Forgive and Forget!

Read this little story, and it made me think…

Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, was reminded one day of a vicious deed that someone had done to her years before. But she acted as if she had never even heard of the incident. “Don’t you remember it?” her friend asked. “No,” came Barton’s reply, “I distinctly remember forgetting it.”

Luis Palau, Experiencing God’s Forgiveness, Multnomah Press, 1985

Jesus commands us to forgive, but then what?

Matthew 6:14

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

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but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Forgiveness is a choice, but how do we move past the horror of what the other person has done?

Clara Barton figured it out, with a strong, disciplined mind.

She refused to allow the wickedness others did, to occupy her thought life.

We are all pressing towards the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, or should be. This world is not our home, heaven is.

What happened yesterday, or yesteryear, cannot be allowed to dictate what we do today.

I like the way the apostle Paul said it:

Philippians 3:

¹³ Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

Here it is Christmas again, and families are getting together again. There are those that are ‘stuck like chuck’ in their traditions and who would hold you emotionally hostage to your past failures, or the brutality of what they have been allowed to do to you.

Forget it!

 

Act differently, and refuse to lower yourself to their level, no matter what they do.

It’s going to take the power of God to do…

Let’s pray:

‘Father, as I gather with family and friends this holiday, I refuse to be defined by my past, or theirs. I choose to forgive and forget their wrongs, and I choose to receive Your grace and strength, to not allow them to drag me down into their mess and guilt trips. I ask this, knowing I am heard and answered, for I ask in Your name Lord Jesus, Amen!”

In his book. Lee: The Last Years, Charles Bracelen Flood reports that after the Civil War, Robert E. Lee visited a Kentucky lady who took him to the remains of a grand old tree in front of her house. There she bitterly cried that its limbs and trunk had been destroyed by Federal artillery fire. She looked to Lee for a word condemning the North or at least sympathizing with her loss. After a brief silence, Lee said, “Cut it down, my dear Madam, and forget it.” It is better to forgive the injustices of the past than to allow them to remain, let bitterness take root and poison the rest of our life.

Michael Williams

 

Christmas at the Gas Station

The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve. He hadn’t been anywhere in years since his wife had passed away. It was just another day to him. He didn’t hate Christmas, just couldn’t find a reason to celebrate. He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling for the last hour and wondering what it was all about when the door opened and a homeless man stepped through.

Instead of throwing the man out, Old George as he was known by his customers, told the man to come and sit by the heater and warm up. “Thank you, but I don’t mean to intrude,” said the stranger. “I see you’re busy, I’ll just go.” “Not without something hot in your belly.” George said.

He turned and opened a wide mouth Thermos and handed it to the stranger. “It ain’t much, but it’s hot and tasty. Stew … Made it myself. When you’re done, there’s coffee and it’s fresh.”

Just at that moment he heard the “ding” of the driveway bell. “Excuse me, be right back,” George said. There in the driveway was an old ’53 Chevy. Steam was rolling out of the front. The driver was panicked. “Mister can you help me!” said the driver, with a deep Spanish accent. “My wife is with child and my car is broken.” George opened the hood. It was bad. The block looked cracked from the cold, the car was dead. “You ain’t going in this thing,” George said as he turned away.

“But Mister, please help …” The door of the office closed behind George as he went inside. He went to the office wall and got the keys to his old truck, and went back outside. He walked around the building, opened the garage, started the truck and drove it around to where the couple was waiting. “Here, take my truck,” he said. “She ain’t the best thing you ever looked at, but she runs real good.”

George helped put the woman in the truck and watched as it sped off into the night. He turned and walked back inside the office. “Glad I gave ’em the truck, their tires were shot too. That ‘ol truck has brand new .” George thought he was talking to the stranger, but the man had gone. The Thermos was on the desk, empty, with a used coffee cup beside it. “Well, at least he got something in his belly,” George thought.

George went back outside to see if the old Chevy would start. It cranked slowly, but it started. He pulled it into the garage where the truck had been. He thought he would tinker with it for something to do. Christmas Eve meant no customers. He discovered the block hadn’t cracked, it was just the bottom hose on the radiator. “Well, shoot, I can fix this,” he said to
himself. So he put a new one on.

“Those tires ain’t gonna get ’em through the winter either.” He took the snow treads off of his wife’s old Lincoln. They were like new and he wasn’t going to drive the car anyway.

As he was working, he heard shots being fired. He ran outside and beside a police car an officer lay on the cold ground. Bleeding from the left shoulder, the officer moaned, “Please help me.”

George helped the officer inside as he remembered the training he had received in the Army as a medic. He knew the wound needed attention. “Pressure to stop the bleeding,” he thought. The uniform company had been there that morning and had left clean shop towels. He used those and duct tape to bind the wound. “Hey, they say duct tape can fix anythin’,” he said, trying to make the policeman feel at ease.

“Something for pain,” George thought. All he had was the pills he used for his back. “These ought to work.” He put some water in a cup and gave the policeman the pills. “You hang in there, I’m going to get you an ambulance.”

The phone was dead. “Maybe I can get one of your buddies on that there talk box out in your car.” He went out only to find that a bullet had gone into the dashboard destroying the two way radio.

He went back in to find the policeman sitting up. “Thanks,” said the officer. “You could have left me there. The guy that shot me is still in the area.”

George sat down beside him, “I would never leave an injured man in the Army and I ain’t gonna leave you.” George pulled back the bandage to check for bleeding. “Looks worse than what it is. Bullet passed right through ‘ya. Good thing it missed the important stuff though. I think with time your gonna be right as rain.”

George got up and poured a cup of coffee. “How do you take it?” he asked. “None for me,” said the officer. “Oh, yer gonna drink this. Best in the city. Too bad I ain’t got no donuts.” The officer laughed and winced at the same time.

The front door of the office flew open. In burst a young man with a gun. “Give me all your cash! Do it now!” the young man yelled. His hand was shaking and George could tell that he had never done anything like this before.

“That’s the guy that shot me!” exclaimed the officer.

“Son, why are you doing this?” asked George, “You need to put the cannon away. Somebody else might get hurt.”

The young man was confused. “Shut up old man, or I’ll shoot you, too. Now give me the cash!”

The cop was reaching for his gun. “Put that thing away,” George said to the cop, “we got one too many in here now.”

He turned his attention to the young man. “Son, it’s Christmas Eve. If you need money, well then, here. It ain’t much but it’s all I got. Now put that pea shooter away.”

George pulled $150 out of his pocket and handed it to the young man, reaching for the barrel of the gun at the same time. The young man released his grip on the gun, fell to his knees and began to cry. “I’m not very good at this am I? All I wanted was to buy something for my wife and son,” he went on. “I’ve lost my job, my rent is due, my car got repossessed last week.”

George handed the gun to the cop. “Son, we all get in a bit of squeeze now and then. The road gets hard sometimes, but we make it through the best we can.”

He got the young man to his feet, and sat him down on a chair across from the cop. “Sometimes we do stupid things.” George handed the young man a cup of coffee. “Bein’ stupid is one of the things that makes us human. Comin’ in here with a gun ain’t the answer. Now sit there and get warm and we’ll sort this thing out.”

The young man had stopped crying. He looked over to the cop. “Sorry I shot you. It just went off. I’m sorry officer.” “Shut up and drink your coffee ” the cop said. George could hear the sounds of sirens outside. A police car and an ambulance skidded to a halt. Two cops came through the door, guns drawn. “Chuck! You ok?” one of the cops asked the wounded officer.

“Not bad for a guy who took a bullet. How did you find me?”

“GPS locator in the car. Best thing since sliced bread. Who did this?” the other cop asked as he approached the young man.

Chuck answered him, “I don’t know. The guy ran off into the dark. Just dropped his gun and ran.”

George and the young man both looked puzzled at each other.

“That guy work here?” the wounded cop continued. “Yep,” George said, “just hired him this morning. Boy lost his job.”

The paramedics came in and loaded Chuck onto the stretcher. The young man leaned over the wounded cop and whispered, “Why?”

Chuck just said, “Merry Christmas boy … and you too, George, and thanks for everything.”

“Well, looks like you got one doozy of a break there. That ought to solve some of your problems.”

George went into the back room and came out with a box. He pulled out a ring box. “Here you go, something for the little woman. I don’t think Martha would mind. She said it would come in handy some day.”

The young man looked inside to see the biggest diamond ring he ever saw. “I can’t take this,” said the young man. “It means something to you.”

“And now it means something to you,” replied George. “I got my memories. That’s all I need.”

George reached into the box again. An airplane, a car and a truck appeared next. They were toys that the oil company had left for him to sell. “Here’s something for that little man of yours.”

The young man began to cry again as he handed back the $150 that the old man had handed him earlier.

“And what are you supposed to buy Christmas dinner with? You keep that too,” George said. “Now git home to your family.”

The young man turned with tears streaming down his face. “I’ll be here in the morning for work, if that job offer is still good.”

“Nope. I’m closed Christmas day,” George said. “See ya the day after.”

George turned around to find that the stranger had returned. “Where’d you come from? I thought you left?”

“I have been here. I have always been here,” said the stranger. “You say you don’t celebrate Christmas. Why?”

“Well, after my wife passed away, I just couldn’t see what all the bother was. Puttin’ up a tree and all seemed a waste of a good pine tree. Bakin’ cookies like I used to with Martha just wasn’t the same by myself and besides I was gettin’ a little chubby.”

The stranger put his hand on George’s shoulder. “But you do celebrate the holiday, George. You gave me food and drink and warmed me when I was cold and hungry. The woman with child will bear a son and he will become a great doctor.

The policeman you helped will go on to save 19 people from being killed by terrorists. The young man who tried to rob you will make you a rich man and not take any for himself. “That is the spirit of the season and you keep it as good as any man.”

George was taken aback by all this stranger had said. “And how do you know all this?” asked the old man.

“Trust me, George. I have the inside track on this sort of thing. And when your days are done you will be with Martha again.”

The stranger moved toward the door. “If you will excuse me, George, I have to go now. I have to go home where there is a big celebration planned.”

George watched as the old leather jacket and the torn pants that the stranger was wearing turned into a white robe. A golden light began to fill the room.

“You see, George … it’s My birthday. Merry Christmas.”

George fell to his knees and replied, “Happy Birthday, Lord Jesus”

Merry Christmas!!

This story is better than any greeting card.

Dangerous Love! by Ed Elliot

30 Dangerous things that can happen to a person who focuses too much on God’s love for them.

Recently, I have seen warnings from ministers to “beware” of focusing too much on God’s love. They seem to believe it is a dangerous thing to have too much information, knowledge or experience about God’s love. My question to them is, “what possible danger is there in knowing and experiencing too much of God’s love?”

I came up with a list of 30 possible dangers that could happen if you focus too much on God’s love for you. I could have easily come up with a few hundred more but here are some that I believe to be the most dangerous.

1. They will speak the truth in love. Ephesians 4:15
2. Their faith will work because faith works by love. Galatians 5:6
3. They will know God because He is love. 1 John 4:8
4. They will accurately communicate the gospel because the gospel is a revelation of God’s love for man. Ephesians 3:18-19
5. They will walk in love. Ephesians 5:2
6. They will have a better understanding of the scriptures because they were written by God who was motivated by love. John 3:16
7. They will evangelize because love is the motive to reach a lost world. John 13:34
8. They will have far more confidence in God because they believe in the love He has for them. Romans 8:35-39
9. People who fall in love with God, fall out of love with sin. 2 Corinthians 5:14
10. In loving others, they are actually loving and knowing God. 1 John 4:7-8
11. They will repent quicker because they know God’s goodness for them. Romans 2:4
12. They will know that nothing can ever separate them from God. Romans 8:38-39
13. They will overcome every obstacle and situation because they are convinced God loves them. Romans 8:37
14. They will reflect perfectly and accurately their true nature and God’s character because He is love. Ephesians 5:1
15. They will always know how to treat people, even their enemies. Luke 6:27-28
16. They will have a love, an insatiable appetite, for God’s word. 1 John 2:5
17. They will model what it is like to be loved by God in the same way Jesus did. John 15:9
18. The world will know they belong to Jesus because of their love for one another.
John 13:35
19. Wives will be extravagantly loved because their husbands will love them as Christ loved the church. Ephesians 5:25
20. They will never fail because love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:8
21. They will know the heart of God because it is full of compassion and mercy.
Psalm 145:8-9
22. They will be extravagantly generous because love is giving by nature. John 3:16
23. They will be free from fear because perfect love drives out all fear. 1 John 4:18
24. They will fulfill every expectation that God has for them. Romans 13:10
25. They will never be spiritually unbalanced because they know love is greater than faith and hope. 1 Corinthians 13:13
26. They will never lose their faith because their heart is grounded and rooted in God’s love for them. Ephesians 3:17-21
27. They will always know that God will do exceedingly and abundantly for them beyond anything they could ask, imagine or think. Ephesians 3:20
28. They will always know the truth and live in freedom. John 14:6
29. What comes out of their mouth will always be laced with grace. Colossians 4:6
30. They will be spiritually mature. Ephesians 4:15

No where in the entire Bible does Jesus, Paul or the other apostles ever warn believers that focusing to much on God’s love for them can be dangerous thing.

So, I really don’t see any downside to a believer knowing or experiencing too much of God’s love. Seems like all these minister’s warnings to people to be careful about being exposed to too much of God’s love need a healthy dose of knowing and experiencing God’s love for themselves.

By the way, this list of 30 dangerous things that could happen if you focus too much on God’s love for you, isn’t dangerous to you but it is very dangerous to the devil who knows the impact and transformation that happens when a believer focuses on God’s love for them!

By Ed Elliot https://www.facebook.com/wordoflifeworldoutreach/

https://chrisaomministries.com/2016/08/06/the-purpose-of-this-blog/

https://chrisaomministries.com/2017/02/27/do-you-want-to-go-to-heaven/

Don’t let religion limit you…

Don’t let religion limit you…

When you are walking by specific revelation, religious people can only respond by the letter of the law. Brutal folks. Forgive them, for they know not what they are doing…unless God opens their eyes, they are blind leaders of the blind. Refuse to be intimidated, controlled, or offended by them. Love them and pray for them. You wouldn’t hurt a person blind in the natural would you? No, we are children of a loving heavenly Father, called to love this generation to life!

Love never fails, so LOVE LOUD TODAY

Let’s Pray:

‘Father, may I fully obey You, and walk my individual straight and narrow walk before You, loving and living victoriously in this generation. For those who would try and stop me, who persecute me, who misunderstand what You have created me to fulfill, forgive them, and move them out of the way of what I must do. Protect me from pride, offence, or attitudes and words that would sow discord among Your people, in Your name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen.’

https://chrisaomministries.com/2016/08/06/the-purpose-of-this-blog/

Casualties of War…

Pr 18:14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

Eze 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Ro 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Ro 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Q. What do ‘carpet time’, meditation, soaking, the green line, the secret of Obed-Edom, and the searing, weeping fire of God experienced in worship have in common?

A. They are all manifestations of the presence of the living God, Holy Spirit meeting with people, directly, intimately, personally, and directly, in their lives.

I have watched some of my best friends, and fellow servants of the Lord die over the past couple of years, and though we are comforted in the truth that we will see them again, I asked God, WHY?

We will meet again, in glory, in heaven, but for now, their death leaves a hole in our heart, and provokes me to write some things that have been percolating within me for some time, as I have watched some of God’s tremendous servants die, or suffer horrible attacks of sickness, or infirmity, when the Word of God is clear:

Ps 91:16 With long life will I satisfy him,

I have watched people who I love, die, prematurely, and have hurt, and mourned their loss.

WHY?

And He has answered, and shown me, and no matter how politically incorrect it may be, I’m going to preach it, for this particular truth, will save many lives….

I heard Rev. Keith Moore preach a message at some point about developing a strong spirit. Brother Kenneth E. Hagin, preached and published a book entitled ‘Developing an Excellent Spirit’, and these foundational truths are what I must share.

It’s really simple, yet incredibly deep.

We are created in the image of God. God is trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We are trinity, spirit, soul, and body.

^{1 Thess 5:23} And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

There is much resource in the earth to develop our body and our soul, but few take the time to develop their human spirit.

I remember my pastor Billy Joe having a vision, a revelation, of people growing up, going to college, going to work, having children, buying a house, perhaps buying a lake house or boat or some kind of toys, then dying and going into eternity, without Jesus, or, if they had somehow become born-again in their life’s journey, stepping into eternity, with little or no eternal reward, because they had developed their soul, at the expense of their spirit, and

1Co 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Somebody once made the wise comment: ‘If the devil cannot stop you, he will get behind you and push!”

Seems that I have seen great people, often servants of God, that got ahead of God, and it cost them their lives.

Here in North America, foundations for buildings are generally made of concrete. You generally dig a hole in the ground, then fill it with concrete and steel, and if you have done it correctly, you can build a structure on it.

Someone once said, that you cannot pour concrete in a hurricane, and it seems that the same thing is true in our lives.

Generally, when the storms of life hit, our foundation needs to be deep, well-laid, and able to take the weight of the structure we are trying to build.

Some people have minds like concrete though, all mixed up, and thoroughly set!

In our own particular race, or journey through life, it seems that God is continually going deep within us, setting down deep roots in His Word and His love, so that the structures we build (family, church, businesses, organizations), easily stand upon the firm foundation of our faith, with no great stress to us.

Joh 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

1Jo 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

So we will face storms, trials, and struggles in this life, Jesus Himself promised them, but we are designed to overcome them all, and the way we must do this, is by faith.

In my book, I talk about the parable of the sower in great detail, but know this: that the spiritual battles we all face, are won, only by faith.

Yet, Jesus loves us, this I know, and Ga 5:6 faith which worketh by love.

Along the road of life, I have learned this about walking with Jesus: sometimes, we need to slow down, to speed up. We need to cultivate quiet, reflective time with Jesus, and allow Holy Spirit access to our deepest hungers, and needs for intimacy, acceptance, approval, comfort, encouragement, strength, and courage.

Job 34:29 When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble?

Isa 30:15 For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength:

We are required to walk by, and fight the fight of faith, yet faith works by love. We must learn, in whatever way works for us, to allow the deep roots of God’s love to fill the deepest creaks and crevices in our souls.

Eph 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

Col 2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

This is done, daily, personally, in peace, quiet, and rest.

Since faith originates in the report, or comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, then we are shown that the great fight in each of our lives, is for this quiet time, this personal intimacy, the love of our heavenly Father, this one and only thing, that is the most precious thing in any of our lives, that is the presence of God.

As an addict needs their drug, as an alcoholic needs their next drink, as a drowning person needs their next breath, we need the presence and love of God in our lives. Nothing else will satisfy.

His presence is like the water that softens the soil of our hearts, that the Word of God might root, grow, and produce mountain-moving, nation shaking, history making faith!

Mt 13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

Q. What do ‘carpet time’, meditation, soaking, the green line, the secret of Obed-Edom, and the searing, weeping fire of God experienced in worship have in common?

In what is now known as ‘The Toronto Blessing’, Holy Spirit revealed the love of the Father, to a group of hungry, broken, fatherless people, and when He came, we all fell down, and learned how to soak, usually for hours, on the lines that had been duct taped to the floor, all over the sanctuary. Some wept, some shook, some laughed, some went into a deep peace, other went into a trance like state, and many of us received powerful visions, words, dreams, or out of body experiences in the glory of God.

It was addictive! Yet, in my life, something beautiful began to occur: somewhere during the years I attended the 21 conferences in Toronto, I learned to receive directly from God, home in my bed, listening to the audio Bible, the deep needs met, that my heart hungered for.

I left Toronto in 1997 for Rhema Bible Training Center, and have only been back a couple times to Toronto since, yet still, to this day, ‘soaking’, is part of my experience with God, and though difficult to put into words, it is this ‘receiving’ that is what I am trying to describe here, for I am convinced that this is where the deepest needs of our heart are met.

Brother Hagin used to talk about meditating upon the Word of God, and I am convinced, that He met God this way, quietly spending the needed hours, to get his hearts hungers satisfied, and questions answered.

“Soaking”, has become a term, for this kind of experience.

In certain cases, holy, anointed intercessors, will pray for people, for extended periods of time, while the Holy Spirit, ‘marinates’ them, softening their hearts, and loving out their deepest, sickest secrets, trauma’s, and core pain issues, and showing them how precious they are to heaven, as royal, adopted, children of the most High God.

The Green Line is a humorous reference to the green lines in Dave Roberson’s church, where people are instructed to line up for prayer. I was listening to the band ‘Halo Jordan’s’ song by this title, and it is really funny, but the message is still there, and it is deep. Some of the band members have come out of horrible circumstances, and the drug scene, but they received healing, revelation, and restoration, directly and personally, on the green line. What happened? Exactly what I am trying to describe: Somehow, they were able to meet directly with God there, and His presence is addictive. Their song describes the hunger, and the meeting place they found with God, on the green line.

A friend and mentor of mine, the evangelist Daniel King, wrote a great book, ‘The Secret of Obed-Edom’. I liked it so much, that I read it to my children as a family devotion. In it, he describes the life transformation of Obed Edom, as he encountered, and became addicted to, the presence of God. Clearly, Daniel knows exactly what I am trying to describe here.

Finally, I wish to describe why I have attended Victory Christian Center here in Tulsa, Oklahoma. For several years after we had returned from the mission’s field, we were attending three different churches each week, and they are all tremendously strong ministries. Then, I had a face to face prophetic encounter with Billie Joe Daugherty, that kept me up an entire night praying. We had never been members at Victory, and though we had heard much about the ministry, had never attended church there. So, my wife said: ‘Well, we love these other churches, but Chris, you are called to world missions. Do you honestly thing you can fulfill the call of God upon your life in any of them? Why don’t we check out Victory, and see what they are up to?”

That first service, sometime in worship, I had a searing, savage, encounter with our living God, that tore away my thin façade of civilization, and met me in my deepest, most painful places. Again, I was addicted to the presence of God!

Those two encounters, got us hungry to discover more about this ministry, and for the next six months, we were in some type of service, almost every night of the week!

For many years, every week, and in almost every service, at some point, I found myself meeting with God, deeply, personally; where God Himself speaks to me, often quite apart from whatever is being sung, preached, or ministered on. When a friend of mine asked me why I had left a previous church, when there was such incredibly anointed Bible teaching there, I found myself saying: ‘You’re right! Pastor _______ is one of the most anointed Bible teachers I have ever heard in my life! Each week, he breaks down the Word in such a way, that it is like he is talking to me personally, and showing me how to apply the Scripture to my day to day world. But, at Victory, I encounter the searing, passionate presence of the living God Himself, personally, and this is what I need in my life right now!”

So why all the discussion, trying to describe this?

Well, the Lord has shown me, that clearly, this manifest, personal presence of God, that fills our hearts, and meets with us, is the difference between life and death.

In the early years, I had such deep needs for a Father in my life, that Holy Spirit would come and meet with me, granting me affirmation, acceptance, comfort, approval, confidence, that empowered me to become the man I am called to be.

In most cases, we, as men derive our self worth, from what we do, accomplish, build, develop, perform. (please read: https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/02/06/not-by-works-its-all-about-love/)

God loves us, unconditionally, only because of the shed blood of Jesus, and our self-worth, our work, development, and performance is to be gauged by one yardstick: ‘Did we obey what He asked us to do?”

The Lord has shown me that many have been authentically called into their particular vocations, but have become so busy with the work of the Lord, that we forgot the Lord of the work, and like a hamster on a treadmill, we are running hard, but going no where.

In fact, this is how people die. They either work themselves to death, running, working, and laboring for acceptance, approval, love, encouragement, earthly reward, that they pour themselves out to the point, where they are so poured out, cored out, and exhausted, they cannot receive the deep, intimate presence they need, to restore, heal, and empower them for the next season of life and ministry.

Suddenly, heaven looks really, really attractive….

I remember on encounter with Jesus, on the carpet in Toronto, that bears repeating. My father had died of cancer, the church I had been attending had split, and I was hurting, badly. ,I had shut down emotionally, numb inside. During ministry time, a group of pastors and intercessors prayed for me, and I fell down under the power of God, but felt disconnected from what was happening. I kept whispering, ‘Jesus, I hurt, please heal my heart.” Suddenly, in a vision, Jesus was there! He was kneeling beside my head, and He was angry! He spoke to me clearly:

‘I am trying to heal you, but You won’t let me!’,

Suddenly, I saw the incredible wall in my heart I had erected to protect myself, and somehow, I allowed Him in! Deep, deep, searing pain, began to bleed from my heart, as He surgically opened the wound in my soul. Like a scab being torn off of a puss filled wound, He cut into my emotional pain, and purged, and healed me deep inside.

Eze 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

He literally took out my heart of stone, and replaced it with a heart of flesh again…

Was reminded of the story of Mary and Martha today. Both were in the actual presence of Jesus, able to hear the same teaching, and words from the Masters lips, yet one was busy with the work of the Lord, trying to please Him through works. Mary got instructed, transformed, Martha got rebuked.

When the chips were down, and their brother Lazurus had died, Martha got a sermon, Mary got a miracle.

Seems God is a respecter of persons consecration, and attention to Him..

All comes back to this intimate, quiet time, consecrated to Him, each day…

Here’s how it is working in my life:

Pr 20:27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

I study, I pray, I learn, and while I am working and praying, I deliberately, on purpose, pray in other tongues, usually for many hours each day.

If you have not yet experienced this miracle, please read: (https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/27/is-speaking-in-other-tongues-of-god/)

Then, at some point in the day, He comes…

When He does, I have learned to go to a quiet place, and let Him marinate me in His presence, as He gently fills every creak and crevice in my soul, and washes, and massages away the stress of the day, and imparts wisdom, revelation,understanding, comfort, healing, into places I had no idea I needed it.

This has been very difficult for a man like me, that is hard wired to work, perform, go, accomplish my To Do lists!

Yet, as important as fulfilling responsibilities is, He is Almighty God!

He can do more, in one second, than I can do in a lifetime, and this I know full well.

Seems as I slow down, He speeds up in my life, and things I have been working towards, suddenly happen, miracles happen, and projects get done!

Let Him search, and reach deep inside of you today.

I know not how to describe it, because, it is a literal, living encounter, with Holy Spirit, that continually recreates us into more than we were, so that

2Co 3:18 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.

Clearly, I see, that this living encounter, with our living God, is the difference between sickness and health, poverty and wealth, burn-out or empowerment, confusion or answers, human works vs the power of God!

Those that find, treasure, cultivate, and seek this, live long, prosperous, victorious lives.

Those that don’t, die prematurely, while those around them, wonder how?

Why?

Just the letter of the Scripture, will not produce this, nor will works of service. We must meet with Him, personally, intimately, daily…

Let’s Pray:

‘Father, only You can grant to those reading this, the experience of Your presence, I am trying, so hard to explain. Please take everyone who reads this, deep into your river, the deeper places of Your heart, Your presence, and feed, fill, lead, reveal to them, Your love, intimacy, person, passion, direction, power, miracles, and grace, in Your name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen”

Do You Want To Go To Heaven?

The Gospel

Dear Friend, 

God loves you, and there are five things God wants you to know about Him, and I feel impressed by Him to tell you what they are.

1. Jesus was born. Babies are born every day, but Jesus is different because although Mary is His earthly mother, God is His heavenly Father. That makes Him different than any other person that has ever walked the earth. Think of it this way, the egg inside of Mary was human, the sperm divine. Theologians call this Immaculate Conception, but to most of us, it is the Christmas story. God became a man in the form of Jesus Christ, Emanuel, God with us. God came to earth and joined humanity, like each of us, as a meek helpless baby. Jesus is not merely the son of God, but God the Son, the second person of the Trinity.

2. Jesus grew up, he became a man yet without sin. Although the Bible says little about his first thirty years, the baby we celebrate at Christmas did not remain a child, at thirty years of age, He withdrew from humanity and fasted forty days to come back in the power of the Holy Spirit to show the world what a person, walking with the Creator can be. He healed the sick, raised the dead, fed the multitudes, walked on water, stopped storms, and cast evil spirits out of people.
   
   He did all of this, without sin. Not one time did He ever break the laws of God or man, that qualified Him as the sinless, spotless, holy, Lamb of God, accepted by God, as the only fit sacrifice, for the sins of humanity. He is still the same and doing the same things today. Yet the day came on earth when He was betrayed, and sentenced by a kangaroo court to death. Religious people had Him murdered.

3. He died on the cross. Not a pretty death. Deserted by his closest friends. Beaten beyond human recognition. His face pulverized. Weakened so much by blood boss that this formerly strong man could not carry His own cross. The sky turned black as night, the earth split open and dead people came out of the graves to testify. He spoke three words that still echo throughout eternity, “It is finished” The veil in the temple, was torn from top to bottom, signifying that the separation between God and humanity was now ended. God could again visit with the people He created even as He walked with Adam in the garden of Eden. Jesus bore the sin of the whole world upon Himself on the cross, an infinite sacrifice, for an infinite debt. Atonement!

4. He rose from the dead. You know, the Easter story. HIS story. Not the tooth fairy, Lord of the Rings, or the Easter bunny. Though they laid the body of Jesus in a tomb for three days, His spirit was not there. He went through paradise, He went to hell, yet on the third day, His spirit rejoined His body, and He rose. The stone was rolled away, and He ascended into heaven. For the next fifty days He appeared to over five hundred eyewitnesses, and then while five hundred watched, two angels appeared, and He ascended bodily back into heaven. Many educated moral instructors have lived: Buddha, Mohammed, Gandhi, Plato, and others, yet each of these died. Their body remains in their tomb today. Jesus rose from the dead.

5. He reigns. He is Lord of heaven and earth. God is the spirit, seeking those who will worship Him in spirit and truth. There is only one true God, maker of heaven and earth, yet He has revealed Himself throughout His Word in three separate and distinct persons. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the Son of God, birthed of His Spirit. When He ascended back into heaven, God sat Him at His right hand where He reigns the universe.

In short:

He came, He lived, He died, He rose and He reigns.

Now the problem of Creation must be addressed. You and I. Each and every one of us have been created in the image of God. We are also spirits, we have a soul, and we live in a body. Jesus did not come to make bad people good, or good people better, He came to make dead people ALIVE! Except a man be born-again, he cannot even see the kingdom of God. God loves you personally and wants you to know Him on His terms. Religion has always been man’s set of rules and regulations attempting to reach God, Jesus is God’s attempt to reach man. He died for you, not because He had to, but because He loves you. Yet, He did not create robots, each of us has a free will. The question He would have me ask you is this: Do you want Him to be your king? Do you want to go to heaven when you die, to be with Him? If you do, the Bible makes this promise to each of us,

‘If you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Rom 10:9,10’

Here’s what each of us need to do to come to God on His terms.

• We must acknowledge Jesus as our personal Lord. That is, in light of this great love He has demonstrated towards us, we must make a decision as to whether of not we will choose to allow Him to rule over us.
• We must believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead.
• We must confess, out loud to Him that we want Him.

Here’s a simple prayer.

 

‘God, I want to know you. I want you to be in charge of my life. I accept you Lord Jesus as my Lord. Forgive me Lord for all the things I have done against you. I believe, Father that you raised Jesus from the dead, and I ask you to come into my life and make me the best person I can possibly be. Amen.’

 

Now, that prayer will get you right with God, today. But what about tomorrow? Each day we need to grow spiritually, in our relationship with Him. That will involve talking to Him about your day, and involving Him in your day-to-day decisions. How do you do that? Well, begin to read your Bible, every day, first thing. Seek Him first thing, and He will add everything else you need to your life. When you see something in the Bible that is new to you, do what it says.

That’s where we come in. Eventually, you are going to need a good church. A place of love, friendship, and fellowship, where we can worship God and work together to make this world a better place. Any Bible-believing church would love to meet you and to hear about your new decision to serve God. There are many fine churches all over the world. Shop for one that believes the Bible to be the Word of God, and where you have peace.

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/12/04/why-go-to-church/

For many years, we attended Victory Christian Center here in Tulsa at victory.com. Great church that will help you grow in your walk with God!

Presently, we attend Rivergate Church here on 71st st in Tulsa, just East of Riverside, under the wonderful leadership of pastors Joel and Linda Budd. The kingdom is alive and active, and we need to serve God someplace, and here, there are wonderful miracles every time we meet. God is passionatly at work among us, and it is exciting to see what He will do next.

Each day, I post a blog on here, on one of the many topics relevant to the kingdom of God. The purpose of this is to encourage you to read your Bible every day, and to pray and seek first our heavenly Father and His kingdom. I would encourage you to subscribe and read along.- https://chrisaomministries.com/2016/08/06/the-purpose-of-this-blog/

The Responsibility of Discipleship – A Word for Leaders

The Responsibility of Discipleship

Some time ago, I attended the leadership portion of Word Explosion here at Victory in Tulsa, OK.

A pastor that I had never heard of, who reportedly pastors a church of 15,000+ somewhere in the Eastern United States brought a word about the seasons of God in the church, and he was very articulate and relevant, in bringing out the various things Holy Spirit was accenting, decade by decade here in churches  in the United States.

From the Healing movement, to the Charismatic renewal, to teaching and the Word of Faith, to leadership, etc.

Then he made a couple of statements that confirmed things that Holy Spirit is screaming to me.

He explained that the day of a person simply accepting Jesus, receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and attending church, is not enough in this upcoming season of God, but that what must occur is discipleship.

He went on to say, that to the average pastor, you would look for someone saved, filled with the Holy Spirit, attending regular worship services, attending a small group, and then serving somewhere in the ministry as good indicators of what a disciple should look like, and I agree these are good indicators, but here is where he and I take a different path to the same objective.

I believe a true disciple of Jesus, is a person that is fully led of the Holy Spirit, all day, every day.

Historically, there has been grave excesses in what is called ‘the discipleship, or Shepherding movement’

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shepherding_Movement

Yet, what about true discipleship?

Jesus said: Matthew 28:19

Go out and make disciples in all the nations.

I think back on my own discipleship experience with my pastor, where, for a period of 5-7 years, he had me read every book in his library, develop a strong devotional life and Bible reading plan, and had me serve in every area of the church for 3-6months.

Was that the end of my spiritual growth?

Was I fully prepared for ministry by this process?

No, but it was a great foundation.

Luke 16:12

And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?

So let’s dig into this concept of discipleship a bit:

Let’s begin by looking at the definition of a disciple:

Full Definition of DISCIPLE

1

:  one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another: as

a :  one of the twelve in the inner circle of Christ’s followers according to the Gospel accounts

b :  a convinced adherent of a school or individual

2

capitalized :  a member of the Disciples of Christ founded in the United States in 1809 that holds the Bible alone to be the rule of faith and practice, usually baptizes by immersion, and has a congregational polity

 

For the sake of simplicity, I call a disciple ‘a disciplined one’.

For example, when I swam on the college varsity swim team, I was expected to make 7 swim practices a week, and we usually did 2 weight work-outs on top of this. In order to stay on the team, I had to be a full time student and maintain a ‘C’ average academically.

What this meant, was that literally every minute of my week, seven days/week was scheduled, so that we could survive not only the training schedule, but the weekends spent on buses travelling to inter-varsity swim meets all over the province.

I was a disciple of competitive swimming and robotics engineering, listening carefully to my Olympic coach on how to make all this possible.

Obviously I survived and completed three varsity seasons, and completed my BSc in robotics, by being a disciplined one…

I was a disciple of robotics and swimming. No Jesus anywhere though.

Yet, we are called to follow Jesus…

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/01/11/your-great-commission-embracing-your-destiny/

So what does a disciple of Jesus look like in today’s world?

Here are some thoughts:

1. Aggressively following Jesus, having established a morning prayer watch, deliberately seeking Him first thing, every day.
2. Walking in the Word in deliberate Bible reading, confession, memorization, study, and meditation.
3. Consistently demonstrating the power of the Holy Spirit, with signs, wonders and miracles flowing in everyday life, in spirit-led days. Flowing in God all day, every day, not merely on Sundays, or in devotional times. Walking with Holy Spirit, one day at a time, fully submitted to Jesus Lordship.
4. Consistently exhibiting the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our character, carefully watching over our words, that they be faith-filled, representing Jesus well, as an ambassador should.
5. Consistently witnessing and sharing the gospel.(Here is a way to do this on-line:https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/10/the-gospel-the-power-of-god/)
6. Consistently growing their families in the call of God, through their example, love, consecration, and recognition and fulfillment of their responsibility in their role in the home
7. Consistently attending church, and seeking to serve and build it, growing in faithfulness and responsibility.  https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/12/04/why-go-to-church/
8. Living a lifestyle of worship, singing, praying in the spirit, with an attitude of humility and gratefulness, demonstrating the acts of compassion the gospel commands: helping the poor, feeding the hungry, visiting the prisoner, the sick, clothing the naked, empowering the fatherless. https://chrisaomministries.com/2017/01/15/we-worship-by-serving-the-people-god-loves/
9. Consistently seeking to grow in their gift and calling, spiritually, academically, and physically. https://chrisaomministries.com/2017/01/03/the-chinese-bamboo-a-parable-of-growth/
10.  Consistently seeking to grow others in their gifts and callings, empowering, equipping, and encouraging them to hear and fully obey God in all things.
11.    Consistently giving and growing financially, learning how best to keep money under the Lordship of Jesus as a good steward.
12.    Deliberately seeking and pursuing our personal mandate, vocation, and assignment, individually, growing in responsibility levels, on purpose.

Jesus had 12 disciples.

These are simply 12 guidelines I seek to live by.

Yet, as I have meditated upon the concept of discipleship, I discover questions that have difficult answers.

I remember many years ago, an organization called Promise Keepers, encouraged us to find a Paul, and Barnabas, and a Timothy in our lives. The ‘Paul’ being a spiritual leader we could look to for leadership, mentorship, and instruction. The ‘Barnabas’ being a ‘son of encouragement’, another brother in the Lord we could look to for encouragement in the day to day battles of life, and the ‘Timothy’ being one we could pour life and wisdom into, one we were deliberately discipling.

This is a good start surely.

As we grow in our Christian walk, we surely need a pastor who can gently help us learn the basics of this Christian life and character development.

Through our growth process, God will bring the other 4 ministry offices to add strength and structure to the formation of Christ in us, the hope of glory.

Yet, as I have walked with God these years I see many of these ministers see the kingdom of God only through their particular ministry gift, and for humor I write:

The pastor:

GO TO CHURCH! Is it not written: Ps 122: I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.”

Hebrews 10:25

not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Psalm 92:13

Planted in the house of the Lord, They will flourish in the courts of our God

They are right! We all need to be part of a local church, https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/12/04/why-go-to-church/

The apostle:

Then we have the apostle, often called the missionary today, whose favorite verse might be

Romans 15:20

And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation

Kind like the old Star Trek television series, ‘To Go Boldly Where No Man Has Gone Before”

1 Corinthians 4:9

For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.

Since the greatest in the kingdom is the servant of all, the true apostles I have met over the years are often gentle, suffering, humble servants of Jesus, who almost glow when they walk, carrying great spiritual authority and power….

We call them missionaries….

The Prophet:

Then there are prophets:

Wild creatures!

Dreams, Visions, revelations, ‘This is the Way Walk Ye in It!’ people.

A couple of verses from the office of the prophet, you often hear, when they show up:

Numbers 11:29

Then Moses said to him, “Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!”

Acts 2:17

‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams

1 Corinthians 14:1

[ Prophecy and Tongues ] Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy

It has been my experience that true prophets stir up controversy by what they say, apostles by what they do…

Evangelists:

Repent, and get saved!

If you are not winning souls, I question your salvation!

These are the great soul winners, those called to train and equip believers for the work of winning the lost.

Biblically, they usually demonstrate great miracles to draw the crowds to the gospel.

Acts 8:6

And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did

A perfect modern day example of a firely evangelist is Rhinhart Bonnke, or now Danial King.

The Teacher:

Then there are the teachers

2 Timothy 2:15

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Isaiah 28:13

But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon  precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

There have been great studies in the life of Jesus, showing how He is the ultimate apostle, pastor, prophet, evangelist and teacher, but what is the purpose of all of these gifts?

Here is a passage of Scripture I continually come back to:

Eph 4⁷ But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸ Therefore He says:

“When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”^[b]

⁹ (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first^[c] descended into the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

¹¹ And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, ¹³ till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴ that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, ¹⁵ but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—

¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

So we are given men and women of God, from God, to grow us in the things of God, that we can be delivered from the trickery of men, that we can take our place in the Body of Christ, our particular spot, gift, place and calling, that the whole Body of Christ might grow as we edify each other in love.

Been thinking about some what a disciple might look like in 2015, and I see questions, not full answers before me.

Since Jesus only ministered on the earth to His 12 disciples for 3-1/2 years before appointing them leaders in His kingdom in the earth, as His representatives, can we as leaders raise up people to send, in a similar three and a half year time period?

Yes, He promised that we would perform greater works than His, yet He lived with His disciples 24/7 for His entire earthly ministry.

How many of us are willing to embrace twelve people, and lovingly live with, teach, train, equip, and work with for 3-1/2 years until they are raised up in their particular ministries?

As I thought about the church structures in place across the earth, I see churches that place pastoral staff on salaries, but then how are the other four ministry gifts supposed to ethically receive financial support?

Do they simply attend a strong local church, and then perform their particular ministries outside of it’s four walls?

Evangelists raising up evangelistic centers that receive donations from the Body of Christ to finance their living support, and to host the crusades and conferences that train and equip us in the work of evangelism.

Prophets, who host conferences, and produce books and teaching materials to train and equip us in the prophetic…

Missionaries who solicit support to GO and perform missionary assignments, and to raise their families on the missions field.

Teachers, who receive salaries for teaching in the various educational institutes where they are called.

Somehow all this must flow through the local church, and how I have seen cat fights over money!

Should never be. All of us should tithe where the Lord directs, and I honestly believe if the Holy Spirit is fully in charge of the finances of His people, there will be no lack in God’s work being fully supported…

I was speaking about this today with Richard Lyons, who pastors the church we are helping pioneer.

I asked him: ‘Richard, here, in 2015, what does a true disciple of Jesus look like?’

He replied:

John 13:34

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

John 13:35

By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

So we see the fruit of a true disciple of Jesus, is true love exhibited in the earth, unconditional love shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit!

John 15:10

If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

John 15:12

[ Disciples’ Relation to Each Other ] “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.

John 15:13

Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:17

This I command you, that you love one another

Romans 5:5

and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us

John 15:5

I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears muchfruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

John 15:8

My Father is glorified by this, that you bear muchfruit, and so prove to be My disciples

So, as we deliberately seek to receive the love of Jesus, we find ourselves thrust out into this war-torn, sin-sick, broken world, with one great weapon, His love beating in our hearts.

This is the mark of a true disciple, loving people, with no strings attached, simply because He first loved us.

Love Loud Today Leader!

All the evangelism, miracles, works of the ministry mean nothing without love…and love never fails!

Neither will you or I, as we deliberately love…

1 Timothy 1:5

Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

Come on disciple, let’s pray:

Father, I come to You today, knowing my needs! I need Your love, Your direction, Your strength and power to serve You in this, my generation. Flow through me to love loud today, those You have placed in my path today. I ask this, knowing I am loved and heard, for I ask in Your name Lord Jesus! AMEN!

Whatever Happened to Sin?

Hi everyone,

Been thinking about sin.

You know, things expressly forbidden by the word of God.

Just to be fair, let’s name a few, so that I do not single anyone out, because we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and Jesus died because He loved sinners. He paid the ultimate price for sin, it killed Him. He died upon the cross to bear the full weight of it, for all humanity.

Gal 5:

Living by the Spirit’s Power

¹⁶ So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. ¹⁷ The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. ¹⁸ But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

¹⁹ When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, ²¹ envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

²² But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control.

There is no law against these things!

²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.

As I read these verses, written to Christians, I see the clear what we are called to live, a life of honor, humility, love, purity, gratefulness, patience, gentleness, holiness, and love in Jesus.

Yet, we see, as the native proverb goes, the battle we all fight within ourselves…

If you have read much of my material, you discover the overwhelming thread of what I post is on the love, grace, goodness, and righteousness of God: Who we are before His throne, royal children of the most High God.

Read this article today, and it got me to thinking:

http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/in-the-line-of-fire/40930-is-it-only-the-goodness-of-god-that-leads-us-to-repentance

If I am a servant of Jesus, do I do humanity disservice, if I do not do as Jesus did, commanding men everywhere to repent?

If I call lying wrong? Am I a hater?

If I declare homosexuality to be wrong? Am I a gay basher?

If I declare that pornography, prostitution, child-sex trafficking are wrong? Am I judgemental, critical, non-loving?

How about envy, jealousy, pride? If I call these sins, am I no longer a ‘good news preacher’?

You can see where I am taking this line of thought.

Clearly, the overwhelming tragedy of the human experience is not the depth of degradation people allow themselves to wallow in, rather, in light of eternity, and the power of God available to any human being through the grace given us in Jesus, how far short of His glory, honor, holiness, purity and love we still choose to live.

When Jesus came to live inside of us, old things passed away, all things became new, yet I see so many fellow Christians, like dogs returning to their own vomit, living so far below their rights and privileges as believers.

2 Corinthians 6:

The Temple of the Living God

¹⁴ Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? ¹⁵ What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil^[d]? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God.

As God said:

“I will live in them

    and walk among them.

I will be their God,

    and they will be my people.^[e]

¹⁷ Therefore, come out from among unbelievers,

    and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord.

Don’t touch their filthy things,

    and I will welcome you.^[f]

¹⁸ And I will be your Father,

    and you will be my sons and daughters,

    says the Lord Almighty.^[g]”

We are called children of the most high God, people who bear His name.

Yet, just like we need to change a few diapers as parents, as our children dirty themselves, even so, we are expected to grow out of the diaper stage into honor and holiness.

Yes, I love people.

Yes, like Jesus, I hate sin, for I see what it does to people, families, communities, and nations.

Titus 2:^{11 (AMP)} For the grace of God (His unmerited favor and blessing) has come forward (appeared) for the deliverance from sin and the eternal salvation for all mankind. (KJv 21) ¹² teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world,

Yes, we are adopted into the kingdom of God, but we are to become HOLY!

Notice here, that it is only God’s grace that allows us to do this, but that that very grace, teaches us.

For those who missed yesterday’s post: https://chrisaomministries.com/2017/02/13/grace-to-live/

2 Timothy 3:16

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

God loves us, yet as a good parent, He instructs us on the rules in His family, His kingdom, the ways of righteousness.

Sin kills, and if I am to truly love you, I must exhort you to holiness.

Let’s pray:

‘Father, May we see sin the way You do, and hate it the way You do. In Your love for us, convict us of our sin, and in Your grace, teach us how to leave it, and live in purity, honor, and love towards You and our fellow humanity. I ask this, knowing I am heard, for I ask in Your name Lord Jesus, AMen’

If you do not know Jesus personally yet, please read:

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/10/the-gospel-the-power-of-god/

If you do not know who you are, or why you are here, please read:

https://chrisaomministries.com/2016/05/11/8195/

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/in-him-we-live-and-move-and-have-our-being/

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2015/02/10/seeing-ourselves-as-god-sees-us/

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2015/02/11/youre-who-affects-your-do-until-we-are-through/

 https://chrisaomministries.com/2016/08/06/the-purpose-of-this-blog/

Learn and apply something new today!

Proverbs 19:(NLT)

⁸ To acquire wisdom is to love yourself;

    people who cherish understanding will prosper.

James 2:8

Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

The way I see these verses is simple. We spend our lives loving and serving others. Yet, we are to love our neighbor AS OURSELVES. If we don’t look after ourselves, and continue to grow, develop, stay in shape, etc, our neighbor is in trouble.

Seems it is a continual flow of seeking first Jesus and His kingdom, learning, and growing, and as we do, we acquire wisdom, and our neighbor gets blessed in the process.

Study, learn, grow, extend, and love this hurting world today!

James 1:22  But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.

Let’s Pray:

‘Father, teach us today! Grant us wisdom and understanding. Give us instruction, in whatever manner we need to receive it, that we might truly learn to love our neighbors better, give us strength and courage to DO what we know to do.We ask, knowing we are heard and answered, because we ask in Your name Lord Jesus! Amen’

https://chrisaomministries.com/2016/08/06/the-purpose-of-this-blog/

Mountain Moving Faith! USE IT!

Speak to Your Mountain!

This is a message, I first preached, over 10 years ago. I have edited it some, to make it easier to read, but it’s truths have never changed! They are eternal! I have changed, and my understanding of these things has deepened, as I have grown in character and the fruit of the spirit, yet I am still a faith preacher, and God is still only pleased, by faith!

I have learned over the years, that faith works by love, and that love is an action. To make any of what I am about to teach you actually work, you need to believe, act, and first speak and live:

The love of God, shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Spirit, is Jesus, loving people through us. This is what we must do, to be actually living the love of God:

1 Cor 13:4 Love is patient; love is kind. Love isn’t envious, doesn’t boast, brag, or strut about. There’s no arrogance in love; 5 it’s never rude, crude, or indecent—it’s not self-absorbed. Love isn’t easily upset. Love doesn’t tally wrongs 6 or celebrate injustice; but truth—yes, truth—is love’s delight! 7 Love puts up with anything and everything that comes along; it trusts, hopes, and endures no matter what. 8 Love will never become obsolete.

In one version, verse 8 reads: Love never fails.

If you determine to walk in love, no matter what, you won’t ever fail either.

If you have true faith in God, you will be full of love, for God is love, and whenever we authentically meet with Him, He meets with us, and fills us with His love, so that His love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

“The fruit of faith is love, and the fruit of love, is service’ Mother Theresa

If you think about it, Jesus commanded us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, preach the gospel, visit the sick and the prisoner, and overcome evil with good. These actions of our faith, are only possible from a living vital relationship with an Almighty loving God!

In order for the rest of what I must teach on faith, the muscle of God in the earth, you must be:

1. Established and walking in the love of God.

2. Committed to doing the Will of God

3. Calling those things that be not as though they are.

4. Speaking to your mountain!

Let’s look at our decision to commit to doing the Will of God.

Now most of us who have been on here know that I am committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

In previous lessons and blogs, we have looked at the concept of Lordship. That is, if Jesus is our Lord, we need to do what He says. It is clearly established from the Word of God, that we need to seek Him first. How you meet with Jesus, first thing in the morning, may differ for each person, but seek, is an action word, and whether you are a prayer, praiser, or studier, we all need to seek Him first, every day. Like the Nike ad, as far as putting God first goes in your life ‘Just Do it!”. Establish your morning watch.

We have looked at whether or not Jesus was Lord of our time. We introduced you to Mr. Tel E. Vision, and told you that most North Americans spend 2-1/2 hours each day glued to the tube. Finding now, that as I look at my time, Social Media can also become a distraction…It is a great ministry tool, but like anything, the question is ‘What am I doing with my time spent on the internet’. The Scripture is clear, that we are ‘to redeem our time’

Take that time, and put it into praise and worship, prayer, reading your Bible or listening to it on cassette, or simply changing the station and watching some good solid Bible teachers, or other fine television ministries instead of the sit-coms and soaps, and watch your life change!

In previous lessons, we looked at our vocations. Our jobs. Making Jesus Lord of our employment and doing our work unto Him, so that we could receive the promotions, raises, and better jobs that He has for us, remembering:

Psalms 75:6 For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.

7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

God wants to promote us, to place us in positions of greater effectiveness for the kingdom of God. Yet He judges your heart attitude, not just your outward performance. Seems He first judges our faithfulness and character, then promotes:

Proverbs 28:20

A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.

Yet, I am a faith preacher, and we are going to get back over to looking at faith here in a couple of minutes.

Yet, I need to make sure ‘seek ye first’ is working in your life, or you are not in position to have all these other things added unto you.

Isaiah 1:19 (KJV)

19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

2. Commit thy way unto Him:

Psalms 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Proverbs 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

Now, many of us are determined to live for Jesus, and to walk with Him every day. Before I preach faith to you, I need to talk about commitment.

Commit: Oxford Dictionary says

1. To do, to perform

2. To entrust for safe keeping.

3. To pledge, to bind with an obligation

Today I need to preach for a commitment. Many of us take Jesus as our Saviour, but how many of us are committed to making Him Lord of our lives? You see the first definition of commitment is to do, to perform. We need to do what He says, both in the written Word, and in the hearing of the Holy Spirit.

Henry Ford said it this way, “You can’t make a reputation on what you are going to do.”

I still like that quote by Will Rogers, “Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”
Helen Keller, you remember, the lady who lived her life blind and deaf, said this: “I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do.

I get really frustrated with people who refuse to move on in their lives. Why? I remember visiting CHEO (The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario) and seeing the receptionist there, who was a quadriplegic, answering the telephone with his headset, and operating his computer with a mouth stick. He was cheerful and happy, and doing a great job. Yet, I see people that can walk, see, talk and learn, yet who refuse to invest their lives in anything, and it ticks me off. Look at Nick Vujicic, if you want to see what a man with no arms and no legs can do! He is a husband, father, adventurer, and incredibly gifted public speaker.

Self Pity is from hell! Why? Because it mocks God’s power. It says that the God we serve is not big enough to help us move beyond our own little world. It is blasphemy in light of what Jesus died to provide for us.

“Winners are just ex-losers who got mad”, Van Crouch

The second, is easy, we have entrusted Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to save us, and to take us eternally to heaven to live with Him. Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. More than a children’s bedtime prayer, it’s our eternal security. Yet, before I preach here a bit, I need to talk about our pledge, our obligation. You see if we decide to commit to the Lord, we make a solemn pledge to live for Him. We bind ourselves to the plan of God, determined to die if necessary rather than fail in it.

I pray for you every day:

Colossians 1:9-12  (KJV)

9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

I desire that you might KNOW the will of God, and understand it.

I pray that you DO the will of God.

I pray you INCREASE in the knowledge of God.

I pray God grant you STRENGTH, to endure joyfully all the challenges this world throws at you.

I pray you remain humble and GRATEFUL, as He shows you your inheritance, and who you are by royal decree and privilege. (We a king’s kids!)

Many of us have been tossed to and fro by every wind of the Media, and teaching that comes across our path.

Why?

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

We need to recall the plan of God. We need to plead the Blood of Jesus over our homes and families. We need to tell others the great things God has done for us, for our testimony is a weapon of war enforcing Satan’s defeat. Yet, look at the final part of this verse, ‘loving not our lives unto death.’

I heard a minister say it this way. If you have received a promise of God, and you are determined to believe it, stand upon it, unto death if necessary, you won’t be standing very long. There needs to be in the heart of every Christian the willingness to die rather than compromise the Word of God. If you want to read a few stories along this line, pick up a copy of ‘Foxes book of Martyrs, many have paid the ultimate price for our faith.

Freedom is not free, and I am prepared to live for Jesus, beyond death if necessary: you cannot threaten a true Christian with heaven!

Yet, I’m not going to die, for it is written: ‘With long life, will He satisfy thee!’ I will live and not die, and declare the glory of God! Seems, as a warrior, I am more use to Him, here, in the earth, than up in heaven!

This type of commitment to truth, will cause true Bible faith to produce anything you need in this life.

A missionary society wrote to David Livingstone and asked, “Have you found a good road to where you are? If so, we want to know how to send other men to join you.” Livingstone wrote back, “If you have men who will come only if they know there is a good road, I don’t want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all.”

Good News Broadcaster, April, 1985, p. 12

The Bohemian reformer John Hus was a man who believed the Scriptures to be the infallible and supreme authority in all matters. He died at the stake for that belief in Constance, Germany, on his forty-second birthday. As he refused a final plea to renounce his faith, Hus’s last words were, “What I taught with my lips, I seal with my blood.”

Source Unknown

Some of us need to make a fresh commitment to Him today. Sure He is still the Lord, but He has not been YOUR Lord for quite some time. You haven’t sought Him and obeyed Him like you need to. We are going to do that publically now, so that you qualify for the rest of this teaching:

Let’s Pray:

‘Jesus, I know you are the Lord, yet today, I ask You to become my Lord. Show me Your way, and plan for my life, and give me courage and grace, to live for You, without compromise, all the days of my life, Amen’

We are talking about faith here today. It is going to take commitment. Let’s look at a couple of classic faith Scriptures:

1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

Romans 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

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

2 Thessalonians 1:3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

1 Timothy 6:12 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.

Philemon 1:6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Hebrews 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Hebrews 11:33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.

Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

1 Peter 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Jude 1:3 Beloved, 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.

Jude 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

Revelation 17:14

These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful

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

2 Corinthians 4:13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;

Faith has a voice. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!

2 Corinthians 8:7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

Notice here, that as we abound in faith, we also abound in utterance, because again we see, that faith has a voice!

Romans 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

3. Let’s look at ‘Calling those things that be not as though they were’

Certain things belong to us from the Word of God.

Some of these include: healing, direction, comfort, provision, wisdom, supernatural favor from heaven with people, protection, encouragement, and deliverance.

How I wish these things were automatic if you simply followed Jesus! Some of them are, but most require violent faith to actually appropriate and receive.

If you want to receive healing, you need to know that Jesus took stripes in His body that your body be healed.

If you want divine direction for your life, you need to believe that the Holy Spirit actually wants to show you your future:

John 16:13

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

You need to know how to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, how to recognize the inward witness He provides, how to recognize the peace of God leading you in your heart. I wrote a seven part teaching entitled ‘Knowing Your Future’ in my book, ‘The Parable of the Sower’.

 

Here is an excerpt:  https://chrisaomministries.com/2013/11/21/your-future-revealed/

Or here, on Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Parable-Sower-Christopher-Walsh-ebook/dp/B00E9I9H1M/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1384288775&sr=1-1&keywords=The+parable+of+the+Sower+Christopher

If you are lonely or discouraged, and you need the comfort and strength of the living Holy Spirit, then call to your remembrance: Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Matthew 6: 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

A little faith will get you a little provision, yet if you are going to prosper in God financially, you are going to have to tithe, give offerings, exercise stewardship, and then use your faith to work and aggressively to reap.

Don’t know how to do something? Ask God.

He will give you supernatural wisdom.

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Don’t know how to deal with a person, who is not a Christian?

Colossians 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

God couldn’t ask you to walk in wisdom towards sinners, if He did not provide that wisdom you need for you.

How about favor? There is supernatural favor to be received from heaven, simply by asking for it. Esther fasted and prayed, and asked God for favor from the king. God gave it to her. Nehemiah prayed as asked God for favor with the king. God gave it.

Like Jesus, God expects you to Luke 2:52 increase in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

Psalms 5:12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favor wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

Psalms 5:12 (Douay) (5-13) For thou wilt bless the just. O Lord, thou hast crowned us, as with a shield of thy good will.

Because you have been made righteous in God’s sight, you have the right to ask Him for supernatural favor with people. Glory! See if that doesn’t help your business and family life!

Protection: Read the 91st Psalm. You are a child of faith Gal 3:7-9 declares, that the blessings of Abraham are yours. As God was for Abraham, so He is to you. He is your shield and exceedingly great reward. Gen 12:1

Deliverance: Ps 91: 14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.

16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

When the day of trouble comes to your life, if you serve God. He will deliver you!

Now, these are things we need to be in faith about, every day. Deliberately pleading and possessing the promises of God, before His throne. We need to press into God for them. These are things that if they are not happening, need to happen, and they will if you believe and obey God. Each day, I call for these things into my life, whether I feel like it or not. I believe God’s Word on purpose. So should you. This is how we call those things that be not, as though they are.

These things have been freely given to us, but they must be received, by faith.

Ephesians 6:16

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Notice here, that the shield of faith does us no good, unless we actually take it!

4. Now, let’s talk about mountains.

Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Let’s look at a couple of versions of this:

Mark 11:22-25 The Voice (VOICE)

Jesus: 22 Trust in God. 23 If you do, honestly, you can say to this mountain, “Mountain, uproot yourself and throw yourself into the sea.” If you don’t doubt, but trust that what you say will take place, then it will happen. 24 So listen to what I’m saying: Whatever you pray for or ask from God, believe that you’ll receive it and you will.

Mark 11:22-25 Amplified Bible (AMP)

22 And Jesus, replying, said to them, Have faith in God [constantly].

23 Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, Be lifted up and thrown into the sea! and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him.

24 For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it].

25 And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and [a]let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop.

Remember, faith has a voice. You need to discover what are the roadblocks in your life, and then call them what they are, mountains. You need to command them to move. Your mountain needs to hear your voice. Your voice is your address in the realm of the Spirit, it is the place God delivers your personal blessing to.

Do you have problems in your life that never have seemed to go away? They do not mean that you are not a royal heir, a child of the king, and that you are out of the will of God. Satan is still alive, and not in hell yet (tick, tick, but his time is running out!) and whether you like it or not, he is opposing the plan of God in your life. He sets up roadblocks that only the power of God can move, but hear this. If you do not speak to them, they will not move.

Some may say, “I heard that before, and I tried that, and it didn’t work”

Well let me tell you something about mountains. I have my CIL blasting ticket, that I took as part of my commercial diving training.

Ever seen a road crew build a road?

Pastor Kenneth Hagin(Jr) gives the following testimony that bears repeating:

“Ever watched a road crew remove a mountain so they can put in a road? It’s a big job. It doesn’t happen overnight. Sometimes it takes days and weeks to bring that mountain down to size.

I remember as a child, traveling with dad back and forth to California holding meetings.

I remember seeing those road construction crews out there blasting their way through the sides of mountains.

They literally blew up a mountain, piece by piece.

All the traffic was stopped on that stretch of the road, and we had to turn off our radios and two-way equipment because the road crew was getting ready to blast. They’d drilled into the mountainside, and now they were getting ready to set off the charges.

Once they pushed the button on that detonator, you could see rocks flying everywhere. It looked like a volcano going off. Some of the small fragments even came sailing down on top of the cars, that were parked quite a distance from the mountain.

Then the workman would go back to the mountain site, clean up the rocks and debris, start drilling again, and pack the mountain with dynamite again. Then they would set off another blast, and it would cause the mountain to crumble some more.

After a few days, they had blasted out of their way what had seemed to be an impenetrable mountain. What was once a mountain of hindrance was reduced to flat land, and the road crew would go back in and start laying roadbed.”

That’s the way it is in the spiritual realm when you start quoting God’s Word against the mountains in your life.

When you quote God’s Word in faith, and authority, you are setting off the detonator of a powerful blast of God’s power that is demolishing your mountain, piece by piece. That’s why you can’t give up after quoting a few Scriptures one time.

As you faithfully quote the Word, give the Word time to work on your problem. Many times these mountains in your life are not going to leave, overnight. Some of them took years to develop, and are bigger than you think. Ever seen a ship, a tanker go by?

It’s moving, but it is so big that it takes a long time to pass from view. Yet, if you keep your confidence in God’s Word, and diligently quote it over your problems, they will leave.

I heard a minister say: ‘When you speak to your mountain, it begins to move. However, you may be unaware of just how big the mountain is, and how long it took to develop in your life. It’s moving, powerfully out of your way by the hand of God, but it may take some time to disappear from view”

Today, we are going to blast a few mountains in our lives, according to the Word of God, but first of all let’s pray:

‘Heavenly Father, I thank you that your Word declares that I have the authority to speak to the mountains in my life. Therefore I exercise my rights and privileges according to Mark 11:23.

Father, your Son, my Lord Jesus said that if I would speak to the mountains in my life, that are hindering me, and not doubt in my heart, that they would be removed. So, as I stand before your throne today, I ask you Holy Spirit to grant me wisdom as to the mountains in my life, and in the life of my church, now.’

Now, I am not going to pretend that I am the Holy Spirit. As He shows you what the obstacles are in your life, give them a name, and command them, in violent faith, to MOVE, in the name and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ!

They gotta go!

(name) move! Repeat