Christianity Confesses

Matthew 5:17-20

2009-11-20T10:14:00.004-07:00

^{Matthew 5: 17}"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. ¹⁸I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. ¹⁹Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. (NIV)

If the Church today forgets this we are in big trouble. Unfortunately from what I see much of the Church has already forgotten. Jesus is very clear here; that He came to fulfill the laws not to abolish them. It is so tempting to claim that we are under the new covenant and therefore the laws of old do not apply. The truth of the matter is that they do apply just as much as with the same serious consequences they've had for centuries. How could we then, as ministers of The Gospel, tell God's sheep any different?

Look at verse 18 again this time from The Message, "Long after stars burn out and earth wears out, God's Law will be alive and working." I know the last time I looked up I saw stars in the sky and this morning clouds or not the sun did shine. So, why then brothers and sisters have so many ministers, preachers, pastors, and the like stopped talking about the sin that is in our lives. Have we sold the truth of God's word just to collect a few more dollars in the offering plate. If you are reading this and have found that you have made that small compromise then turn now and repent. For verse 19 says that if you break the least of these commands and teach others to do the same then you will be the least in the kingdom. Yikes, I encourage you to take a moment and seek the Lord ask Him if you have this guilt on your hands. Ask Him for forgiveness and return to the calling to make disciples not just entertain the spiritual dieing among you.

The good news is that if we repent from our wicked ways and turn to follow the Lord ask Him for forgiveness He will forgive us and was us clean by His blood. Will you brothers and sisters follow in the ways of Jesus, non compromising, holding fast to the truth of The Father, fulfilling the law even unto death. Yes, Jesus did not abolish the law but He was the sacrifice that we can be cleaned by if we will plead the blood of the lamb over our sins.

Verse 19-20 in The Message says it this way "Trivialize even the smallest item in God's Law and you will only have trivialized yourself. But take it seriously, show the way for others, and you will find honor in the kingdom. Unless you do far better than the Pharisees in the matters of right living, you won't know the first thing about entering the kingdom."

As this years Christmas celebration approaches take heed of these words and remember also the words of Paul who wrote that if we do these things but have not love then we are nothing for then a clanging bell.

Prosper as your soul prospers, allow yourself to be put through the purifying process of the Lord. That one day you will find yourself resurrected with Christ.

Thank You Loyal Readers

2009-05-05T10:43:00.003-06:00

What an amazing few months in the Lord. I feel the need to apologies again for how long it has been since I posted a confession or a new blog. I have posted a new confession recently and felt a burden to greet some of you today.

I want to thank all of you who visit us regularly:

USA
Canada
Russia
Congo
India
Japan
UK

From drawing us deeper into His faithfulness, to accelerating our growth in the Spirit He is not about to let us stay where we were or let us go back to where we had been. As many of you know, who walk closely to the Lord, this is a process of Love, Mercy, Discipline, a call to unequivocal Obedience, and Repentance.

I pray that I would be able to start writing to you more about this soon, as the Lord would lead.

Until then I encourage you to send me your confessions, but don't stop there. Allow the Lord to do the deep work in your heart and bring you, from that confession, to a place of true repentance; where you never return to your sin again. Jesus tells the young woman caught in adultery after all who wanted to stone her left; "Go and sin no more." That is more than simply receiving your forgiveness and returning to your old ways. It is a change of heart and mind and a breaking of agreement with the strongholds that had bound you to that sin. It is a conscience and deliberate decision to allow the Lord to change you into a person that does not want that sinful way any longer.

Keep watching as we begin to expound on this and continue our "The Sermon" series. I look forward to this summer and what the Lord has for all of us.

God bless and again thank you all.

Rev. Brad Buscher

Confession of Provision

2009-02-06T20:17:00.003-07:00

In this time of great need and sorrow in this country it is easy to forget that God is the provider. This fall was very hard and heading into this last holiday season with what looked like the greatest lack I have ever experienced in my life. The Lord was allowing me to walk in a very uncomfortable place. I wish I could say that is all behind me now, but that is difficult to do in light of the circumstances.

Now it is February and most of my bills from January are paid except one, the mortgage. Today the battle field of my mind has not been pretty. So, I decided to make an offensive strike instead of playing defense all the time. This post is to prove to my soul that the Lord is my provider and has provided for me longer than I know.

First know that I have not had regular employment for almost a year now and somehow the Lord has still provided:

Grocery Money
Mortgage Payments
Gas Bills
Phone Bills
Electric Bills
Fuel for the car
Offerings
Mission trip money
Restaurant outings
New clothing
Vehicle repair money
A trip to see family
Work
Love
Friendship
Health
Encouragement
Discipline
Learning
Pet medication
Understanding
Faith
Entertainment
Bumper crop of tomatoes
Rain, Snow
Air to breath
Water to drink

The Lord is surely the provider He says He is. He has not brought me this far to let me die out in the wilderness. He will see me through to the very end. This is my confession of the provision of the Lord.

Matthew 5:13-16

2009-01-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

Matthew 5: 13"Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.

14-16"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

Wow! Fellow Christians this is a mouth full. Look, the keys to the kingdom are here in these few verses. You can read pages and pages on how to live a good, successful, even fulfilling Christian life or you can grasp the simple truth Jesus gives us in these 4 verses.

Lets start with being the salt of the earth. If any of you bake or cook you know that even a pinch of salt makes the flavors increase in just about anything you are making. Want to make something a bit sweeter and a pinch of salt. Want to bring out the flavor in a nice steak, add a pinch of salt. Look around you at what God is doing. What part are you to be, inorder to be that pinch of salt. Jesus himself said I must be about my fathers business. Then we too must be about His business. We must be the salt in His perfect recipe. I for one don't want to be cast aside by God because He thinks I have lost my usefulness.

How then are we to be a light? Jesus said I am the light. How then can we be a light? We do what He did. We share with others the love, grace, mercy and compassion that He shared with us. We do for others as Jesus did for them. We correct them when they are wrong we heal them when they are sick, and we feed them when they are hungry. The Holy Spirit is with us to help us establish the kingdom of God in men's hearts, if we will just follow his lead. We lead them to the Lord and He leads them to repentance. Christianity Confesses is just the beginning of this process. We are here to help men confess their sin and lead them to repentance. Christian confession is just the first step once we recognize that there is sin in our heart and life. Therefor be the light to the world take the confession of a brother or sister and pray to the Lord and help lead them along the path of true repentance that they may be saved.

In this day we are called, as many were so long ago, to be a voice crying in the wilderness "Repent, Prepair they way of the Lord." This cannot be done alone in your room, or even just in your prayer closet you must put your voice on a hill top and not under a basket and declair the Lord's work in men's hearts. That is what it means to be a light. Be generouse with your love and the Lord is with His love of us.

Remember we must be about our fathers work.

The Omega Generation

2009-01-22T09:52:00.003-07:00

Dear readers I want you to be among the first to preview my new Google Theme: "The Omega Generation"

Follow this link to preview this theme on your iGoogle page: http://www.google.com/ig?skin=http://www.christianityconfesses.com/theme/Omega/omegageneration.xml

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see my other themes:
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Cain and Abel one perspective

2009-01-13T20:15:00.007-07:00

Genesis 4 1 Now Adam had sexual relations with his wife, Eve, and she became pregnant. When she gave birth to Cain, she said, “With the Lord’s help, I have produced a man!” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel.

When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground. 3 When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. 4 Abel also brought a gift—the best of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, 5 but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.

6 “Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? 7 You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”

There are many perspectives on the story of Cain and Abel. Many sermons have been preached on Cain's offering vs. Abel's offering. So, when I read this passage about a week ago I was surprised that a different perspective jumped off the pages of my Bible at me.

First off notice, in verse 3, Cain is the first to bring a offering to the Lord, then Abel. I also want to point out that at this point in scripture (reading front to back or chronologically) we are not told to the reason the Lord rejects Cain's offering. Except for this one point, we are told that Cain brings SOME of his crop, but Abel brings the BEST of this flock. This is were most teaching on this stops and jumps strait to Cain's murder of Abel. If we stop at this point though we have missed the rest of what the Lord wants to show us, the Lord also reveal to us a warning that is so pointed and relevant to today.

From the end of verse 5 - 7 we see what the Lord wants to deal with Cain's reaction to His rejection of the offering. Look at what the Lord tells him, "if you do what is right you will be accepted." Oh man, you mean it is possible that the sin was not just in what Cain brought as the offering but more so in his reaction to the Lord's rejection of that offering. I know this flies in the face of much church doctrine on this topic but bear with me for a moment. Cain's sin was not just the offering he brought but that he got mad at the Lord for rejecting it. After all he was a farmer and he brought a offering from what the Lord gave him to do. (Hang in there I am not focusing on why the Lord rejected Cain's offering in this post, in order to prove a different point.)

Has that happened to you brothers and sisters? Did an offering you brought before the Lord get rejected? You know He is a sovereign Lord and He has the right to reject anything He wants, and just because we think a offering should be accepted doesn't mean it has to be. I recently went through a period in my life where I knew that I knew I was doing the Lord's work. Work that He ask me to do and the way He asked me to do it. But as time passed the Lord rejected that work. The reason he rejected it is not the issue at this point and a topic for another time. He has the right to reject or accept anything He chooses He is the Lord, King of Kings. If He should decide he does not want to accept something who are we to tell Him that He has to?

Cain bigger problem was that he got offended by the rejection of his offering, sound familiar? Truth is rejection hurts and we don't like it, especially if think it was the best gift we had to offer. He still had a chance to be accepted by the lord if he would react correctly. How then are we to react when the Lord rejects our offerings to Him? How are we to react when the church or ministry rejects our offering, or help work prayer or even revelation knowledge? What would have been the correct response for Cain? What was the right thing for him to do and then be accepted by the Lord?

Might I propose that the right thing to do is also the hardest for us most of the time. Worship the Lord even if He rejects your offering. Later in Deuteronomy we read that the Lord does not really even want our burnt offerings any more but our hearts. So even the Abel type offering gets rejected by the Lord at some point. The offering the Lord really wants is you. All that you are.

Observing wounded Christians I see, this is what has happened to them. They got rejected by someone or for some reason by the Church body and now they are not doing the right thing. Dear friends if this is you, like God told Cain "sin will come your way and you must subdue it." I know this is a hard message and if you are currently in the position Cain found himself this message is not one you want to accept, but I urge you to come back to the Lord worship Him because He is Lord. Not because He accepted or rejected your gift but because He is the King who reigns on High.

- Lord I pray that if these words reach one, who like Cain, is angry with you because you exercised your sovereignty. Then send your Holy Spirit ahead of the words and prepare their heart to accept your love and fall at your feet and worship you. You rejected the offering not Cain himself. And though you sometimes reject our offering to you, you love us and are calling us back to you. Heal the wounds cause by rejection, strengthen us in your love, that we may come back to you and do what is right.

Amen.

Lord do you love me?

2009-01-09T17:35:00.002-07:00

I received this e-mail today that I thought I needed to share. We often find ourselves in the midst of assault on our faith and find ourselves asking "...Jesus, if you hear me, if you love me, I need to hear from you."

This is a dangerous place to walk. Please, if you are feeling this way I hope that this brief testimony will remind you that He does in fact love us.

"In Oct of 2008 I was on a recruiting trip trying to gather teachers willing to come to a little known corner of my state for work. I was hurting in many ways. My leg hurt as I needed a knee replacement and I was walking with a cane. My back hurt, I was short of breath and sure that I was at 61 useless and not wanted. As a sat in the big room I had a pity party for one. I did
not think anyone would come to the table that day and I would be alone and blue all day. I said a little prayer to Jesus, that if he loved me, please, send someone to my table. Within five minutes one of the other presenters came over and said, "I hired you once." I did not recognize the man but said that I had not moved around much in by 38 years in education. He said that
he had hired me many years ago to do an in-service program for him. I remembered going to that little town in the north west of our state. He asked where I was working and what I did. I told him. He then asked if I would like to move closer to home. I said that I was an expensive employee and I couldn't move for less pay. A month or so later he asked me to come and interview for a position with his group. He offered me $4000. more than I make. He offered to pay mileage to and from my job, pay for health insurance and retirement. I have looked at the school where I'll be and I thank God for sending that man to my table on that day. Now I can live at home and be with family every evening. God is really good all the time and has special plans for us. Thank you God for your blessings." -- anonymous.

Thank you for your time to read this testimony. I hope it reminds you of the Lords love. Who knows if the next time the Lord tells you to go up and talk to someone you might just be the answer to someone's prayer. The sad reality is that if you have ever prayed this and it seemed like the Lord did not answer perhaps it was because the one He wanted to use to answer your prayer was disobedient to His call. Will you respond when the Lords calls you into action?

-- Blessings

Matthew 5:10-12

2009-01-03T14:51:00.004-07:00

As we conclude the Beatitudes part of the Sermon we get to what is perhaps the least favorite one. Think about when you last read Matthew 5:10-12. Did you hear yourself saying something like, "good to know but I hope it does not happen to me". If you did you are not alone, but that does not make it the correct response. Lets read it now in both the NASB and Message versions.

Matthew 5:10"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11"Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.

12"Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (NASB)

Some key words in this version are: righteousness, persecution, falsely, reward, and Me (Jesus). We will look at these words closer in a moment but first let continue and read the Message version.

Matthew 5:10"You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.

11-12"Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble. (The Message)

Some corresponding key phrases in this version are: commitment to God, drives you even deeper, speak lies about you, trouble.

Lets begin now and look closer at Matthew 5:10. What righteousness, mine or Jesus'? Is that the same as commitment to God? I looked up the Greek to try and understand this better and see if the Spirit would show us something from it. The word in this passage for righteousness is "Dikaiosune". And simply put righteousness is a state or condition that is acceptable and pleasing to God. This is impossible without the blood of Christ. In the Message version the corresponding phrase is "commitment to God". A commitment to God does not put us in a state of righteousness acceptable to God. However, it takes nothing less than a complete commitment to Christ to receive the cleaning of His Holy blood and His righteousness.

When we look at Cain and Abel both of them were committed to God, but only one as acceptable. Cain was committed to God because he wanted to bring Him an offering but when his offering was refused Cain's response to God's rejection of his offering caused him to fall to sin. This is just one example of where only having a commitment does not bring about righteousness.

Now persecution is something none of us want if we are honest with ourselves. It is simply no fun. But the Message version states something very key to what this persecution does when we do encounter it. If, unlike, Cain we respond correctly it will drive us deeper into our relationship with the Lord, and deeper into His kingdom.

Before I talk about Matthew 5:11 let me make a point of fact. The key words in this verse are falsely and lies. Now, if what people are saying about you is true, then you may need to examine your own heart and see if you are truly representing Jesus by your words and actions. But this verse refers to when you are being persecuted and false things are being said about you because of Christ or in order to discredit God. The Message version elaborates a bit more to explain why people do this when the truth is staring them in the face. And I think it states it really well. "What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable."

Brothers and sisters. If this is you, and you are being convicted then take this opportunity now to ask the Lord to forgive you. We have all heard the saying, "Pride comes before the fall", and I would hate to think that any of you is willing to take that fall.

Matthew 5:12 is a word of encouragement. Jesus wants us to know that we are not alone when this happens to us. And that we should not expect to be free from it either. Instead, be of good cheer, because many saints before you have been treated this way. Too many to name here. Even Jesus was falsely convicted because of His willingness to follow the Father and only speak truth. How could we servants think we would escape the treatment our master received?

I pray that this somewhat slow walk through the Sermon on the Mount is blessing you, and causing you to seek the Lord deeper than you have before. I feel like His invitation to all of us this year is to come another step (perhaps more if you dare) closer to Him. Allowing Him to continue the work He started in you.

Blessings.

Matthew 5:9

2008-12-31T15:47:00.001-07:00

This has been a difficult text to write about. Each time I sit to write either the Lord tells me its not the time or I just don't know what to say. I have been for what seems like for ever for an authentic understanding of this passage. I believe I now understand it to some degree and it is not what I thought and perhaps this blog will cause you to seek the Lord and ask Him to reveal to you the true meaning of this passage.

Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. (NIV)

Who are the peacemakers? People who teach passivism, or the people who make war against evil? Or is it the people who try to stop and argument at all cost, or the people who are doormats because they don't want to break the peace?

Each of these attempts to define a peacemaker make mu stomach churn. But there is one that does not turn my guts into knots. There are people in this world now whom I think this scripture refers. and as I prayed about it and have finally started to write some notes I think that this is a least part of the picture.

The peacemaker I believe Jesus refers to here are those men and women who help others reconcile their lives to Christ and find true lasting peace in His holy presence. Peace from the torment of the enemy, peace from the worry of their final destination. Are these people few or many that I do not know. But those of you who know, and work out Christ calling to go out and make disciples you are the peacemakers.

Here is a simple question to ask yourself to know if you are such a person. Is the "work" I am doing for the Lord bringing peace to their relationship with Christ and the Father? Are you interceding on their behalf as Jesus did for me and you, making peace between us and the Father?

Friends, I have met many in ministry that do this and unfortunately many that do not. To those of you who are then be blessed and know that you are a peacemaker, not by the worlds standards perhaps but by the standard that counts for eternity.

I pray that each on of you would know the love of the Father and make peace within your heart.

Go With Nothing!

2008-09-03T10:13:00.006-06:00

My dear readers as we were preparing for the missions trip a few weeks ago two verses spoke to me from the book of Luke in a way completely new to my understanding. Luke 9:1-6 and Luke 10:1-18. I like most of you am used to reading this passage and see only that Jesus tells the disciples go with no money; no extra clothing; no food; and no bag to carry stuff in. And as it reads that is what it says.

Luke 9

1When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3He told them: "Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic. 4Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them." 6So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere.

The other morning however while making coffee I believe the Lord showed me a deeper meaning to this passage. Here is what He asked me, "What do the staff, bag, bread, money, and tunic represent"? I thought of several things like provision, and trusting in our own ability to take care of ourselves. Then I thought that it may also represent who they were as individuals. You see each person when traveling takes things that will help them feel comfortable. Some even go to the extreme of taking things like the Coffee they like to drink or DVD's of the movies they like to watch. This things could also represent our culture and way of life. What if the Lord was telling them to leave that behind and go only with Him as a companion. We live in very different times they the disciples but the Word of the Lord is as true today as it was then. If the Lord asked you to go with nothing, could you? Could you trust the Lord enough to literally take nothing with you. What if that even meant your identity as an American or even as a missionary. What if He asked you to go with only Him. Accept whatever hospitality He provides, eat the things He provides, drink only what He provides. There are valid concerns about health and safety today whether it is traveling to another state or another country, but remember who called you out. Remember who is making the way for you to go. It is in Him name we should go when called. It is for His glory we go when we are called. It is His kingdom only that we should be worried about representing when we visit others. Lets read together Luke 10 and see how the Lord drives this point home.

Luke 10

1 The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. 2 These were his instructions to them: "The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields. 3 Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. 4 Don't take any money with you, nor a traveler's bag, nor an extra pair of sandals. And don't stop to greet anyone on the road.

5 "Whenever you enter someone's home, first say, 'May God's peace be on this house.' 6 If those who live there are peaceful, the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you. 7 Don't move around from home to home. Stay in one place, eating and drinking what they provide. Don't hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve their pay.

8 "If you enter a town and it welcomes you, eat whatever is set before you. 9 Heal the sick, and tell them, 'The Kingdom of God is near you now.' 10 But if a town refuses to welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11 'We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet to show that we have abandoned you to your fate. And know this—the Kingdom of God is near!' 12 I assure you, even wicked Sodom will be better off than such a town on judgment day.

13 "What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. 14 Yes, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you. 15 And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead."

16 Then he said to the disciples, "Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me."

17 When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, "Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!"

18 "Yes," he told them, "I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! 19 Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. 20 But don't rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven."

If the timing of a mission trip is important, if the message that gets delivered during your trip is important, then going in the way the Lord instructs is also equally important. We must seek the Lord first each and every time we go out. To get His detailed plan of action right down to asking Him what you should take along. As missionaries we are ambassadors of the Lord. We represent His kingdom, we must follow the orders of our king or we will make a mockery of His authority and His reign. I pray that you would ask the Lord to prove this to your spirit. If it true then let this work itself out in your life. Go in peace and in the name of Jesus!

"The Foolish Things of God"

2008-08-20T21:56:00.004-06:00

There are many books on faith but none like this. "The Foolish Things of God" by Rev. Henry Falcone is a fantastic book explaining Gods plan for our faith. From the first to the last page Henry details what the Bible says about our faith. With 20+ years in ministry Henry has learned the ins and outs of exercising his faith.

To every man the Lord gives a measure of faith, but have you ever wondered if your faith could really move a mountain. This book explains how to hold strong to the faith you have and develop a deeper relationship with Christ and allowing your faith to grow.

Available at http://www.iamtucson.org this book is only $12.99 and well worth every penny. This book is the result of much prayer and seeking the Lord. As you read and apply what the Lord reveals through this book. I know your faith will grow.

Thank you Rev. Henry for being obedient to the Lord and writing this book.

Matthew 5:8

2008-07-09T09:41:00.004-06:00

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

Matthew 5:8 "You're blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world." (The Message)

What a fascinating and delightful verse in this opening portion of the sermon. When I read this I long for the innocents of my youth. I look upon my little boy now and pray to the Father daily that he will protect my little man and help keep him pure as he grows into a man. And at first glance this is a great interpretation if you are innocent and clean from sin in your life. But the Bible tells us that no one is without sin.

So is it impossible then to be pure in heart? Brothers and Sisters the Lord never told us to do anything that was impossible. We may need His help but it is possible. So then how is it possible to be pure of heart?

According to the Strong's the word pure comes from a word of unknown origins "Katharos" this word has many meaning and found 22 times in the bible. This word has a different meaning than just having a "clean heart". One of the definitions used in the context is to be purified by fire. the other is to be pruned like a vine so that it is fit to bear fruit. When I learned the meaning of the word pure I realized just how incapable of purifying my heart I was and how desperate I was for the Lord to purify my heart.

I pray that the Lord is showing you something today. If you have the same understanding that I did before then you probably feel doomed and forever incapable of receiving the blessing of the Lord. Well brothers and sisters I feel that this is a lie from the enemy. Again the Lord never asks more of you then you are capable of in Him.

The Lord can and will purify your heart like gold refined in the fire if you ask Him and submit yourself to the cleanings. Jesus himself referred to the Kingdom as a vineyard where the dead vines would be pruned away and living vines grafted in. The Lord has all the "right" tools at his disposal for cleaning and purifying you heart. And there is not much you can do except be willing to submit to the process.

Friends take a a moment or as long as it takes to seek the Lord and ask Him to purify your heart. I will not promise you it will be easy in fact it is not much fun at all to tell you the truth most of the time. The Lord has been working on my heart for a little more than 13 years and though I have found great joy in the midst of His work my flesh often cries out for escape from the refiners fire. It is hot, and melts down the things I thought made me strong.

Pure 24k gold refined in the fire relatively soft and malleable. Most gold for jewelry is combined with steel or another metal to harden it. This is done so that the jewelry can stand up to the riggers or daily use. But the Lord wants us to have a soft heart. Not a hard heart that is not easily molded like soft wax.

So dear readers the Lords wants to ignite the fire in your heart and purify it. He wants to give you the blessings that He promises when He said. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."

A Calling

2008-07-01T12:40:00.002-06:00

Beloved Readers,
I eagerly want to finish my walk with you through the Sermon on the Mount. And I will write more as the Lords walks me through it. But I would like to take a minute of your time to write to you and tell you where the Lord is taking my family and I.

When the Lord called us to seek Him first. We at first (like most Christians) thought it meant to keep Him in mid as we went about our daily routine or living in the world. How wrong we were. As we continued to press in and seek His face and what it meant to put Him first He started to drastically change our lives. From removing all full time employment from my grasp to leading us into intercessory prayer and worship. When He said "Seek me first" He really meant FIRST.

First, means before anything else, He told us to lay down our wants and desires for Him and Him alone. Since about September of last year He as helped us to lay down many things. It was easy for us to lay some things down but not everything. Those things that we either refused to lay down or did not know how He is doing for us. We have been stripped of just about everything and honestly I hope He is done. It is no fun to have your lives turned upside down and end over end. And for What?

He is now starting to show us the "For What". If you have looked around my page at all you know I am headed for Virginia Beach in July. For a Conference called God in Our Midst. From the day of the invitation I new I was to go but did not have the means to pay bills let alone fly to Virginia until today. Yes today, Someone now very dear to my hear (although I do not know who they are) with the promoting of the Holy Spirit is paying for my tickets and Hotel to go. Who ever you are THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. Praise the Lord!!!

There are more travels He is calling me to and I am just as confident that the Lord will provide. Remember precious saints. He never calls you to do anything He has not already made a way for. This is a whole new level of trusting in the Lord for my family and I. But we Know His promises and He always keeps them.

If you would like to join me by supporting this and other missionary travels, please feel free to donate to the Northern Colorado Regional House of Prayer or support us with your heart felt sincere prayers as we go where the Lord sends us and Seek Him First.

Matthew 5:7

2008-06-23T21:35:00.001-06:00

When we hear the word we often think back to the game of uncle when you had to yell mercy or uncle to stop the person from twisting your arm behind your back. In this country there is little in the way of persecution that drives us to cry out like in that child hood game (or is there). As adults who in the world would you cry out to? The lenders do not care, OPEC does not care, when you cry for mercy who will hear you? In Matthew 5:7 we read and understand that if someone cries out for mercy from us we are blessed if we give it.

7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." (NIV)

7 "You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'care-full,' you find yourselves cared for." (The Message)

7 "Happy the kind -- because they shall find kindness." (Young's Literal Translation)

Mercy Definition: (of an act or event) giving relief from pain or suffering. Oh but you say that you have no part in causing others pain. Let me point out a few things I have witnessed lately that just may change your mind.

You see we can give out mercy or be merciful even if we are not the ones causing the pain. What is your reaction to the hopeless smelly drunk guy downtown when he asks you for money for food? (What if he really is hungry). What about the young family down the street who's husband just lost his job and they are facing foreclosure on their home.

I know it is hard to know what to do with situations like these. Around Christmas it is easy and fun to help less fortunate families with gifts for their children but what about the family who need a roof over their heads. Or the widow to is so lonely, staring out the window everyday waiting for the husband or wife that will never some home again. Jesus says in Matthew 26 that we will always have the and widowed with us. Therefore there will always be a opportunity to be merciful.

Brothers and sisters as you seek the Lord in your daily prayers and worship be open to His heart to those less fortunate than you. Be willing to part with what you have to give to those who do not. Give of your money, time, love, friendship, and of your relationship with Jesus the Christ. Listen for his small still voice promoting you to be merciful.

Matthew 5:6

2008-05-20T19:11:00.003-06:00

Have you ever been hungry or thirsty? I not talking about the hunger from missing a meal by choice I am talking about real hunger from a hard days work, and thirst that comes from a dry mouth on a hot dusty day. The kind of hunger and thirst that you notice only after you realize how much food and water consumed when you were finally full. Our next B-attitude is

Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." (NIV)

"You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat." (The Message)

You see when we hunger for righteousness, the way Jesus is talking about we work ourselves to the point of needing His righteousness in our lives. There is nothing we can or should try to do like fasting from righteousness so we will hunger for it. No, this is a kind of hunger that comes from working hard for the Kingdom and at the end of the day you find yourself in need of His righteousness to sustain you. So you sit yourself down at His table and eat and drink of His Word, Love, Faith and Truth for you.

When you sit down at His table there is always plenty to eat. His table is always full. The Lords banquet is flowing with Milk and Honey. It is a feast. The drink is like none other. Not even Gatorade understands how to quench this kind of thirst.

I know some of you may be thinking that it is not fun to hunger and, if that hunger persists you are exactly right. But that is not the Lord's will for you or me. He wants to fill us. The promise of that is right in this verse. If you hunger, you will be filled. I love to work hard all day and come home or go upstairs for a good large meal with a big glass of ice water. This kind of meal puts a punctuation at the end of the day that says to me "job well done". This meal that the Lord wants to give you is the same kind of meal. When you eat of it He will be telling you "Well done my good and faithful servant."

This is not a promise for tomorrow alone or for today alone. This promise is reoccurring as often as He wills it for you.

So, my brothers and sisters I encourage you to Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness for you shall surly be filled.

Matthew 5:5

2008-04-28T20:26:00.005-06:00

The different English translations of the Bible always amaze me. I love reading a portion of scripture in many different versions then meditating on it and allowing the Holy Spirit to speak the truth of the scripture to my heart. Many times you can read a passage in different versions and each will speak the truth but give it a bit of nuance that again touches the soul.

As we continue our series on the Sermon we move to the next verse Matthew 5:5. Read with me from these three very different translations.

"Blessed are the gentle , for they shall inherit the earth." (NAS)

"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought." (Message)

"Blessed (happy, blithesome, joyous, spiritually prosperous--with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the meek (the mild, patient, long-suffering), for they shall inherit the earth!" (Amplified)

"Gentle", "meek", "content with who you are", - very different emphasis in each. The Greek word used here is praus which means to be "mild in disposition, or gentle". This can be very different than simply being content with who you are. What if who you are is not meek or mild and you like it that way?

Websters defines meekness as "enduring injury with patience and without resentment" and "not violent or strong". How then can it be that being meek will allow us to inherit the earth?

Scattered throughout the bible is story after story where the Lord looked for the week in order that He might show Himself strong. Take the story of Gideon from the book of Judges. Gideon says in chapter 6:15 ...“how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!” Later in the same story the Lord reduces Gideon's army to 300, just so they could not say that they had won the victory, that the Lord is the only one who could have done it.

This is the point of this b-attitude. The Lord does not want us to inherit the earth under our own strength if we try we will fail.

This on one promise of God's that takes a good amount of faith to walk out in our daily life. It requires that we lay down our pride, ego, and yes even our rights. It is at this moment in our life where the Lord will finally step in on your behalf. It is at this point when the Lord can tell you which direction to go and you will go without question.

The former pastor at our church once described it like a horse getting broke in. Only then can the master of the horse mount up on it and give it gentle direction and the horse will respond no matter what. It is when we are meek in spirit that we must rely on the master and put our full trust in him for everything. A horse that has been broken and forms that new trusting relationship with his master will go into battle no matter what is going on around him because all he know to do now if follow the command of the rider.

This is one view of the type of relationship the Lord desires from us. He calls us to humble ourselves so that He can mount up the cherubim and ride into victory. (2 Samuel 22:11) This cherub is the redeemed man. The man who submitted themselves to the cleansing fire of the Lord. (Smiths Bible Dictionary)

Dear readers it has taken me the past few weeks for the Lord to reveal this to me and even when I started typing I was not sure what it was all about. But has as I sit here my mind is flooded with thoughts and pictures of this, and how it is the truth of the Kingdom.

I pray that you too will take the time to ponder the true meaning of this powerful sermon delivered not by just any man but by the Lord or Lords and the King of Kings. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the truth in His words.

Circumcises your heart, turn to Jesus, He is calling you!

Who will respond?

Psalm 73

2008-04-25T15:56:00.003-06:00

OK so, I know I am not the only Christian out there who has felt this way. You know when it feels like all the "wicked" people have it easy and us Christians are getting the short end of the stick. Well during prayer earlier this week I opened up to this Psalm and man did it speak to me.

Psalm 73 is credited to the choir director Asaph, and I think it really shows us how to command our thoughts and take them captive. As the director he knew that if he got down in the spirit that he would take others with him. He shows us how to take our thought captive and what to do with them so we do not spread poison to our fellow brothers and sisters. The key is in verses 15-17

Psalm 73: 15If I had said, "I will speak thus," I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
16But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,
17until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.

First in verse 15, he reminds himself of his obligation as a believer to be a good witness. He recognizes that as a believer claiming the name of the Lord he must present the truth to the choir and not the rotten thought in this heart.

Second in verse 16, he acknowledges what thinking about such things is doing to his heart. Note that he says that it was wearisome and oppressive. That's what happens when we dwell on thoughts planted by the enemy. The thoughts of doubt and worry are planted to be stumbling block on our walk with Christ and a wall between us and our father.

Third in verse 17 he takes this thought with him to the sanctuary of God, where God can reveal the truth about such matters.

This is what Jesus is talking about in Matthew 11:28-30, 11:28 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30"For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (NAS)

If you are like me you feel the least worthy of entering the Holy of Holies when you have thoughts like Asaph recorded in this Psalm. But friends that is when we need to go there the most. The Lord has invited you to be His bride and come into His most intimate sanctuary. It is there that He will reveal His will to you.

Please read this Psalm (Psalm 73 this link to the the Message version) and if the Holy Spirits speak to you through it like He did me you will find yourself on you knees thanking the Lord for His great mercy, love and correction. I know better understand what it means to be forced to the feet of Jesus because that is the only place anything makes since.

I hope you will read this Psalm and share with us what the Lord speaks to you. Until then be blessed.

The Ladder of Success

2008-04-15T18:49:00.005-06:00

So, sometimes the Lord brings a truth to light through the most usual of circumstances in your daily life. The other day I was down in my office and my son was wondering around the basement getting into everything he could find (he is 21 months so what else is he gonna do, right?). Finally it was time to go upstairs to do something else. So we started the climb up the 14 steps to the top. Some days he races right up but most of the time like this particular day he was taking his own sweet time. I was eager to get to the top but he had all the time in the world. That was when I was hit with this insight from the Lord.

I could carry you to the top. it would be much faster and in the end the result would be the same. You will up here with me. I could just pick you up and bring you up to my level and it would be much easier on the both of us. However if I do that how many more time will I have to do that. No, I want you to practice getting up those steps so that as you grow stronger you can run up them like your daddy does. Yes, I am right here with you as you are learning to climb these steps because if not you might fall and that would not be good. So instead I patiently wait right here beside you for you to learn to climb. No, I won't hold your hand I want you to do it on your own. If I help it will take you longer to figure out how to do it on your own.

I knew right away that this was not just an idea I had for my son, but it was a concept being burned into me by the Holy Spirit. You see He does love us and Yes, He wants to have us with Him. He wants you to become strong He wants you to learn how to run up the stairs into his arms.

The thought of our Lord letting us struggle up the steps to Him like we were babies or puppies seems a bit strange. But look, we do that so that the process of learning will be accelerated.

Matthew 5:4

2008-04-07T22:04:00.007-06:00

As Christians you and I have probably repented of a sinful behavior the moment we accepted Christ. Sometime after that if you're like me you missed that sin and what it did for you. You see the issue is not that we have not been forgiven and its not that we are about to give into those old temptations again, it that we probably did not take the time to mourn the loss of that old lifestyle, or that old sinful behavior. To understand this better lets take a look at Matthew 5:4 as we continue to look at the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 5:4 'Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."

Now I don't know about you but at a time of mourning is when I feel the least blessed. Lets look at this in the Message and see if we get any other understanding from this passage.

5:4"You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you."

When I read this lots of different pictures come into my head, the story of Job loosing his family is a big one that keeps coming to mind but I am not convinced that is what Jesus is talking about here. I for one long to be comforted by Jesus. I come to Him daily and worship Him with all my heart. Would He really want me to loose everything dear to me just so I could be blessed by His love.

The answer is simple yet so hard to understand without the Holy Spirit quickening it to your heart. I see the answer as this: Yes, if what is most dear to you is your sin. You must mourn the loss of everything (most dear to your flesh) to be blessed if, holding on the sin or not mourning its loss would stand in your way of His place in your life.

When His holy fire comes to remove something from your life, mourn the passing of that old part of your life and you will find yourself comforted by the Holy Spirit who will enable you to move on and not look back. Lot's wife was unable to mourn the last chapter in her life when she and Lot fled. Because she could not mourn the loss and move on she was trapped by looking back on that life and what it offered.

One definition for mourn is "to show deep regret for something" (i.e mourning the wasted years). This definition fits with what I think scripture tells us. In this context mourning is a form of confession. In order to mourn you must acknowledge that the past was not what it should have been then the act of mourning is the confession lived out. And confession leads to repentance. Repentance leads to freedom.

So my dear brothers and sisters. When you find yourself that place where the Lord is removing the old, cleaning up the past, take the appropriate time to mourn and then let the Holy Spirit show you how to move on to victory.

Matthew 5:3

2008-04-05T09:31:00.005-06:00

The Sermon on the Mount, perhaps the best face forward oration from Jesus where He lays before us the governing principles of His Kingdom. Most of you have hear countless modern sermons trying to bring light to these words. There are hundreds of books written on it and how it should apply to our life. So why is what it teaches us still so foreign to our daily lives. Oh sure we can recite it, quote it, give out the address of it at a moments notice but what impact has Jesus' sermon really had on your life?

Join me today as we start to look at this sermon and what it means about our daily walk with Christ. Lets begin with just the B-attitudes. Read the first one in each version:

5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (NIV)

5:3 "You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule." (The Message)

5:3 "Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous--with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!" (The Amplified)

I have heard this and read this many many times. And every version gives a bit different picture in my mind. So, how about you? What does it mean to be poor in spirit? The word "poor" here is the Greek word "ptochos" which means to be reduced to begging, desolate of wealth, and lacking in anything. And in this context the word spirit "pneuma" is your soul, the part of you that gives life to your flesh.

So, this is what I get from these different translations and the word study. The Lord will bless you when your soul is at the point of crying out for Him and only Him, where you are reduced to seeking Him like a person begging for a meal. Where you cry out to Him as your ONE Lord and King. It is at that point that He gives you the understanding of His Kingdom and how it works right here and right now. Not some time in the future not some time after your body dies and you go to Heaven. It is at this point that He will open your eyes to the very truth of how to walk in the Kingdom of Heaven right in this very present day.

Blessed are you when you reach the point where your soul longs for Him above all else, that is when you find the Kingdom of God.

Proverbs 3:5-12 Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he's the one who will keep you on track.
Don't assume that you know it all.
Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
your very bones will vibrate with life!
Honor God with everything you own;
give him the first and the best.
Your barns will burst,
your wine vats will brim over.
But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline;
don't sulk under his loving correction.
It's the child he loves that God corrects;
a father's delight is behind all this. (The Message)

Daniel 9

2008-03-31T16:24:00.003-06:00

It seems like every conversation I have with someone on the topic of social confession one of us always brings up Daniel 9. I have read it many times but never before has it stuck out to me so strongly as it has this last month or so. Join me won't you as I explore the account of Daniel's confession of behalf of Israel.

9:1 In the first year of Darius son of Ahasuerus, who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom- 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.

Before we go any further I would like to point out what brought Daniel to this confession. It was not that he himself had done anything wrong. Notice it said he read and understood scripture specifically Jeremiah the prophet. He took what Jeremiah has said to heart and recognized that the 70 years was almost over. Therefore in my opinion Daniel's confession is not based on personal sin but a sin of his people for which he takes it upon himself (accepts some responsibility for) and pray the following.

9:4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:

“O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your covenant and keep your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and obey your commands. 5 But we have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against you and scorned your commands and regulations. 6 We have refused to listen to your servants the prophets, who spoke on your authority to our kings and princes and ancestors and to all the people of the land.

Notice here in 4-6 the pronouns that get translated WE not I and not THEY. Why is that significant. Because he recognized that he could not separate himself from his people, nor was he the one to blame. No he saw himself as part of the society and culture that brought the judgment described by Jeremiah and he confessed it for himself and for the rest of his people.

9:7 “Lord, you are in the right; but as you see, our faces are covered with shame. This is true of all of us, including the people of Judah and Jerusalem and all Israel, scattered near and far, wherever you have driven us because of our disloyalty to you. 8 O Lord, we and our kings, princes, and ancestors are covered with shame because we have sinned against you. 9 But the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him. 10 We have not obeyed the Lord our God, for we have not followed the instructions he gave us through his servants the prophets. 11 All Israel has disobeyed your instruction and turned away, refusing to listen to your voice.
“So now the solemn curses and judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured down on us because of our sin. 12 You have kept your word and done to us and our rulers exactly as you warned. Never has there been such a disaster as happened in Jerusalem. 13 Every curse written against us in the Law of Moses has come true. Yet we have refused to seek mercy from the Lord our God by turning from our sins and recognizing his truth. 14 Therefore, the Lord has brought upon us the disaster he prepared. The Lord our God was right to do all of these things, for we did not obey him.
15 “O Lord our God, you brought lasting honor to your name by rescuing your people from Egypt in a great display of power. But we have sinned and are full of wickedness. 16 In view of all your faithful mercies, Lord, please turn your furious anger away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain. All the neighboring nations mock Jerusalem and your people because of our sins and the sins of our ancestors.

I would like to point out here that Daniel accounts for the sin of Israel, from the time they left Egypt to his present day from the Kings to the common man, woman, and child. He intercedes on their behalf and pleads with the Lord for His loving mercy. Now I am not going as far as to say he is praying for the dead or anything like that but he is acknowledging the length and breadth of the sin. It would be similar if you were lead to pray for a generational sin that has plagued your family, passed down unknowingly through the years. Acknowledge the start of the rebellion tracking it through the generations will often reveal to you a way out from under its control. That is what Daniel is doing here. And in the process he intercedes for and entire nation.

9:17 “O our God, hear your servant’s prayer! Listen as I plead. For your own sake, Lord, smile again on your desolate sanctuary.
18 “O my God, lean down and listen to me. Open your eyes and see our despair. See how your city—the city that bears your name—lies in ruins. We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy.
19 “O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! For your own sake, do not delay, O my God, for your people and your city bear your name.”

Daniel ends his prayer with one last plea for mercy. Not just for himself but for everyone of his country men. That is true social confession. He recognized that he was part of the culture that brought this upon itself. And he also knew that it was an issue larger than just himself. This is a work that had started in him as if you read the entirety of Daniel's book you will see spreads to many in both Israel and other nations.

Dear reader blessing to you. I hope you are enjoying our look at key scriptures that help us understand our calling as Christians. Remember to send your confessions that you take to the Lord. I love to hear what the Lord reveals to the hearts of my fellow believers.

Jonah 4

2008-03-27T17:37:00.003-06:00

The book of Jonah is a short book stuck in the middle of the minor profits right before Micah. This book is most notable because of its first chapter where Jonah gets swallowed by a large fish (whale?) then spit out on shore 3 days later. But what I want to look at today is chapters 3 and 4.

Chapter 3:
Here we see that Jonah finally listens to the Lord and goes to Nineveh and delivers his message from the Lord. Much to Jonah 's chagrin they heed his warning and repent. Yes, that's right even the King declares fasting and praying in order to atone for whatever it was they had done that would cause God to want to destroy them in 40 days.

Chapter 4:
Now lets look at Jonah reaction when the peoples of Nineveh repent. "4:1 But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. 4:2 He prayed to the LORD, "O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.""
Now we understand why Jonah has not wanted to go to Nineveh in the first place. His heart was hard for the people of Nineveh and he hated the fact that if they repented God would be merciful on them and let them live. Yes, that is right. He wanted then to pay for there abominations before the Lord no matter what. And he knew that if they repented God would be merciful.

This is a powerful warning by dear brothers and sisters. How heard are your hearts to those who once they hear the truth of Christ repent. Will you be like Jonah and be angry with God for showing your new brother or sister in Christ the same love He has shown you? The same warning is true for brothers and sisters in Christ who fall away or "backslide" if God shows them mercy will you be okay with that?

So often when this story is presented we focus only on Jonah's running from God's direction for him and his subsequent voyage on the boat and in the fish. And we fail to recognize the warning that is so clear at the end. Why? do we not want to think of ourselves as having this same issue. Does this not preach from the pulpit? Dear readers when the final Harvest is upon us many will turn to Christ, and we must be accepting of them when they finally embrace the truth no matter their past.

A personal note on this word. This word came so clear to me through several unrelated conversations I had yesterday and when preparing to last nights youth group. When I opened my bible to read this book I could not believe what i had read and nearly fell off my bar stool. Since then the Lord has been revealing to me just how many times in my heart I have reacted the same way Jonah did (YIKES). As a good Christian we would never say we hate someone or with them ill, but I confess I have. I will not tell you who or when as that is not something that I wish to be made public. But the Holy Spirit is showing me those things and in turn I am bringing them be for Jesus and asking Him to forgive my sinful heart.

Should you be reading this and the Lord reveals to you something similar, now is the perfect time to humble yourself before the Lord and ask His forgiveness. He Loves YOU and He will show you the same compassion He showed the people of Nineveh.

John 14: 5-14

2008-03-24T21:40:00.006-06:00

Friends,

I, like Thomas, have asked the Lord to just show me the way and I will gladly follow. I have sought and searched and strained to see the path to the next thing to do for the Lord. I have told myself that this walk must take me somewhere and I want to get there as soon as yesterday. I have asked the Lord as Thomas does,14:5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"

Now most of you understand what it means to know something and then one day finally get the meaning of it. Well it seems that only recently have I finally understood Jesus' answer to Thomas. 14:6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

Since I became a Christian I have "known" this verse. Only recently has it come to life with new meaning. This is what it means to be a Christian. We worry far too much about what the next knitting ministry will start and who is going to bring the pie for the pot-luck. I have come to realize that what the Lord wants from us is just us. That is the way to knowing the father and eternally communing with Him.

Shortly after this revelation I found myself asking what Philip asks. 14:8Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." You see I like all others what it to be well with me. I long to serve the Lord with all my waking moments, even if serving the Lord today or tomorrow means just worshiping or sitting still and listing to Him. Bu like Philip I want this to be well with me, and I could not figure out (and I still think it is a bit fuzzy) how fully devoted life to Christ even if that means praying to him all day without other distractions is supposed to support my family financially and all the other things that my flesh worries about.

And then of course is Jesus style the answer is in the next verse. 14:9Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

I know what you saying, "how is that the answer." Well it is. I am not 100% sure just how yet but I know deep in my heart that that is the answer. And my impression of Him is that when we finally stop for a moment and let Him tell us what He wants us to do He will also take care of our "other" needs. The Lord does ask for sacrifice but He also know and understands you. Some thoughts that I know to be true that have encouraged me through this:

He gave me my wife, and my son. I know this to be fact not faith or belief. Therefore He will also care for them. Now it is my duty, responsibility and privilege to seek the Lord daily to know what He wants from me and what I am to be doing.

I hope this encourages you, and you see through this His invitation to be with Him. He wants to be your first priority. Trust in the Lord seek His face and devote you whole life to Him and He will make your path straight. Proverbs 3.

May the Lord bless you and keep you and may you learn to hear His still small voice as you rest yourself in His lap and lay your head on His chest. The Lord loves you and is calling you to Him won't you answer His call.

Galatians 3:26-29

2008-03-16T20:48:00.006-06:00

Galatians 3:26-29 26You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Listening to the news and talk radio today has made me sick to my stomach. What sickened me today is not that there is racial discord in the country (although that is just as appalling), but that this racial discord is preached from the pulpit. Look I cannot help that I am a white male. I did not choose it anymore than anyone chooses their race. But I did chose Christ! And So did You. Look at the words written by Paul to the Galatians, "we are all sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ". To suggest otherwise calls question to all Christianity.

When we defect to the Kingdom of God by following Christ as our Lord and "King", we are not just aligning ourselves with a new kingdom but we are being adopted into a family. This adoption is however different from any man has ever conceived. This is adoption paid for by blood bought by our rightful father, the one seated on the throne of the universe.

To confess Christ as your savior and then to question the brotherhood of a fellow believer baffles me. The last part of chapter 3 clearly states that we become united together as 1 people to preach anything other than that is a SIN and it grieves the Holy Spirit.

This my brothers and sisters is why I confess with you and for you. When I read this passage my Spirit leaps for joy to know that we are now one in Christ Jesus. There for if you hurt I hurt if you fall short I fall short and vice a verse. As you take a moment and read some of the confession on my page and maybe email me to add your own. You will see that I make no distinction between my sin and the sin of my brother except that when I realize that my sin is a result of a systemic idea that permeates this culture (Social Confession). I do not mark any confession social simply to distance my self from the particular sin or to point out that "THEY" did this sin not me. As one family if our culture is in sin then guess what I am part of that culture and there for share the guilt.

YHWH did the same for us, He sent His son who became part of our human culture and though He remained sinless bore the punishment for us because as part of us now, He had to.

Brothers and sisters in Christ I implore you, head the words written by Paul. Embrace each other the way Christ embraces you. "When you look for the bad in mankind, expecting to find it, you surely will." - Abraham Lincoln.

Isaiah 23

2008-03-14T10:00:00.001-06:00

Tyre is what man has built. God destroyed it and caused that power to lay dormant for 70 years the life span of a King (represents man made authority) then it will be rebuilt but this time its money and power will be used for His purposes.

Explanation
Isaiah 23:1-3 You heard while you were out making money that your home (what you had built with that money and power) was destroyed but you did not trust or believe it until you returned and saw it for yourself.

4-7 You are shameful in the worlds sight because what your money and power has produced is now worthless. Morn all you who trust in the worlds economy. You will be mocked because you have nothing to show for your labor. What you built was once great but now lies in ruins.

8-12 This disaster is not from the enemy or other world power, The Lord caused it to destroy your Pride and show you His contempt for all human greatness. The Lord is shaking the kingdoms of the earth because they stole His Glory. The Lord says you will no longer be able to rejoice in the work of your hands (you will no longer get the glory).

13 You can see the evil and also the justice that came upon Babylon but you don't see it in yourself.

14-18 Morn, your old way of life is gone. Until man's authority is dead (until we give up our false authority) What once was by your authority and your building will be forgotten. But, I will allow things to be rebuilt by man and it will seem like nothing changed. However this time the Profit from these evil schemes you build will not go to nor will you be able to hold onto them. They will be unknowingly used to do my work.