His Love Means Everything

Yes, Jesus loves me.

How cool is that?

But if you think that He is nothing bigger than your imagination, that love means nothing in the face of challenges insurmountable or indescribable.

What about tomorrow?

If you think that He is not able to handle your tomorrows, or if you think that you are on your own for those tomorrows, what good is the love of God?

This love is not some warm feeling, but a deep, abiding sense of caring which He has for us:

"6Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." (1 Peter 5: 6-7)

and

"10For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

 

"11And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

 

"12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrew 8: 10-12)

 

He is a God to all of us who believe on Him.

 

This love has taken us from dead in ourselves to alive in Him and so God sees us as His own Son:

 

"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)

 

As much as it frustrates me, we need to know more about the love of God for us.

 

This truth, this revelation has been a big problem for me, as I have been so attached to fixing all the problems in my life, as though those solutions would fix all the problems.

 

What does the Bible say about removing fear from our lives, though?

 

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4: 18)

 

Looking back over periods of time where there was great fear, I recognize today that I never realized the new identity I had received in Christ.

 

I never knew that God the Father sees me in His Son, and thus as His own Son.

 

I never understood the fullness of this perfect love, this perfect grace that He has for us, for me.

 

When we settle on how great He is, when we understand the fullness of God's love for us, we receive His power in all things, and discover that He gives us beyond what we can ask or think (Ephesians 3: 20)

 

 

Experience, not Intellect, of Christ Jesus at Work

Today, I realize that growing in grace and knowledge of the Lord is not about learning about Him.

It is about seeing Him alive in our lives.

Not a figment of our imagination, nor a projection of our parents, but a revelation of all that He is, based on His Word.

Jesus wants us to meet Him in the Scriptures, to see Him as a Savior today, just as He is Saior when He died on the Cross for our sins and rose from the dead for our justification, taking us from dead in our trespasses to alive and seated in heavenly places with Him.

He is alive. He is taking care of me.

I had struggled with panic and fears in my head for the longest time.

I was busy trying to feel better, to get rid of the pain and hurt.

What we need is the truth who sets us free.

He cares for us.

If we worry, we are saying that He does not care for us.

That is patently untrue.

However, I still found myself living in fear and panic about the future.

Why?

Because even though I knew that He would help, I did not believe that He could help.

I treated Jesus, the living Savior, too small.

If we try to understand Him based only on what we think, then we are not growing in knowledge of him.

We are called to a person, and we are invited to trust a Person.

One Way, One Savior (Not Twelve Steps)

There is one God.

He has revealed Himself through His Son, Jesus.

This is not a God of our understanding.

It cannot be.

Programs of human effort, like Alcoholics Anonymous, teach people to rely on their conception of God, which will inevitably become a projection.

That is exactly where I was struggling.

God was based on what I was thinking or feeling.

That is the worst bondage out there.

How can I understand that He is before all things?

That is the truth which I must accept based on His Word.

I may not understand it, but that does not mean it is not true.

Another thing that I have been recognizing.

I had lived for years abiding by these stupid rules.

These Twelve Steps.

They had been holding me back all these years.

Then when life was getting tough, it only got tougher, since I had the Bible in my hands all the time.

Yet we shall know the truth, and the truth shall set us free.

Alcoholics Anonymous is not the truth, and thus the program does not make people free.

I was so busy looking at my thoughts and feelings, holding myself accountable to standards which no one else in my life was paying attention to.

I was working too hard, because someone else had told me that I had to.

Jesus was willing to do the work the whole time, yet I was convinced that I had to do "my part".

Lo and behold, my part is to realize that I have no part, and that is the best part that anyone of us can play.

He came that we might have life, not to give us principles to make our lives better.

Jesus is God-Help. We do not need self-help. Not at all.

There is one way, one Savior, not Twelve Steps.

Mind Stayed on Thee, Not Me

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." (Isaiah 26: 3)

I had read this verse all wrong. So man-centered, so demand-centered.

A sense of demand, of frustration, had dominated my life for the longest time. I thought that I had to hang onto Him.

In a sad sense, God was just a projected concept in my head.

That is ridiculous, but at the time, I did not know any better.

I had thought for the longest time that I had to be thinking about God all the time, and that every time my mind wavered, I needed to apologize and ask God to help me.

He is our life, and before we rest in this truth, we need to understand that He is the fullness of all things. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul could not expound on Jesus' full preeminence any better:

"15[Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 20And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." (Colossians 1: 15-20)

He holds all things together, including you and me.

Yet that is not His greater claim to fame:

"21And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 23If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;" (Colossians 1: 21-23)

We have been redeemed from sin and death through His death and resurrection. To create, God only had to speak. To redeem all of us, God had to bleed, and bleed He did through His Son Jesus.

The question which brings us back to peace every time is not about fixing our thinking, but remembering that He is there, and He is there for us, regardless of what we are thinking and feeling.

The problem was not what I was doing or not doing, but that I was not seeing more of Jesus, growing in grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3: 18)

What was one reason why? Alcoholics Anonymous, and the subtle cult-like obsession with mind control which this evil cult creates in people:

This thought brings us to Step Ten, which suggests we continue to take personal inventory and continue to set right any new mistakes as we go along. We vigorously commenced this way of living as we cleaned up the past. We have entered the world of the Spirit. Our next function is to grow in understanding and effectiveness. This is not an overnight matter. It should continue for our lifetime. Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear. When these crop up, we ask God at once to remove them. We discuss them with someone immediately and make amends quickly if we have harmed anyone. Then we resolutely turn our thoughts to someone we can help. Love and tolerance of others is our code. (AA, pg 84)

Can you imagine spending your life looking at yourself, watching out for bad feelings and thoughts? That is not life, but a slow form of torture.

God no longer invites us to look at ourselves, but to look at His Son:

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3: 18)

The issue is not thinking differently, or doing more, but gaining a greater revelation of Jesus.

How can our minds not be stayed on Him? He covers every inch of eternity, and wherever we go, we know that He is already there.

The issue was not me, but seeing more of Him.

The issue was not keeping my mind thinking or feeling a certain way.

The revelation that He is not going anywhere, and that He is committed to taking care of me every  step of the way - that brings me great peace.

There is no reason to ask questions like: "What about tomorrow?" as if tomorrow is too big for God.

There is no reason to ask: "How shall I do. . ." since He is our life, and He is living and moving within us and willing in us both to desire all things.

In fact, the language of the verse in the Original Hebrews speaks not actively of our resting on Him, but rather Him causing us to rest in Him.

Sound familiar?

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11: 28)

The Greek literally reads: "I will rest you."

Wow!

We need to understand that Jesus is a living Person, our God and a Savior who does not stop saving us.

We do not come to Him as a rest from our sinful former selves and receive His Life. He invites us to come to Him every day and rest in Him, and Let His life take over.

This rest is hard for us if we do not see that He is already taking care of all things for us.

It is so new for me, but the idea of wondering whether He will be there for me or not just makes no sense when you see Him right in front of you, and you know that He cares for you (1 Peter 5: 6-7).

Help from the Living God, not Man

"For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe." (1 Timoth 4: 10)

God is a Savior, and is living.

The way that some Christians live, however, it seems as though God is not alive, nor is He a Savior.

Yet we find both savior and life when we see Jesus:

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1: 21)

and

"31And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." (Luke 1:31-33)

He is also life manifested for us:

"27And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20: 27-28)

and

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

then

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

and of course

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14: 6)

We need help from a living God, not from man. We need His saving, not our own efforts.

For the longest time, I read the Bible as an exercise in religious discipline. Not seeking answers but training myself in the way to go. I was not taking in what I was reading. I just wanted to feel better.

Ever learning, but not coming closer to the knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 3: 7), that is the result of going through the motions of turning pages, when the pages of the Bible are all about turning us to be more like Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:1 8)

I Did Not See Him As Big Enough

I had to reread Psalm 139 again.

I realized for the first time in a long time, that the problem was not just sin, in the sense of what I was thinking or feeling.

The problem was that I saw Jesus as too small.

I had an idea of who He was, but we need an active revelation of who He is, not just an idea, not a figment of our imagination, but the Real Person, fully God and fully man seated at God the Father's right hand.

I was afraid of the future because I did not believe, or I had no knowledge or proof that He would be there.

God cannot prove something when He is already there.

The whole created universe speaks of God, the heavens declare His majesty.

He wants us to rest from our efforts and trust His.

The First Effort, of course, is the Finished Work of Jesus Christ.

We either believed that He did it all, or we do not. There is no mixing this message.

When I think about the fears that I had about the future, that I would be hurt or troubled or placed in jeopardy for the things that I had done or said, I realized that the issue was not that I was guilty.

I did believe that Jesus had paid for all my sins. I did believe that.

The problem was that I did not see Him as taking care of tomorrow and every other day after that.

I was reasoning from my sense and circumstance, then trying to take in God's majesty in holding all things together from there.

The truth is, that He has been in place holding all things in place since the very beginning.

God does not need our help or recognition to hold everything together.

He rests us, He keeps us in perfect peace, not the other way around.

This revelation has taken me a long time to rest in.

Now I understand further why Paul prayed for the following for all of us:

"15Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power." (Ephesians 1:15-19)

We need to prayer for a greater revelation of all that that He is and has been doing.

This has nothing to do with how one feels or even what one thinks on the inside.

All of this is based on the knowledge of God's Word, and taking Him at His Word:

"16That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." (Ephesians 3: 16-19)

Jesus is not in our heads, or a figment of the imagination, and certainly not a conception.

If we reduce ourselves to understanding God based on our understanding, we will find ourselves more fearful than faithful, cowardly instead of confident.

I do not how to put this into words, but there is a buffer in my mind today, as though there is nothing beyond what I can think that would surprise or trip up God. There is no reason for me to wonder "what will I do tomorrow?" or "What may happen?" because He is in all my happenings, past, present, and future.

This is a big revelation, and I am so glad to have received it today!

Jesus is Real -- Not In Your Head

Does this not say it all?

Jesus is not some idea, nor is He a figment of our imagination.

Jesus is a real person, who shed His blood, who rose from the dead, who is seated at the right hand of God the Father.

He has revealed Himself fully in His Word, too!

That's why Paul was specifically clear when he told the Colossians what to focus on:

"1If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3: 1-4)

Pastor Joseph Prince put it another way:

"This is not a game, you know! You are in Christ. Do you believe that? For some of you, it is too simple for you to say: "As Jesus is free  from. . .so am I in this world."

I admit that I was one of those people.

Still treating Jesus like a figment of my imagination as opposed to a real person.

That changes today!

Not Fearing, But Seeing

This note will not take too long to write.

God does not shame us or condemn us for not believing enough.

He invites us to keep seeing more of Him and receiving more from Him.

Jesus Christ is alive. He is a real person, but He is in a perfect body, seated at the right hand of God the Father.

That means that he cannot physically be with us.

Yet He grants us something better: His Holy Spirit:

"5But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? 6But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. 7Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged." (John 16: 5-11)

Yet another roadblock which had hindered my understanding of all that Jesus is:

He is not just alive, but He is everywhere, not limited by time, or me, or anything else.

In the past, I would pray, but then I was immediately afraid, not sure that He was taking care or would take care of something.

I literally asked this question: "What about tomorrow?"

He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I do not have to wonder or doubt that he is taking care of tomorrow.

Wow!

I was so busy trying to bring Him to life in my daily situations.

He is life. I am not trying to bring Him into my daily experience. He provides every experience.

The issue was that I saw Him way too small. I will refer to what I read in Classic Christianity, written by Bob George:

The Galatian error has been the greatest thorn in the flesh of the church since the very beginning. In  many places and times, it has been straightforward. "You aren't saved by faith alone," it has been said, "but by faith and good works."

The one [error] that is more common . . .that a person is saved by God's grace through faith alone, that you can't do one thing to contribute to your salvation. In this, they're right. The only problem is that their use of the word "salvation" is limited to  your initial  acceptance of Christ, the issue of where you go when you die.

Paul was very clear, though, that we do not perfect ourselves through our behavior or our law keeping:

"1O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" (Galatians 3: 1-3)

We have been made a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), and we are invited to walk in the Spirit, not in the flesh (Galatians 5 16), not in our efforts, not our trying, but His work, His life.

Something else that Bob George wrote, which is so relevant now: our understanding of His riches and grace are too small.

Yes, we know that we are going to heaven. What a lot of preachers and ministers have forgotten to tell us is that God has brought heaven to us, in that His Holy Spirit now lives and dwells in us.

I have begun to realize how foolish it was for me to exercise my imagination, but what can you do if your "conception of God" is shaped by what someone else, not the word of God, has told you?

The issue has not been about forgetting the past. The issue is not about trying to control the future.

The issue was the God was not big enough. That was my fault. I did not believe.

It's not about confessing our sins to get rid of fears, but it was that I did not see Him big enough.

That was my fault, and yet Jesus does not fault us for that!

NO WONDER Peter exhorts us to grow in grace and knowledge of the LORD -- precisely that we can see that He is holding all things together for us!

Now Doubting, but Believing

Doubt is based on trying to hold to conflict thoughts or views at once.

Doubt in the Body of Christ, or regarding our redemption in Christ, has to do with holding onto the law and grace.

Consider this example at the end of the Gospel of Matthew:

"16Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. 18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." (Matthew 28: 16-17)

The eleven disciples, the same men who were called to Jesus' ministry, who had walked and worked with Him for three years, when they saw Jesus resurrected from the dead, even some of them doubted.

Without exploring of the disciples who doubted (Thomas), let us consider why they doubted.

Like the disciples who were walking along the road to Emmaus, dejected because of Christ's death, they were holding onto two accounts, one form the Old Covenant, and then the New Covenant.

Jesus came to fulfill the Old Covenant, with the Ten Commandments and the attending statutes, to under in the New Covenant (Hebrews 8: 10-12).

Many of the Jewish believers still struggled to go away from the Old Testament and enter into the rest of the New.

Peter specifically faced this conflict:

"9On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: 10And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, 11And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: 12Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 13And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. 14But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. 15And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 16This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven." (Acts 10: 9-16)

Peter received this vision after an angel of the Lord had visited Cornelius the Italian.

Paul had rebuke Peter openly for separating from Gentile believers when Jewish Christians arrived on the scene (Galatians 2: 11-14), thus going back to the Old Covenant, even though this separation has been done away in Christ (Ephesians 2: 10-14).

We see the example of this struggle in Acts 10, as well:

"24And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends. 25And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. 26But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man. 27And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together. 28And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 29Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me?" (Acts 10: 24-29)

Peter doubted about the meaning of the vision, for as an observant Jew operating under the Mosaic Covenant, certain animals were claimed as clean or unclean. Under the New Covenant, the blood of Jesus Christ has cleansed all sin and uncleanness, and thus God may say:

"15And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common." (Acts 10: 15)

God did not arbitrarly change Covenants, going from law to grace, but through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus, God fulfilled the Mosaic Covenant and brought in the New Covenatn, in which He is a God to us, and we are His people because He no longer remembers our sins and iniquities, and He has provided a propitiation for our sins (Hebrews 8: 10-12; 1 John 1: 7-9)

We are called to believe that Jesus has Finished the Work, and we take Him at His Word, His testimony on this.

As long as we believe that the work is not done, if we think that our hearts can fall away, or that we have to keep ourselves saved, that we have to obey the law in order to accept God's unconditional love (read that again, do you see the contradiction there?), then we are living in doubtm we are not believing that He took care of everything for us.

Alcoholics Anonymous and Celebrate Recovery manifest an unsconscionable, insulting affront to the work of Jesus Christ, teaching Christians that they must keep themselves holy, when Christ Jesus is our sanctification as well as our redemption (1 Corinthians 1: 30)

Not our efforts, but His effort. Not our works, but His Work, not our trying, but His dying, not our striving, but His thriving, not our doing, but His done, not our finishing, but His "It Is Finished!" makes all the difference.

And that is why Jesus declared to the Jews of His day during His earthly ministry, and exhorts to us today:

"28Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." (John 6: 28-29)

I never realized that believing would not be as easy as I thought, in that I had made it more complicated that it really is.

Today, we are called to believe, and the issue is not doubting, the issue is putting away the Old Covenant in more areas of our lives, putting aside our works, and resting in His Work.

That is what growing in grace is all about: doubting less, and believing more.

Fight the Good Fight of Faith (Not Feelings)

"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6: 12)

We are forgiven because of the blood of Jesus, yet this sacrifice Jsus cannot do a second itme, because He cannot die again.

For this reason, we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5: 7)

Let us also not forget that there were many people who saw Jesus resurrected, and they still did not believe:

"16Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted." (John 28: 16-17)

Also

"Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." (John 20: 29)

We receive faith through hearing the Word about Jesus:

"
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10: 17)

The NIV brings out the full import of the verse:

"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ."

We do not grow in faith by our feelings, or by praying for it, but rather our faith increase as we read more of the Word of God and see Jesus throughout:

"And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." (Luke 24: 27)

When Paul exhorted Timothy, and all of us, to  fight or rather, be having fought, the good fight of faith, he was exhorting us to rest in the Finished Work of Jesus Christ that we can and do take God at His Word about our state.

Keep in mind, once again, that knowing where we are going is not enough, and God doing things for us is not enough:

"8If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. 9Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not. 10But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel." (Numbers 14:8-10)

The Lord God had given the Israelites the land, and He had assured them that He would protect them.

But the majority of the Israelites (in fact, the vast majority of them) did not believe the Lord nor the good report from the two faithful spies:

"And ye murmured in your tents, and said, Because the LORD hated us, he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us." (Deuteronomy 1: 27)

In the New Testament, the writer of Hebrews records:

"For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." (Hebrews 4: 2)

Why did they not believe? They were under law at that point, still trusting in their efforts, still looking to Moses rather than trusting in the Word of God:

"30What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. 31But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;" (Romans 9: 30-32)

and

"And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them." (Galatians 3: 12)

Now enters the perverse frustration of Alcoholics Anonymous, Celebrate Recovery, and any other man-made system in which man tries to make himself right with God, or believes that He has to maintain his righteousness before God.

These awful programs had taught me to run to other people when I was fearful or angry rather than resting in the Finished Work and the Established Word of God.

Talk about frustrating!

So, if I do not accept the Word of God as final, but believe that there is some part which I must play, inevitably or feelings will get into the mix.

God invites us to receive His Word, mixed with faith, and today we can rest assured because we have His faith (Galatians 2: 20-21)

This fight is not an active striving, but rather a peaceful stance of victory:

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:" (Ephesians 6: 10-17)

Be strong in the Lord, not yourself. Be strong in His might, no[t yours. Put on the full armor of God, which is one composite whole, Christ Jesus. We stand -- four times, the passage exhorts us to stand.
"We wrestle not" should read "the wrestling is not to  us", i.e the fight is not our fight, but His fight, and He has already won the fight:

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Romans 8: 37)

Fight the good, the beautiful fight of faith, which in all literal sense is "be having fought" or recognize that the fight has been won in Christ.

"I Don't Care How You Feel!"

It's time that we started telling everyone in the Body of Christ, and around the world:

"I don't care how you feel!"

We need to impress on our youth, and everyone we minister to:

"It does not matter how you feel. What matters is what God says about you."

We have raised feelings in our society to the most ungodly of levels.

I was one of them. I was convinced that how I felt was the full determinate whether I was accepted before God or not.

What does the Bible say?

"To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." (Ephesians 1: 6)

Either you believe it or you don't. It does not matter how you feel.

Paul warned the Corinthians about being carnal (in their flesh, in their selves, in their feelings):

"1And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 4For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?" (1 Corinthians 3: 1-4)

James explains why his readers' prayers were not answered, either:

"1From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 4Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 5Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? 6But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." (James 4: 1-6)

It is all about the grace of God, and we receive this grace in our growing recognition of how forgiven we are of all our sins. All of them. We still have so much to learn about how forgiven we are, that we are forgiven persons.

Of course, we cannot learn this if we still think that we have to keep the law, obey rules, and try to make ourselves accepted before God.

This lie is exactly what Satan pushes at the children of God.

"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6: 16)

For too long, I was using feelings as an indicator of my salvation. Wrong!

For the longest time, men and women in churches were ministering to what I was feeling.

What we feel is a direct response to what we are thinking.

Are we allowing the word of God to renew our minds to the truth of the Gospel, or are we mired what we are thinking and feelings, as though these sentiments serve as the final arbiter of our standing before God?

It has nothing at all to do with what we feel. Period.

There is no peace on the inside, but rather outside:

"1Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5: 1)

I admit it again and again. I was convinced that forgiveness was all about how one felt, or what one was thinking.

Forgiveness of sins, justification by faith, is all about taking God at His Word.

Not our feelings, but His Son, and the Word of His Testimony makes the difference.

and

"I don't care how you feel!"

Replace Bad (False) Thoughts With Good (True) Ones

"31Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (Hebrews 8: 31-32)

Jesus Word is grace and peace because of all that He has done for us at the Cross:

"Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." (John 6: 29)

then

"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." (John 13: 34)

John affirms these new commandments for the New Covenant in his epistle:

"And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment." (1 John 3: 23)

When we believe in Jesus, we accept that He has taken care of all our sins forever:

"12But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." (Hebrews 10: 12-14)

Today, we are no longer trying to make ourselves right with God, but we are invited to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord:

"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen." (2 Peter 3: 18)

God invites us to renew our minds to the truth of God's Word, the truth who sets us free:

"1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12: 1-2)

For a long time, I would feel bad about feeling bad and thinking bad thoughts.

Yet there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus, and for God we are accepted before Him because of His Son (Ephesians 1: 6; 1 John 4: 17).

Therefore, the fight is one of faith, of resting in the truth that we are justified from all things because of Jesus (Acts 13: 38-39)

For the longest time, I have struggled with headaches.

The physical reaction in my mind, in my head, was to force out or fight against bad thoughts, to prevent my mind from drifting. Whenever my mind wavered, I would feel ashamed, condemn myself, then struggle.

The Word of God does not pass away, and the truth of God's Word does not go away because I feel bad or think bad thoughts. The circumstances I face, or the limits on my understanding of how great Jesus is, does not stop Jesus from speaking the Word of Truth and bringing faith and healing into my or anyone else's situation. We may put limits on His power, but even our limits He pushed past to work in our lives.

He invites us to believe on what He says of us. We take His Word, not ours, for what is the truth about who we are.

He invites us to replace the bad thoughts, the false feelings, with the truth of His Word.

I spent a long time trying to fight against bad thoughts, because I was ashamed of that thinking, convinced that I was losing fellowship with God.

Today, I choose to take God at His Word, that His Son take care of all sin, and His Blood cleanses me from all sin and grants me fellowship with Him and the rest of His Body (1 John 1: 7)

It does not matter what thoughts may come to mind, He has declared His Good News to us, and so let us replace the bad thoughts with the true, the good thoughts of God's goodness for us, all because of His Son.

What He Says, Not What I Feel

I met a good friend of mine today -- Ray is his name.

After a few months, I told him what had been happening to me since the last time that I had seen him.

Because of all the grace and knowledge of the Lord, I was starting to realize that I was not taking God at His Word only, but also adding feelings into the mix.

I had been doing this for years.

Joseph Prince hammers this kind of self-serving behavior. How much we base anything on our feelings shows really how much in bondage we are to ourselves rather than to His Word.

Bob George was more emphatic. He said that He Finished it. Either you believe it, or you don't.

What more will it take?

Man has to be reduced from his own flesh and feelings and submit to the Word of God, and let His Spirit live within and animate him to all things.

This has taken me a long time to accept.

It is what God says, not what I feel, that makes all the difference.

I had misconstrued passages like Isaiah 26: 3, reading them from a man-centered perspective.

He causes us to rest, and we take Him at His Word in all things.

I was so carnal all that time, placing greater faith in my feelings than God's Word.

It has been a tough haul, but I am learning to grow in grace, to see how forgiven I am, and how much God loves me today!

Take Him At His Word -- Period!

19God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

20Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

21He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them." (Numbers 23: 19-21)

 

God does not lie.

 

He has blessed us, and He cannot take away these blessings from our lives.

 

We may be unsure about our standing before God, but God is not.

 

When He says that we are forgiven, He was not intent on filling up pages in a book.

 

He intended for us to take Him seriously, because seriously He gave His best: His Son:

 

"31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (Romans 8: 31-34)

 

What is the key which opens our hearts to receiving everything else?

 

The gift of righteousness, which enforces the New Covenant in our lives:

 

"

10For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

11And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8: 10-12)

 

I admit that I did not believe Hebrews 8: 12. I was still latently accepting that God was remembering my sins, that they were not put away.

 

What had taken me a long time to realize, though, was the reason why I was still mindful of the lie that He was mindful.

 

I had lived under the evil AA cult, which like many religious systems, intentionally keeps men in bondage to their sins and failures, refusing to let them let go.

 

There is remission of sins without the shedding of blood, and the blood of Jesus speaks better things, and cleanses us today from all unrighteousness.

 

Therefore, I do not honor, and nor should you honor, any negative sentiments in your life. 

 

There were so many times in the past, when I was so busy running my feelings by other people.

 

I was holding onto the carnal fraud that I had to feel forgiven, that I had to have proof in my senses,

 

God's Word says it, I believe it. I take Him at His Word. Period!

Second Peter, Graces, and How

3According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1: 3-11)

This passage was a focus of study for me during my first year at UC Irvine.

I was focused on all the attributes listed in Second Peter.

"Add to your faith, virtue, etc"

I was focused on the list, when Peter explains how such things do not appear in our lives:

"9But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins."

I did not believe that I was purged from my past sins.

Why?

Because I was looking at the sin in my flesh, as though it was something that I had to do something about.

I was not informed that everything has been paid for. The blood of Jesus is an eternal consequence, putting away all sins and thus making them all ancient:

"As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103:) 12)

He has removed our transgressions, our sins from us.

Yet the fight of faith which we must fight today is a struggle of resting in the truth that all our sins have been put away.

That is the fight. Everything in this life wants to send the message that you are not OK with God, that there is still something more that you must do.

The counsel of the ungodly has every interest in keeping people busy in this respect.

If we want to remain fruitful in all the graces listed in Second Peter, God our Father invites us to keep receiving from Him the gift of righteousness today (Romans 5: 17) and forever more (Daniel 9:24).

Personal History -- Why No Good Conscience

I was so accustomed to reading my Bible and reading the AA books, or the devotional "One Day at a Time in Al-Anon".

Yet the sense of emptiness in my life was all encompassing, too.

We cannot have life, we cannot serve the living God with His Life in us if we think that we have to keep taking our inventory, watch our thoughts, and feelings, and make sure that we never sin or fail.

If we have to keep an eye on our feelings, protect ourselves from the shame and slights of other people, then we will never do anything or go anywhere.

For four years, when I was a student at UC Irvine, I had become so used to a life of reading religious books and keeping myself righteous through what I thought and did.

There is no life in that, and when the time came for me to step out into the world, I was absolutely terrified.

 I had no idea what I would be facing out there. I had no idea, no certainty, that God was with me to face all the trials.

How could I?  I was not walking by faith at all, that is, faith in what Jesus had done for me at the Cross.

I look back on the periods of great pain and suffering which I had been through.

I was so easily angered, and I walked around in great fear, unable to control the feeling that someone was going to hurt me or do something bad to me.

Never would have I realized, looking back them on what I know now, that my oor understaind of the forgiveness of God, the grace of Christ, was what was missing in my life.

As long as I had this awful sense that how I felt and what I was thinking was the cause of so much pain in my life, I knew that I could never do anything.

Because of that evil cult, because of the wicked notions that I was all alone in this world, and that everything somehow depended on me, no wonder I was not ready for adult life.

I did not have a good conscience before Christ at all.

Personal History -- Good Conscience

It is not the past which haunts us.

Not at all.

What haunts us is the sins which we have committed, and the false impression that they have not been paid for.

That they still have to be paid for.

If we have not rested in the finality of the Cross, if we do not believe that Jesus' blood has purged us from all sins, then we will find ourselves living in fear, instead of having a pure conscience, just as Paul did when he was judged by Jewish then Romans leaders during his ministry:

"And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day." (Acts 23: 1)

and then

"And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men." (Acts 24: 16)

Why did Paul, and why can we, have this good conscience? Not because of our actions, or our confessions, or our Twelve Step work, but because of Jesus and His blood:

"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9: 14)

I have been going to church for years. I have been reading my Bible for years. Bible studies, commentaries, concordance.

I have read so much. I knew so much in the Bible.

Yet this issue of perfect forgiveness was not settled.

If we do not accept that Jesus has granted us total forgiveness, then this is what we have to look forward to:

"Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. 12For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." (Hebrews 5: 11-14)

My mother read the Bible in so many ways. She had her concordance all set, and she would study some of the most interesting topics. I used to look up the names of the personages represented in the Bible, so that I could learn more.

Yet all of this learning comes to nought without receiving the testimony of the perfect Work of Jesus:

"Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

 

7But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ," (Philippians 3: 4-8)

 

No wonder my study of God's Word was sometimes not very fruitful.

 

I was not growing in grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3: 18), but rather I was just reading the Bible, treating it as "A verse a day keeps the devil away", then retreating back to the wisdom of the world, the counsel of the ungodly, the way of sinners, and the seat of the scornful.

Bringing Thoughts of Condemnation to Christ's Obedience

1Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: 2But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. 3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Corinthians 10: 1-6)

Bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

 I realize today, and I hope that more people realize it, too -- that Paul was not writing about every single thought, since Paul invites us to think about many things:

"8Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you." (Philippians 4: 8-9)
The issue for me, for a long time is that I had been reading everything from such a legalistic perspective, as though I had to make sure that I was thinking about God and God only specifically, an that my mind did not wander.

I had to make sure also that my feelings never wavered, either.

For too long there was so much fear that if my mind wavered or if I felt afraid (or angry), then God would be angry with me and go away.

Yet when we are the midst of deep hurt, pain, fear, or sin, who else should we go to, but God Himself?

"14Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4: 14-16)

So, what are the thoughts which need to be brought into captivity, then?

The passage in 2 Corinthians outlines it perfectly:

"Every thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of God."

Any thought which suggests that Jesus did not do a perfect work at the Cross, every sense or sentiment which informs you of shame or condemnation, that is a thought which belongs at the feet of Jesus brought into captivity to His Obedience, that Jesus did a Perfect Work, and He is a perfect intercessor for our sins.

With this understanding of Christ's obedience in full force, then the fifth and sixth verses makes sense all the more. Those who are disobedient are those who do not believe that Jesus did the work, and Finished it!

This understanding is borne out fully for us in Hebrews 10:

"For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10: 26-30)

The writer of Hebrews is talking about rejecting the full and final sacrifice of the Cross. If we do not accept that Jesus' blood did a perfect cleansing work, then we are sinning willfully against the truth, for what is not of faith is sin (Romans 14: 23).

We are not accepted before God because of what we are thinking. We are accepted because of what Jesus did at the Cross, and what He is doing on our behalf at the right hand of God the Father:

"31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (Romans 8: 31-34)

Not "Keep Going" but "Keep Growing in Grace"

When I was struggling in the final death throws of Celebrate Recovery.  

Constantly, I was reaching out to this one old man, Mark, who acted as if he had all the answers.

He was an arrogant pervert, and totally committed to the self-righteous celebrate recovery program.

I have heard this sermon preached a number of times, and I cannot run away from it. There are some people out there who want to give bits and pieces of information, but the insist on making individuals keep on coming back to them.

That is evil.

God has invited us to come to him, to the throne of grace in our times of need (Hebrews 4: 16). He has not told us to run to other people.

He invites us to cast our cares upon Him, because He cares for us.

Yet in so many churches, and in so many of these Recovery programs, they give the impression that we are supposed to cast our cares on our pastor or other church people.

Excuse me?

At any rate, this Mark creature was a really frustrating piece of fraud.

I have no nice way to write about it. He never gave me the revelation of God's love for me, but instead hammered me with what I had to be doing for God.

One of the best days in my life was when I stopped taking his phone calls. He called one time, I did not answer, and then he never called me again.

This past week, though, I was reminded of the one piece of "advice" I would get from him time and again.

When I was frustrated and hurt, when all was lost, and when I was so angry and put out, he would tell me

"Keep going."

Keep striving, keep working hard, keep trying.

No. I had done all of that for so long, and nothing had come of it. Time and again, my life would get better every time that I read more of God's Word and put my trust in Him.

"Keep going."

The fisherman had toiled all night, and yet the found nothing. When Jesus told them to let down their nets, then they obeyed, albeit not perfectly --- because they only let down their net.

They could not take in the load of fish, the catch was so great.

Also, when Jesus' disciples had toiled all night in their boat, then they saw Jesus. They had strived for so long to get where they were going.

Things changed when they willingly received him into their boat, and immediately they arrived where they were going. (John 6: 21)

Jesus did not say to the fishers, or to his disciples: "Keep going. Keep trying."

In fact, He says to all of us:

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11: 28)

Not "keep going", but "come to me."

God our Father invites us to come to Him with all our cares.

We can trust that He cares for us, because He gave His Word -- literally!

So, like many things, Mark was totally wrong. He had taught me to run to him for all my answers, even when he would say "Don't ask me. Because if I tell you, and it's wrong, then you will blame me. If I tell you something, and you say that it's right, then you will think it was me."

He should have been leading me to receive the wisdom and insight of the Holy Spirit into my life.

"Keep going" was the best that Mark could do, because like many Christians, he had embraced the way of Cain, trusting his efforts, keeping short accounts, even though he walked and talked perversion to a great deal.

No. That is wrong.

You do not keep going. If you are in pain, if you are confused, you ask for wisdom from God.

Christ is made to us wisdom first, is He not? (1 Corinthians 1: 30)

He has given us His Word, and the answers that we are need are there.

We do not keep doing what we are doing, if what we are doing is not working.

What we need is something better. What we need is to see more of Jesus.

What we need to do is grow in grace:

"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen." (2 Peter 3: 18)

Say "Amen" to growing in grace and knowledge of the Lord. If you do not know where you are going, or if you find yourself frustrated with the setbacks that you face every day, see more of Jesus, gain more of His grace in your life today!

I Am Totally Forgiven -- He Said So, So it is So

This is a new concept, even though it really should not be.

I am totally forgiven.

I am a forgiven person, identified with redemption.

It is not about how I feel or what I think, and what I feel or think is not a final arbiter of whether I am forgiven or not.

I cannot tell you how much time I had spent trying to feel forgiven, to feel saved, to remove the sense of fear and panic in my life through my efforts.

Perfect love casts out fear, and this love is perfected in us in this -- that as He is, so are we in this world (1 John 4: 17)

This powerful truth was in the Bible the whole time, yet no one had ever bothered to teach me.

Then again, you cannot believe that you are totally forgiven, that you are a forgiven person, if you still hold onto the traditions of men, if you still believe that how you feel or what other people think determines whether you are accepted before God or not.

We have God's Word, and His Word is all that we need.

He said so, so it is so. So there.

A massive renewing of the mind has taken place in my life.

Big time.

I am not supposed to spend my time catching my feelings, trying to prevent them in some way.

There was so much noise in my head, and so many setbacks.

There was a chronic fear of shame and hurt, and I had spent so much time running away from challenges, running away from hardships, unable to deal with so much.

Now I see today what was causing all of these setbacks.

Condemnation. I had not rested in the truth that in Christ, every sin has been put away. For so long, I had gotten used to being angry and bitter. Life was about staying one step ahead of bitterness and resentment, and that was all.

On top of that, I had believed for so long that how I felt determined whether God was with me or not with me.

How can we come boldly to the throne of grace if we do not believe that He has taken away all sins, and cleanses us from all unrighteousness?

I am total forgiven. He said so, so it is so.

Growing in Grace -- Not in Law, or Steps or Anything Else

We have eternal security in Christ today.

Our standing before God does not depend on what other people think or say about us, nor does it depend on our efforts.

Not one bit.

For so long, I struggled with pain and shame in my body and mind.

So attached to feeling right, I was convinced that everything in this life depended on me.

I was surrounded by people who believed the same thing.

When I was overwhelmed with guilt and shame, the very people whom I spoke to, whom I sought help from, spent more time asking if what I had done was so bad.

I had to accept for the first time in a long time, the very people whom I had hoped to receive the truth from did not have the truth themselves.

They did not accept the grace and truth of Jesus Christ.

If we believe that He has taken care of our sins forever, then there is no excuse for us to wonder if we are forgiven or not.

There is no excuse for us to doubt what Jesus did at the Cross, or for us to question whether Jesus spoke the truth when He declared "It is Finished." (John 19: 30)

Now I also understand the full extent of growing in grace, which Peter exhorted all of us to do (2 Peter 3: 18)

The full extent of all that Jesus has paid for at the Cross, we cannot fully understand once we get saved.

Why else did Paul offer the following prayers on our behalf?

"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power," (Ephesians 1: 17-19)

and then

"16That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." (Ephesians 3: 16-19)

We need to know all that Jesus has done for us, not ask Him to do more.

We need God to show us all that He is doing, not ask Him to start moving in our lives.

We cannot grow in grace, however, if we still think that we can or must earn whatever we are seeking.

I am growing in grace today, because of all that Jesus has done for me. Growing in grace means having a full understanding of the forgiveness which Jesus has purchased for me, and how many people had fought against it or never really believed it.

When I was younger, I remember thinking about the Cross, and saying: "I don't think I will ever fully understand all that Jesus did for me at the Cross."

My father responded: "That is a wise statement."

Indeed it is. Yet we are invited to keep learning, to keep growing in grace.

Feelings Does Not Equal Identity

We are not our feelings.

We are not our feelings at all.

If you stay around in Alcoholics Anonymous for any length of time, however, the strong that individuals form between their identities and their feelings becomes strong.

And deadly.

People feel good, or they feel bad, but the person's standing in Christ cannot be changed.

Now I have a better understanding of being established in righteousness, one which had not made much sense to me before:

"In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee." (Isaiah 54: 14)

In righteousness we are established. Notice that the verse does not say "You will establish yourself in righteousness."

Then who establishes us? God does, through His Son!

"For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 21Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; 22Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." (2 Corinthians 1: 20-22)

Christ is our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1: 30), and He became sin that we would be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5: 21)

We do not establish ourselves, and for the longest time, I kept trying to fix how I felt so that I would feel established in Him, or to make sure that He was not far away from me.

For the past year, I have found myself taking great offense when people would focus on my feelings, asking me why I felt bad, or trying to get my not to feel bad.

It does not matter how I feel, but what we feel merely registers something that we are thinking. The answer is not to fix the feelings, but to fix our minds on what Jesus has done and what God the Father says about us.

Every time that I rebuffed someone's "invitation" to talk about how I felt, I actually felt better. There was a peace which overcame me.

For years, I was taught that I had to  talk about my feelings, I had to do something about how I felt.

The reality is that w are not defined by our feelings. We are not in ourselves, but rather we are in Christ.

It does not matter how anyone feels. What matters is what we are thinking, and what we are thinking can be duly (or unduly) influenced by who we are.

Here we find the true path to maturity in our times.

Scorn the Shame-Based Cult

Alcoholics Anonymous is a shame-based cult, as are all man-made religions.

Jesus came that we would have life, and that more abundantly, and through His death and resurrection we are delivered from condemnation, the larger word for shame:

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus," (Romans 8:1, NIV)

There is no condemnation and that is the gift which Jesus gave to the woman caught in the act of adultery:

"10When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." (John 8: 10-11)

Neither do I condemn you, Jesus says to the entire world today:

"1My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:1-2)

He is paying for all the sins of the entire world right now.

While Jesus has done a perfect work and sits at the right hand of God the Father representing us as perfectly righteous, evil men like Bill Wilson and his ill religious ilk imposed an evil cult which told men that the work was not done.

Jude prophesied of these wicked people:

"3Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 4For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." (Jude 3-4)

Bill W. denied Jesus Christ with every breath he took, fashioning himself as another savior who would force men and women into a bondage of steps and works which no man can do. Either we accept that Jesus is the Savior who was and is, who did and does all that He claimed, or we don't/

Jude writes further:

"8Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities." (Jude 8)

and then

"12These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 13Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever." (Jude 12-13)

While AA claims to offer salvation and assistance, the cult leads people astray, making people worse off, providing nothing for the pain and suffering, depriving them of life, distorting their path and denying them the light of the Gospel of God's grace

Jesus railed against religious frauds like Bill and all AA adherents:

"13But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. 14Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

 

15Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves." (Matthew 23: 13-15)

 

AA is a shame-based cult, one which pushes aside the grace of God and induces people to think that they can try harder, yet try they must to improve themselves.

 

That is a burden which no one can bear, and yet the Pharisees the AA adherents, demand that other people live up to that standard.

 

Shame-based all the way.

 

In Christ, there is no more shame, there is no more sorrow or condemnation, because Jesus took care of all of it:

 

"Therefore this is what the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, says to the descendants of Jacob: "No longer will Jacob be ashamed; no longer will their faces grow pale." (Isaiah 29: 22)

 

and

 

"Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more." (Isaiah 54: 4)

 

Followed by

 

"In righteousness you will be established: Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you." (Isaiah 54: 14)

 

and also

 

"Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours." (Isaiah 61: 7)

 

This everlasting prophecy is a reality today in Christ Jesus, and no cult, modern or otherwise, can undo what Jesus did.

 

Reject AA, and receive the goodness and grace of the Alpha and Omega today!

 

 

AA = Brilliant, Evil Cult

Alcoholics Anonymous is a brilliant yet evil cult.

Masquerading as an addition to the Bible, or other religious sects, this program teaches people to view themselves through the lens of the perversion that they struggle with.

There is nothing more evil than telling people to define themselves according to the very sin over which they wish to overcome.

By telling people that they struggle because that is what they are born that way, then there is no way for them to fight against it. Because they identify with the sin as a disease from which they can never be cured, these individuals see no way of escape.

They must diligent work the Twelve Steps and practice all the principles in all their affairs, as the AA book tells them to.

Nothing is suggested about AA.

Half-way through the book, the book then slams readers with the "fact" that if the individuals do not work the program, they will drink again, and to drink is to die.

First of all, the harsh possibility is not.

There are many people who refrained from alcohol, then drank, and then returned to sobriety.

While AA gives the impression that drinking leads a person to greater failure and death, the fact is that alcoholism is a work of the flesh, and once a man throws away any sense of shame about failure, he is in a better position to break away from drink.

Alcoholics Anonymous crystallized in people a sense of shame, putting them under law, teaching them to watch out for their thoughts and feelings, while inadvertently giving them the impression that they have no power over anything in their lives.

Alcoholics Anonymous is a brilliant cult because the program take advantage of the limits of man's efforts to curb his own flesh. Man needs a new life, not more rules and regulations.

In one sense, the cult comforts people with the infamous lie of choosing one's own conception of God, then forces them into following a regimen of Twelve Steps, which makes the program more powerful and important than whatever God a person may trust in.

People in this world are full of pain and hurt, but the last thing they need is more religion to bring them into bondage. They need the truth who sets them free, and they will not find anything in the AA cult, based on lies and distortions, created by an ego-guru starved for recognition, who succumbed to a number of his own addictions before his timely demise.