I’m Working on Being a Doer

I am continually working on being a doer. However, I don’t want to do just anything that comes along or entices me. I want to do what God the Holy Spirit tells me to. He speaks in a still, small voice (1 Kings 19:11-12) in my heart and through my conscience. I strive to hear and obey His inner voice. (Revelation 2:29)

“Nevertheless at Your word.” (Luke 5:5) If you will, like Peter, go beyond passive listening and begin to daily do what the Lord is saying (Romans 8:14) you will experience a great harvest and profound spiritual awakening in your life. Try it and see.

Jesus asks: “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46) That’s such a good question.

The Bible says that hearing-only style Christianity is self-deceptive. (James 1:22) Beware of powerless, (2 Timothy 3:5) toned down, (2 Timothy 1:6) lukewarm, (Revelation 3:16) proud, (James 4:6) loveless, (Revelation 2:4) self-focused, (Luke 9:23) hard-hearted, (Matthew 15:8) sleepy, (Romans 13:11-14) faith-without-works, (James 2:26) commandment-breaking, (1 John 2:4) sin-embracing, (2 Corinthians 15:13) divisive (Romans 16:17-18) Christianity. Where there’s not love-filled, action-taking discipleship (John 13:15) Christians are deceived.

WARNING: Church attendance can be dangerous! It’s dangerous and deceptive to hear a sermon, forget what was said, and neglect to do what you heard. “Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22) Sometimes church attendees need shocking wake-up jolts. (Ephesians 5:14-15) Yet few pastors are willing to give them, and few Christians are willing to hear them, so they drift along in lukewarm (Revelation 3:15-17) mediocracy.

The following sign needs to be hung on every church door. Every Christian should take it to heart. Train yourself to be a doer of the word. Google: The Joy of Early Christianity book.

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Most People Don’t Know That America Needs King Jesus Demonstrations!

America needs King Jesus demonstrations! Christ-followers are called to demonstrate light that dispels darkness. The good news of Jesus Christ can only be powerfully proclaimed and demonstrated by the Spirit of God, not by religious works of the flesh or by politics.

Jesus, Himself, said: “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) Today, let Jesus baptize you afresh with the Holy Spirit and fire (Luke 3:16) so that Christ in you can be your hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27)

Go illuminate everybody you meet with Christ’s light. Consistently live and behave in ways that demonstrate the presence, power, and love of Jesus everywhere you go. (Luke 8:16 and Matthew 5:14-16)

Jesus is looking for people who will show other people His love by letting the truths of the Bible come alive and burn in their heart so powerfully (Luke 24:32) that they are supernaturally empowered to surpass the rituals of the pharisees and the religion of the church experts (Matthew 5:19-20) and to actually demonstrate the reality of the risen Christ. Jesus is calling for His followers to demonstrate His love by the presence of the fruit of His Spirit, not by religious works of the flesh. (Galatians 5:19-26)

My favorite fruit is the fruit of the Spirit. It’s fun and exciting to share it with people!

Appreciate people.
They’re made in God’s image.
Compliment people.
They are amazing.
Encourage people.
They can do good things.
Pray with and for people.
God will move on their heart.
Show people Jesus Christ
By the way you treat them.
Be kind to people
Till they’re kind to you.

The human race
Needs more space
For great kindness
In every heart
And true joy
On every face.
Slow down your pace
And make a place
For pure release
Of God’s peace.

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An Easier Way to Live

Daily writing prompt
Do lazy days make you feel rested or unproductive?

Someone said that lazy people look for an easier way to do things. Perhaps all of us humans need an easier way to do life. Instead of constantly stressing and striving to feel better about our self-image, perhaps we should allow the One who promises inner peace to take full and absolute control of our life.

Jesus Christ wants to immerse you with the Holy Spirit and fire and purify you (Luke 3:16-17) so that He can clearly and brightly shine through you and make you (yes you) a light to this world like a city on a hill that cannot be hidden. (Matthew 5:14-16)

Receive the word of God that is coming to you in your wilderness, not like a textbook that speaks to your mind with information, but like a love letter that speaks to your heart with life-transforming passion. Receive this word from the living Jesus now. Receive the never-ending power and presence of God the Holy Spirit in the depths of your heart! “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

To be an effective witness for Christ learn to flow in loving obedience to the still small voice (1 Kings 19:11-13) of the Holy Spirit’s inner rivers. (John 7:38-39) Let God’s living water produce and overflow the fruit of His Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) within you until all can see Christ only always living in and through you. (Acts 1:8)

To be an effective witness for Jesus, instead of trying to talk people into making some kind of religious decision, simply approach them with such great love, kindness, and caring that it warms their heart and enables them to feel and see Christ, Himself, living in and through you. Witnessing about Jesus isn’t about talking somebody into making a religious decision. It’s about personally showing someone such amazing love that they know that it couldn’t be coming from you but could only be coming from God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

“Blessed are the pure in heart.” (Matthew 5:8) Let Jesus purify you from deep within. Fully and continually surrender your heart and life to God. Church attendance without Spirit-led, heart-to-heart community (Hebrews 10:25) misses the main point of Christianity. (2 Timothy 3:5)

Be a Holy Spirit soaker,
Not a Holy Spirit choker.
Constantly soak up His presence.
Be led by the Holy Spirit.
When He speaks in your heart hear it,
Obey it, and do not choke it.
(Revelation 2:7, 1 Thessalonians 5:19, Matthew 13:22)

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This is “Successful”

Daily writing prompt
When you think of the word “successful,” who’s the first person that comes to mind and why?

When I think of the word “successful” this comes to my mind. Taxing situations can be God’s way of getting you where He wants you to be. (Luke 2:1-4) God used a census called by ancient Roman Emperor Caesar Agustus to get Jesus Christ’s pregnant mother who lived in Nazareth to travel to Bethlehem with her husband Joseph so that Jesus could be born there like the ancient prophesy said: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2)

God the Father somehow makes all things work out for good for those who love Him, hear His call, and align with His purpose. (Romans 8:28) Cease resisting God. Success is to stop kicking against the goads. (Acts 26:14) Let Him get you where He wants you through His various machinations. God doesn’t want people to be a passive audience. He wants heart-to-heart personal relationships with people. He wants you to live open and surrendered to His presence and His will.

Use your inner ear
So that you can hear
What God the Spirit
Is saying to you. (Revelation 3:22)
Then step out and do
What He tells you to. (Romans 8:14)

People build shelter. Everyone needs shelter, not just from physical things like wind, rain, and cold. We humans need shelter from mental, emotional, and spiritual things as well. Without adequate inner shelter we experience a mental health crisis, emotional trauma, and spiritual torment. I find true success of inner shelter, safety, strength, and salvation in Jesus Christ, my risen, present Lord and my God. (John 20:28)

When a Christian movie wants to show that someone is a successful Christian, they usually picture them sitting silently in a church service listening to a preacher. Surely there are other behaviors that more effectively show that a person is a genuine success at being a Christian. How about showing them laying hands on someone and praying over them out loud? (James 5:14) Or telling someone how much they love Jesus? (Revelation 12:11) Or lifting their hands to God as they passionately worship Him? (1 Timothy 2:8) Or confessing their sins to one another? (James 5:16) Or blessing those who curse them? (Luke 6:28) Or humbling themselves? (James 4:10) Or praying in Jesus’ name? (John 14:13) Or forgiving one another? (Ephesians 4:32) Or bearing one another’s burdens? (Galatians 6:2) Or comforting one another? (2 Corinthians 13:11) Or encouraging one another? (1 Thessalonians 5:11) Or teaching each other? (Romans 15:14) Or serving one another? (1 Peter 4:10) Or exhorting one another? (Hebrews 3:13) Or washing each other’s feet? (John 13:14)

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Neighborly Advice

Daily writing prompt
What makes a good neighbor?

There is still hope and joy in this world. Caring and compassionate neighbors can help you find it.

Focusing your fixation
On positive expectation
In a negative situation
Will change your narration
And minimize frustration.

Strong faith-filled evaluation
Will bring hopeful expectation
To a difficult situation.
Align your evaluation
Always with the Word of God.
When you can’t change your situation
You can change your evaluation.
There’s no impossible situation
When we yield to God’s animation.

In every situation
I seek a saturation
Of Jesus living in me.
(Matthew 6:33 and
Colossians 1:27)

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Try Faithfulness

Daily writing prompt
What could you try for the first time?

Faithfulness? Faithfulness is repeatedly and consistently doing what is right. Being continually faithful to God in small things produces great strength. This is how faith works. Faith is faithfulness. When faithfulness is the hardest rise to the occasion. Persistently seek to be faithful to Jesus Christ in all things, big or small.

If you will faithfully and actively keep the stones rolled away from the entrance to your heart (Romans 8:14) God will continually overflow you with Christ’s resurrection life and power surging from within you as living water. (John 7:38-39) Daily put the Book of Acts into courageous loving action. “Be a doer of the word, not a hearer only.” (James 1:22)

My life with Christ has never been a dull documentary. It’s always a power-packed action adventure. (Acts 1:8) There’s nothing more exciting than being a Spirit-led child of God. (Romans 8:14)

Every distraction
From stepping out
In Spirit-led action
Is a subtraction
From genuine faith.
True satisfaction
Comes from actively
Relying on God.
(1 Thessalonians 5:19)

Here is faithfulness. Christians are called to give our full allegiance, devotion, and obedience to King Jesus and to the invisible kingdom of God ahead of any other nation or national leader. (Matthew 6:33)

Christianity isn’t about any particular nation. It’s about people “from every kindred and every tribe.” (Revelation 7:9)

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I Want to Love Like Mother Teresa

Daily writing prompt
What principles define how you live?

Mother Teresa
Was a walled-in nun
In a pain filled world.
When she left the walls
To help heal the pain
Person by person,
The world took notice.
I try to go
And do likewise.

I believe that Mother Teresa was a true evangelical. I’ve never found anything hypocritical about her even though I have read many books and watched many videos about her.

Mother Teresa humbly demonstrated Christ’s love to everyone she met. She radiated kindness, peace, patience, joy, and the rest of the fruit of God’s Spirit. She didn’t try to force people to change by manipulating them through words, legalism, or self-righteousness. She just loved, loved, loved.

Mother Teresa and I would have disagreed about numerous Bible passages. Still, I greatly admire how she helped make multitudes of people around the world aware of the love, compassion, forgiveness, and healing of Jesus Christ. I wish more people who call themselves evangelicals would do likewise.

Evangelicals, if you really believe the Bible when it says, “God is love,” and when it says, “Humble yourself,” then show your confidence in the Bible by doing what it says. Humble yourself to the point of openly loving your enemies and publicly blessing those who curse.

Why are many Christians so angry and defensive? Why do so many of us ignore some of Christ’s commands and act like they don’t exist?

If Christians would obey Christ’s commands to “Bless those who curse you,” (Luke 6:27-28) “Love your enemies,” (Matthew 5:44) “Turn the other cheek,” (Matthew 5:39) and to forgive people “Seventy times seven times,” (Matthew 18:22) there would be a lot less anger, accusation, and hostility in society. However instead of obeying those hard commands from Jesus, Christians seem to be some of the loudest and angriest spreaders of accusation and hostility. Why is that?

Jesus didn’t die and rise again to start a weekly Sunday morning religious performance. He died and rose again to bring about the transformance of human hearts from cold to compassionate. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Does anybody know of a church that will stay centered on the presence and active leading and Headship of the risen Jesus when they meet instead of being centered on a sermon? I want to worship with people who will do that and will strive to obey Christ’s commands to love. O see can you say, Jesus Christ is “my Lord and my God.” (John 20:28)

Jesus wants Christianity to be hierarchy-free. He said: “You are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:8-12)

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It’s Easy to Put Off Observing

Daily writing prompt
What have you been putting off doing? Why?

You can’t appreciate what you won’t observe. You are probably overlooking a lot of things. Look and see!

True faith is much more than merely believing in the existence of God. True faith is to continually observe, experience, rely on, and obey God’s presence and reality. To dare to courageously see what you’ve been unwilling to see about where you stand with God is the first step to a better life.

Train yourself to observe, obey, and openly surrender your heart to God. No one can explain or understand God, but everyone is invited to surrender to and daily rely on His presence.

When you begin to notice, observe, and cooperate with what God is saying and doing within you, your life will soar to a new level. By using the power of observation, you can see God tracks all around you and even within you. Look and notice! No one can explain or understand God, but everyone is invited to surrender to and daily rely on His presence.

Dare to set aside your agenda, your plans, your program, and your desires. Then observe what Jesus does. God observers are overcome with awe and love for Him. Be one. Be aware. Listen, wonder, ponder, and observe what God is saying to you.

Observe what religion (not the Bible) calls “The Lord’s Supper.” It was a full meal that Jesus shared with His 12 closest disciples. It is described in four books in the Bible — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and 1 Corinthians.

The meal took place around a table not at an altar. Jesus spontaneously interrupted the meal to use two of the items to describe His coming crucifixion. He took bread, blessed it, broke it, and passed it around the table for His disciples to eat. He told them that the bread represented His body.

Next Jesus took wine, thanked God for it, passed it to His disciples, and they all drank some of it. Then He told them that the wine represented His blood of the covenant (a reality shifting commitment that God made to humanity) which was about to be poured out for many. Jesus also told His disciples that He wouldn’t drink any more wine until He drinks it in the kingdom of God, but He told His disciples to do so in remembrance of Him.

Jesus interrupted His final supper with His disciples and focused on the bread and wine as a way of helping them to observe and notice the significance of His coming death. Two thousand years later interrupting a meal to savor some bread and wine could be a powerful way to remember Jesus and how He used a meal to help prepare His disciples for His coming death.

I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone spontaneously interrupting a full meal (like Jesus did) to use bread and wine as a way to help people focus on and remember Christ’s sacrifice. Perhaps we should try it.

What do you think people would do if in the middle of a meal someone said: “Hey everybody. Let’s remember what Jesus said about the bread and the wine. Let’s take a moment to focus on them. Let’s pass them around and partake of them together so that we can remember Jesus and His death. Let’s also remember that He rose from the dead and is present both inside of us and with us at this very table.” Perhaps routine religion has over formalized what Jesus did with bread and wine.

What you observe
You will preserve.
Always reserve
Room within you
For awareness
Of God’s presence.
Refuse to swerve
Away from His love.

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Maturity (Step-by Step)

Daily writing prompt
When was the first time you really felt like a grown up (if ever)?

I heard the word (and acrostic) PETS throughout the night last night. A powerful way to feel “like a grown up” is to put PETS into daily action.

PETS for spreading faith, hope, and love are:

P — Pray with people frequently — out loud, spontaneously, and from your heart. (Matthew 18:19-20)
E — Encourage all the people who you can whenever and wherever you can. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
T — Testify often about what God has done and is doing in your life. (Revelation 12:11)
S — Sing a lot with people. Freely and joyously belt out God’s praises together. (Isaiah 52:9)

The more I follow those 4 PETS with other people the more I experience trust in Jesus, optimism, and deep affection for people. Gather frequently with two or more people and let the PETS fly. (Hebrews 10:25)

Let the words spoken by God through the writers of the Bible be spoken directly to your heart today. Applying PETS in your daily life will help you do that.

Christianity isn’t about hearing a religious speaker. It’s about being a constant God seeker. (Matthew 6:33 and 2 Chronicles 7:14) If your heart isn’t open to God, you will be blind to Him.

When life feels like
Futility
Open up to
Humility.
Acknowledge your
Fragility.
Set aside your
Ability.
Experience
Tranquility.
Get to know the
Utility
Of faith in God,
Develop Christ-centered
Perceptibility.

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I’m Seeking to Give My All to None of These Nations

Daily writing prompt
If you had a million dollars to give away, who would you give it to?

Praise and adoration belong to God — not to any nation! A Christian’s calling is to continually follow and obey the risen Jesus, not to get wrapped up in and focused on politics, current events, or entertainment.

Militaristic patriotism is the gruesome idol that requires human death sacrifices and slaughters multitudes. O that we humans would escape from its coldhearted cruelty and horrors.

If you truly believe that Jesus is alive, present, and active in the world, live every moment of your life like He is! Some people say that Christianity is about going to church. Others say it’s about going to Heaven. The Bible says it’s about growing from glory to glory into the image of Christ. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Give to God what is God’s. (Mark 12:17) Always give Him your all in all — your radical and total love and obedience. (Mark 8:34)

Anytime
And anyplace
Can be your place
Of worship.
Always seek
God’s face.
Never let
Anything
Take the place
Of God
In your heart!
(2 Chronicles 7:14)

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