Kingdom Changes Our Circumstances

 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

     This passage is part of what the Bible calls "The Great Commission". Although the Church has long acknowledged that we have been given a commission, I'm not sure the 21st Century Christian could explain what his commission is.  I'd like to share the journey I've taken in dissecting these important verses.

     So, this is where it is really important to understand the meaning of words and what they tell us about who we were created to be. To begin with, it is important to comprehend that we are on a co-mission with Christ. This can be perceived in two, yet equally valid, ways -- 1) Jesus was given a mission by our Father in Heaven, and we are to be a partner in that mission (think co-worker); and 2) We have been given a legitimate commission by Jesus to accomplish something in particular; we have been officially charged with a particular task or command. 

     Then it is important to know that the mission of the Body of Christ (as outlined in the other Scripture about the Great Commission, Mark 16:15) is to Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel [of the Kingdom] to the whole creation. That means proclaim it to people, plants, mountains, the wind, the sea; everything on the earth. And before you think that sounds like some New Age craziness, remember that Jesus is our model! He cursed the fig tree and it died. He spoke to the storm, and it calmed. He took command over the water, and walked on it. Furthermore, Jesus challenged the Pharisees who warned Him to tell His disciples to keep quiet about the works of Heaven (miracles) that they had seen, praising God in His glory, and Jesus responded, I tell you, if these [disciples] were silent, the very stones would cry out (Luke 19:40). And let's not forget Romans 8:22-23 when Jesus says the whole creation has been groaning along with us for the redemption of our bodies. I believe He is showing us that there is a huge difference between having faith IN God, and having the faith OF God, which can move mountains and calm the seas. 

     It is that faith OF God that enables us to carry out our mission for the Kingdom of Heaven. It was the vision of God, from the beginning, that He would create Earth, where He would rule [as He rules His kingdom in Heaven] through His children. But that plan was derailed in the Garden of Eden. So now His vision is the same, but we have been given another chance to accomplish our mission [to preach the Good News that the Kingdom of Heaven has arrived on earth] by doing everything His Son has commanded us to do. As I've said so many times before, that is clarified in His instructions spoken in Matthew 10:7-8,  And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. It couldn't be any clearer!

     Put simply, our goal as Christians should not be to get to Heaven, but to make Earth look like Heaven. But RELIGION tells us we shouldn't be satisfied on earth until we go to Heaven. But that's a wrong picture of God's vision! There is no sickness in Heaven, and by using the power and authority Jesus gave us, we can come against sickness here on earth as Kingdom citizens and ambassadors. Sickness can't defeat the Kingdom, and in all reality, Kingdom solves the problem of sickness and conquers it!

     We see this principle displayed in Luke 13:10-17, Now he [Jesus] was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. ¹¹ And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. ¹² When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” ¹³ And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. ¹⁴ But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” ¹⁵ Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? ¹⁶ And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” ¹⁷ As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.
     Notice, Jesus is in the synagogue preaching; He is in the church and notices a woman who had "a disabling spirit" and was obviously so tormented that she could not stand up straight. She had suffered for 18 years and I believe it is reasonable to suspect that she had been coming to that synagogue hoping for relief and healing. So what does Jesus do? He changes her circumstances by laying hands on her and releasing the healing power of God that is present in Him through the Holy Spirit. But the religious ruler of that synagogue is indignant because Jesus dared to heal her on the Sabbath! That priest's words and actions show that it was more important to keep his religious traditions than to set her free from her circumstances of disability. 
     But what is Jesus's answer to this condemnation? I'm paraphrasing here, but His answer was something like this ... Isn't this woman not more valuable than an ox, which you would choose to water on the Sabbath? She comes from Abraham's lineage and got healed under Abraham's contract with God that by his seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. That should satisfy you religious people. But there is a bigger contract than the one with Abraham! I have brought the governing principles of the Kingdom of God with Me, and we don't allow sickness in Heaven. So, I have changed the circumstances under which she's lived the last 18 years by the Kingdom principle of healing. You religious leaders here in the synagogue could have tried to heal her, but instead, you kept her comfortable in her circumstances; you kept her helpless against the torment of the Enemy."
     Can you see that our churches too often do the same thing? How many people have been sitting in the pews of their church for 18 years [or longer] suffering from debilitating physical ailments such as diabetes or arthritis; or tormented by lust and pornography; or burdened with the shame and guilt of promiscuity or abortion? Oh, they are wonderfully saved and believe that Jesus died on the Cross for their sins, but they are still suffering physical pain or the pain in their souls and spirits from the lies of the Enemy about their past. Jesus brought the Kingdom of Heaven to earth so that we don't have to continue in our circumstances! When we become Saved, we have the ability to see and enter the Kingdom of God, and that Kingdom citizenship gives us a right to be healed! But our church doctrines and traditions don't make that healing available. Instead, they serve to keep us comfortable in our harassed and tormented states, teaching us that we just have to wait until we get to Heaven and we will be healed of everything that caused us pain. That's not what Jesus taught!
     In Luke, Chapter 9, the Bible says that Jesus called his disciples together and gave them "power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick". That is our commission, too! It's really that simple ... "Spread the Good News of the Kingdom of God to all the nations, and then the end of this age will come" [Matthew 24:14]. That means the end of sickness, the end of death, the end of poverty, the end of pornography, the end of the sex trade, the end of corrupt government -- the end of everything the devil has used to support his dark kingdom on this earth. 
     Isn't it finally time that we begin changing the circumstances in the lives of people who love Jesus? Isn't that the underlying message in my opening Scripture? Jesus said to make disciples and teach them to observe all that I have commanded you .... tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and then heal the sick [in all the manifestations of that word]. KINGDOM CHANGES OUR CIRCUMSTANCES!

" A Fool Flaunts His Folly"

     I chose the title of this blog [from a phrase in Proverbs 13:16] after watching CBS's 60 Minutes presentation on a research study into the use of psychedelic drugs to help people who suffer from anxiety, depression, and addiction. This episode caught my eye because we are familiar with these spirits of anxiety, depression and addiction in our Inner Healing sessions. I wanted to see how the research corresponded with our findings of healing through Jesus Christ. I was actually pretty astounded at the similarities in the language used and the experiences that were shared. The difference lies in the fact that in the case of the researchers and study participants, the healing is credited to a large dose of psilocybin, the psychedelic agent in magic mushrooms, while participants in our Inner Healing sessions receive their healing from their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
     So, I 'd like to share parts of the transcript from the episode and contrast it with testimony of what I've seen the Lord do (which is in bold). The interviewer was Anderson Cooper, and I will introduce each of the people he spoke to and the connection they had with the study. Cooper states that these powerful, mind-altering substances are now being studied seriously by scientists inside some of the country's foremost medical research centers, and the results are impressive as participants go on a six-hour life-changing journey into their own minds. My response to that is that the Beloveds that come to the table to meet with Jesus spend two-three hours on a life-changing journey with Him into their spirits.

     The first study participant that Cooper interviews is a woman named Carine who suffered from an addiction to cigarettes for 46 years. Her experience under the influence of psilocybin was, in her own words, "terrifying".
ANDERSON COOPER: Do you remember specifically what you were seeing?
CARINE: Yes. The ceiling of this room was clouds, like, heavy rain clouds. And gradually they were lowering. And I thought I was gonna suffocate from the clouds.
    At this point, the episode shifts to Cooper interviewing Scientist Roland Griffiths who is involved with similar studies at John Hopkins Behavioral Biology Research Center.
DR. GRIFFITHS: We tell people that their experiences may vary from very positive to transcendent and lovely, to literally "hell realm" experiences... They come to a profound shift of world view; they are less identified with that self-narrative. People might use the term "ego." And that creates this sense of freedom.

     I will tell you that the Beloved who experiences Jesus's inner healing is not exposed to "the hell realm"; only the love, gentleness and kindness of Jesus. In the couple of hundred [and more] people we have ministered to, no one has encountered a terrifying experience. And, yes, their world view does change -- away from the false identity that the Enemy whispers, to an identity of self in the spiritual realm that is founded on who they are in Christ. And their freedom is unmistakable!  It comes from Him and not a drug. 

     The second participant interviewed was a young man named Jon, who suffered from an addiction to alcohol, drinking a staggering 20 cocktails a night, until his doctors told him he would die if he didn't stop.
JON: During one psilocybin session, [I] was flooded with powerful feelings and images from [my] past. Stuff would come up that I  haven't thought of since they happened.
ANDERSON COOPER: So old memories that you hadn't even remembered came back to you?
JON: Yes, and I felt a lot of shame and embarrassment throughout one of the sessions about my drinking and how bad I felt for my parents to put up with all this.
     Jon took psilocybin in 2016. He says he hasn't had a drink since.

     In our Inner Healing sessions, people are able to visit their past in the spirit, seeing images that always include the presence of Jesus. They see Him; they hear what He has to say about them, correcting the lies of the Enemy that have resulted in feelings of guilt and shame, similar to Jon's. The difference is that, through the Holy Spirit, they are able to hand over those condemning spirits to Jesus and walk in the freedom of their new identity.
     Here's what I discern in both Carine's and Jon's experiences with addiction. We have learned through our experiences and study -- people with addictions are trying to distract themselves from the feelings of being unloved. They have empty holes in their hearts, and when they have not received true, unconditional love as a foundation in their life, they are always in search of getting a need fulfilled. 
     As Dr. Henry Wright says in his profound book, A More Excellent Way, "The need to know God's love can open us up to look for love in all the wrong places. This need leaves us vulnerable to the deception of Satan, who seduces us into believing the world offers us a better substitute". Hence, we see people like Carine and Jon using psilocybin as a better substitute than God.  Jon was listening to the seductive lies of Satan and the spirits of shame and guilt, and was able to get rid of them through a manufactured mind-altering drug.  Those who come to us for Inner Healing defeat those spirits with the love of Jesus, who then fills those empty holes in their heart with the Holy Spirit.
   
     The third interview was with a woman named Kerry, who was diagnosed with stage III lung cancer in 2013. During her psilocybin session, she found herself trapped in a nightmare her mind created.
KERRY: [I was in an] ancient, prehistoric, barren land. And there's these men with pickaxes, just slamming on the rocks. So…
ANDERSON COOPER: And this felt absolutely real to you?
KERRY: Absolutely real. I was being shown the truth of reality. Life is meaningless, we have no purpose. And then I look and I'm [lying there] still, like a witness to a beautiful, shimmering, bright jewel [emphasis is mine]. And then  it was sound, and it was booming, booming, booming. "Right here, right now".
ANDERSON COOPER: That was being said?
KERRY: Yes. "You are alive. Right here, right now, because that's all you have." And that is my mantra to this day.

     How sad! As a Christian, and a daughter of King Jesus, I know she heard a lie from the pit of hell! Did anyone else identify what she was witnessing as a "beautiful, shimmering, bright jewel"? If not, let me quote Ezekiel 28:13 -- "You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared." This is a picture of Lucifer! And I am here to renounce the lies she heard!
     Life is NOT meaningless! We DO have a purpose! And "right here, right now" is NOT all we have.  And that's the beauty of our ministry -- people leave the table knowing that they are valuable to Jesus and the Father; that they were created to represent the Kingdom of God down here on earth. And they learn that they are so valuable to God that the Enemy has done everything he can to stop them from fulfilling their purpose; from knowing who they were created to be. Then they leave with renewed purpose for their life; they are not just waiting to die and go to heaven. 

     And that made me even more sad for Kerry. At the end of 60 Minutes, Anderson Cooper finishes up his interview with her. She maintained that her session with psilocybin was freeing. Though her cancer has now spread to her brain, her crippling anxiety about death is gone.
KERRY: Yeah, it's amazing. I mean, I feel like death doesn't frighten me. Living doesn't frighten me. I don't frighten me.
     Cooper reported that most of the 51 cancer patients in the Johns Hopkins study experienced "significant decreases in depressed mood and anxiety" after trying psilocybin. Two-thirds of them rated their psilocybin sessions as among the most meaningful experiences of their lives.
KERRY: To this day, it [the expereience on psilocybin] evolves in me.
ANDERSON COOPER: It's still alive in you--
KERRY: It's still absolutely alive in me.
ANDERSON COOPER: Does it make you happier?
KERRY: Yeah. And-- and I don't necessarily use the word happy. Comfortable. Like, comfortable. I mean, I've suffered from anxiety my whole life. I'm comfortable. That, to me, okay. I can die. I'm comfortable. (LAUGH) I mean, it's huge. It's huge.

     How I wish I could visit with Kerry before her impending death from cancer. I would tell her that anxiety is closely associated with the spirit of fear. And there is so much more than just feeling "comfortable" about her death. Jesus wants her to know the joy that those who leave our ministry session experience. He wants her to know that there is a life to be had beyond this one; that more than her psilocybin experience is alive in her -- He wants to be alive in her and wants a relationship with her! 

     But perhaps the most intriguing part of this episode was the interview Cooper did with author Michael Pollan, who wrote about the psilocybin studies in a bestselling book called "How to Change Your Mind." As part of his research, he tried psilocybin himself with the help of an underground guide.
ANDERSON COOPER: The kind of things that cancer patients were saying, like, "I touched the face of God." You were skeptical about when you hear phrases like that?
POLLAN: Yeah. Or, "Love is the most important thing in the universe." When someone tells me that I'm just like, "yeah, okay." It gives me the willies as a writer. And I really struggled with that cause during one of my experiences I came to the earth-shattering conclusion that love is the most important thing in the universe... And one of the things psychedelics do is they peel away all those essentially protective levels of irony and cynicism that we acquire as we get older and you're back to those kind of "Oh, my God. I forgot all about lo
ve." (Laugh)
     Pollan said he also experienced what the researchers describe as ego loss, or identity loss - the quieting of the constant voice we all have in our heads.

     I hope you are able to see that the research into the use of psilocybin and psychedelic drugs to heal the pain in people's lives comes quite close to mirroring the sessions in our Inner Healing ministry. But as Satan has so convincingly done throughout the ages, he whispers just enough truth that people [who don't want anything to do with God] can convince themselves they are free and living their best life.  Perhaps each of these people did receive some freedom from their addictions, anxiety, and doubt. But it was a temporary freedom from this world. And I believe that the use of psychedelic drugs tears open the veil between this world and the second heaven, where all the spirits reside and spiritual war is conducted against us humans. 
    Rather than "expanding their minds", these people need to be renewed in the spirit and receive the Truth of Jesus Christ, which will set them free, indeed! But as long as the secular and Godless world is willing to take the easy route offered by the devil, there will be those who seek an inferior substitute for the reality and blessing of Christ. I thank the Lord for His persistence in pursuing me. And I will be forever grateful for my freedom in Christ! 

Proverbs 15: 21    Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense, but a man of understanding walks straight ahead.  

Will 2020 Usher In the End of This Evil Age?

    
      I wasn't going to write anything about the New Year, but my spirit kept getting nudged to acknowledge it. So I will give you this short message that I hear the Lord telling me to share. For the past several months there have been an abundance of prophecies for the year 2020; most proclaiming revival and a new era of bold faith. I certainly hope these prophetic words are true! And then yesterday, a powerful prophetic word was spoken over mine and Mark's ministry. It was actually overwhelming, but came at a time when, to be honest, I was feeling a little discouraged. But I don't want to make this post about us. I will tell anyone who will listen that we are no one special. We do not hold ourselves higher than anyone else who has a heart to be obedient to the Lord and walk in His commandments.
     That being said, it is time that the rest of Christendom join us in the ministry of spreading the Gospel of the Kingdom. I hear more and more people waking up to the realization that evil is real and increasing. It is no longer hidden, but out in the open, and taunting all that is good. It is so apparent in every aspect of our culture -- entertainment, politics, government, technology and the internet, etc. While I can appreciate the prophetic word that is prevalent these days -- the prediction that a holy fire will spread through the ranks of Christians and a resurgence in faith will extend across the land -- I am praying that the fulfillment of our responsibilities to the Kingdom will be a part of that renaissance.
     So my message this New Year's Day, 2020, is really very simple. We need to walk in the hope of Jesus's own prophetic word in Matthew 24:14: Yet through it all, this joyful assurance of the realm of heaven’s kingdom will be proclaimed all over the world, providing every nation with a demonstration of the reality of God. And after this the end of this age will arrive. 
     It is my prayer that this prophesied revival includes more than just growing numbers of people coming to Salvation. It is my prayer that the Church moves beyond their Salvation experience and proclaims that the Kingdom of God has come to the earth and they will not only provide every person with a demonstration of the reality of God, but help them experience His power in every life. I want the Body of Christ to be true disciples of Jesus; transforming lives and doing the works of the Father, as Jesus commanded. I want the world to witness sickness, demons, unclean spirits, and yes, even death all defeated, in the mighty Name of Jesus! That is a real demonstration that God is real! When we learn to walk in our purpose, power, and identity, THEN the end of this age [of darkness and evil] will happen and the complete fulfillment of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth will arrive with the appearance of our Lord on the clouds! 
     Will 2020 be the beginning of the end of Satan's dominion on the earth? We will see. But Mark and I are not waiting for the world to get on board.  The two of us are going to keep on the path the Lord has appointed us, inviting every one to join us in the Kingdom, believing that we are sowing for a harvest that we may not ever see.  And we are trusting that our efforts for the Kingdom will resonate with other followers of Jesus until together, we become a wave of Kingdom righteousness that sweeps the nations and makes way for the King to return. So Happy New Year! And please join me in making 2020 count for the Kingdom!
      

The Religious Police vs Kingdom Citizens

     Oh, boy, I'm sure that this post will not win friends or influence people, but I feel it is time to take a stand. So here goes ... I am seeing a growing chasm between Christians; namely those in the camp I will call Reformers and those in the Kingdom camp. And I have to say that the rhetoric from the Reformer camp is getting uglier and more divisive. The articles on one of their more prominent websites, pulpitandpen.org, show me that they have designated themselves as the heresy police of Christianity. They decide who is a "real Christian" and who is not; often using Scripture sporadically, broadly, and frequently out of context. Furthermore, they categorize anyone who is Kingdom-minded as members of the NAR (New Apostolic Reformation).
     I will admit that I do not align myself with the NAR either, as I have discerned many of their adherents seem to be chasing prophetic gifts and titles. However, just because I am not so inclined, it does not mean that I condemn them or give individual pastors and teachers no credibility. I will leave the final judgment of their fruitfulness up to the Lord. As long as I see fruit from a group or movement, I join my husband in deciding to "eat the meat and spit out the bones" -- agree with what I see as fruit-bearing activity, and disregard areas that my spirit challenges. Not so, the Pulpit and Pen crowd.
     Their latest tirade is against Bethel Church and their attempt to resurrect a two-year-old child of one of their members through prayer. Here is some of what they wrote in an article entitled, Bethel 'Dead Raising Team' Fails To Save 2-Year Old:  "Of course, Bethel Church does not have the power to raise the dead. This is not the Apostolic age, and there are no Apostles or prophets (because we have the written word of God, (Hebrews 1:1-2). Some will look at this article and think it is cruel. Compare it to the actions of Jenn Johnson [worship leader and preacher at Bethel], publicly calling for this poor baby girl to be raised from the dead, giving her parents false hope and immeasurable pain instead of being content in 2 Corinthians 5:8, that for this child to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Instead of giving hope in the coming resurrection, they sell false promises. They are wicked, and Jenn Johnson should shut her evil mouth."
     WOW! Is that showing the love of Christ from one Christian to another? Is this the image of Christians that "the Church" wants to show the world? Or do these people more accurately resemble the religious Pharisees of the Bible? To be honest with you, it doesn't surprise me that this condemning language came from this website, one of the most outspoken of the Reformers. They have a history of defaming women who dare to declare themselves representatives of the Lord.
     Another of their articles titled, Are Women-Only Gatherings Biblical? Thoughts from John Bunyan, reads [in part] like this: "Essentially  [Bunyan's] argument is that prayer is – at its heart – doctrinal. Corporate, public prayer should contain doctrine and teach doctrine." The writer of the article [who is also the publisher of Pulpit & Pen] goes on to quote many of John Bunyan's opinions on the subject, but let me give you the condensed version as I surmised it ... Prayer is a serious business with doctrine at its center, and "there's no way to teach doctrine without authority". But look how they define who is entitled to walk in authority: "in a godly church where doctrine is closely checked and the pasture dutifully guarded, the calling of studies or prayer meeting or conferences – and their oversight – belong to the men commissioned for the office of pastor" ... therefore, it should not be led by whom the Holy Spirit calls the “weaker vessel.”
      So, it should not be surprising that Jenn Johnson, being a woman in what they see as an unbiblical position of preacher, should be their latest target. But I have a few things to say about both these articles. First, in regards to Bethel's attempt to resurrect a child who had tragically passed away, our Lord commissioned us to do just that! In Matthew 10:7-8, Jesus tells the Disciples, And as you go, preach this message: ‘Heaven’s kingdom realm is accessible, close enough to touch.’  You must continually bring healing to lepers and to those who are sick, and make it your habit to break off the demonic presence from people, and raise the dead back to life. Freely you have received the power of the kingdom, so freely release it to others.
     Now, I know the Reformers will say those instructions were given only to the Twelve Disciples and not to us. NOWHERE does Scripture say that! That is man-made doctrine called Cessationism. In fact, in what is called The Great Commission in Matthew 28, Jesus tells the Disciples, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” 
     Follow this with His declaration in Luke 10:19,  Now you understand that I have imparted to you all my authority to trample over his kingdom. You will trample upon every demon before you and overcome every power Satan possesses. Absolutely nothing will be able to harm you as you walk in this authority. Follow that with John 14:12, which says, Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.
     Just connect the dots! Disciples of all nations were to be taught to do what Jesus commanded the Twelve, and raising the dead was specifically commanded. Furthermore, He says that He has imparted ALL His authority and those who believe in Him will do the works that He did. Guess what? Raising the dead was part of the works he did to defeat the devil, along with casting out demons and healing the physically and spiritually sick. So I'm just a little tired of the ugly and slanderous language towards Christians who are seeking to follow not only Jesus's model, but His specific commandments.
    Secondly, the attacks on women as not being qualified to speak for Christ is also not biblically sound. And to quote the writings of a non-biblical source (John Bunyon) as truth is a little hypocritical, don't you think? And the writer/publisher shows his disingenuous intent when he asks at the end of the article, “Why? Why do we feel like women-only gatherings are obligatory or essential to our spiritual growth?” As a woman, I have never stated that I felt women's Bible studies were either obligatory or essential -- anymore than I think men's Bible studies are. As a matter of fact, I'm for any group of people who wish to gather together in search of Scripture's truth. 
     What I find burdensome and troublesome are self-appointed arbiters of what Christianity is supposed to look like. God inspired Scripture as His Holy Word. But when men decide they can re-interpret it according to their man-made doctrine, then differences of opinion are going to arise. Those differences are not inherently heretical. (Think "eat the meat and spit out the bones" -- as long as your spirit discerns there is nothing anti-Christ in the presentation). But Jesus never called for a religion. He commanded us to do what He did. He never said "Adopt this doctrine". And the Bible Study Tools website says "Doctrine is scriptural teaching on theological truths." But whose truths? Jesus's or John Bunyon or Pulpit & Pen or Jenn Johnson? It seems to me that it's important, as a follower of Jesus, to determine whose teachings line up with His. 
     And to call fellow believer's heretics or tell them to shut their evil mouths doesn't line up with Jesus's heart. And I just have to say that in the end, it all comes back to the fruit. Both camps are Saved and love Jesus. But only one camp is going to inherit the Kingdom. In Matthew 7, Jesus warns of pretenders ... Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the realm of heaven’s kingdom. It is only those who persist in doing the will of my heavenly Father. On the day of judgment many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, don’t you remember us? Didn’t we prophesy in your name? Didn’t we cast out demons and do many miracles for the sake of your name?’ But I will have to say to them, ‘Go away from me, you lawless rebels! I’ve never been joined to you! ... Everyone who hears my teaching and applies it to his life can be compared to a wise man who built his house on an unshakable foundation... But everyone who hears my teaching and does not apply it to his life can be compared to a foolish man who built his house on sand..."
     The Kingdom of God on earth is built on the foundation of those who followed Jesus and did what He did, which was the will of the Father. Before we condemn each other for being heretical, perhaps we should see if they are following Jesus's teachings -- not John Bunyon's; not John Calvin's; not Bill Johnson's; not mine, nor any man or woman's personal doctrine. Jesus is the model and we are clearly instructed to follow His teachings! 

Matthew 25:34     "Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." 

A Tree, an Oath and The Everlasting God

     

     As I've explained before, I am once again beginning in Genesis and reading the Bible through to Revelation. Each time I take this journey, I glean more spiritual knowledge of my Creator and Savior. Words and verses jump out at me that I've never taken notice of before, and as I research the history and meanings behind these new treasures, I am always overwhelmed by the glory of God.
     So, this time I found a Biblical jewel in Genesis 21:33. It reads, Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. There is so much in this one verse that I'd like to share. First of all, let me set the scene ... Abraham is sojourning in the land of the Philistines, and there arises a quarrel over a well that King Abimelech's servants had seized from Abraham. When Abraham approaches the King about this slight, Abimelech tells Abraham, "God is with you in all that you do" and asks Abraham to swear that they will deal with each other from that day forward with honor and trustworthiness. The Bible records that Abraham gave the king sheep and oxen and set aside seven ewe lambs as a witness that it was he who had dug the disputed well. Then verses 31 and 32 say, Therefore that place was called Beersheba [well of the oath], because there both of them swore an oath. So they made a covenant at Beersheba. 
     Which leads us to verse 33 and the notice that Abraham plants a tamarisk tree. Something so notable is not by accident. He could have planted any number of trees or bushes. Why the tamarisk? Here's what my research showed:  It is an extremely slow-growing tree and has to be cared for in order to do well. To a Bedouin or a Jew, you don’t plant a tamarisk for yourself, you plant it for the generations to come. From this story of Abraham in Genesis, we get the idea that Abraham planted this tree to say, “for generations to come, my family is going to be here”. “This shade is for the generations to come, I’ll never get to use it.” Other significant facts about the tamarisk tree is that it sends its roots down deep and scatters huge numbers of seeds. So Abraham didn't plant the tamarisk tree for his own comfort or use, but rather he was planting the seed for generations to come -- as shelter and protection; not only for his generational line but for all who are of his spiritual seed.
     I want you to connect all the dots that are laid out before us in this verse. From the significance of the tamarisk tree, we see that the place where Abraham plants it also has some meaning. Beersheba, which means "well of the oath" was founded at the site where Abraham and Abimelech made their covenant.[mentioned in Genesis 21]. In biblical terms, a covenant is a mutual agreement confirmed by calling on the name of the Lord.
     But this isn't the only time that this important city appears in biblical history.  Jacob had his dream about a stairway to heaven after leaving Beersheba. (Genesis 28:10–15 and 46:1–7). Beersheba was the territory of the tribes of Simeon and Judah (Joshua 15:28 and 19:2). The sons of the prophet Samuel were judges in Beersheba (I Samuel 8:2). Saul, Israel's first king, built a fort there for his campaign against the Amalekites (I Samuel 14:48 and 15:2–9). The prophet Elijah took refuge in Beersheba when Jezebel ordered him killed (I Kings 19:3). The prophet Amos mentions the city in regard to idolatry (Amos 5:5 and 8:14). Following the Babylonian conquest and subsequent enslavement of many Israelites, the town was abandoned. After the Israelite slaves returned from captivity in Babylon, they resettled the town. According to the Hebrew Bible, Beersheba was the southernmost city of the territories settled by Israelites, hence the expression "from Dan to Beersheba" to describe the whole kingdom. The city has been destroyed and rebuilt many times over the centuries, and today is a thriving metropolis with a population of over 209,000.
     Now I want our dot-connecting to end at this final destination ... Abraham plants the tamarisk tree in Beersheba  and there calls on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.  First, we need to understand that in the Hebrew Bible "to call on the name" of someone indicates a dependency on, and an obedience to that person. You are, in essence, summoning aid from someone who is not only able, but willing, to respond. Here, in Genesis 21:33 Abraham is planting seeds [both physically and metaphorically] for generations to come as he declares an oath to the God whom He depends on; whom he obeys; and whom he trusts will respond. And he tells us that the name of that God is "the Everlasting God" ... El Olam.
     Now you are most likely familiar with the more common names of God: Adonai [Lord, Master]; Yahweh [Lord Jehovah]; El Elyon [the God Most High]; Jehovah Jireh [the God who provides]; Jehovah Rapha [the God who heals]; El Shaddai [the All-Sufficient One]. So, now I would like to introduce you to El Olam [the Everlasting God]. The Hebrew word olam, means "eternity, in the sense of not being limited to the present". But it also means "for ever and ever" or from the most distant past time to the most distant future time. At the heart of El Olam is His continuity, His definiteness, and His unchangeability.
     We get that sense of Him when we consider His pronouncements of an everlasting covenant -- one which is not separated into Old and New, but a covenant with His creation that is represented by that tamarisk tree -- seeds are planted that will benefit generations to come -- where by mutual agreement [through our faith and His promises] we Believers can count on His presence being secured to us every moment of every day. It is continual, definite [undeniable and certain], and unchangeable [permanent, enduring, abiding, lasting, indestructible, irreversible].  He is El Olam and we can trust in Him forever! 

Genesis 17:7   I will confirm My covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you.

Luke 1:55   Keeping his promises to Abraham and to his descendants forever.

A Charlie Brown Christmas Illuminates God's Truth

     I cannot take credit for the premise of this post. The beautiful interpretation of Charles Schultz's beloved A Charlie Brown Christmas comes from the pen of Jason Soroski, a pastor, writer and musician. He originally wrote a piece in 2015, titled "Just Drop the Blanket: The Moment You Never Noticed in A Charlie Brown Christmas", and a subsequent article entitled, "Drop the Blanket 2: The Rest of Linus's Story". I will include links to them both at the end of this post.
     But the reason I wanted to share this excellent presentation on the days leading up to Christmas is that I love the simplicity of what Charles Schulz was communicating, and how Jason makes it so meaningful. And I have a couple of thoughts of my own to add to the analysis.
     Here's the backstory: As a devoted Christian, Charles Schulz did not shy away from exhibiting his faith through the messages of his comic strips, and A Charlie Brown Christmas was the perfect vehicle to make a statement about the condition of faith within the confines of postmodern religion [which characterizes religious truth as highly individualistic, subjective, and residing within the individual]. A Charlie Brown Christmas was first produced in 1965, a mere three years after the Supreme Court decision that removed prayer from America's public school system. I also believe that the commercialism of Christmas, which Charlie Brown openly laments in the cartoon special, becomes embedded in the American psyche during this time period. 
      Charlie Brown finds himself the director of the school Christmas pageant, but becomes disheartened by his efforts to find significance in the holiday. He finally confides in Linus and shouts, "Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?" Linus tells him, "Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about" and proceeds to center stage, his security blanket in tow and asks for the lights to be dimmed. As he stands in the spotlight he begins to recite the Christmas story from Luke 2:8-14, the King James version. 
     But as Jason Soroski points out, there comes a climatic moment in Linus's recitation when he drops the blanket! Mind you, the whole cast of Charlie Brown -- from Lucy to Snoopy to Sally to Peppermint Patty -- have tried to wrestle Linus's blanket from him. Why is it so significant that he drops the blanket on his own? It comes at the exact moment he recites the command from the angel of the heavenly host, "Fear not"! Pastor Soroski proposes that this was very intentional on the part of Charles Schulz, and he suggests the following: Charles Schulz was proclaiming the truth of Scripture which says "the birth of Jesus separates us from our fears; the birth of Jesus frees us from the habits we are unable (or unwilling) to break ourselves; and the birth of Jesus allows us to simply drop the false security we have been grasping so tightly, and learn to trust and cling to Him instead." 
     I love this image! And I totally agree! Our only insecurity in this increasingly frightening world is Jesus Christ, our Savior. And this simple testimony from Linus reminds us to seek our safety and freedom [from fear] and our peace in Jesus. This is the message of our Inner Healing Ministry, as well. But as I noticed, and as Jason Soroski points out, as Linus leaves the stage he picks his blanket back up and sticks his thumb in his mouth. Why would he do that?
    This is where my experience in our Inner Healing Ministry comes into play. We are often able to help a Beloved see the spirit of fear [or other tormenting spirits from the Enemy] that has invaded their life, and help them work with Jesus to eradicate it from their life when they declare it must bow to the authority of King Jesus. They walk in this scriptural truth and leave confident in their power and authority to defeat the Enemy's tactics. But just like Linus, who boldly threw aside the false security of that blanket, we pick it up again in a moment of weakness when we believe the old lie from the Enemy that perhaps Jesus has not fully dispelled the spirit of fear; that we have some reason to fear. 

     But Charles Schulz doesn't short-change the truth of Christ. Throughout the Christmas special, much of the focus has been on the scraggly little Christmas tree that Charlie Brown chose as a protest against the commercialization of Christmas. But Schulz changes the focus from the tree to the true [and bigger] focus of Jesus. That little tree, which has spent the entire program bent over and losing its needles, comes to life when Linus declares that "Maybe it just needs a little love". He finally parts with his blanket and lovingly wraps it at the base of the forlorn tree as the gang breaks into the Christmas carol, Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the Newborn King. Suddenly that tree is transformed and ends the show beautifully clothed in splendor. 
     I will tell you that I have witnessed the Risen Christ do the same for many people who see themselves as failures. As they experience their inner healing and hear Him tell them that He loves them, they hear that they are beautiful, worthy, and competent/able to defeat the devil. Just as Linus wrapped that hurting tree in his blanket and adorned it with decorations, I have seen Jesus wrap men and women in royal robes of righteousness and place a crown on their head. They are immediately and divinely transformed into who they were meant to be!
     As Jason Soroski suggests, perhaps Charles Schulz used Linus's gesture of wrapping the blanket at the base of the tree to represent laying down his fear at the foot of the cross. I will tell you that Jesus has shown me, and countless others, that He wants us to lay our hurts and wounds at His feet for Him to take care of. When we see and hear the truth from our Savior who we are meant to be, we surrender our efforts in the flesh, and become joined to Him in the Spirit. We are undefeatable! 
     It has been over 50 years since A Charlie Brown Christmas came into our living rooms as a Christmas TV special. But we need it's simple message more than ever. Like Charlie Brown, I deplore the commercialization of Christmas, and go even further to renounce its pagan roots. But the beloved program's message of our security and freedom in Christ surmounts what the world has done to try to silence the voices of the multitude of the heavenly host as they sang their praises, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." And, thank you, Charlie Brown and Linus for showing us the true meaning of Christmas!

Here are the links to both articles by Jason Soroski: Click here and here. And have a Merry Christmas!

Luke 2:30-32    With my own eyes I have seen Your Word, the Savior You sent into the world. He will be glory for Your people Israel, and the Revelation Light for all people everywhere!

 
    

A Study of Postures in Prayer

     This blog post was initiated by someone who excites me because she is pressing into her newfound relationship with Jesus with enthusiasm and curiosity. Like many of us, Paige has been in the church for most of her life, but that didn't necessarily result in "knowing" her Savior. After receiving Inner Healing, she is on fire to experience Jesus to the fullest. Mark and I get some of our most interesting questions from her, and it makes us take stock of our own intimate knowledge of Him and His Word. So, I'd like to share her most recent question, which led to more research and the topic of this post.
     Paige asked the very good question, "When they say 'bow your heart' in a church service, is that just Christian-ese speak or does it [really] mean something?" First of all, I want to commend her for having the courage to question something she might hear in a sermon, and to have the desire to fully understand it, rather than accept it, just because it was spoken in church. I've always admired anyone who speaks about our Lord [whether they be a pastor, teacher, or fellow Christian] who is not afraid to say, "Don't accept it just because I said it. Do your own research!" And that is exactly what I ask everyone who reads this blog to do, also.
     So, here was my answer to her: "I [personally] don't know of any specific Scripture that tells us to "bow our hearts", but I don't see anything wrong with the description because the attitude of our heart speaks to how we love and honor Christ, and the posture of bowing is a sign of reverence and an expression of worship. So I don't see anything wrong with bowing your heart. Now, religious people would demand a chapter and verse reference instead of seeing the spiritual significance of the phrase. I think it's a good picture of how I want my heart to respond to my Lord".
     I just love questions like this because it leads me on a path to more knowledge. The Institute in Basic Life Principles website has an article entitled, What is the significance of using different postures in prayer? I would like to share with you what I discovered.
     It's important that we understand that the Bible does not require a specific posture when we pray to the Lord, but how we pray and the postures we adopt do speak of our attitude as we are praying. So the website suggested eight postures of prayer, and I'd like us to consider each one and how they speak of our attitudes towards God.
     Lying prostrate before God.  This is the ultimate posture for expressing humility toward our Father in Heaven. When you get on your face before God, you are indicating your unworthiness to be in His Presence. When God made a covenant with Abraham, Abraham recognized his unworthiness before God and “fell on his face” before the Lord. (See Genesis 17:1–22.) You are admitting your need for His mercy. When the leper came to Jesus for healing, he fell on his face and begged for mercy, saying, “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean” (Luke 5:12.) And when you know that the Lord is the only way out of a situation in your life, you are ready to admit you need His deliverance and are willing to ask His help. (See Joshua 7:1-9).

     Kneeling before God.  This is perhaps the posture that we Western Christians are most familiar with. When we think about praying, I would venture that most of us grew up being taught to kneel at our bedside in prayer, asking God to protect us. As we matured in our faith, most of us probably began asking for forgiveness in repentance, and sought His mercy. Scripture tells us that kneeling before the Lord is an act of submission to God and the acknowledgment of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. One day every knee will bow before God, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God. (See Philippians 2:9–11.) We also kneel before God when we are earnestly appealing for His intervention, as when Elijah knelt in earnest prayer when he asked the Lord to send rain to end Israel’s drought. (See I Kings 18:41–46.)
     Bowing before the Lord. Bowing before the Lord shows an attitude of honor, gratitude, and faith; acknowledging that everything comes from His Hand. It is a sign of reverence and an expression of worship. Just as subjects of an earthly king bow out of respect and gratitude for his rulership, so do we followers of Jesus who bow before our Sovereign King. When God answered the prayer of Abraham’s servant, the man “worshiped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth” (Genesis 24:52).
     Standing before the Lord. I particularly like this posture because to stand before a ruler indicates that you have a legal right to be there. It is only through the righteousness of Jesus Christ that we are able to approach God as His children: “. . . We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (I John 2:1–2). This posture means that we know who we are in Christ and that we know we stand righteous before God because Jesus has justified us. Then there is Ephesians 6:13-18 where we are told to stand, arrayed in our spiritual armor, and ready to do battle ... and having done all, to stand.... This posture also shows a readiness to serve as we stand before our King in the model of Daniel and his fellow servants of the Lord (Daniel 1:5).
     Sitting before the Lord. In Scripture, when the king or rulers of a city sat in their official places, they were in a position to rule and judge and to have their judgments carried out. We know that Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father, and we know we are seated with Jesus in the heavenly realms. So this posture speaks of not only Their authority, but ours, in their Name. I am immediately reminded that we are to be the Ecclesia of the Lord; His ruling authority here on the earth. We should be mindful that our role is to occupy seats of rulership on the earth and see that the judgments of Heaven are carried out.
     Looking up to Heaven.  When we look to Heaven in prayer we are seeking the face of God. In the world of social etiquette, looking a person in the face indicates confidence and honesty. It is indicative of an open, trusting relationship. When we adopt this posture in prayer it indicates that we know where our help comes from; that we have confident faith in the One to whom we are praying; and that we have an intimate relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
     Stretching forth the arm. This posture reflects God's sovereign power. The Old Testament is full of examples of men stretching for their arm and releasing the power of God into a situation. I don't know about you, but I think of Moses as he discharged the plagues of God against the Egyptians, and when he stood on a hill overlooking the battle between the Israelites and the Amalekites, holding the rod of God:  “It came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed” (Exodus 17:11). But I also see the sovereignty of God's power in the New Testament when Jesus stretched forth his hand and healed the leper. It was a sign of God's power; His will to heal and deliver; and His blessing upon a life.
     Leaping for joy. I think of King David when I consider this posture of prayer. Here was a man that knew the highs of being a man after God's own heart, and the lows of disappointing the One he loved the most. And the Bible warns that even in the midst of persecution we are to "rejoice and be exceeding glad". In addition, we are told, Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets. (Luke 6:22-23).
      Each of these postures is important to our prayer life and I like knowing their significance and what they symbolize. And it is my desire to incorporate them all into my times of worship and communication with the Lord, as the Holy Spirit leads me. And I'm sure that there are other ways to pray before the Lord that I haven't covered here. It will be fun to search the Scriptures and discover more expressions of reverence and supplication. And it's my hope that we would all be like my friend, Paige ... open to seek more of God than we've been comfortable with in the past. He loves to reveal more of Himself and His ways!

Philippians 4:6-7      Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life, then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ. 

"As You Go..."

     The Passion Translation of Matthew 10:7-8 has become the framework of how Mark and I live our lives ... And as you go, preach this message: ‘Heaven’s kingdom realm is accessible, close enough to touch.’ You must continually bring healing to lepers and to those who are sick, and make it your habit to break off the demonic presence from people, and raise the dead back to life. Freely you have received the power of the kingdom, so freely release it to others. This was part of the instruction Jesus gave the Twelve Disciples as He sent them out to display the power of God's Kingdom in the earth. It has changed how we approach each day and what we see as our purpose for being created.
     We have been blessed with the opportunity to be self-employed and to find ourselves in a variety of circumstances to walk out these instructions, as we go. This past weekend our path took us to a small Christmas show we had been invited to participate in. It wasn't our normal kind of venue, and there was more than once when we wondered if we were making the right decision from a business standpoint. But we always know that what it looks like in the natural is not always what God has in mind. So we packed up our paintings, hung them on a wall, and waited to see what God's plan was for us. As always, we dedicated ourselves to representing the Kingdom to whomever we came in contact with. And if our bank account prospered from the event, then we would have even more to praise God for.

     As it turned out, we had no success for our business, but we were greatly blessed in the Kingdom realm. We met many fascinating people, which has always been a benefit from our lifestyle and our type of business. And the Lord had much work for us to do, and it had nothing to do with selling paintings. First, we ministered to one of the gallery workers whose husband has been suffering for several years now with degenerative pain in his back. We told her we would like to have the opportunity to lay hands on his back and pray for the release of God's healing power through the Holy Spirit in us. In further talking to her, it was discovered that his father was a Freemason, and he was in possession of his father's Masonic regalia, including his Masonic ring. She was aware of the dubious reputation of Freemasonry, having been warned by a member of her Church, and now we had confirmed her suspicions. She was skeptical that her husband would receive this spiritual diagnosis of his physical condition. But she agreed to receive more information from us and to keep in touch with us about the possibilities of ministering to her husband.
     We also met with a most entertaining and charming woman who just came to support one of her artisan friends at the show. Her outgoing personality and witty humor covered what we knew were deep emotional wounds from her childhood -- some of which she shared as we got closer during the weekend. As it turned out she was a follower of Jesus, so it was easy to speak to her about His will to heal her spiritual pain and set her free. She was receptive of our message and we are hopeful that we will get the opportunity to speak more truth into her. At least we were able to connect through Jesus.
     Not so much with another of our fellow artists. We really enjoyed our time getting to know her, and as she overheard our discussions about our faith, she volunteered that she was Jewish, and we enjoyed hearing about how her family celebrated various Jewish holidays. It soon became clear that we would not be connecting with her through Jesus, as she did not understand any of our questions about what she thought about the Talmud, any of the Lord's Feasts [beyond Passover], and did not know what Messianic Judaism was all about. So we did not push or try to evangelize, we just respected where she was at, while representing our King Jesus.
     Although our weekend may not have been monetarily prosperous, we felt rich after a random conversation with one of the most successful artists at the show. She has always been courteous and the undeclared leader of that art community, with beautiful artwork on display. Until that day, we had never really been able to connect on a personal level. But like I said before, God runs His playbook His way, and we are just obedient to be ready for wherever He wants us to go. This time, our assignment was to just be patient and wait for what He had in store. This gracious artist came to us and we began a conversation, and it was soon apparent what God had in mind. As she shared her testimony of her husband's years as a pilot in the Vietnam war and how God helped her through those sleepless nights, we were able to connect by sharing our recent ministry with veterans of this era's warfare. From that moment, our conversation took on a very spiritual nature. I listened as she shared her pride in the schools her husband has built in Laos; of her grand-daughter's mission trip to Syria in which she led three Muslim men to Christ and then baptized them with water from a plastic bottle, all the while mindful that the Taliban were a constant threat to discover her work; and how this artist's faith and trust in Jesus got her through the loss of her daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren in a plane crash in the mountains of Colorado during a freak August snowstorm. She now ministers to those who are grieving the loss of their own loved ones, and speaks of Jesus's healing Presence.
     We sat there for more than 30 minutes, oblivious to anyone around us, and praised the Lord for what He means to us and how He has worked throughout our lives. In the end, God solidified a new relationship and friendship in Him. There is now an unbroken bond that is centered on Christ and transcends the identities the world has given us. 
     These may seem like inconsequential encounters to you, but I promise you that this weekend was not at all about the number of paintings we would sell, but instead was all about telling others about the power of the Kingdom of God in our lives. And it was an example of how it can look to preach the Good News of that Kingdom as we go into the world. We just planted the seeds and we are trusting the Holy Spirit to water them. And we will be ready to respond if that seed grows from good soil. Although the world might judge this weekend as unfruitful, we know otherwise. We have freely received the power of the Kingdom, and we will always eagerly look for the opportunities to freely give it away. Thank you, Lord!

2 Timothy 4:1-2      I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
 
      

The Richness of God's Mercy

     At our Home Church this last week, we were going to dive into Matthew, Chapter 9, and in preparation for the study, I found myself [once again] involved in a treasure hunt in God's Word. I was intrigued with the account [in verses 9-13] of Jesus calling Matthew, the tax collector, to follow Him. Scripture says that as Jesus was eating with Matthew at his house, "many tax collectors and sinners" came and ate with Jesus and His disciples. But when the Pharisees, who were religious, saw this gathering, they questioned why Jesus would eat with such a group of despised people. (Mind you, they are despised by those with religious spirits. Jesus doesn't want anyone to perish, but rather all to come to repentance, as 2 Peter 3:9 tells us).
     I can imagine Jesus sitting there with those people and pouring into them, sharing the Gospel of the Kingdom, which is why He says He was sent (Luke 4:43). And His reply to the Pharisees is what set me on an amazing trip through the Bible ... Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.

     Now, this is not the first time that I have read this passage, but this time I was stopped in my tracks. Jesus said to Go and learn what "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice" means.  Now, those who were there with Him, would have understood that this phrase "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice" came from the writings of the prophet Hosea, and also is referenced by the prophet Micah. So it had meaning to those listening at that table. But since I believe that the Bible was inspired to speak to all generations, I clearly saw Jesus's instructions to me not to just read it, but to "go and learn what it means"! It is obvious that it is important that we know what MERCY means, if it is what God told the prophets He desires. 
     So that set me off on a search to learn what MERCY is and why God desires it above sacrifice. There was much to learn, and on different levels. I was not particularly surprised to see that our English translations of the Bible have once again short-changed us. In Hosea, the Hebrew word for "mercy" is chesed, and is probably one of the most important words in Old Testament theology [as it applies to God]. Biblical scholars assign three facets to this word: strength, steadfastness, and love -- and all must be present to represent the fullness of mercy. 
     The word chesed points to one of God's central characteristics: His lovingkindness to His people who need redemption from their sin, their enemies, and their troubles in life. But it also stresses reciprocity -- our strength, steadfastness and love for God and His Kingdom and its people. When we truly walk in chesed, we live a life of sanctification (set apart for God) and in response to His covenant with us. I believe that Jesus was reminding the Pharisees of this important fact: all the sacrifices they performed to remove their sins was not as pleasing to the Father as their mercy (employing the Old Testament understanding of chesed).
     To further add to the richness of this word MERCY, our English Bibles translate Jesus's use of the word here in Matthew from the Greek word, eleos. Here, in Matthew, the word mercy means "the removal of misery from our sins". That's what Jesus was doing with these tax collectors and sinners. And the Gospel of the Kingdom is all about knowing there is no misery in God's Kingdom in Heaven, and that Jesus had come to establish this same rule of government here on earth ... Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. But we must not forget the context in which the hearers received this message. They are Pharisees, religious leaders of the Jews, who well knew the writings of the Old Testament prophets and what that phrase "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice" meant. 
     The prophet Hosea was writing what the Lord spoke to him: "Say to your brothers, "You are my people', and to your sisters, "You have received mercy' ".  Through Hosea, God is calling His people back from their rebellion, disobedience, and unrepentant hearts. In Hosea 6:4-6, God asks:

What shall I do with you, O Ephraim?
    What shall I do with you, O Judah?
Your love is like a morning cloud,
    like the dew that goes early away.
⁵ Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets;
    I have slain them by the words of my mouth,
    and my judgment goes forth as the light.
⁶ For I desire mercy and not sacrifice,
    the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. 

     By reminding the Pharisees to "Go and learn what this means", Jesus is reminding them that since God is merciful to us [and removes the misery of our sins by forgiveness], He desires that we do the same for others. And Jesus is modeling that display of MERCY [for His disciples] by showing what it looks like as He expresses it to the tax collectors and the sinners. 
     But there is another level of meaning that I don't want to just skip over. When Jesus quotes "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice" from the prophet Hosea, I believe we are to understand that by Old Testament standards, sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins was a temporary system and unable to permanently remove the effects of sin. Therefore, recognition of God's mercy (His strength, steadfastness, and love) to deliver Israel from their sins was of more consequence. But for us New Testament believers, we recognize that Christ's sacrifice for us is the ultimate mercy [and display of God's deliverance from our sins] as well as the fact that God still desires reciprocal mercy on our part to see others delivered from the misery of their sins. We now play a part in dispensing God's mercy through Kingdom living. 
     So, as you can see, our English word mercy does not come close to defining the fullness of all that God's mercy exemplifies. It includes His faithfulness, His lovingkindness, His strength, His goodness, His pity in our times of need, and yes, even His reproach [done out of His love for us]. But here is what I've learned by "going" and "learning" as Jesus instructed me .... if our concept of mercy does not include all these facets, it inevitably loses some of its richness. As The Strong's Concordance points out when defining the Hebrew word chesed, "Love, by itself easily becomes sentimentalized or universalized apart from our covenant with God". Jesus intends us to understand that all that God has done for us is wrapped up in that word "Mercy", and because we have benefited from it, we are to extend it to others when sinners express repentance and seek Him. Thank the Lord that His mercies never end and they are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness!

Matthew 5:7    Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Jesus's Gift of the Holy Spirit

    

     At this time of year, we Christians contemplate the gift of the Son of God to mankind. It still blows my mind that God would send a part of Himself to this earth to deliver me from the penalty of eternal death. That precious baby in the manger spent the next 30 years preparing for his short-lived ministry of three years which would change the world forever.
     But even though the Son of God only walked the earth for 33 years, He left us a gift that in many ways was His greatest act for mankind: the gift of the Holy Spirit. Yes, I know that Eternal Life is unquestionably a gift that is beyond compare, and one that will keep on giving for eternity. But note that I said the gift of the Holy Spirit was an act for mankind.  For the time that I am on this earth, the Holy Spirit is my source of power to fulfill my assignment for the Kingdom.
     Yes, we each have a purpose and an assignment. And it surpasses our salvation experience. Have you ever wondered if accepting Jesus as your Savior is the sole intention of God for your life? How many have thought that after coming to that glorious decision, you receive Christ, and then automatically begin a new life filled with a new purpose and a new way to live in this world? Are you disappointed that life still seems the same in so many ways? And how many Christians do you know who still struggle, even though they have heard it preached a dozen times or more that they are "a new creation", but have no evidence of that reality in their lives?
     I think that sometimes we believe that the importance of Jesus is summed up in His life, ministry, death, and resurrection. That seems to be where many in the Body of Christ stop in their understanding of what He has done for them. But I urge you to read John, Chapter 14, because what Jesus has to say to His disciples is just as relevant for us [and perhaps even more so, since I believe the Body of Christ has lost some of the magnitude and importance of His message].
     In this chapter, Jesus is informing the Disciples that He will soon be leaving them to return to His Father in Heaven, stressing the truth that everything He has taught them was not by His own authority, but the Father's, who dwelt in Him. Furthermore the works [miracles] Jesus had done were evidence of the power [and works] of the Father [in Jesus].
     Then Jesus says something that every Christian should rejoice in: "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father." Can you comprehend that Jesus is telling us that because we believe in Him as our Savior, we will do the works that He did, and it will be possible for the same reason it was possible for Him -- because the power of the Father is in us [to do His works]? How can that be? We have the ability to do the works of the Father -- the same works Jesus did -- because our Lord tells us that He will send a Helper to be with us forever.
    Let me continue ... Jesus says this Helper is "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you." Of course, that Helper is the Holy Spirit, which is the very breath of the Father. So, just like Jesus, we have the power of the Father dwelling in us to do His works. Then Jesus tells them, "I will not leave you as orphans".  And here is where I think that we 21st Century believers run into a stumbling block. I believe we often act like orphans. And here is why ...
     In John 14 Jesus tells the Disciples, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. Whoever does not love Me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me." I will tell you that I am astounded at the number of Christians who do not know the Word; who do not read, let alone study and know their Bible. We act like orphans who don't know we are part of God's Kingdom family even though we are saved, which gives us the right to enter the Kingdom as sons and daughters of the King! (Read John 3:5).
     Have you ever tried to give your theological view to another Christian that, based on your salvation, you are now an ambassador of the Kingdom of Heaven; stationed here to represent your King's way of living, and have been given an assignment to continue His works on the earth to defeat the works of the devil and reclaim dominion of the earth as God intended in Genesis? Well, I have, and the question I usually get is, "Can you show me where it says that in the Bible"? At that moment, I know they have not read the Word for themselves, nor have they received revelation from the Holy Spirit. And you don't have to be a biblical scholar, having spent years studying the Scriptures. Just read the Book of Matthew and it should open the eyes of your heart to see the truth of the Kingdom and our purpose! I do not put myself forward as someone special or anointed; I am just an obedient follower of Christ who one day woke up with a hunger to know, for myself, what the Bible could reveal to me. And I do not credit my human mind, but the mind and the heart of the Holy Spirit to show me what I could not discern on my own.
     How many of you, like me, sat in churches for years and were never encouraged to read the Word for ourselves or to seek a relationship with the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus calls "the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." Is the Body of Christ willing to be taught? Do they hunger to know and remember all that Jesus has said to us through His Word? Sometimes I wonder. Because the concept of the Kingdom is not that hard to discover if you spend anytime at all with the Holy Spirit in the Bible! And just because I can't give you Chapter and verse that I'm an ambassador of the Kingdom, etc., does not mean that my theological view of the Kingdom and my position and responsibilities to my King (stated above) are not the truth. 
     So, I will state Proverbs 25:2 again, as I have so many times before, It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, and the glory of kings to search it out. That's Chapter and verse. but are they going to accept that word to mean that it is incumbent upon us to not only read the Word, But how many will seek the counsel and direction from the Holy Spirit to connect the dots in all of Scripture to receive greater revelation than just what we've heard someone else preach or teach? For instance, to even comprehend this verse in Proverbs it means we have to understand that we are "kings and priests" as is written in Revelation 5:10, And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth (KJV).
     In summary, the Lord had three years to spend with the Disciples to teach them all the Father wanted them to know and to do. Knowing that He would be crucified, resurrected, and returning to the Father, Jesus made sure to let His Disciples know that He would not leave them alone; that He would send the Holy Spirit to help them continue God's plan to dwell in them and give them the power to do His works and defeat the devil, whom Jesus called "the ruler of the world" in John 14:30. Nothing has changed. He still sends the Holy Spirit to those who are called His disciples. It's the greatest gift He could give us this side of Eternity. And we have all of our lives to receive this teaching!
     I pray that the Body of Christ will celebrate not only the birth of the Christ child this season, but will seek greater understanding of the Kingdom of God through the Word of our Lord. It is my prayer that all who love Jesus will embrace the gift of the authority and power of God [in us] to grow us in the wisdom and the knowledge of the height, the breadth, the width, the depth and the immeasurable revelation of the Holy Spirit to guide us to seek His Kingdom. It's more than we've thought, folks. Salvation is the entry point into the Kingdom. There is more for us to do in this life! Do not put a limit on your purpose based on your denominational doctrines, religious mindsets, or the fear that you might be deceived. You have an assignment! And if you are seeking the Kingdom, the Holy Spirit will be faithful to reveal it according to the righteous desires of your heart. Trust Him and receive Jesus's gift to faithful men on the earth. It's the gift that keeps on giving!

Acts 1:8     But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.