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.
There are 3 currents streaming in human consciousness: 1) choice, 2) confusion, and 3) conscience.Choice is self-directed thinking; confusion is distorted thinking; and conscience is Spirit-prompted thinking.
Confusion (distorted thinking) entered the human race when choice began to override conscience.When self-directed thinking ignores Spirit-prompted thinking, it leads to distorted thinking.When self-directed thinking submits to Spirit-prompted thinking, confusion is replaced by inner peace.
When Adam and Eve chose to disobey God and to eat the fruit of “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,” mankind fell away from God’s Spirit.Distorted thinking stays distorted, no matter how often or how loud it is presented (or how faithfully it is followed).
When choice regularly overrides conscience, thinking is distorted and falls into bondage to self-destructive attitudes and habits.Self-directed thinking (choice) can never fully overcome doubt and confusion, but Spirit-led thinking releases a preponderance of inner peace.
The inner pain and confusion that occurs when choice trumps conscience is called guilt.Conscience (Spirit-prompted thinking) drives out confusion by simplifying choice to either “obey or disobey.”
Self-directed thinking tends to move toward narcissism and a distorted ego. Spirit-prompted thinking always moves in the direction of truth and humility.
Self-directed thinking and Spirit-prompted thinking often contradict each other and then we must choose which one to follow and which one to quench.When choices become habitual and we become unaware that our self-directed thinking is overriding our conscience, we get stuck in guilt.The best use of choice is to overcome confusion and guilt, by choosing to follow your conscience.
Is time a timebomb or a timeout? When spent in self-directed thinking it can devastate; in Spirit-prompted thinking, refresh and heal.
Spirit-prompted thinking renews your consciousness and makes you aware of many amazing, unseen things.Spirit-prompted thinking realizes that sometimes we need to sit and wait so we don’t interrupt God while He sets up our next steps. You can jumpstart Spirit-prompted thinking by humbly reading the Bible, with an open heart, everyday. If your life feels empty, the One who left behind an empty tomb, can fill it.
Lukewarm Christianity tends to scold people who are ice cold, stop those who are red hot, and entertain the rest. See Revelation 3:16
Cold Christianity ignores the living Jesus. Hot adores Him. Lukewarm bores the people in between.Hot Christianity is fired up! Cold Christianity is shut down. Lukewarm Christianity is toned-down.
Hot Christianity’s bold! Cold’s not. Lukewarm’s automated like an online bot.The more you breathe the air of lukewarmness, the harder it is to passionately follow and obey the living Jesus.Christ-followers are compelled to obey the risen Jesus, by the fire of His love burning in their heart, not by outward coercion.
Some people like lukewarm Christianity. Other people feel obligated to it. Some just tolerate it, while others search for red hot faith.
If you try to balance hot and cold Christianity, you become lukewarm. Perhaps it’s better to make a bold choice. Be hot!
If Starbucks served lukewarm, they’d lose their followers. Perhaps that’s why Jesus wants His disciples “hot or cold.”
Rejecting lukewarm Christianity, is a biblical concept (Revelation 3:16) that many people prefer not to hear about.It’s hard to clearly see our own lukewarmness in times of normalcy, but disruption often releases fresh insight to those who are open to it.
Christian spirituality is much deeper than sociality, because it involves direct interaction with Jesus and Spirit-prompted interaction with others. Christians tend to memorialize Jesus as historical, but often neglect to remember and surrender to Him as present and living.
Jesus said: “Do this in remembrance of Me.” Remember His presence in the present moment and surrender to Him now!Too often Christians forget that Jesus is present and active in the now, and only remember Him in the past. Remember He’s here!Remembering Christ living back then is no excuse for not remembering to focus on His living presence, just now.
Remember the Jesus Christ living now in you, not just the one who lived back then, in Galilee and Judea.If you won’t remember what Jesus is doing in your life right now, you won’t stay excited about what He did 2,000 years ago.
Since Jesus knew He was going to be present, why did He tell His first disciples, “Do this in remembrance of Me.”? Because it’s easy to forget about His presence with us now.
To remember Jesus from the past, but forget to interact with Him in the present, is to miss the essence of Christianity.Even Communion (the Lord’s Supper) is to be taken in remembrance of Jesus–recalling, experiencing, and interacting with His living presence in the moment.
Ancient Jews followed an indirect approach to God thru priests and ceremonies, but Jesus opened the way to direct relationship.Now that Jesus is risen we can go beyond hierarchal religion that operates thru priests, and into direct interaction with Him (the kingdom of God).
The kingdom of God begins to manifest when King Jesus is allowed to be the active Head of His body, not just the figurehead.When anyone obeys the risen Jesus and does what He says, the kingdom (government) of God is manifesting at that moment.
Though unseen with physical eyes, the living Jesus can be recognized by an open heart.My heart’s attraction is daily interaction with the living Jesus. I love to focus on Him and be aware of His presence!
Heart-felt testimonies and direct, in the moment Christ-experiences, are essentials (often shut-down by church ceremonies).Share your salvation testimony. If you don’t have one, ask the risen Jesus to save you and then tell what He does.
Sermons aren’t enough. The active presence of Jesus is essential to Christianity. “Apart from Me, you can do nothing.”Church services tend to remember what Christ did in the distant past, but to forget His real presence in the immediate moment.
Liturgy-led, preacher-led, or Spirit-led? That is the question for the church of the future.If church doesn’t train Christians to listen directly to God’s “still small voice,” doesn’t that make a preacher God’s middleman?
If your insights and spiritual gifts aren’t needed in a church service, does your presence benefit anyone but yourself?Christian spirituality is collaboration between the risen Jesus and you. The more you surrender, the more He is able to lead.
Jesus has relocated from being dead in His tomb to living inside those who are surrendered to Him. He’s not dead anymore. He can speak for Himself!
Clergy-focused meetings blur the resurrected Jesus by misdirecting our attention away from Him.A “Christian” narcissist is someone who has dethroned the risen Savior in his life.
Unconditional surrender to the risen Jesus brings glorious freedom from self-focus and self-tormentObeying Jesus is always surprising. You feel like you’re giving up what you want, but then those feelings are swept away by His presence.
Surrender to the living Jesus isn’t “once and done.” I have to do it many times everyday.Surrendering to Jesus is easier when times are hard. Then people need the risen Jesus and His supernatural power, not just church services.
Religion is often the stone that tries to keep Jesus entombed. It’s easy to forget about the risen Jesus except on Easter. It’s much more powerful to listen to and obey Him daily.
The biblical concept of ekklesia involves Spirit-led interaction with the living Jesus and some of His followers. Make church ekklesia again.Ekklesia says: You’re free to obey the Spirit; if you’re off track, an overseer will gently correct you. Church says: Sit and listen.
People tell me that the Holy Spirit can lead thru a preacher or thru liturgy. Here are some thoughts about that:
Liturgy is set in stone. How can the Spirit lead in something that isn’t flexible? The Spirit can be felt during liturgy, but the Spirit is seldom (if ever) allowed to redirect it or modify it. Also, if a preacher is leading, but the Spirit wants to interject something thru someone else, how often does the preacher allow that? I’ve never seen a preacher allow an interruption during his sermon, but 1 Corinthians 14 says that if one person is speaking and the Spirit gives something to someone else, the first person should sit down and allow the other one to speak.
Some people believe that their political opinions are based on facts. They also believe that their political opponents’ views are built on fake news.When Christians are unkind and speak or act rudely, it doesn’t make people want to follow their Savior.
Lord, forgive us for our political idols that are no better than idols of stone.Instead of blaming people, political parties, and conspiracies, for our Covid pain, perhaps we need to humbly pray.
The Tomb Evader Broke death’s seal And walked out alive. Happy Resurrection Day!
One more Easter sermon, Online or in person, Won’t do you much good If you won’t follow and obey the risen Jesus!
If Jesus is really alive, you don’t have to attend church to spend time with Him. If Jesus is really alive, search Him out and get to know Him for yourself.To say that you believe that Jesus rose, but ignore His presence in the now, misses the point.
Easter is Resurrection Anniversary. It celebrates Jesus rising from the dead almost 2,000 years ago and His being still available to us today!Jesus’ resurrection began a worldwide movement (not an institutional religion) of humans with hearts aflame, who met and followed Him.
Easter doesn’t end. The resurrection of Jesus is eternal. He said, “I am with you always.”
Honoring and worshipping a crucified man, threatened the Roman hierarchy and eventually ended Emperor worship. “Jesus is Lord,” not the state — not any human government.
Our faith should never be buried in a tomb, hidden behind a stone, and wrapped up in grave clothes. Jesus said: “Shout it from the housetops!”
You don’t need another talk about how Jesus walked out of the tomb to live forever. Simply follow and obey Him!
Easter Irony:By God’s choice, Jesus survived the tomb. By human choice, millions don’t survive the womb.
Easter lays an egg when it begins to focus on rabbits and baskets. That stuff is part of the “dead Jesus complex” (dJc).
The first disciples’ encounters with the risen Jesus were accompanied by “great joy.” Perhaps “little joy” is a sign of the “dead Jesus complex.”
The risen Jesus didn’t need a church service. However, He did show up when His disciples went fishing and personally led a fish fry.
When you first encounter the resurrected Jesus, like His followers at the empty the tomb, you will be, “trembling and bewildered.”The risen Jesus told His disciples to proclaim “repentance for the forgiveness of sins,” not prosperity and happiness formulas.He told His disciples to wait for supernatural power. (If they needed it, surely you and I do.)
The risen Jesus taught His disciples about “the kingdom of God.” Maybe all Christ-followers need to focus on God’s kingdom.
As some women left Jesus’ empty tomb, the Bible says, “Suddenly Jesus met them. ‘Greetings,’ He said.” Dead man talking!When the women told the apostles about the resurrection, “they did not believe the women because their words seemed to them like nonsense.”Later, the risen Jesus “opened their (the apostles) minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” Why not ask Him to open yours?
If we look for Jesus in ceremonies, perhaps we need to hear what an angel said at the empty tomb: “He is not here; He has risen.” The angel also said: “He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you.” Look ahead, not behind, and follow the living Jesus.
When Thomas saw the resurrected Jesus, he said: “My Lord & My God!” (Just in case you’re wondering who Jesus is.)
Here are powerful words spoken by the risen Jesus: “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” I’m so glad I get to interact with Him.
On Resurrection Day, people worshiped the resurrected Jesus. You can, too — right now, right where you are. Why not?
“Holy Saturday” remembers Jesus’ time in His tomb. Don’t let the “dead Jesus complex” (dJc) get you stuck there!Like the women at the tomb on Resurrection morning, many people want to honor Jesus by embalming Him, but He won’t stay put.
Dead Jesus, hope gone, defeated disciples – -that was supposed to be temporary, not permanent.Jesus said, “It is finished,” not, “I’m finished.” He’s still going strong!
A Tim McGraw song says: “Live like you were dying.” The “dead Jesus complex” (dJc) says: “Live like Jesus is dead.”
Like Jesus was “sealed” in the tomb, many people try to “seal” Him in the past, by ignoring His risen presence in the now.The “dead Jesus complex” (dJc) doesn’t fully appreciate that Jesus has no grave clothes on. He left them behind, folded in the tomb. It tries to preach about the resurrection while keeping Jesus in grave clothes.
The “dead Jesus complex” (dJc) confused Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb. It made her think that the resurrected Jesus was the gardener, until she heard Him call her by name. (Have you heard Him call your name?)
When Christians have the “dead Jesus complex,” they tend to shift their hope from the risen Christ, to religion, pastors, politicians, and the economy.The “dead Jesus complex” verbally acknowledges the resurrection, but ignores Christ’s living and active presence in the now.
The “dead Jesus complex” is very problematic. Jesus died and was sealed in His tomb, but the “dead Jesus complex” (dJc) causes people to act like He’s still there.It causes many Christians to focus on the written Word, while ignoring the living Word. Therefore it is a great hinderance to Christian growth — keeping many Christians in spiritual infancy.
The “dead Jesus complex” creates a need for religious programming. (If Jesus is still dead, we need a pastor to run things.)The “dead Jesus complex” is contagious. If you hang around a powerless “form of godliness” (casual Christianity), you might accidently catch it.
Contrary to the “dead Jesus complex,” Scripture teaches that Jesus WAS dead and buried, but is NOW alive, active, and available to humans. Daily reading the Bible with an open heart will open the door for the risen Jesus to speak directly to you. Try it!
To only focus on and celebrate the resurrected Jesus, one day per year, is to embrace and promote the “dead Jesus complex” (dJc).Two early disciples were on a walk and were in the presence of the risen Jesus. However, they didn’t even recognize Him. That’s the “dead Jesus complex.”
On Easter, preachers make an obligatory talk about the empty tomb, but too many Christians and churches act like it’s still occupied.Celebrating Easter and saying Jesus rose, doesn’t cure the “dead Jesus complex.” Daily surrender to His presence and Lordship does! Meeting, following, and obeying the risen Jesus is the only effective cure for the “dead Jesus complex.”
Symptoms of the “dead Jesus complex (using part of a quote from William Booth): “Religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance.”
Jesus isn’t tomb-bound. He’s not under death’s lockdown. He’s spreading His power and presence to all who will humbly receive.
Every time you veer away from Christ, immediately steer your heart and mind back into the atmosphere of His living presence.
If any Sunday need not be pastor’s-sermon-focused, it’s Resurrection Sunday. If Jesus is alive, let’s let Him run the meeting.In all your streaming take time to stream the risen Jesus on the screen of your heart. On Easter 2020, the churches are closed, because of the Corona virus, but Christ’s tomb remains ever open.
The best way to give up our desire to be in control, is to surrender our expectations of what we want, and daily trust and obey the risen Jesus.Seclusion becomes joyful infusion when you find the living Jesus there.
Lonely hearts come alive when the risen Jesus enters in and becomes the focus!It’s hard to feel alone when you’re being deeply inspired by a book that stirs your heart and soothes your soul.Some of my best friends are authors who lived centuries ago and wrote beautifully about their relationship with the risen Jesus. I enjoy interacting with their words and perspectives.
Much hope, encouragement, and inspiration is yours for the reading. Find books that vividly present the risen Jesus and begin to peruse them.
I love to spend time with people who inspire me to love the living Jesus more. I’ve been blessed with many people like that in my life! Learn how to free yourself from the dead Jesus complex (dJc) at this link.
Accolades are mere charades, and insults are just manmade. It’s what you are on the inside that matters! One of the greatest things in the world is to be free from the torment of self-focus. Pride will choke your heart and make it hard to breathe the fresh air of humility.
You can choose your inner scenery–the images flickering in your mind. Choose inspiring mental scenes instead of depressing ones.
Solitude can be tormenting or fulfilling, depending on how you use it. I love finding uplifting ideas inside me.
One of the reasons that it’s difficult to be in seclusion is that it tends to force us to face our illusions.The more I know myself, the more I’m convinced that Jesus is right on point when He says, “Deny yourself.” It’s hard to trust other people if you can’t trust yourself.
Despised & rejected by men, Forsaken, mocked & crucified, Emmanuel (God with us) Was put to death. “Father, forgive them, For they know not What they do.” “It is finished.” The way, the truth And the life Opened the door For forgiveness, healing, And relationship with the Father, To whoever will Draw near to Him.
The theology of the Cross shows the severity of my sin. The theater of the Cross astonishes me with Christ’s sacrifice for me.The Cross reveals the terrible depth of sin in human hearts and the incalculable cost of redemption and freedom from sin’s power.
Jesus took upon Himself the sins of all humans, to be the world’s Passover Lamb. His blood, applied by faith, sets people free.
The Cross declares all people equal — sunk in sin unless surrendered to Christ’s supernatural redemption.The gap between God and me is so great, that the cross is the only thing that can get me across it.
Sometimes I’m Cross-eyed. My heart looks at and ponders the humility, love, forgiveness, and power of Christ’s sacrificial death.The Cross-fire burns in my heart — that Jesus would die to save me from my sins and make a way for me to know Him & follow Him.
When we think about the Cross, we tend to forget that Jesus told His followers to take up their cross and follow Him.The Cross shouts out the power of sacrificial non-violence. Jesus loved His enemies, even as they killed Him, and changed the world.
There’s little power in mere critical analysis of the Cross. However, there is great and supernatural power in beholding the Lamb of God dying on it.
