Mark 10:18 The rich Young Ruler

Mark 10:18 -21

So, Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ”

And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.”

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”

There are two things that I take from this passage 1 he is choosing what part of the Bible he wants to believe he's …… picking and choosing. The other part that I see is that when the rich ruler walks away dejected and Jesus lets him go. Jesus doesn't say “hey” hold on a second did you hear what I just told you?   You have to sell your stuff!   if you don't you're going to have consequences. But he didn't he just let him walk away. Jesus accepted where the man was and let him walk.   he didn't try to stop him. He didn't try to fix him. He let him be with his own crap to resolve it on his own with the Lord.

I think a lot of times we do the same thing we pursue people and maybe even give them the answers instead of just letting them go and letting them hear from God on their own.

We see our friend struggling so we helped him.   We get in the way of God we tell them what they need to do and then they don't do it the way we think they should. We have judged them and because they didn't do what we thought they should do now we're mad. When we should just stay out of the way there's a big lesson in life that we all need to learn. That we need to apply in our daily lives. Less is more.   the more we keep quiet the more Holy Spirit has a chance to speak to the men the more we keep quiet the more Holy Spirit has a chance to speak to our children. We must learn to stop pursuing people and situations that aren't ours to pursue

A quote from the book says. We can never minister to people who we judge. The moment we judge, we pronounce a sentence. That sentence maybe repentance, or it may be punishment, but whether good or bad, we are now following our own agenda.  now how they respond is about us.  we have emotionally factored ourselves into the equation of their lives.  we now need for them to act according to our judgment if they don't it is a violation against us.  From the book “How to stop the Pain”

Then there's the reap what you sow and many times when I have judged people it comes back to me where I actually have judged myself more harshly because I judge someone, and I hate that.

Find out what God is doing, run to it as fast as you can and then go further still.
   

Sin is crouching

I woke this morning to the words "yes"   I don't always wake to the word "yes"  but today I did Whatever you have me do Lord.

 I know I'm supposed to be alert and pay attention to my surroundings but I don't always do that. 

Matthew 26:41 Watch and Pray lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

I am in the middle of prep for Quest 161.

And it's going well. I'm really trying to focus on him and not myself. My devotion today said they're many things that will draw my attention away from him.  I take that as a warning to really be on the alert.  Where is sin? Crouching outside your door.  I really hate that thought but I know it's true.

Gen 4:7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

Shame, judgment, abandonment, fear , pride, rejection  and unforgiveness these are all crouching outside our doors.

I have to remind myself when these things try to get on me.   I take those thoughts captive and I have to see myself the way God sees me.

If I'm being honest here I can say that seeing myself the way God sees me isn't an everyday occurrence it's a work in progress

Matthew 13:24-30 The Parable of the Weeds

Matthew 13:24-30

The Parable of the Weeds

He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

 I'm reading this morning when I come across this passage and I feel like verse 25 is talking about the lies that the men believe or even the lies that we as staff may believe.  The lies happen and it some point the lies actually become Our Truth. Many times we must let Holy Spirit reveal the truth to who we are speaking to even when we know the answers. In the book How to Stop the Pain the author points out that any attempt to dig out the tares before the appointed time will result in destroying the wheat.  The reason is that the wheat and the tares look identical until they bear fruit. In the same way, anytime we get into the I'm going to fix it mode we usually do as much damage as good, so we should not worry about trying to fix ourselves or other people but just follow the Holy Spirit.

The tares for most peoples will be identity.   they think they know who they are but reality they don't. (My opinion)

Romans 6:11 you should consider yourselves dead to sin and able to live for the glory of God through Christ Jesus. This is a pretty simple statement this is how God sees us this is how God sees the men on this event they just don't believe it and maybe some of us don't either.

Years ago, I got a revelation being an admin on Quest that less is more and what I mean by that is I don't have to respond to every email they get sent out. If I wait long enough then usually a Quester will respond, sometimes the right way sometimes the wrong way but it's revealing either way.  The last event that philosophy carried over into the actual event and I chose to be quiet and to be intentional in what I was hearing.   You also have do this in life when you are not on ministry events.  Sometimes it's so easy to talk just to hear yourself and in essence what you're doing is you're getting in the way of what Holy Spirit is doing.  Sometimes I wonder in our own minds if we're talking to cover up what Holy Spirit is actually speaking to ourselves

If we speak too soon then we may literally be tearing out the tares and at the same time uprooting the wheat.  

Sometimes you just need to be patient and let Holy Spirit do what Holy Spirit does and that is reveal and heal.

 I will rest in your promises

My confidence is your faithfulness

All your Promises are yes and amen

Bethel       Yes and Amen 

1 Cor. 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yes, and in him Amen, to the glory of God by us.

John 8:11

So I've been in the Book of John lately in chapter 8 verse 11 Jesus's talking to the prostitute and he asks her.....where are your accusers?

John 8:11 She said, no one Lord and Jesus said to her, neither am I condemning  you, go and sin no more, never again believe a lie about yourself.

The author of The Mirror version or the translator however you want to look at it says the root of sin is to believe a lie about yourself. This is a reoccurring theme throughout his writings.  He always goes back to Numbers 13:33 and there we saw the Nephilim the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim, and we seem to ourselves like Grasshoppers and so we seem to them.

Keep in mind they just observed these people in the land of milk and honey from a distance and they made their own judgements.  They judged them, and they judged themselves and decided and believed a lie about themselves.

I think about this passage and it occurs to me that they acknowledge the truth that the land is Flowing with milk and honey just like God said but at the same time they believed a lie about themselves that they couldn't take the land.  Sound familiar?

So they believe a lie about themselves and so they were not able to go into the land of milk and honey which in a way the land of milk and honey could be construed as getting into God's rest and you can't get into God's rest when you're struggling with unbelief.  (Which is believing a lie about yourself.)

Hebrews 3:19 the point is this, even though they survived by Supernatural means in the wilderness for 40 years, they failed to grasp what God had in mind for them. Their own unbelief disqualified them.

They did not die because of an inferior salvation from Egypt. Pharaoh was taken out of the equation. They died because of unbelief, they believe a lie about themselves! (Numbers 13:33) don't blame Pharaoh or the devil for your own unbelief. You can experience God's Supernatural provision and protection and yet remain outside his rest. The ultimate proof of faith is not experience of the supernatural but enduring into his rest. His rest celebrates his perfect work. It Finds Its definition and reference in  Genesis 13:1 and God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Ephesians 1:18

From the mirror version 

Ephesians 1:18 I pray that your thoughts will be flooded with light and inspired Insight;  that you will clearly picture his intent in identifying you in him so that you may know how precious you are to him. The Saints are his treasure and the Glorious trophy of his portion! (We are God's Assets in the measure of his wealth)

Sometimes I just have to be reminded of how to live and how to think. So my prayer today for you is to receive this scripture and to walk it out as a true son.

God Sees you.

Psalm 111.10

I was walking around in my driveway praying the other day. When I received this thought. Lord give me the desire to take thoughts captive to The Obedience of Christ. We'll talk about it at group or in just casual conversation.  It seems to me that the solution to the majority of heart issues is taking those thoughts captive.  Think about that for a moment no matter what your problem is,  if you take those thoughts captive that's pretty well going to nip any issues you have in the bud. My problem over the years has been to not take those thoughts captive on occasion and instead  just sit there and Waller in my crap for a while or just go ahead and sin and get it over with.

I have written about this before. Stop trying to create the absence of sin and focus on the presence of God.  I believe if you stay focused on God. You look around and you see God everywhere and in everything that you do.  Then it becomes Who You Are and maybe then you don't have to ask God to give you a desire to take those thoughts captive it just comes naturally

Psalm 111.10 the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

I wonder if the other day the Lord was really saying draw near to me and I will draw near to you?

I had another thought for my devotion this morning.  I had never looked at it this way before. But it mentioned Holy Ground. And I remember thinking just what exactly is Holy Ground? We tend to make certain places holier than others and rightfully so. I ask you this, if the Lord made the Earth. Does that not make the Earth Holy Ground? If that is the case, then everywhere we walk we are on Holy Ground, but we don't treat it that way.

If the Lord made it what does that make it?

Miracles happen, when we fix our eyes on Jesus Christ.

Take Courage Kristen DiMarco

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r49V9QcYheQ&list=PLHy58GwW8LjLWzxejrUv2eL-IwMAT1gBv&index=14

So take courage my heart

Stay steadfast my soul

He's in the waiting

He's in the waiting

And hold onto your hope

Watch your triumph unfold

He's never failing

He's never failing

So take courage my heart

Stay steadfast my soul

He's in the waiting

He's in the waiting

Hold onto your hope

Watch your triumph unfold

He's never failing

He's never failing!

Romans 14. 22 at the end of the day, it is your own belief that matters most before God. Do what your heart approves of without allowing guilt to interfere with your joy. The mirror

Bad Dreams

Bad dreams, we all have them some are worse than others.  I had a bad dream last night all I remember was I encountered a rude salesperson and so I was rude back. In other words, I was definitely not Jesus with skin on. When I woke this morning, I felt bad.   in my dream I did go back and apologize. But the damage had already been done the vile words that left my mouth were penetrating to the salesperson. Yeah, I apologized but my true colors were already revealed.  I know in reality, that I am a son but to the world they look at it that I revealed my true colors.

I started reading in Romans this morning and I went through chapter 10 chapter 11 and it was the middle of chapter 12 where Holy Spirit started speaking

12:7 The same goes for every aspect of ministry, whether it be serving or to give instruction,
In my dream I did neither.  Verse 8 though is what nailed me

12:8 or to just be there 1alongside someone to remind them of their true identity; always let faith set the pace. You are 3intertwined with your 2gift, wrapped up in the same parcel. Lead with passion; minister mercy cheerfully. (1parakaleo, alongside, closest possible proximity of nearness; 2metadidomi [see note on Rom 1:11], and 3haplous from ha, a particle of union and pleko, to plait, braid or weave together. You cannot distance yourself from your giving! What God now has in us is gift wrapped to the world [Eph 4:11].)

What I have to remember as a son of the most high is when someone gives me attitude I cannot give attitude back. Instead I need to speak truth however that looks to them. I must remember they're expecting me to give them attitude back and it's up to me to change the game the way Holy Spirit leads.

Lord I just thank you for the Revelation this morning and the reminder to love people where they're at regardless of what they say or do. To show them Jesus with skin on without saying the name Jesus.

Romans 12:9 love without any hidden agenda. Utterly detest evil; be glued to good.

12:10 Take tender care of one another with fondness and affection; esteem one another’s unique value. 

12:11 Do not allow any hesitation to interrupt the rhythm of your zeal; capture the moment; maintain the boiling-point intensity of spirit devotion to the Lord. The Mirror version

Faith and not flesh

John 3:18 Faith and not flesh defines you! In the persuasion of your authentic sonship there is no separation or rejection! For someone to prefer not to embrace this is to remain under their own judgment sustained by their futile efforts to define themselves through personal performance. In their stubborn unbelief they reject what is revealed and redeemed in the Name of the son, begotten only of the Father and not the flesh. The Mirror

Faith and not flesh defines you! In the persuasion of your authentic sonship there is no separation or rejection! Sometimes I just have to be reminded about how my flesh gets in the way and to not let my emotions and feelings get in the way of who Jesus says I am.

For someone to prefer not to embrace this is to remain under their own judgment sustained by their futile efforts to define themselves through personal performance.  I read this statement and I can't help but Wonder how many times this happens to us. Especially at work or at church, when a role that we have been in that we are comfortable in has suddenly been changed.  Sometimes without any warning at all. Maybe it's for the good maybe it's not but we have to trust that the Lord has orchestrated it for the best.    
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
I remember in 1993 I was the head golf professional at a Country Club of Dimmitt. I had been there 8 months when unexpectedly the owner of the club hired a business manager. I was freaking pissed because I was the boss and now I had a new boss that I had to answer to you instead of the owner. At that time, I was at a disadvantage because I was not walking as a son and I felt betrayed, rejected and just flat-out hurt.  The reality was it was purely a business decision to take a load off of me. I just didn't want to see it that way. Not only was I the golf professional I was also over the whole club, the golf course superintendent,  restaurant manager and I was working 70 hours a week and driving 2 hours a day. 

In their stubborn unbelief they reject what is revealed and redeemed in the Name of the son, begotten only of the Father and not the flesh.  Today I will not walk in the unbelief!  I chose to receive who I am as a son of the most high God and to not let circumstances or changes in my situation define me.

How big is your problem?

I hear the question this morning while I'm reading. "How big is your problem?"  My first thought was, I don't have a big problem, my second thought was I have some little problems. My thought after that was, why are you even asking me that question? I didn't get an answer to that question. So, I just sit still and then the thought trust in the Lord with all your heart came to mind.

Proverbs 3:4-6 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.

Substitute the word heart with the word problems for just a moment. I think a lot of times we tend to trust the Lord with the small problems and not with the big ones. Some of us trust the Lord with the big ones and not with the little ones and some of us think we got this. Which one are you. Or do you trust the Lord with everything?

Go back to yesterday where I wrote what is Jesus doing? If you recognize what he is doing, then are you okay with it? Do you have peace?  Are you sleeping at night or are you waking up in the middle of the night thinking about stuff that you have no control over?

Proverbs 3:7-8. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the lord and turn away from evil it will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

What if you substituted the word evil for pride?

Fear the Lord and you will have healing over your flesh.

Lord, I pray that you shine your light on the areas that need to be exposed. Reveal where I want to have control and not you.  In Jesus name

W.I.J.D.

Yep you read that right WIJD.  It is not a typo you probably thought WWJD which everybody knows is “what would Jesus do?” My devotion this morning was WIJD which means what is Jesus doing.

 It's an interesting perspective when you get yourself into a situation, and you think what would Jesus do? Then you pause for a minute and think what is Jesus doing? It changes everything to a deeper level of understanding. What is the bigger picture? Instead of wondering should I react the way Jesus reacts or looking at the situation and ask Holy Spirit what is Jesus doing here?

Today I will look at situations and ask myself what is Jesus doing?  It is a matter of watching and listening.

Col. 3:1 See yourselves co-raised with Christ! Now ponder with persuasion the consequence of your co-inclusion in him. Relocate yourselves mentally! Engage your thoughts with throne room realities where you are co-seated with Christ in the executive authority of God’s right hand. The Mirror.


This paragraph is from my devotion this morning. Do you see Jesus as your example or as your life? He is both, but asking the question is more than a matter of simple semantics. It will profoundly affect how we approach every day, every decision, every act of character or impulse of the heart. If we see ourselves as imitators of the divine Example, we will find ourselves failing often and growing ever more frustrated with our inability to live as He did. But if we see ourselves as vessels in which the Spirit of the living God dwells, we’re inclined not to try harder but to trust more. So, what would Jesus do? We should ask this; He is the way. What would He think? We should also ask this; He is the truth. And what is He doing? We should especially ask this; He is the life. No one comes to the Father except by Him. Not just by His example, but by His life. He indwells us to take us where we should go and lead us away from where we’ve been. It’s an amazing thought: We live by means of a living Lord.  From Worship the King Devotional

 5:1 Mirror God; you are his offspring. (2 Cor 3:18.) 5:2 This is how: let the love of Christ be your life; remember how he abandoned himself to us. His love is contagious, not reluctant but extravagant. Sacrificial love pleases God like the sweet aroma of worship. (Resembling the holy anointing oil and the pure fragrant incense of spices, the work of a perfumer, to be burnt on the golden altar of incense in the inner court of the tent of meeting. [Ex 37:25-29]) The Mirror

What is Jesus doing?

Godfidence

 From my devotion this morning "there are times in our lives when God's presence is an uncomfortable reality those independent times when we don't necessarily want him to be watching us. But most of the time, we need to know he's there. We struggle with anxiety, fear, and certainty, loneliness, and discouragement. When we do, we don't only want to know that he is observing, we also want to know that he is intensely involved."

I don't want to feel like God is around (omnipresence) because that is what the Bible says. I want to know deep down in my heart that He is there. I believe for myself for the most part that He is, but I would be lying if I said there are times that I don't think he is.  Or better yet there are times that I don't want him around me. Maybe because I got it figured out and I don't need his help. I try to really avoid that last reality of trying to figure it out. It just doesn't work very well for me.

Colossians 3.3 Your Union with his death broke the association with that world; see yourselves located in a fortress where your life is hidden with Christ in God.

I read this scripture it makes me wonder and it makes me think what does it really look like to be located in that Fortress where your life is hidden with Christ? What does that look like? Is that daily renewal of your mind? Daily prayer...... you know........  praying without ceasing.

When I continue reading more Colossians I get to verse 8 and it gives the answers to questions that I just asked.

Col 3.8 but now, because you realize that you co-died and were co-raised together with Christ, you can flush your thoughts with truth! Permanently put these things behind you. Things such as violent Outburst of Rage, depression, all manner of wickedness, slander, and every form of a regular conversation.

So, believe. Believe in Who You Are especially when you look in the mirror. Renew your mind daily

Romans 12:2 Do not allow current religious tradition to mold you into its pattern of reasoning. Like an inspired artist, give attention to the detail of God’s desire to find expression in you. Become acquainted with perfection. To accommodate yourself to the delight and good pleasure of him will transform your thoughts afresh from within.

 Just my thoughts

Have a Godfidence day!  

Be at peace

Over the last probably 3 weeks I have had some stuff stirring in my heart. One of the things that I have come to realize at men's group is as much as I have struggled with lust it pales in comparison to my struggles of walking in judgment. What I mean by that is I will occasionally look at porn.  The question is always why did you do that? What was the trigger? Why did you feel you had to go down that road? Reality is many times I have those answers but sometimes I don't. When it comes to judgement I do that every single day without question. Sometimes I don't even realize I'm doing it until it's too late. But rarely do I get the question what was the trigger? Why did you feel you had to go down that road? Why did you feel you had to judge that person? I don't get those questions

I think judging people, sometimes ……. it's fun to do. Like walking around in Walmart and looking at it every single person and you think that you know their story or why they are dressed the way they are. Jesus said judge not lest ye be judged more harshly. When someone knows they're being judged they will fire back and judge you back most likely and even in a meaner since. And then you become angrier and actually judge yourself for judging that person, so they can judge you back it's like a vicious circle it's like running in that stupid hamster cage.

I have had several instances over the last 3 or 4 weeks where the Judgment had taken root and one morning I felt like I heard Holy Spirit say take the high road.  I had written a 5-star review for a place where my wife and I stayed.  Halfway through the review though I added some critique and suggested a policy change.  I sent it to the owner to let him review it before I posted it online. Basically, asking him for his thoughts. I didn't hear from him for 3 or 4 days. All kinds of thoughts were running through my mind about why they did what they did, and why he hadn't responded.   The truth is the reason he didn't respond is because the day I sent the email he buried his dad.   When he finally got around to responding. He said he was with his mom over the last week who had pneumonia. Who was so sick she couldn't even go to her husband's own funeral. Well let's just say I felt like an ass all because I walked in judgement.

He wrote me a very nice email and was very grateful for what I have written was very grateful for the review that I had posted online about his business – I left off the critique and suggested policy change. And then he credited me back $200. I wasn't asking for any money back but because I took the high road God was smiling. I am so glad that I chose to listen and some of the things that I said to him ministered to him which was important.

Isa 57:14
14 And it shall be said,
“Build up, build up, prepare the way,
remove every obstruction from my people's way.”

In my email responses to him this is what I did. I built him up the Lord prepared his way and the judgment was the obstruction

16 For I will not contend forever,
nor will I always be angry;
for the spirit would grow faint before me,
and the breath of life that I made.

When I read this scripture I honestly feel that I'm Not Angry Anymore. Because while I was this is exactly what I felt was going on is that his Spirit was going to faint before me. This anger came from the judgment


18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him;
I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners,

When I read this scripture, I feel like I've been healed.

19 creating the fruit of the lips.
Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,” says the Lord,
“and I will heal him.

I will walk in peace today. 

Door slammed shut.

A paragraph from Oswald Chambers.

Have I been persecuting Jesus by a zealous determination to serve Him in my own way? If I feel I have done my duty and yet have hurt Him in doing it, I may be sure it was not my duty, because it has not fostered the meek and quiet spirit, but the spirit of self-satisfaction. We imagine that whatever is unpleasant is our duty! Is that anything like the spirit of our Lord - "I delight to do Thy will, O My God." Oswald Chambers 1 - 29

This morning I made it a point to not go online and read news, watch some YouTube music,   anything other than sitting praying and then opening up my Bible.   These are items that get in the way it seems like almost every morning. It really makes me tired it is interference. It's like being in a church and having an intimate conversation with someone and then somebody else walks up and blatantly interrupts to say hi to either you or the person you're speaking to. It's obvious you're having a deep conversation, but this person doesn't care. That's what it feels like in the mornings when I want to spend time with the Lord and I let outside circumstances interrupt my time.

Having said all that,  There been several things going on in my heart that had been interfering with my relationship with God. I felt over the last couple of weeks I have been making decisions based on where I want to serve him.  I have known it for a while but these decisions  are based on inner judgments that I have made. And then this morning I decided to read Oswald Chambers. And as usual it really spoke to me.  If I'm serving Jesus where I want to serve him is that really serving him? 

I have been here before.

I went as far as looking at trying to serve in another Ministry thinking I needed a change. I needed different surroundings. I thought I could learn something new somewhere else. (there sure were a lot of "I's " just written here.) The truth is Ministry is Ministry when it comes to the hearts of men and women. I thoroughly believed I tried to open the door to somewhere else and it got slammed shut.   kind of like your trying to open a door and someone on the other side is holding it shut. That's what it felt like.   it took this person almost two weeks to get back to my email I sent him and then he said he would contact me back and never did. So, I took that as a closed-door and I didn't take it personally.

Revelation 3:7
“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens

Or my case trying to go through a shut door that I can't open.

There will be a day that I will choose to not let outside circumstances, situations, and most importantly people influence who I am. There is only one person that gets to influence me and that would be the Holy One. 


Who or what is influencing you today?

The Shack

Isaiah 60:2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.

This morning before my quiet time I wanted to look up an actress that played Holy Spirit in the movie The Shack.  (We watched it again last night) When I copied and pasted her name in Google search this morning this scripture from Isaiah came up. I guess it was still on the clipboard. Or not :-)   Considering, that part of the movie was about the evil that's in our world I found it interesting that this scripture came up instead. Obviously, I had copied it the other day and it was still on the clipboard (I think). Nevertheless, the timing was impeccable.  Sometimes it's the subtle things that I need to be reminded about.

Numbers 6:24-26 (NLT)
24 ‘May the Lord bless you
    and protect you.
25 May the Lord smile on you
    and be gracious to you.
26 May the Lord show you his favor
    and give you his peace.’

That movie was about numbers 6:24 - 26

How many times can you relate to what Mac Phillips was going through in that movie. The Pain, the Heartbreak, the unforgiveness, the hatred and the big ones........... wanting vengeance, blaming God and of course blaming yourself for something that you had no control over.

Things happen. Things are said, and you know it's in His love.  You look up in the night sky. And see the Crescent Moon and you know God is smiling at you.

There is a scene in the movie where Mac is out in the middle of the lake in the boat and it starts to sink. Jesus comes to him walking on the water.  Mac hesitates and then chooses to trust Jesus enough to get out of the boat and walk on the water with him back to shore.  So much joy!

Later in the movie after Mac receives his healing he's walking with Jesus on land towards the lake. He is so excited he decides to run on the water and he leaves Jesus on the shore and of course, Mac is not able to walk on water because he left Jesus behind.   Jesus says we should do things together.

I have to wonder how many times in my own life am I afraid to get out of the boat because I'm going to sink, or I run ahead of Jesus and do it my own way and therefore I sink again.
Jesus tells Mac to look at me. Mac look at me ..... look at me.

https://youtu.be/G1OHyINxuRQ

Metanoia

I was just about to give up this morning when I came to this passage and it just stopped me in my tracks.  I started reading in 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 but took all the way to chapter 7 to get Rhema. 

2 Cor. 7:10 To 1anchor one’s thoughts in God’s thoughts when faced with difficult or painful experiences, brings escape from sorrow and leaves one with no 2regrets; but oh, what a dreadful contrast is the world system (of the law of karma and works) which adds 2regret upon sorrow! Whereas the one brings such immediate relief, the other seems to be an inescapable deathtrap! (The word 1metanoia means to gather one’s thoughts; in this context it means to realize God’s thoughts. Sadly the Latin word, penance (repentance) became the popular English translation of metanoia. The word 2metamelētos, means with regret.)

Could this mean that when you are going through a difficult situation.  You know without any doubt that you have turned it completely over to God.   The situation doesn't turn out the way you expected, but still have total complete peace knowing that what happened was God's Will and not your own.

Could it mean when you're going through that difficult situation that you need to take those thoughts captive and push out the negativity whether it has to do with a business deal gone bad,  a death in the family,  a huge fight with your spouse.   You put in your own circumstance here


The word metanoia is a very powerful Greek word.  The mirror Bible expands on this word and its meaning

Consider the word metanoia, consisting of two components, meta, together with, and nous, mind, suggesting a radical mind shift. This word has been translated regularly as “repentance,” which is an old English word borrowed from the Latin, which means penance. Then they added the “re” to get even more mileage out of sin consciousness. Re-penance. This gross deception led to the perverted doctrines of indulgences, where naive, ignorant people were led to believe that they needed to purchase favor from an angry god. Most cathedrals as well as many ministries were funded with this guilt money. English translations do little to help us understand what repentance truly is. Until Jerome’s Latin Vulgate translation, the word metanoia was commonly used. For instance, Tertullian wrote in 198 A.D., “In Greek, metanoia is not a confession of sins but a change of mind.” But despite this the Latin fathers begin to translate the word as “do penance” following the Roman Catholic teaching on doing penance in order to win God’s favor. In 1430, Lorenzo Valla, a Catholic theologian, began a critical study of Jerome’s Latin Vulgate and Valla pointed out many mistakes that Jerome had made. Sadly, the “Vulgate-Only” crowd of Valla’s day forced him to renounce many of the changes that he noted needed changing in the Vulgate including the poor translation of metanoia. The business of religion desperately needs paying and returning customers. Jesus was crucified for this reason; the entire system of keeping people dependent on their hierarchy was challenged and condemned by him. Isaiah 55:8-11 gives meaning to metanoia: “your thoughts were distanced from God’s thoughts as the heavens are higher than the earth, but just like the rain and the snow would cancel that distance and saturate the soil to awaken its seed, so shall my word be that proceeds from my mouth.” The Greek preposition meta, together with, implies another influence. This is where the gospel becomes so powerful since it appeals to our conscience to reason together with our original design ... the authentic thought, the mind of God is realized again. The distance caused by Adam’s fall, compared to the distance between heaven and earth, is cancelled in the incarnation. Metanoia suggests a co-knowing with God! It is an intertwining of thought; it is to agree with God about me. Your belief in God does not define him; his faith in what he knows to be true about you defines you. In Mark 11:22, Jesus says, “Have the faith of God.” Unfortunately, most translations say, “Have faith in God.” There is a massive difference between our beliefs and philosophies about God and God’s persuasion about us! God’s belief in you gives substance to your faith. Jesus is what God believes about you. If our point of departure is not God’s faith in the finished work of Christ we have no valid gospel to preach. If our faith is not sourced and sustained in him as the mirror image of God revealed and redeemed in us we are deceiving ourselves with yet another religious disguise called Christianity.

Eyes on the Prize

Isaiah 60:2 for Behold The Darkness shall cover the Earth, and deep Darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.

When I read this scripture this morning it gave me hope. What I mean by that is you look at the world and you see all the crap going on. The fake news, the haters the total disdain for Christians. I need to focus on Rising above all this crap and what I've learned is it I can't do it on my own. In other words I need to set my mind on things from above.  At the same time it is so easy to get caught up in all the stuff that's going on around you

Col. 3:2 Becoming affectionately acquainted with throne room thoughts will keep you from being distracted again by the earthly (soul-ruled) realm. (“Set your minds upon the things that are above and not upon the things below!” RSV. Also note Romans 1:18, where the word katecho is used - to echo downwards is the opposite to anoche, to echo upwards - Romans 2:4 and Romans 3:26. Also 2 Corinthians 4:18 “We are not keeping any score of what seems so obvious to the senses in the natural realm, it is fleeting and irrelevant. It is the unseen, eternal realm within us which has our full attention and captivates our gaze!” A renewed mind conquers the space previously occupied by worthless pursuits and habits.)

 My prayer today is no matter what happens or what I hear that I keep my eyes focused on the prize

 Phi. 3:14 I have the prize of mankind’s redeemed innocence in full view; just like a champion athlete in the public games I refuse to be distracted by anything else. God has 1invited us in Christ, to lift up our eyes and realize our identity in him. 

The dripping well

This morning I am listening short video by Joseph Prince. It is called Breaking Point addiction through Grace it's 12 minutes long. I can say for myself it's good.  He touches on several scriptures and makes some very valid points that I'm going to share.  It is probably not anything that you have already heard, maybe a different twist.   The first one is 

1 Corinthians 6:18 flee sexual immorality.   every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

It has been proven that overtime long term viewing of pornography will actually put a groove in your brain. Picture one of those old hand cranking well heads from the 1800s that constantly drips over and over 50 or 60 years it actually wears a Groove in the concrete something as innocent as water.   

1 Cor 6:17 In our union with him we are one spirit with the Lord. 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sexual sin is a violation of the sacredness of the human body and scars the conscience of the individual like no other sin does. (The best way to escape temptation is to remember who you are.)

THE MIRROR

When I think about the scars........ I still have pornographic images in my mind from the 7th grade they just won't go away.  Certain scenes from pornography I viewed in the 80s that will not go away.  I have scars on my physical body that have gone away but the sexual sin is in your brain.  I have been prayed over and I prayed about this.  One day they won't be there but today they are,  so when they come back I have to take those thoughts captive.

Gen 39:10 — Gen 39:12

And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.

But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house.

As I look this scripture over she spoke to him every day about him sleeping with her.

He chose to not listen and finally when it got to the point where he could not take it anymore he ran!  He fled! He knew what he needed to do before the Ten Commandments were even written. And in his heart, he knew what was right and what was wrong.

So, I wonder did Joseph put confidence in his flesh? And when the Temptation got so strong he ran?

I believe that he knew the difference between wrong and right so well,  that he knew exactly where he stood.

When you make up your mind your unmade mind will not un-make you

Ice road truckers

So, I've been thinking this morning about the road of depravity. If you think about the road of depravity like the road up in Alaska that the Ice Road Truckers drive on it's a very slippery slope and there is no room for error. On this road you must be very careful. You have to drive down to very center of the road.  For myself if I was driving 80000 pounds down a sheet of ice I would have to totally rely on the Lord and the skills that he has taught me to navigate. There is absolutely no room for error.  the moment I decide to navigate my own way instead of relying on him is when the trouble begins.  When I start to veer off center I have two choices I can rely on Holy Spirit or I can put my confidence in my flesh that I can get back to Center. My Flesh says adjust quickly and jerk your steering wheel back over to Center.  If I do that, I’m probably going to slide off the road.   The other CHOICE is I can rely on Holy Spirit who says don't get in a hurry slow down follow me and get back to Center. I had a friend one time tell me don't get ahead of the one who leads.  For me I think many times I get ahead of the one who leads instead of just resting and listening. Everything today is so fast-paced and the I want it now mentality.

So how is your driving?

Phi. 3:2 Becoming affectionately acquainted with throne room thoughts will keep you from being distracted again by the earthly realm. THE MIRROR

Phi 3.3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh ESV

Phi. 3:5 Consider the members of your body as dead and buried towards everything related to the porn industry, sensual uncleanness, longing for forbidden things, lust and greed, which are just another form of idol worship. (Idol worship is worshipping a distorted image of yourself!) 3:6 These distorted expressions are in total contradiction to God’s design and desire for your life. 

THE MIRROR

I know some of you have the instincts to drive on Ice so it is just an analogy it is just where He took me this morning.

Hebrews 11:8

Part of the devotion this morning says "have you been to asking God what he is going to do? He will never tell you. God does not tell you what he is going to do. He reveals to you who he is."

Will you go out and surrender to him until you are not surprised an adom at anything he does? Oswald Chambers

11:8 By faith Abraham acknowledged the 1call of God which gave him his identity and destiny, as evidence of his inheritance as he journeyed into the unknown. (The word, 1kaleo, means to call, to identify by name, to surname.)


So when I'm praying this morning I asked the Lord to give me a word for 2018. My wife and I have been talking about this for several days. So in the middle of my thought process before I can finish the question in my mind I hear the word "commitment"  my first thought is the obvious one ......  my relationship to my wife.

The longer I sit here though,  the more I think the word commitment is about my identity in committing to who I am as a son.

 Thinking about that passage from Hebrews.   How many times do I acknowledge the call on my life that the Lord has put in front of me. Walking as a son seeing myself as he sees me.

Believing who He says I am!