While much of the news and social media feeds is consumed with thoughts on bad movies, yoga pants and Speedos, the fact of the matter ought to go all the way back to the simple question of why. Why do we flame others over their thoughts and opinions? Why do we care? And maybe we can jump to “how did they arrive at that thought” or conclusion. Continue reading Personal Responsibility Belongs To Someone
Last night I pondered my day and while I was sitting upstairs I thought, what is it that I can release into the atmosphere that I would know would change someone’s life. The thought came to me that I wanted to see myself somewhere else. I wanted a visitation to a “visible” heavenly place. I was not looking for angels or the Lord but I was seeking a piece of real estate “somewhere else”. Instantly I found myself “moving”. The purpose of my trip or the journey itself is not important. What is important is that while things were changing for me they were changing for other people. Continue reading Change That Changes
Yep. That’s me. No rules.
I hate rules.
I am a believer in small government, trust in God and helping others. Rules do not make it for me. Laws do not make people better. Taxes do not cause people to be better givers. And I do not need the government to help me help others.
I was not always that way. For instance giving for me was difficult thing. (Having any joy over anything was hard.) Becoming a believer in Christ changed that for me. But I struggled with the rules about giving. Now I just give because I want to. Not because I believe I have to or I ought to. (If you want to tithe or give imputed offerings that is your deal.) Continue reading Why I Don’t Believe in Rules
Over the last few weeks I have meditated on that thought process. Spoken to me a few weeks back, an older man said “you cannot change them if you cannot get it in them.”
Yesterday, I read an article that spoke of a gospel singer returning to her roots after years of going “off the deep end” in her Christianity. Most people recognize that the church for a number of years; got them “saved” and after telling them what had been erased, now turned and said “be careful” as if God would return to a status of “mad” to keep them there. Freedom would flood a person, the power and presence of God would overtake and two minutes later someone would be instructing how to keep “it.” Continue reading You Can’t Change Them If You Can Not Touch Them
Have you made life too hard?
This morning I was praying for various people including my family. As I prayed the Lord provided me with pictures of people, their situations and their “salvation.” Meaning He had made provision for a way out for you. (1 Corinthians 10:13) I saw my children, my family and my friends making life too hard. They made rules to make it easier to accept failure as they perceived failure.
To paraphrase a prophetic voice (Bob Jones), “there is no difference between taking a nap or raising the dead. The pay is the same for those in the will of God.” Which brings us to this scripture in the book of Hebrews 10:10. For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. Provision has been made. There are no rules other than the life of liberty and life. God’s covenant was with Jesus. Continue reading Stop Making Life Hard and Relax In Him
Over the last week or so I have seen and heard of many difficult times and troubles occurring in people’s lives. It was almost as if the planets had “unaligned.” I have seen relationship break ups, disasters, sickness, pain and more in the last week. Our own life was touched by the fact that we had arranged a sale of our boat, RV, stove and household contents. By Wednesday they had all evaporated. (Tina and I were not counting on the money, but it would have made life a shade easier.)
So, as people who believe in the finished work of Jesus, the seatedness of our person at the right hand of the throne of God and our faith in Him, what do we do with that? I was encouraged yesterday to hear someone else say “do not make a methodology” of why it did not happen. We can just chalk it up to mystery. Refreshing!
On the other hand we are to stretch forth our hands and declare the wonderfulness of our God. We are to encourage our brothers and sisters in the goodness. Meanwhile there are those declaring and decreeing the opposite. The “witchcraft” is evident to me and to others. I do not totally know how these things “gain” power or rights, but somehow they get it.
I sense we are in a season of “hard work” not works. Our labor is to enter His rest. (It will be evident by our walk, not our words.) God is determined to see us reliant on Him and Him alone. The result of this type of season is usually that. My friend Dan spoke yesterday about moving from glory to glory and seeing what God was moving to, to being synched up. I think there is much value in this way of thinking. We must see. Yesterday I said to a young woman, “we see heaven because we live there not because we have to get there.” What we see is important.
Our life is to take dominion over the works of the enemy and make earth look like heaven. I do think there are always seasons until we take full dominion. What I mean by that is so much of what we do has shelf life. Songs, ministries, words, even certain relationships. We hate to hear that sometimes, but experience and the word show me the truth behind that. When I look at life as a collection of seasons, I can accept and walk out the good, the bad, the ugly.
So what is legacy? It is that which has eternal promise. That truth which will transcend the generations. Perhaps that which Jesus calls “gold.”
If you have been experiencing the weaponry of the enemy and feeling like it is a difficult time, I get it. For some it is. But at the end of the day we are not subject to the work of the enemy. We are subject to the goodness of God. But it is not about getting angrier, shouting more or freaking out, it is about remembering who you are. Where you are seated and whose team you are on.
Jesus paid the price and set the rules in motion. We get to walk with it. Enter into His rest.
This weekend I was reading a story about someone wanting to cut a young man’s hair. “Pretty please” they begged.
As someone who has sported waist length hair in my years, Jimi Hendrix afro’s, pony tails and more, I wonder how this young man felt. I had a man one time tell me “God likes His sheep shorn short.” I know the church did not care for my long hair or my dress. Nor did they like my cars or motorcycles in many cases. Another man told me he would not be at my church because I rode a motorcycle.
So, what is with Jesus on the inside? How do we see external fixings under the heading of God? (I want my kids to look good but it does not change how I see them or love them.) Folks, good, bad or ugly, God loves them and you and has the capability to change them. They may never look like you want them to be, but isn’t it good God looks to the inside.
Our church family grows whether we wear paisley, plaid or print. We are not focused on the outside. It grows because of what is on the inside.
If you want a child to look better, please stop playing the God card. The number one complaint I hear about church people is “there are too many rules.” Stop adding rules, conditions and regulations. It only makes you a Pharisee.
