I love to express what I feel called to say. Writing helps me to open up my heart and do that. I hope that what I write helps you in some way. I hope it makes you think, encourages you, or inspires you. If it challenges you or if you disagree, I hope you know that I respect your right to have a different point of view.
It takes courage to write and post what I sense God is leading me to write. Here’s an example.
Christianity is about following Jesus, not about following a nation. Never worship and serve a country. (Romans 1:25) Always keep Jesus first!
National pride And Christ collide. You must decide Between the two.
If you are a Christian, your national identity and your identity in Christ have nothing to do with each other. One is temporary. The other is eternal. To try to blend them together is totally irrational. It is like confusing a nation’s flag with the infinity of outer space.
There’s nothing great about hate. If you want the nation you live in to be great, be an example of true greatness by forgiving, being kind to, and loving your enemies.
Make America a Bully Again isn’t a good idea. Let’s be kind to one another and respect the freedom of speech.
You can look at problems. You can look to religious leaders. You can look to political leaders. As for me, I’m keeping my inner eyes on the living, resurrected Jesus Christ. My faith, hope, and trust are in Him!
An American flag floats above Earth against a breathtaking field of stars.
I do faith completely differently than how I was raised. Here’s why:
Faith is beyond belief. It is daily dependence and reliance on Christ living in you. (Colossians 1:27) It is being led, guided, and directed by His Spirit moment-by-moment. (Romans 8:14) “Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1)
Faith is a gift from God. (Acts 3:16) Each person has been given a measure of faith (Romans 12:3) but faith without works is dead. (James 2:17)
Have you received the faith God has given you? Are you allowing it to capture you and work in and through your life? Or is your faith dead and without works?
Spiritual passivity quenches God’s Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19) It is a sign of dead faith. “Wake up sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:14)
Unfortunately, routine religion is mostly passive. Step out in faith. Be led by the Spirit and go beyond church as usual.
Jesus never said, “Church attendance is the way.” He never said, “Tithing is the way,” or “Sermon-hearing is the way,” or “A well-trained worship team is the way.” Jesus said: “I am the Way!” Listen to, follow, and obey the living Jesus.
Programmed Christianity follows religious authorities and their nicely packaged programs. Spirit-led Christianity follows, obeys, and is directly led by the living Jesus.
The purpose of a church that wants to obey the Bible isn’t to gather a crowd to passively hear a religious talk. It’s to train and empower people to encourage one another (Hebrews 10:24-25) and to deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow and obey the risen Jesus. (Luke 9:23)
When one-man systematic sermons replaced Spirit-led mutual encouragement (Hebrews 10:24-25) Christianity lost much of its power. All the sermons preached around the world every Sunday seem to have very little impact on how Christians live their daily life. But letting Christ live in and direct you makes a drastic difference in how you live.
* Without faith it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6) * Without love you are nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3) * Without patience, kindness, and humility you don’t have love. (1 Corinthians 13:4) * Without God’s discernment you’ll be deceived. (1 John 4:1) * Without laying down your pride and embracing humility you won’t receive God’s grace. (James 4:6) * Without holiness no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14) * Without being born again you can’t see the kingdom of God. (John 3:5) * Without the Word (Jesus Christ) nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:3) * Without forgiving others you won’t be forgiven. (Matthew 6:12) * You are without excuse. (Romans 1:20) * Without Christ you can do nothing. (John 15:15) * Without being led by the Spirit you won’t be a child of God. (Romans 8:14) * Without Christ in you, you won’t have the hope of God’s glory. (Colossians 1:27) * Without loving Jesus more than anyone or anything else you can’t be His disciple. (Luke 14:26-27) * Without discipleship you’ll be lukewarm. (Revelation 3:15:16) * Without the fruit of the Spirit you won’t have the character of Christ. (Galatians 5:22-23) * Without being open to receive the gifts of the Spirit you’ll miss out on the power of God. (1 Corinthians 12:1-11) * Without being poor in spirit, you won’t experience the kingdom (inner government) of God. (Matthew 5:3) * Without mourning you won’t be comforted. (Matthew 5:4) * Without meekness you won’t fulfill God’s plans for you on earth. (Matthew 5:5) * Without hungering and thirsting for righteousness you won’t be spiritually filled. (Matthew 5:6) * Without having mercy for others you won’t experience God’s mercy. (Matthew 5:7) * Without letting God purify your heart, you won’t be able to experience His reality. (Matthew 5:8) * Without being a peacemaker, you won’t be recognized as a child of God. (Matthew 5:9) * Without being persecuted you won’t know how to fully rely on the kingdom (inner government) of God. (Matthew 5:10) * Without denying yourself, taking up your cross daily, and following and obeying the risen Jesus, you won’t be a disciple of Christ. (Luke 9:23)
* Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) * Faith without works is dead. (James 2:17)
What was the secret of the power and influence of the early Christians in the Roman Empire as portrayed in the book of Acts? It was that they were“mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.”(Romans 1:11) They were led by the Spirit (Romans 8:14) as they gathered to spontaneously “spur one another on to love and good works.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)
Rigid religious routine makes it difficult to recognize the present-day reality and presence of the risen Jesus. Verses from the Bible are read and preached every Sunday, but their meaning is twisted, resisted, and cast aside. We don’t let the Bible’s words come alive within us, burn in our heart, and be our daily guide.
It was religious routine that condemned Jesus to the Cross. “The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning Him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.” (Acts 13:27)
Perhaps the most obvious example I have seen of religion twisting, resisting, and casting aside the clear meaning of the words of the Bible was in two small twin country churches sitting side-by-side. They were part of the same denomination, yet their parallel walls were only a few feet apart. Shocked by the sight of identical twin churches almost cojoined, I walked in to visit the one on my left.
The routine was typical — welcome, prayer, songs, announcements, offering, Scripture reading, sermon, and closing song. However, because we were just one wall away from a twin church building with the same doctrines, I was shocked by the sermon!
The preacher preached with fire in his eyes about how Jesus Christ tore down the wall that separated the Jews and the Gentiles. He quoted Ephesians 2:14-16) from the King James version: “For He (Jesus) is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the Cross.”
As the preacher ranted on and on about how Jesus tore down the dividing wall, I kept looking to my right at the obvious reality that no one else seemed to notice. A plain white wall had been built to separate us from our like-minded fellow Christians in the twin church just a few feet beside us.
Jesus tore down the wall so all who rely on His presence and reality can be one body and gather to mutually exhort and encourage one another. (Hebrews 10:24-25) Since Jesus tore down the wall between Jews and Christians, isn’t it time that Christians tear down the religious walls we have built between clergy and laity and between one another?
Here’s a simple first step to wall demolition. Invite a few Christians you know to gather in your house. Then simply have everyone listen quietly to Jesus and then say and do whatever He tells them to. The walls will soon fall right in front of your eyes. Try it and see!
You’ve probably heard someone say, “God bless you.” In the USA, people sometimes say, “God bless America.” I’ve always assumed that means you want God to give someone (or a country) His favor and protection in ways that make them feel good and special — to protect their lives and health — to give them lots of money and the good things that money can buy. That perspective is often called “the prosperity gospel.”
However, Jesus’ definition of being blessed is shockingly different. He said people who are inwardly broken are blessed because their humility and pain are urging them to surrender to the inner government (kingdom) of God.
Jesus said people who mourn are blessed because they are open to be comforted. He called the Holy Spirit “The Comforter.” To feel sorrow is a blessing because it helps you receive and live with the inner comforting of God the Holy Spirit.
Jesus taught that meek (flexible) people are blessed because they are bendable and willing to let God lead and direct them, so they can fully appreciate living on planet earth. He taught that people who hunger and thirst to know and obey God are blessed because they will be filled with His presence.
Jesus said that those who are merciful and forgiving are blessed. Why? Because they will receive God’s mercy and forgiveness.
He taught that people who seek to keep impure thoughts, feelings, and desires out of their heart are blessed. He said they will encounter, experience, and enjoy God’s presence.
Christ spoke a blessing over people who have inner peace and who spread that peace to others. He said they are blessed because people will recognize them as children of God.
Jesus also taught that people who are persecuted, insulted, and lied about for following and obeying Him are blessed. He told them to rejoice and be glad because they are being persecuted like the Old Testament prophets were, and they will be greatly rewarded for their faithfulness to Him.
Are you blessed? Don’t just read this and believe me. Read Jesus’ definition of being blessed. It’s in the Bible at Matthew 5:1-12.
Warning: Jesus said there will be many false prophets. Have you learned how the Bible says to recognize and avoid them?
I choose discipleship, not lukewarmship. Discipleship is citizenship in the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33) demonstrated through ongoing surrender to the ownership (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) and Headship (Colossians 1:18) of the risen Jesus Christ. (John 8:31-32) Discipleship is faithful obedience to the direct inner leadership of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 8:14)
Discipleship is a relationship of never-ending fellowship, (1 John 1:3-8) companionship, (Matthew 28:20) and friendship (John 15:15) with Jesus. It is worship in Spirit and in truth. (John 4:24) It’s a life-long ambassadorship (2 Corinthians 5:20) to represent and demonstrate the power and presence of the inner government (kingdom) of God everywhere you go. (Colossians 1:13)
Lukewarmship is contentment with mere church membership and Sunday morning showmanship. It is to sink into routine religion under the rulership of a pastor.
Lukewarmship is partnership with passivity, a scholarship for weekly hearing the Word without doing it, (James 1:22) and spiritual impostorship. (Galatians 1:8-9) That’s why Jesus says He will spew lukewarmship out of His mouth. (Revelation 3:16)
Jesus didn’t say to go and make lukewarmers who take care of themselves, avoid their cross, and follow their own desires. He said to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19) who deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow Him. (Luke 9:23)
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The Holy Spirit inspired the Bible. Now the Holy Spirit, Himself, wants to personally and directly teach you the Bible. Are you willing to continually listen to and obey Him?
The Bible was written by people who were led, guided, and directed by the Holy Spirit. (1 Peter 1:19-21) The more you listen to and allow yourself to be led by the Spirit, the more the Bible will come alive and burn in your heart, and the more your life and beliefs will align with the teachings of the Bible. What the Holy Spirit says to you in the present will be consistent with what He said to and through the people he inspired to write the Bible. (2 Timothy 3:16)
To read or study the Bible without being inwardly taught by the Spirit (John 14:26) is to trust in your own opinions and interpretations or in the opinions and interpretations of a religious teacher or a church tradition. God the Holy Spirit, who directed the writing of the Bible, wants to personally explain to you (1 John 2:27) what He inspired to be written in the Bible. When you disagree with what is clearly and explicitly taught in the Bible, you are stepping into deception (2 Corinthians 11:13-14) and departing from the leading of the Spirit.
If you are a true child of God, His Spirit is leading you. (Romans 8:14) His Spirit is bearing witness with your spirit. (Romans 8:16) Are you consistently listening to, following, and obeying the Holy Spirit?
Jesus wants to release inner rivers of supernatural revelation to flow from within and through you. Refuse to settle for stagnant puddles of religious rules, rituals, and regulations.
O taste and see that God is good. When constant connection with and real reliance on the risen Jesus Christ is replaced by mere human capability true Christianity collapses into powerless religious formalism.
It’s not enough to conform to an outward form of religion. Let the presence of Christ in you transform you from glory to glory. Allow Jesus to continually renew your thoughts and perspectives with His mind, His thinking, and His eternal point of view.
Flesh and blood — human discipline, effort, and intellect — cannot bring you to divine revelation. It can teach you religious information but without God the Father’s supernatural revelation it can’t reach and transform your heart.
Humbly ask God the Son to open your blind spiritual eyes. Let God the Holy Spirit always shine brightly in your heart and give you so much radiant inner light that you continually cry out with indescribable joy, “I once was blind, but now I see.”
Lord, I need so much more than religious reformation. I need Your moment-by-moment miraculous inner transformation. Capture my heart with Your direct personal revelation. Give me the courage, strength, discernment, and desire to quickly follow and obey Your inner leadings and promptings. Make me a living demonstration of Your presence, power, and love so that I overflow with marvelous rivers of the fruit and the gifts of the Spirit. Cause me to shine with the brightness of Your light so that people can behold the Lamb of God working in and through me and surrender their all to Him.
I don’t end my prayers with “Amen,” because conversation and direct connection with God should never end. “Speak Lord for your servants are listening.”
The Bible and its theology and doctrine are God’s map; direct revelation is the act of exploring and experiencing the territory with the Holy Spirit as your living personal Guide. Many Christians have bragged about God’s map, studied it, heard sermons about it, and even memorized parts of it, but they’ve never even taken the first step of the Spirit-led journey through everyday life.
Look, see! There’s light in the darkness. Pneumatology isn’t mere mind-based theology. It’s ongoing encounter with and surrender to God the Holy Spirit. Christians, instead of getting mad about people who disagree with you, get glad about the bright presence and reality of the risen Jesus.
When you’re discouraged, take some time to encourage someone, and your discouragement will disappear. Here are some ways to encourage people:
* Compliment them. * Thank them for something. * Spend person-to-person time with them. * Listen to them. * Give them a compassionate hug. * Do something nice for them. * Surprise them with a gift. * Write them an uplifting note. * Send them a hopeful text. * Take them to lunch or dinner or coffee or ice cream. * Ask if you can pray for them. If they say yes, pause and pray a heartfelt prayer out loud for them. * Leave an encouraging comment on their social media page. * Give them an encouraging book. (Elephants INspiring the Room) * Recommend an inspiring movie to them. (Brother Sun Sister Moon) * Go do something fun together. * Refer them to a hopeful blog. (hopethoughts.com) * Send them a kind card or note by the postal service. * Call them and have a friendly conversation.
There is an ancient letter written by a Roman citizen to a rare group of people living in Rome. This group had shifted their loyalty from the Roman Emperor to declare a Lord other than Caesar. They boldly proclaimed that a man who was tortured and crucified by Rome in the distant Eastern part of the Empire had risen from the dead and is greater than Caesar.
Instead of honoring Caesar as Lord and as a god (or even as a great man), this letter sent to that rare group of people in the city of Rome (Caesar’s home) completely ignores him. It begins by boldly declaring that Jesus Christ is Lord and reminding the Roman recipients that they are called to belong to and obey Jesus through faith and be His followers — His Spirit-led people. It states that their faith is being reported throughout the Roman Empire and beyond.
Today that letter is part of the Bible. You can read it anytime. It will show you why true Spirit-led faith in Christ is a threat to human governments and their religion. It’s not an alliance with them or reliance on them. The New Testament letter of Romans is a radical call to always focus on, rely on, and obey Jesus as Master and Lord above every human authority.
Human governments are set up by God to maintain order in human society. They should be obeyed but never allowed to cause you to disobey the risen Jesus or to replace Him as your living Lord and Absolute Master.
The Roman government required that all people living within the Empire sacrifice to Caesar and proclaim, “Caesar is Lord.” To refuse to do so usually meant death. However, most Christians would instead proclaim, “Jesus is Lord.” Who is the Lord, the Absolute Master, in your heart and life?
A Roman ruler in purple robes sits on an ornate throne as attendants stand nearby.
Free Gas for Your Think Tank -- Short Reflections, Lasting Encouragement 