The Presence of God

If you go to church then you have probably heard people talk about the presence of God.  People talk about God being in the church (especially when the music is good) or God being in various places at various times.  They might say things like, "the presence of God was so strong" or "you can feel the presence of God here" or something like that.  While there is no question that God does show up physically in various places (especially in the Old Testament) this can become a fuzzy, goofy question for the flesh that ends up removing the actual benefits and possibilities of God's presence.

Let's try to get rid of some of the mystery about God's presence and learn how we can be constantly in God's presence with its resulting benefits.  That's right, you aren't just in God's presence when you feel goose bumps during a good worship song, as a Christian you can (and do) live in God's presence.  When we understand the reality of God's presence we can quickly grow closer to God, improve our communication with Him, and begin experiencing the benefits of His presence immediately. 

It's true that many years ago God's presence was to be respected with a reverent fear.  You've probably heard that if a priest approached God's presence (in the temple) and the priest had sin then the priest would die instantly.  You may also remember the guy who touched the Ark (trying to keep it from falling) and he died.  The Ark was the place for God's presence in the Old Testament, like the temple was.  God would also show up from time to time and speak with people (Moses, for example) and they had to respect God's holiness or risk death.  Finally, God told the Israelites that none of them should touch His holy mountain because they would die, and His voice scared them all so bad they didn't want to hear it anymore.  

So, yes, when we read the Old Testament, we can be a bit scared of God's presence.  We might wonder if we are worthy, and we might fear His presence if we doubt our redemption in Christ.  But that precious redemption, including the forgiveness and cleansing of our sins that comes from the blood of Christ, gives us full access to God's presence without fear of rejection, punishment or anything negative.  In fact, when we are "perfected forever" by the sacrifice of Christ (Hebrews 10:14), God makes our bodies an actual temple for Himself, and He then dwells inside of us.  I realize that sounds pretty crazy, but I will show you this from the Scripture.  

Furthermore, now that God is literally inside of us all the time, and His very presence is within us, we don't need to wait for the right song or the right prayer meeting to feel like we are in God's presence.  We know that we are constantly in God's presence, even physically.  We have direct access to God 24/7, and Christians, it's time we start using it.

"Flee fornication.  Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.  What?  Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own."  (1 Corinthians 6:18-19)

"For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."  (2 Corinthians 6:16)

Praise God!  The Bible makes it crystal clear, God has made our bodies into the literal temple of the Holy Ghost.  We are the temples of God and God is inside of us right now.  I'm sitting at my desk in Tampa, FL, and I am right in the presence of God.  There is no worship music and no prayer leaders, just me and God sitting together at this computer.

Again, we want to remove doubt, mystery and spookiness from this reality so you can benefit from it.  The Bible even tells us specifically that God's Spirit dwells in our belly.

"In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.  But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive."  (John 7:38-39)

"The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly."  (Proverbs 20:27)

Let's not get too crazy about this point either with arguments about the literal Greek and Hebrew of "belly" - the point is that God is in our flesh, and our spirit is right there with Him.  Our spirit man, the true man inside of you that will live forever, is inside of you and is right there with God's Spirit.  Don't you see, you are literally and physically in God's presence all the time.

Now that we know we actually are always in God's presence.  It's time to think about it and enjoy it.  We are always in His presence physically and spiritually, but we aren't always in His presence mentally.  Even though God is right inside of me, wanting fellowship and communication, my mind is usually a million miles away.  I need to focus on Him.

I heard a great speaker say that God whispers because He wants us close to Him.  If you want to hear from God, you must focus on Him and listen closely.  Church and prayer meetings help to focus our senses and concentrate our minds on God, but we must learn to do this in our everyday lives.  Sure, God may do something that arrests you spirit, soul and body so that you will focus on Him and hear Him clearly.  But that's not the norm.  I believe God is a fountain of blessing, information and revelation, and He wants us to drink freely.  But we drink by communication and fellowship with His Spirit.  This just doesn't happen if you aren't focused on Him.

Remember that we have boldness and access to God with confidence by our faith in Christ (Ephesians 3:12).  Remember that God tells us to "come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."  (Hebrews 4:16)

What an awesome God we serve!  God sits on a throne of grace!  All of God's grace, wisdom, blessing and every other wonderful aspect of God are right there inside of us in Him.  We don't need to shrink back in fear, we can be "having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus."  (Hebrews 10:19).  We should "draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith."  (Hebrews 10:22) Let's do it right now, individually and together.

Close your eyes (after reading this of course).  Focus your mind.  Picture God on His throne right inside your belly.  Picture your spirit man walking right up to the throne.  No matter what you have done, God greets you with a look of love and acceptance.  Now put yourself there.  You are there.  You are right with God and you can speak freely.  Let Him speak.  Where does He lead your mind?  Yes, some of this will be your mind, but you are with God and now you are in His presence mentally.  Focus, concentrate on God and the things of God.  Give it time.  Soon you will recognize something that did not come from your mind.  Again, be patient.  Perhaps it's a voice, perhaps an image, perhaps you just instantly know something (this is what I describe below).

As I was doing this (which led me to write this) I thought about the verse - "He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit (with Him)."  (1 Corinthians 6:17)  I thought about what a wonderful verse this was.  I marveled that God would unite Himself to me.  As I considered these things with my mind, I heard God's Spirit.   I didn't hear God in a voice, but He spoke and revealed something directly to me, like He imparted something directly to mind.  You see, I have real problems with worrying about my day to day needs.  In an instant He showed me that He has joined Himself to me and that He has wonderful intentions for our relationship.  He said that my day to day needs will absolutely be provided for and that this is no effort at all, not even a consideration for Him.  For He has these great intentions for our union, and He wants me to focus on that.  It was like He said, how can you even worry about such things, seeing all that I have done and all I have planned. (I know He is saying that same thing to you all too!)

My friends, "in (God's) presence is fulness of Joy; at (His) right hand there are pleasures for evermore."  (Psalms 16:11)  It's time to focus on God.  It's time to understand His presence and remember that He is always with us.  It's time to come boldly into His presence with every aspect of our being, so that we can receive Him and all He has for us.  Practice the presence of God.  Spend time with Him.  Cut out every distraction and be with Him.  He will speak, He will reveal, and He will bless.

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To The End

"I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." (Revelation 22:13)

A few years ago I witnessed to a close friend about Jesus Christ.  He liked the ideas of salvation and a relationship with God, but I could tell he didn't like the idea of being a "born again Christian."  He had heard the stereotypes.  He had watched Ned Flanders on The Simpsons, and he couldn't imagine himself being a nerdy, no-fun religious zealot that was mocked openly in the popular culture he had adopted.  It was hard to tell him that it wasn't like that.  "Can I still party?"  "No."  "Can I still get with girls?" "No."  "What can I do."  "You can go to church and read the Bible." 

I didn't know what a Christian was supposed to look like.  I was a Christian, but I was worse than Ned Flanders.  They make him out to be a nice guy.  I was the jerk version.  I couldn't see what God had for me to be.  But who I am supposed to be is right in front of me.  It's right in front of us all as we study the living Word of God, Jesus Christ.  As we study Him, He looks back at us.  His Spirit draws us closer, His Spirit unites us with Him, and His Spirit changes us into His image.  All of this is so we become like Him.  He is the End.  He is the fulfillment of our potential.  He is the Height that we can reach.  He is the pinnacle of humanity, and we can reach Him.

We will reach Him eventually.  We will be completely conformed to His image one day.  But we can't wait.  We must start believing and working for this now.  This is one of God's most important (if not the most important) goals for our life, and we can start now.

I feel that I must digress so that you don't fear this conformity.  We will retain our individuality.  We will all still be unique.  Even when we are completely conformed to the image of Christ, there will never be another person just like you.  God formed you, and God adores every detail that is only yours.  I believe the world has conformed us.  The world represses our Godly individuality.  As we are conformed to the image of Christ, our God-given traits will spring forth.  We will love them, and so will others.  "When He (God) talks of their losing their selves, He means only abandoning the clamor of self-will; once they have done that, He really gives them back all their personality, and boasts (I am afraid, sincerely) that when they are wholly His they will be more themselves than ever."  (C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters)

No, it's not a negative conformity that will destroy us.  It's a positive change that will free us.  As you become like Christ, you will become the person God created you to be.  Christ is your end and your beginning.

The Greek word for "end" in the Revelation verse is "telos."  Here is the definition from the Greek dictionary I use (Strong's from E-Sword): to set out for a definite point or goal, properly the point aimed at as a limit, the conclusion of an act or state, termination, result.  Complete conformity to Christ is our goal.  This is a definite point, something we can strive to.  He is our conclusion, our purpose, the result of His salvation life in us.

God will bring you to Him.

"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.  Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it."  (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

God is going to sanctify (consecrate, make holy) you wholly.  "Wholly" is, at its root, a combination of two words: "holos" and "telos."  "Holos" is whole, complete, all.  God is going to purify you wholly, to the complete purification to the level of Christ (completely to the End).  You will be purified, inside and out.  As Christ is sanctified, so is God going to sanctify you.  God is going to make you holy to the level of Christ's purification.

"Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them."  (Hebrews 7:25)

"Save" in the Greek is "sozo," meaning save, deliver, protect, heal, preserve, and make whole.  This passage in Hebrews deals with sacrifice and cleansing from sin.  Christ, through His sacrifice and eternal intercession for us, saves us to the very core of our being.  Uttermost here is the combination of "pas" and "telos."  "Pas" is all, any, every, whole.  God is going to save every part of you.  God is going to heal every part of you.  God is going to change every part of you.  Just as we saw in Thessalonians, God isn't going to leave any part of you untouched.

God raised Christ from the dead.  God saved Christ from hell.  God is going to do the same for you, and to the same extent.

"Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6 KJV)

God has begun a good work in you.  What is this good work, conforming you to the image of Christ in every way (which puts you in position so God can do good works through you).

God will develop you in love, joy, peace, compassion, and every other fruit of the Spirit.  God will develop your individual ministry so that you are a blessing to others.  God will develop you internally in every Christian attribute, and the superman God has created in you will come alive to do His work and change your world.  This is what it means to rise and shine.

This will happen as you spend time with God and learn about Him.  As you learn about God, He reveals Himself to you.  The revelation of God is (gulp) the revelation of who you were created to be.  And again, your individual expression of God can never be duplicated.  You are meant to be an expression of God's love, power and personality to the world.  The more you see of God, the more you will love Him, and the more you will want to be like Him.  And He will answer your heart's cry and make you like Him (you will feel this as you see Him clearly).  You will become like Him and yourself, and you will grow in this love bond with Him, and you will love yourself, and you will love others.

"Perform" is "epiteleo" - a combination of "epi" and "teleo," "teleo" coming from the word "telos."  The basic definition of "perform" is to fulfill further or completely, execute, terminate, accomplish.  In other words, "bring to the end."  God has started you on the journey and He will completely perform His work in you.  He will not fail you or forsake you.  But we must start working with Him, not against Him.

God will complete His mission in you.  God will accomplish His work.  God will bring you to the End that is Jesus Christ in you and through you.

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." (1 John 3:2)

Let me leave you with this final thought - you have to let Him do it.  I've shown you clearly here, and in my other post on being conformed to the image of Christ, that God wants to change you.  This is for your good, for your blessing, and for you to be a blessing to the world.  But He won't force you to change.  I wish He would frankly, that would be so much easier.  But that's not how it works.

He presents change.  He shows you change in His word and shows you the benefits.  As you read the Word, faith that makes change possible builds in you.  Then you have a thought, "I can change."  "I can do this."  It's a great, empowering feeling that comes straight from the Spirit of God.  You feel God's power to change your life so that you can live His perfect will.  But you must answer the call.  You must embrace the opportunity.  God will not force you to rise and shine.  You must do it yourself, and all of Heaven is behind you to change and bless this world.

The Spirit of God gives you the revelation that true change is possible in your life.  But you must walk through the door, and it starts with your mind making good choices.  Of course you don't walk alone.  God will be with you every step of the way, to bring you to the End.  This is your destiny.  This is God's plan for your life.  Yes, there are external plans, but this is His internal plan for us all.  Now let's get going. 

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You Are A Champion

Some time ago I was listening to Christian radio and the speaker talked about Caleb in Joshua Chapter 14.  You'll remember that Caleb and Joshua were the two spies of the Promised Land who brought back a good report of the land.  They were the only two men from that generation who lived to see the land.  After some time, Caleb came to Joshua to claim his portion of the land and this is what he said:

"Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou heard in that day how the Anakims (giants) were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said."  (Joshua 14:12)

The speaker paraphrased Caleb's statement this way, "give me the mountain, where the giants dwell."  Caleb was ready to claim what God had promised him some forty years before.  Caleb was full of faith and Caleb knew that if God was for him then no man could stand against him.  He didn't want the easy land, he wanted the specific land God promised.  He was ready to take the hard land.

Later that night I was walking my dog and God spoke to me.  He showed me that I was faithless.  I haven't always been that way and that statement may surprise some of you who know me.  But it was true.  Somehow, despite living in great times of prosperity, despite living with the greatest examples of God's love and grace (my wife and children) and despite seeing God doing miraculous things in my life, I had grown faithless.  I would love to tell you that God spoke gently and comforted me, but I was rebuked, and I couldn't argue.

Let me show you why I was rebuked.  Let me show you why I am an overcomer (and should act like it) and you are too.  As Caleb knew, it's not me or my strength, it's God.  I don't care what you are facing, you can say like Caleb did when he first saw the land, "Let us go up at once, and possess it, for we are well able to overcome it."

You can do anything and everything that God wants you to do.  You can overcome any obstacle that is put in your way.  You can defeat any enemy.  You can break any barrier.  You can obtain any promise.  You can show this world what God's strength and power look like.  You are a champion, a king, the child of the Most High God.  You are full of God's wisdom.  You are full of God's love.  You are anointed with God's Spirit and power. Nothing can stop you.  Nothing can defeat you.  You have everything you will ever need and more to live as God's champion on the earth, going forth to further His kingdom in your life and the lives of others.

I know we don't always feel this way.  I know it's hard when we look at our natural circumstances.  But it's time that we arise and shine.  It's time that we live in the reality of our redemption and anointing.  It's time that we stand up and overcome.  Forget what you've heard that has condemned you.  Forget the circumstances that have crushed your hope, your belief and your faith.  I am telling you Biblical truth and you must let the Word of God replace anything in your mind that keeps you from living the results of God's championship victory over sin and the devil.

"In all things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us."  (Romans 8:37)

"I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me."  (Philippians 4:13)

"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world." (1 John 4:4)

"With God all things are possible."  (Matthew 19:26)

"Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of His knowledge by us in every place." (2 Corinthians 2:14)

"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. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." (Mark 11:23-24)

"For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. For by Thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him. For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places. He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip. I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed. I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet. For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me. They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the Lord, but he answered them not. Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets." (Psalms 18:28-42)

Your problems, your enemies (spiritual, we don't war against flesh and blood), your obstacles, your difficulties, your bonds, everything that holds you back or stands in your way, is nothing but dust under your feet when you approach it with God.  Your problems are nothing to God.

A few weeks ago I was praying about a house and God said, "A house is nothing to Me."  He didn't mean that He didn't care, but that what I see as a major problem is nothing with the power of God.  Then I started thinking about closing costs, you can imagine what He said about that!

Let's go back to Joshua and Caleb.  Remember that ten of the twelve spies were scared.  "And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the Lord delight in us, then He will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not." (Numbers 14:6-9)

Your problems are dust.  They are your bread.  They are nothing when compared with God's power.  Only fear them not, and focus on God.  Don't you see the theme in these verses.  If God be for us, nothing can be against us.  The key is being with God and operating with His ability.

We must spend time in God's presence to learn His will.  He won't give you the easy land where nobody dwells.  He wants to give you the awesome mountain where the giants dwell.  You can't do it on your own.  That's the point.  In the natural it's not supposed to be easy.  But with God you can win every time.  God doesn't want you to do it without Him.  He wants you to do it with Him so you can see His love and power and grow closer to Him every time.

You are called to be a champion.  You are called to victory and conquest.  Look again at 2 Corinthians 2:14.  God you wants you to triumph always, so that others will always see His power and love in your life.  When they see it in your life, the will want it in theirs.  God wants us as examples of His glory and grace.

Now rise and shine.  Your Light has come.  The glory of God is on you, and you can do all things through Christ.  Lift up your head.  You are redeemed, justified, sanctified and made righteous.  You are now God's perfect Child, in Christ deserving of all God's promises.  Fill your mind with God's empowering and encouraging Word.  God is with you, and you are well able to overcome.

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You Are Perfect

You are perfect. If you are a Christian then you are perfect in God's eyes. And once you see yourself as God sees you then you can, free and unhindered, step into the existence He has for you. Review these Scriptures with me and let them renovate your mind and change your life.

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV)

"And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful." (Revelation 21:5 KJV) The 1912 Weymouth New Testament translation says, "I am re-creating all things."

"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature." (Galatians 6:15 KJV)

Most Christians understand that when they accepted Christ they were "born again." The old man that we were, corrupt with sin, died. We were instantaneously recreated by God. We were not simply recreated, but God gave birth to us (See John 3, 1 John 3:9). 1 John 3:9 says God's "seed" is in us, and the word in Greek is "sperma." The very DNA of God is now in us. We are God's biological children. You know the passages that talk about adoption. In America we think of adoption as something legal rather than biological, and the word "adoption" doesn't adequately translate what occurred. Romans 8 refers to the "Spirit of Adoption" but this could be more accurately translated the "Spirit producing sonship." God, by His Spirit, recreates us, and He gives birth to us Himself. I know some of you are thinking, "Wait, God only has one Son?" "For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." (Romans 8:29 KJV)

We Christians are all God's children, and it's time we understand that reality so we can act like it. "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection."(Romans 6:3-5 KJV)

"For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare Thy name unto My brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto Thee. (Hebrews 2:10-12 KJV)

Jesus always was and always will be the Captain of our salvation. Yet we must understand the relationship that He died to give us, the relationship with Himself and the relationship with God. We are now God's many sons. It says He that sanctifieth (Jesus) and they who are sanctified (us) are all of One (God). The word "of" is a word of origin. We are all now born of God. We were planted together with Christ in the likeness of His resurrection (we died and were born again) and now we should walk in "newness of life." Glory to God.

You were not born into sin a second time. Read Romans 6. This time you were born without sin. Original sin is gone. You are freed from sin. Now, as with all Godly truth, you must appropriate this truth to your life. You must allow this truth to renovate your mind so that your life will change.

"Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:11 KJV) This is how God tells us to think. We must consider ourselves dead to sin (and develop a corresponding sinless self image). "I am perfect. I am God's perfect child. I am created in the image of God and I am free from sin. Sin has no power over me. I don't have to sin. I don't want to sin. I don't need to sin. I won't sin. I will live in the holiness and power that God desires for me!"

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20 KJV, Paul speaking)

What can you do now that sin has no power over you? "Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." (Hebrews 12:1 KJV) The time is now to accept what Christ has done for us. I don't mean merely take our free ticket to Heaven, but to live in holiness and power before God. God wants us to be conduits of His power and love to bring Him to this lost and dying world. We have been freed from everything that could stop us, and understanding your perfection and freedom from darkness will embolden you and fortify your mind to do exploits for God.

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10 KJV) "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." (1 Peter 1:13-16 KJV) "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:2 KJV)

We need to have a mental grasp, a personal revelation, of our resurrection in Christ. We died and became alive again as God's beloved, biological children. God doesn't even want us to think about our sinful pasts. God wants us to focus on our anointed future.

"For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year . . . But this man (Jesus), after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool. For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that He had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works." (Hebrews 10:1-3,12-24 KJV)

By Jesus' sacrifice you have been perfected forever. You now have truly been purged, and God doesn't even want you to have a "conscience of sins." God doesn't want you to even have a "remembrance of sins." You are free. You are perfect before God. You are entitled to God's promises as His child and heir. You are a conduit for His power as His biological child and His witness.

Focus on your Christian identity and reality. Focus on God. It's time that we embrace the new birth and live as God meant Christians to live.

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You Deserve It

It's been six months since my last post, I'm sorry to say, and it's been a pretty good six months. Approximately 10 months ago my biggest client said he was going under and couldn't give me another dime. I was worried, but I knew God would take care of me. The first month passed and I had enough work, then the second, then the third, now here we are. A few months could be a coincidence, but 10 straight months. It's the divine hand of God and nothing else. And praise God, we're doing better than ever. It's truly a miracle, and we give God all the glory.

 Lately I've found myself saying to God how I don't deserve this, and basically being overwhelmed by His grace and mercy. But in my heart I knew that I shouldn't feel that way, and that I needed to stop talking that way. I thank God for the teaching I've received on His Word, because in fact I know that I do deserve all of God's blessings. That's right, I deserve all of His blessings and so do you! Let me show you why. There are many, many wonderful verses in the Bible, but these two have to be up there among the best:

 "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." (Romans 8:15-17 KJV)

 "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." (Galatians 4:4-7 KJV) 

How do you even provide commentary on verses like that? What more could I say? WE ARE GOD'S CHILDREN!

"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26 KJV)

When you have faith in Jesus Christ you become a son or a daughter of God. And a careful look at the Greek text makes it even better. The words "Spirit of adoption" in Romans 8 could also be translated "Spirit producing sonship." I think most of us see adoption as something on paper, where one doesn't truly become a person's child biologically, but only in the eyes of the law. But not so with God's Spirit. When you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, God's Spirit literally makes you the biological child of God.

"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." (1 John 3:9 KJV)

We are born of God. God has given birth to us. The Greek word for "seed" is "sperma". Need I say more? God's Spirit has come into me. I am born again. I am born again as God's child. And as God's child, I am God's heir.

Look at the verses above again. We are heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. We have the same status to inherit from God as Christ does. Doesn't that blow your mind?

"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." (Romans 8:29 KJV)

Jesus wants to be the firstborn among many brethren. Jesus isn't fighting over His birthright or claiming His place. He is calling out to us, giving Himself for us, wanting to share His inheritance with us. He invites us into Himself to come boldly before God's throne in Him (Hebrews 4:16) and to sit at God's right hand in His chair with Him (Ephesians 2:6).

So you need to see yourself as God's child, and you need to see yourself as a rightful heir to your inheritance. You know what's great about that area of the law, any fool can receive a major inheritance. If you have a rich relative die and you stand to receive an inheritance, the law doesn't ask if you are a good person. The law doesn't ask what you will do with the money. The law doesn't ask anything about you. The law only cares about your bloodline. All you have to do is show up and claim what is legally yours.

So what do we inherit from God?

"Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ . . . And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:16, 29 KJV)

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

We inherit God's promises!

If you are not familiar with God's promises, that's O.K., it's just time to read your Bible more. We inherit all of God's promises, so let me give you some examples.

"For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD." (Jeremiah 30:17 KJV)

"And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children." (Isaiah 54:13 KJV)

"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:8 KJV)

There are numerous promises that we inherit because we are now God's children. These are our unconditional inheritance as God's children. Why? Because God loves us and wants us to enjoy our lives, exactly as we should feel for our children.

The Bible even shows us how our entire inheritance is a promise:

"For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise." (Galatians 3:18 KJV)

"For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all." (Romans 4:13-16 KJV)

We are of faith, and we are the heirs. Why did God make the inheritance a promise where all that is required is faith? SO THE PROMISE MIGHT BE SURE TO ALL THE SEED! God wants the promises to be assured and established in our lives!

We are God's children. We we God's heirs. All of God's promises are our inheritance, and by faith we can obtain our inheritance today. Want more? "For all the promises of God in him [Christ] are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us." (2 Corinthians 1:20 KJV)

All the promises of God are yes and "so be it" (amen) in Christ for us. So that our lives can give God the glory. It gives God glory when we obtain our inheritance. The promises are sure. The promises are yes. Do you deserve it, yes! Can you have it, yes! Does God want you to have it, yes!

When I receive my promised inheritance, like how I have had everything I need over the past few months, I give God the glory. I know that it is God providing for me. But I can't start thinking I don't deserve it, because then I won't have faith for it. I had faith God would meet my needs, so I obtained that promise. We need to take it to the next level though. We need to have faith that God will restore our health and heal ALL our wounds. We need to have faith that great will be the peace (shalom, nothing missing nothing broken) for our children. We need to have faith for all of God's promises. We deserve these realities in our lives because God promised them to us.

"God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19 KJV)

God doesn't lie. God promises and honors His Word above His own Name (Psalm 138:2). You can take God's promises to the bank. All you need to do is know about your inheritance and claim it by faith. Then stand in patience while you wait in faith for the manifestation of the promises.

Don't be like those people who don't know about their inheritance because they weren't close to their parents. Don't be like those people who are too lazy to go get it even though they know it's there.

Glory to God. I'm thrilled to be God's child. I'm thrilled to be God's heir. I want my life to give Him glory in every way possible. I'm going to inherit the promises so that others can see God's glory in my life and become God's heirs too. Now you do the same, child of the Most High God. You deserve it.

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God's Secret Plans For You

Hi, I hope you are doing well.  This post might be a bit long, but trust me you won't regret getting to the end of it.  Print it out and have it with you when you have some time.  The truth from God's Word will change your life, and this post contains some very important Biblical truth.

It would be an understatement to say this has been a difficult few months for my family.  While my immediate family is doing well, my extended family has hit really hard times.  In fact, it has probably never been so hard in all my life.  We all remain focused on God and His grace, but it can be tough to focus on His promises when life's problems stare us in the face.  

Personally, things are going well.  God has supernaturally brought work to my law practice and we have experienced no lack.  Glory to God!  But this season has caused me to focus on God like never before.  Obviously that's a good thing.  While lack is the devil's tool and God never uses the devil's tools, God can turn the devil's tools against him.  This is what happens when we draw closer to God during times of struggle.  So that's what I've been doing.  I'm drawing closer to God as I know He will cause me to triumph over all of this.

For a variety of reasons, I've been focused on hearing direction from God on His plans for my life.  I'm sure you would say that I regularly talk about that, and that's true.  But I've approached the subject with a renewed vigor.  I had a dream from God the other night and I believe the best interpretation is that if I continue practicing law (at least as I do now) I will never be happy and I will never make any real money.  This was not the most joy producing Word I've ever received.  Nevertheless, I know God.  I know He said this to me because He is going to show me what to do so that I can be happy and make real money.  It's also no wonder that He told me this in a time of seeking His will for my life.  I yearn for God's direct Word to me.  Even when it hurts it's like both a refreshing drink and medicine on a wound.  I need it.

So in that thought I wanted to share with you the latest fruit from my mediation in 1 Corinthians 2.  I personally believe every Christian needs to meditate this passage again and again and again to truly understand its significance. I'm going to put the whole thing for you here.  Don't rush, just read it slowly.

"And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Corinthians 2:1-16 KJV)

Now let's also refresh our recollection of Ephesians 2:10, certainly one of the most important verses on God's plans for our lives: "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10 KJV)

In the Greek, the word for "before ordained" from Ephesians 2:10 has the same root as the word "prepared" from 1 Corinthians 2:9.  1 Corinthians 2:10 says that God's Spirit reveals to us everything that God has prepared for us, and this includes our good works.  God's Spirit will reveal to you the good works God wants you to do, isn't that awesome!  I've said before that I believe we have a three-part destiny, who we should be, what we should have, and what we should do.  God's Spirit is an essential player in us achieving our destinies, and this is one major reason.  We need God's Spirit to show us what to do.

Now how will God's Spirit show you the good works God has prepared for you?  He will "reveal" them to you!  So let's look at the word "reveal" from 1 Corinthians 2:10.  The word is "apokalupto" which in the Greek is the base word for "apokalupsis" which means "revelation." God is going to give you a revelation of the good works He has prepared for you.

So let's look at this word apolkalupto (reveal, revelation) a bit further.  This is the same word that Paul uses in Galatians 1 (God revealed His Son in Paul).  This is also the same word Paul uses in Ephesians 3:5 (God has revealed the mystery of Christ).  This is also the word Jesus uses when speaking to Peter in Mathew 16:17 (God revealed to Peter that Jesus was the Christ).  God is going to reveal your good works to you, but this isn't going to be a simple communication to be taken lightly.  God is going to give you a Spiritual Revelation of the works He has planned for you.  And in my experience, these things don't come after two minutes of prayer.  This takes time in His Word and fellowship with His Spirit.  We need to press in and hear from God.

Yet there is more to be considered here.  What did Paul say is revealed by God's Spirit - "the things which God has prepared for them that love Him."  But how else did he refer to these things?  He said this was "the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom."  Paul says here that he is speaking the secret wisdom of God, which was given to him by revelation from God's Spirit.  Paul says that (at least part) of God's secret wisdom is the things which God has prepared for them that love Him.  Paul then goes on to say that we received the Spirit of God "that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God."  This passage is just too cool!

So God's secret wisdom, which He gives us by revelation, includes all the things He has prepared for us, which are all freely given to us.  And one of the Holy Spirit's chief ministries is to give us this revelation!

The word for "freely given" is "charizomai" which is a special word which essentially means "given as an act of grace alone."  We can't earn anything God gives us.  We can't earn anything God has prepared for us.  We don't even earn the good works God arranges for us to do.  (If this isn't exciting you then you need to spend more time with God!)  Now I know what you're thinking, "Byron, that sounds a lot like 2 Timothy 1:9".  I totally agree.  Let's read that now, "(God) hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began."  The calling on our lives is a gift of His grace.  The works He wants us to do are gifts of His grace.  Everything is a gift of His grace, including His Holy Spirit which reveals to us all His other gifts to us.  All of our good works are gifts from God.  It's time we seek out revelation of them so that we can do them all and live the life God planned for us before the world began.

So God has some secret plans for you.  God's Spirit is going to give you revelation of these secret plans.  But we aren't done yet.  We must grasp 1 Corinthians 2:14 also, "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."  I'm still meditating this one, but here is something I can tell you; you better have your spiritual thinking cap on when you consider the revelation God gives you of His secret plans for your life.  God may show you something that seems 100% incompatible with your current situation.  God may show you something that your mind can't fathom as being possible for your life.  You need to see this revelation with spiritual eyes.

You must have faith in the revelation God gives you and the power of God to help you get where you want to go.  As one of my close friends once told me, "all of Heaven stands behind you when you are walking in the revelation God has given you."  I'll be walking in the power of that statement for the rest of my life!  You cannot use your natural thinking to appraise Spiritual revelation and direction.  You must move in faith.  You must believe that God will give you the power and the desire to do His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).

So that's where I am today my friend.  God has shown me some works that He has for me to do.  They make virtually no sense to my natural mind.  I don't believe they are for today, but I know they will come to pass if I continue to walk with God.  I'm pressing in constantly now to receive what God has for today.  You should do the same.  And we must move forward boldly into whatever God reveals to us, knowing that if God is for us then nothing can stand against us.

God has secret plans for your life.  These secret plans for you are part of God's secret wisdom.  These plans are all gifts of God's grace, given to you before the foundation of the world.  God will never revoke them (Romans 11:29).  God will reveal all of this to you, but it will only come by revelation from the Holy Spirit.  They may appear crazy to your natural mind, but all things are possible with God.  Press in today.  Draw close to God today.  Draw close to His Spirit.  God wants to give you His secret wisdom for your life more than you want to receive it.  This is one of the Holy Spirit's chief ministries, and this revelation is freely available to you if you will seek it.

God revealed to Daniel His secret plans for the Hebrew nation and all of creation.  Remember what Daniel said about God, "He revealeth the deep and secret things: He knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with Him."(Daniel 2:22 KJV)  God will reveal His secret wisdom and plans for your life too.

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It's Here Now!

I wonder how many of you are constantly sitting around waiting for God to do something new in your life.  I think I've been that way since I became a committed Christian.  I'm sure the Church is partly to blame.  We always hear that God's going to show up, God's going to do something, or God's going to change our situation.  I'm not saying those things aren't true, but I believe God has showed me that I need a fundamental mindset change in this area.  If you've read these posts at all you know that we are looking for mental renovation.  Mental renovation is key to personal transformation which is key to living out God's perfect will for our lives (Romans 12:2).  And on this New Year's Day, I've got a mindset change for you that will truly help you start fresh.

I'm not going to bore you with more of my personal history, but basically from birth people have said God is going to do great things in my life.  He has, but I think these well-meaning people meant more visible or ministry-related things.  When I committed my life to Christ eight years ago, I did make some important changes, but I've always been waiting for God to make some drastic changes or somehow radically change my situation.  I guess I thought one day I would wake up and really be an adult in some high powered job or world wide ministry.  I would be spiritually mature in every area and always make the right decisions.  God would be using me continually to impact the world as I experienced the fullness of His blessings.  I daydream about this and as I've gotten older it still seems just as far away.

But the other day, while in fellowship with the Holy Spirit, God spoke these words to my spirit, "It's here now."  I am going to say more about this, but let me just say that I believe God is saying those same words to you now too.  It can be your "now" time too.  God wasn't telling me that everything I've been expecting was going to happen in an instant, God doesn't work that way.  God was showing me I have a fundamental problem with my thinking and with my faith.  And if you have been constantly looking to the future like I was, you are probably having the same problems.

Faith is now.  You need to understand that to understand God's words to me "it's here now."  It took me a long time to grasp this concept but let me try to show you this fundamental premise of faith.  You see, faith is not hoping that something will come to pass.  That's what most people think faith is, but actually that is nothing more than hope.  (Even the Biblical definition of "hope" is "confident expectation" which is stronger than our natural word "hope" which basically implies that you want something to happen but don't know if it will.)  Biblical faith is believing that something is so now.  I have faith that God is alive in Heaven now.  I have faith that I am saved now.  I have faith that I am righteous before God because of Jesus' sacrifice now.  I hope (confidently expect) to see God in the future.  But I have faith that I am already His child now.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."  (Hebrews 11:1)  We have faith now.  We confidently expect (hope for) certain things to come to pass, but we (in the form of faith) have the substance of those things now.  We can't see certain things (like Christ on His Throne) but our faith is the evidence of those things.  We have the faith now.  I don't have the thing, but I have the faith, so for me the thing is reality now.

Paul writes about Abraham using faith this way in Romans 4.  "As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations, before Him (God) who he (Abraham) believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were."  This shows how God uses faith.  God calls things that be not as though they were.  Why does this apply to Abraham?  God named him Abraham, which means "father of a multitude" before Abraham had any children.  God was calling Abraham a father long before Abraham was a father.  And as Romans 4 shows us, Abraham was strong in faith and believed that which was spoken.

Jesus explains this principle clearly.  "Have faith in God . . .Therefore I say unto you, what things soever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them."  (Mark 11:22-24)  You need to see that in the original Greek the word "in" doesn't appear.  The word "in" appears in many other places as a word of location or position, but not here.  So it doesn't really say to have faith "in God," it says to have the faith of God, or God's kind of faith.  If you read the King James Version then you may see a footnote stating just that.  So this is the God kind of faith.  You pray for something, you believe you receive it, then you have it.  Your faith is the substance of what you are hoping for.  You have it now by faith.   Your faith brings it to you.

And you must remember that faith is not just a state of mind or a thing to be held, faith is a force.  Faith is the most powerful force in the universe.  Faith is how God created the universe (Hebrews 11:3).  Faith is the force that brings God's promises into the natural world.  If I have faith for physical healing, for example, I may still feel bad this second, but I already possess the healing by faith, and my faith will cause my healing to manifest.  It may sound crazy, but that's exactly how it works.

So I can basically say that in all my thoughts about my future I wasn't using my faith correctly, or at all.  It's time I use my faith correctly over my life.  Whereas I was hoping to one day be in the right job and the right place and be the right kind of person, that wasn't getting me anywhere.  Using my faith, on the other hand, will ultimately bring me exactly where I need to go.

So think of everything you are hoping for in your Christian life.  Think of God's promises you want to manifest.  Think of the prophecies over you and the dreams God has give you.  Now say it with me, "In Jesus' Name, they are all here now."  Don't just say it once.  Let it sink in.  We have to build our faith.  Say it over and over.  Those words haven't left my spirit in two weeks now.  Keep saying them, build your faith, get excited.

IT'S HERE NOW!  I'm spiritually mature now.  I exercise and eat right now.  I'm full of God's wisdom now.   The windows of Heaven are open over me now.  I'm a blessing to God's kingdom now.  I'm walking in the ministry God has for me now.  My family is walking in divine health now.  My family and friends are all saved now.  Glory to God!!!!!

Get your verses out.  Get your confession out.  Begin confessing that everything is here now.  It's time we activate our faith forces to bring God's promises to our reality.  God's not keeping them from us.  Just read the Gospels man, Jesus held nothing back from those with faith.  I admit my faith failures.  Now admit yours and let's get going.  IT'S HERE NOW!  I may not see everything yet, but my faith is in the right place now and I'm ready to receive.

Let me end by discussing this principle in terms of your personal spiritual growth because I feel God reminding me about this.  Remember that we are supposed to spiritually mature and grow up into Christ in all things (Ephesians 4:15).  Chances are most of you are like me and you wish you were better in some areas.  Well that is here now too!

My father tells a story about my uncle that God reminded me of when considering all these issues.  They were CPA's together and they both smoked.  They had tried to quit many times with no success.  One day to my father's astonishment my uncle had suddenly quit cold turkey.  He asked my uncle the secret to his success and my uncle answered, "I had to see myself as a non-smoker."

My dad probably told that story 100 times and I'm just getting it.  (It's like that when God brings something back to you.)  There is powerful revelation there that I am just glimpsing now.  I see myself as a fully matured Christian.  Say that to yourself right now.  If you can build that inner image of yourself in your mind and in your heart, you will begin to walk in that image.  If I see myself as a sloth or a glutton, I'm going to act like one.  If I see myself as a powerful man of God who lives for God's Kingdom, then that's who I will be.  I can have faith in who I am (in Christ) right now.  In fact, God sees me in Christ now too, but that's another writing.  I see myself in Christ.  I see myself mature and conformed to His image. My spiritual maturity is here now.

I love you and I pray that 2013 is the year you truly see the manifestation of all God's promises in your life.  They belong to us now because of Jesus' sacrifice for us.  The only thing blocking them is our lack of knowledge and lack of faith.  Use your faith correctly, confess God's promises and believe that you receive them now.  You will surely have them.  IT'S HERE NOW!

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How To Become Like Christ

Almost two years ago I was driving in Birmingham and listening to a sermon by Dr. Bill Winston.  For some time the Spirit of God had been saying to me, "get ready."  During the sermon God showed me that "get ready" meant "become conformed to the image of Christ."  I began studying the subject and I saw that becoming conformed to the image of Christ is a master key to walking in all of your divine destiny.  That study culminated in me carefully reading all four Gospels to study Jesus and how to be like Him.  I highly encourage all of you to do that for yourselves.

I could probably write for years on everything I've learned about Christ.  I plan to share some of the revelation God gave me.  But for now I want to simply show you how to be conformed to the image of Christ.  There are several very important points about change and transformation for Christians.  They include renovating the mind (from carnal to spiritual thinking) and putting off the old man and putting on the new man.  There are more, and they are all entangled with becoming conformed to the image of Christ.  This is the transformation God desires.  This is the destiny we all share.  We were created in God's image, and being conformed to the image of Christ is how we return to the Creator's original design for us.  So now let me show you how to be conformed to the image of Christ.

I began the careful review of the Gospels after studying the following verse: "Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him" (Colossians 3:9-10).  I already understood that "putting on the new man" was synonymous with "being conformed to the image of Christ."  I therefore saw that the new man is renewed (or "renovated") in the knowledge of the image of Christ.  The word for "knowledge" in Greek is "epignosis" which refers to perfect or revelation knowledge, knowledge that comes from the Spirit of God.  So the first step in becoming like Christ was also the basis for my Gospel study.  If we want to become like Christ, we need revelation from God about the true person of Christ. 

So I began to study the Gospels specifically for knowledge of Christ.  I saw that the Gospels contain both the teachings of Christ and teachings about Christ.  In His Word God recounts stories of Christ loving, blessing and healing people.  Those are wonderful to see the loving and merciful nature of Christ.  God's Word also recites many of Jesus' teachings.  Honestly, at first I wasn't sure how those revealed the truth about Christ.  But then I realized the connection between Christ and His commandments, that Christ was the living embodiment, the perfect example, of all His commandments.

You can't read the later chapters of John without noticing the importance Jesus places on His commandments.  "If ye love me, keep my commandments. . . . He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." (John 14:15,21).  Now when other people give commandments or instructions, that doesn't necessarily mean they follow them perfectly.  I would love to say I personally walk in the light of all God's truth I've presented on this blog, but that's just not the case.  Sometimes I struggle with some of the very first teachings.  Since most of you don't know me, you really have no idea whether I live this way or not.  But that's not true with Christ.

When Christ gives a commandment, whether it was to love, to bless, to forgive, to show mercy, or to do any other thing, we know that Christ was already living that perfectly.  Sin was not an option for Christ (another fascinating reality.)  Christ had revelation from God about the way to live perfectly.  Christ then passed that revelation on to us in His teachings.  Christ lived what He taught.  So if we will study and obey Christ's teachings, we will become like Christ.

I then considered the other parts of God's Word.  Could they help me?  "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (John 1:1,14)  These verses tell us that Jesus Christ is the physical embodiment of all God's Word.

Let's keep this simple for people who aren't familiar with the relationship between the Old and New Testament.  In general, Christ is not a character in the Old Testament.  But God is a prominent figure in both Testaments.  Christ is the exact likeness of God (Hebrews 1:3).  So while we can study Christ and try to be like Him, studying God and His Word also teaches us about being like Christ, for Christ, God, and God's Word are all one and identical.  When we see God deliver His people, bless His people, protect His people, guide His people, and doing so many other wonderful things, we know that Christ shares that same character.  We know also that Christ shares God's hatred of evil and zeal for holiness.  We can study and obey God's teachings throughout His entire Word.  We can see what pleases God and how He acts.  When I study the entire Bible, I am learning about both God and Christ.  When I study and obey the entire Bible, I am being conformed to the image of Christ.

I'm sorry if it bores you to hear that studying and obeying the Bible is basically the master key in becoming like Christ, but that's the way it works.  God is so wonderful to have given us His Word.  It's alive, and it will change us and help us be all God created us to be.  And that happens as we become conformed to the image of Christ.  

But, thank God, it's not about just our efforts.  We should know that without God's help we will never truly change.  Think of an alcoholic who just trains himself to avoid alcohol.  That's not what I want.  I want to even have the desire completely removed.  I want fundamental change, not just behavioral alteration.  And this is where the Holy Spirit comes in.  The Holy Spirit was the greatest gift to man after Christ.  We have appreciated Christ and without Him we are lost.  We must also appreciate the Holy Spirit and His role in helping us become like Christ.

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."  (2 Corinthians 3:18)  The basic idea here is that while we read God's Word we behold His glory, and the Spirit of God will actually change us to become like what we see in God's Word.  Isn't that awesome!

We've already seen that becoming like God is identical to becoming like Christ, because they are the exact likeness of each other.  We've also seen that studying God's Word helps reveal them to us so that we can become like them.  But now we see that, as we study God's Word, the Holy Spirit will supernaturally change us to become like Christ and God.  With practically everything in our Christian lives, we have a part and God has a part.  Our part is to read and obey; God's part is to supply the supernatural change.

Glory to God!  God created you to be like Him, and now God has clearly shown us Himself and given us His Holy Spirit to help us be the person we were created to be.  I promise you, the more like Christ you are, the more of your divine destiny you will live, the more of God's will you will see in your life, and the more of God's blessings you will experience.  It's not about earning anything with God, that's not what I'm saying.  It's about receiving what He's done for us, and allowing Him to change us into His perfect design.  

I want to be like Christ.  I don't want this to earn something or show off.  I want this because I now have revelation knowledge of His nature.  I want to love, I want to be merciful, I want to bless others.  God and Christ have revealed their nature to me and this is how I want to be.  Freely I have received, now I want to freely give.  I was blessed to be a blessing. When you know the love God has for you, you want to love others.  You want to please God.  You want to "pay it forward."  I want to change.  I want harmonious fellowship with God.  I want to be like His Son Jesus.  

God has this for all of us.  He doesn't have for us to be His slaves or robots.  He has for us to be His children in unity with their Father, for in unity is the place of the commanded blessing, and in unity is love.  So make becoming like Christ your top priority today.  You will never regret it.  Study all of God's Word; study especially the life and teachings of Christ.  Strive to follow God's teachings and live His instruction.  Then have faith that the Holy Spirit will bring fundamental change to your heart and mind.

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Do YOUR Good Works

Does anyone else out there find it difficult to refrain from comparing yourself with others?  Sometimes it's easy to get jealous when comparing yourself, or your house, or your car or your whatever.  That leads me to another subject.  When I was young I thought I could do anything, and I still do.  When I think about Jesus telling people that if they have been given much, then much is required from them, I think if that applies to anyone it applies to me.  I really have been given everything.  But I (unfortunately perhaps) look at that as a cross to bear rather than a reason for rejoicing.  But whether you feel you've been given nothing or everything, we still must work with what we have.

God has a specific plan for my life and one for yours too.  Living out this plan is the best way to show God thanks for all He's done for us.  As hard as it may be, I need to focus on what God has given me (not what He has given anyone else) and I must do the best with what I have.  And the same is true for you.  I'm not saying that I have a vast revelation on this subject (and maybe I"m just preaching to myself here) but I've seen some things in God's Word that may help you if you're going through these issues.

We must first realize that God has good plans for us.  "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."  (Jeremiah 29:11)  We should notice that "thoughts" here really means "plans" and at its root refers to someone weaving things together.  Then we must see that these plans are plans of peace, which is the word "shalom," meaning peace, safety, prosperity, welfare, health and other great ideas.  Praise God!  God has plans of shalom for you and for me. God's plans for me are different from God's plans for you, but they are shalom plans for both of us.  I need to find God's shalom plans for me, and you need to find God's shalom plan for you.

Now I'm not going to cover this in detail again, but I believe God's plans for our lives consist of three parts: how we should be, what we should have, and what we should do.  We must be conformed to the image of Christ, and as we work on that, and on developing our relationship with the Holy Spirit, we will spiritually discern what God wants us to have and do.  But let's focus for a minute on the "what to do" part of this.

I don't know you about you, but I"m continually wondering what I should do with my life.  The truth is, being self-employed, I could basically do whatever I want tomorrow (for example).  Now that's also true for you, even if you aren't self-employed.  You may lose your job or neglect other things, but for the most part you could do whatever you want.  Sometimes I wish that I wasn't so free so I didn't continually ask myself how I should spend my time.  But regardless, we all have time and we must choose how to use it.  

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained (prepared beforehand) that we should walk in them."  (Ephesians 2:10)  What an awesome verse, God's shalom plans for my life include specific good works for me to do.  This is, of course, also true for you.  God has some good works for you to do, and God has some good works for me to do.  Now we must develop a relationship with the Holy Spirit so we can discern these good works (as He reveals to us what God has prepared for us) (1 Corinthians 2:9-10).  But let's move on from that as well and combine today's ideas.

God has given me certain gifts, and God has woven certain shalom plans for me, which include certain good works I'm supposed to do.  But, as you know if you've been working on this, it can get very difficult, especially when we compare ourselves to others.  So I have a verse for you that's helping me with this.  "Labor not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom."  (Proverbs 23:4)  

I strongly encourage you to sit back and meditate that verse for a while.  It's truly awesome.  We go through life looking at the world, seeing others, seeing what they do and what they have, and seeing the plans of men come and go, and then we wonder what we should do with our lives.  This is true whether we live for God or not.  But we can not allow worldly, natural wisdom to determine our course of action.  If we apply our wisdom and make our own plans, we will fail.  Even if we succeed by the world's standards, we may arrive in Heaven to find we've wasted our lives.

A wonderful quote I once heard is "if you succeed in that which is not pleasing to God, then you have failed in the midst of success."  I truly believe that.  I have to cease from my own wisdom.  I have to stop thinking about what others do and what I could do.  I must hear what God wants me to do.  

And the first part of the verse is also great.  Basically the entire world works to get rich.  Even if they won't get "rich" they only work for money.  This next idea is difficult and I can only see it at a distance now, but this is where we need to go - we must stop working for money.  We must, like Jesus, commit our ways to God and trust Him for provision.  There's nothing wrong with money, but it can't be the reason for our labors.  We must bestow our labors to please God and show His love to the world (doing the good works He has prepared for us). 

So you see, we need to shed all our worldly plans to better ourselves and improve our situation.  Our goal in life can't be just to improve our lives.  We can't take worldly wisdom and use it to plan our lives.  No, all this thinking, by which the vast majority of people operate, is wrong.  

We need to realize that God has created us with unique talents and purposes.  We need to realize that God has shalom plans for all of our lives.  We must stop comparing ourselves and our lives to others we see.  Instead, we need to focus on God's unique shalom plans for us.  It won't be easy.  In fact, God's shalom plans will take everything we've got plus God's constant grace and power, but we can do it.  This is Godly success.  This is the life we must live.  The is the key to personal fulfillment and purposeful living.  I pray you find God's shalom plans for you, and pray that I find His shalom plans for me.

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Seeing All God's Best

While attending law school I was a member at Dr. Creflo Dollar's church in Atlanta, World Changers Church International.  It truly blows my mind to consider the events that brought me there, seemingly good and bad, all within God's divine plan for my life.  I received such an awesome spiritual education there that, while I did leave Atlanta with a law degree, I feel like I attended Bible school as well.

Most of the members were very committed.  Dr. Dollar pulled no punches when exhorting us in our walks with God.  You were supposed to be at multiple services, going to all the conventions, reading your Word daily, and truly devoting your life to God.  He really does preach a total life devotion to Christianity.  I remember at the time wondering if such commitment was truly necessary.  Did I really need to be in church twice a week?  Did I really need to spend time with God every day?  Did I need to spend lots of time in the Bible?  I'm sure many others felt this way.

One day he addressed the issue directly.  He said (as best as I can remember), "I know some of you want to tell me, Pastor I don't really think it takes all that.  Well, yes it does take all that."  Even then I didn't totally agree, I still thought they were pushing us too hard, trying to direct our entire lives.  I loved the Church and Dr. Dollar (still do) but I wasn't sure that level of commitment was necessary to see God's best.

I believe now I was wrong.  Over the past few months of meditating God's Word, I've come to believe that seeing God's best for your life takes total commitment (and lots of time).  Now don't get me wrong, I like Joel Osteen and Joseph Prince.  I believe God has blessings waiting for you around every corner.  I believe God wants you to have the best of everything as an act of His grace and love for you.  But you need to see the vital part you must play.  To truly see the fullness of God's plan for your life, you must fundamentally change your life.

"Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."  (Romans 12:2)

It's easier to understand this verse if you think of "renew" as "renovate", which is the actual meaning of the word anyway.  To renew or renovate means to make new again.  In the same way you renovate a kitchen, by ripping out the old and putting in the new, you need to renovate your mind.  But now look at the importance of this mental renovation.  Romans 12:2 says that mental renovation is the key to being "transformed."  Romans 12:2 also says that mental renovation is the key to living out the good, acceptable and perfect will of God.  I admit, I read that verse probably 100 times before seeing this so clearly.

The word "transformed" is also fascinating.  It's the word metamorphoo, like metamorphosis.  We are to fundamentally change.  This word is used to describe what happened to Jesus at the transfiguration, and the only other place it appears in the Bible is in 2 Corinthians 3:18, a very important verse.  "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed (metamorphed) into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of God."

So Romans 12:2 says that we must be transformed by the renovation of our mind.  And 2 Corinthians 3:18 says that this transformation must be into the image of Jesus Christ.  This is the transformation for Christians.  Mental renovation is key to being changed into the image of Christ, which is a key part of our destiny and God's plan for our lives.

"For whom He (God) did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son."  (Romans 8:29)  If you are a Christian, God has predestinated you to be changed to the image of Christ.  The word for conformed here is aummorphos, which means changed with or conformed to.  You see, we must change and become like Christ.  That is a major part of our destiny with God.  Mental renovation is therefore key to our Godly destiny.

Now what does mental renovation mean?  I recently just discovered a clear answer for this in God's Word.  "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be Spiritually minded is life and peace."  (Romans 8:5-6).  There are two types of mind, or two ways of thinking, available to you.  You can be carnally minded or you can be Spiritually minded.  The mental renovation we need is a renovation from carnal mindedness to Spiritual mindedness.

Now here is why it takes "all that," as Dr. Dollar says.  Quite simply, becoming spiritually minded requires drastic changes in your life.  If you think it sounds easy, you're wrong.  We don't just become Spiritually minded when we get saved.  This takes time in God's presence and God's Word.  We must let God's Word and person so saturate our minds that we fundamentally think like Him.

Let's take the average non-Christian.  He thinks as his world dictates.  He knows what he learns from his senses.  His culture tells him what is right and wrong.  Sure, maybe he's nice and even helps people.  But his thinking is only based on the world around him.  He will be primarily focused with getting his needs met.  He will be primarily focused on his own.  He will be limited to the knowledge around him and his own thinking.  Furthermore, he will likely develop incorrect thinking patterns because of worry, fear, selfishness, strife and other effects of sin in the world.  When your world tells you how to think, you are carnally minded.  This applies to everyone from small children to Stephen Hawking.

When God tells you how to think, you are Spiritually minded.  But while you live in this world with its influences, there will be constant pressure to think carnally.  You must change your influences.  You must change the type of information you take in.  You must change the people around you.  You must change your entertainment.  You must change everything that contributes to your thinking patterns from carnal influences to Spiritual influences.  And after you change your influences to Spiritual ones, you must devote yourself to them.  It's not enough to change from secular music to Christian music and then not listen to it.  It's not enough to change from worthless books to Christian books and then not read them.  In the same way you must install the new kitchen appliances, you must install the new thoughts and thought patterns into your mind.

I know, that sounds hardcore.  Maybe that sounds crazy.  But I want all God has for my life, whatever that means.  I want to be completely transformed to the image of Christ.  I want to be Spiritually minded.  It takes sacrifice, but Godly sacrifice always produces better results (even if you can't see them).  "Take heed what you hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.  For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath."  (Mark 4:24-25)  How do you measure God and His influence in your life?  How do you measure God's Word for your life?  I'm determined to give God and His Word full measure.  I want them to have complete sway over me.      

So please consider this and decide what you want.  I've made many changes over the past 8 years, but I know I must make more.  Look at Romans 8 and then 1 Corinthians 2.  We've been talking about being led by God's Spirit.  I'm convinced that being Spiritually minded is key to being led by God's Spirit.  If you want all God has for you, it's time to become Spiritually minded.  It's going to be hard, but you can do it.  Change your life, renovate your mind, be transformed, and then see God's perfect will for you.

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