Continual prayer?

Posted: June 26, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching
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“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in our prayers for you … For this reason we have not stopped praying for you since the day we heard about you. We ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through every kind of spiritual wisdom and insight. We ask this so that you will live the kind of lives that prove you belong to the Lord. Then you will want to please him in every way as you grow in producing every kind of good work by this knowledge about God. We ask him to strengthen you by his glorious might with all the power you need to patiently endure everything with joy.” Colossians 1:3, 9-11 (GW)

Paul regularly wrote of his consistent and unceasing prayer for the saints throughout his epistles. To the Romans he wrote, “God has seen how I never stop praying for you, while I serve him with all my heart and tell the good news about his Son.1” To the Church at Corinth he wrote, “I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus.2” To the Ephesians he wrote, “[I] do not cease from giving thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.3” He told his disciple Timothy, “I continually remember thee in my prayers, by night and by day.4” And to the Thessalonians he said, “Pray without ceasing.5”

Paul truly believed in unceasing prayer and he modeled it in his daily life. There are no excuses for us today. Life in Paul’s day was just as hard, if not harder than life today. They didn’t have any of the modern ‘conveniences’ that we take for granted. Admittedly they wouldn’t didn’t have the same technological ‘problems’ that we have today. But human nature has always been human nature. If we can think of 1001 reasons not to pray in these days, then two thousand years ago they also would have come up with 1001 reasons not to pray!

The difference between Paul’s attitude and most of ours is that Paul didn’t live by excuses not to pray, he made excuses for why he should pray … without ceasing.

The commandment to pray without ceasing is a very hard saying. I don’t think there is a single person on the face of the earth who would say that it is easy to follow Paul’s example of praying without ceasing. However, since we know that Paul did it, we also know that there is a way for each one of us to develop our prayer lives to the level where we are constantly offering prayer to God.

So how did Paul do it?

A great secret is found in a passage of scripture in the book of Philippians. Writing to the Church in Philippi he said, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.” The Good News Bible says, “I thank my God for you every time I think of you.” And the Message Version says, “Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart.”

Paul’s secret was to pray every time that he remembered the churches, remembered the saints and remembered their needs. Instead of making that remembrance a point of worry or anxiety, he made it a point of prayer. No-one can stop thinking – God designed our souls that way. If we would simply make a character adjustment to pray each time that the thoughts of family members, workplace issues, church needs, political and spiritual leaders and other things enter our minds then we have just learned Paul’s secret to unceasing prayer!

“The highest rank is servant”

A Different America

Posted: June 22, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, Prophetic, wilderness
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History books are written and re-written according to what someone wants to say to promote their position. I don’t know what the history books will eventually say about the America that I grew up in, but I do know what I have seen and experienced over the past 75 years. In that period of time, it is like I lived in another country in those early years and at some point moved into the country that I live in now. Both from a natural and from a spiritual perspective, it is indeed a different place than the one that I knew. My hope and faith is that 75 years from now there will be a different and better nation and world than the one we live in now. I pray and believe it will be a much more godly world.

I remember sincere patriotism that was real and was deserved. The most godly nation in the world became the most powerful force in the world for good. The world was filled with bad things like Hitler and his rampage that brought about World War ll. However, America was always seen as on the side of right, fighting for freedom and liberty of the oppressed peoples. Always seeking to stop the invaders and prevent their oppression of other peoples and nations.

The churches that were on almost every other major street corner in small town America may not have had it all right but were corporately the greatest force in the world for sending the message of Christ Jesus as Saviour to all the world. Multitudes of sincere and dedicated missionaries left their families and the safety of their homeland to take the message of the cross to most every land in the world. They gave their lives without reservation to help the people of the world. To carry the gospel of Jesus Christ was a noble and highly respected service to the world.

From the fertile farm lands of America, more tons of food than anyone can count have been delivered into foreign lands to feed the hungry. Medical missionaries left potentially lucrative medical practices in America to help the suffering and carry the love of God to the remote regions of the world. We could go on and on with the sacrifices of many lives and much goods that have flowed to the world from America. Back when I was young, it really felt so good to be an American and to know that you and your country would give its all to preserve peace and freedom and well-being for the world.

In those days there were bad things in America, but not nearly so much, and at least we knew bad things were bad. A man and woman who lived together unmarried was a shame and a disgrace to their families and the community. It was called shacking up and was rarely practiced and then only by the non Christian bottom rung of immoral society. Women were moms and wives, and men worked hard to provide for their families. Meals were family affairs where much communication and informal training took place as parents passed on the wisdom of their fathers to the children.

Prisons were few, and the people who were in them were seen as different from the general population. Movies and even early TV shows were believable and taught good morals. The good guys always won, and it was not hard to tell them from the bad guys.

A child born out of wedlock was known as a bastard child and was a rare happening. Some people had pre-marital sex, but they knew it was bad and usually got married sometimes by what was called a shotgun wedding. That is the girls dad showed up with a shot gun and politely told the young man that he had taken his daughter’s virginity and would find it greatly to his advantage and continued good health to marry her NOW. After the wedding he was accepted as part of the family.

Homosexuality was not tolerated and was known to be a deadly sin. None of us could have possibly imagined that this would become known as a lifestyle alternative with gay marriages. Even the word gay meant a happy excited light feeling back then and had nothing to do with sexual perversion. No one could have imagined the violent in-your-face and in-God’s-face actions of homosexuals of today. Neither could we have believed the push by society to train our children in public schools in the acceptance of this life-damaging practice.

A man’s word was his bond and most would suffer great loss before they would go back on their word to someone. A written contract was not needed when a man gave his word, and a handshake sealed the deal.

When someone had need, the neighbors jumped in to do what they could to help. Welfare was not needed to be administered by the federal government. The local community took care of its own. When state-run welfare did begin, it was a shame to have to live off of someone else’s money, and only people in the most dire situations would accept this charity.

Americans were among the best educated in the world. Illegal drugs were unheard of in schools and across the countryside. Only in the big city slums were drugs a problem. There was alcohol, but even that was not for sale everywhere. Many areas of the country were known as dry, and no liquor was legally sold in those areas.

Housing was modest and simple. Only the most affluent had brick homes. Fishing boats used paddles, and only the rich had boats with motors. Time payment credit plans were just getting started, and most saved their hard earned money until they had enough to buy what they needed. Children were even taught to save at school.

Most higher learning institutions began for the purpose of teaching the Bible and biblical standards of life and conduct to the people. Public prayer was normal in schools and the name of Jesus was commonly used in prayer as the Son of God and not a curse word.

I could go on and on with how things have changed in my 75 years, but I think you get the picture. It wasn’t perfect, and there was bad stuff; but it was a very different America.

What happened? How has America fallen into spreading the filth of Hollywood and perversions of sin and filth to the world? How is it that young people are trained in sexual immorality and violence as pleasure? How have our business, church, and government leaders become known as greedy and selfish? How is it that the great institutions of learning have become filled with hate for Christ Jesus and the truth of the word of God? How has it happened that we have become known as the invader rather than the protector? How is it that “One Nation Under God” has rejected its God and is hated by much of the people of the world? All this and much more has come about in my lifetime.

Is it that there was always a hidden crack in our solid quest for liberty? Was our foundation of a nation under God noble and right but with an underlying flaw? In our early national history, had we preached Jesus to the native Americans while driving them from their homes, taking their land, and breaking the strength of their existence? What about the importation of Africans and treating them as chattel property rather than human beings. Yes, the strength of the church and the work of God played a big part in the continuing cleansing of the evils of oppression committed in the foundations of America.

During my lifetime there have been great strides toward righting these wrongs. But did we have deep within the fabric of our culture a remaining need that led to greed and immorality? And is that what is surfacing again as we become seen by many as the aggressor and the oppressor instead of the deliverer for the oppressed?

Is our underlying flaw a fatal flaw?

The flaw must be identified and corrected if it is not to be fatal. Perhaps many views at different levels would be seen by various people as the primary flaw. However, the need is to get to the very deepest level of the problem, recognize it, and change it. In my opinion, the Lord is in this season revealing the fatal flaw that has been the downfall of every powerful nation of history and is now in the process of taking down America and the coalition of western powers.

Our potentially fatal flaw did not originate in America. It was seeded into this nation from its European roots. The early settlers brought it with them as one of their greatest strengths. Some of you may think I have gone mad when I reveal to you what I believe the fatal flaw of America and other powerful nations over two millennia of history has been. However, please see me through and consider the full depth of this situation before you cancel your subscription or send me hate mail.

The fatal flaw is religion and religious systems. Let me explain. The only nation or power on earth that will ever remain without end is the nation ruled by God, empowered by Him and directed by Him. It is the assigned role of the church, the holy people of God, to bring forth the pure holy reality of Christ Jesus in man by the Holy Spirit to rule and reign on earth. The religious church systems failed to do this and substituted empty religion for the reality of the love and power of God indwelling the people through Christ Jesus by the Holy Spirit. Religion has enough appearance of godliness to cause the people to think they are where they are supposed to be with God. Therefore, the people stop seeking for more of God and His kingdom. Religion is like a vaccination that keeps us from catching the real thing. When in reality, religion has only the appearance of godliness without the power and reality of God. Our nations without the power and reality of God have moved far from the ways of God and established man-centered, self-focused secular ways that were easily infiltrated with spiritual darkness.

2 Tim 3:5: having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

Mark 7:9: He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.

Col 2:8: Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

Religion instead of the reality of relationship with God is our fatal flaw. This is why our forefathers could preach Jesus to the Native Americans and destroy their lives at the same time. That is why this nation could buy and sell Africans and go to church on Sunday and pray. This is why Christian leaders fall into greed and immorality. That is why the deceptions of spiritual blindness allow this nation to be led by the greed and lust of the hearts of deceived people. That is why the western nations are becoming a violent immoral people fit for destruction.

I am not anti-American and not anti-Western and surely not anti-church. I love America, the church, and all the western nations, and I am sincerely thankful for all the value we have been. I love too much to sit back and say nothing when God is speaking and our hope depends on seeing who we really are and in what condition we really are. I love too much to not search for a road to change.

The good news is that the road has been found, and the way is open. Many people are getting up and moving out on the road to the reality of God and the establishment of His nation of holy people within many nations. People are moving out of the religious systems that are the fatal flaw and moving into Christ Jesus by the Holy Spirit, becoming the holy purified Body of Christ. The kingdom of God from heaven can come forth in His people on earth. A fresh new extreme abandonment of all that our greed and lust has built and a passionate to-the-death commitment to God is the way to God’s power and love flowing rivers of living water into the nations of the world. There is a passion for God and for His people coming forth in people. Especially youth are giving birth to a new generation with a new level of passion for God and His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

Rev 12:11: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

Kingdom revival is a passionate move of God in people that leads to the kingdom of God lifestyle in the made-alive people of God. It is the life-giving Spirit moving upon and within, transforming ordinary people into maturing supernaturally-empowered men and women of God. People in every walk of life and every part of the world can get in as the Spirit of God is moving across the world. The substitute religion is being washed away by the life-giving Spirit of Christ Jesus moving upon our hearts. Get connected to and become one with the Spirit of Christ and connect with other passionate believers; then preach the kingdom, anticipating the power of God to move through you to touch and change the lives of the people who come within the sphere of the Spirit flowing through your life. Let your faith become without limitation and speak the truth in love. Do the work set before you, and we shall see the hand of God move to bring change and heal our fatal flaw.

This is not a time of fear and despair. This is the time to do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

Psa 33:12: Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

Psa 144:15: Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!

Keep on pursuing love.
It never fails.

Ron McGatlin

http://www.openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net

Glory or Glitter?

Posted: June 21, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, Prophetic, teaching, wilderness
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Glory or Glitter?

By Ron McGatlin

A great transition is in process. This glorious worldwide change began two millennia ago in Christ Jesus. It is now, in this current millennium, culminating in the raising up of many pure holy sons of God in whom the Spirit of Christ is manifesting into the world – sons who endure their personal cross to enter into resurrection life and show forth the radiance of the glory of God. These sons are men and women who thunder the holy words of God from heaven with supernatural demonstration of His love and power. They are sent to turn the nations from seeking the glitter of self-life to seeking the GLORY of God and His kingdom reality.
Behind the leadership of America the western world has largely gone for the glitter of self-fulfillment and pleasure seeking. Worship of the created has supplanted the worship of the Creator. The great illusionist continues to divert and turn aside multitudes of deluded reprobate people given over to their own foolishness. The glitter of human endeavor and pleasure has allured nations into a carnival fun house lifestyle of lies and deception which, in reality, is a despicable den of seething darkness.

Selfish pride of life and lust for the pleasures of satisfying base human desires of the creature without due concern for the Creator has separated most of the western world from God. The ways of heaven have become foreign to multitudes including many that call themselves Christians but live as aliens to God.

Powerless, man-focused church structures have been taken over by the same deception and are of no value in turning the people and nations back to God. On the contrary, the pseudo Christian views of accepting the ways of the fallen world of enticing people by feeding their desires for pleasure and self-fulfillment are robbing God’s people of the potential of a true experience of heaven’s ways of life. Religious church infiltrated by the fallen world’s ways has become a massive stumbling block for people seeking the reality of God.

In the midst of great darkness a bright light is emerging.

God will have a people of HIS GLORY. The glory of God shall cover the earth. There will be a sea of people of God filled with His glory carrying the light of heaven exposing every den of darkness and bringing forth the light of heaven in every heart and life of every person who remains beyond the cleansing shaking of God.

God is now preparing a nation within nations. A people of His glory filled with the life of Christ Jesus empowered from heaven by the Holy Spirit – a people without fear – a people of purity, holiness, and powerful humility – a people without regard for the fallen world who hear and obey only their God – a people in whom there is no dependence on man and no independence from God. True sons of God are being prepared to lead the world into the fullness of the kingdom of God.

There is no question that the sons of God are manifesting. The question is who will these people of God be? Are you one? Am I one? Who are these hidden people who will arise amidst the darkness that is covering the nations to carry the light to those who sit in darkness? Who will be the ones who call out and receive the people abiding in dens of seething darkness? Who will be the harvesters of the harvest of God? Who will be the ones to enter the New Jerusalem City of God to rule and reign with Him? Who will be the ones to sit at His table and commune daily with Him in the midst of His glory? Do you really want to know? It is those who are doing it now.

Wake up people! Those who name His name, AWAKEN!

Arise, shine, For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you (Isa 60:1).

Jesus has returned to live in your heart – the Holy Spirit has come to you – the same God who created all life and all matter dwells with you. The same God that by His emanating power causes all things to exist abides in you. In our day the supernatural power of God is flowing through His people to cleanse, heal, and deliver the people who are now sitting in great darkness.

Mat 4:16-17: The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned. From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”.

Isa 60:1-5: Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.

The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.

Lift up your eyes all around, and see: They all gather together, they come to you; Your sons shall come from afar, And your daughters shall be nursed at your side.

Then you shall see and become radiant, And your heart shall swell with joy; Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.

The radiance of the glory of God is so bright that it overpowers and exposes the glitter of self- indulgent pleasure seeking as darkness. The glitter of flesh-enhanced “worship” and man-focused preaching does not compare to the pure, holy glory of God. Man-made glitter does not compare to the beauty of a consecrated life filled with His love, humility, self-sacrifice, true righteousness, peace, and joy of the Lord. The glory of His presence causes all else to become as shadows. To know Him intimately is more than all the world has to offer. True kingdom is being birthed in the hearts of devoted servants who become sons in service and the King’s Bride in intimacy.

There is no other ultimate purpose in life. This is the reason we were made. The reason we were born and the purpose of our remaining on this small planet called Earth. There is no complete fulfillment in life beyond becoming the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. Total rest and satisfaction is only in knowing Him intimately and becoming a carrier of His glory on earth – a clear reflection and reality of the life of Christ Jesus. This is the field of great treasure and the one perfect pearl of life for which we gladly sell all that we have to purchase.

Many people desire this life and cannot obtain it. Many sense the beauties of holiness in the real kingdom, and. though it is rare on earth, they may see it in another person or family. They may exclaim, “Oh how beautiful – how peaceful and joyful; I want that for me and my family.” However, when they discover the cost of selling all they have, all their glitter, all they have striven to gain, and all that gives them their earthly reputation and provision – all that their flesh enjoys, then they are NOT willing to sell all and they walk away from the glory of God.

Surely, it is the mercy of God that allows all their glitter, all their earthly accomplishments, and all in which their flesh takes pleasure to be utterly destroyed before their eyes. In this great time of loss and painful shaking many who have previously seen but turned away may turn back with their whole hearts to seek the true life in the kingdom of God. Others will blame God for their loss and curse Him. The God cursers are even now attempting to rid their nations of God and destroy His people. They will become even more inflamed against God and His people as the day of their end approaches.

Mat 23:37-38: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate.”

Rev 9:18: By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed; by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone…..

Rev 9:20-21: But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

Rev 6:15-17: And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

Isa 2:11-12: The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, The haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, And the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the LORD of hosts Shall come upon everything proud and lofty, Upon everything lifted up; And it shall be brought low.

Beyond the great shakings of cleansing of the earth, the great governing city of God and His people will come into full view to rule the kingdom of God on earth as in heaven. God and His holy Bride will flow the light of the government of Christ Jesus over all the world, and the kingdoms of earth will have become the kingdoms of our Lord (Rev 11:15). Amen.

Rev 21:2-5: Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

This is not a far distant pie in the sky thing. This is available now within all who sell all to come to Him with their whole hearts. The New Jerusalem lifestyle must be within before it flows out to the world. We are the generation of the refiners fire of God coming down preparing a people to overcome the gods of this world – to retake the land of the living in the love and power of God to heal the broken, strengthen the weak, deliver the bound, proclaim the opening of the prison, the recovery of sight to the blind – to destroy the works of spiritual blindness, darkness, deception and delusion – to raise to life those trapped in spiritual death separated from their God.

Isa 61:1-4: “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolation’s, And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolation’s of many generations.

Keep on pursuing love.
It never fails.

Ron McGatlin

http://www.openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net

New Grace

Posted: June 21, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, Prophetic, teaching, wilderness
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A new level or dimension of grace will be experienced in the sons of God in the near future. This grace is not new to God or even to the sons of God of the first century era. However, it is NEW to most if not all of the people of God in this age. It is grace of the nature of that which flowed through Christ Jesus in His few years of ministry on earth. It is similar to the level of grace of supernatural empowerment and endurance imparted to His disciples in the first century.

The new grace is really old grace that has been potentially available to all of His people since Christ Jesus completed His work of redemption. Grace is a spiritual substance of God that flows by the Holy Spirit to greatly influence the heart and is reflected out into the life. The Spirit of God can grace the heart and life of man with the attributes and qualities of God. The word translated grace in the New Testament is charis. Strong’s Concordance defines charis as the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life.

The manifold grace of God is given according to the will and purposes of God. Man does not earn grace but must be in position of accordance with the will and plans of God to receive greater grace (1 Pet 4:10). God gives grace to the humble but resists the proud (James 4:6). Yet even the power to be in position is by the strength of God given by grace in accordance with the will of man being in alignment with the will of God. Pride has its own will and way. Humility receives the will and way of God.

The absolute grace resting in Christ Jesus was power to do anything in the world. He could have easily used the grace empowerment, wisdom, and supernatural knowledge flowing through Him to be the richest man to ever live on earth. He could have taken complete control over nations and forced every king on earth to submit their throne to Him. With the grace flowing through Him he could have built the biggest religious system ever on earth with massive glorious temples in every city of the world. He could have garnered the largest offerings in all history. He could have defeated all the armies of all the kings of the world. He could have had the largest and most beautiful harem ever brought together.

Jesus did none of these things, and He does not do them now. Although He was the one who had power over all – the one who could have had the most prestigious position of power and riches ever on earth – the one who could have ruled over all people as the most highly respected man on earth, He made Himself of no reputation taking the form of a bondservant. He humbled Himself and learned obedience by suffering even to the brutal shameful death on the cross (Phil 2:5-8). Jesus had no other agenda than to be and do only the will and desire of Father God (John 5:19).

Think about it. This all-powerful One had never before experienced subjection and obedience. Prior to coming to earth and becoming a man, He created and sustained all creation and had never experienced subjecting himself to anything (Col 1:14-19). He was equal to Father. He was and is God. He and the Father operated or functioned as one Spirit. However, when He became a man, He experienced obedience to another for the first time (Heb 5:8). As a man He became subjected and completely obedient to the Father.

The grace of Christ Jesus is also the empowerment to live holy. It is the grace empowerment of God that anointed Jesus. The anointing of Spirit God empowered the Son of man, Christ Jesus, to live a perfect, holy life. Though tempted in all points as a man, He lived a pure sinless life wholly dedicated to Father God in heaven (Heb 2:17-18) (Heb 4:15).

Therefore, because Christ Jesus was completely loyal and trustworthy Father could release to Him all the fullness of God and give Him preeminence as the Head of all things. Father has complete trust and full confidence in His Son that He would never abuse or misuse the absolute grace anointing resting in Him (Col 1:19) (Col 2:9).

Phil 2:5-11: Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The new level of grace is empowerment for the true Body of Christ to become the measure of the fullness of Christ – to live a holy life and do the works Christ Jesus did in His natural body and even greater works.

New grace is bringing new faith – the ability to really believe what God says.

Friends, I want to ask a personal question for consideration. Are the scriptures below REAL and TRUE, or are they NOT REAL and NOT TRUE? Selah.

John 14:12: Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

Eph 4:13: till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Mark 11:22-26: So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”

“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

The first-century disciples believed and did the works of Christ Jesus. Jesus went back to be seated at the right hand of God. Yet afterward He was with the disciples working with them.

Mark 16:17-20: “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

Immediately before ascending Jesus told the disciples not to depart from Jerusalem until they had been endued with power by receiving the promise of the Father. The anointing of Christ Jesus was poured out in the Holy Spirit and the disciples went about doing the works of Christ because Jesus was with them as the life giving Spirit of Christ (Acts 1:4-8) (1 Cor 15:45).

The fresh level of grace impartation is empowerment to remain pure and walk in true humility while really doing the works of Christ Jesus. It is grace to endure all things, hope all things, believe all things, and to be in the world as Christ is in the world. It is a greater fullness of Christ in you the hope of glory.

The greater grace outpouring is empowerment to really love unconditionally as the love of Christ Jesus flows in and through our natural bodies.

1 Cor 13:4-8: Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.

The new grace of the apostolic era is beyond the Pentecostal and Charismatic grace outpourings of the past century. The grace anointing of the past century largely restored the gifts. The grace anointing to live completely holy lives was not broadly received though potentially available. There was for the most part only a religious attempt at externally or legally imposing holiness through human effort and restraint.

The fresh grace anointing will accomplish the inner life of purity and true holiness by the empowerment of God in all who will believe and receive it. It will not always be that many of Gods people will be continuously seeking but never reaching perfected love (full maturity) in Christ.

1 John 4:17: Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.

Keep on pursuing love. It never fails
and His kingdom never ends.

Ron McGatlin

http://www.openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net

Love Wins

Posted: June 20, 2011 in Uncategorized
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In the onslaught of exposed lack of godly character in Christian ministers, significant questions may have arisen in our minds. Questions like: Where is discernment? Why do so many people follow impure leaders? Where are the safeguards and controls to prevent such episodes of moral failures? What can be done to fix the systems so this does not happen and the people are not misled? Where is God in all this, and why doesn’t He correct these issues?

There are some basic major answers to these and other questions that most people may not be ready to deal with. It is futile to try to alleviate the surface problems without dealing with the root causes. The need is more that dealing with the issues of the ministry by better minister training or setting up checks and balances. It is not just the fruit on the limbs of the religious systems that is sick. The entire tree from the root up has been infected and is decaying. The decaying religious systems have born good fruit in the past centuries and will continue to produce some good fruit as long as the trees are standing. Many of us were born again through the church systems or some outreach of them.

Though the systems have born fruit, they have not been able to bring forth the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. The disease has made it impossible for them to bear the desired fruit of the real kingdom of God. Since its inception around the third century, the religious church systems have had a genetic predisposition for the whole tree, from the roots up, to dry up and decay to eventually become enriched soil for the new grass of the kingdom to spring forth and blossom with the beauty of the glory of God covering the earth. Back in the early 80s when God began to pour revelation of the kingdom into me and other seed planters, He told me that eventually it would come up like grass in a field. Grass grows close to the ground and seems to come from nowhere. It is not just a few tall trees, but it is many plants all at the same ground level.

A Season of Great Historical Significance

In this historical season of God’s transformation of His people from religious systems to the kingdom of God the old is coming down to allow the new seeds of the gospel of the kingdom to grow into the world. The religious systems have spawned the secular systems that both compete and cooperate for the rule of the world. The whole adulterated world of religious and secular darkness mixed with the true light must give way to the pure and glorious light of the kingdom of God.

God is cleansing the darkness from our midst, first from the children of God and then from the world.

The core answers to the questions above regarding the corrupt leaders and lack of discernment is that the church left the reality of the headship of Christ Jesus in the Holy Spirit. Discernment is by the Holy Spirit. Empowerment for holy living is by the Holy Spirit. The kingdom of God is in the Holy Spirit. When men after the first few centuries set up church government and turned to their own minds for guidance, the Holy Spirit pulled back leaving the then apostate church with only human intellect to discern the word and guide the church. Christianity became a religion, modern theology was born, and a hierarchy of men replaced Jesus as head. Doctrines were devised without the revelation of the Holy Spirit that favored the new system and shrouded the truth of the gospel of the kingdom. The void created by the loss of the Holy Spirit was filled by powerful religious spirits that have infiltrated and affected the religious church and the world ever since.

Though reformation began four or five centuries ago, there is much yet to be dissolved before the true gospel of the kingdom can be fully implemented. What we are seeing now in the uncovering of the corrupt character of ministers is a part of the major cleansing and dissolution of the religious systems that are decaying before our eyes. That which God used in the past is not usable in the kingdom age that we are entering. God is preparing a people of faith who will walk in holiness by the Holy Spirit and will be used to destroy the works of darkness and bring forth the pure clear light of the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.

Love Never Fails Overcoming evil with good

Is it possible that the destruction of evil is now within the potential of Christ in man? Is it not possible that the Bible word is true and that good can overcome evil? Could it be that the Spirit of Christ bringing forth His love in the body of Christ throughout the world can bring forth righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit and overcome the evil of the world?

If we look at the problem, the multitudes of evil men who are bent on destruction, and the great deceptive philosophy of seeking carnal pleasure that rules men around the world, certainly it does not seem possible to the natural mind that evil can be defeated and the kingdom of God can and is coming forth into our world. Looking at the giants in the land is exactly what the enemy wants us to do. (Num 13:32-14-1)

The victory waits for men to grow in faith to really believe the words of God. Faith grows where there is righteousness, peace, and the joy of the Lord in the Holy Spirit. Faith in God cannot be strong in carnal pleasure-seeking people. The prayers and faith of righteous people will unleash the power of God to change the world. The great outpourings of the Spirit of God upon His mature sons can bring forth revival and people will repent of their mixture of seeking carnal pleasure and seeking to serve God at the same time. Many will turn to God with their whole hearts and become holy humble servants filled with the love and power of God by the Holy Spirit.

In the same season of great outpouring of Holy Spirit revival, great shakings of purifying judgment upon all the earth will continue. We will enter the kingdom age through much tribulation, and all pride and loftiness of man that lifts itself against God will come down.

Acts 14:22: “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”

While at the same season of spiritual revival, the great apocalyptic cataclysmic events of the book of Revelation will destroy evil works and quickly alter the entire scheme of things in the world. Yes, it may be a bloody, fiery road to the kingdom, but God can protect and deliver His children. The kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our God. (Rev 11:15) We will rule and reign in the earth with Him. (2 Tim 2:12) We will overcome the evil one by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. There is nothing too hard for the Lord. (Gen 18:14)

This is a miraculous transformation of God from the church age to the kingdom of God age. Only God could have ever orchestrated such an apocalyptical and cataclysmic series of events that would in the end bring forth the beauties of holiness in the glory of God on earth as it is in heaven.

Rev 12:11: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

All the rich history of the people of God all the incredible acts of godly people all the pain and suffering of Christ and the many who have willingly followed Him and suffered and died through the ages all the sacrifices of the saints all the victories that have been won all the revelation from heaven and all the faithful service of men and women in the church age have all been moving toward the season we have just began to enter the season of the proclamation and the manifestation of the promises of the ages for the redemption of all the kingdoms of this world as the kingdoms of our God. Christ Jesus, the rightful king of all, will fully reign with His holy Bride upon Planet Earth. And there shall be no more pain, no more sorrow, for the old will have passed away and the kingdom of heaven will be fully manifested on earth as it is in heaven.

We need not be discouraged when the unsoundness of mixture and corruption is revealed in the decaying church systems that have faithfully done and continue to do the works of God while striving with darkness of religious futility. When our own inner futility is revealed, we must count it all joy and be made holy and be made whole. The presence of God is among us to change us into the original design of image and likeness of God to rule and reign with Him in pure holiness and humility of love and power.

However, this is not just about our sanctification and empowerment; it is about our becoming redeemed sons of God to carry out the mission of restoring the kingdom of God on earth. We have a glorious and worthy mission , a mission that will only be done as Christ Jesus is formed in His Body by the Holy Spirit and we become as Christ in this world. Our mission includes the glory of God covering the earth, a goal worthy of losing our lives, that we find His life. Be greatly encouraged God is on the throne, and His love wins.

Keep on pursuing love.
It never fails.

Ron McGatlin
Coordinator OpenHeaven.com

http://www.openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net

Grace is not a license to sin!

Posted: June 17, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
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What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Rom 6:1-2

Jesus made it clear that scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35). This means that there will not be contradictions in God’s Word. Jesus says that not one jot or tittle would pass from the law (Matthew 5:18). Paul says here, “Do not sin,” and sin is the transgression of God’s law (I John 3:4). Nonetheless, many Christians in our day say that the law is done away. This raises a contradiction.

Now if Jesus’ death combined with the New Covenant does away with the law, then there is no such thing as sin, and Christ died in vain—especially as far as those who have lived since His death are concerned. Something, especially those who hang tightly to a belief of “conditional grace”, Romans 6:1-2 states plainly that Christians are not to sin, that is, break God’s laws. Therefore sin—and thus God’s law, which tells us what sin is—must still exist.

Sorry, but the truth is written here and one must see that it cannot be both ways. If they say that the law is done away, then in the biblical context, it is logical to conclude that there can be no sin. It is therefore illogical for them to claim that it is still wrong for a person to murder or to commit adultery because those sins would not exist without the laws that determine they are immoral or illegal acts.
But the true answer lies elsewhere: Their conclusion that the law is done away is wrong!

Some are comfortable just living a good life, never living with the victory over sin in their life. Many of these “Christians” are the very people who hide under what I earlier called “conditional grace”. What I mean by that is they believe that sin is something that we are always going to live with and that is why we have God’s grace. Yet they believe that God’s grace, though powerful enough to forgive them of their sins. Is not powerful enough to remove certain sins in others lives!

We must be willing to take God at His Word – Now if His Word says sin has been broken then we must be willing to seek that truth out until the reality of this power proclamation of the Lord is manifested in our lives.

A truly radical Christian (one who follows Jesus with the same dedication as the disciples in the New Testament) will chase after truth until the power of God’s truth is like skin, it covers every area of their lives. We can not settle for that which many in our day have settled for which is borderline lukewarm and is nothing like the radical life style that Jesus lived and taught His students (disciples) who in return lived as well.

So let us not found hiding behind such a vile false grace message, one that unknowingly promotes sin – for it teaches that we can never live without sin. Rather let us be found as true students of the Word, that we radically seek the deep things of the Word and apply the purity of God’s Word to our lives – For the Honor and Praise of the Son and that the Father may be Glorified.

We must never step back from the glorious rights we have received as citizens of the Kingdom of God and one of those rights is the infusion of grace into our lives which empowers us to live a life without sin!

For the joy of Kingdom life is living in all the Spiritual benefits that we have been afforded from our King, Yahushua!

For indeed we serve a awesome and loving God!
“The highest rank is servant”
Russ Welch

Engulfed in Peace

Posted: June 16, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, Prophetic, teaching, wilderness
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Engulfed in Peace
By Ron McGatlin

Injustice exudes from an upside down fallen world.
The masses have had their minds inverted and their hearts darkened.
Wisdom has hidden and righteousness has departed far from them.
The shrewd and strong take from the weak and simple and no one intervenes.
They spend wildly what they do not have for what they do not need.
They trample the precious and embrace the corrupt.
They reject truth and cherish lies.
They kill their babies and pamper their pets.
They sleep with a viper and run from a Lamb.
They abandon their wives and molest their children.
They run after knowledge and turn away from truth.
Their judgment is upon their heads and they know it not.
The devourer is upon them and their time of loss is at hand.
Their leaders take them the wrong way and they do not discern.

Their sin has separated them from their God (Isa 59:2). They have turned from Him and He has given them over to perverse reprobate minds (Rom 1:28).

To have spiritual eyes and understanding is a burden. Seeing what should be and finding no way for it to be is a source of great frustration and discouragement. To see our once blessed nation crumbling and the children wasting their lives brings great pain. To see the armies of evil moving in to devour the strength of the people is sad beyond measure. However, the hardest part of all is to know the solution, to have the remedy to save the land and restore the people and be violently turned away. This is the most troubling and frustrating of all.

But take heart and be filled with courage. God is not finished yet. There is a kingdom reality manifesting now with us and before us is the righteousness, peace and joy of the glory of God on earth as it is in heaven.

In the midst of the devastation of cataclysmic events of judgments, a great light shines through on the horizon. Beyond the smoke and dust of devastation the Kingdom reigns and the glory approaches. Look up to the light and be engulfed with total peace beyond all reason and understanding. Even in the midst of great destruction your heart will be at perfect peace and rest. Warmth and comfort will supernaturally engulf your heart and life. As the light approaches, the peace of righteousness will become joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Do not dwell upon the news of death and despair. Do not set your eyes on the evil that is being dissolved but look up and set you affection on the light of our glorious KING the LORD of all and His kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy.

Keep on preaching and demonstrating the kingdom grabbing hold of those who come running out of the fire. Refresh them with the pure cool water of the Spirit and provide them a fresh clean change of cloths. Many will be saved even during the cleansing fires of judgment. Supernatural faith and peace will be graced to you to finish the work of God allotted to you. You will be engulfed in peace hidden in a cloud of His love. Set your mind on things above. Set your affection on heavenly things of Christ Jesus in the Spirit.

Col 3:2: Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

Let your life be consumed in the Spirit. Let you daily moment by moment walk be in the Spirit.

Gal 5:25: If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Be led of the Spirit in all things and lean not unto your own understanding.

Prov 3:5: Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding.

Rom 8:14: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Psa 91:7-8: A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked.

Phil 4:4-7: Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Phil 4:8-9: Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy; meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Keep on pursuing love. It never fails
and His kingdom never ends.

Ron McGatlin

http://www.openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net

Blinded by the worlds bling, bling!

Posted: June 15, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
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Is the world so powerful in these days that its ability to hide the truth is so great that the majority of Christians do not even realize that they have been captivated by it allure. So many believe they are free not realizing how thick the prison walls of worldly desires are around them. Sadly one of the thickest walls is that of religion. Praise God for His Word – let us not stop professing it in the Authority & Power of Jesus Christ.

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God’s power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek, For in the Gospel a righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed through the way of faith that arouses to more faith]. As it is written, The man who through faith is just and upright shall live and shall live by faith.(A) For God’s [holy] wrath and indignation are revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who in their wickedness repress and hinder the truth and make it inoperative. (Rom 1:16-18 AMP)

Holiness has seemed to have become a challenge for most people to obtain.

Our salvation is the power which affords us the ability to live, not just a life of faith, but a life of faith that is based upon godliness.

There are some terms that most people shy away from today, which speaks of their relationship and stand with God that seem to segregate them from the common population. Terms such as holiness, sanctification, righteousness, perfection, peculiar, and consecrated are not common in the Body today, yet many of the worlds wisdom is spoken of and portrayed as a holy revelation.

“The world has taken captive in many churches the powerful message of Biblical characters”

We start using TV programs and characters to relate to rather than the people of the Bible as though they are now out dated.

Most people do not want to be looked at as being different; we try so much to assimilate, until we assimilate ourselves to spiritual compromise. Some things, some of us, would never see as being unrighteous or compromising, because we choose to keep God out of that part of our lives.

There is an element of unholy control that we like to have over certain areas and we resist any efforts of change and ultimately label others as being either fanatical, weak, or religious when challenged to change in those areas.

I have learned that no matter what is preached, unless individuals allow the Holy Ghost to penetrate their hearts, they never see the errors of their ways. Therefore, in these last days, the church has become too compromising and that has lead to a frustration of its purpose.

There was a day that there was a distinct difference between those who were sanctified and those who were not. Yet now the mention of true sanctification is shunned away as legalistic.

Many of us have forgotten the admonition by Paul in:

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make mismated alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness? Or how can light have fellowship with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial [the devil]? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? What agreement [can there be between] a temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them and will walk in and with and among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.(C) So, come out from among [unbelievers], and separate (sever) yourselves from them, says the Lord, and touch not [any] unclean thing; then I will receive you kindly and treat you with favor,(D) And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.(E) (2 Cor 6:14-18 AMP)

Paul is literally speaking in this passage about compromising our spiritual values and assimilating with the unrighteous philosophy of the world.

What makes it so difficult for the people of God to sanctify themselves for God only?

Have you considered why the world seems so attractive to people, when it was the world that caused them to run to Christ?

Oh my friends, many of us are in denial having allowed the lust of our eyes, the lust of our hearts, and the pride of life to cause us to become more attracted to the world than to please God.

We need to turn back to the roots of our beginning and realize that the Lord birthed something in our Jewish heritage that the enemy knew if he could sever our ties to it, would cause us to be a weakened church. Now is the time that we need to turn towards the Lord our God whole heartedly, we must learn to sacrifice ourselves, our agendas, and our philosophies to the sole authority of God, the Father. If not, I believe that some of us are in for a rude awakening at judgment time.

Speaking of shunned words this is but another thing that people do not like to talk about, judgment. We all will have to give an account for all that we do in this flesh.

The Jewish people were taught from a young age to know only study and recite the Torah, they were taught to have a holy reverent fear of the Lord and His Word. The truth is today, we have not seen, nor realized the drastic outcome and punishment of divine judgment, because we have allowed the world to justify ill conditions to fate and not attribute them to the hand of God.

I believe that God is highly disappointed with the church today and, as the scripture states; He is shortening these last days so that the very elect will not be fooled.

So let us pose this question today of “how are we fooled”? We are fooled when we choose to outdate the scriptures; when we choose to justify our actions; when we choose to compromise our values and standards; and the like.

Because we allowed the things of the world take rule in the church, walls of separation and segregation were imposed. Today because of the error that has traditionally become a “false” truth has left us with actions that are not necessarily denominational dependent, but are direct in violation to the word and will of God. God’s word never changes, nor does God. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Because of all the hype and counterfeit moves of God today, I believe that most people have had a religious experience, but all are not truly filled and baptized with the Holy Ghost.

The very Word itself has been consistently manifested before our very eyes, yet not knowing the Truth of the Word we have been blind to the fact that we have birthed a generation of “believers” who have a form of godliness, but deny the very power of the God they state that they serve.

God is not weak; the blood of Jesus is not powerless; the power of the Holy Ghost has not diminished; prayer still works; so does, fasting, studying, and submitting to the word of God.

Let us read what the Master stated in gospel of John:

If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever– The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him. But you know and recognize Him, for He lives with you [constantly] and will be in you. (John 14:15-17 AMP)

Jesus’ words in this passage allow you to take an individual spiritual assessment and to measure your spiritual development based upon your love for Him.

Just as He said in Luke 7:47, “Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.” Many of us have not properly valued His forgiveness of our sins. And, what you value little, you respect little.

“Worldly wisdom says to disregard the ways of the world and that everyone can believe the Word according to your own understanding”.

Again I want to touch base on how our being cut off from our Jewish heritage in the church has left us prepared to disregard the world’s wisdom and hold strongly onto the Truth of the Word. When one studies the early church, we find a group of people who were prepared to be those whom the Lord would birth the Bride through. Their culture of honoring and holding to the scriptures as a life source allowed them to transfer this into the next generation. At an early age they could recite the Torah, today many in the church can not recite more than a handful of scriptures.

Fathers can not pass on the knowledge of the Word when they themselves know it not. The enemy sought to replace this important aspect of the family and replaced the ‘fathers’ with the clergy or priest, even to the point that for decades and in some cases in our day they are still referred too as “father”.

The Fathers were use to being the spiritual leader of the homes and this custom was passed from one generation to the next. Even today many even though they do not believe that Jesus was the Christ, they are reaping the reward of holding to the Word of God and given God is correct place of authority and ruler-ship in their lives. They know what it means to be a spiritual family.

Like the people of the first church, our love for God should cause us to obey all of His commandments; they are not grievous, except to those who desire to do wrong.

The reason why some of our lives are so spiritually weak is simply because our lack of true love for Christ, the Word and the WAY of God diminishes the effectiveness of the Holy Ghost, which is given to us.

Our love and obedience empowers us with the comfort of the Spirit in every situation of our life.

So, what will you give or surrender in exchange for your soul? Will it be a little pleasure; a little recognition; a little fame; a little popularity; a little compromise; a little here and a little there?

Back to what the Lord said earlier, “Consider your ways.” Living for God is more than about blessings and prosperity, but it involves righteousness, holiness, consecration, sanctification, and sacrifice.

What you do now determines the strength of your relationship. God has already given us everything that pertains to life and godliness through the working of His Holy Spirit. But, it will do us no good if we never obey.

Let us repent and turn to the Lord God adhering to the Masters call to” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as you love yourself.” and begin with removing the lust of this world, replacing its ruler in our lives and start with the first commandment “You shall have no other gods before Me”.

We are living in the days when the Lord is seeking radical disciples – those who have heard not only the message of the cross, but the call to bare ones cross as well.

For indeed we serve an Awesome & Holy God.

Forsake not the poor!

Posted: June 14, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
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“After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings.” (Acts 24:17), “All they asked was that I should remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do”. (Gal 2:10)

It appears that the ministry to the poor was an important part of the early church as they lived out the teaching of Christ our Lord. Some have endeavored to say that these passages imply only to the Jews in Judah, and one could surely use this example as an excuse not to feed the poor, yet the admonishment of the Master to minister unto the poor erases this conclusion. The heart of the Father is that all would receive His Salvation and one of the ways we have in which to do so is to reach out to the needy that they may taste of the Fathers mercy through over service.

As we study the history of the church we find that there have been many times in which Christians have had to defend to their church’s responsibility to care for the poor. Sadly I believe that we are living in such a time right now, a time in which Christians have become polarized on issues and otherwise strong evangelical churches are afraid to take stands in areas that the Bible makes clear are of great interest to our God.

Many have believed the lie that it is the liberals who are concerned about the poor and that we conservatives have been given the higher calling of evangelizing the lost world. To be sure, many a liberal has fallen prey to the trap that neglects evangelism almost entirely. But we have no Biblical excuse for neglecting the physical needs of the poor and solely evangelizing them. To be Biblical is to be concerned about both the physical and the spiritual realm at the same time.

A true student of the Word clearly sees that the Bible itself leaves no doubt about what the people of God should think and do in regards to the poor;

“thou shall open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in the land.” (Deut 15:11b)

“blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.” (Ps 41:1)

“he that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.” (Prov 19:17)

And we go on to see this aspect of the Fathers heart being lived out and taught by His Son as we see Jesus eager to see ministry to the poor continue. In Matt 25 as Jesus foretells the separating of the sheep from the goats, the sheep are characterized as those who did something about the plight of the stranger, the sick, the hungry, the thirsty, the poorly clothed, and the person in prison. In Luke 16 Jesus tells the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, and Jesus makes it very clear that the rich man is in Hell for his unbelief characterized by his lack of urgency in helping Lazarus the transient in his midst.

We also can conclude that the leaders of the early church were very adamant about ministry to the poor. The apostle James was very upset in his letter about favoritism being shown to the rich. When Paul met with the leaders of the church in Jerusalem he tells us, “only they would that we should remember the poor, the same thing which I also was eager to do (Gal.2:10).” Interestingly, Hebrews 13:1 tells us that if we minister to strangers, we may very well have met an angel without knowing about it!

Unfortunately ministry to the poor, especially those living on the streets is not easy work! There are always concerns about safety. Some have mental problems and in addition to being hard to communicate with they also can be violent. We have all heard stories of good samaritans who have lost their lives simply because they cared enough to help somebody.

Now, the church needs a plan. Instead of expecting the pastor to display Solomon like wisdom and mother Teresa like care every time a person in need stops by, there should be thoughtful reflection given to the conditions under which the church should help (wisdom and discernment). There should also be a designated fund set up which the pastor can use to help people with. Otherwise the good-hearted pastor will go broke doing what he believes to be his Christian duty.

As well, it may be helpful to separate in-church assistance from out of church assistance. From time to time there may be members who need care and the church is in a place to take an offering for a car, or groceries or for whatever. At times like this when members of the church have a need the church should not just pray for the need, the church should meet the need. One of the outcomes of this will be the strengthening of the body. Out of church assistance, however, and by that I mean ministry to those in need such as the homeless, should have as its goals compassionate assistance and evangelism. The gospel should be shared!

Again, there are always those who will come up with a number of scenarios in regard to the safety of the “church” and “its members”. To this I believe that as we walk in the wisdom of the Lord, seeking Holy Spirit guidance and realize that the Lord is our shield and our protector we will willingly and obediently sacrifice our time and energy with the understanding that we are living out, as did our Lord, the Fathers desire that the world may not merely hear about His love and compassion but that they would, through our lives, experience it as well.

For indeed we serve an Awesome God!



The road to Signs, Miracles and Wonders is paved with…?

Posted: June 13, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
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Holiness!

There is something very important yet largely dismissed attribute of our Christian walk. The Word clearly puts forth that holiness is something to which we ought to aspire, and it is something which we ought to pursue. With the move towards the user friendly church, one can see that holiness, like repentance is no longer fashionable, and anyone who speaks of these things, or as the case happens to be writes of these things is quickly labeled as a legalist, but as I’ve shown before I have no problems with being one who upsets the apple cart.

Today what we need to understand foremost about holiness is that just because it isn’t being preached in most churches in our day doesn’t make it any less relevant or necessary than it was two thousand plus years ago when Jesus preached it. It doesn’t matter if holiness has fallen out of favor with men, it has not fallen out of favor with God, and this is what ought to concern us most as His children.

So exactly what is holiness?

The first thing holiness is, is something into which we are called. In his letter to the Romans Paul spells this out by greeting those who are in Rome, and reminding them that they are called to be saints.

Romans 1:7, “To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

God calls us to be His Children, God calls us to be holy, but we must choose to heed the call of God that we might grow in the knowledge of Him and the power of His Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 3:1-2, “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house.”

In his letter to the Hebrews, Paul takes it one step further and actually calls them ‘holy brethren and partakers of the heavenly calling’. Yes, God calls us to holiness, and if we desire to be partakers of the heavenly calling we must aspire to the selfsame holiness that the Word of God has called us to.

Over the past 50 years, we have witnessed a watering down of the Gospel message, they’ve been discounting the Word, all the while bemoaning the absence of power in the churches, bemoaning the absence of miracles, and signs and wonders. Many have sought a message that would fit Jesus and holiness into their lives rather than a message of truth which liberates them from a sinful life and transforms their lives into one of Jesus and Holiness!

Well, you can’t have true heaven birthed signs and wonders and miracles and prophecy without holiness. But you sure can muster up all the false signs, wonders and miracles by standing on the road of lawlessness!

Now, rather than writing off the supernatural altogether and telling ourselves it is no longer viable in our day and age, why not try holiness, and see what God can do and will do?

Just a thought, but yes, I know too much effort, too much time, and we’re all so busy with other things. We can’t blame God for our own laziness, we can’t blame God for our own unbelief, we can’t blame God for our own disobedience, nor can we blame God for our indifference to His Word. Some have become so used to lethargy, they are so used to this mellow and none dramatic spirituality that I don’t know what many would do if they felt the true power of God fall on them. While others have been tricked into the hyper-emotional spirituality that is rooted in mysticism and absence of God’s true power, rather it is fueled by hell and plays on the individuals fleshly longings. (speaking to my own fleshly man here as well friends!)

Oh yes my friends, there is more of God to be had; yes there is more of God to be experienced, but we must break through the barrier of selfishness that has kept us from knowing the fullness of Him, and commit fully and completely, surrendering our all for His all.

The second thing holiness is, is a daily work of the Holy Spirit and the Word in us.

Romans 6:22, “But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.”

2 Corinthians 3:18, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

2 Corinthians 7:1, “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

Sadly many today do not experience true freedom, rather they cycle through their sinful nature, hoping for a righteous life, yet bound in the prison of depression in the Hotel of their sin – they treat Holy Ghost like a cheap maid who is to come in once a week and clean up the mess they have made in the rooms of their heart! What is their answer to their freedom?

We are to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord!

We are to put on the new man, which was created according to God, in righteousness and true holiness! It’s sad to see so many in this perpetual cycle of doing what they want all week, coming to church on Sunday and saying a prayer and thinking they’re ok until the next week rolls around when they have to say the prayer again. A vicious cycle friends that the Lord desires to crush and end – it is my the Blood that this cycle can be destroyed, it is thru the power of that which was accomplished on the cross.

On the road to the cross one come across the knowledge of the Fear of the Lord. For if you have not known the fear of the Lord; you have not known the fear of God, and this is why you refuse to cleanse yourself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit.

Jesus is the only answer to this plight of mankind – the power of the awesome message of the Kingdom He brought to give to men – We must see that the enemy knows this and has been and will continue to dilute the truth until it has no power at all – Holiness is and ingredient which has been removed and must be returned!

Whoever this is for, please read the following lines carefully: God is not mocked! He sees all! He knows all! He judges all! May the fear of the Lord stir your heart, that you might perfect holiness, that you might be transformed from glory to glory and not simply return to your sin as a dog to its vomit and a pig to the mire!

‘But brother that’s so unloving and unkind. We’re supposed to encourage those who stumble.’

Yes, we are too encourage those that stumble, help them up even, but this is not stumbling I’m talking about; this is willfully running too sin thinking ‘it’s ok, God forgives, He is loving, He won’t judge me.’

God will judge all men, no matter where your from or what religion you claim.

1 John 3:2-3, “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him, purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

If we truly want the signs, wonders and miracles that followed those at the beginning of the church, then we must seek after Christ with holy hands and holy hearts. We must allow Holy Ghost to cleanse us of our old sinful nature. We must limit the awesomeness of our God as a mere side show to see how righteous we are – rather we are to seek after the Father with everything we have and never claim that which belongs to Him, that in all things we give Him the Glory, Honor, and Praise!

For we do indeed serve an awesome God!

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