Serve the best Wine!

John 2:10 “Why would you keep the best wine for last?” Everybody serves the better wine first, so that by the time the cheaper wine is served, no-one can tell the difference - and here you surprise us all by bringing this excellent wine from your storehouse. Even though we already had much to drink, it is impossible not to tell its superiority! (Even minds intoxicated with inferior religious jargon can immediately tell the difference when the Holy Spirit transforms ordinary conversation into the wonderful, blissful wine of revelation and the merry celebration of life!)

I have to admit my time with the Lord this week is not been the best. In fact, if I'm going to be honest here it's been a struggle. I have been allowing many things to get in the way. Even this morning I struggled but I pressed in. Graham Cooke said that you should really try and read through the gospels every 3 to 4 months and focus more on what Jesus is trying to say instead of what Paul is trying to say. I thought to myself now that's an interesting concept so that's what I'm doing. So, this morning when I got to this passage it just kind of stopped me and I've been meditating on it for a while now.

I have concluded that's who I want to be!   I want to always be the person who is serving the good wine first. No matter where I'm at or where I'm going serving the good wine first is being Jesus with skin on. When you are walking in truth. When you are walking in love. Even the religious people see that you are genuine. Even the atheist or non-believers know that you are the real deal.  People that have never met you before will know that there is something different about you.   That means the telemarketer, the waiter or waitress,  the AT&T rep on the phone, the person who pulls out in front of you or the cashier.

Here is one for you, everyone that you spoke to yesterday, would they be able to tell that you were Jesus with skin on?  Or would they think you were someone else?

I went and looked at a job the other day. Before I got there the lady sent me a text message and said,

 “just wanted to let you know that we are a married lesbian couple and if you have a problem with that then please let us know and we'll find another contractor.”

Okay I will be the first one to say I don't agree with that lifestyle. I also don’t agree with the man who looks at porn every day or overeats every day or the liar and thief.   I must tell you though it broke my heart that she felt she had to say that to me. My response was "I love Jesus which means I love everybody, I will see you Tuesday morning."

The religious person or the worldly person (are they not the same?) most likely would have had a problem with that.   just like they would have a problem with baking a wedding cake for a gay couple. I might be the only Jesus they see. 

Who am I to rob them of that opportunity?

Serve the best wine at the beginning

Not our job but dying to ourselves is.

This is somewhat of a re-post because I feel this is where I am right now.

It's not our job to change people . Only to demonstrate what God is really like. That's the goodness of God.

That's what we do when we meet people. Die to ourselves so we can  demonstrate in the physical the love of God.

We're not there to point out faults. We love them  where they are,   not where we want them to be.

Romans 8:10 the revelation of Christ in you declares that your body is as good as dead to sins demands.  Sin cannot find any expression in a corpse.  You co-died together with Him. Yet your spirit is alive because of what righteousness reveals. TMB   Romans 8:10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is [a]alive because of righteousness.  NASB   Sin cannot find any expression in a corpse.    How much more dead can you get?  I guess that means that all people in a cemetery are dead to sin.  I have to admit that is a very good example.    Galatians 2:20 the terms co-crucified and co-alive define me now.  Christ in me and I in Him!  His sacrificial love is evidence of his persuasion of my righteousness!  TMB

As I prepare for another quest.  (we have been in prep over two weeks) I feel a huge burden to die to myself today.  I see that sin cannot express itself in me if I am the walking dead.  Today I am free

For me ….. I need to start living out the scriptures that I speak about.  Not just speak them to other people but believe them for myself.    Romans 12:1-2 were the 2^nd and 3^rd scriptures I ever memorized and I quote them a lot but have often wondered if I truly live by them.

12:1 Live consistent with who you really are, inspired by the loving kindness of God.   My brothers, the most practical expression of worship is to make your bodies available to him as a living sacrifice; this pleases him more than any religious routine.   He desires to find visible, individual expression in your person. (The word, 1parakaleo, comes from para, a preposition indicating close proximity, a thing proceeding from a sphere of influence, with a suggestion of union of place of residence, to have sprung from its author and giver, originating from, denoting the point from which an action originates, intimate connection; and kaleo, meaning to identify by name, to surname. Jesus introduces the Holy Spirit in the same capacity: parakletos, meaning close companion, kinsman [John 14:16]. The word, 2adelphos, comes from a, as a connective particle, and delphos, meaning womb. Commonly translated as brother. [See Heb 2:11] The word, 3paristemi, means to exhibit, to present. In the context of the New Testament, the sacrificial system no longer involves dead animals, but living people. “You died in his death and are now alive unto God” [Rom 6:11].) 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. (The word, aion, is traditionally translated as “do not be conformed to this world.” Actually aion points to a period of time of specific influence. In the context of this writing, Paul refers to the religious traditional influence of his day as euarestos, which is eu, praiseworthy, well done + arestos, meaning to accommodate one’s self to the opinions, desires, and interests of others.) The mirror bible

Acts 2:12 "what does this mean?"

Listening to some Graham Cooke this morning and he posed a question. How do you seek the Lord when he never leaves you or forsakes you?  

If you already know where something is, then why would you have to seek it out?  That's the question that I asked myself when I heard that question.

He then gave the two scripture references below and these two scriptures happened on the day of Pentecost

Acts 2:12

And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”

Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Seeking the Lord is not asking why this is happening? That could be construed as having a victim mentality. But the questions that need to be asked are.. .... what does this mean?  And what shall we do? And these are questions that are pertaining to the circumstance that you are in.

I think for me there are many times I asked a question why? Instead of what shall I do and what does this mean?

What's in this situation for me and you in this relationship? Is there an opportunity for us to even be closer?

What is it in this circumstance or this situation that you want to be for me that you couldn't be before?

As I ponder over this all I keep hearing for me is to stay focused on him. You know when you're floating a river that has Rapids you must stay focused on what's in front of you,   you can't look off to the sides. If you do take your eyes off what's in front of you then you will run into obstacles,  Boulders in the river,   tree branches overhanging etc.... . 

You must focus on what's in front of you and that is Him. Everything that happens in your life has one ultimate goal.

That is You being made into the image of God

Every circumstance you encounter you have a choice. And that choice is to either be Jesus with skin on or not.

Are you in Awe?

Many times when I wake in the morning I wonder. Is this going to be one of those days where I read and I don't get anything or is God going to give me something to chew on? (most of the time when I don't get anything it is my heart that is not listening)  I read a devotion this morning called Evil and Awe.  It's out of the one-year devotion called Worship the king. I actually have three devotionals that I kind of go back and forth on. I have not read in this one in several weeks but felt led to go there today.

Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the Lord your God and have no awe of Me. Jeremiah 2:19

It is a tough pill to swallow when I hear the Lord say, "that is a lot of what is going on with you. You are not in awe of me." When I heard that statement I just kind of sat there and it made me sad. Because reality is if I sit around long enough and really think about it God is amazing. He's all around. I mean to even think about there are a hundred million galaxies. I can't even wrap my head around that. Even the simplest things like when you're looking for something and you can't find it. And then you stop for a moment and ask Holy Spirit where it is. And then you miraculously find it suddenly. Do we sometimes take those instances for granted? How are people going to be in awe of a God they can't see, if you're not walking around as Jesus with skin on. You may be the only representation of God somebody may ever see?

I think it's easy to be in awe when it's obvious but what about when it's not?

I will leave you with this. When you get so self-absorbed with yourself in your own greatness. It makes it very difficult to be in awe of the one who saves.

Be blessed today and look for his greatness in everything. There's greatness when you're walking across the parking lot and you see a penny. For me the penny says "trust me” I always leave the penny laying there and I always give thanks because that's God's way of reminding me to trust him. So, I can always say for myself when I see that penny that I'm in awe that he put it there just for me and it stayed there.   No telling how many times people walked by it.

In God we trust.

The Goodness of God

Every issue you face is already assigned an outcome that God wants to generate.  There is a victory in every situation that I face, and I must seek it out and own it.

2nd Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

 May 16th I spoke about judging God. About when I was asked to speak at a leads luncheon on May 26th.  I figured out Saturday driving to Amarillo that was God’s way of letting me down easy.  It is such an honor to speak at one of these events it would have been very upsetting if I would have had to cancel because of the funeral.   (Just knowing how I am) we chose to drive down Saturday morning and I would have had to cancel anyway.

God knows what we need before we even know it. May 26th, we buried our Aunt Claudia in Amarillo.  It was a sad day, but it was also a day of Celebration. A day that brought family together. 

It was a day of family.

The event organizer who contacted me and asked me to reschedule had no idea of the bigger picture. (The bigger picture was Claudia.)  Had she not listened and rescheduled me for another time.   I would have had to call her Wednesday and reschedule myself.   I was going to have to cancel because of the funeral.  

The funeral for me ended up being a huge family reunion and we had not been together like that in years and I didn't even realize it until today that my judgment has kept me separated from my family and I got healing over the weekend. I got healing when I didn't even know I needed it. I didn't even want to go to this funeral because I was too busy. I'm so glad I went. The Lord showed me what I needed, and I didn't even know I needed it.

You always hear the phone works both ways.   I am not going to call them!   They never call me!   You know what …….   That is just a bunch of ………..     Holy Spirit showed me that if everyone picked up the phone and called.   Then no one would be able to say, “the phone works both ways.”   You can’t make the other person call be you.  You cannot let their actions keep you from calling them.

That is the Goodness of God.   You can call, and they may hang up or they may curse at you, or be tickled that you called.  It does not matter the reason, because the Goodness of God will prevail it always does and that is what I saw this weekend.

The Goodness of God.

don't let the enemy whisper to you and tell you who you are not.

Jesus said "come"

Matthew 14:28 and Peter answered him, Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water, he said "come," so Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.

Today Jesus is Calling You out on the water. Are you going to step out of the boat and walk with him or are you going to the let wind ( the circumstances that you are in)

Dictate who you are, who you trust and where you are going?

Play The Man..... Focus on who God says you are.

Are you offended?

The Trap,

Ever been trapping?  Anyone who has ever been trapping knows that it takes one of two things to be successful. It must be hidden in the hopes that the animal will stumble upon it, and it must be baited to lure the animal into the traps deadly jaws.  This is what satan does and he is more deceptive and cunning than any human on this earth.  It is his job to trap you that is his only focus in my opinion.

Offense is one of the most insidious, nastiest, most deceptive kinds of bait there is and we have all encountered it at one time or another in our lives.  Offended people choose to live this way and they produce much fruit.  It is just not the edible kind.  Many signs of being offended are, hurt, anger, jealousy resentment, strife, bitterness, hatred (which is murder) trying to control people and envy.  I would say if you have any of these symptoms then most likely you are walking in offense.  Most people who are offended do not even realize they are trapped.  They are so focused on the wrong that was done to them.  They are in denial.  The most effective way for the enemy to blind us is to cause us to focus on ourselves.  What do we called it when we focus on ourselves?  Would that be PRIDE?  Holy Spirit says in 

James 3.16 for where there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

Jesus said in Luke 17.1 it is impossible that no offenses shall come, but woe to him through who they do come.

Psalm 55:12 If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. 13 But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend,14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God.

    It is those who you care about you that hurt you you the most.

2 Timothy 2: 24 And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. 

I have questions …. How does your fruit taste?  If I went to your spouse and asked if you are hurt and offended or walking in unforgiveness, what would they say?

Are you living with a victim mentality?  Do you defend your position on the matter?

Are you prideful?  Pride will keep you from admitting your true condition.  

Out of the mouth the heart speaks.

Parts of what I wrote today came out of chpt one of the Bait of Satan.  Choose to be free today!

I judged God

James 4:12 there's only one lawgiver and judge, the one who's able to save and destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor.    (or God) 

In my case who am I to judge God?

A few months ago, I was asked to speak at Leads luncheon.   It's a great opportunity to speak about my profession and faith to contractors, re modelers and swap business cards and stuff.

I spent about 3 days praying and seeking what I was going to say, I  was very excited!  I had a couple of friends invite me to this event not knowing that I was the speaker. I said Absolutely I'll be there.  I was fixing to tell them that I was speaking, and I heard Holy Spirit say, 

“why do you need to tell him that?” 

 I chose to keep my mouth shut. My natural bent was to think that Holy Spirit was telling me to keep my mouth shut because I was going to make it about me.  (This is something I have to constantly remind myself of It is not about me and it is not about them, but it is about Him.   I must be on guard about needing or wanting affirmation from man.

A few days later I got a phone call from the event organizer saying that she had made a mistake and that she had already booked another speaker and was asking me if it was okay if I spoke at a different one?

I said, absolutely that would be okay when I asked her who was speaking?  she said it was Mark and Mark is the one who invited me to the Luncheon.  

   

Now it all made sense because if I had said yes I will be there  and I'm speaking it would have been very awkward and a comfortable for both of us and put the event organizer in and awkward position.

The point I'm trying to drive home here is that I judged God and His motive for saying.

 " why do you need to tell him that?"

 I just assumed I knew why and there's the keyword “why” because the moment I decided why I made an assignment to what God was doing/saying. Instead of just trusting Him.

Instead of just saying okay no problem ………just say “YES” no questions asked.

I am sure If the Lord told me to not go in that room it is full of poisonous snakes ..... I don't think I would have asked why.

Accepted in the beloved

Ephesians 1:5-7 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. 

A lot of people can’t get over the reality of the rejection of their parents,  of the rejection of how they grew up, when it comes to the rejection of people we must understand the reality of the cross and the finished work of Jesus.

I am accepted in the Beloved and no rejection from anybody parent’s, coworker’s, spouses ….. anybody!  Nobody can reject me because they did not give me what I have and that is acceptance I have been accepted in the Beloved.  Todd White

To me this is the mind of Christ being accepted in the Beloved.   Being the missionary not just overseas but in your backyard, in your own hometown, because that's who Christ called us to be.  He has called us to minister to anybody we come in contact with  anywhere anytime.

Romans 12 1-2 Therefore I urge you Brothers in view of God's mercy, to offer your body as a Living Sacrifice holy and pleasing to God this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

1 Cor 2:16 There is no other basis to teach from but to echo the mind of Christ; he is the Master mind personified within us!

I am the righteousness of Him!

It is not about the scripture that you quote but it's about becoming the very word that you know.  It's so easy to quote scripture,

The scripture that you quote to that one person........ are you living by that very scripture that you quote?

 

I will rejoice in the simple gospel
I will rejoice in You, Lord
I will rejoice in the simple gospel
I will rejoice in You, Lord
I will rejoice in the simple gospel
I will rejoice in You, Lord

Psalm 32.8

Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go I will guide you with my eye.

It's no coincidence that this came from yesterdays devotion.  With all of the rain yesterday going on the laundry room job did not get finished because the paint was still wet. So I wasn't going to go out there yesterday. Yesterday morning he called me and I just knew it was about what I had spoken to his wife about the day before. I prejudged when I saw his name come up on my phone.  That wasn't it all.  It was completely work-related. The interesting thing was when I saw his name come up on my phone the first thing that I did was oh Lord guide my conversation.

When we were through with the conversation I just kind of sat in my chair thinking I'm not going out there today I don't need to. Something in my spirit was telling me otherwise so I loaded up my stuff and I headed to his house. On my way out there I felt like holy spirit said tell him the story about when your son passed away. That's really not something I think about very often so I knew it was God.  

When I got there he was surprised to see me and we talked about the project then then I was leaving I turned to him and said "I feel like the Lord wants me to tell you  the story about my son." He said okay let's hear it. So as I went through the story and I got to the part where Jesus said there wasn't anything that you could have done to prevent this it wasn't your fault.  It visibly shook him.  I could tell it was Holy Spirit  speaking to him. After I was done with the story I gave him Comfort I told him I was sorry about his parents gave him a big hug and then he asked me.

"Tell me again what this deal is that you go on?"   I told him it's five and a half days with God uninterrupted and that it is life-changing as it was life changing for me.

He looked at me and said "I think I'd like to go on something like that. I feel Holy Spirit is tugging on his heart. So we will see.  His name is Tad if you would like to pray for him.

As far as the story goes about my son and his death it's not a long story but it's more than I care to type up. So if you would like to hear it feel free to call me and I'll tell you about it or we could go to lunch.

Romans 15:20

Romans 15:20  My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else. ESV

Romans 15:20 I have placed such fond value on the fact that I could pioneer the glad tidings in many of these areas without building on someone else’s interpretation of Christ. The Mirror

Last Friday the lord gave me the scripture and I have referenced back to it several times this week just kind of pressing into it. Today the real meaning of it came true. I mean it's obvious what it means but I had some application today. This morning when I woke up I prayed a very simple prayer.

 I said, “Lord I just want to thank you for this day if you have somebody to put in front of me today to speak to then I receive that amen.” 

 I never gave it another thought until after I left my customers house this morning.  I spent almost 45 minutes with her sitting at the kitchen table ministering to her about her husband whose parents were killed in a tragic car wreck 2 years ago.  Her marriage has not been the same ever since.    He is hurt, angry, unforgiving, and more.  Later on today,  I texted her and ask her how she was doing.   she texted me and said, “I am good, hopeful 😊.”   I share that with you because scripture says always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that you have.

1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: NKJ

I did what I know to do, and I listened and I gave comfort and I listened and I gave comfort and I spoke truth.   This is a job that I have been working on.  The Lord showed me this morning it was never about the Laundry room but always about the husband and his heart.

Thank you, Lord, that you trust me.

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.