Newness of Life

 These days we hear so much about God giving us "keys to the kingdom" and very often modern believers hear this as an understanding of our power and authority. Power and authority are imperative if we are to claim that we know God, for He came to overthrow Satan's lies, and to release us from the authority of Satan. The Kingdom of heaven is of power, or it is nothing at all! That said, the keys to walking in the kingdom of God are often at variance with our human understanding. Most modern churches would not consider humility to be a key to power and authority, and yet it is at the heart of the kingdom of God. First and foremost, all that we have in Christ, the riches of our inheritance, are experienced by faith, and faith comes from God. Faith is a fruit of the Spirit.  Hearts full of pride cannot see God because the ground of the heart is full of rocks and weeds and nothing can grow in it. For a season of my life my faith eyes grew dim, and I discovered that my heart ha...

Before I start this, I want to say that I believe strongly that we are in the midst of Revelation 6 where we read about the four horses riding forth into the earth. Consider these things by way of a tyranny refresher, lest we become numb to it all: (If you feel totally “woke” regarding the tyranny, feel free to jump down to the First Horse heading.) 1.      Global house arrest. 2.      Most or all international travel stopped and many places saw total restrictions on local travel. 3.      Global arrests for working, or keeping your business open. 4.      Global rules keeping people from gathering in groups. 5.      Global rules keeping humanity from sick, elderly, and dying loved ones. 6.      Global rules preventing humanity from holding weddings and funerals. 7.      Global rules dictating the wearing of masks. 8.   ...

While his disciples were plotting revenge, Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem. Peter saw tragedy; Jesus saw glory. The "sons of thunder" saw offense; Jesus saw God’s perfect plan unfolding.  Today while I was talking to the Lord about some difficult things, He whispered this: “I don’t just use what the enemy means for evil… I require it.” That really threw me for a loop and yet, when I considered all of the saints, from Abe to John on the island of Patmos-it rang true. I think that problems arise when we expect God's goodness to appear good to our human understanding. This problem is seen clearly in the way that Jesus had to rebuke his disciples for unknowingly interfering with God’s will. One of the most famous examples, of course, was when Jesus rebuked Peter for suggesting that Jesus shouldn't have to die.    “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” Matthew 16:23 We ar...

  “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads ; for your Redemption draws nigh.” Matthew 24:39 In Matthew 24:6, after describing the signs of wars and commotions, Jesus says, “For these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by. ”   However, later in the passage, after certain events have taken place, Jesus indicates that NOW it's time to look up because now the end is nigh.  “Look up, and lift up your heads” is a distinct shift from, "this is not the end." It is a shift in vigilance and expectation, like the difference between when kids expect Dad to come home for dinner, and when they know that Dad is actually pulling into the driveway. Since Jesus came the first time, believers have been admonished to live in the expectation that He will return one day, and to watch to know the season in which His return is imminent.  A man can plan his whole career to retire, and he will live differently than the o...

  I was meditating on this passage this morning and saw a beautiful thing. I saw a picture of the end-time bride whose heart was no longer weak and fickle, but strong as the Lord’s love is for us, for it is His love in us. In the past we have been given to idolatry, and the love of the world, but now we are maturing into a dependent bride burning with the same love that Jesus has for us- a love that is stronger than death itself. His love is undeterred by our unfaithfulness, unwavering in consistency, constant in trials, and passionate when we are cold and indifferent. It burns with an unquenchable flame! His love has never failed us, and now, in these last days, a faithful bride is arising with like faith, love, and His very own strength of heart!  “My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey wherewith I fed thee, thou has even set it before them for a sweet savour; and thus it was, saith the Lord God… How weak is thine heart, saith the Lord God, seeing...

  Oh my heart is indicting a wonderful matter! The love of God, the life of God! Jesus taking my sinful life into himself for me for one thing, and one thing only-that He might give me his life, which is by the “operation of God”, that resurrected life clothed in His glory and His righteousness.   Oh the sweetness, the charity, the brightness, the joy and goodness of that divine life. “Oh Holy flame of love, alighted on the lowly pure in heart! God has infinite treasure to bestow, and we settle for less…we hinder God, and stop the current of His graces, But He finds a soul with lively faith, He pours into it graces and favors plentifully; there they flow like a   torrent which…spreads itself with impetuosity and abundance.” –unknown author Jesus showed us the way and told us to guard out hearts by resisting all pride, not judging others, being quick to forgive, refraining from all accusation, and by doing these things we keep our hearts in the love of God where we may...

  “When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake. Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.” John 13:21   “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.” Ps 41:9 This is such a beautiful passage of Jesus’s tenderness and love. Jesus knew what Judas was going to do, yet he still loved him and mourned for him. God is truly the most tender-hearted being in the universe, and we truly need a revelation of it! This story also is yet another illustration of God’s love, and the way that love allows itself to be hurt, rejected, and betrayed.   Our human love seeks to protect from pain so that we are fearful and withholding, but God’s love is not like our love. We often misinterpret the idea of how to guard our ...