The Good Life

In the world there are many man made religions. Then there are many who have taken a part of the revelation of Jesus. The ideas of man, incorporating the words of God, to come up with a mixed up knowledge. Even as the serpent did with Eve. But be assured of this, there is one true God. He's the one who backs up His own Word.

Allow me to discribe Him, though I have only seen a part of Him. He's the one with love that compels Him to move on behalf of the plight of man. He's the one with salvation and healing for all man. He's the one who causes the works of the enemy to turn out for my good. He's the one who walks with me, and talks with me. He directs my path, and leads me into pleasant places. His thoughts toward me are good, and He takes joy in blessing me. He places me in fruitful and meaningful life, His very own life.

He's my comfort, my joy, my peace, and love of my life. He keeps me day and night. I have no worries, no problems, no struggles that He that lives in me doesn't overcome. I have entered into His rest, and I am safe. My life has been one of peace, and joy, and victory for the last 30yrs.

These words may sound strange to many. But to me, any-thing other than this goodness of God, is strange indeed! Look and see who you are following. If it's Jesus then this report should be your's as well. As He said; "in this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer (rejoice, be happy, don't worry), for I have overcome the world." A lot of people stop at tribulation, don't, go on to the end of the text, and enter into victory. Get into the "overcoming" and see the salvation of the Lord. He has promised it, and He will perform it!

I Don't Get It

This is a probing question to me. Has anyone ever read the Bible? It is cleary stated that the "Word of God is Truth". Is that right? Then why don't christians go by "the Word"? Do we have to follow in the steps of rebellious Israel? They had prophets speak forth the "word of God", and were chased about as liars, and false teachers. Today is no different.

If someone is sick, instead of the truth "with His stripes you were healed", people want me to pray that God gives the doctors wisdom, or the right medication. What happened to "the word of God is life, and health to all your flesh". My prayer would be that the eyes of there blind heart be enlighten, that they might know the exceeding greatness of the power of God to-ward them, to loose them from the viles of the devil. The "Word" is the right medicine. Not what some man put together in a laboratory. Do you realize that all man's medicine is "poison"? It's a poison that is supposed to kill some things (what ever is ailing you), and not at the same time end your life!

Then again we lament the lack of power to witness and be better disciples of the Lord. To have more success and influence in the affairs of our city's and world. But we won't accept the gift of the Spirit, because "what is this foolishness, are they drunk". It doesn't appear to have any purpose. It doesn't fit into "let all things we done decently and in order". First you have to "let all things be done"! Then worry about order.

First you have to have the power of the Spirit to get the witness of God with power. Then you'll have the success He brings. He added 5000 in His first message, can you do that? It says "they were pricked in there hearts". This is the work of God, not men. Man can't touch the heart, only God the Spirit.

Then there is the intimate relation we want with the Lord. This too is by the "gift of the Spirit". We are not capible of grasping the Awesomeness of God through the faculty's of the mind or body. But only as the Spirit reveals Him to us. Didn't Jesus say, "He will take of mine and make it known unto you"?

And another thing is the lack of faith. How can you recieve with-out faith? I was in a service where there was a good message. Sincere and with pure motives. But it was to no avail. Why. There was no faith that God was there to move and prove and do the word that came forth. If a preacher said to me; "the Lord bless you". I will stand there and praise and rejoice in God until that blessing comes. I will thank God for sending me His blessing, with my whole heart, I will magnify God until I see the manifestation, or until I have the witness in my spirit that it is NOW MINE.

This is the way to treat the "Word of God", either in the Bible or by the voice of one of His servants. "The word of God is alive, and powerful." God watches over His word to PERFORM it. What-ever is preached to me is to be food for me, to be life in me, to strengthen and equip me, for the work of the Lord. So if God said it, then I'll expect it, NOW.

The Beguiling Sepent

In the conversation with Eve, the devil got her to look. To see with her eyes, to be led by the sight.

Then the devil got her to reason, after seeing it was good, then she reasoned indeed it would be good to be wise and know good from evil.

Then the devil added one word to what God had said; the word was "NOT". "You shall NOT die; but God had said, "You shall die". The devil hasn't changed; and neither has God.

To be led by God is to ignore what you can see. Faith looks at the unseen, that is promised in God's word. Faith looks at the word, and says, Amen. I see it in the word, and that settles it, it's truth, and it's God's promise to me! The Word is enough, it (the word) is the evidence that I recieve for the things yet unseen, and the proof that it is mine. You can't recieve any-other way. For "my just shall live by faith". The eyes and ears and ability of the body to perceive the physical realm can't be used in the realm of the spirit. The same senses that profit you in the earth, will stop your progress in the spirit. You can't use these or rely on them. They will decieve you, for they are contary to the spirit. As in Eve, they are misleading and cause for missing God's plan. Don't go by what you can see, hear, touch, taste, or smell.

To be led by God is to ignore what you can reason out or discover by thought. The word of God comes to us by "REVELATION". Only the Spirit can give you the understanding of His word. The Spirit gives us a "knowing" in us, then we can train the mind in truth. The spirit with-in is the candle of the Lord, and He lights our spirit with His truth, and then we see truth. Consider how you came to the Lord and it will be plain to you. This is how you started in Christ, and also how you are to life in Christ. By this method you were saved, and come to completion. Reason will not take you there, but will mislead you. If your relying on your mind, you will not find the "tree of life". Knowledge is not life, life will bring "true knowledge". In the garden God told the man about all the tree's including these two. Then He told him, "you mayest eat". So eat the word, meditate, chew, ingest, inhale, imagine, and by every way drink of the word. Place yourself in the stories and characters of the Old and New Testament. Use every-thing as a picture of yourself in these settings. Open your heart to deep and full experiences, involve all the things that you did as a child, and allow the word to become real and alive in you.

The last way to be misled is to "add to or take away" one word of God. The record of God's word stands as is. If you buy a car "as is", if something is wrong you are responsible to correct it. The word of God is "as is", if you have accepted salvation from God by the Lord Jesus Christ. The whole of His word to you is "as is", God Himself is responsible for His word. And He will be responsible to it, and to do and accomplish it. But if you "add or take away", then it is not His word but yours, and you are on your own to reap your own harvest.

So look at you life and see where you are, is life springing up all around you, with goodness and prosperity, and joy and peace? If not then we are being mislead. Go to the 23 Psalm and see your life. Then go to the 1st Psalm and see your life. Then go to the 91st Psalm and see some more of your life. Hold these and others in your heart, meditate and assimulate the word of God into you. And you will see what God will do.

Real Good News

The Gospel's give the record of Jesus who is the word of God. His manner of life was in the preaching and demonstrating the truth of God. Who God accredited as his servant by signs, miracles, and wonders among the people. The same Jesus is exalted above the heavens in His resurrection from the dead. And given authority over all the works of God.

Of Him it is said; "Jesus, the same yesterday, today, and forever." This testifies to the on-going work of Christ Jesus through the vessel of His church. Not a different Jesus, but the same, now exalted. This is why He said; "those who believe in me, will do the same works that I do, and greater works than these shall they do, because I go to the Father".

In this we see two things; first, the Lord expects the work of destroying the works of the devil to continue to the end of this age; second, He has commissioned His church to carry out this work. What is this work? The same that Jesus was anointed for; "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, becuse he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Someone might say, "yes, but that was Him." Don't we realize that as many as recieve Him are one with Him. In other words, we two become one, in life, in purpose, and as He is "the anointed one", so is He in us to guarantee us his victory. He has not left it up to the wisdom of man, or mans devices or knowledge. He himself has come into us to ensure the victory. This is the Holy Spirit from God, the Spirit of Christ. To make it simple, it is Jesus own Spirit poured forth from the throne of grace.

In the preaching of the gospel I see a great error. Where knowledge is preached from the word, the children die. Where faith is preached from the word, the children live! There is this difference, one produces death, the other life! How can this be? The word is spirit and life, if it is believed, recieved, and acted upon. The letter of the word is death. Doesn't this agree with Paul? Yes, in the way you look at the word, either in faith, or in doubt and mental reasoning. Trying to make it fit into your present situation and pet doctrine.

Many people looked at the word of God, and called Him a devil, enchanter, and socerer. They were not looking for truth, but to justify there own selfs. Man could not then or now see what he is looking at, but by the Spirit. The only way to see is by faith. You have to trust that God is good and a rewarder of those who seek him. You have to believe His word regardless of what you think, or have been taught. Either His word is true, and all men liars, or He is a liar. We can't have it both ways. If you exalt your own thoughts over God's, then you are calling Him a liar. If you exalt His words over your own understanding, and ideas, even if you don't know what they mean, then you can be assured that God will bring that word to pass.

We who are called by the name of Jesus should be zealous for the word of God. If we say we love Jesus, then we love His words. If we say we will submit to Him, then we have to recieve His words. If we trust Him, then we trust He has told us the truth, and will demonstrate it in our lifes. For the "preaching of the gospel", not "the teaching", is with power and demonstration of the Spirit to the truth. By it we are saved, healed, and delivered. In Him we have recieved new life, the very life of God. How then could be swallow any teaching, idea, or limit on the complete and self-suffiency of the total revelation we have in God's word? What He has said is the truth. And it stands forever.