Elections - The Church - Truth

I don't know if anyone reads this blog, but I've got some fire shut up in my bones and the preacher needs to preach. I am so tired of these fabricated elections and watching people who are supposed to be of the truth fall for such utter nonsense. Of a truth, I will tell you why people fall for this two-party system consisting of two lying candidates who both support the same agenda: Because the LOVE OF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL, BECAUSE "MY PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE" AND BECAUSE THE CARNAL MIND IS ENMITY WITH GOD. The churches have whored after prosperity doctrine in it's various forms: materialistic, building worshipping preachers lording over passive, lazy, carnal saints. WHERE IS THE POWER? I ask you, be honest and REPENT . . . are we apostolic? Are we what we say we are? NO, we are not. The reason the American church isn't having real revival is because American Christians are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. We've reached new heights of denial about what is going on in our world and in our churches. We want comfortable church in comfortable buildings. The spiritual war that needs to be fought will never be won by barely praying, always eating, scripturally ignorant, passive saints sitting on a padded pew being sung to by a choir and entertained by a sensational, motivational speaker. Where are the preachers who are not hirelings, who love God's truth more than the comfort and status their position provides? It is time to fall out of love with the "American Dream" and fall in love with Jesus- He is the way, the truth and life. He is the prince of peace.

Jesus Wept

A favorite memory verse among the Sunday School kids: John 11:35 "Jesus wept." A closer look at this scripture reveals an important revelation; timely as folks celebrate Easter. Jesus is on His way to raise Lazarus from the dead. He has already proclaimed that he is going to do it (verse 23). He has already stated that He is glad He wasn't there to prevent Lazarus' death, because though the situation has turned into an impossibility, that is nothing but an opportunity to Him. So Jesus let this happen? And He is glad? Why? Lazarus resurrection after 4 days is a preparation. Why should it be so hard to believe that Jesus himself can resurrect after only 3 days? Anyhow, we know in John 11:35 that Jesus isn't weeping because His friend Lazarus is dead, He let it happen and planned to raise him. Why the weeping then? He groaned and He wept because of their lack of faith. Now ask yourself, why did Jesus agonize in the Garden of Gesthemene prior to his crucifixion? The Bible says that for the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross, but then we find Him agonizing in the garden. So in Jesus most notable miracle, He is glad, then he weeps and in His own death, there is joy and there is agony. I submit to you that Jesus gladly laid down His life and knew he was going to take it up again. His agony in the garden was over the unbelief of many: that though his sacrifice was for all, it would be made of none effect for so many through unbelief.

Going back to the resurrection of Lazarus: Jesus tells Martha that her brother shall rise again (John 11:23). She thinks she has it figured out and speaks through limited faith that she knows he will raise again at the last day. Jesus makes a stong statement of truth: "I am the resurrection." Imagine having faith in a future solution when the solution to your problem is standing right in front of you. Jesus says here not "I am going to resurrect Lazarus," no He says "I am the resurrection." Jesus doesn't have the answer to your problem, HE IS THE ANSWER TO YOUR PROBLEM. It isn't about what Jesus can and will do, it it about who HE is! Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. But the question is will you believe, or will He grieve?

Dominion over the Enemy

In Genesis 1:28, God gives dominion to man over all His creation, but in Luke 4:5-6 the devil takes Jesus to a high mountain and offers his dominion over all the kindgoms of the world. Since when did the devil have this dominion that was given to man? That is what REALLY happened in the Garden of Eden. God told Adam that in the day he disobeyed and ate of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil he would surely die, yet Adam lived to the age of 930! It obviously wasn't Adam's body or soul that died that day, it was his spirit. "And you hath He quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins." The body and soul do not have dominion over the spirit realm; so when Satan tempted man to disobedience and man disobeyed, his spirit died and his dominion along with it. Satan now had dominion. The earth became a hard place for man after he lost his dominion; animals no longer were under his dominion and even the earth itself only yielded it's substance to man with much labor. But it was God's desire from the beginning for man to have dominion. Jesus was very much alive spiritually and had dominion. Jesus restored dominion to his disciples and they marvelled that the spirits were subject to them. God's plan of salvation for man is not just about forgiveness of sins, but restoration of dominion. "For sin shall not have dominion over you." "Greater is He that is within you than he that is in the world." We've got to understand not only the importance of receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost as necessary for salvation as it is the restoration of spiritual life within man (a spiritually dead creature) - but we MUST understand that this gift is more than a feeling, more than an experience, more than a seal of salvation - IT IS THE RESTORATION OF MAN'S RIGHTFUL DOMINION. "And ye shall receive POWER after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you." Christians who are not spirit-filled do not have dominion as they possess only a living body and soul, but a dead spirit. Christians who do not walk in the spirit, but walk in disobedience, are willfully giving away their dominion as Adam did in the garden. Gal 5:16-18 tells us "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit , and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil , and he will flee from you." When you are submitted to God and filled with the spirit, you will have dominion; you will be able to resist the devil and his dominion. When the devils realize that you are not a man or woman subject to their dominion, but rather it it YOU who has dominion over THEM - they will flee from you saying, "Have you come to torment us before our time?" "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds" The message: be filled with the spirit and walk in it and you will have dominion. "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils . . ."

Holy Ghost and Fire!

What exciting times we live in. With the coming of the Lord quickly upon us, I am so thankful to be in the CHURCH of the living God! Just over a year ago we endeavored to plant a church here in the beautiful city of Bonita with God's help. I would lie to you if I said, I never got discouraged in the first couple of months. However, it was at those times that our Lord would send a direct message to me or financially bless the CHURCH. With assurance I knew He had my back and I could trust Him. What would I do without Him on my side. Jesus the same yesterday, today, and forevermore! The church has been experiencing the goodness of the Lord and lives are being transformed. To God be the Glory! Expecting marvelous things to come!

Spiritual Bankruptcy

In 2005, our government changed the bankruptcy protection laws. Like so many things it was a move away from the way God does things. Prior to 2005 if someone declared bankruptcy their debt was cleared. Now only 60% of the debt is cleared (if I understand the laws correctly). It amounts to a continuation of the kind of indentured servitude our debt based system has become, and now without recourse or relief. God's laws always included a way out. He created cities of refuge to run to and a year of Jubilee for the forgiveness of debt and release of servitude.

Truth is we, the people of this world, are spiritually bankrupt. We spend our life digging a hole for ourselves spiritually. We are born spiritually dead and spend our lives making one big mess. "Man that is born of a woman is of a few days and full of trouble." Like people who are truly bankrupt, people will often spend time trying to manage, denying the problem, shifting things around. . . but eventually the cold, hard truth with be unavoidable.

The good news is that we can declare spiritual bankruptcy. One simply must approach the throne of God, and in admission and surrender, admit our ultimate shortcoming. A suprise is in store for those who do! The first suprise is that you were never alone for "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." The second is that "if we confess our sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the rightous." The results of declaring spiritual bankruptcy are closer to our nations pre-2005 standard. . . 100% of your debt will be forgiven and you will be set free. "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heay laden, and I will give you rest." The annointing will break the yoke.

Ours is to quit moving things around, trying to manage and deny the problem and just to declare it: "I cannot continue on my own. I cannot manage, I am bankrupt." Jesus said He came to give us life more abundantly. It has never been His will that any would come to the end of their rope and reach their grave in spiritual insolvency, but that all men would come to repentance - the ultimate declaration of spiritual bankruptcy.

2008 - Becoming Vessels of God's Pleasure

Our opening service of 2008, I preached a message entitled "The Four Vessels of Pleasure." I find four types of pleasure in the scripture. The pleasure of sin, which is for a season and which God takes no pleasure in. The pleasure of self, which is serving the flesh. Even when pleasing self is not sin, in the flesh we cannot please God. The third pleasure is pleasing man. This is more selfless that serving self. It is more noble and honorable to serve others, but it becomes a problem when it keeps us from pleasing God. In 2008, our church will strive to attain unto the fourth pleasure: Pleasing God. When a man's ways please God, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. . . . and at His right hand are pleasures for ever more.

There is no greater pleasure than to be in His presence, walk in the spirit and be used of God according to his pleasure. We want to please God, knowing that if we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, all these things shall be added. . . Too often we start at the bottom. We please ourself, then others and we leave a little room for Jesus. The Bible warns that in the last days men would be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. We please God when our first thought is to please Him.

My mother once told me the way to real JOY was to put Jesus first "J" then Others "O" then Yourself last "Y". This is more than a cute little mnemonic. The older I get, the more I realize the theological accuracy, the ultimate importance of this.

Let's go forward in 2008, to be above all else a vessel of His pleasure!