Love Your Enemies

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

Love Your Enemies? How Can I Do That?

Introduction – A Calling to Love Your Enemies

Most folks get the golden rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do to you”. Most folks also get the second of the great commandments: “Love your neighbors as yourself”.  This principle forms the basis fmany of the rules for civil society:.no murder, stealing, lying, or other abuses agaisnt others. This is pretty easy to understadn and pretty easy to embrace when theings are going well for you and when you view your neighbors as those folks you are working with, or are dependant on, for you success. It gets significantly harder to embrae when certain folks are working against you or doing things to harm you. Are they really my neighbor?  They are my enemy! What they did was wrong! I deserve to see justice! They need to be held accountable for thier actions!! The bible says hate your enemies, an eye for an eye! Well that was what the old testsment said. Jesus changed the game by calling us to “Love your enemies” . wow, that can be tough.  How do you do that? Jeuss showed you how, and it is not an optional calling if you want to spend eternity with Him.   

Jesus really changed the game, His came to earth as a suffering savior to usher God’s kingdom into the earth.  He created a path we can follow to experience the kingdom here on earth. Following that path includes a challenging calling to “love our enemies”.  Understanding this calling helped me better grasp what God was doing when He sent His son, what Jesus was doing with His earthly life, and why we are called to deny ourselves and pick up our cross daily. It connected the dots for me and things make a lot more sense as a result.  This post is my attempt to bring the same revelation to you to help you on your journey with Him.

You are called to love your neighbors AND your enemies.

The Old Testament teaches us to love our neighbors but to stand against our enemies, especially those who actively rebell and hate God. 

“Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!
Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.
For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain.
Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
I hate them with perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.” Psalm 139:19-22

Folks are to be held accountable for thier actions and to repayed for thier adverse actions against others; an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth.

“If anyone injures his neighbor, as he has done it shall be done to him, fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; whatever injury he has given a person shall be given to him.” Leviticus 24:17-20

Jesus sets the bar much higher now that He gets here.  He uses the sermon on the mount to set expecttions for participation in God’s heavenly kingdom. We need to not only love our neighbors, but truly love our enemies as well. We show this love by willfully suffering whatever wrongs they did against us and not retaliating.  We are to have mercy on them and forgive them rather than administer justice. We are to not only to avoid retaliating but repay their evil deeds with good deeds.  We are also to pray for them. 

  “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” Matthew 5:43

Who are your enemies?

There are two groups of folks that could be considered enemies,  the first are those who are actively working to cause you harm. The second are those folks described in the old testament who were rebelling against God, whether they had directly impacted you yet or not. Those impacitng you could include: 

Folks who curse you: Anyone speaking negative things about your past, present, or future. Anyone using words which diminish you, your integrity, your intentions, your contribution, your future potential, or inherent value as one of God’s precious children.

Folks who hate you: Anyone who dislikes you or has hostility against you. Anyone viewing you as an adversary to be disliked, or avoided, or attacked, or defeated. Anyone thinking or willing or taking actions with the intention to do harm to you.

Folks who spitefully use you: Anyone manipulating you or your resources maliciously for their own gain.

Folks who prosecute you: Anyone taking an organized and intentional course of action to adversely impact you.

Loving Friends is easy

Loving friends and neighbors is easy and takes no sacrifice. Loving an enemy, and looking past what they have done to harm you, is much harder.

“But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. Luke 6:32-34

How should you show love to enemies?

It helps to define a couple of commonly used terms here:

Justice: We are accountable for our actions. Choices have consequences. Damage must be repaid. We will get exactly what we deserve eventually. 

Mercy: Withholding punishment that someone deserves or has earned.  ex: Placing yourself at the mercy of the court for a lenient sentance..

Grace: Giving someone someting good they have not earned.  Ex: You are saved by grace through faith. It is a gift, not someothing you earn.

Loving enemies is not a trivial challenge because it goes contrary to principles of Justice where folks should be held accountable for their actions. ie: An eye for an eye. Loving enemies requires us to show mercy and not repay them in kind for their harmful actions. Not only that, we are called to flow goodness to them even when their actions did not deserve it. We are to show both mercy, and grace.

“…I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.” Luke 6:27-31

Why should we love our enemies?

We should love our enemies because God loved us even while were were acting as enemies ot Him. 

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

“For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” Romans 5:10

“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. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:10

Why should we be willing to suffer harm, have mercy, and forgive our enemies? 

We should be willing to suffer harm from others in this life because Jesus was willing to suffer harm because of our sins. God had mercy and sent His son, Jesus was full of mercy and forgives us. He suffered for us, the least we can do is suffer for Him. 

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.” Ephesians 2:4-5

“Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.” 1 Peter 4:1-2

Jesus offers a heavenly reward

Jesus promises your reward in heaven will be great for your suffering any loss in his name. Having mercy for the acts of your enemies, not retaliating with punishment they deserve and truly forgiving them is the first part. Showing them grace with good works they have not earned, and Offering prayers based on recognizing their inherent value is part of the cross Jesus asks you to pick up. Recognizing God’s mercy and unearned grace towards you, and showing the same for othersthem perfects the flow of God’s love into you and through you.

“But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. Mark 6:35-36

“…that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:45-48

Just to be clear, this is not optional nice to have activity. God’s forgiveness of your sin is contingent on your forgiveness of the sins of others.

“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14-15

So how do you go about loving your enemies?

Mentally separate the sinner from the sin.

One key step is to separate the person causing you problems from the activities they are doing. We need to love the sinner and hate the sin. Each human being is created in Gods image and is worthy of love and respect. Each individual person has been put here with a divine purpose. The devil has been very successful at spreading lies and leveraging our self-centered nature to keep us from that purpose. Each individual has to find their way to God and their purpose in this fallen world. Many remain lost, or distracted, or confused, and are not on the right path for the life God intended for them. Some have become blind to God’s existence; some have become deaf to His offers to help them. Some hearts have become hard and do not flow love to others in compassion or good works. Some become self-centered enough to manipulate, use, and abuse people for their own gain. Some become rebellious and pursue self-centered agendas to the point of their own destruction, and they cause great distress of those around them. Our challenge is to recognize the created value of each individual, and pray for them to discover God, recognize His love and positive intentions for them, discover the flaws in their ways and repent, get back on the right track so they can become the wonderful loving person God intended when He put them here.

Deny Yourself and Pick Up Your Cross Daily

One key is to not take their acts against you personally. You are being called to absorb any negative impacts of your enemies’ actions: Let evil words roll off your back, take any physical abuse they dish out, absorb any loss of resources or property and not pursue retribution. This is only possible when you see things from God’s perspective and do what He asks of you: deny yourself, pick up your cross daily, and follow Jesus.

Jesus showed us by example what it means to deny yourself. Jesus was with God in heaven since the beginning and chose to came here and live amongst us as a human. He was the son of God and could easily have demanded broad recognition of that position. But instead, He called himself Son of Man. He did not strut around pounding his chest as He had every right to, He humbled himself as a mere human, submitted himself into service for others, and even washed his disciples’ feet before the ultimate sacrifice of his life for us.  He wants us to be of the same mind set.

“And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:27-28

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:5-11

At the appointed time, He picked up His cross: He willingly accepted humiliation, physical torture, and physical death to fulfill His calling. He said nothing in response to their attacks, He absorbed all that was being dished out against His earthly being to the point of death, and He forgave those who did it to Him.

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots. Luke 23:34

We are called to follow His model and do the same as we go through our lives. Deny ourselves, pick up our cross daily, and follow Jesus model.

“Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me’”. Luke 9:23

Crucify your old self, Put off the old.

You put your old self-centered self to death with Jesus on the cross, you are raised with Him in resurrection into new life.

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

When you have actually crucified your old “self”, it is much harder for people to harm you. You realize this life is not about you, it is about Christ forming in you and living through you.

Embrace your new identity.

One powerful enabler to accepting sacrifice in your earthly life is to understand and embrace your new identity. When you accept Jesus as your lord and savior, Your earthly life is no longer the center of the universe, God and His eternal kingdom ibecomes the cetner. When you repent of your sins and accept Jesus as lord of your life, you are born again. You become an adopted son of God. You have a new identity. You are not defined by your earthly life, or by what other people think, say, or do to you. Your identity is defined by God. The second you accept Jesus as lord, you step into righteousness through Jesus. You are a member of the body of Christ. The father sees you as holy and beyond reproach. People cannot take that position away from you by thier words or actions. They can not define you, You are defined by Him and His love..

Keep an eternal perspective.

We are eternal souls and are just temporary residents on this earth. Once we accept Jesus, are born again, and become adopted children of God, we knnow we will spend eternity in heaven. Death in this life sends us to heaven. Jesus promises justice for all wrong doing on the earth. We can be confident that folks will be held accountable or whatever malicious stuff they do in this life. We do not have to enforce justice, we can trust that God will. We actually are promised an incentive in heaven if we sacrifice something here for God’s sake. Humans can speak things, and do things to harm us, but they can not adversely impact our soul if we don’t let them.

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28

Become the light.

Jesus was the light of the world. When you embrace Him and begin to see things from His perspective, you are in the light. As you transform and let Him form in you, you allow more of His love to flow through you to others, and you become the light. His love is perfected when it flows through you to others.

“He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” 1 John 2:9-11

Prayer:

Heavenly father, Thank you for creating this amazing place and putting me here to experience it.

Lord Jesus, thank you for being willing to come here and die to pay the price for our sin. You denied your Godly self and served us as the Son of Man, You picked up your cross by suffering and dying for us. I am committed to embracing your model and following in your footsteps.

I am committed to love my neighbors as my self, and to even love my enemies. I pray for your help to have mercy when evil is done agaisnt me. Help me love the sinner but hate the sin. Each of your children are precious and worthy of love. You came to save us, even when we were at war with you. I embrace each of my enemies as your precious children in whom you have planted gifts and talents and have high hopes even though they are currently lost. I pray for them. I pray they hear you knocking and let you lead them back into the flock so they can fulfil their purpose here. I pray for you help me continue to deny myself so that I can show mercy, Help me have one mind with you so that I can show mercy and flow grace with good works for those who seek to do me harm. May I pick up my cross so that your love can flow through me uninterrupted and bring you glory. I ask this in Jesus name.

 

Fear Not

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

Do you experience fear? Well, Fear Not! ( a work in progress)

One of the most prominent exhortations or commands from God in the bible is to “Fear Not”. It appears dozens of times with various supporting messages.

Fear is an intense emotional reaction to conscious thoughts that something is likely to happen in the future and casue us significant harm, and we are alone and powerless to avoid it. There are several aspects of fear to understand: We are focused on something in the future that may or may not happen, We are assuming this future event will somehow cause us harm, We are facing it alone,  and We are paralized and helpless to avoid what ever bad thing is going to happen.

God makes it very clear that His followers are not to fear and He addresses the key aspects of fear. 

The future is not worth worrying about

He encourages us to focus on the present and not overly stress about what may or may not ever happen in the future.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34

He removes the sting from death, the ultimate risk to our earthly self 

Everyone starts off with a fear of death, this earthly life will come to an end someday. 160,000 people die each day, many without notice. God gives us the promise of eternity with Him if we believe and put our trust in His son.  Death at that point is no longer dreadful, it may not be something we look forward to, but it looses its’ eternal sting. It becomes just another essential transition on our journey; we were born into this life, born-again into a spiritual life when we accept Jesus, and we will be released into a heavenly life with Jesus when we are done with our body. 

We are not facing life alone

If we love Him with all our heart, He with join us on our journey. God is love and He promises blessings and protection for those who love Him. 

We are to trust Him with everything

We are completely and entirely dependent on Him. We can do nothing without him.  With Him, anything is possible.

We are to partner with Him in our endeavors. Acknowledge Him with thanksgiving, Humbly ask for our needs, Trust that He will provide     

We are to talk to Him, Discuss our intentions, Listen for His input, Follow where He leads. He will protect us from harm and provide what we need.

He works all things for Good

Undesired events are inevitable, but He works all tings for the good of those who love him. He makes lemonaid out of lemons. He helps us learn and grow through experiences.  

We do not need to fear other people.

We don’t need to fear what other people can say or do to us.

The worst they can do is kill your earthly body.  Our earthly life is temporary and we have the promise of eternity with Him in heaven,  Not a bad outcome.

When you accept Jesus and His forgiveness in your heart, Guilt, Shame and Condemnation have no place to land. 

When you deny yourself and embrace your new identity as a child of God, you become imune to verbal attack. You know that God sees you as holy and worthy.

We shift from focusing inward, to focusing on flowing love ot others

Fear turns our focus inward; What could happen to ME.  When you deny yourself and focus on Jesus, you must deflate your ego, and you change your purpose. This life is not about me, it is about Jesus working through me for others. It is not about me, my reputation, the position I hold, what i deserve, or the things I have.   

Acknowledging that God loves us, He is right here with us, He is working to help us, He works all things for our ultimate good if we love Him.

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“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” Isaiah 41:13

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4

“The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Psalm 118:6

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

“You shall not fear them, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you.” Deuteronomy 3:22

Fear of God is constructive. You will face your maker on judgement day. You are accountable for your intentional thoughts, words and actions. You have sinned and need a savior. He loves you so much He sent His son. You show your love for Him by complying with His commandments. You repent and recommit to Him when you suffer temptation and fall short.

“Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.’” Exodus 20:20

Fear implies concern for some form of future punishment – Risk of harm to “me”. If I have denied myself and submitted myself to Jesus, nothing can actually harm me. I am defined by His love for me, I am a child of God, an adopted son. This body is just a temporary vessel, Nothing in this life is really mine, My life is not my own, I am just the custodian of things, My role here is to shine for the kingdom, I will join Him in heaven eventually, fear of death has no power over me.   

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” 1 John 4:18

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27

“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1

“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” Romans 8:15

“But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,” 1 Peter 3:14

Fear of man or fear of the future will cause problems. You are focused on yourself and what might happen to you. You will start focusing more and more inward on yourself and the risks you face. You will put up strategies to protect yourself from those who could do harm to you, you will isolate yourself and drive wedges against others.  God wants you to focus on the here and now, rather than the what ifs of the future. If you need something to happen now, ask Him and trust Him. If you see a risk in the future, pray for the right things to happen and for wisdom to navigate whatever challenges emerge and trust God to help you through whatever happens.

“The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.” Proverbs 29:25

“Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34

“So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” Hebrews 13:6

“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32

Dwell on the good stuff, pray with thanksgiving, and put your trust in Jesus

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. “Philippians 4:6-7

“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.” Philippians 4:8

Stay focused on God, What He has already done for us (Put us hear, Gave us gifts, Set His Son, Nurtured us, taught us, lead us),  What he is doing for us right now (Working all things for our eventual good), and what He promises for the future (Strength, Peace, Joy, Hope and a bright future, Eternity with Him in heaven), If we put our trust in Him, we can help us set aside fear.

“When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.” Psalm 94:19

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” Psalm 56:3

“In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?” Psalm 56:4

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28

“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

“Of David. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:4  

“Say to those who have an anxious heart, ‘Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.’” Isaiah 35:4

Example Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you creating this place and putting me here. Jesus, thank you for being willing to come here and suffer and die for me. You gave your life for me, I hereby give my life to you. 

You suffered and died so that I can have eternal life with you in heaven. I put my trust in you and no longer fear death. 

You promise to work all things for the good of those who love you.  I put my trust in you and no longer fear the future.

You promise to do what I need, If I pray in humility and supplication.  I put my trust in you to fill my needs.

You promise to never leave me or forsake me. I put my trust in you and no longer fear the present.

You promise to teach me and guide if I listen and follow. I put my trust in you to lead me.

You promise to give me strength and uphold me. I put my trust in you to help me.

You promise to give me peace and joy when i fully embrace you and your holy spirit. I put my trust in you and invite the Holy spirit into me.

You promise to transform me, if I submit myself to you.  I put my trust in you and ask you to mold me.

You promise to perfect your love as it flows through me to others. I trust you to purge all fear as love fills me and flows out ot others.

Lord, help me replace any and all remaining fear with complete trust in you and your promises.

I speak this in Jesus name to give glory to the Father and to shine as a beacon for the kingdom. 

 

Become Like Jesus

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Don’t Miss the Point, Shed your old self and Become Like Jesus!

Don’t miss the point, the purpose of the Gospel, why Jesus came.

Contrary to popular opinion, Christianity is not all about you getting into heaven someday.  It is about transforming your life so heaven can form in you right here and right now. 

Modern western Christianity has become highly focused on speaking a “prayer of salvation” so if you die tonight you will go to heaven. Unfortunately, if this prayer is only superficial, and not accompanied with true repentance for your sins and a full committment to change and follow Jesus as Lord of your life, those folks will be severaly dissapointed when they knock at the pearly gates and Jesus does not know them and let them in.  The gospel message of repentance and transformaitonal change has become lost as churches seak to attract customers and avoid difficult conversations that might scare them away. This shortcut produces Christians in title only, folks who try to adapt selective Christian principles to thier life when it is convenient;  Christians who are complying with religious rituals but remain self-centered and unchanged; Christians who are pleasant for an hour on Sunday but are misserable the remainder of the week; Shristians that are happy when things are going well for them, but are devasteated and need prayer as soon as they encounter any of life’s inevitable challenges.. If you follow along with this write up, you will avoid this mistake;  You will get to know God and He will help you live the life He intended when he put you here, and He will know you very well when it comes time to knock on those pearly gates. 

Jesus came here to restore what was lost

The gospal message is much deeper and is much more powerful and compelling when you properly understand it. 

Look at the specific words used in Luke 19:10, they are very telling.  It doesn’t say Jesus came to save those who are lost, it says he came to save “That” which was lost. He came so save a thing not a person.  He came to restore the image of God in us, the image that was lost by Adam and Eve’s sin. This is a very big deal. 

“for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”Luke 19:10

Look at how the story line flows regarding the Image of God

Man was originally made in God’s image; Adam and Eve corrupted that image when they sinned in the garden. Each of us is born into Adam’s image, We each need to be born again to change it.  Jesus came here as the expressed image of God. Now that He has released the Holy Spirit, He will form in you if you invite Him and give Him room to work. You must cut off the old you and put the old you to death so that you can be restored into new life through Him. Jesus was the first born of many; you are to be one of the many. Jesus will restore the original image of God in you as He forms in you and lives through you.

In practical terms, God put us here for a purpose, Adam got us side tracked with sin, God sent His son to restore what was lost and to enable us to fulfill that original purpose. If we fully commit to follow Jesus, we will be transformed and be able to live the life He intended whern He put us here.

This is not a superficial prayer, this is not a casual engagement, this is not a limited applicaiton of selected principles if convenient, this is full emersion, this is a comittment to change.

You must shed your old self to make room for Jesus to form in you

The target of transformation is your inner nature, the thing deep down inside that drives you. We are born with a self-conscious and self-centered sinful nature that casues problems for us and those around us.  You can see this nature in little children, no one has to teach them to be needy, to be selfish with thier toys. That is thier inherited nature, thier instinct. That nature drives us to be self-consious; to focus on ME and my situation. It elevates our Ego and pushes self-centered agendas; what can i do to improve my situation, reputation, status, position, power in life. These self-focused emotions, thoughts, and actions are directly opposite of God’s intention for us to love Him with all our heart and to love others as ourselves. Left unchecked, they end up causing all sorts of problems for ourselves and others and are in fact the forcing functions behind all sin. 

Jesus came here to save us from sin, to allow us to move forward from our past, to come into us and change our nature, and empower us to live a better life through Him moving forward.  He lived a human life and forged a path for us to follow. A path where we transform and actually live the life God intended when He put us here.  After His ascension, He released the Holy Spirit so He could come and live inside each of us to teach us and guide us in person. 

We must repent of our sins. We must acknowledge our flaws and the consequences they produce. We must be committed to change; Be comitted to follow Jesus as lord of our lives and to follow His teacings; Be comitted to live a life worthy of the price Jesus paid. 

To make room for Him to live inside us and do His work we must get our old self out of the way.  We are called to:

1) Deny ourselves, (including our self-consicous emotions and our self-centered agendas),

2) Pick up our cross daily (including suffering what ever wrongs we encounter), and

3) Follow Jesus (including his teachings and lived example).   

If we are willing to set aside our old ways and actually follow Him, He will come inside us, teach us and guide us. He will form in us and flow through us. This is how we glorify God with our lives and become a beacon to others for His kingdom.

The idea is to crucify your old self and it’s sinful nature on the cross with Jesus.  If you put off your old self and start over, there is no past to be mired in.  

God actually wants to you become like Jesus

Invite Him to come and live in you; to tske up residence.

Offer yourself as a vessel for His use. Commit to transforming into His image and doing the work He calls you to.

As you listen and follow His lead,  He will form in you.

You will find more and more ways for His love to flow through you. His love is perfected when it flows through you to others. 

You will become more and more like Him.  You will be able to be bold on judgement day becasue you ended up like Him.

You know you have achieved success when you “know Him”.  When bad things happen to you and you respond in love. You are connected with Him in relationship, you see things from His perspective, you isten for His input, you understand His will, you speak His will into place, and He lfows through you to do the works He did. 

Scripture sets very clear expectations on you transforming and becoming like Jesus:

God originally made mankind in His own image, the perfect image of God.

“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27

Adam and Eve were changed when they chose to sin in the garden. Thier eyes were opened. They became self-conscious, they realized they were naked, became afraid, hid from God, and began denying responsiblity for thier actions.They had corrupted the perfect image of God. 

“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.” Genesis 3:7

“Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” Genesis 3:9-10

Adam passed on his flawed image to His children.

“…In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God….And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.” Genesis 5:1-3

We inherited Adams sinful nature.  We are born into Adams sinful nature:

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” Romans 5:12

Jesus makes the kingdom of God available inside us:

“Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, ‘The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, “See here!” or “See there!” For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:20-21

We must be born again to reset our flawed nature and experience the kingdom of God in us:

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” John 3:3

Jesus is the expressed image of God:

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” Colossians 1:15

You are to be conformed to His image:

“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:29

Deny yourself, crucify your self-centered agendas, and allow Jesus to live in you and through you:

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

We are to get to know Him; See things from His perspective, Understand His intentions, Align ourselves, and become more like Him, this releases eternal life in us and through us:

“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3

Jesus is to form in you:

Paul said… “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you,” Galatians 4:19

“To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27

We are to become like Him:

“Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.” 1 John 4:17

You are to become the light of the world. Jeuss was the light of the world while He was here, and now He has handed the ball to you.

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12

“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” John 9:5

“…that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,”  Philippians 2:15

“You (those who believe) are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14

Speak This Positive Confession

Heavenly Father, thank you for creating me and putting me here.

You created mankind in your image, the perfect image of God.

That image was tarnished by Adam and Eve when they sinned in the Garden.

I inherited that tarnished image, I was a sinner, another child lost in this fallen world.

I was living for ME. My thoughts and emotions were centered on ME.

I was self-conscious and self-centered.

I saw events around me mostly through my own eyes, from my own earthly perspective.

What is MY earthly status? What do I look like? What nice things do I have? How much money do I have? What level of education have I achieved? What Job/Position do I hold? What have I accomplished? What kind of relationships/family have I built? What status do I hold in society? What do others think of me?  Do people love me? How are things going for me?

My ego had a strong voice in my emotions and my actions: What is happening around me? What is happening to me? What does that mean for me? How do I build up my situation? How to I protect my reputation?

Guilt, Shame and Condemnation have had a strong foothold: What have I done? What impact has it had? What do people think? What would other people think if they knew? What does God think?

This focus on self is the opposite of what you intended when you put us here. We are called to love you more than we love ourselves. We are called to love our neighbors more than ourselves.  We are called to forgive our enemies and love them; We are to see all others as your precious children in need of love and support. We are to use our skills and resources to serve you and your kingdom as you lead us. We are to become your agents to spread love.    

Instead of being love in action, I have lived my life in need of love.

God, thank you for loving me so much you sent your son.

Jesus, You came here to rescue me, and to restore what was lost through Adam.

Jesus, You paid the price for my sins with your suffering and death.

You gave Your life for me, I give my life to You. 

I used to live my life for me, I now live my life for You.

Jesus, You are now Lord of my life.

I hereby crucify the old me, I nail my sinful nature to Your cross.

I put my ego and self-conscious emotions to death.

I cancel all self-centered agendas and submit them all to you, Jesus.

I put off my old man and put on the new man, I put on Jesus

Your innocent blood covers my past so I can focus forward.

I am completely forgiven, My past is washed away.

I am born again. An adopted son of God.

I am a new person.

All old things pass away, behold all things are made new through Jesus.

There is no room for guilt, shame, or condemnation in my life. My past is behind me.

I am an official member of your flock, a member of the Body of Christ..

The Father sees me as innocent and Holy through Your precious blood.

I am committed to live a life worthy of the price You paid.

I invite you to come live inside Me, to take up residence.

I present my mind and body as a temple for your Holy Spirit.

I wake every day renewed in your spirit.

I am beginning to see things from your perspective.

As I get to know you, You are coming alive in me, transforming my thoughts and emotions.

You empower me to live the life you intended when you put me here.

With Your help, I will be more and more like You

The kingdom of God is forming in me.

I have a new purpose, I am no longer just trying to survive, I am living to bring you glory

There is no room for negativity in me, I now live in the hope of glory.

You are forming in me; It is no longer me that lives, but You through me.

You are restoring the original image of God in me; I am becoming love.

Your love will be perfected as it flows through me to others.

I offer my arms and legs to do your work on this earth.

I will walk in the light as you walked in the light.

I will be a bright light in this dark world.

I will shine as a beacon for your kingdom.

I will bring the Father glory through the Son.

 

Other Helpful Reference Materials:

Videos of Dan Mohler preaching this message:

Full Sermons – Very Powerful – Worth watching several times until the message sinks in:

“God sent His son to redeam Humanity not get You into heaven someday” Destiny Church Naples–Dec 2022

“Love not your life unto death” July 2018

“Deny Yourself” – May 2015

 “Live Life Transformed” – July 2018

Transforming is simple, It does not have to be a long process – May 2020

Your Goal vs Satans Goal – Dec 2023

Brief versions focused on this key message:

“Jesus said deny yourself and pick up your cross and follow me“ – Dec 2022  – 3 min

“What does it mean To Pick Up Your Cross”Aug 2019 – 6 Min

 “Deny Yourself Then Take Up Your Cross”  Aug 2016– 10 Min

                     

Focus Forward

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

Focus Forward

Are you consumed with problems from your past? Are you overwhelmed with challenges in the present, Are you worried about the future? This little write up might just help you.

I learned several very practical a useful nuggets whle listening to Jack and Carol Webber from UVA Darden School as they taught a course called “Possiblility Thinking”.  One of the key teaching points was about posiitoning your mental framework and it was centered arounf a statement something like this:   

Always respect the past, Be brutaly honest about the present, and Be eternally optimistic about the future.

I have come to appreciate hhow will this aligns with a healthy spiritual ajenda. 

God wants you to move forward from your past. You need to acknowledge your past; You were born a sinner and need a saviour. Once you acknowledge and confess your sins and commit to turn from them, He forgives them so you do not have to dwell in the past and fret about your prior choices, they are behind you.

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14

You are called to deny yourself.  To turn from a focus on you and your own earthly interests and agendas, and become focused on your eternal soul and His agendas working through you. You are called to put off the old man, and put on new life through Christ. Once the earthly, flesh oriented, self has been put to death on the cross with Jesus, there is no place for guilt, condemnation or shame to take hold in you. You are free to move forward.

Be honest: Have you denied yourself? Do you worry about your earthly reputation? What people say or think about you? Are you focused on your posessions or how they can help others?  If you have not already done it, Submit yourself to Him, Get the “Old you” out of the way, let Him live through you.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:1

He wants you to move forward in partnership with Him. Have Faith and walk with Him.

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  Mathiew 6:33-34

Lord, Thank you for coming here and becoming a sacrifice for me. I submit myself to you as Lord of my life.. I was born with a sinful nature, and that has cased problems for myself and others in the past. I put my old sinful self to death on the cross with you and i am raised up with you in new life. Thank you for forgiving my sins so that i can focus forward. Your mercy and grace washes my past so i can focus forward. I am a vessel for your use; I invite you to live in me, to form in me, to flow through me,  to use me in any way you see fit. With your continued help, I will live as a beacon for your kingdom and bring you glory. I ask this in Jeuss’  name. AMEN 

 

God’s Will is Always Healing!

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

God’s Will Is Always Healing!  Believe it!

One of the biggest obstacles in pursuing healing is understanding in your heart if it is God’s will for you to be healed. 

There are several popular lies propagated by the devil to distract and even defeat us from getting healed.

  1. God is mysterious and unknowable; you can not know His will.
  2. God is making you sick to teach you something; it is your job to suffer through what ever comes along.

The truth counters both of these lies: God’s will is always healing. The only question is which path does He want you to follow to achieve the healing.

How do we know God’s will is always healing? Follow this chain of logic and see where it takes you.

God’s wants us to know His will. He may think differently than we do, and His ways may be different than our ways, But He asks us specifically to know and understand His will. He would not ask us to understand His will if it were not possible. He even makes it clear that we are being foolish if we do not understand His will.

“So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:17

“…we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,” Colossians 1:9

How do we understand Gods will? It was revealed through Jesus. 

“No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, He has made Him known.” John 1:18

Jesus is the expressed image of God; If you know Jesus you know the Father; If you see Jesus you have seen the Father, He and the Father are one.

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” Colossians 1:15

“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.” Hebrews 1:3

“If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:7

“…Whoever has seen me has seen the Father…” John 14:9

“I and the Father are one.” John 10:30

Understand God’s will by looking at what Jesus did, He only did the fathers will.

“So Jesus said to them, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.’” John 8:28

“So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.’” John 5:19

Jesus Healed all who came to Him in faith.

“And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.” Matthew 4:23

“When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill.” Matthew 8:16

“And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.” Matthew 9:35

“Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them.” Matthew 15:30

“And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.” Luke 6:19

Questions / Clarificaitons:

  1. Did Jesus ever say no to healing anyone? Scripture says He healed ALL who came to Him in Faith.
  2. Did Jesus ever say, I will heal you eventually but you need to learn a lesson first? There are no examples of Jesus postponing healing pending learning.  He healed all who came to Him in faith.

If Jesus healed all who came to Him in faith, and Jesus only did the Father’s will, and God is unchanging, then God’s will is healing all who come to Him in faith.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

Believe it is so, and pray it into place in faith.

“Jesus, I believe it is God’s will for me to be healed. Lord, purge any remaining unbelief from my mind and my heart. You are the God who heals, Jesus is your expressed image, an exact copy of your very nature. Jesus, you healed all who came to you in faith. You are unchanging; If Your will was healing back then, Your will is healing now. I believe this in my heart and I confess this in Faith: God’s will is for me to be healed.  I speak your will into place on earth as it is in heaven; I speak healing into place in your name.”

There are many specific paths to healing: Nutrition, Exercise, Physical therapies, Medications, Surgeries, Mind/Heart/Soul Healings, and instantaneous supernatural interventions. God has a specific path for your healing; The key is to ask Him what it is, and then pursue it boldly in faith. See my post about asking for a Word of Wisdom and ask Him about His path for you. <Click Here For Post on Word Of Wisdom>

Let me know if you have questions, Let me know how this helps you.

 

You Can Hear God’s Voice

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

You CAN Hear God’s Voice

God wants you to Hear His Voice

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” John 10:27

Hearing God’s Voice Is A Really Big Deal

Scripture makes it clear that many of Gods children are suffering unnecessary problems, problems because they do not know something important, or do not properly understand something that is going on, or are looking at a situation from from the wrong perspective, an earthly perspective rather than from God’s perspective.

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Hosea 4:6

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;” Proverbs 3:5

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9

God wants to help You, to lead you and guide you, but you have to ask. 

God wants to help you. He wants to help you avoid creating unnecessary problems, and He wants to help you see and follow the best path through any inevitable problems you do end up facing. 

God has a plan, and He has a will for you.  He wants you to know what that will is, and He promises to help you see it and understand it if you are willing to humble yourself and ask Him and then do what He tells you.

“So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:17

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

God has provided a connection through the Holy Spirit so His children can hear directly from Him.

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams.” Acts 2:17 / Joel 2:28

Optional Pre-work: Humble yourself, Come to God as a child of God, fully submitted; Your “Self” denied.

The process I am about to explain works best if you are already positioned as a humble Child of God. If you have already repented of your sinful past and put God first in your life, and you honestly wish to be led by the spirit and not the flesh, then skip this section and go straight to the instruction for the 4 keys below.  If you are not confident you are a humble child of God, then continue this prework.

Your fallen nature / Separation From God:

You are an eternal soul living in a temporary earthly vessel. You are born with a sinful nature, a focus on your earthly self and its self-centered agendas.  This focus separates you from God. If your brain is focused on you, your thoughts, your feelings, your earthly life here and now, you are not tune to God and His kingdom which is focused on receiving His love and flowing that love to others. 

Jesus Work To Redeem You:

God entered creation to redeem it.  He came in the form of a son, Jesus.  Jesus suffered and died to release you from your self centered nature. He paid the price for your sin, so you do not have to suffer the consequences.

– You can confess your past to Him and He will give you a future, in this life and for eternity;

– You can deny your old self and He will make you new again.

– You can yield your life to Him and He will form in you and live through you.

– You can shift your focus from loving your self, to flowing His love through you to others.

– You can live in union with the Father, reunited as if you were in the garden before Adam ever sinned.

Accept Jesus As Lord Of Your Life: 

Accept Jesus as lord and savior, submit yourself and your life to Him. Deny your “self” and your self-centered ways. Invite Him to come and live in you, to teach you, to guide you, to form in you, to transform you. Lean ABOUT Him by reading and studying His life and teachings. Get to KNOW Him by establishing a personal relationship, talking to Him, listening to Him, hearing His voice.

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8

 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 16:24-25

There are 4 Keys To Hearing His Voice

Mark Virkler has done wonderful work in this area and He taught me how to Hear God’s Voice. He has identified 4 Keys to getting even hard core analytic thinkers to tune into the spirit and hear God’s voice. They are outlined below.

1  – Quiet Your Self

Grab something to write with (paper or computer), go to a quiet place, and get comfortable.

Sit and get relaxed; be comfortable, No distractions from your body.

No distracting noises. Some people find it helpful to relax and quiet their conscious mind with gentle meditation music, nothing loud or distracting.  Make sure there are no words or singing, just gentle nature sounds.

No visual distractions, TV,  people moving around, some place calm and peaceful. Close your eyes for a moment, take a deep breath. 

Quiet your soul. Come to the presence of the Lord in humility, in reverence, in righteousness, seeking and intending to hear input from the creator of the universe.

Use this prayer if you need help getting into a mode of humble reverence:

“Lord, I submit myself to you as Lord of my life and as my personal savior. You suffered and died for me. I am cleansed by your blood; I am renewed by your spirit. I present myself as your humble servant, a vessel wanting to be filled with your love and your truth, a vessel wanting to be led by your spirit. I submit my self and my selfish agendas here and now. I yield my conscious thoughts to you and open my heart and mind to you. You are my shepherd, Help me hear your voice so that I can follow you boldly and bring Your will into place in this fallen world as it already is in heaven.  I ask this in Jesus name.”     

Quiet your conscious mind so that you will be able to hear God’s gentle small coaching voice.

“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

“and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” 1 Kings 19:11-12

2- Set Your Eyes On Jesus

We are going to access the Holy Spirit via our right brain, we will open the door to that side of our brain by using our imagination.

King David received several visions, and he imagined the Lord in front of him and of his right before he received the visions. We will do the same.

“I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.” Psalm 16:8

Jesus is truly right here with you. One of His names is Immanuel – God with us.  (Matthew 1:23).  Bring yourself into His presence.

Imagine Jesus in a famous bible scene, Walking along the sea of Galilee, or pausing at Jacob’s well, or sitting and talking with children. Project yourself into that scene, arrange it so that Jesus is in the scene in front of you and to your right. Consider entering the scene as a child, innocent and inquisitive. Focus on Jesus with you, looking at you, smiling at you, with love in His eyes, ready to have a conversation with you. 

3 – Tune To Flow

His Holy Spirit is connected deep in your soul. His thoughts will flow out of your heart and appear spontaneously in your mind.

“I will stand my watch And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me…” Habakkuk 2:1

“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:38

Tune to the still quiet voice that emerges spontaneously from within you as you set your eyes on Jesus and ask your question. 

4 – Write

Writing is the key to capturing His voice as it flows in, and leveraging what He tells you for the future.

Habakkuk and John both used this process.

“Then the Lord answered me and said: ‘Write the vision And make it plain on tablets…’” Habakkuk 2:2

Jesus said to John while in the spirit… “Write the things which you have seen..” Revelation 1:19

Yielding your hand to the spirit is similar to yielding your tongue to the spirit to speak in tongues. The act of writing will often draw the words out. Start your hand moving, and the words will flow.

So the process is pretty simple 

    1. Quiet your mind,
    2. Set your eyes on Jesus and ask your  question
    3. Tune to flow
    4. Write His answer

Practical Exercise: 2-Way Love Letter With God

Get something to write with – paper/pen or computer.
Get to a comfortable quiet place.
We will apply the 4 principles in a couple of different ways just to get the hang of it:

    1. Quiet your mind
    2. Set your eyes on Jesus
    3. Tune to Flow
    4. Write

We are going to do a two way love letter with God to get going with this basic process.

We will first write a love letter to Jesus to get us warmed up, We will then ask Him to write a love letter to us.

Let’s start with our letter to Him. Why do you love Jesus? Think for a moment, then start writing. 

“Jesus, I Love you because….”
Write a few sentences, maybe a paragraph, at least one complete chain of thought.

Take a couple of minutes

Now, let’s use the 4 keys and ask for His response:

Write down your question on the page to set up the process

“Lord Jesus, do you love Me?” or “Lord Jesus, Do you have any thoughts to share?”

Now apply the 4 keys:

      1. Quiet your mind
      2. Set your eyes on Jesus, and ask Him your question
      3. Tune to Flow
      4. Write

Write what flows spontaneously into your mind as you ask the question and tune to flow

It will usually start out something like:  “Yes my child, ….”

One trick to get started is to prime the pump. Write an answer you know is right to get the ball rolling. You know God loves you, so as soon as set your eyes on Him and you ask Him if He loves you, tune to flow and write, “Yes my child,..”  That thought will flow in your mind as you write it, listen and capture the next thoughts that follow in.  

Keep writing, capture the thoughts as they flow in.

Do not think about what is flowing, do not evaluate it, just let it flow in and keep writing. 

If the flow is interrupted or pauses, ask Him “Lord, is anything else He wants to say?” and continue writing.  Do this until He tells you He is done.

If you are not getting any input, reset and reapply the 4 keys.

If after several attempts you do not get anything, follow my coaching points below.

Now, Review what was written.

Can you discern if this is input from God? It is usually obvious by the tone and nature of what comes out.

“Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” Matthew 7:20

Test it.  Is it consistent with the character of God: Fatherly, Encouraging, Higher level thoughts, Wise Council.

It will align with scriptural. It may even contain scripture if your brain is familiar and comfortable with scripture.

Even if it does not contain scripture, it will never contradict it.

Proper input will never align with the character of Satan: Condemnation, Accusatory, Lies

If you were not focused on Jesus as you looked for input, you could get something off track.  Always test it. 

It is highly recommended that you bounce your journaling inputs off of someone until you are confident in this process.  This is especially true if your are using this input as the basis for an important decision. Ask several trusted friends to review what you get it and see if their spirit confirms the input is from God:

“By the mouth of two or three witnesses every (rhema) word shall be established.” 2 Corinthians 13:1

You have now heard directly from God.  Hopefully this is the first of many times. Practice this process until you can do it confidently and easily.

Other Powerful Questions You Could Ask Him:

Lord, Do you have any thoughts for me today?

Lord, How do You see me?

Lord, I know You intercede for me with the Father,   What are your prayers for me?

Lord, I wish to be led by the spirit rather than the flesh,   

What is your perspective on situation xyz,  What are you trying to accomplish there? How best can I help? 

Lord, Please open the eyes of my understanding, What do you mean by verse xyz in scripture?

Lord, I continue to struggle with xyz behavior, please help me understand what is driving my behavior so we can address it?

Lord, I know your will is always healing but each situation is uniquely, What is your specific path for person xyz? What can I do to help?  

If you struggle to hear God’s voice, Consider the following:

Have you drawn near to Him?

– Praise God for all He has done for you: Formed you, Put you here, Gave you all you have, Died for you, Drew you to Him, Gives you life. 

– Humble yourself in His presence:  He is the king of kings, Lord of the universe. He breathed creation into existence. He suffered and died for you.

– Submit yourself to Him: He gave His life for you, the least you can do is give your life to Him. Invite Him to come live in you, to form in you, to live through you. Submit your own agendas and intentions and yield yourself to His agendas for you. Seek to understand His will for you, and to do His will on earth.. 

– Accept His finished work on the cross.  He forgives your past so you can move forward; Confess your sins and be forgiven.  He makes you born gain,  Shed your old self and put on the new life though Him. He makes your righteous, stand under the umbrella of His blood and be fully connected to the Father. Seek to be a vessel worthy of His use; live a righteous life and bring Him glory.

– Seek to know Him personally, to become best friends.  Seek to be led by Him. Seek His input with all your heart.  

Have you fully applied the 4 keys?

– Quiet Yourself – are you in a quiet comfortable place with no distractions, try soft meditation music.

– Set your eyes on Jesus – become a child and join him in a scene

– Tune to flow – just let it flow, no evaluation

– Write – just write what comes in, keep writing, no evaluation, no reaction, just write

Have you done the previous things that God has asked you to do?

    • I have seen several cases where someone did not follow the guidance they received, and that caused difficulty hearing new input. Why should He bother giving you new input if you are not going to use it.
    • You need to do what ever God has asked of you. If for some reason you were unable to, You need to repent and re-engage humbly when seeking additional input.

This link is to Mark Virkler’s write up on How to Overcome Blocks and Hinderances

Other Reference Materials that my be helpful:

My PowerPoint Presentation: (Linked Here)

From Mark Virkler’s Communion With God Ministries Web Site

His Dedicated Page on: 4 Keys to Hearing God’s Voice

His Book: 4 Keys to Hearing God’s Voice

His 8 Minute TV interview

His 1 Hr Powerpoint Deck

His One page hand out

His Training packages for all ages

His PDF on How to overcome Hinderances or Blocks

Building a Relationship with God

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

Building a Relationship With God

Overview:

The key to success in this life is to build an active relationship with God. He will help you see the path He set out for you, and He will help you walk it.  You have a choice, you can either actively work with Him, or you are working agaisnt Him. Trust me, you will be much better off working with Him than against Him.

The Process

This is the best way I have found to describe the process.  It is a continuous improvement cycle, the more you work to improve, the better results you will get.

 

The following sections break down each step

Things you need to do to build a relationship with God

– Click the box for more details

Learn about God: Gain some respect for what He has done, Develop a Fear of God as you will face Him 

Humble Yourself and Put Him first

Remove Barriers between You and Him

Listen for His Input

Follow His Lead

Thank Him

Continuously Improve

 

A Bit More detail in each step

Learn About Him and His Kingdom

Seek and you shall find, Knock and it shall be opened

  • The Bible is the divine inspired word of God
    • “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16)
  • The Holy Bible is called “The Word” and it captures the essence / nature / personality of God in words
    • “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1)

Learn about it, Think about it, Talk about it

  • Read the scripture
    • “…you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)
    • “Give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh (Proverbs 4:20-22).
  • Listen to sermons/messages
    • Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17)
  • Connect with others and discuss

Dwell in his word, it is the truth and the light

  • Fully understand the primary Gospel messages
    • God created you individually and He Loves you unconditionally as a father
      • “…you formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb….I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance (Psalm 139:13)
    • God Loves you so much He sent his only begotten son to die for you
      • “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
    • Jesus was resurrected and now has full authority on heaven and earth
      • “God raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named….” (Ephesians 1:20-21)
    • Once you believe in him, acknowledge him as your Lord and Savior, you will be saved
      • “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9)
    • He works continuously towards your best interest
      • “…all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
    • Understand the meaning and message behind key parables and sayings – they each reveal spiritual laws
      • The Word is written in parables and has many layers of meaning (Matthew 13:13)
        • God is the source of everything – the True Vine (John 15)
        • God works to save you when you are lost – The Lost Sheep (Matthew 18:10-14)
        • Pay attention to the Bible message while there is time – The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)
        • Be humble and Confess your sins – The Pharisee and The Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14)
        • God will embrace you when you confess sin and return to him – The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)
        • There is celebration in heaven when each person finds the Lord – The Lost Coin – Luke 15:8-10
        • Big things start small – The Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31-32)
        • You need to nurture your faith for it to grow – The sower (Matthew 13:1-23)
        • Be persistent in Faith and Prayer – The Persistent Widow – (Luke 18:1-8)
        • All good things take time – Sow, Nurture, Mature, Blossom, Fruit, Harvest
        • God works inside you once you plant his seed – The Growing Seed (Mark 4:26-29)
        • You have to invest what God gives you – Ten Talents or Gold Coins (Matthew 25:14-30)
        • Take mercy and help others – The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37)
        • If you keep your harvest and not share it with God you will lose it – The Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21)
        • Focus your resources on those that need help – The Invited Guests (Luke 14:7-14)
        • Forgive others the way God forgives you – The Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:23-35)
        • Watch what you say… words come from your heart – the Heart of Man (Matthew 15:10-20)
        • You reap what you sow (Galatians 6:7)
        • You need to do be a visible model serving His kingdom – The Lamp – Matthew 6:14
      • Research scriptures for current areas of interest: Faith, Fear, Trust, Salvation, Healing
      • Spend time meditating scriptures in your chosen theme
      • Find scriptures that resonate in your mind, or in your heart – that is His voice speaking to you

Seek and you will learn of His unconditional Love for You

  • Learn and understand all he has already done for you (Creation, Salvation, You, A place in heaven)
  • Learn and understand what he has promised his followers (Prosperity, Protection, Long life, Blessings)
  • Understand His will for mankind

Seek it and you gain a better perspective on yourself, your life and your role here

  • Understand the He loves you unconditionally
  • Understand that eternity is the focus
  • Understand His intent is for us to serve others on behalf of Him
  • Spend time in quiet reflection – get to know your heart – Proverbs 27:19, 37:4
  • Understand He will help you become your best in this life and the next
    • “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives liberally to all who ask, without criticism, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5)

Seek it daily and you will receive blessings now and forever

  • Start and end the day with prayer – “Look up and thank god for his lovingkindness, and faithfulness” Psalm 92:2
  • Spend time feeding your spirit with other sources
  • Spend time with someone who supports your development
  • Thank the Lord 7 times a day for his faith and good judgement

Humble Yourself and Put Him First

Praise him often/always for His key roles in your life

  • Creator
  • Provider
  • Protector
  • Shepherd
  • Redeemer
  • Savior
  • Healer

Talk to him often / Pray to him often

  • Submit yourself as a holy vessel worthy of hosting the holy spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19)
  • Draw him close, ask for his help
  • Your prayers send a shock wave into the universe removing obstacles to God’s perfect will
  • Set your eyes on God – “…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:4)
  • Remove obstacles to flow of the spirit – Repent of any sin
  • “… The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16

Trust him, Put your life in his hands

  • “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 7:7)
  • God is in Control – “He created the smith who fuels the fire and makes the weapons, and the destroyer who wastes. No weapon formed against you shall prosper.” (Isaiah 54:17)
  • “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:20
  • “…submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

Acknowledge his role Publicly

Remove Barriers Between You and Him

Commit to follow His commandments/ways

  • Human nature is to focus on earthly / physical priorities – survival, success, reputation, pleasure.
  • God wants you to focus beyond yourself. It requires education and discipline, and is counter to earthly priorities
  • He provides Two big rules – Love God with all your heart and Love your neighbor as yourself
  • Those rules need to guide how you think, what you choose to do, and how you choose to treat others
  • You have a choice between Blessings or Curses. Follow God to receive blessings. (Deuteronomy 30:20)
  • Not following the commandments is a sin – in Greek “amartia” (ha-mar-tia). “to miss the mark.”
  • Not loving Him with all your heart is a sin – sin of Pride
    • The most common Sin is thinking you can do anything at all without him – even breathing!
  • Sin has consequences – Separation from God is the biggest
    • “… your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear” (Isaiah 59:2)
  • When you separate from God you open the door to attack – He can no longer protect you
  • The devil will attack: Either internally through your thoughts, urges, and decisions, or externally by setting up bad things to happen to you, or both.
  • Once you start, you become a slave to sin – Fighting temptation, Guilt for failure, Fearing consequences. (John 8:34)
  • Negative consequences accumulate until you become desperate and ask God for help.
  • Behave righteously and you will have no barriers to God

Review / Reflect on yourself

  • Thoughts in your Mind
  • Feelings in your Heart
  • Actions from your Will

Ask him to help you see shortcomings/gaps

  • Ask to be filled with his holy spirit to help convict your heart and help you see
  • The holy spirit inside us is a mirror. If you quiet yourself and reflect, it will tell you where you are falling short.

Acknowledge them and turn from them as sins

Commit and Actively work to improve

Ask him for forgiveness and for his help to improve

  • Admit it, Quit it, Forget it

Thank him for progress

Listen for His Input

Look for His direction for your life (Gifts and Passions)

  • He has a plan for us – “all the days fashioned for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:16)
  • The plan involves being useful – “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works..” (Ephesians 2:10)
  • There are many ways to be useful – “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.” (1 Cor 12:4)
  • We have been given natural gifts – talents / capabilities / things that come easily/things others see in us. Mental, Physical, Social
  • We have been given affections – interests / passions / things that excite us / move us / give us fulfillment
  • The combination of gifts (Talents and Capabilities) He put in your body, and the affections (Interests/Passions) He put deep in your heart are a good indication of His general direction for your life.
  • Once you start moving down the path, he will guide your specific steps
    • “A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)
    • “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way. (Psalm 37:23)
  • He gave us two key rules – Love God with all your heart, Love your neighbor as yourself
  • He expects us to use our gifts (talents/capabilities) to serve his kingdom (provide a return on his investment) “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13)

Look for His hand in your life (People, Places, Opportunities, Timing)

When faced with challenges – State your intention, purpose and need and Ask for his help to see the path

Quiet yourself and Listen for his input: Thoughts, Images, Feelings

  • Ask him to open the eyes of your heart
  • Focus on Jesus – imagine him in a scene – you with him
  • Tune to flow in your mind…quiet yourself and listen to his input
  • “….Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:38
  • Write it down and compart it to scripture – it is God’s input for your life

Follow His Lead

Get your Ego out of the way

Go where he leads you

  • “If you remain in me , you will bear much fruit” (John 5:15)

Take Action based on his input

  • The more you submit yourself to God, and listen for his input, the more you begin to understand his will and feel his love.
  • The more you partner with him, submit yourself and let him lead you, the stronger you become
  • As you do good works by his will, you build your eternal house in heaven
  • How you meet the challenges in life shapes your Soul – your will and your conscience – choices between short term earthly priorities vs long term (eternal) spiritual priorities

Develop your gifts

  • All gifts come in seed form, they require cultivation and nourishment to grow and bear fruit
  • He expects us to develop and apply the talents he gave us for the Good of the kingdom

Follow your passions

  • He expects us to use our gifts (talents/capabilities) to serve his kingdom (provide a return on his investment)

Apply Gifts/Passions in ways that serve others

  • “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13)
  • The more you devote yourself to doing good works based on his will, you build more Love in your heart, and others see it and are impacted by it – you become a lighthouse for them.

Take advantage of opportunities he presents

  • He blesses those who leverage what He has given them – parable of talents (Matthew 25:14-30)
  • As you do good works by his will, you build your eternal house in heaven
  • How you meet the challenges in life shapes your Soul – your will and your conscience – choices between short term earthly priorities vs long term (eternal) spiritual priorities

Thank Him

– Thank him Privately and Publicly for all He does for you

  • Avoid the sin of pride

 

Continuously Improve

Suggestions

Spiritual Focus

  • Things to do every day to improve your spiritual Life
  1. Start and end the day with prayer –

“Look up and thank god for his lovingkindness, and faithfulness” Psalm 92:2.

  1. Spend time in the word and in conversational prayer
  2. Spend time in quiet reflection – get to know your heart – Proverbs 27:19, 37:4
  3. Spend time feeding your spirit with other sources
  4. Spend time with someone who supports your development
  5. Thank the Lord 7 times a day for his faith and good judgement
  6. Say no to things you shouldn’t do / Say yes to the things you should do (Those from the lord)
  7. Ask to be filled with his holy spirit

Source: Rick Renner  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM9dJRTo5WA

 

Devotionals:

               Rick Renner Sparkling Gems  https://renner.org/spg/

               Barry Bennet Healing messages: https://www.facebook.com/officialbarrybennett

Andrew Wommack: https://www.facebook.com/AWMinistries/

The Sword of The Spirit for Healing

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

Sword Of The Spirit For Healing

Keys Scriptures For Getting Aligned and Recieving Healing:

Use These scriptures to maintain mental focus on Jesus as the way, the truth and the life.

Anytime you do not feel the kingdom emotions of peace and joy, you have an opportunity to shift your focuse back toward Jesus and make Him front and center of your thoughts.

The Truth: Jesus was in heaven from the beginning. He chose to come here in the form of a human baby, resisted temptaiton and lived a sinless life, preached and did wonders empowered by the holy spirit, sacrificed himself to the point of death, was resurrected on the thrid day as predicted in scripture, and now precides over all creation. Those who believe in Him, truly repent of thier sins and accept Him as lord of thier life, are born agian, will recieve the holy spirit, and are transformed to live a life as Jesus intende dwhen He put us here. The original image of God is restored as Jesus forms in us.

God Sent His Word And Healed Me

“He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions.” Psalm 107:20

God’s Word Heals When I Focus On It

“My son, give attention to my words;

Incline your ear to my sayings.

Do not let them depart from your eyes;

Keep them in the midst of your heart;

For they are life to those who find them,

And health to all their flesh.” Proverbs 4:20-22

Jesus Is “The Word”

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1

 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

Jesus Paid the Price With His Body… It Is Done.  I Am Healed.

“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5

“who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. 1 Peter 2:24

Jesus is The Way

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’”. John 14:6

Jesus is The Light.

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” John 8:12

“I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” John 12:46

Where there is light there can be no darkness. Light always overcomes darkness

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5

We are to walk in the light as He is in the light

               “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:14

Jesus has power over all things.

“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” Colossians 1:16

Jesus’ name is above all names

“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.’” Matthew 28:18

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth” Philippians 2:9-10

Jesus Makes Me Whole

“let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. Acts 4:10

The Spirit That Raised Jesus From The Dead Gives Life To My Mortal Body.

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans 8:11

Jesus works all things for good of those who love Him.

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

Know God’s Will

“So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:17

“For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,“ Colossians 1:9

When In doubt, Ask Him

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

Pray His Will Into Place

“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16

“Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come. Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9-13

Speak To You Mountain and It Will Move

“For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.” Mark 11:23

Signs Will Follow Those Who Believe – Healing

“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”Mark 16:17-18

Believe When You Pray And It Shall Be Done

“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” Mark 11:24

Stay Focused Forward in Hope and Faith

            “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old.” Isaiah 43:18

“…but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14

 

Give Your Problems To Jesus

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

Give Your Problems to Jesus

Anxious? Worried? Stressed? Those are emotions based in the physical life you are experiencing. Jesus made it very clear that He wants you to shift from a physical focus to a spiritual focus, and when you do that He can help you. He actually wants you to Give your problems to Jesus! So how do we do that?

1) Awaken your spiritual body

Acknowledge God and His Key Roles – Creator, Provider, Protector, Father,

2) Humble Your Self

I am a sinner in a sinful world. I was born with the sinful nature I got from Adam. I have been selfish and self-centered. When I am being self-centered, I love myself more than I love God. When I am being self-centered, I love myself more than I love others. My ego has played a very strong role in my life: What people think of me, What they say about me, What kind of car I drive, What kind of house I live in, My work life/title/role and My education status. God asks us to love God with ALL my heart – I have not, God asks us to love our neighbors more than ourselves, I have not. I am a sinner. The wages of sin are death. Per God’s righteous Law I am destined for hell, I need a savior.

3) Acknowledge Jesus is The Christ.

The old testament makes at least 47 predictions about a savior coming, He would be born to a virgin woman in Bethlehem. He would come from the blood line of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, David, He would be exiled to Egypt, He would be called the son of God and the son of man. He would enter Jeruselem on a donkey. He would bear the burden of our sins on His body and be a sacrifice for our sins, He would be blameless, yet suffer and die via crucifixion with criminals, He would be resurrected and ascend to heave to be seated at God’s right hand. He would reign as king forever. Jesus did all of this and more. The odds of a single human accomplishing only 8 of the 47 predictions is 1 in 1 to the 1017.

4) Accept Him as Lord Of Your Life

Repent of your sins and your sinful nature, Turn from sinful ways. Reject self-centered agendas and self-conscious emotions, Deny yourself – This life is really not about me, it is about God and His kingdom. I am just a servant, a vessel for His use. Arms and legs to do His work. Invite Him to come and live in you. To teach you and guide you. To form in you. To help you put off the old you, and put on the new you. Submit yourself completely to Him.

5) See Things from God’s Perspective

Transform your mind to see things from God’s perspective. Focus on the spiritual dimension. What does God want to happen: We are all His children, He loves each of us, He put each of here with a purpose, That purpose is corrupted by sin, He sent His son to save us, His son wants to live inside us and help us become the person God intended when He made us. He will heal any damage inside us and empower us to thrive. We need to get ourselves (our selfish agendas) out of the way and trust in Him to do all that.

Talk to God daily; Read His word, Meditate on it, Seek to usnderstand Its message for your life

Talk to Him, Listen to Him. Become friends

Ask the why for your thoughts and actions.  What is driving you.  Is it Love of God and Love of neighbor?

Become love in action. His love is perfected when it flows through you to others.

6) Understand God’s will

He wants each of us to come to repentance and find Him.

He wants to come and form inside each of us to restore the original Image of God that was tarnished by Adam.

He wants each of us to live life in abundance with Him shining through us.

He wants each of us to become a bright shining light in a dark world. Examples for others to see the kingdom in aciton

When In Doubt of the details of Gods will in a situaiton, Humble yourself and Ask Him to guide your understanding.

7) Pray God’s will into place.

Speak Out loud. The power of death and life is in the tongue. God created the heavens and the earth by speaking. He SAID let there be light.. and there was.

Speak God’s will into place on earth. Grant your permission for God’s will to flow into place.

Pray fervently, boldly.  Pray as if you were a field commander instructing an army of angels in front of you to come in and engage in a life or death battle to execute this assignment from God.

8) Believe what you pray and you will receive it.

When you understand God’s will and are aligned with it, You can pray with confidence.

You must believe In your heart, that what you are asking for IS God’s will. When you do this, you can put all of your trust in Jesus to make it happen.

It is His Will, You are aligned with God’s will, and you are asking in Jesus name. When you believe it will happen, you can put your trust in Jesus with expectations of success. This defeats anxiety, worry and all those other physical emotions.

Supporting Scriptures:

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Example Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank you for this life and for all you have done for me. Jesus thank you for coming here and doing your amazing work for us 2000 years ago. You are the Christ, you fulfilled the prophesy, Your body paid the price, your blood forgives our sins, and you are now at the right hand of the Father as eternal king..  I am a sinner in a sinful world. I confess my sins; I acknowledge that I have fallen short. I turn from my sinful ways and choose to follow you and your call to love God with all my heart and my neighbors as my self. I accept you as Lord of my life and invite you to come into me and lead me. Open the eyes of my understanding so that I see things from your perspective and understand your will. I know you want each of us to come to repentance and to follow you as Lord. I know you want to form inside each of us and to restore the image of God in us so that we can fulfill our purpose and flow your love to others.  I speak your will into place. I submit myself to you. I am clay, you are the potter. Transform me so that I can be of service to you.  I speak your will into place for my family and friends. May the eyes of thier understanding be opened to you and your purpose. May they feel your love. May they find your truth. May they reach repentance and submit to you as lord and savior. May they transforma and align with your will for thier lives and overcome this fallen world. I have faith that your will is good and true and I believe I am aligned the same intention. I put my trust in you.  I do not need to worry or be anxious, because I love you and you work all things to the good of those who love you. I speek this in Jesus name.  AMEN..    

Englighten the Eyes of Your Understanding

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

Englighten the Eyes of Your Understanding

You feeling God’s love? Executing God’s plan for your life with a future and hope?
Experiencing life in abundance? Peace? Joy? Have you become a beacon for the kingdom?
– If So, Great, carry on!
If not so much….
see if you can tell where you get stuck in the following flow…
and then pray the prayer below to help gain wisdom to move forward on the journey…
Do you really understand what Jesus did for you?
Have you truly repented and shed the old self centered you?
Have you completely submitted to Jesus as Lord of your life?
Have you invited Jesus to come live / form inside you?
Are you beginning to see things from God’s perspective?
Are you noticing when He points out things to do better?
Are you asking Him to help you do them better?
Have you truly shed the self centered loves that drove you?
Can you see changes as Christ forms in you?
Can you see His love being perfected as it flows through you?
Do people see Christ when they see you in action?
Do you give Glory to the Father through the Son as you execute?
Challenge: Print this and pray it out loud at least daily for two weeks and see if it does not change your life:
I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give me the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.
Enlighten the eyes of my understanding that I may know:
what is the hope of His calling,
what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe,
according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church (the group of believers), which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
( Based on Pauls Prayer for believers in Ephesians 1:17-23)

 

You Are An Ambassador for Christ

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

Are You An Effective Ambassador For Christ?

You are called to be an ambassador for Christ, to help others find Jesus and become reconciled back to God through His blood. He needs you to show others the ways of the kingdom as a living role model, and He needs you to share your story with others so they can see it is possible and appropriate to turn and follow Jesus. 

“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:20

Ambassadors are representative of a higher authority, sent as an envoy into a foreign land with authority to deliver a message and negotiate on behalf of ruler. Typical roles for a diplomatic ambassador include: 

Negotiate Agreements: Use delegated authority to make things happen
Maintain Diplomatic Relations: Engage, Maintain open dialog
Promote Cooperation: Identify Opportunities, Advocate Solutions
Promote Investment: Identify Needs/Opportunities, Make Connections
Safeguard Interests: Identify conflicts, risks, issues; No surprises
Help Travelers: Help friendlies navigate unfamiliar/unfriendly areas
Explain Policy: Explain how/why of established policies/rules
Evacuate Refugees: Help folks escape danger

As believing Christian we are each commissioned as an agent for the Kingdom of God, sent out into the fallen world to help pave the way for the kingdom. 

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” Matthew 28:19

Jesus tells John in Revelation how we will play a key part of His three part strategy to defeat the devil and make him His foot stool. Jesus removes the devils power by shedding His innocent blood on the cross, we need to follow Jesus model and deny our earthyl lives to the point of death so we can live the life He paid such a high price for, and as we do it, we need to share our story with others so they see it is possible and appropriate to do the same thing.  

“Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.’”Revelation 12:10-11

How are you doing in the role of ambassador:  Being a good Christian role model?  Engaging others and sharing your story?

Are you a good role model? Are you helping His cause or hurting it as you walk out your life?

Have you fully embraced your identity as a Born Again, Spirit Filled, Child of God?

Have You fully embraced your purpose to bring glory to God in everything you think, say, and do, and to become a beacon for the kingdom? 

Have you renewed your mind? Become focused on things above? Seeing things from His perspective?

Are you setting a good example with your life? with your relationships? with your choice of words? with how you spend your time?

Have you put off the old man and his sinful ways, and put on new life with Jesus? 

Are you still loving yourself, your earthly life, and the things of this world, or have you denied yourself and become separate from the world?

Have you shifted from living by the flesh to living by faith in the spirit? Have you put all your trust in Him?

Are you acting like Jesus would?  Become transformed into His likeness? Can people see hints of Jesus in you when they see you in action?

Are you doing the works He did and more? Are you actively engaged defeating the works of the devil, or are you sitting on the sidelines watching things happen?

Are you doing all things in His name so the Father gets the glory?

Do you give God credit for everything He does?  Can anyone else tell you Love God with all your heart?

Are you a light in this dark world, a beacon for the kingdom? Are you attracting people to be interested in participating in the kingdom or are you giving them more excuses to ignonre God?

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”Matthew 5:13-16

Your life matters, live it well.

Are you actively engaged as an advocate for the kingdom, or are you holding back?

We are each called to be a witness to Jesus and share our story with others:

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;” 1 Peter 3:15

“And he did not permit him but said to him, ‘Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.’” Mark 5:19

“’Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.’ And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.” Luke 8:39

“Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what He has done for my soul.” Psalm 66:16

“Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!” Psalm 105:1-2

We each have a story to tell, the story of our unique and personal journey with Jesus.

    • How do you know God / Jesus is real?
      • What evidence have you seen?
    • How did He first get your attention?
      • A Knock? A Situation? Distress/Despiration?
    • How have you seen His hand in your life?
      • Significant “Non-random” events? People? Places? Circumstances?
    • How do you interact with God?
      • How do you engage Him? How often? Where?
    • How have you heard God’s voice?
      • In Scripture? Thoughts arriving during prayer? Journalling? Knowing in your gut? Audible Voice?
    • Who are You? Why are you here? What is your calling?
      • What unique Gifts/Talents did He give you so you can be useful? What comes easy? What do you do well?
      • What passions did he plant in your heart to guide your journey? What do you enjoy? What drives you?
      • What experiences did God give you to shape you and set you up on your current path?
      • What is your purpose / calling / ministry?
    • How has Faith/The Word/Jesus changed your life/thinking/behavior?
      • What have you learned though a trial or tribulation?
      • How has Faith helped you get through a storm in your life?
      • How has Holy Spirit led you into interesting situations?
      • How has Holy Spirit worked through you to impact someone else?
      • Do you see any hints of a positive ripple of God’s love through you to others, and then on form them?

You can ponder these questions in your mind. I encourage you to write them down so you are fully formed and more conscice and ready to share when asked.

My Offer: I woud be happy to do an interview with your and help you capture your story. We can do it via zoom and we can get a written transcript of your story. You can keep it private for your personal use, or we can share it publicly to help others see how the kingdom could work in thier life.

When engaging others in a spiritual discussion, there are some clear lessons learned

    • Be Led: Ask the Lord for guidance on Who / When / How
    • Fear Not: Trust in The Holy Spirit To Help You and Give You Words

“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.” Acts 1:8

    • Your job is not to win souls in each conversation. You are part of a team: Some Sow, Some Water, Some Reap, God Brings The Increase.

“For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.” John 4:37-38

“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.” 1 Corinthians 3:6-9

    • Engage others with respect and kindness – they have free will to choose. Our opportunity to be clear on what we have learned and what is working for us. 
    • Lead with Love and Goodness, What God the Father and Jesus have done for us. Goodness creates interest and willingness to discuss what we need to do to respond and align ourselves to benefit from the goodness.

Supporting resources for engaging others in spiritual disucssions

Ray Comfort

Greg Koukl

Frank Turek

Cliffe Knechtle

Supporting Scriptures:

“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:20

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.” 1 John 2:15-16

“…that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,  and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:22-24

“Most assuredly, 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 My Father.” John 14:12

“And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” John 14:13

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

 

God Wants To Live Through You – Have You Cleared A Path?

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God Wants To Live Through You – Have You Cleared A Path?

God has High expectations for you – He wants to live through you – Have you done the work necessary to clear a path for Him? It is transformational!

The bible language can be a bit confusing but it is pretty amazing once you wrap your head around it.  The bible uses the term “image” to convey how we are wired internally – how our will, conscience and emotions connect to God’s intention for us. Follow along the biblical narrative and see how it works.

God created mankind in God’s image, in perfect harmony with God, and they experienced paradise on earth. The image was currupted when Adam became self-centered and chose to sin against God by eating of the forbidden tree. This caused seporation from God, struggles, suffering and death. We inherit the currupted nature from Adam, and experienc ethe same seporation and suffering. Jesus came to restore what was lost, to restore the image of God in us, and to reconnect us with the Father.  Jesus was the image of God in flesh. When we acknowledge our shortcomings and accept Him as Lord of our life, He can flow into us and begin to transfomr us into His image. We need to clear the path for Him to do that. We need to put aside our self-centered agendas and our self-conscious emotions so that He is able to do His work. As we make room for Him, He can come into us and take up reesidence.  The more we learn from Him, the more we can see things from His perspective. The more we focus on scripture the more we understand Him and his will. The more we reflect and listen to the Holy spirit, the more we transform our mind and adjust our actions to align with His will. As His image is formed in us, we become more and more like Him; We act in truth and become love in action. His love is perfected when it flows through us to others. We become a bright light in this dark world. As we shine, we become a beacon for the kingdom. It is remarkable how much we can change in a short time if we engage Him and give Him room to work.

Supporting Scriptures: 

God created mankind in His image:

“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:26–27

Adam corrupted the image by becoming self-centered and rebelling against God’s rules:

“but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.” Genesis 3:3-7

We inherit Adams image – the image corrupted by sin:

“And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.” Genesis 5:3

“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.” Psalm 51:5

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned” Romans 5:12

Jesus came to restore the image – to save that which was lost:

“For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.” Matthew 18:11

Jesus is the expressed image of God:

“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person,” Hebrews 1:1-3

Jesus wants to come and live inside us – and put His life back in us:

“But when it pleased God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called by His grace, to reveal His Son in me.” Galatians 1:15-16

“Because the God who said, Out of darkness light shall shine, is the One who shined in our hearts to illuminate the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not out of us.” 2 Corinthians 4:6-7

“But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is life because of righteousness.” Romans 8:10

The Holy Spirit is the change agent to help us make room:

“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:16-17

We are predestined to be conformed to the Image of the Son:

“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:29

We are to be renewed according to the image God:

“and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,” Colossians 3:10
Be renewed by transformation of our mind – as Christ is formed in you

“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.” Romans 12:2

You will need to pick up your cross and actively follow Jesus model – crucify the flesh, resist temptation, do not let sin against you become sin inside you.

“I am crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me.” Galatians 2:20

“For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps” 1 Peter 2:21

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”Revelation 12:11

As you transform you are to become like Christ, act in love from a pure heart

“My children, with whom I travail again in birth until Christ is formed in you.” Galatians 4:19

“That Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love.” Ephesians 3:17

“Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.”1 John 4:17

You are to become His glory in action, a beacon for the kingdom

“To whom God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27

“When He comes to be glorified in His saints and to be marveled at in all those who have believed.” 2 Thessalonians 1:10

It is all about transformation so that Jesus manifests in you and His Love flows through you. Deny yourself, Accept Him, Invite Him, Get to know Him, Listen to Him, Follow where He leads you, Become like Him. This approach will change your life. God wants you to be a beacon for His kingdom here and now. He does not want you just hanging out hoping to get into heaven someday.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I thank you for creating me with a purpose, and for sending your son here to enable that purpose. I hereby deny my-self serving agendas and Invite Him in to be my lord of my life.  I yield my eyes to see things from your perspective. I yield my ears to hears and understand your words. I yeald my heart to love you and to love my neighbors as myself.  I yield my mouth to sing praises to you. I yield my hands to do your work. I yield my feet to go where you tell me. Lord, Help me to transform into the person you intended when you put me here. Help me form Jesus in me. Help me push my old self behind me and let the new self emerge. Help me flow your love out to others in all I do. I ask this in Jesus Holy name so that I can be a beacon for your kingdom..    

Hope this helps.
My two cents.

Can People Tell You Are A Believer By How You Live Your Life? It Matters!

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Can People Tell You Are A Believer By How You Live Your Life? It Matters! 

Are you a believer? Do you act like you believe? Can people tell you are a believer by how you live your life? It matters.

If you truly believe….

  • You will Know Him – Fully appreciating the sacrifice He made for you
  • He will Know You – Committed to Living a life worthy of the price He paid
  • You will be Yielded – No longer You that lives but Him through You
  • You will be IN Christ – Accepting His finished work; Born Again, Forgiven, Focused Forward  
  • You will be Transformed – Heart cleansed of unhealthy desires, Mind completely renewed by His word
  • You will as different – IN the world, not OF the world
  • You will imitate God – Walking in love as He did.
  • You will be an ambassador – Compelling others with your example
  • People will see Jesus when they see you in action – Him in you.
  • You will do all the works He did – Active, Not passive.
  • You will be leading by example – A bright light in the darkness
  • You will be a beacon for the kingdom – Bringing glory to Him.

Do you really believe? Do you live like you really believe? 

Once you actually dig in a bit… His expectations are very clear: If He does not know you, you will not get into heaven. You better make sure He knows you before it is too late. Talk to Him, Listen for His word, Do what He says, Go where He leads you, Transform into His image, Become a beacon for Him. Learning ABOUT Him is nice, but getting to KNOW Him personally is transformational.

Something to ponder.

———————————————
Supporting scriptures.

Know Him and what He did for you

“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3

“More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,” Philippians 3:8

Act Accordingly – Walk worthy – Be Committed

“By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.” 1 John 2:3

“So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” Colossians 1:10

“Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel” Philippians 1:27

“We exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.”1 Thessalonians 2:12

Be In Christ – Accepting His Fininshed work – Born Again, A New Creation, Forgiven and Focused Forward

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

Be Transformed by convicting desires in your heart and renewing your mind

“To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:22-24

“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.” Romans 12:2

Be Different – Not loving things of the world or Being loved by the world

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 1 John 2:15

“If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” John 15:19

“I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.” John 17:14-16

Imitate God – Walk in love as He did

“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” Ephesians 5:1-2

Be an Ambassador – Compelling others with your example

“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:20

People shoud see Jesus in you

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

Do the works He did…and more

“Most assuredly, 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 My Father.” John 14:12

Be an Example for others – a Shining Light

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14

Share your story and Give Glory – Be A Beacon for the kingdom

“…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

He must know you – or you will not get in

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” Matthew 7:21-23

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Struggling with life’s challenges? It is an opportunity to upgrade your spiritual side!

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

Struggling with life’s challenges? It is an opportunity to upgrade your spiritual side!

God wants you to become the best possible version of yourself. That version of you emerges as you: 1) Purposefully deny your own selfish/self-centered agendas in favor of God’s agenda for you, 2) Commit to pursue God’s mandates to Love Him with all your heart and to Love your neighbors as yourself, and 3) Transition  yourself to be led by the spirit into the life He intended when He put you here.

Each person is on their own journey but there are a few key steps or stages along the way.

Here is a sort of check list for progression on this journey. How far down the list are you at this point?   

  • God Exists – He created the heavens and the earth, He was, is, and will be.
  • God Is Love – He rewards those who diligently pursue Him
  • God is Truth – Truth brings order out of Chaos, The Truth sets you free
  • The Bible is God’s divine word – It comes alive and performs work as you embrace it.
  • God created man in His image, in perfect harmony with Him in the garden.
  • The image was tarnished by Adam’s sin – Adam’s desire to become like a God, made him Self-Conscious and Self-Centered which separated Him from God.
  • I inherited Adam’s sinful nature, I have sinned, the wages of sin is spiritual death, I need a savior.
  • I am a spiritual being in a temporary body. My soul will spend eternity somewhere.
  • I have free will, my choices matter – I am fully accountable for how I live this life.
  • God formed me in my mother’s womb, He put me here for a reason.
  • God Loves Me – He Sent His Son to restore what was lost through Adam
  • Jesus was born as a human to a virgin mother
  • Jesus died as an innocent sacrifice for the sins of mankind.
  • When you accept Jesus as Lord and commit to follow Him, your spirit is reset, born again, the Image of God is restored in you,
  • Jesus blood washes away Your past. Your sins are forgiven. You can focus forward.
  • The Father sees you through Jesus, He sees you innocent and righteous thru Jesus’ blood.
  • I Accept Jesus As Lord of My Life
  • I Deny Myself – No self-serving agendas, This life is No Longer all about Me
  • I Commit to Live Worthy of Jesus Sacrifice – I am IN the world not OF the world.
  • I Embrace My New Identify – I am A Child of God, Brother of Jesus, God’s Friend
  • He Knows Me – We spend quiet time together; I take Him with me throughout the day
  • I Know Him – His Word yields understanding, My mind is transforming, I know His will.
  • I Approach all things with Prayer, Supplication, and Thanksgiving
  • I Am Led by the Spirit – I Ask, I Listen, I Hear, I Follow
  • I Love God with all my heart – I am a good ambassador for Him
  • I Love My Neighbor as Myself
    • I see each person as a child of God struggling in the fallen world
    • I flow Gods love out to everyone I encounter -smile, pleasant, encouraging
    • I focus on finding ways to be useful to others, especially those who have less
    • I forgive those who sin against me
    • I Pray for “my enemies” to find God, His love, His truth for their benefit
  • I Profess the Promises
    • All things are Possible with God
    • Eyes to See from His Perspective
    • Ears to Hear and Understand His Word
    • Mouth to Speak His Praise
    • Hands to Do His Work
    • He Protects Me From Evil
    • He Gives Me Strength
    • He Helps Me Overcome All Things
    • I Ask and it is Given, I Seek and I Find, I Knock and it is Opened.
    • My old self is crucified with Christ, My new self is raised with Him into life
    • It Is No Longer Me That Lives, But Him Through Me
    • The Spirit That Raised Jesus From The Dead Lives Inside me
    • By His Stripes I Am Healed
    • People see God when they see me in action

Finding God:

Many folks these days only discover God when they reach the point of desperation.  When they finally realize they cannot get themselves out of a mess, or they are exhausted while trying to endure something; or they finally realize the severe consequences of things they have said or done. The good news is He is waiting patiently for each of us to eventually come to Him, and He is ready willing and able to help us once we do.  Your opportunity is to discover Him long before you become desperate, and to realize more of the benefits in this life.

Loving Him with all your heart means making Him lord of your life. Yielding yourself completely to Him. Inviting Him to come and live inside you. Living your life as a temple worthy of his presence. Transforming your mind by learning and understanding His word, and using your body to do good works for His kingdom. The mental image is that God is pure love. His love flows to you because He sent His son. This love is perfected when it flows through you to others. It can only flow when you get your selfish agendas out of the way. When you do this you shine as a bright light in this dark world, and you will be a beacon for others to see the kingdom.

If you want to avoid some suffering and having to get all the way to the point of desperation you can take the opportunity to work through it now. But one warning, You must be serious about it because God hides himself so only those who genuinely want to find Him will do so. That keeps the riff-raff out of the club.

The first concept to wrestle is the spiritual nature of our existence. God created the heavens and the earth out of invisible spiritual matter (Gen1, Heb 11:3). The spiritual world is all around us and it actually controls what happens here. What appears to us as a series of physical struggles is actually a massive spiritual battle going on behind the scenes (Eph 6:12).  Think of it this way: Our job while on this earth is to 1) Discover we are in a spiritual battle, 2) Recognize we were innitially asigned working for the bad guy, 3) Get ourselves realigned and declare our commitment to the good guy, 4) Dedicate ourselves to becoming an effective force for good. There is no middle ground.  You are either continue to be a pawn used and abused by the bad guy, or you are fully committed to actively work for the good guy.

So in practical terms;  You are a spiritual being in a physical body. You are actually a  three part being: Mind, Body and Spirit. This earthly life is a womb to develop your eternal consciousness. What you do in this life has consequences. God wants to help you get on the right path. He can connect with your spirit to flow into your mind and heart to help you learn and grow, but He can only do it when you invite Him in. It is natural for you to be led by your rational mind. It is unnatural for your mind to release control and become led by the spirit but that is the only way to open up to God’s inflow and realize your full potential. It takes practice to get comfortable doing it, but first let me push the boundary a bit.

It may be hard to believe but you are entirely dependant on God. You can do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING without Him. He is the source of everything. His is the power that drives every living thing. Picture being 100 ft underwater with a scuba tank and the air runs out. God is highly invested in you: He has plans for you, He formed you and put you here, He has more thoughts about you than there are sands on the beaches, He has provided you with gifts and talents, He is continuing to provide evey breath you take, and He promises to reward all who diligently persue Him. He uses an analogy of a grape vine in a vineyard: you are a branch and He is a vine.  The branch withers and dies if it is cut off from the vine. The branch can do absolutely nothing without the vine. (John 15:5). You need to take Him very seriously. The consequences of ignoring Him are not pretty and they last for eternity.

He calls us to love Him will all our heart. Loving Him with all your heart involves acknowledging Him, Recognizing and celebrating His roles in your life, Spending time getting to know Him personally, continuously engaging in discussion with Him in prayer, Asking Him for guidance then listening for His voice and going where He leads you, and the giving Him credit for His hand in your life.  

Loving your neighbor as your self involves viewing all others as children of God who are struggling in this fallen world. Treat each of them with respect, Be positive and encouraging, Be helpful when ever you can. Pray for them when they exhibit harmful behaviors. When you pray for them, make sure to check your selfish agendas, you are to pray for them to discover and embrace God’s path for their lives so they can become better , not so they will stop being a problem for you.

Let Him lead you.  Be led by the spirit not the flesh. You are a spiritual being living in a physical world controlled by the spiritual world. God will lead you through the challenges of this world if you tune in to hear His voice. His way is different; It is not the way that seems reasonable to a man. He already has a path in front of you, you need to discover it and go where it takes you. He will flow information to you if you ask. Pray for insight on His path forward: “Lord, I know you have a path for me, give me eyes to see it.” This takes some practice….

Let’s try it right now: Get comfortable somewhere, Close your eyes,  Quiet your mind. Imagine Jesus sitting next to you. Reach out with your right hand and hold his hand.  Ask Him out loud: “Jesus, You offer wisdom to those who ask. I want to be led by the spirit and not the flesh. Please give me a message to guide me on the path forward. I ask this in Your Holy Name.” Stay quiet and focused on Him until you receive the message. It will be a distinct thought, or a specific word, or a mental image, or even an audible voice.  When you get it, speak it back to Him. “Lord, I believe you are telling me…xxx”.   Reflect for a moment on what that message means to you and what you should do now that you have it, and then thank Him.  Many times the first message will be.. “I love you’, especially if you have had doubts about that. Or “I want to be a bigger part of your life” if you have been excluding God from your daily routines. Or maybe “I don’t know you” if you have not spent much time in private personal discussion with Him. Or “I want you, not your money” if you were treating God as a wishing well rather than the person who laid down His life for yours.

Put your life in his hands: ex:“Lord, You provide food for the birds, you bring rains and you raise the sun. May your face shine down upon me, May your hand never leave me. Guide me and keep me all the days of my life.”

Yield your burdens to Him: Draw near to Him, Give Him the burden of worry. Give Him your cares. He promises that His yoke is easy and that righteous believers will never be moved.

Approach every day as an opportunity to shine. Be thankful for what God has done for you and what He is doing for those around you. Keep a thankfulness journal if you need help recognizing what God has done and is doing in your life. This will help keep you humble and in the right perspective.

Stay focused on Him in prayer. A serious session at the beginning and end of each day and at key junctures as you go through your day.  Make sure your prayers focus is on benefiting others for their sake and for the kingdom not just to benefit you. This will keep your heart oriented in the right direction.

View all those around you as children of God struggling in a fallen world. Your job is to flow His love out to those around you. Be bright, pleasant, and encouraging at every opportunity. You will never know what difficulties someone is facing and your smile my help them get through it.  Love your enemies. If someone is being difficult, they are likely struggling with something. Pray for them to find God’s love and God’s truth to help them realize their full potential. Avoid praying to fix  someone for your benefit – that will not get you very far.

View every day as an opportunity to get to know Him better and to become more like Him. View every engagement as an opportunity to flow His love out to someone, and for someone to get a good look at Jesus when they see you.  You were put here to be an ambassador for God and as you get your self out of the way and let His love be perfected in you, you will shine as a bright beacon for His kindgom.

Supporting Scriptures:

You are a Spiritual Person In An Invisible Spiritual World

 “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” Hebrews 11:3

You are in a Spiritual Battle

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12

You are entirely dependent on God

“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.” John15:5

Be led by the Spirit:

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” Romans 8:14

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

Engage in Prayer:

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Put your life in His hands:

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.”  Numbers 6:24-26

“My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me.” Psalms 31:15-24

“Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” Matthew 6:26

Cast your burdens on the Lord

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

“Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22

“…casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Love your enemies

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:43-48

Shine like a beacon

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

 

What will I give up? Is there a downside?

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

What do you have to loose? Only the things you were not designed for!

God asks you to submit to Him as Lord and Savior. What will I have to give up? Is there a downside?

You will end up losing your sinful nature; the inner nature that drives you toward self-conscious thoughts and emotions: (shame, pride, envy, hate, revenge, etc); the inner nature that drives you toward self-centered agendas:  Obsession with pleasing your fleshly desires (Drugs/Addiction, Food/Gluttony, Sex/Immorality, Pleasure/Hedonism), Obsession with self image/Ego (Looks/Physical body, Power, Money, Social Status, Seeking Recognition, Taking Credit). Worshiping self above God (Idolatry), Using/abusing others for your benefit (Lie, Steal, Manipulation, Adultery, Murder)  

God put you here to manifest His love. He gave you skills/talents so you could be productive. He put a passion in your heart so you had a direction to pursue. What you choose to do with your life is important, but How choose to live it is even more important. You are creating a ripple as you live your life; Every action and interaction has an impact on others and that impact can have eternal consequences. If negative, it can adversely impact that person’s subsequent interactions with others, and can contribute to a downward spiral in their life.  If positive, it can help them overcome something negative, and can even draw them towards God’s kingdom for eternity.

You have a sphere of influence: Family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, school-mates, church-mates, play-mates, and all the other folks you interact with as you live your life. Waiters, Cashiers, Other Drivers, Pedestrians, Teachers, Doctors, Mechanics, Salesman, Politicians, Administrators, etc. God expects you to represent Him to the world around you: First in modeling the desired behavior as you live your life, then being a source of love and compassion as you interact with each person, and then glorifying God with your words and testimony so folks can connect the dots to the source of it all.

He doesn’t want you to give up your life, He just wants to transform how you live it.

He has invested heavily in you and He wants you to be able to shine as a bright beacon for His kingdom.

The only things you will be giving up are the things you were never designed to have: Self-conscious emotions and self-centered agendas.

Acting in love from a pure heart brings more joy than you can even imagine. 

Give it a try.

Supporting scriptures

Your fleshly self and your spiritual self are at war, and you must choose which to serve

“For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” Galatians 5:17

The agendas of your fleshly oriented inner nature puts your eternal soul at risk

“For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matthew 16:25-26

You can not serve two masters – the earthly flesh or the eternal spirit

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (Money).” Matthew 6:19-28

You must focus – what you set your sights on determines who you become

“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” Matthew 6:22-23

You are called to Deny your fleshly self and Follow Jesus

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.'”Matthew 16:24

He has a purpose for your life and will help you accomplish it once you align yourself to it

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” John 15:16

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
Romans 8:28

He wants you to set a positive example

“But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’” 1 Peter 1:15-16

“You are the light of the world….” Matthew 5:14

He wants you to be a bright beacon for Him and His Kingdom

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16