destroy his kingdom? The Holy Spirit spoke to the Prophet Ezekiel and asked him a very profound question, "Son of Man, can these dry bones live?"

The Spirit directs us to prophesy to the "bones" (flesh) and to the "breath" (spirit) of mankind.  Speak to the spirits in God's authority, not your own authority. Speak with boldness and clarity as did Zeke and Jeremiah. As we minister with the love of God, we have been given the opportunity to have our graves opened, be raised from the dead, receive His Spirit and regain the land that we lost (regain our place in His heart) as sons of the Most High. (Ezekiel 37:1-14)

"SPIRITUAL WISDOM!"

Spiritual wisdom is acquired through an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit honored by grace through FAITH. In short, spiritual wisdom is gained by FAITH (Ephesians 1:17-23).

The Holy Spirit has revealed to us the profound difference between "intuitive" knowledge and, that is, the "inner man" or "spirit man" (Col. 1:27) knows all things while the "outward man" or "carnal man (the flesh)" remains ignorant.

I will provide you with an illustration:

• (A) = represents the "carnal man" who is "ignorant" (being ignorant is NOT being STUPID. Stupidity and ignorance are totally different paradigms).
• (B) = represents the "spiritual man" who is "all knowing" as a result of tapping into the wisdom of the Holy Spirit.

(A) knows that (B) exists inside of him. (A) does not know that (B) is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. Therefore, (A) is ignorant and summarily powerless to resist the tricks of the enemy.

(B) is frustrated with (A) because (A) will not believe what (B) is telling him about who he is, what he has inside of him and what (B) has already done to prepare a way for him from the foundation of the world.  

It is critical for (A) to move past the "renewal of his mind" (Rom. 12:1-2) into "spiritual wisdom" the place of "freedom and peace" in the Holy Spirit (the place where all channels are clear from any distraction so that (A)'s mind can:

1. "discern":  receive continual revelation from the Holy Spirit;
2. "understand": comprehend what he has seen and process the information in his mind; and,
3. "perform": execute what has been revealed to him by FAITH and believe that he has already received it by becoming an "active participant" by serving God's people in the marketplace.