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LOVE BEARS ALL

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LOVE BEARS ALL

 

Many of us have often wondered why is love so painful at times?  Why am I not worthy of love, why am I not accepted?  Are you feeling heartfelt pain, dealing with rejection, feeling unworthy or dealing with brokenness?  Are you feeling abandoned or all alone? Have others made you feel this way? 

 

This may sound shocking to you but the very fact that you are able to feel hurt is because you desire love, seek love and are able to love.  Talk about a paradox and a roller coaster of emotions that flood our hearts and minds.  A hardened heart is unable to put the thoughts, hearts and intentions of others first and is often self-centered operating in a mode or method of “self protection” which inflicts and causes pain to others.  The simple fact that you desire love from your family, siblings, friends and others is because of your ability to love and desire to feel loved.  Oh how the human heart desires love, intimacy and spiritual awakening and nourishment.  The bible tells us to guard our hearts above all.  So how do you love those that hurt you and guard your heart at the same time? Isn’t this what all of us believe we were actually doing; yet the pain continues and our hearts are filled with unhealthy thoughts and emotions.  Don’t confuse what is true with the TRUTH.  It is true that you feel hurt but the TRUTH is you need not feel that way.  To guard your heart you must abide in Christ Jesus and He must abide in you.  Jesus must become your primary source for love, truth and intimacy.  You must learn to walk in the Spirit of The Lord.  

 

Proverbs 4:23 (NKJV)

Keep your heart with all diligence,

For out of it spring the issues of life.

 

The heart is the very “treasure chest” that feelings, emotions, pain, suffering and passion flows from.  The very hurts, wounds, scars and emotions that this world and daily life create can corrupt, distort, pervert and attempt to block the purity, sovereignty, glory, intimacy and healing power of real love only found through Christ Jesus and the Father.  The simple truth is that man is inherently evil and that the world (earth) is of spiritual darkness.  To overcome we must focus and stand on the Living Word and Christ Jesus.  Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.  The love of Christ never fails for He never changes.  We are truly blessed that in a world that constantly changes that the Lord never changes and His word will not return null and void.  He is the “Rock” and “Cornerstone” and when we abide in Christ Jesus we will be able to stand in His Truth, His Righteousness, His Holiness and walk in the fruits of the Spirit.

 

Hebrews 13:8 (NKJV)

 

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

 

Genesis 1:27 (NKJV)

27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

 

Mark 7:21 (NKJV)

21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

 

 

 

 

Oh how a child so wants to feel love from their parents, siblings and friends yet we can only obtain pure uncorrupted and Godly love from Christ Jesus and the Father.  We often feel persecuted by the very people we seek love from.  We so want to be accepted, embraced and loved from those we hold dear to our heart but the very people we are seeking love from may very well be suffering from their own burdens and feelings of inadequacies of perfect love.  We can only obtain perfect love from He who is perfected, He who redeems us and reconciles us and through His grace sanctifies us in His grace, mercy and love.  

 

Oh how humanity longs for perfect love yet seeks it in a dying and corrupt world never to feel fulfilled, complete or embraced in the measure or divine love that only Christ Jesus can give us.

 

I often reflect on the proclamations Jesus made in Isaiah 61 that He was here to set the captives free and exchange mourning for gladness, mending the brokenhearted and open the hearts of the imprisoned.

 

Isaiah 61 (NKJV)

The Good News of Salvation

 

61      “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,

Because the LORD has anointed Me

To preach good tidings to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives,

And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

2      To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,

And the day of vengeance of our God;

To comfort all who mourn,

3      To console those who mourn in Zion,

To give them beauty for ashes,

The oil of joy for mourning,

The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;

That they may be called trees of righteousness,

The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”

 

4      And they shall rebuild the old ruins,

They shall raise up the former desolations,

And they shall repair the ruined cities,

The desolations of many generations.

5      Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks,

And the sons of the foreigner

Shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.

6      But you shall be named the priests of the LORD,

They shall call you the servants of our God.

You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles,

And in their glory you shall boast.

7      Instead of your shame you shall have double honor,

And instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion.

Therefore in their land they shall possess double;

Everlasting joy shall be theirs.

 

8      “For I, the LORD, love justice;

I hate robbery for burnt offering;

I will direct their work in truth,

And will make with them an everlasting covenant.

9      Their descendants shall be known among the Gentiles,

And their offspring among the people.

All who see them shall acknowledge them,

That they are the posterity whom the LORD has blessed.”

 

10      I will greatly rejoice in the LORD,

My soul shall be joyful in my God;

For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,

He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,

As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,

And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

11      For as the earth brings forth its bud,

As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth,

So the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

 

 

 

 

Have you ever stopped to realize that humanity crucified Jesus Christ Who IS perfect love?  We didn’t recognize, embrace or appreciate the perfect love of Christ Jesus even when He stood before us as God in the flesh.  Jesus bore the sins of the world and the wrath of the Father for our behalf.  Jesus endured persecution, rejection, chastising, beatings and abuse unto death on our behalf.  (Isaiah 53)

 

 

Romans 3:24–26 (NKJV)

 

24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

 

Oh how the hearts and souls of mankind yearn for perfect love yet we seek it from the wrong places, from a dying and dark fallen world of hurting and troubled people.  We seek earthly pleasures to compensate for genuine undefiled love yet we are left feeling incomplete, inadequate often still feeling unloved. The simple truth is that only Christ Jesus can fulfill the love, intimacy, soul and spirit that our hearts long for.  Earthly possessions will never fulfill the essence of our original created state of being, the very image of God and Spirit.

 

Genesis 1:27 (NKJV)

27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

 

I have traveled across this nation witnessing the pains, hurts and troubled hearts of humanity that is longing for a love that will edify, sustain and complete the essence of our original created being, the image and likeness of God who is perfect love. I have ministered to the hearts of hurting people longing for uncorrupted and undefiled love, a love that is true, genuine, sustaining and beyond earthly perception.  There is only “One” that is perfect love and that is Christ Jesus.

 

While counseling is often helpful it may still leave us with feelings of emptiness, still feeling a void and yearning for acceptance, genuine undefiled and pure love that is only found in Christ Jesus. Humanity embraces programs and methodology over biblical principles, truths and Jesus Christ.  We unknowingly and unintentionally, often out of desperations seek the wisdom and counsel of men/women when we truly need the Godly undefiled counsel, truth and life through Christ Jesus.  The worldly methods often leave us constantly coping rather than overcoming.  Jesus overcame the world and through Christ Jesus we too can overcome the world.

 

John 16:33 (NKJV)

33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.””

 

John 14:6 (NKJV)

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

 

 

 

The soul (self-will/flesh) of humanity will always battle with the Spirit until the soul (self-will/flesh) becomes surrendered or overcome by the Spirit of The Lord.  We must not let emotions or feelings rule our thought or actions.  We must focus on the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the cross and resurrection of Christ Jesus.  We must be “born again” living in the Spirit of the Lord giving our hearts to the Living God Jesus Christ, truly make Him Lord of our lives leading us into conviction, repentance, redeeming and restoring us through His grace and mercy.

 

Romans 8:7 (NKJV)

 

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

 

I’d like you to take a moment to reflect on John 2:19 and Mark 14:58 to seek revelation and insight from the Lord.

 

John 2:19 (NKJV)

19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

 

Mark 14:58 (NKJV)

58 “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.’ ”

 

Here we have Jesus Christ, God in the flesh crucified and resurrected.  Even God in the flesh had to be crucified as man and resurrected, why are we any different that Jesus?  Have you ever considered that we too must fully die to the flesh and that the very trials, tribulations, hardships and emotional scars must die fully to be resurrected fully, being transformed into a new creation through Christ?  Have you ever considered that the measure of pain and suffering that Jesus suffered is a direct correlation to the very depth of His love for us?  Now let us reflect on our own hurting hearts bearing the inflicted pains from others and realize that the very fact that we feel pain is a direct correlation to our ability to love and desire love.  Longsuffering is a fruit of the Spirit which many do not teach upon, but it is the very spiritual strength/substance of Love that embraces and desires undefiled genuine love, seeks/stands in righteousness through a hurting and spiritually dying world. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for a brother or sister, love bears all and forgives a multitude of sins.  This can only be accomplished through abiding in Christ Jesus.

 

Galatians 5:22 (NKJV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

 

John 15:13 (NKJV)

 

13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

 

John 15:5 (NKJV)

5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

 

Galatians 5:22 (NKJV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

 

 

May the Lord bless you with revelations of His love, grace and mercy and may you embrace your imperfections so that you may surrender them in humility to Christ Jesus.  Share the depths of your heart; surrender the hurts, pains, and brokenness with a full barren and open heart so that The Lord may bring healing, fullness and restoration.  

 

Matthew 11:28–30 (NKJV)

 

28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

 

Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)

 

6      For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

 

Imagine how people desire to be loved perfectly yet these very people torture, crucify and persecute perfect love.  We seek love through imperfect people who are also processing their own shortcomings, hurts and the pressures of earthly influences.  The only way to overcome is with a life surrendered and abiding in Christ Jesus.  A life of abiding in Christ transforms you into His very essence and persona. God is love, God loved us first and God desires us to love Him.  Give yourself the greatest gift of all to yourself, the gift of eternal and everlasting life only obtained through abiding in Christ Jesus, make Jesus the Lord of your life by abiding in the Lord so Jesus can abide in you.  

 

1 John 4:7–10 (NKJV)

 

 

Knowing God Through Love

 

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Knowing Him and Trusting in His Love and Goodness

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Yesterday my niece and her husband lost their 10 month old baby girl.  In our grieving the Lord impressed upon me the words He spoke to me several years ago; “Your kingdom walk is in your knows and what you speculate about I will bring to your knowing when you need to know it.”  We cannot understand why we suffer such tragic loss in our life, but we know our Lord and that He is with us and we must rest in what we know in Him.  My wife Sherry felt impressed to write the following concerning the loss of little sweet Cate. I am posting these words because I believe they may be a salve to open wounds and a heavenly perspective for those suffering their own loss. This is the Facebook post she made:

“I by no means have been appointed official spokesperson by my wonderful family.  No one even knew I would post, nor did I know I would be posting anything on Facebook today.  The Lord has been dealing with my heart as Scott and I have been praying for sweet Brittany, Lane, Olivia and Ava, Kenny, Rhonda, Hayley (the most amazing Aunt in the world) and the entire Thompson, Baker and Roberts families.  I would first like to say that we love and appreciate everyone so much for your prayers and words of encouragement.  Where would we be without the Lord, and where would we be without all of you rallying around us so lovingly and prayerfully at the sorrowful passing of our beloved Baby Cate.  Cate was truly a precious gift from the Lord, as are all of our children.  As James says in scripture, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”  Baby Cate is a perfect gift that we have been so blessed to love and cherish and will continue to love and cherish as we remember her sweetness and beautiful face full of smiles.  Can anyone explain why things like this happen?  I sure cannot, and I will not try.  What the Lord has been dealing with me about is to trust who He is and know that there is no variation or shadow of turning with Him.  He is good all the time, His mercies are new every morning, His love and faithfulness is great and everlasting,  and there is nowhere we can go nor any pain we can go through that He does not cherish us and hold us in the palm of His hand.  We do mourn, as right now, Brittany and Lane would love nothing more than to have their little family together again, but we do not mourn as those who have no hope.  Our hope is in you Lord and the promise that we will see you, Cate and all of our loved ones in you again.  As you tell us in Isaiah, it is you, Lord, who gives us a crown of beauty instead of ashes and the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.  We will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor.  If you do not know this wonderful loving Jesus we serve, you can.  Please seek Him today with your whole heart, and He will meet you right where you are.  We love you all.”

God Bless you, and thank you Lord for allowing us to have each other and the precious gift of our time with baby Cate. We are grateful she is with you and we will be with her again because of you Lord.

 

Contend for Christ in Your Thoughts

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The Lord has been putting on my heart the issue of our thought life.  Our thoughts reveal our heart.

Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV) For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…….

If entertaining evil thoughts precede and lead to the action of sin, conversely entertaining Godly thoughts lead to the action of love and confidence in the kingdom truths which leads to our kingdom walk.  Thoughts are not ours until we agree with them.  When we agree with heavenly inspired thoughts we produce Christ in us, while thoughts of worry, bitterness and strife produce despair.

Philippians 4:8 tells us:

[Meditate on These Things] Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

In any vacuum of heavenly thoughts the seeds of despair are being sown.  We must sow seed of life and life more abundantly.  Our own intimacy with the Lord is increased as a result of our heavenly thought life, the choice to cast down ungodly thoughts and rest in what we know in Him. Our heart is the soil for His word and we can prepare our soil to grow the goodness of Christ in us by choosing a heavenly thought life.

Entertaining wrong thoughts birthed the sin we were washed clean from, but we still have to contend for holiness.  We must align our thought life with Christ to be overcomers and eliminate the distractions which hinder our sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and cause us to fall short of walking in a pure gospel of Christ.

Renewing our mind is essential to believe the truth of Christ to the point of trust and obedience when our natural reasoning may bring a thought or conclusion in conflict with the word of God.

Romans 12:2  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

My Prayer for you:

Dear Father in heaven, I ask you in Jesus name to quicken to our spirit the thoughts which are not yours and the desire to cast them down, to live in the truth of your word and your hope.  May our hearts be purified so that we release pure love in which the world will see Jesus Christ in everything we say and expression of our behavior and choices.  Amen.

FREEDOM & INDEPENDENCE

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FREEDOM & INDEPENDENCE

 

2 Corinthians 3:17 (AMP)

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom). [Isa. 61:1, 2.]

 

Isaiah 61:1–2 (AMP)

THE SPIRIT of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and qualified me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor, and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound, [Rom. 10:15.]

2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord [the year of His favor] and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, [Matt. 11:2–6; Luke 4:18, 19; 7:22.]

isa 61:1-2

 

Today we celebrate our independence as a nation but yet are we truly spiritually and physically free and abiding in the sovereignty of our Creator honoring Him through His son Christ Jesus?

 

How do “lawless” people live in a land where new laws are constantly being legislated?  Have laws become our savior or is Christ Jesus our savior?  The laws should show us just how obscured, lost and misdirected each of us are upholding ourselves to a moral standard rather than a Godly standard to the Word of God.  I am a believer and advocate of “free will”; as we are created by God as beings of “free will”.  Legislating free will doesn’t solve problems it creates problems because much of what is written is according to man’s fallen nature and not based on the Word of God.  We even legislate common sense because most people are self-centered feeling entitled, superior and above others in society.  It’s as if free will has become law in the hearts, minds and daily living in our fallen nature exalting oneself above others and the Word of God.

 

Independence day is a wonderful holiday as we celebrate our nation and those that have stood, faught and gave their own lives to protect our nation and Godly principles;  “One Nation Under God”.

 

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The Word of God tells us that the “Spirit Leads To All Truth” and “Blessed Are Those That Hunger And Thirst For The Lord’s Righteousness”.  The truth shall set you free!

 

John 8:32 (AMP)

32 And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.

 

John 14:6 (AMP)

6 Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me.

 

John 16:13 (AMP)

13 But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future].

 

Matthew 5:3–12 (AMP)

3 Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven! 

4 Blessed and enviably happy [with a happiness produced by the experience of God’s favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His matchless grace] are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted! [Isa. 61:2.]

5 Blessed (happy, blithesome, joyous, spiritually prosperous—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the meek (the mild, patient, long-suffering), for they shall inherit the earth! [Ps. 37:11.]

6 Blessed and fortunate and happy and spiritually prosperous (in that state in which the born-again child of God enjoys His favor and salvation) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God), for they shall be completely satisfied! [Isa. 55:1, 2.]

7 Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy! 

8 Blessed (happy, enviably fortunate, and spiritually prosperous—possessing the happiness produced by the experience of God’s favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His grace, regardless of their outward conditions) are the pure in heart, for they shall see God! [Ps. 24:3, 4.]

9 Blessed (enjoying enviable happiness, spiritually prosperous—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the makers and maintainers of peace, for they shall be called the sons of God! 

10 Blessed and happy and enviably fortunate and spiritually prosperous (in the state in which the born-again child of God enjoys and finds satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of his outward conditions) are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake (for being and doing right), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven! 

11 Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of your outward conditions) are you when people revile you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things against you falsely on My account. 

12 Be glad and supremely joyful, for your reward in heaven is great (strong and intense), for in this same way people persecuted the prophets who were before you. [II Chron. 36:16.]

 

So as we celebrate this 4th of July Independence Day we must ask ourselves if personal independence/liberties is better than dependence upon the Lord Jesus and living free in the Spirit of The Lord.  

 

As we celebrate this wonderful holiday let us give God the honor and glory for without His grace many would not have had the stamina, courage and fortitude to give their lives sacrificially to keep the USA a Godly nation.  Let us thank all of the veterans, citizens and those that stand for freedom as a Godly Nation.

 

John 15:12–14 (AMP)

12 This is My commandment: that you love one another [just] as I have loved you. 

13 No one has greater love [no one has shown stronger affection] than to lay down (give up) his own life for his friends. 

14 You are My friends if you keep on doing the things which I command you to do. 

 

Have we become a nation bound by humanistic laws, morals and methods rather than Godly principles?  We have laws upon laws but we are unable to follow two commandments above all the laws!

 

Matthew 22:37–40 (AMP)

37 And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). [Deut. 6:5.]

38 This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment. 

39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself. [Lev. 19:18.]

40 These two commandments sum up and upon them depend all the Law and the Prophets.

 

 

Are we still “One Nation Under God”? Have we forgotten that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord.  There is only one way to heaven and that is Christ Jesus.  All of creation yearns for the sons/daughters of God.

 

Romans 14:11 (AMP)

11 For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God [acknowledge Him to His honor and to His praise]. [Isa. 45:23.]

 

Romans 8:19 (AMP)

19 For [even the whole] creation (all nature) waits expectantly and longs earnestly for God’s sons to be made known [waits for the revealing, the disclosing of their sonship].

 

John 14:6 (AMP)

6 Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me.

 

Surely just as the newly ammended pledge of allegiance has omitted God as seen in this picture below we must repent and turn our hearts back to God so that the Lord can heal our land.

 

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2 Chronicles 7:14 (AMP)

14 If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

 

 

Those in Christ Jesus and abide in Christ Jesus shall overcome the world just as Christ overcame the world.  All the honor and glory to the Lord!

 

John 16:33 (AMP)

33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]

 

 

Revelation 3:21 (AMP)

21 He who overcomes (is victorious), I will grant him to sit beside Me on My throne, as I Myself overcame (was victorious) and sat down beside My Father on His throne.

 

True freedom and liberty is only found in the Spirit of the Lord while being submitted and dependent upon the Lord Jesus.  We are in the world but not of this world and the Glory of the Lord is for the here and now!

 

John 17:16 (AMP)

16 They are not of the world (worldly, belonging to the world), [just] as I am not of the world.

 

Romans 12:2 (AMP)

2 Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].

 

 

Have a safe, blessed and Godly Independence Day and God Bless America.  “ONE NATION UNDER GOD”!


SPIRITUAL REMODELING VS. REBUILDING

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SPIRITUAL REMODELING VS. REBUILDING

 

Mark 14:58 (AMP)

58 We heard Him say, I will destroy this temple (sanctuary) which is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, made without hands.

 

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (AMP)

19 Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own,

20 You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body.

 

Spiritual remodeling is not spiritual rebuilding.  While it’s easier and more pleasant to work with what we have and perform improvements based on our personal beliefs through “remodeling” what is needed is for us to be spiritually rebuilt, totally new. Scratching the surface is superficial yet if we have died in Christ there is nothing left of us, we are totally new creations in Christ Jesus making Jesus Lord and the “old man” has passed away and the “birth” (born again) person is totally new.  For “ALL” things have passed away.

 

2 Corinthians 5:17 (AMP)

17 Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!

 

Galatians 2:20 (AMP)

20 I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

 

Old things are torn away, broken apart and TOTAL spiritual reconstruction takes place through the love, mercy and grace of Jesus. There are no shortcuts or improvising in spiritual rebuilding for the author and finisher of our faith Christ Jesus is the creator of the universe including you and I.  We are being spiritually rebuilt by the Lord Jesus; for all things were made through Him, by Him and for Him.  As you go through this “rebuilding” process Jesus is with you every step of the way for He will never leave you or forsake you and His mercy endures forever.

 

Colossians 1:16 (AMP)

16 For it was in Him that all things were created, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him [by His service, intervention] and in and for Him.

 

Deuteronomy 31:6 (AMP)

6 Be strong, courageous, and firm; fear not nor be in terror before them, for it is the Lord your God Who goes with you; He will not fail you or forsake you.

 

Our thoughts and beliefs on what we think we need verses what Jesus knows we need are in conflict and the “flesh wars against” the spirit of the Lord.  Often we find ourselves in our own “personal wilderness” being separated from the earthly and ungodly influences that have separated us from our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus.  While we are in this “wilderness” our fleshly nature is being crucified as the Lord Jesus through the Holy Spirit is rebuilding us tearing down fortified strongholds, lies, hurts and pain as we come to the end of “self” being rebuilt into the likeness and image of our Creator.  The love of God/Jesus is restoring us back into our divine identity before the fall of man.  What you are experiencing is a separation from an earthly way and mindset of life.  We are seated in heavenly places yet we live here on earth.  We are in the earth but not of the earth, thus the conflict is real and the renewing of our minds is continual through the Spirit of the Lord and the Living Word of God.

 

Galatians 5:17 (AMP)

17 For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the [Holy] Spirit, and the [desires of the] Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other [continually withstanding and in conflict with each other], so that you are not free but are prevented from doing what you desire to do.

 

1 John 2:15–17 (AMP)

15 Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one’s own resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself].

17 And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever.

 

Proverbs 14:12 (AMP)

12 There is a way which seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but at the end of it is the way of death.

 

Ephesians 2:6–7 (AMP)

6 And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

7 He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favor) in [His] kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus.

 

Isaiah was “undone”, Paul said it was no longer he that lived but Christ in him.  When the Lord Jesus reveals himself to us we too will be “undone” desiring nothing but total transformation being rebuilt into the image and likeness of Christ Jesus.  

 

Jesus wants “all of us” and not just part of us.  He doesn’t remodel you He rebuilds you!  Don’t settle for used when you can have new!  We must embrace the mercy, love and grace of the Lord Jesus.  The rebuilding process is continual while we are here on earth surrounded by a fallen nature and ungodly influence, none of us are exempt from the continual renewal of our minds through the Word of God and we must cast down every stronghold which exalts itself against the knowledge of God/Christ Jesus.

 

2 Corinthians 10:4–5 (AMP)

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds,

5 [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One),

 

1 Corinthians 3:19 (AMP)

19 For this world’s wisdom is foolishness (absurdity and stupidity) with God, for it is written, He lays hold of the wise in their [own] craftiness; [Job 5:13.]

 

Praise the Lord Jesus for He will never leave you or forsake you and you too can overcome the world through Christ Jesus.  May the peace, love and grace of Jesus be your strength, High Tower, Fortress and Abiding Place!

 

John 16:33 (AMP)

33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]

 

Psalm 91:1 (AMP)

HE WHO dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand].

 

Proverbs 18:10 (AMP)

10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the [consistently] righteous man [upright and in right standing with God] runs into it and is safe, high [above evil] and strong.

 

Blessings, peace and grace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.