Church, A Haven for The Hurting

Churches have long been a haven for the hurting, and they should be; Jesus went about healing the sick and feeding the poor.  We should do the same if we are to be like Jesus, but prior to his ascension he did not exhort his disciples to heal the sick and feed the poor; He instead, told them to “make disciples”.  Healing the sick and feeding the hungry and poor was a major part of his earthly ministry.  Jesus is said to have lived to be about 30 + years of age when he ended his earthly ministry, died, arose, and ascended into Heaven. So why didn’t he give the command to his disciples to heal the sick and feed the poor and hungry?

When Jesus died on the cross, he cried out “it is finished”; what was finished?  Was it the work of healing the sick and feeding the poor and hungry? NO! It was the final sacrifice which allowed mankind to have a renewed relationship with the God who created them.

So, what changed?  It was the focus of Jesus and His church.  The ministry of healing the sick and feeding the poor was to show people where they could go to become healthy and to be taken care of.

To better understand this, we need to go back to the garden of Eden where it all began.  Consider this, the garden of Eden was paradise, it was more than anyone could imagine.  All the needs, wants, and desires a human could have imagined could be fulfilled in that garden where God was the provider.  There was only one taboo!  The only “Do Not” was to NOT eat of the fruit of the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.  The prohibition stirred curiosity and aroused desire especially after the serpent told Eve that eating of the fruit would make them like God; being like God meant they would no longer need to rely on Him; They could be self-sufficient and independent.

God meant for us to be social, to be fruitful, and multiply and fill the earth with people AND to work together and get along.  This could only be possible if God was the chief provider and leader of the people.  God intended for us to be social and a family; for this to happen, we needed to get along with each other.  Problems would arise if someone were to rise above others, thinking they are better and deserving of being served versus equally serving.

Having knowledge would provide alternatives to God’s provision.  In the garden of Eden God provided, sustained, maintained, and protected.  Knowledge was a tool to develop ways for self-providing all that God provided.  There would be no need for God.

We often recognize early America was a more-godly civilization.  The reason for this was they were dependent on God.  When the pilgrims came to America, they started with nothing.  They relied on the staples and produce they brought from England and whatever food they could find after landing ashore.  Fortunately, Indians befriended them.  They built buildings using the trees, rocks, and mud of the land.  Their wild plants and their garden was their grocery store.  They relied on God to bring sunshine and rain so they could eat.  They relied on their fishing, hunting and trapping skills and “luck” to eat meat.  This means they needed to pray daily.  They were dependent on God daily.

Today, we don’t have the need for dependence on God like our forefathers.  We have stores, technology, hospitals, and doctors.  We have banking systems where the value of “labor” is converted to something that can be easily traded, money.  Today, we have little to no need for God – We Think!

With all the technology we still have poverty and sickness, but we are rapidly approaching a day where that seems to being solved.  This is possible because of computers, AI, and more.  We will have even a lesser need for God.

As mankind becomes more like God, providing, sustaining, maintaining, and protecting ourselves we will even have a lesser need for God.

During his ministry, Jesus performed miracles of healing and feeding the poor.  During the time of Jesus, he was the technology; people followed him to get healed and to be fed.  After Jesus resurrected from the dead and prior to ascending into heaven Jesus declared what the focus from there should be – To Proclaim the Good News (Gospel) and make disciples; This is now the focus.  Healing the sick and feeding the poor and hungry was to continue but, the focus was to change.

Unfortunately, there are churches who believe making disciples means increasing membership.  Not So!!  Jesus was interested in changing lives.  To him, making disciples was teaching people how to go back to being dependent on God and to Yield to His purpose and Way of Life.  Jesus showed the people what God could do – Heal and Provide.

Satan is clever.  There are a lot of very good churches where praise and worship are awesome and emotionally moving.  People attend those services for the emotionally moving experience; It feels good.  There are other churches that are like Alcoholics Anonymous meetings where people confess their sins and seek support to heal and break an addiction.  Prayer meetings are a group of people who lift to God a long list of names of friends, loved ones, and acquaintances who need healed of a terminal illness or about to experience a challenging life-altering event where they now need God.  Unfortunately, they need God because they have exhausted all mankind’s answers and solutions; He is their last resort.  Satan likes this Focus; it distracts from the new focus of making disciples.  These are all good and well, but they should not be the focus.

The focus now should be to make disciples.  To become a disciple, one first must understand the Good News.  The Good News is, we can now be in God’s presence because we are no longer dirty if we have the Blood of Jesus applied to our heart’s doorpost.  After sin, we were too dirty to approach or come near to God; but Jesus changed that.

Becoming a disciple is NOT becoming an academic follower of Jesus or simply having the head-knowledge of his lifestyle.  It is learning how he lived AND knowing why he lived that way, his motive.  Jesus was motivated to live the way he did because he understood who God the Father is.  Jesus understood God the Father wants to gather us underneath his wings to care for us and protect us.  Jesus understood God’s multiplication math as demonstrated by the loaves of bread to feed the multitude.  Jesus understands God’s love for us.  Jesus ALSO knows how to Yield to God’s will perfectly.  This is what being a disciple of Jesus is.  If we are to make disciples, this is what we teach without forsaking the previous focus of caring for the needs of the people.

 

PERCEPTIONS OF GOD I NOW BELIEVE TO BE TRUE

THE EARTH EXISTED PRIOR TO THE RECORD FOUND IN GENESIS

I believe there is Biblical evidence of this.  I believe the fallen angels were banished to the earth when they were cast out of Heaven.  I believe they developed a civilization using the resources of the earth.  While inhabiting the earth their goal to overthrow God remained so they worked to create an army large enough and strong enough to attempt to overthrow God.  I believe God was aware of this and created catastrophic events that destroyed the earth causing it to become a soupy mess as described in Genesis chapter 1.

Following the event, God hovered over the destruction to evaluate the outcome.  At that time, God “created” the earth, its heaven, and mankind as it is recorded in Genesis chapters 1 and 2.  This belief accounts for dinosaurs and sophisticated ancient temples and civilizations dedicated to worshiping idols.

IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN WHERE GOD’S THRONE IS, THERE IS A GOVERNMENT

The Bible clearly states God has created heavenly beings that serve Him.  The Bible clearly states those heavenly beings are assigned different positions and levels of authority.  The Bible clearly states, God meets with those leaders to discuss and plan events.  It is clearly stated in the Bible; Gods seeks their opinion at those meetings.

God also meets with those spiritual beings He has assigned duties and authority to give an account of their performance.

TODAY, MOST HUMANS ARE UNAWARE THAT EVERYTHING WE ARE EXPERIENCING IS CENTERED AROUND THE ONGOING FIGHT BETWEEN GOD AND THE FALLEN ANGELS

God created mankind to rule the “re-created” earth described in Genesis chapters 1 and 2.  Mankind was ordained to rule and reign earth under His authority following His destroying Lucifer and the fallen angel’s progress and plans to use the resources of earth to attempt to overthrow God.

Lucifer and the angels survived the catastrophic destruction of the planet they were exiled to, only to find God created humans to rule and reign on the “re-created” earth BUT under God’s authority.  Lucifer and the fallen angels are enraged!!  Thus, the events that occurred from Genesis chapter 1 to today reflect that ongoing spiritual battle.

Lucifer and the fallen angels (Satan) have embarked on recruiting humans to join their cause in helping them overthrow God.  The lie presented to humans is they will become independent of God and able to rule, be served, and able to fulfill their desires for pleasure at will.  Humans accepted the offer beginning with Adam and Eve.

As a consequence of humans choosing, the curse was imposed with death being the outcome.  God, however, had a plan to redeem mankind; His plan was redemption through His Beloved Son Jesus.

Salvation is realized when we REPENT.  Repentance is turning from the ways of seeking independence from God to seeking dependence on God.  Jesus is the nexus to God.  We cannot approach the throne of God to even ask for forgiveness because of our unholiness.  When we repent, Jesus takes our hand at the doorway to the throne of God and leads us into God’s presence to seek His forgiveness.  When we approach God at His throne with Jesus beside us as our advocate, God hears our plea and sets us free!  SALVATION IS NOTHING MORE AND NOTHING LESS.

God the Father is Supreme.  Jesus has been elevated to the position of being equal to God in power and authority by God.  This is Biblical!  God Himself told us to worship Jesus as Lord and King.  Because of his faithfulness to God the Father, Jesus has been awarded the Kingdom of Earth by God.  This is why humans are to worship Jesus.

We are experiencing the “clean-up” process.  It is almost finished.  Soon, Jesus will descend from Heaven to his throne in the New Jerusalem and reign over the earth forever and ever.

ADDENDUM

Spiritual heavenly beings have been assigned by God to oversee and manage humans.  Angels are not rulers but guides to direct us in the ways of God.  They are also meant to protect us.  They report to God regarding our obedience and progress.  God evaluates their management style and effectiveness in carrying out those duties.

Some of the heavenly beings have a physical body.  It is not like our human body, but it is physical in nature.  Unlike the human body, their body can shape-shift and has capabilities our human bodies do not have.  These “physical”-spiritual beings can perform many activities the human body performs including having a sexual relationship (Genesis chapter 6).  Some of these “physical”-spiritual beings will die like men (Psalm 82) because they have failed in their assigned duties to oversee humans on God’s behalf AND overstepped boundaries established by God.

TRANSLATION

What matters to God is living with Him and for Him daily.  The time we spend reading the Bible, the time we spend in prayer, the time we spend in church is not what God measures.  What God measures is how we read and meditate upon His word and consider who He is and what He does and how we can apply His guidance while living life and getting along with others.  He measures how sincere we are when we prayerfully worship Him, give Him praise and thank Him for everything.  He measures how we allow His presence in ALL our actions so He can influence our attitude and behavior.  We need to learn how to apply these principles and concepts into everything we think and do.  When we REPENT we behave this way.  This is what God requires of us.

The World’s Problem, The Solution

 

The Problem

The Solution
-Human Effort

-Human Affairs

-Human

Accomplishments

-Human Behavior

-Human Solutions

 

 -Human Effort

directed by God

-Human Affairs

initiated and

directed by God

-Accomplishments

achieved by

God’s power

-Human Behavior

initiated and

directed by

God

-Solutions by God

carried out by

humans

 

Becoming Holy

Doing things God’s way is to be holy and godly but, doing things God’s way has been mischaracterized and misrepresented.  We think being godly means following a set of rules, God’s rules, the ten commandments.  We know those rules are impossible to keep and follow 24/7-365; that’s why we do things like attend church or perform an act of service by donating some time to a benevolent non-profit to compensate.

God knows we do not and cannot keep the ten commandments 24/7-365.  He did not give us those commandments to show us how evil we are, nor did He give us those commandments to test us to see if we are obedient or not.  He gave us the ten commandments so we could live.

The reason we need the ten commandments is because we are sinners and fail in life.  Why do we fail?  Because, we want to live life our way.  Living life our way, as humans, means living life for our own benefit and pleasure.  It means achieving, becoming better than other fellow humans so they will admire us.  It means being driven to achieve more so we can enjoy feeling pleasure and be able to rest, relax, and be served and catered to.  Before sin, there was no need for God’s law or commandments.

The sin of mankind is represented by the sin of Adam and Eve.  Adam and Eve represent all of mankind, this is why we are born sinners; we all have the same desire and goal as Adam and Eve.  That desire and goal is to live our lives focusing on becoming better so we can be admired by others and enjoy comfort and pleasure at will.  It is self-focused.  This is a horizontal life.  A horizontal life is a life lived by comparing ourselves to others and doing what we can to be at a higher level than others around us.

God did not intend for us to live horizontal lives.  He intended for us to live a vertical life.  A vertical life is a life lived that is God-focused.  It is a life where our desire and goal is to seek and follow His direction AND praise and thank Him for what He does and what He has provided.  This is vertical living.

The benefit of vertical living is God is a reciprocating God.  He provides and gives while we worship and thank Him causing Him to provide and give more which should cause us to worship and thank more.  It’s a cycle.

With a vertical life, the joy and abundance of God’s reciprocating love toward us overflows into horizontal relationships.  Horizontal relationships are relationships with others, our fellow mankind.

Being holy simply means being different.  It’s being different than our propensity to be self-focused to becoming God-focused.  It’s learning to live a vertical life versus a horizontal life.  Living a vertical life causes our horizontal relationships to be tolerable and more enjoyable.

God’s commandments are not a test for us to determine if we are good or bad.  They are laws, rules, and guidelines, if followed, to help us Live.  If followed, we can know how to Manage, Cope, and Deal with conflict, adversity, and failure.  Yes, we can know how to deal with failure because we will encounter failure in this life.

We encounter conflict, adversity, and failure because the world we live in is cursed and corrupt.  It is cursed and corrupt because mankind set out to manage his affairs and the affairs of life his way versus God’s way.  This is the sin that resulted in the world being cursed.  God plans to restore us to a sinless world in the future.  This is His promise.  In the meantime, we are forced to live in this sin-cursed world dealing with the challenges of conflict, adversity, and failures encountered because of our innate desire and choice to be self-focused instead of God-focused.

Being holy is not what we have been taught; It is not keeping a set of rules.  God says, “If you love me, keep my commandments”.  What He is saying is “If you love me, you will live your life vertically and live by keeping my commandments so you will get along with your fellow mankind in peace and harmony, and recognize Me as God, giving praise and thanksgiving to Me for your life.

Living life God’s way brings peace, harmony, and SOLUTIONS.  God’s way for solving conflict, adversity, and injustice is necessary because we are living in a corrupt, sin-cursed world.  When God gives us His New Earth, we no longer will need to live by His commandments.  Sin and the curse will be abolished.  Our innate desire will be equal and consistent with His desire.

We now can live in this sin-cursed world tolerating and coping with its consequences because of Jesus who died for our sins.  He carries us through the “fire” of life.  There may be uncomfortable times, but Jesus carries us through to the end.

Our yielding to God’s commandments makes the journey more tolerable.  This is being different; this is being holy.

Jesus Was Not a Christian

This topic will raise eyebrows, stir emotions, and arouse anger from the self-righteous but the fact remains Jesus was not a Christian.

The reason for this topic is to bring to light how Jesus has been misunderstood, used, and misused from the time he was born in a manger to his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension.  Even while he was ministering his last three years of life on earth he was misunderstood and misrepresented.

Communication has altered the perception of Jesus.  Many children during their school years have at one time or another participated in an exercise where everyone is seated in a circle and the teacher whispers a secret to the child next to them.  The teacher has instructed each child to turn to the one next to them and whisper the secret they just heard.  Once everyone has heard the secret and whispered it to the person next to them the secret is finally repeated to the teacher who initiated the secret.  Typically, the secret the teacher hears from the final child is totally different or skewed and not the original secret; The content and context of the original secret has been changed.

Why is this?  Perception.  Everyone has a slightly different perspective and the way they interpret what they have just heard is interpreted followed by an attempt to explain and relay what they have just heard.

Christianity began after Jesus ascended into heaven.  Many believed and followed him and each had a different experience and understanding of him.  This caused describing him to develop into multiple perspectives which were also passed down the communication trail.

A Christian is one who follows the teaching of Jesus Christ.  A Christian practices what they have been told and taught about Jesus.  Jesus, however, is the REAL DEAL.  Therefore, it is best to read scripture, pray, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide and direct you BUT compare it with what you have been taught or previously thought.  Allow God’s Holy Spirit to reveal new truths.  The new truths revealed by the Holy Spirit is NEVER inconsistent with the BASICS of Almighty Most High God’s will, intent, or plan.

This is not to say today’s perspective of Jesus in not correct but it is to say there may be inaccuracies or fluff.  The best way to understand and perceive who Jesus is and was, is to read scripture AND rely on the Holy Spirit of God to reveal Jesus.  This is why reading the Bible is fun.  Each time one reads the Bible, the Holy Spirit reveals new truths.  Those who have read the Bible for many years will often say and admit, a New Revelation they just discovered was not recognized by them over all the years they previously read that same passage. God works this way.  God views things different than we do.  God views us as His children and children grow and develop; This means they change over time.

God is the father, and He enjoys nurturing His children.  Nurture means to encourage and assist growth and development.  This concept is important because it infers changing over time.  The beauty about God is He understands, loves, and cares for us and desires we GROW in Knowing Him.

Jesus Did NOT Die to Save Us From Hell

Jesus did NOT die for the purpose of saving us from death and eternity in hell.  He died for something far more valuable – A relationship with Almighty God our creator.

Too often we are taught, and many believe, Jesus died to save us so we wouldn’t go to hell after we die a physical death.  This teaching cheapens the value and meaning of Jesus’ suffering and dying.  Jesus is not a lifeguard throwing us a lifejacket to help us float until help arrives so we won’t drown.  He didn’t swim to a flaying or lifeless swimmer to bring them to shore so he could perform CPR.

Nobody really wants to die unless they are severely depressed and/or insane.  Nobody really wants to be tormented in hell forever.

The work of Jesus, his suffering and dying, was for the reason of love.  He loved his Father, and he loves us, his Father’s creation.

Too often we are taught we are sinners because we lie, cheat, steal, covet, are sexually promiscuous, get drunk, gamble, or maybe even kill.  These are all behaviors of the one and only sin, choosing to be our own god and “leaving” God out of our life.  This was all done collectively, as humans, as represented by the sin of Adam and Eve.  They “bit the apple” of knowledge to learn and have knowledge how to live life without God’s presence and leadership.

This choice, to be the god of our own life leads to death, spiritual and physical death.  Spiritual death is really what Jesus died to save us from; Physical death is no problem because God is one day planning to give us a New Body.  Spiritual death is “The Absence of God’s Presence”.  Hell is a place where God does not rule; He is absent, allowing Satan, and those who refuse to ask God into their lives reside, forever.

Easter is about to be celebrated, but first “Good Friday”.  It’s good for us if we seek God’s forgiveness through Jesus’ sacrificial death.  It’s good because death is not final, Jesus’ death gives us life everlasting.  The life everlasting is being in God’s family as God’s children, with God as our Father.  It’s a father-child relationship, not a defective father-child relationship, but a perfect father-child relationship with Jesus as Lord and King of our family.  This is BEAUTIFUL!  This is why Jesus died, to give us family, a perfect family with God as our Father.

Take time to reflect on this and think about what God sacrificed by allowing His begotten son to suffer for us humans AND how Jesus, His son, was willing to both suffer and die so we could be family and enjoy the benefits of being in God’s family.  Amen.

Make God a Part of Your Life Without Being Religious

Think about it; Religion is not fun.  Religion is dry and boring.  Religion is going through the motion of a ritual, liturgy to praise or show honor to a God you’ve never seen or met.  You were told he is our creator and worshiping him will save you from eternal torture in hell after you die.  Liturgy is often performed in an emotionally cold but beautifully adorned building and auditorium.

Why wouldn’t you worship him? Who wants to be tortured for eternity?  With this understanding of God, you might as well live your life to the fullest and enjoy as many carnal pleasures as you can; Life is short.  In the end, God will save you, just follow all the rules you’re told.

“Real” religious people not only attend required services, but they pray and read the scriptures frequently, periodically offer a suffering of penance, watch their language and give to the poor.  Isn’t this in the Bible?  Isn’t this what Jesus taught?

What does God say?  What does He really want?

God says “My children have rebelled against me” …  “They have abandoned me and turned their backs on Me” (Is. 1:2-4).  This is what Sin really is; Sin is rebelling and turning our backs on God.

Notice, God says children; Who are his children?  The answer is those He created.  Some would argue not everyone ever born since creation of the world are His children.  This is NOT true.  The apostle Paul says, “We receive the Spirit of adoption allowing us to cry out “Abba, Father” (Rom. 8:15).  Those who are adopted call God, Father.  Why were they adopted?  They were originally His children but separated from Him because of sin; they left God’s family and His being their Father (Is. 59:2).  They chose to be put up for adoption but adoption by who?  The answer, No one; God’s children turned from God the Father to “grow-up” and be their own father and do it their way (Is. 53:6).

For those who claim, not everyone ever born are God’s children, they are right in a way.  God treats us individually but when it comes to humanity, He treats us collectively as the human race.  What God is saying is, the humans He created, collectively have chosen to leave His household where He is the Father.  Humanity collectively wants to manage and run their own household.

It takes a lot of “resources” and “knowledge” to run, manage, and provide for a household of children as large as all the human race.  With a little help maybe mankind could do it but, with help from whom?  Satan maybe?  Yes, what an opportunity for Lucifer to rise above the God of Heaven and rule, rule God’s creation.  When Satan tempted Eve in the garden he told Eve “God knows when you eat of the fruit of the tree of Knowledge, you will become like God” (Gen. 3:5).  What knowledge?  The knowledge to understand how to run, manage, and provide for Yourself.  Good is Trusting God, Evil is Relying on Self; The knowledge of knowing Good from Evil (Gen. 2:9).

Sin, in the eyes of God, is leaving Him to live life without Him.  This is the sin that leads to death.  Sin, in the eyes of God, is mankind focusing on his abilities, accomplishments, and being admired by others for achievements.  With mankind focusing on achievements to be self-sufficient, jealousy, envy, and strife ensue.  Competing with others drives us so we can be admired by others.

We can easily become “puffed-up” subconsciously thinking we are a little better than others because we achieved more and have more.  Being “puffed-up” makes one feel they have earned more and maybe even have the right to take from another (steal, rape, murder).  We call all these – sin, but they really are consequence of the only sin, leaving God and turning our backs on Him to be the god of our own life.

Being religious is boring, that is not what God wants.  God is not delighted with our being religious (Is. 1: 11).  What is important to God is our Heart Attitude in every aspect of our life.  With a Heart Attitude like Jesus we are pleasing God because He is Lord over every thought we think and action we take.

Being religious is a lifestyle not a liturgy.

The Jesus of Christmas

Who is Jesus?  Why is he honored and worshiped?

Jesus was born in Bethlehem of parents having poor to average income.  His family wasn’t special nor were they royal or popular, yet we worship him.  Why is Jesus special?

Jesus is special because of his Father.  His father was not Joseph but was Almighty God.  At the age of 12 Jesus revealed his real father was his Heavenly Father (Lk. 2:49).  Angels from heaven revealed to Mary she would become pregnant, not by a human male but by the Spirit of God.  We should not question how this could happen if we believe God is the creator of all that exists.  Gabriel, the angel who stands beside Almighty God and was His messenger declared, “with God, all things are possible” (Lk. 1:37).  God is God, He is Almighty and Most High, there is none like Him in heaven or on earth.

Why is Jesus to be honored and worshiped?  Because Almighty God said so.

Jesus is the image of God (Col. 1:15).  He is not the Almighty Most High God; he is the image of the Almighty Most High God.  It is the Father, the Almighty Most High God who gave Jesus, His beloved son that position, elevating him to have equal authority.

Jesus, from God’s perspective, is a package of two separate entities being one in position and authority.  Jesus is the human version of God but equal to God because God elevated him to that position.

Jesus is like any other son.  A son is lower in position and authority than the father but is given the position of being equal to the father when either the father dies, or the father transfers the authority to the son before his death.  God is eternal and will never die so God transferred His authority to Jesus making Jesus equal to Himself, but not greater than Himself.

Why did God make Jesus equal in power and authority?  He was 100% submissive and obedient to the Father.  He was faithful unto God the Father even unto death (Ph. 2:8).  He humbled himself to God the Father.  Jesus ALWAYS pointed to the Father, gave credit to the Father, asked the Father, deferred to the Father, worshipped, praised, and gave thanks to the Father.  He reflected all the attention he received back to the Father.  He reflected the Father, therefore becoming the image of the Father.  Because of this, God raised Jesus to the position of having equal position and authority as Himself.  Jesus is, because God made him (Ph. 2:9-11).

Because of Jesus and his perfection in the eyes of God the Father, he became the perfect sacrifice to satisfy God’s requirement of the death penalty for sin.  Jesus obeyed and complied.  Jesus 100% trusted the Father.  Because of this, God resurrected Jesus back to life by the power of His Spirit and declaring Jesus to be Lord and King over his Earthly Kingdom.  Therefore, we worship Jesus.  Thank God for his coming and his obedience; God’s gift to us!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

This is Why Jesus Came to Earth

This is an amazing mystery- 700 years before Messiah was born, Isaiah, the prophet prophesied in detail about the Messiah’s death, “And He made His grave with the wicked and with the rich in His death.” He was struck down and oppressed for our sins, yet it was the Lord’s will to take on all our sins; past, present and future; for all time. The word ASHAM in Hebrew is the same word used in Leviticus for the levitical sacrifice. It does not just mean guilt offering but guilt itself. The animal that was offered up was called the guilt. Messiah became guilt for us. ASHAM means that when you are in sin and oppression in your life, Messiah has His name on it now. You do not have to bear it. Jesus is your guilt. Your sins and guilt belong to Him. Give Him your guilt; He is ASHAM; give Him your burden, give Him your past and He will lift it and release you from it because He made His life an ASHAM, a guilt offering specifically for you. Messiah has set you free.

This is from: (Sapphires@hopeoftheworld.org)

From Message #1093 – The Asham
Scripture: Isaiah 53:9

TODAY’S MISSION – Whatever guilt, shame, or sin you’ve been dealing with, release it to God. It has His name on it.

Repentance, A Rebellion for God

How often we used to rebel as kids. I rebelled as a little kid. I rebelled in school, life, against authority. Generally, rebellion isn’t a good thing, especially when it’s against God. Yet it can be good in one sense. Jonah arose and fled, rebelling against God’s will. Finally, he repented when he arose and went. The same way he went away from God, now he’s serving God. The way he rebelled, now he’s serving the Lord. There’s a way to be a holy rebel. The way we used to rebel against good, now we need to rebel against what’s evil. The enemy gives us commands and is always issuing things like you have to submit, sin, fear, depression, fall into this bondage. You have to rebel against that. Rebel against sin. Rebel against the darkness. Rebel against all the orders of sin and habit. You can rebel against all the orders of the old life and the flesh. You don’t have to obey the voice of sin, flesh, darkness, or the enemy anymore. Be a Holy Spirit rebel. Obey God, but be a rebel to the enemy.

The above is from (Sapphires@hopeoftheworld.org)

From Message #1109 – Thou Wilt
Scripture: Acts 5:29

TODAY’S MISSION – Stand firm against the enemy. Rebel against