Tag: Kingdom

along the Way

December 24, 2010
Gospeljourneymission
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Well, I am gearing up to head over to Southern Tanzania, Africa for two months (January & February 2011). I will be travelling with a non-profit organization Global Family Rescue (GFR). I can’t tell you how excited I am about this opportunity to help apostolically shape GFR’s humanitarian aide work over there with the Gospel. God has placed a growing burden to not only care for the sick, poor and hungry, but to also confront the demonic oppression over their lives that perpetuates injustice and keeps people in bondage to poverty and sickness. When I read about the Way Jesus lived while He walked among us, I am always confronted with how He moved both in love and in power. Jesus met people right where they were at and released the presence of God into their lives where people experienced God’s unconditional love and His radical forgiveness for sins. But, Jesus also released the power of the Kingdom of God into their lives as well which set people free from sickness, demonic oppression and bondage.

This growing passion to follow in the footsteps of my Saviour King both challenges and empowers me all at the same time. But, if I step back from my life and give a prophetic eye to the journey Jesus has had me on since He saved me, this leg of the journey is right on time. Now, I’m not saying that I am fully ready for this, but I am not afraid. Though I am anticipating that much is going to happen along the Way while I am in Tanzania, at the end of the day I am going agenda-less. There are some things that I sense the Holy Spirit has placed on my heart to be prepared for, but what is most pressing is that above all else I need to just make myself, with the help of the Holy Spirit, fully available to Jesus and the Kingdom agenda that He wants to accomplish both in and through me. This means I will need to be consciously dying to myself, rather than trying to preserve myself (Luke 9: 23-25). So, please remember me in prayer over these coming months. I’m not sure on how much Internet access I will have while in Tanzania, but I will make an effort to keep you all posted. Also, if there is anything I can be praying for you all please let me know. I love praying for and with people and would be honored to join with you in prayer. 

livingWORSHIP

December 7, 2010
callingGospeljourneyWorship
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Lately I’ve been realizing that I am just getting this idea of living a life in worship to the Father. Though I’ve been saved almost 10 years now, have experienced many supernatural moves of God in my life, been through Seminary, actively involved in mentoring, discipleship and being on mission for Jesus, been in ministry leadership as well as starting a prayer movement, what I am realizing is that I am really only just grasping the concept of living a life of worship to the Father. More and more, Holy Spirit has been reminding me of Jesus’ words, “But the time is coming – indeed it’s here now – when true worshippers will worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way”(John 4:23 NLT). The more I meditate on what it means to be a worshipper of Spirit and Truth, the more I am convinced that there’s a huge difference between doing worship and being a worshipper. I believe that everyone is capable of worship. If we realize it or not we are actively engaged in worship everyday. You don’t have to be a prophet to see how the world revolves around the worship of people and things. The worship of celebrities and political figures is nothing new, nor is the idolization of technology. Add to this equation the rising tides of addiction in the world and you have a recipe for even greater degrees of misdirected and distorted worship. It’s funny though worship is inherent to who we are because we have a Creator, why is it so difficult to live a life of worship to our Creator? The simple answer is sin. Sin has a way of perverting and distorting everything that we do. It’s not that sin makes us all as evil as we could ever be, but sin does have a way of twisting even our best intentions. Sin entangles us and keeps us from embracing being the true worshippers of Spirit and Truth that God desires.

Currently, I am in a unique season. The Lord is teaching me what is means to be His missionary. Over the last five years, I have been heavily involved in church ministry and leadership and have loved every moment. But, earlier this year the Lord impressed on me His desire for me to learn what it means for me to always be His missionary first and foremost. This transition has taken about a year and has meant stepping down from all church leadership, even relocating to another church. Embracing this new season, has inspired this current reflection on worship and service to the Lord. To be honest, this transition has been harder than I had expected. Always being God’s missionary has meant seeing life through a different lens. For the last five years I’ve looked at life through the lens of a shepherd caring for the flock that God has entrusted to my care. Now that this flock has been entrusted to others, I am feeling a bit lost. What I am realizing is that working in the barn is a bit different than working in the fields. When I was working in the barn (church), it was easier to discern the line between what was worship to the Lord and what was not. Learning to work in the fields (world) has meant redefining what worship to the Lord looks like. Working in the field has also meant having to be more intentional about making what I am doing as an act of worship to the Lord. Being in church ministry and leadership made it easier to see my service as a form of worship to God. It was easy to see what I was doing as “working for the Lord” (Colossians 3:23 NIV). Now that I am not actively involved in church leadership it’s like I now have to relearn what it means to be “working for the Lord.

I know I am still in the process of walking this out, but where I am leaning towards is rather than trying to make everything I do an act of worship to God I need to simply embrace more fully the reality that through Jesus I simply am a worshipper of the living God. If I try to make everything I do an act of worship to God, worship can very easily become reduced to a bunch of tasks to be checked off a list. I would end up doing worship all day, rather than being a worshipper where worship is inherent to who I am. On the surface, they may look simliar, but underneath is a world of difference. When worship is inherent to who I am, everything that I do becomes an act of worship because it is born out of love and devotion for the Father. Jesus fully understood this. His whole life was lived in worship to the Father because He understood who He was to the Father and who the Father was to Him. It must be no different with us. Our worship must come from a place of intimacy with the Father. The Pharisees lacked this intimacy with the Father and their lives where reduced to a bunch of external actions strung together with the guise of worship. But, their offerings of worship lacked the inward motivation that the Father desired. Everything they did had the external motivation of being seen and praised by men. They were continually projecting image, rather than pursuing intimacy. When worship comes from a place of intimacy with the Father, then a worshipper that the Father desires is born. And here’s the Good News: as believers in Christ we already have this intimacy with the Father, we just need to lean in and embrace this intimacy.

GRACE III: grace story

September 15, 2010
GospelGrace
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The more I meditate on the grace of God, the more I am convinced that the only reason that I am not dead is by God’s grace. And the only reason I am where I am today is by God’s grace. It is only by God’s grace that any of us are not as bad as we know in our hearts that we could be and it’s by His grace that we are also the best we could ever be. The amazingness of God’s grace is that it is free with no strings attached. If you have never spent time meditating on God’s grace, I highly urge that you do. I would even suggest that you begin to ask God to reveal to you just how His grace has impacted and shaped your life. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of letting other things shape and form me. What is it that is shaping your life apart from God’s grace?

In my last post, I talked about the equal need of God’s diamond of grace resting in and on each of our lives and how it’s not about degrees of grace, but rather differing facets of the whole of God’s grace. And how grace flows freely out of the goodness and kindness of God’s heart towards us. I would also add to this image that God’s diamond of grace reflects the reality of the Kingdom of God because grace is also the overflow of the Kingdom of God. The more I learn to embrace the fullness of God’s grace upon my life, the more I will learn to rest and walk in Holy Spirit. And the more I rest and walk in Holy Spirit, the more I will live in the atmosphere of the Kingdom of God. I mean, Jesus says that “the Kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21 NIV) because the Holy Spirit lives within every believer (1 Corinthians 6:19).

Grace is simply amazing. From my perspective, embracing God’s grace and experiencing living in the Kingdom of God go hand in hand. I know whenever I get to share my God story with people, they are impacted by the reality of the Kingdom of God because they are impacted by the love of God and the hope of the Gospel which are large components of God’s Kingdom. That’s why I truly believe that testifying about how God’s grace has impacted and shaped our lives is so critical because the words of our testimony have the power to reveal both God’s heart towards people and the reality of Kingdom of God. I mean according to Scripture, the weapons of our warfare against the Evil One are the Word of God, the blood of the Lamb and the words of our testimony. What’s your grace story?

availABLE

September 8, 2010
callingGospel
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Over the past few weeks, the question that the Lord has been asking me is, “Are you available?” You see, God has been crossing my path with quite a few people who keep telling me stories of how God has been using people who have simply made themselves available to Him. It’s really easy to think that God only uses people who are gifted and talented or mature in the faith. But, that couldn’t be further from the truth. I believe God uses people who simply make themselves available to Him. Let me explain. When God calls us to something we can trust that He will enable us to do the work He’s called us do. But, we need to let go of our own agendas and expectations and just come with a willing spirit and expectant heart. God is near to us and I believe is continually talking to us, but most of us fail to recognize His voice when He speaks because we are so consumed with our own agendas and in achieving our own expectations.

I am and have been a spiritual director to a growing number of people which I disciple in hearing the voice of God for themselves. I believe that God’s heart is to position all of His children for Kingdom work, but because we have made ourselves unavailable to Him; we get passed over and God raises up someone else. Recently, I’ve been hearing story after story of God positioning the most unlikely of people to do great and amazing things for His Kingdom simply because they made themselves available to Him. People who trusted in their ability to hear God and who also believed that God could empower and equip them for whatever work He was calling them to do. How well do you recognize our Shepherd’s voice? I am constantly having to remind myself that I do hear God and that He does speak to me through Scripture (of course), but also through my thoughts, imagination and the feelings and convictions within my heart. The Holy Spirit dwells within us (1 Corinthians 6:19) and speaks directly to us (Romans 8:16). God also speaks to me through other people, music, animals and creation at large. Viewing creation often makes me marvel all the more at the amazingness of God our Creator. If we seek to hear God’s voice, He will reveal Himself to us (Matthew 7:7,8; James 4:8).

But, at the end of the day, step one for us is to simply say, “Here am I. Send me” (Isaiah 6:8 NIV) and not worry about what step two is. Instead, we need to trust that God will empower and equip us in preparation for whatever is step two, three, four, five, etc. But, if you’re like me, it’s really easy to spend too much time waiting on God, when often times He’s already spoken to me and I am just being hesitant, fearful, even lazy at times. God has been steadily weening me off of needing to know too many steps because He wants to cultivate more faith in me. I mean, it really doesn’t take much faith if we already know what lies ahead. But, the more we make ourselves available to God, the more He will stretch and build faith in us by positioning us in situations that will proclaim that the Kingdom of God is near. I’ve heard this preached and I believe it to be true: doing great things for the Kingdom of God demands great faith. What I’m starting to believe is that God is waiting for more people to simply say to Him, “Lord, whatever You would have me do, I am willing.”

Just last week I was in Toronto, Ontario with some friends both old and new and we ended up walking around a public park, listening to Holy Spirit’s voice and leading in whom He desired that we talk to, pray with and prophesize for. In some Christian circles this is called “treasure hunting.” It was an amazing time. God lead us to very specific people, who needed to know that God sees them, loves them and wants to heal and save them and redeem the pain in their lives. He did this by giving us descriptive clues like green shirt, big sunglasses, straw hat with ribbon, park benches and brown sandals. Afterwards, I was spending time with God processing all that happened, when I asked Him if there were more people that we could talk to, pray with and prophesize for. What I heard next, I will never forget. God said to me that “there will always be more work, there will always be someone who needs to be loved and cared for.” In that moment, I felt the immensity of the work that lay ahead. I mean aren’t those Jesus’ words in Luke 10:2 which says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

So this is my prayer: “Father, soften our hearts towards You. Set us free from whatever hinders us from making ourselves available to You. Forgive us for when we get too busy with our own lives and in building our own kingdoms. Change our hearts Lord, transform us into people who simply believe that You can raise anyone up to do great things for Your Kingdom. Cultivate the faith needed within us to do the greater works that You said we would do. We believe You when You say that “the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” We want to be those workers whom You call to labor in Your harvest fields. We trust You Father with our very lives and the lives of our families. In Jesus Name, Amen.

transFORMation II

August 16, 2010
GospelJesus
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When Jesus tells us that we will do the things He did as well as even greater things (John 14:12) – what this says to me is that we are being transformed to do the supernatural good work of the Kingdom. Earlier, when Jesus preaches the sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) He specifically says to “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16 NIV). What this says to me is that the way we love and serve people around us declares to them the goodness and kindness of God, Who is not distant and indifferent, but is committed to the world and active in the lives of people. Again, from my understanding of what the Scriptures say, the only way a person can truly make an eternal impact in this world is when they are filled with God’s Word and Spirit, walking in Holy Spirit power, gifts and exhibiting His fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22, 23).  

I love what Peter says, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us” (1 Peter 2:9-12 TNIV). It is only because God has chosen us to be His people, taking us from living in darkness into now living in “His wonderful light” by transforming our lives by His mercy. But, it’s not about speaking and serving in our own strength, but about doing everything in the strength that God gives us (1 Peter 4:11).

I believe that the reason God doesn’t just take people to Heaven right when they get saved is because there is a lot of good work that He has ordained for every follower of Jesus to do here on earth. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10 NIV). We are His masterpieces that He is continually transforming as He forms, shapes, gifts, equips and empowers us to do right, love mercy and to walk humbly before Him (Micah 6:8). What God has been impressing on my heart more and more is that when I testify about Him, He WILL show up and confirm my testimony about Him. But, I need to be actively taking God at His Word and stepping out in faith by leaning into the presence and power of Holy Spirit in my life. The way we live our lives reveals what we believe. We are Jesus’ ambassadors here on earth (2 Corinthians 5:20), but the sad reality is that many Christian have really failed at representing Him accurately.

But, if I’ve learned one thing with God, it’s this: “It’s never too late!” I am more more and more convinced that the world is waiting to hear the words of the Gospel of grace and hungry for a demonstration of the supernatural ministry of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). God is looking for more people like Abraham, who will take Him at His Word (Galatians 3:6; Romans 4:3) and step out in faith and begin proclaiming and demonstrating the truth and power of the Gospel. So, this is my prayer: “I pray that Jesus would help each of us to embrace more of the Father’s grace. That Holy Spirit would move our hearts to consciously ask for more of God’s grace to be birthed and released into our lives. And that He would equip, empower and embolden us to be a people who take Him at His Word. So, Jesus we receive Your Word that tell us that we will do what You did, even that we will do even greater things, In Your Name Jesus, Amen.”

“As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:7, 8 NIV).

FIRE

July 30, 2010
journeystruggle
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“Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of the sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.”

Romans 8:5-8 (NIV).

Being Set Free

by Gerald T. Ching

FIRE: In fear, anger, sadness and rebellion my soul whimpered, screamed and cried out while surrendering to God. Through the constant filling of His Holy Spirit and the unending lavishing of His grace, I am learning to let go of my addictions.

[origins: the battle begins]

1.         Across the land, powerful ebony monoliths jut from the charred surface of this existence. A new star, a glimmering beacon melts into the rising sun. Anxiously chattering, nervously hacking at possibility, freedom seekers ascending from the pit, bitterly deliberate. They claw at their lethargic minds, sharpening that which has been dormant since the fall of Man. Their shadows drag like bags of bricks. Heaping in disarray, building a feeble, flimsy, and false foundation in hopeless uncertainty from a corrupted and demented generation, depositing and withdrawing emotional guilt-ridden baggage in hopes of a cash advance: $$$. Anxiety burns through their cables of liquid life.

2.         Born unto this plane of existence unasked, brought into life unannounced, I blindly live in this world while manipulating my way through a fallen creation. Down in this deep tunnel of endless darkness, I sit and ponder this barbaric world, the bottomless pit of despair that is my life. In a vicious cycle my pain recycles itself, binding me to this world of addiction. Yearning for the release from this prison, I am forever damned to want what I cannot have. Stifled and bound, I am manacled to the rigid board of longing. I am ashen and deadened, like a still life awaiting the life giving touch of an Artist. The curse of Adam, the first fallen man, in him our burdens rested, and in him our dreams failed. Taking responsibility for sin and receiving forgiveness is an ongoing contingency that has survived since the beginning. The jealousy of Cain brought murder into the world, and through him the line of hope ended in destruction. Beginning with Seth who replaced Abel, men began to call on the name of the Lord, and the line of God’s faithful people began again.

3.         Your peaceful Spirit shields me, guarding me from lusting bitter hearts that fiend for power, seeking to be gods. Your gentle reassuring whispers speak of another life, one without pain, one full of peace, one that I long to know. Together we walk through this debilitating existence with You whispering guiding truths to me, easing this burden of being lost and broken.

            Clutching a pristine pellucid orb to my chest in which lays the hope of an all-consuming fire of forgiveness. Swirling love streams through the depths of this forgiveness, combining the many layers that compose its symphony. In triumphant crescendos, climactic waves rattle the chamber, threatening to burst the protective bubble. Shadowy haunts scatter; dark and grimy their vigor dissipates in the spin cycle of this cleansing. Drowning in this whirlpool, I spiral down bleached white as the plugs get pulled, draining me into oblivion.

4.         Awakened by a distant light, my outstretching arms and arched back reach ever outward, with muscles straining like a rubber band on the verge of busting. Who’s there? Encompassed by a brilliant light a slight silhouette emerges emitting a radiant glow, like clashing radioactivity throbbing towards destruction. Will you hold me? Red-hot steel pins travel through every pore, a scorching sensation much like the piercing rituals that fill my days, converge at my beating core, my blacken core of life, sending tremors through my cables of liquid life. Will my mind finally rest? Stripped of my flesh, the ever-brightening light engulfs me in a sea of serenity smoothing my being like a sheet of dry ice that burns like fire. Take me, take me over the edge. The light wavers like the belly of a laughing man, the heat intensifies, and my light fades. Where am I? Who are you? What have I done? Wracked in turmoil, wringing my hands numb, shivering in the coldness that doubt brings, I start walking.

[first strike: the enemy attacks]

5.         The hate monger that runs with abandon through my broken spirit shakes the foundations with his ridiculing maniacal laughter, plummets me down even further into a cocoon of seclusion. I crawl back behind the wall that divides us, hesitant to peer over the ledge again. This debilitating struggle hinders my walk, sending me crying like a newborn hungry for its mother’s breast.

6.         Listen to my heart that screams with sincerity, accept my apology for the length of my exile; forgive my indifference to the longing I feel for You. Stitch my torn spirit with healing threads from Your heart. Pull me into a warm embrace and hold me longer than I am able, hold me for as long as You are able.

7.         A sudden movement awakens my senses bringing forth the blinding stark reality of life. What is to become of me? Powerful forces working overtime to save the undeserving, resort to tactical maneuvers heard of only in antiquity. Something thought lost is regained, and something gained is lost again. Bombarded by the lingering words from the Holy Spirit, my present state of affairs stands in the mists of limbo. Like the riddle of the sphinx, the convicting nature of the message strikes confusion to my heart and mind. Young and restless with the knowledge of a predestined future haunting me, my actions reflect the carelessness of youth. Mature in the ways of the world, street-smart senses hinder the growing inner child of my soulful spiritual new self; the steadfast words from the transcendental Spirit forever echo in the back of my befuddled mind.

             The deciphering of the riddle becomes an all-consuming task. Little by little the puzzling brain teaser starts to unfold, my feeble mind trying desperately to grasp the gist of the clues. Drained and at my wits end, the words still a riddle, a voice speaks in quiet tones with authority, “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6).

[battlefield: between two worlds]

8.         Rubbing shoulders amongst the thronging masses and feeling a subtly twisted sense of love and affection that comes from being in close proximity to others pulls the puppet strings that dangle from my troubled heart. This sensation brings me back to the days of innocence when life was truly joyous and I saw beauty abounding in all things. I am reminded of when I felt the feeling of oneness without knowing anything less and the feeling of trueness without knowing anything more, when I knew what it was to be at peace. This feeling of serene tranquility that was a gift to me has been lost while I journeyed along my impersonal walk through life, caught up in the excitement of life that speeds by at a blinding pace. Sometimes, in quiet moments, when my subconscious gives my consciousness time to sit up and listen, I can almost feel that kind Hand that gently pushes us all onto the road to enlightenment.

9.         With a quickness I falter upon this rocky ground, inspiration is lost to the thief in the night. I trudge knee-deep through sand and soil, my momentum slowing as I slither like a serpent through this muck and mire. Surrounded by alluring curiosities, sold into slavery, helplessly I am chained in bondage, addicted. I have been reduced to a loaf of bread and set out for market. I am bound in a constant state of emergency which leaves me in a condition of sleeplessness forever searching for the magical formula that will cure me of this sickness. Shout to me so even a deaf man will hear. Show me again and again so even a blind man can find his way. Let me feel Your Presence so I will doubt no longer, for doubt brings out the hatefulness of my loneliness.

10.       Striving for greatness in an evolving world, I stand frozen in the landscape staring at all the evils of a fallen human race. Travelers from near and far stand amongst the ruins of a declining civilization, hounded by their many skeletons that whisper of guilt and despair. Harnessing and hindering all in the same instant, stopping me cold in my tracks, my own demons tempt and tease my trivial existence.

              In this world of regrets, I am bound to chains of self-pity and greed. Circling like a hungry caged lion awaiting its next meal, this insatiable burning passion for more incinerates the already addictive nature of my soul. Wandering the streets of this decaying world longing for fulfillment, searching for the answers to the mysteries of life, my mind convulses, like an epileptic caught in a stroboscope, each thought flashes in stark skeletal contrast laying bare the sinfulness of my heart. The hustle and bustle of these thoughts cloud the images of a hopeful future.

              Music plays on in the distance, the band unknown yet familiar, melodic melodies dance and sway through the towering concrete jungle of my mind. The voice of the crooner jumps from the rooftops with his intense ramblings, striking the pavement deep within my heart. His words caress the deep wounds that feverishly fester, exacerbating the ache that slices through the rippling waves of my soul. With wicked thoughts pumping through my mind and this deep seeded loneliness bubbling in my soul, ugly after ugly lie engraves itself upon my heart, this relentlessness never ceasing, this battle ever raging.

             Standing naked with selfishness still polluting my veins black as mud. Prideful actions choke the arteries so vital to life, cluttering my heavily bound heart. My worldly ways hinder my growth but still You hold on. You cling jealously to nothing but me. Out chasing my own self for the prize of life; running the mile in four minutes flat, broken and beaten, picked-up and pounded, sold and forgotten, hung out to dry. Dry desert heat blasts erupt from the furnace of life, corroding layers of needfulness. Propped up before an onslaught of eyes, I am exposed, a conflicted man; first out of the gate, but not willing to commit.

11.                   Searching for relief –

                                    a release from this prison,

                                    fleshy hands grope

                        with minds of their own.

                        Strength is exhausted

                                    seeping away quickly,

                                    a shivering quivering corner

                                    calling me closer.

                        Burdened with sin –

                                    temptation bound,

                                    leather straps tightening

                        hung upside down.

                        Searching through riddles,

                                    lost not yet found,

                                    cultivating sorrow

                        with a broken down plow.

                        Surrounded by barb,

                                    thorn and bristle,

                                    tender skin prickled

                        thistle after thistle.

                        Plucking and pulling

                                    at overgrown weeds

                                    clearing the way

                        for a new crop of seeds.

                        The refreshing sound of trumpets

                                    resounds in the mind,

                                    quieting the battle

                        that rages unkind.

                        Peace is restored

                                    as darkness flickers away.

                                    A daily ritual,

                        the gift of being saved.

12.       Sitting and pondering my life with victories beginning to finally outshine my downfalls, life paces on with time ever constant. Idly flipping through the pages of memory, flickering images of days long gone cloud the eyes of my weary soul. A lifetime seems to have come and gone with unspoken bonds made to violating acts committed. I’m tired, so very tired. What is there left to see? What is there left to do?

              In wonder, I sit contemplating this dilemma toiling over my life. Sitting by myself, licking my wounds for past indiscretions, wallowing in the mists of self-pity, I ponder the life of others and wonder of their past indiscretions. Do they wallow as I in self-pity? Feverishly I search for answers to it all. Anxiously I ponder what is to become, pressure-cooking my exhausted brain; soup for lunch, which is my liquefied mind.

[revolution: waking the dead]

13.       Brooding over this unforgiving life, juggling all that I’ve learned with all I’ve been told, I realize that all this is just temporary. Having to justify everything just to get through this life means I’m living a life of lies, a life in perversion. In the end, all that I’ll have to show is a black heart and a rotting soul; ring, ring, ring, the bell tolls. Deeply resounding, this ringing rattles my spine splintering fragments of weary bone. Angry booming voices shatter my will to live. Poisonous smoke billows throughout my veins, darkening the light within my heart. In a crumpled mess I crash to a halt with guttering muttering filling the room resounding, mumbling sweet nothings to a body decayed. Spinning round for hours, blankly I stare, slowly sinking into a pit of despair.

14.       Shattered windows cloud my vision; shards of glass protrude from my fatigued feet from trampling upon my own brokenness. I stumble past a leering and jeering crowd, ashamed and guilt-ridden. I trip over myself, sending my spirit reeling. I turn back to see myself frightened and confused. Growls and roars deafen my ears; I falter, falling to a knee. Swaying in the coldness, my life starts to fade, sweet oblivion rising before my very eyes. The crowd begins to disappear taking all of this away, leaving me spent and shivering in space.

15.       Waking to the screaming silence, the deafening sonic boom shatters my eardrums. The madness begins and the light fades. Huddling within myself to stop the cold, soulless eyes pierce my mind, bringing me ever so closer to the edge. A sound, just a sound – to break this ear piercing silence; seconds tick silently on; minutes tick ever so slower. Is this Heaven? Is this Eternity? Is this tranquility? Is this serenity? A sound, just a sound – to end this madness; I wish I could scream, even just whimper. I long to hear even the endless echo of a dripping faucet. Reaching rotting hands climb deeper into my soul scorching my will, dimming the light. A sound, just a sound – a sound, just one sound…

              Chaos erupts, the answer to prayer or the lie of the eavesdropper? Boxing round and round again, slammed to the mat again and again, dark ribbons encircle the windows of my face. Caught in the grips of envy, locked-down in jealous rage while wicked thoughts run hateful and cruel with free-for-all fists flying with blind abandoned shame; I am lost amongst myself waning for Truth. I stagger for stability, only to crash to the mat again. Sapped of all strength, weakened to my knees, grasping for scales to balance this bout, the promise of salvation comes with the ringing of the bell. The fighting ceases for a time.

[solace: breakthrough]

16.       Green is the color that fills my heart, clouded as I look with sinful eyes. Salivating they drool with tears full of lust and greed, coveting everything in sight. Blue is the color that fills my spirit, in sadness paddling further out to sea, hopelessly losing strength, down-trodden, beaten and battered, drowning in sorrow and guilt. Black is the color of my soul, the many layered depths charred by sinfulness. Hand fed by my own flesh, in a putrid stench it lays in self-pity. This darkness oozes through the pores of my face with poisonous thoughts clouding my judgments of the day. Pain surrounds my spirit, bruising it a purplish-black, threatening to forever taint me with this stigmata.

             A shower of soft delicate rain beats down upon my skin, soothing the bruising, alleviating the malignancy. Children run playfully through these April showers, laughing with unashamed abandon. Their honesty shines through like beacons of light. Oh to have faith like a child, inspiration to us all. Lightning strikes to the core of my being, jumbling my thoughts, shocking them into submission. Sunshine breaks through these dark clouds lifting the burdens of this everyday life, warming my soul and refreshing my skin, coloring me in earthy tones.

17.       Listening to the bombarding voices that ricochet off the walls of my mind, I bounce around the inner sanctuary of my soul shouting at the top of my lungs with tears in my eyes, “Why?” With the echoing of my own voice drifting to silence, Your sympathetic peaceful groaning touches my heart in gentle caresses, filling it with love and joy, warming the core with an engaging fire, melting its frosty covering.

             Peacefully Your kindness gently arrives on pillow soft breezes that blow by the closed shutters of my turned down house. Longing for entry, the gentle rapping stirs the Keeper of this heart. Stretching from his devotional position, fanning at the thick hazy smoke of remembrance, the shell of a lost love lays lifeless on the floor, yearning to be resurrected. Striding to the closed shutters, He unlocks the latches throwing open the windows to this heart. A patient love comes fluttering in breathing life back into the deadness. Warm rays flood the many rooms with joy and understanding, lighting the house with unfailing love. Deep in my heart, the found never lost Keeper is busy with preparations for an eternal destiny.

[confusion: the metamorphosis]

18.       Pouring my heart out to the world, hoping the words fill the minds of all with songs of encouragement and inspiration, I ramble on with fervor, yet am bound to walk life as a recluse. In seclusion, addicted to distraction, my lonely soul is set apart from the gathering by sin, lost in self-pity.

            Television waves radiating the latest in all things indulgent microwave and tenderize my brain, whipping it into a mushy conglomerate, my temporary placebo to this terminal sickness. Programmed and then reprogrammed, my heart gets laminated with a glossy finish, sealing in the stench that steams off of it. Slick, shiny and pleasing to the eye, my heart now hangs prettily for all to see in a noose from around my neck.

             My heart seeks a peace that never comes, for my mind battles for control every second of my life. Heart felt sighs make my mind rage evermore for that control, never relinquishing the battle, for the heart is weak and the mind is strong. But in truth, the reality of it all makes my heart cry which sends my mind reeling, running for cover into the folds of solitude. The peace I have lies in solitude, which is also my pain. The fear of belonging is the source of this pain. My sanity hangs on the threads of a soon to be lost button.

19.       Bound within my heart lie the tools for destruction, and the thirst for power is still fresh upon my blackened soul. Racing through life like a junkie hell bent for a fix, I gamble my soul in disregard to my conscience. Dark shadows haunt my mind, antagonizing my existence as Angels of Light battle on my behalf. Spinning out of control, swirling to dark depths, I am surrounded by hate and guilt. Riding through this storm of a life, You rip through the very fabric of my existence. Lightning strikes; I cower. Thunder peels; I shiver. Hail rains down upon me weakening my will, breaking me down to the very simplicity of my being.

20.       A spark flickers in a breath bringing forth the stark realities of Truth. Not just the bewildering but the mortifying awakenings caught only in glimpses stroke the deep ache that incinerates barriers and knows no bounds. Traveling through shafts and plummeting down crevices, it scorches a path that shatters my will exposing its core blackened by sin. Swimming through the depths of the whirlpools in my mind brings me closer to the source of this recurring torment that haunts like a poltergeist. Hanging in a closet, my maggot-ridden flesh is stripped exposing sinew, tendon and bare bone. The splintering of ivory and the milking of marrow bleed the soul of all its dark forces that welcomes with open arms this warm soft pumping sensation. I am covered in Your grace as I stand refreshed. A new horizon fills my vision with the shedding of this worldly skin.

21.       Quietly a reassuring Voice begins to gently nibble at my ears, easing the burdens that weigh heavy in my heart. With Your encouraging loving Word You minister and nurture my flagrant spirit, helping me to curb my maturing appetite. Pulsating surges full of excitement tempt and tantalize the longing that resides deep within my soul, threatening to interrupt this flow of Righteousness, Your gift to me that draws me out of the depths of darkness.

[renewal: the faithfulness of Love]

22.       In reminiscence, the days of my youth roll on by in thick dark billowing clouds, threatening to cast their impending doom upon my present state of mind. Deep pondering and long meditative sessions of quietness are my only times of peace; then I am thrown back into the throng of things.

23.       Down pouring rain falls in inundating sheets upon the vaporous streets of an evolving world, the hustle and bustle of competitiveness stifling necessary spiritual growth. The Gospel of Peace looms in the air threatening the existence of the frantic daily routine. Mad commotion erupts into panic as the words hit home.

             Fleeing for my life, I run back to You. Balking and faltering upon the last steps, I crawl the last part of the way, I rise to my knees. In the throngs of this awakening, seething lies crackle the air. Acerbic and piercing, the words spear my spirit, leaving gaping holes that long to be filled whole. Slowly they seep. Attacked from all angles, I am beaten. Hold me with Your steel grip, never releasing me from the safe haven of Your breast. Fiery missiles sizzle on impact against the coolness of Your Holiness that refreshingly soothes the battle raging within the temple of my mind. Peacefulness descends upon me, and joyously I proclaim of the warmth within my heart. In my defense, You stand interceding on my behalf, Your words of Truth wrapped in love slay me with a blanket of compassion. Darkness is on the run.

24.       Longing for Your guidance, my clouded vision of the future brings me back and forth and then forward and back again. To know all is to be God and to not know is to walk by faith. Theological discussion with my heart helps to ease the tediousness of reason. Quietly, in persistence, Love comes in from all angles threatening to break through these philosophical walls of solitude.

25.       When You are near, I am aware of the sadness that echoes throughout my soul. It bounces off invisible barriers that bind and hinder my healing. Haunted by skeletons from a guilt filled past, continually pestered by shadows that gnaw at my soul, life turns bleak in the reflections of a distant future. In secrecy, off in the darkened corners of my mind, wicked thoughts lay in wait plotting their evil intentions in premeditated violent lawlessness. I am hounded by their deceptive hallucinations of destruction as their offensiveness thrashes about in complete disregard to the whimpers and cries from my exhausted heart, a whisper on a gentle breeze the only amnesty from this accusing criminal injustice against my soul.

26.       Compassionate arms stretch towards the earth with an all-encompassing unconditional love, faithfully following a boy lost to loneliness and enslaved to addiction. Stumbling blindly, fighting with inadequate weapons, and unleashing a pitiful showing of character, I clumsily limp through life. Accusing laughter resounds from the roaring crowd within my mind, pounding even more tears into this sorrow-soaked heart. Seeking shelter from the onset of dejected thoughts colliding like bumper cars spasmodically chasing each other in dizzying circles, I pray with a hopeful heart.

27.       The longer I walk with You, the more aware I become of my own sinfulness. Feeling the shame and guilt of living such a long life as a pagan, I run from You. In the crawl space of my mind I cower, licking my wounds, hiding myself within the confines of my unkempt garden where thistlely weeds grow wildly. Yet, in merciful love You call out to me and by Your Truth I am set free. For You are truly my only salvation; in You alone my hope rests. In finality the reality of this compelling Truth carries my heart into surrender. Deep resounding sobs pour out of my weary soul weakened from the strife of the world. I finally relinquish control to You, allowing the strength of Your Son to enter my heart which brings a transcending peace to my distressed soul. His Presence calms my weary soul, permanently filling me with the love that I’ve come to cherish so dearly. Straight to the very center of my spirit His sweet Voice penetrates, mending my fragileness. Being pulled towards the Light, knowing that I have finally been drawn onto the road to redemption, I hold fast onto Jesus as I fall willingly into Your loving arms.

28.       “I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: ‘The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things! The Lord’s right hand is lifted high; the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!’ I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done. The Lord has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death” Psalm 118:13-18 (NIV).

             “Had it not been the Lord on my side when men rose up against me, then they would have swallowed me alive, when their anger was kindled against me; then the waters would have engulfed me, the stream would have swept over my soul; then the raging waters would have swept over my soul. Blessed be the Lord, who has not given me to be torn by their teeth. My soul has escaped as a bird out of the snare of the trapper; the snare is broken and I have escaped. My help is the name of the Lord, who made the heaven and earth” Psalm 124:2-8 (NASB).

             “Creation and creatures applaud You, God; Your holy people bless You. They talk about the glories of Your rule, they exclaim over Your splendor. He does what’s best for those who fear Him – hears them call out, and saves them. God sticks by all who love Him, but it’s all over for those who don’t. My mouth is filled with God’s praise. Let everything living bless Him; bless His holy name from now to eternity!” Psalm 145:10-12, 19-21 (The Message).

[mission: empowered by Love]

29.       Epilogue: A hard day’s ride is ahead of me; my mighty stallion is exhausted. Sweat glistens off his pearly white flanks under the burning sun. Commanded by my Lord I ride with confidence, for He has gone ahead of me and has already prepared the way. A refreshing vision of His radiant brilliance sets my mind free. My Companion reassures me throughout this endeavor, helping to uplift my spirit and heart in trying times. Quietly I listen to all He has to say soaking in His sweet discerning words of counsel. His Words refresh my soul like spray from ocean surf; I am renewed.

              Up hills and down valleys we ride, searching for the lost and the broken. Their cries are barely audible through the thickness of their pride. On the winds, loud, clattery, banging, resounds heavily in the air – the babble of the world. In bedlam the chaos churns. People in a confused state wander aimlessly on fruitless pursuits, blinded by the glittering prizes of the world. Their own sinful desires choke the very life from their hearts. The stench from their selfishness vaporously steams off of their souls. Enshrouded in darkness, they dance to the devil’s song.

              Quietly, in secrecy, behind locked doors, saints kneel in prayer before the Almighty Lord who meets with them in their secret gardens away from the babel. They faithfully intercede on behalf of the lost and the broken, who are in reality disguised as the wicked and rotten. Always faithful, the living God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob hears and answers their cries for mercy and justice.

              The thundering of hooves and the snorting of vengeance filling the air swings my mount around. The ringing of my fiery sword blazes high in the sky. A fiery Sword of the Spirit wielded in the hands of an able saint strikes straight to the hearts of all the lost and broken children of a decaying world with the heated fire of the Truth. It pierces through the many layers of lies written upon their hearts. The eclipsing nature of this rebirth by fire rings the melodious bells of Heaven, raining down the joyous love that is all creation’s inheritance.

              The sun in its full glory beats down on the advancing horde. At full charge they come at me with hatred in their hollowed eyes. My Companion speaking in tongues of fire holds me steadfast to the covenants of God. Basking in the Everlasting Light from above, I am strengthened with the Truth that is my triumphant cry. Fortified with His Righteousness, I ride headlong into battle with You by my side. I am a new creation in Christ.

              It has begun…

the 420 Prayer Movement: VISION

April 22, 2010
GospelGraceRedemption
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What does it mean to be a prophetic voice today?

April 5, 2010
callingRevelation
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” ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ What goes through your mind when you read Peter quoting Joel in Acts 2:17-21?  Two questions should come to mind: 1) Are these the last days? And 2) Has God poured His Spirit on all people? More specifically, has He poured out His Spirit on this generation? Now, if you believe that God has poured out His Spirit on all peoples and believe that this generation is included in this pouring, than you should then also believe that we are living in the last days where all peoples will have the potential to be a prophetic voice to the world for the Kingdom of God.

If you spend anytime on the Internet than you know that there are so many people out there who have something to say. Whenever I go to “You Tube” I get bombarded by video after video of people speaking up and speaking out about anything and everything. Blogging is also gaining even greater popularity. Not to mention Twitter and Facebook which are the king and queen of social networking. People in this generation have a lot to say. Now, to be honest a lot of what’s out there is just people seeking to be funny or inventive or shocking, but there are those who are genuinely sharing the passions and convictions that they hold in their hearts. If I take a step back and take a broad view of what’s going on, what all this says to me is that there are so many people out there who are or have the potential to be a prophetic voice for this generation. But, in order to be a prophetic voice to the world our focus needs to begin to change from being on ourselves to towards the world around you. This means, taking the time in discerning the times that we live in.

If we look to the Old Testament, there are two references that point to the importance of seeking those out who had insight into the times. In 1 Chronicles 12:32 we read that among those listed to join David’s army after he became King over all of Israel were 200 men of Issachar, “who understood the times and knew what Israel should do.” We also read in Esther 1:13 that King Xerxes consulted with “experts of the law and justice, and he spoke with the wise men who understood the times” before making important decisions. In both examples, we see the value set on those who understood the times and how kings sought them out for counsel. Though it’s not directly stated, we can safely assume that the men of Issachar were a key component of those whom David sought counsel from.

In the New Testament, we see that Jesus also addressed the importance of discerning the times when He accused the Pharisees of not being able to interpret the signs of the times. In Matthew 16:1-4, we read that “the Pharisees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.” But, Jesus said to them, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away. We all need to hear and receive this same rebuke that Jesus gave the Pharisees and Sadducees and begin to “interpret the sign of our times.”

Have you ever really sat down and taken a closer look at the times that we live in? As I spent some time really thinking and praying about the times that we live in, these are some observations that has God impressed upon me. We live in a time where there is the decline of the Church and the rise of humanism. We live in a time where there is the rise of a pornographic culture and the decline of the family. We live in a time where there is the rise of tolerance, but the decline of a genuine love. We live in a time where there is the rise of greater avenues of communication, but the decline of real connectedness between people. We live in a time where there is the rise of technological advances, but the decline of personal meaning. We live in a time where there is a rise of medical advances, but also a rise of more psychological and physical dysfunction. We live in a time where there is the rise of information availability, but the decline in the ability to process information.

God gifts and anoints people unconditionally. Meaning, He blesses people with gifts and talents and then allows us to use them at our discretion. This is seen throughout the Old Testament, Samson the judge or King Jeroboam I are good examples of this. They were both called and anointed by God (His Spirit was upon both judges and kings), but they used their gifting and authority abusively and selfishly. Fast forward to today, we also see this sort of abuse going on all over the Church at large. (I will refrain from naming any names here). So, the question may not be about having the ability to be a prophetic voice to this generation. But, more so about how well are you being a steward of God’s anointing on your life in being a prophetic voice to this generation?

the pull of the world

February 19, 2010
GospelJesusLove
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Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to pour into quite a few young men. Each one was unique and had their own set of hardships and memorable moments. But, the common thread that streamed through them all was God’s main purpose for bringing me into these men’s lives, which was to help further solidify their identity in Christ by speaking truth and life to them. Most of our time together was focused on untangling them from their affections for the world which was directly related to their continual addiction struggles.This affection for the world made them believe the lie that the world had something to offer them that was greater than what God could offer them.

 

It’s like in 1 Samuel 8, where the Israelites demand that Samuel appoint them a king because they wanted to be like all the other nations (v.5). But, the Israelites were supposed to be different from all the other nations because the Lord had chosen them to be His own treasured possession (Exodus 19:5; Leviticus 18:30; Deuteronomy 7:6; 14:2; 18:9; 26:18; Numbers 23:21). You see, what was really happening was the Israelites were rejecting God as their King. But, God is still patient with His people. He’s not reactionary, but purposeful as He tells Samuel to prophetically warn them of how this coming king will rule over them.

 

“So Samuel passed on the Lord’s warning to the people who were asking him for a king. “This is how a king will reign over you,” Samuel said. “The king will draft your sons and assign them as his chariots and charioteers, making them run before his chariots. Some will be generals and captains in his army. some will be forced to plow in his fields and harvest his crops, and some will make his weapons and chariot equipment. The king will take your daughters from you and force them to cook and bake and make perfumes for him. He will take away the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his own officials. He will take….” (1 Samuel 8:10-14ff).

 

The passage goes on, but I think you get the point. The picture these verses paint is that this coming king will basically enslave the Israelites where he will claim ownership, not only of their bodies, but also of everything they owned, to do with both as he pleased. I used to think that God was like this, a heavy-handed God who did whatever He pleased because He was God, even if it meant by force where service and worship is born out of fear, rather than love. But, the more that I experience and encounter the one and only living God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, the more I realize that He is nothing like this worldly king who simply uses the people of his kingdom. God desires our unconditional love and He will never force us to love Him. His desire is that we choose Him over and above all the other loves in our lives and of the world.

 

Even when God warns them of this dictator king, the Israelites still want and demand a king other than God. The text is pretty clear, the Israelites wanted what they wanted and they wanted it now: “But the people refused to listen to Samuel. ‘No!’ they said. “We want a king over us” (v.19). There was no reasoning with them. There was no speaking any sense to them. Their minds were already made up. They had their hearts and minds set on becoming like all the other nations (v.20). I think it’s safe to say that we’ve all at some point in our lives wanted something so badly that there was no talking us out of it, even though deep down we knew that what we wanted probably wasn’t the best thing for us.

 

From my perspective, ministering to people who are struggling with drug addiction can be extremely frustrating at times because, more often than not, the addiction has become so ingrained into their identity, in how they relate to themselves and others, that it disrupts and distorts their value system. So, when that urge comes to indulge in their drug addiction, their whole thinking process gets turned upside-down. When this happens, there is no reasoning with them. The addiction takes over. Now I’m not saying that I think that the Israelites where on drugs, but I do think that they were addicted to the world.

 

1) How strong of a pull does the world have on your own life?

2) Do you believe that what God has to offer is better than what the world has to offer?

3) Does your life reflect that you are a citizen of Heaven or a citizen of the world?

4) What needs to change?

living in the anointing

January 20, 2010
GospelJesusSpirit
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These days, I have been challenged more and more by God to be fully reliant upon Him everyday and in every way. That I am to fully embrace the reality that I live, move and have my being in Him (Acts 17:28). For me this means I need to be consciously engaging with God throughout my day. This doesn’t mean that I connect with God in the morning and then reconnect with Him before meals and then a quiet time before I go to sleep. No, the way I understand this truth is that I need to be in continual and constant contact with God all day, everyday. This may seem like a tall order, but what helps me stay connected with God is the understanding that:“Sure I could probably make it through an average day without too much of a stretch, but life to me is more than just getting through the day. A full and abundant life involves making an eternal impact in this world for Jesus. And for this to happen, I need to be seeking out the specific Kingdom impact that Jesus wants to make  for each moment of the day.” This means that I need to humbly admit that I don’t have the answers, nor the power to achieve this and that I need God to actively lead and empower me if I am to be of any use to Him.

If that’s not enough, Scripture says, “For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength” (1 Corinthians 1:25). How I understand this verse is that God is not interested in what we have to offer Him, He is more interested in letting us know what needs to happen and how it needs to happen. Furthermore, Paul continues on to say, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him” (vv. 27-29). Again, God is in the business of showing us what’s what. Not, the other way around. The last thing we should be trying to do is impress God. Remember, God is the Creator of the univese. impressing Him just won’t happen. The quicker that we admit that we need God’s direct and active guidance in our lives the greater intimacy we will have with Him and the greater impact we will make for His Kingdom here on earth.

Jesus is the good Shepherd who speaks to His sheep because they know His Voice (John 10:4). If we are not use to listening to Him speak to us, then it may take some time to recognize our Shepherd’s Voice. But, we must trust that Jesus knows us and we know Him (John 10:14). Furthermore, I believe that the only way to  consistently recognize Jesus’ Voice is through our dependency on the Holy Spirit, who loves making the things of Jesus known to us (John 16:14) which means He helps us not only know about Jesus, but also to encounter Him. Too often, good intentioned believers shy away from a more experiential (even mystical) approach to encountering Jesus because they are fearful of being deceived and led astray. Now, I can be compassionate towards them and understand where they are coming from, but this is what I have to say to them: “Trust that God is able to sovereignly keep you from being deceived as you pursue to encounter more of Jesus. Don’t you think the Father would bless your pursuit to know more of His Son? Don’t let the fear of being deceived stop you from encountering more of King Jesus in your life and having His Kingdom break in greater measure into your surroundings.”

Living in the anointing means that I am doing all I can to press into the grace that Jesus has apportioned to me (Ephesians 4:7) all day, everyday. This means I am actively seeking to hear His Voice in my life. Jesus, the Anointed One (which is the meaning of Christ),  lived His life fully in the anointing of the Holy Spirit while He walked the earth. Believers today can do no less. We must seek to live in the anointing of the Holy Spirit on each of our lives. I am more and more convinced that what is lacking in the Body of Christ is that believers are not walking in the fullness of God’s grace for them. I believe if we were, the Church truly would be the unstoppable force that Jesus envisioned (Matthew 16:18) because every believer would be living in their God given anointing. So this is my prayer: that the Holy Spirit would impress upon every believer’s heart to consciously pursue walking in the fullness of God’s grace, that He would unshackled their hearts to receive this grace and that He would give them a hunger and thirst to seek out the righteousness of God by empowering them to claim the anointing of God on their lives. In Jesus Name, Amen.