Breathe

Dont let me fall again. I need You, keep me with You, don't let me be stolen again. I won't last any longer apart from You. My heart dies, my soul goes comatose, my life support gets unplugged. Give my a heart that never fails, remove my fear and distractions, and bring me so close to you my face shines like moses.

No more!

I am so sick of the condemnation coming from the people of GOD. We get so caught up in the smallest things, that don't amount to anything. We end up with our noses in the air looking at those who don't look exactly like us as if they're stinking up our church building!

It makes me sick to hear that the lost see that the vast majority of the redeemed are living by the law. And that when those who express their freedom from the law by doing something out of the norm for a Christian, the lost condemn them!

GOD does not condemn me, why should you?

Where are GOD's redeemed? We're having such a love affair with the world, we don't want to give it up anymore! It is seen as a great sacrifice now to give up everything to follow GOD. A sacrifice too great for many. We won't let go! We hold on to our reputation, our prestige. We hold onto what others think about us more than what we ever care about what GOD thinks!

What has happened to the body of Christ? We've become like the world! We say we're Christians, but we don't act any different! We are ensnared in the same sin as the lost. And we don't see it as sin!

No longer can we get a full understanding of what we believe, a knowledge of how to give an answer to every question asked of us without years of seminary, countless conferences, and books by the great men of GOD.

We've lost touch with the Spirit within us.

We don't yearn for the heart of GOD! It isn't our priority anymore. We care about growth, but GOD has fallen of the list.

GOD is a jealous GOD. HE doesn't take second place. It's either first or nothing.

No more excuses.

The Debt of Love I Owe.

Nice song. Have you heard it? Doesn't matter.

So, since GOD died for us, and redeemed us from our sins and all it's consequences, we owe GOD big time, don't we?

Some might go so far as to say we owe HIM everything. So, by that logic, we are obligated to give our all to Christ. In other words, we have to. It's mandatory that was sacrifice everything to live wholly and solely for GOD.

No, not really.

See, if GOD kept a record of what we owed HIM, we'd never be able to pay HIM back for everything HE's done for us. Not even if we spent the entirety of eternity enduring the worst of torture. It wouldn't amount to a tenth of a penny.

But you did see that, right? That little word "if"? GOD keeps no record of debt. Salvation is an absolutely 100% free gift. No strings. Hallelujah. There is not one thing you can possibly do to earn, or deserve salvation. You simply accept.

So no, we aren't obligated. We don't have to. We WANT to. It is our joy to live out our lives wholly and solely for GOD. We want to give up everything. We want to do everything we can to show the love of GOD, to further HIS kingdom, serve HIS people. There is no debt.

Bursting Bubbles

What is love?

Well, I love ______. (my boyfriend/girlfriend, dog, cat, family, pizza, nature, etc.)

POP

Love is when you see this person, and it's like you're the only two people on earth. Birds fly, angels sing, and little hearts fly over their head. You just know that they're the one.

POP

That my friend, is a prime example of a thing we commonly refer to as lust.

What love is.

Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:3-7

Love is not some mushy gushy feeling. It's not a feeling at all. Think about it, you don't go saying "I happy you." or, "I'm so in happy." or, "I feel so love today." Now do you? Then how can you say that love is an emotion, when it can't be said as one? Love involves emotion, no denying that, but it is not one.

What about who love is?

GOD, in HIS very nature, is love. Not has a lot of love, not feels much love towards things, IS LOVE.

Analyze that.

The attributes of GOD, and the characteristics of love. One and the same.

Independence?

Why do we say the pledge of allegiance in church? Why do our hymnals contain songs that glorify our nation? Why do we have flags in our sanctuaries? Why do we pledge to a flag in the first place?

It would seem that pledging to a sinful nation, or it's flag, is dividing our allegiance to GOD. Our nation to be pledged to, our nation for allegiance is the nation of the Kingdom of GOD. Not an earthly man-made system that tries in vain to represent freedom. The only freedom we express is the freedom to be as sinful as one possibly can.

It seems that the meaning of separation of church and state has become that of one to keep the church out of everyone's way.

Independence? True freedom only comes from GOD. Not in a government, a scrap of material, or by which continent you happen to live on.

A true tragedy.

Let's hear a tragedy. there once was someone very alive in the Spirit. Able to feel as the Spirit felt, with pain and agony at the lost and dying world. And yet joy and peace unspeakable. Such a passion to do something great, something, anything to change a sinner's fate. And yet nothing was found. A few vain attempts were made, yes, but perhaps the looking was not sufficient. And so, with all the pain of the world, and all the passion for glory, they tried to go back to sleep. To ignore all that was wrong, and stop feeling.

Sure, the Spirit lived on within, but was drowned out by the noise of nothingness. It was felt necessary to shut it up, there was nothing that could be done for the world, so why should the pain of the world be felt? All in vain, all in vain.

Now, the pain of the world is felt, but also the draw into it! The anguish of a soul lost to the depths of hell, but the partaking in that which sent them there. Lostness. Sin. A barrier has been placed between GOD and all else, and GOD tries to break it down!!! No atempt is made from the otherside. Woe and dispare to him that hides from GOD. To him that makes no effort to be with GOD.

Waste away, or do something great. There is no middle ground.

Bigger things.

Have you ever looked up at the sky on a perfectly cloudless day, and seen it so perfectly blue? So perfect, and such blue that you can hardly believe it's real. And you realize it's not just one shade of blue, but every shade of blue known, and millions unknown.

Ever look at a tree, not even a tree, a cluster of leaves, a single leaf, and see something bigger? Marveled at how something so small, could produce fuel for something so huge. Watched as the sunlight reflected off the surface. Seen it turn colors as the seasons change.

Ever stare into the ocean, and see something more than water? Look into the face of another and wonder if something else is out there than this? Watch the sunset and wonder what's beyond? See the stars and the moon, and be left breathless?

And if you keep staring, and if you keep thinking, you may just think you catch a glimpse of eternity. You travel a path that awakens your heart and your spirit, and even if you continue about your day, you're somehow changed by those moments. The ordinary is not satisfying anymore. The routine is a steep sided rut you feel you should escape.

Congratulations, you are awakening.

Alive

I'm so sick of all the rules and regulations and politics that have crept into Christianity. The view of Christianity has gotten so twisted I don't even want to be associated with the name.

Jesus said He came to bring Life. I am more alive than I have ever been in my entire life, and no one seems to grasp the concept that this is what we were saved for. Not to play politics or enforce everyone to "be good". We need to experience the life that GOD has given us, and share that life with others. We life each other up, not tie one another down with rules and regulations. We are to be such a shocking difference from the world, that the world wonders what we have that they don't.

Right now, we look just like the world. And it's awful. It's horrendous. Going out alone in the wilderness is much more appealing than going to a "worship service". No one is worshiping. It is a constructed time to show off just how godless we really are.

We need to wake up. But it sure looks like we're not going too.

Truth.

We are at war. Not the "I might never ride in the infantry" war, the "Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war." war.

Our heart is good. And since our heart is good, anything foul thing that is at work there, is not us. Reject it. It is not you, your heart is good.

Our heart is a treasure that is constantly trying to be stolen by the enemy.

The Enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy. They will kill, steal and destroy. Don't act so surprised when it happens. Instead, be prepared for it, and fight back.

There is a glory in you that the enemy fears, and is bent on destroying before you act on it.

When listening for GOD's voice, don't expect a voice from the sky, or out of the distance, HE speaks from your heart, because HE lives there.

Anytime you agree with anything the enemy says, offers, or insinuates, you give them a foothold. Break your agreements with the enemy and hold onto the truth within your heart.

Consecrate your life to GOD daily, and realize the power and authority you have in Christ.

Fireproof

Did you know that you are fireproof? That doesn't mean that fire won't come, quite the opposite. Fireproof items expect to be in fire. It means that you can endure the fire when it comes.

Expect to be in the fire? What, did you think the Christian life would be all daisies and roses? We're in a war! We have an enemy that is trying to destroy us! You don't think that disease and famine come from GOD do you? It's war. You don't think that murder and rape come from GOD do you? It's war. The old excuse of "it's GOD's will" is obsolete. We are in a war unseen. Surely, GOD can use what was intended for evil, but GOD's will is not evil.

Happy new year.

Made your resolutions yet?

May I offer a few suggestions?

This year, be changed. Be the difference you were made to be. Stand up for Christ when all others are silent.

Go. And do. Do the will that GOD has placed within you, and do it, because if you don't, you'll never know how things could have been if you had. How many lives could have been changed, how many lives could have been saved.

Lift up your brothers and sisters in Christ. We are a nation, and as a nation we should be united.

Live without fear.
False
Evidence
Apearing
Real

Instead let your life be ruled by peace.

Stop listening to satan's lies, instead, hear GOD's truth.

GOD loves you. GOD will never leave you, even if sometimes HE seems far away. GOD thinks you are beautiful. GOD knows everything you have and ever will do wrong, and HE has and will forgive them all. GOD thinks you are worthy. GOD has a special plan in mind just for you. GOD thinks you can do it, becuase HE is your strength.

So give in. Give in to something heavenly, and let GOD change you and use you in ways that will forever impact those you touch.

Happy New Year. Use it.