I've come to notice this disturbing tendency I have. I may as well get it out in the open so the Light is on it. I find that when I am struggling in life and twisted up between schemes of the enemy and the guile of my own sinful nature and downright miserable, though the thing I crave the MOST is prayer and support, I have this ridiculous block to doing so.
I'm not sure what to label it as -fear of being open and vulnerable, to proud to admit I'm struggling, worry that if people know I'm struggling they won't trust me with responsibility in our community or with their own struggles - and I guess it doesn't matter what it's CALLED, only that it is overcome.

As I type this, I GET how ridiculous it sounds, as in, obviously God wants me to be able to confess all sorts of things to my brothers and sisters so that I may be healed, receive prayer, encouragement, support and accountability. But just spitting things out is like pulling teeth.

Praise the Lord for friends who aren't afraid to ask (cuz I KNOW I wear my feelings all over my face anyways)
Friends like you.

another one from back in the day - August 2003


My life must be Christ's broken bread,
My love his outpoured wine...

My all is in the Master's hands
For him to bless and break;
Beond the brook his winepress stands
And thence my way I take,
Resolved the whole of love's demands
To give, for his dear sake.

-Albert Orsborn

When I meditate on the first two lines of that song, I think about
Scripture that I read yesterday, and I wonder at the meaning of it all.

"You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart"
Psalm 51:16-17

"Regarding Communion, remember that it is a mystery. Christ in us is
unexplainable yet so very real. For all that God has revealed, there is so
much more that we do not know. We need to embrace the mystery."
John Norton

Christ in me is entirely unexplainable. A mystery. Will I embrace this mystery?




--------------------------------------

While searching for some encouragement to lift my spirits amongst old emails, I came across this letter I sent to an esteemed mentor friend of mine. It fits for today, and even though I wrote it in April of 2003 it's still my process. I welcome insight!

let's talk about Luke 14:33.

"Simply put, if you're not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can't be my disciple"

ok, now that's the Message translation, but you catch the drift eh? I really really like that verse.�What a struggle it is to be followers of Christ.� It's such a plunge, really.� In the beginning, it's like�as soon as we give ourselves over to God's control, that THAT is the biggest hurdle.�

Maybe it is.�

I certainly wasn't prepared for what would come afterwards.� The constant, daily�struggle��to GIVE OVER to God the stuff in my life that I HOLD DEAR.� The stuff that I cling to, the stuff that find pleasure in.�

Man, my sinful nature tears me apart!�

Dying daily to sin, well, THAT certainly wasn't brought up in the beginning, in the sr. soldier classes, in the personal testimonies.� Although, I wouldn't have grasped the magnitude of it, it even if it was...as in what that really means to die to sins and how it feels.�

Dying to sin...yeah.� But I am so prone to sinful behavior that when I deny it, I deny my self-gratification, which (especially in MY life) has had the rule of the roost for over 25 years.� It's HARD to deny myself!� It is actually physically painful at times!!� Emotionally excruciating!� It goes against MY NATURE!�

So now, I imagine a God SO HUGE, SO IMPORTANT, SO WORTH IT that I will actually go through�all of this physical�and emotional anguish of withdrawal from sin to be more pleasing to Him.�

hmm.

that's powerful stuff.

I wonder, what is this that I am striving for?� Is this what sanctification is? The act of becoming holy?

So I ran for my study tool,�this is from the Easton Bible dictionary definition on sanctification:

"The more holy a man is, the more humble, self-renouncing, self-abhorring, and the more sensitive to every sin he becomes, and the more closely he clings to Christ. The moral imperfections which cling to him he feels to be sins, which he laments and strives to overcome. Believers find that their life is a constant warfare, and they need to take the kingdom of heaven by storm, and watch while they pray."

I feel like my life is like that...a constant warfare between the woman that God is growing me into being, and what my sinful nature�wants me to indulge in.� The mere fact that my nature is in opposition to what God wants is something that I haven't really considered before.�

Y'know, God must realize how difficult it is for us to sacrifice in this way! I guess, Jesus obviously does.� He knows how hard it is, and yet He still asks for it.� Demands it.� I drives me nuts sometimes that little things that never would have bothered me about myself even a month ago feel dirty and loathsome to me all of sudden.� *sigh* that must be the first part - me becoming more self-renouncing and self-abhorring.� Sensitive to every sin.� It's frightening.� Soon, there won't be any of the original me left.

but that's God's plan.

wow. God certainly is wild and crazy.

Does it get easier?�
Does the desire to please God outgrow the�reluctance towards�gouging out sinful behaviour? �

from December, 2002

So tonight I was reading Psalm 40.

The most significant thing that i read:

"He lifted me from the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire.� He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.� He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord"�
Psalm 40:2-3

What does God want me to do in response?
-remember where I came from that - gross disgusting pit of sin and remember what gifts God's grace and salvation are that i don't have to go back there
-that my sinful ways are like slime and mud and mire, even now when i am clothed in the white pureness of His love...which makes them stand out more when i do sin
-He LIFTED me up to a BETTER place where I could STAND-a firm place- on the rock
-He put a new song in my mouth and i need to sing it all the time and not let other words come outta my mouth like gossip and cursing, deceitfulness, hate and self-glory. Just words that honour Him, not words that would make Him ashamed of me. -people are going to see and i guess have already seen all these changes in me and when I give the glory back to Him and name Him as my Saviour, they, not knowing what it's exactly all about (fearing) will put their trust in God and He'll lift them out too.
The best part is the first line...that is exactly how I feel about my rebirth...like His hand reached down into a dark pit for me specifically and kept lifting me even though i was hideous and dirty and disgusting...so me and the guy that wrote that psalm totally had something in common...that's cool to think about.

There is so much here to think about.� I wonder though, how long it'll take for this all to sweep through my everday life. Sometimes i feel like this stuff that i write and think about and feel so passionately about at this exact moment fades slightly by the morning when i wake up,so the way that i feel right now is just a vagueness...something that i can't quite nail down and start my day with. How do I pull it through? How do I let my "light so shine" when i feel like it is constantly flickering on and off?
Maybe it is something that comes with time and practice, but i don't WANT to wait. I feel like the longer i am a Christian here the more "experience" i get, the more "accustomed" i become,� the farther i am from that initial joy of my salvation.
I don't want to be like a lot of the others I see.
I don't want God to spit me out and call me lukewarm.�
1 Thess. 5:19 orders us "do not put out the Spirit's fire" but that is what i do. I throw a blanket over it when it suits me. I throw a bucket of water on it, watch it start to die and then rush back in and try to light it up again. So sporadic.
How do I deal with this?
I've been praying, but I guess it's a spiritual discipline thing. I feel like there is so much that i don't know.� My self-control button must be broken cuz i seem to have none lately, old habits are creeping around.� Not the stuff like alcohol or smoking or physical sins...but gossip and deceitfulness and taking offense, impatience.� That stuff is way harder for me to deal with because no one is forcing me, I am permitting myself. No one is offerring me a beer or taking me to the casino...i can deal with that.
Maybe the problem here is self-honesty and self-truth...

In Isaiah 22, Isaiah prophesys that Eliakim, son of Hilkiah will replace Shebna as the stweard in charge of all the king's affairs. He says: "I'll dress him in your robe, I'll put your belt on him. I'll give him your authority."

That's cool because God gives out and takes back authority however he pleases. He can give ME somebody else's authority, or pass mine along to someone else...depending on my stewardship.

Then the Lord says: "I'll pound him like a nail into the wall."
A nail's function is to be IN the wall holding something up. Getting the nail in is what's uncomfortable. God creates us for a certain purpose in His Kingdom, and it takes disciplining from the Lord to get us into that ordained position.
Once the nail is in position, something can be hung on it.
Similarly, once we are in position, the Lord can add responsibility to us, authority to us greater anointing to us, greater humility to us and so on.
The more firmly fastened (disciplined) the nail (believer) is into the wall (Father/Son/Holy Spirit) the more weight can rest upon her.
So are you a dangly, skinny nail some Grade 9 student is banging in during shop class or are you a big fat stud driven in by a power tool?

"...in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5

Did you get that? CLOTHE yourself with humility. Maybe you could put it on just after your socks in the morning...it's very important. The cloak of humility is like a cloak of protection - like an invisibility we put on - a la Lord of the Rings - to be hidden from the enemy. If you don't have that on, you'll be bound for destruction and easily picked off my the enemy.

"Don't call attention to yourself; let others do that for you." Proverbs 27:2 The Message

For more on that, check out Rick Joyner's book "Final Quest"

Did you ever read the book of Haggai? It’s good stuff. The Lord sends his prophet Haggai to the Governor of Judah (Zerubabbel) and also to the High Priest (Joshua) with a message. It’s not a pleasant message, in fact, it’s rather convicting. This is what the Lord thought of the plans they had been making:

“Why is everyone saying it is not the right time for rebuilding my Temple? Is it then the right time for you to live in luxurious homes, when the Temple lies in ruins?” Haggai 1: 2-3 TLB

Hmm…strong words! I can imagine how it all went down. Haggai arriving at the meeting place to be ushered into the sumptuously decorated chambers and seated in a plush reclining chair around a highly polished mahogany table (worth a fortune) and offered the finest refreshments. Only to hear the discussion ‘Yeahhh...we just don’t feel the timing is right financially on this whole Temple-rebuild project. Let’s reschedule a meeting for next quarter to re-visit the proposal.’ Then everyone goes home to their mansions with the four car garages and tennis courts and room for a pony…in other words, we have the resources, but we’d rather spend them on ourselves and live it up selfishly with our pony than to give our tithe to the Lord for His holy Temple to be rebuilt.

This is a BIG DEAL. The Temple that they were putting off building was where our Jesus spent a whole lot of time when He arrived on the scene. He performed healings in this Temple, the blind were given sight, and the crippled were restored. He taught the people in a way that they could understand, which must have been refreshing, because in that day, only those born into certain roles were taught to read, understand and think for themselves, so when the people came to the Temple for worship, the guy giving the ‘message’ was like a Harvard professor preaching to a class of Grade 6 students. The Temple is where Jesus had verbal skirmishes with the ‘self-important’ – the Pharisees, Sadducees and teachers of the law. It’s where Judas Iscariot felt the burn of conviction and cried out to the chief priests that he had betrayed an innocent man and then thrown down the thirty pieces of silver. It is the Temple that was destroyed upon Jesus’ death; the curtain separating the Holy of Holies, torn in two.
THIS is the Temple that Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the priest were hemming and hawing about building.

They were dragging their feet because up until that point they were using the resources that God gave them to live enjoyable, comfortable lives. So, the Lord does what He always does when He wants to bring a message to His people. He sends a prophet to give the Word, and an apostle to lead them into carrying it out. The Lord sends Haggai to the people and begins to prepare Nehemiah to come and spur them on. He was raising up people in the community not only to go and speak out the plans that He wanted to come about, but also equipping and sending out those who would implement the vision and work to make it possible.
First the prophet and then the apostle.

What does that speak to us today? Consider this: that the Temple WE are building is not one of dead rock, but out of believers:

“and now you have become living building-stones for God’s use in building His house.” 1 Peter 2:5

We hold back, not solely in our money, old clothes we could be giving away or the extra room that we could invite someone to stay in but when we don’t live simply.
We don’t give the Word of God our full attention, rushing through a skimpy devotional just to be able to say ‘well, at least that’s done’.

We don’t spend the time in prayer – just doing all the talking and not pausing to listen because we don’t expect God to even say anything to us anyway and besides, we’d rather go watch TV…we are holding back.

We are building up our own household of sinful flesh rather than denying ourselves and giving our all to be a living building-stone in the eternal Temple of the King of Kings. We drag our feet because we too are using the resources God gave us to live out comfortable lives.
We can look back at Joshua and Zerubbabel and at their reluctance to change, but we can also look ahead to all that God would do through the Temple that He wanted built. Our position in history affords us the knowledge that the Temple simply HAD to be built, and WOULD be built, even if that meant a little self-denial on the part of the people.

The same message holds true for us today. We have a reluctance to be self-sacrificial and to deny ourselves, but we can’t even begin to imagine all that God will do through His living Temple, the Church – and through each individual building-stone.

“Building up the Temple, building up the Temple,
building up the Temple of the Lord
Boys won’t you help us? Girls won’t you help us?
Building up the Temple of the Lord.”

Good morning Church,

In John 12:42-43, it says this:

“Many people, including some of the Jewish leaders, believed in Him. But they wouldn’t admit it to anyone because of their fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.” NLT

Paul, a former Pharisee speaks on this point: (you can read his testimony in Acts 26:4 and on)

“Obviously, I’m not trying to be a people-pleaser! No, I am trying to please God. If I were still trying to please people, I would not be Christ’s servant.” Galatians 1:10 NLT

Paul got it. We are not meant to be people-pleasers, but we are designed to seek the praise of God. Is it possible that Paul was familiar with the spiritual temperature back there in Bethany? (John 12:42-43) Would he have been one of the oppressive, suspicious Pharisees examining the other men in his sect, looking for any indication that they may be “Jesus-sympathizers” or even “Jesus-lovers”?

I wonder what it would have felt like, to be witnessing these miraculous acts of Christ and, having your heart awakened to the reality of it all, brimming with belief, but laced with fear.
What if someone finds out?
Are they watching me?
I don’t want to lose my job – or my status in the community.
I daresay that there are those among us who may have unknowingly fallen amongst the crowd of doubting, pharisaical types, but find that the Living God is revealing Himself to them in all sorts of tangible, believable ways. Hmm…dilemma. Everything that they have learned and experienced (or been told is their experience) declares that God simply does not exist in this way. And yet.
Jesus IS alive.
Holy Spirit IS actually a person.
People who used to be blind are being healed.
Those who were diagnosed with cancer are receiving clean bills of health.
Words of knowledge, things only God knows about us are being spoken by everyday believers through the power of God to bring about salvation.
The dead are being raised.
I’m not making this up to be shocking.
It’s not an exaggeration. It’s real.
Many people, including some Church leaders, believe in these things and it may even be a part of their ‘Christian experience’, but they won’t admit it to anyone or provide resources or support and encouragement in the places where God is moving because of their fear that they would be expelled from their place in the “religious community”.

They are those who love they taste of human praise above that of God.
Like those men of old, they remain ‘secret believers’.

Secret believers out of FEAR. We know from Scripture that fear is not from God. For God has NOT given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline. So you must never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. (2 Timothy 1:7-8 NLT)

Would you do service for Jesus your King?
There’s power in the blood, power in the blood!
Would you live daily His praises to sing?
There’s wonderful power in the blood!
SASB 281

I came across this list that I made in September of 2003:

1.) convictions of steel
2.) to take great joy in Holy Spirit
3.) desert dead idols in my life so I can embrace and fully serve the Living God
4.) expectantly await Jesus’ arrival
5.) be sure of myself in God, so that I can go right ahead and say my peace/piece (!)
6.) not try to come across as important
7.) not to be content with just passing on a message, but to give my heart, too
8.) be infused with strength and purity, filled with confidence in the presence of God
9.) do what I do to please God in a spirited dance
10.) appreciate and give dignity to my body
11.) stay calm, mind my own business
12.) honour my leaders, especially those who work hard for me and urge me and guide me in obedience. I want to overwhelm them with appreciation and love.
13.) Reach out for the exhausted and pull them to their feet
14.) When others get on my nerves, not to snap at them
15.) Look for the best in others
16.) be cheerful no matter what
17.) pray all that time.
18.) Thank God, whatever happens.

I watched a teaching video recently where the preacher addressed those attending the conference as “church”. “Are you listening Church?” she would ask. “Do you get it Church?” Initially I found this amusing and then I realized how appropriate it was.
The majority of us Christians have fallen into the false belief that the church is the building that we go to on Sundays to worship in. That’s not accurate. Jesus isn’t coming back to marry a building, He’s coming back for His Bride, the Church. That’s us. The people of God are the Church. The Ekklesia in the Basilia – the people of God in the Kingdom of God.

On Sunday morning we go to God’s House, but when the meeting is over, Church leaves the building. One thing that struck me about calling the congregation ‘Church’ was that it forced me to embrace my identity and therefore my destiny. Who cares for the widow? The Church. Who cares for the orphan? The Church. Who aligns itself with the poor? The Church.

Some seem to have bought into a myth that although they are a Christian, they don’t have to be a part of the Church. It just doesn’t work that way. 1 Corinthians 3:9 declares that WE are God’s building.
So, do you get it Church?

"Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter and not just do what is most convenient for us.

Strength is for service, not status.

Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, 'How can I help?"

Romans 15:1-2 The Message

Look around you, how can you help?

I get a lot of flack for my stance on Christianity and alcohol. In my opinion, they don't mix. As a matter of fact, I don't even believe that Christians, true professors of the Risen Christ, walking in the baptism of Holy Spirit should be repelled at the thought of ever knockin' back a beer.

The last time I went down this road, it was rocky to say the least, but I feel that I MUST press in. Clickclick goes my seatbelt...

Friends of mine are lovers of Jesus. I've seen the evidence of that. They move in the manifest presence of Holy Spirit. I've seen evidence of that too. They have tasted and seen that the Lord is good, they have felt His Hand directing their movement, their speech their thought life. The Spirit himself has testified with their spirit that they are God's children. (Romans 8:16).

So WHY when you have received ALL of this supernatural experience would you reach for a drink? Or two, or three...or even one?
Where does the need for that come from?

We know that God is Creator. In fact, as Salvationists, we covenantly agree that He is the Creator, Preserver and Governor of all things. Satan, conversely, is NOT any of those things, although he would like to be. The closest he can come is to be the big imitator, twisting what God has created in beauty and love into something contemptible and loathsome, becoming the counterfeit, destroyer and tyrant of those whom are enslaved beneath his cruel mastery.
Therefore, if satan is the grand copycat, what is he mimicking in the realm of alcohol? (and drugs)

"Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit." (Ephesians 5:18)
Debauchery - Extreme indulgence in sensual pleasures

The deal is this: God's plan if for His children to be filled with Holy Spirit, the part of Him that dwells within us, who communicates with our own spirits and reveals to us the deep things of the Father. For, "no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God...the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him but God HAS revealed it to us BY his Spirit." (2 Corinthians 2:11,10,9)

God meets with us in our spirit. His Spirit communicates with our spirit. The result can be speaking in the gift of tongues -Acts 2:4, to receive power (Greek word is dunamis which translates to power for performing miracles and for moral power and excellence of soul) - Acts 1:8, to be witnesses (Greek word translates to one who is a specatator of anything)- Acts 1:8
teaching us just what to say - Luke 12:12, guiding us into all truth - John 16:13 and so on and so on. That is what God created for us. How has the enemy twisted that? By taking alcohol and using it to block our spirit which communicates with God. How so? Well, when you indulge the sinful nature you are out of alignment and using something other than Holy Spirit to intoxicate yourself. "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit." So it's either this (wine) or that (Holy Spirit)

What the heck! isn't the choice obvious?

Now my friends, regarding the argument of social drinking and how it's ok to only have one or two drinks every now or then, Paul speaks to that if you look closely: "Do not get drunk on wine, which LEADS to debauchery." It's all about a process. Just as being a Christian is a journey, so is the pathway to sin. Note Psalm 1:1. First we walk, then we stop and then we sit. Blessed is the man that doesn't even go there!

Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

Filled - greek- pleroo = to fill to the top: so that nothing shall be wanting

Therefore, does the need to kick back and drink indicate that there is something within us that is not being filled? That is left wanting? Instead of conforming to the pattern of the world and filling yourself with satan's nectar be transformed. Let Holy Spirit fill you instead and make you complete and lacking nothing.

"Authors of self-help books (should) be require to provide proof that they have actually helped themselves." -writer Jane Wagner

The Word admonishes believers to not walk in the counsel of the wicked (Psalm 1:1).
Given this word of instruction, how is it that we are so keen to pick up the 'latest read' from the secular market on the recommendation of your unsaved friend, who found it SOOO helpful? Whether it's a book on how to raise your kids right, how to relate to your mate so that you stay together, how to run your business or whatEVER, there is a book of how-to for anything you might-do. Be alert! This is the lure of the world, to draw Christians in with their deadly and attractively-packaged wisdom. It is false, for it is impossible for someone who doesn't know Yahweh to have wisdom.

"the LORD gives wisdom,and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding" Proverbs 2:6

The Lord parcels it out as He sees fit. It is inconceivable for man to find wisdom in his own way, because:

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Proverbs 9:10

Therefore, if the fear (holy reverence, respectful awe) of the Lord is not present in an individual, nor any knowledge of the Holy One, there can be NO wisdom. The word wicked (Rasha) has the hebrew meaning of one who is criminal, hostile to God and guilty of sin (against God or man). For goodness sake, why would you want to take any advice from those folks!

Now, now - I can already hear the collective dissatisfied exhalations, 'Heather - there is much that the world has to offer in terms of books with life application and insight that we Christians would be well off to read and use in OUR daily lives...the 'world' could teach us much...' and I STILL won't agree...regardless of what you've read, the world can never give us true wisdom, and anything useful that you read from a non-Christian offer was just ripped off from the Bible.
It is impossible for someone who doesn't know Yahweh to have wisdom.

I once received a teaching on Psalm 1 that I share here as an illustration of wickedness' goal:
In Psalm 1 we see evidence that there is a progression of fellowship with wickedness. Firstly, one merely walks alongside it, sharing paths. Then one will stop and stand with wickedness-ceasing any forward movement in one's journey and participating in the course of life and moral character of the ungodly. Finally, one installs oneself by actually sitting in the seat of mockers, aligning oneself with wickedness, partnering with it fully. Conversely, "The godly offer good counsel; they know what is right from wrong." Psalm 37:30 NLT

Who do YOU look to when you require guidance?

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." James 1:5

I was just visiting the blog of a brother in Christ and found a whopping gem. Enjoy!

"often, we forget we're in a battle until we get hit. the north american gospel spreads this fallacy of xian ease and tranquility, proof-texting itself into a coma. Boulderdash!

Wake yourself, arise and stir yourself up in your most holy faith!!!

j.i packer calls the antithesis hot-tub religion: Who needs to be steward of songbooks at the first church of the fridgidaire, anyway?

"are you tired? burned out on religion?" Jesus says, as Peterson renders Matthew 11:28 in the Message.

Yup, says me.

But I am totally jazzed about the coming revival, the present awakening of the Joshua generation----yet I don't want to be Moses.

"When God calls . . God bids us to come and burn - burn with a new love, a new desire, that will take all the mixed and muddled desires and ambitions and burn till it had refined all that was God-given in them and purged out all that was going in other directions"
N.T. Wright, The Cross and the Fire.

Joshua, the general who took over for Moses, the lawgiver/comforter/counselor. Look at the difference in their language when talking to the people. Moses gives comfort, intercedes for the people. Joshua's language is more directive, less capitulating. When he tries to repent for the people, God says, "Stop praying! Get up!"

Ultramodern parallel: Apostolic launching centres are deploying faith souljers all over the globe; in the 80's and 90's counseling centers were attached to churcheslike crazy .

Joshua has taken over from Moses. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!

And why, do you ask, do I not want to be Moses? Here's your answer:

"After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses aide: 'Moses my servant is dead.'" One mixed motive. . . one outburst in anger, and he couldn't go in to the promised land. Thank God he is in the hall of faith of Hebrews 11

But I don't want to be outmoded and dismantled.....

For you 40-something (did i really say that?) leaders out there, you don't have to slash yourself, wear numerous piercings or dye your hair green to be too hip to be square, but there are some things you can do:

1-Be a spiritual father/ mother: the Joshua generation has had to travel through the desert without father or mother of faith (or sometimes family of origin)

2-Take somebody with you: Moses took Joshua into the Tent of Meeting and by acclimating him to the Presence, Joshua gained the prophetic insight and anointing to be a general.

3-Don't try to hard to be hip: You become a joke then.

4-Do get your illustrations into the late 20th Century at least. I was talking to my son Chaz, who is 7. He has no idea who Michael Jordan is. I've got to retool, fast.

5-Realize that the Joshua generation is techsavy, visual-audio-music-art driven, and that this is ESSENTIAL to the new wineskin.
So what you can't understand the words. It's not for you.

Marshall McLuhan, noted for his classic quote on television: "The medium is the message," also said that Christianity is best communicated en masse because the message and the medium are identical
[logos/eikon: word (John 1)/representation (Colossians 1, Hebrews 1) viz a viz., Jesus]

The recovery of ALL forms of art, music, literature, drama are essential for the new wineskin.
Rap, for example, is not new, nor is it solely gansta-related, but stems from the literature of Paul Lawrence Dunbar and Shakazulu.

So, please, please, please: scrape off your cultural accretions, they are like barnacles on the ship; they only serve to slow Joshua down (like that could really happen!)

6- Don't hold on too tightly to the form of things. Take on the theology of a loose grip.

7-Be a producer. DeGarmo & Key (who?) were hip during the 70's and 80's in CCM-world, but ain't playin now, they're producing. Find fresh new talent, new hungry lions. Pour the life of the Spirit into them. Pour your life, and spiritually reproduce the best of yourself."

pax Christi,

SoulPadre

I've been reading through Francis Frangipane's book, The Three Battlegrounds. It's been a work in process over months of picking it up and putting it back down. Needless to say, it's been quite a kick at the cat. Not to sell the work short, it is a cornucopia of wisdom and teaching. I have found clarity in its pages and would like to offer some of what I have gleaned on to you.

"It is significant that the process of deliverance quite often involves a season of inner conflict and turmoil. This is a good sign, signifying the individual's will desires to be free. We should expect a time where we must exercise our authority in Christ as we 'resist' the devil (1 Peter 5:9a). Paul speaks of the 'struggle' of the church against principalities and powers. There will be a period of fighting involved in the process of pulling down strongholds, for you are breaking your agreement with a foe who will fight to remain in your life." Francis Frangipane, The Three Battlegrounds, p23

What a Hallelujah resounded from my lips at this revelation! It is lovely to me to read a book that is so commonsensical. I was pleased to receive confirmation of something that I had been experiencing in my spirit. In my Christian walk, I have often felt that I was caught in Romans 7 so I KNOW what that feels like, however these last few weeks have rather been a horse of a different colour. I feel as though I have not sinned - quite the converse- I'm riding the tidal wave of major repentance and deliverance from spirits of manipulation and control.

So why don't I FEEL as though I am free? It actually feels HARDER than it was before!

In the walking out of my freedom, according to Frangipane, I am step by step BREAKING AGREEMENT with the demons who have dwelt with me for so long, and they are actively fighting to remain in my life. No wonder its a challenge! They want back in!

Happily though, I can claim that just because I don't "feel" free doesn't change the truth that I AM free. One of my most treasured quotes (and there are many in the vault) comes from prophet and teacher Patricia King, and is found in her book "Third Heaven, Angels and Other Stuff".

"In the faith realm, feelings are not valid if they are contrary to the truth." p45

Therefore, even though my soul will try to convince me that I am heavy and oppressed and miserable, my spirit man will rise up and speak the truth to me:

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." John 8:36
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." Galatians 5:1

Thankyou Yahweh, for the wisdom that pours through your Word, and through the teachings of those who have gone before me.

Today I find myself wanting to discuss doctrine. Perhaps it is the way the wind is blowing, perhaps it's the call to primitive Salvationism and the responsibility to know what I stand for and what I've signed up to withold.
Regardless, here we are:

"We believe that our first parents were created in a state of innocency, but by their disobedience they lost their purity and happiness, and that in consequence of their fall all men have become sinners, totally depraved, and as such are justly exposed to the wrath of God."

The reality of sin is this:
All fall short of God's glory.

Our hope, however is revealed in Jesus Christ, His teachings, actions, death, resurrection and ascension confirms that there is power, power, wonder-working power in the precious blood of the Lamb and that we can experience a newness of life when we repent and put our trust in Him to lead us.
Jesus Christ becomes the cure. The solution to the problem created by the human race.

William Booth said:

"There are many ways to damnation, but only one to salvation."

I tell you friends, I've seen untold numbers of people in our neighbourhood headed right for hell and the only people who are willing to delve after them into the dark angry ocean of sin and hell, following the example of Christ, are God's people. The 'redeemed'. That's us.
We MUST be willing. We MUST go.
It's painful when I see a brother in a dark corner injecting himself full of death and it's painful when I see a sister, looking to be 16 or 17, so strung out that she doesn't know or care that she's not wearing any shoes, walking towards her dealer, looking for her next fix her body contorting and grotesquely twisting all the way.
Even though it is unavoidably painful...we can never stop. I can never stop.

The Founder also said this:

"I don't want another ecclesiastical corps cumbering the earth. When the Salvation army ceases to be a militant body of red, hot men and women whose supreme business is the saving of souls, I hope it will vanish utterly."

We are challenged to look up on humanity as not only being ruined by sin and disobedience, utterly hopeless and consequently left to live under the compulsion of sin, separated from its Creator...but as a missionfield from which to pull men and women from the Devil's trap, where they are caught and held captive, forced to run his errands. (2 Timothy 2:26, MSG)

How can we be militant or even red hot if we barely acknowledge the reality of hell?

All covenanted soldiers agree that "all men have become sinners, totally depraved, and as such are justly exposed to the wrath of God."

Having said that though, how many soldiers have a concept of the reality of satan, his demons and eternal damnation?
It's an uncomfortable topic to say the least, but I'm sick of not talking about it.

“I saw the opening maw of hell” (Herman Melville)

Can YOU say that you have seen it?

I propose that if we, as soldiers in The Salvation Army, merely toy with the notion of the devil and his minions but don't actually BELIEVE in it's reality then we are merely toy soldiers. Our supreme business will NOT be the saving of souls, for, there is nothing immediate and dangerous to save them from, we will merely mollify and amuse them with our songs and our uniforms and our bourgeois meetings as they slip away into eternal punishment like water through our fingers.

"He is calling on you to jump into the sea, to go right away to His side and help Him in the holy strife. Will you jump? Will you go to His feet and place yourself absolutely at His disposal?
You must do it.
With the light that is now revealed to your mind and the call that is now sounding in your ears, and the beckoning Hands that are now before your eyes, you have no alternative. To go down among the perishing crowds is your duty. Your happiness from now on will consist in sharing their misery, your ease in sharing their pain, your crown in helping them to bear their cross, and your Heaven in going into the very jaws of Hell to rescue them." William Booth

THIS is what it is to be a soldier of the Cross.

Now what will you do?

One of the top 10's on most Christian's New Year's Resolution lists is to pray more.
Need help in exploring how to spice up your prayer life? Read on:

1.) Determine to work at prayer. Prayer is aggressive, not passive:

"During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission." Hebrews 5:7

"Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith." 1 Thess. 3:10

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." Colossians 4:2

"Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured" Colossians 4:12

2.) Use all means to engage in prayer - stand, walk, move, speak...

3.) Pray every morning and every night. Set a time and a place:

"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." Joshua 1:8

"Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before." Daniel 6:10

"May my prayer be set before you like incense;may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice." Ps. 141:2

4.) Pray to God. Develop a picture in your mind and address the Lord, so you become more comfortable in the heavenly places so that you feel as though your citizenship changes from earth to Heaven.

5.) Pray the Bible. Learn the language of the Spirit to express your heart:

"This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words." 1 Corinthians 2:13

Begin to pray actual Bible verses and chapters phrase by phrase, slowly and repetitively:

"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." Joshua 1:8

Make the Word the foundation of your prayer either for yourself or in intercession.

Excerpted from Salvation Army Founder Catherine Booth writings: Popular Chrisianity


The Real Warfare:

First: Christ's soldiers must be IMBUED with the SPIRIT of the WAR.


Love to the King and concern for His interests must be the master passion of the soul.
All outward effort, even that which springs from a sense of duty, will fail without this.
The hardship and suffering involved in real spiritual warfare are too great for any motive but that of love...
A little child who has this spirit will subjugate others to his King, while the most talented and learned and active, without it, will accomplish comparatively little.
If the hearts of the Christians of this generation were inspired with this spirit, and set on WINNING the world for GOD, we should soon see nations shaken to their centre, and MILLIONS of souls translated into the kingdom.


Secondly: The soldiers of Christ must be ABANDONED to the war.


They must be thoroughly committed to God's side: there can be NO NEUTRALS in this warfare...
Some one may ask,

"But we cannot all be ministers, or missionaries, or officers in the Salvation Army; must we not attend to the avocations of this life, and work for the bread that perisheth for ourselves and our families?"

Certainly, but the great end in ALL WE DO must be the promotion of the Kingdom. A man may work in order that he may eat, but he must eat to live, not to himself or for the promotion of his own purposes, but for his King, and for the advancement of His interests; and if his heart is REALLY set on this, he will have NO DESIRE to work at his secular calling longer than is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY to promote this.
When the necessary amount of work is done, he will gladly lay aside his implements of husbandry or handicraft for the sword of the Spirit...
There will be no running away, no forsaking of the cross, no shrinking from the hard places of the field; but a determined pushing of the battle to the gate, even amid weariness, opposition, and sometimes in the face of dire defeat.        

Then, third: Christ's soldiers must UNDERSTAND the TACTICS of war.


In order to do this, they must make it a subject of earnest and prayerful study how to make the most of their time, talents, money, or any other resources which God may have placed at their command for the advancement of the kingdom.
They must THINK and SCHEME how best to attack the enemy...
Think also of the shameful indifference--which cannot be characterised as warfare at all--of the ordinary services and arrangements of the churches. It often makes my heart ache as I pass some stately, closed-up church or chapel, with its antiquated board with a shame-faced, insignificant announcement that the "Reverend So-and-so will preach," or a "Gospel address will be delivered" at such a time on such a day; in which it is evident NOTHING is contemplated beyond securing the eye and attention of those who ALREADY HAVE a liking for going to churches or chapels...
WHERE IS THE ZEAL of the Christians of this generation for the Lord of hosts? How much do they care about His reign over the hearts of their fellow-men? What is their appreciation of the present and eternal benefits embraced in His salvation; or what is their estimate of the "crown of life" which He promises to give to every one of His conquering soldiers?


Fourth: The soldiers of Christ must BELIEVE IN VICTORY.


Faith in victory is an indispensable condition to successful warfare of any kind...
The true soldier of Christ, who has the spirit of the war and who is ABANDONED to its interests, has an earnest in his soul of coming victory.
He knows it is ONLY A QUESTION OF TIME, and time is nothing to love!
As he is lying in the trenches, or taking long marches, or suffering for the want of common necessaries, or enduring the sharpest bayonets or heaviest fire of the enemy, or lying wounded, overcome by fatigue, pressed by discouragement, realizing the greatness of the conflict in contrast with his own weakness--in the very darkest hours and severest straits, he has the herald of COMING VICTORY sounding in his ears...
This faith inspires him to endure hardship and to suffer loss, to hold on.
He NEVER thinks of turning his back to the foe, or shirking the cross, or turning the stones into bread, or of trying to shorten the march...
He looks onward through the dark clouds to the proud moment when the King will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" He listens, and above the din of the earthly conflict he hears the words,

"Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life!"

Hallelujah...where are you today Catherine?

IN a testimony I gave last year, I impulsively chose to adopt these Words from the book of James:

Instead of just reading through this portion of Scripture easily, consider each statement and attach a picture to it - what does it mean that love doesn't want what it doesn't have? Attach a personal experience to it - Do you have a love relationship in which you have not 'kept score'? Have you experienced the kind of love that isn't always me first?




Love never gives up.

Love doesn't strut,

Isn't always "me first,"

Doesn't revel when others grovel,

"That you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints." Ephesians 1:18

"He has given some to be apostles..." Ephesians 4:11

The inheritance of the Lord, and His riches are in the saints. He has given people as gifts to the Body. The saints themselves are the treasures. The saints are the inheritance.
Paul prays that the Church's eyes would opened so that they would GET the richness or what they have in one another. To see one another, not just as humans, or comrades, but as treasures and gifts right from God.

Paul prays that they would know:

1.) the hope to which they have been called

2.) the glorious inheritance in the saints

3.) the power for us who believe

What is your hope?
Who are your gifts?
Where is your power?

"Only God can keep all His promises."

My sweetie promised to call me tonight.
He never called.
That's a tough one for me, because I'm stuck in this place of 'if you say you're going to do something, you need to do it.' Integrity is a big deal to me. However, God's Word warns me specifically about that:

"It is better to trust the LORD than to put confidence in people.
It is better to trust the LORD than to put confidence in princes." Psalm 118:8-9 NLT

Not only must I avoid putting my trust in men over the Lord, I have to include those I hold in high esteem - even people like the General, or the Pope, those that I want with all of my heart to trust will always make the right decision - people like Stephen and Rob and Elaine...(!)
But the Lord says no. Some months ago He reminded me that no man pulled me out of the pit or sin, no man brought me into relationship with a Lover like no other. No man got me to where I am today. Only Jesus. Only Jesus.
For, “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall"
But my Jesus is forever. Perfect forever. Loving forever. Faithful forever.
Amen.

"The greatness of a man's power is the measure of his surrender." William Booth

To me, this speaks of the power of God that rests in us when we choose to surrender ourselves and be truly humble. When I choose to surrender my wordly right to be offended, or angry or hurt or entitled to some form of restitution.
It appears to be an easy move - surrender - when I'm blogging about it. Living it is something entirely different. I'm struggling. 25 years in the 'world', studying its values and surging ahead with its moral code has left me with programming that sickens me. I proclaim with Paul - "O what a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?"
In his commentary, Matthew Henry says this of Paul's words:

"Compared with the holy rule of conduct in the law of God, the apostle found himself so very far short of perfection, that he seemed to be carnal; like a man who is sold against his will to a hated master, from whom he cannot set himself at liberty. A real Christian unwillingly serves this hated master, yet cannot shake off the galling chain, till his powerful and gracious Friend above, rescues him."

And that is it - the closer I come to perfection, the more glaring are my imperfections and equally obvious is the evidence that I can do no thing to change my sinful state apart from the blood of Christ Jesus.

Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God–through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

"Believers may be chastened of the Lord, but will not be condemned with the world. By their union with Christ through faith, they are thus secured." Matthew Henry

Hallelujah.

In verse 12, Paul writes that he trusts that Yahweh is able to guard all that he entrusts to Him - his life, future, plans, family, friends, ministry, etc.
Paul says to Timothy (young church-planter):

"Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you - guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us."

Let's look at that:
Guard - an action word - requires us to be intentional about being on guard against the enemy
Deposit - implies that what we've got is only a taste and that there is much more to come...
Entrusted - you entrust things to those who are found to be trustworthy servants and workmen approved
Help of the Holy Spirit - it's a tag team effort - us and Holy Spirit

After this big spiel, Paul then points out that two other guys (Phygelus and Hermogenes) who were working alongside of him ditched him - right after telling Timothy to guard his deposit. This fate of Phygelus and Hermogenes appears to be the outcome of those who don't guard themselves or work in submitted cooperation with Holy Spirit.

What does that mean to you? Are you more of a Timothy - eager to soak up the wisdom God has for you and willing to be disciplined and do what it takes to be productive in the Kingdom? Or do you have the sour flavour of Phygelus and Hermogenes - lovers of themselves and this world, submitted not to the Holy Spirit of the Living God, but instead making their gods their stomachs? Perhaps you are most like Paul - feeling abandoned by those whom you were pouring your life and teaching into. If so, keep at your work, this faith and love rooted in Christ. Amen.

Prophecy - men speaking from God as they are carried along by His Holy Spirit

Paul speaks to the Romans about a 'certain type' of person. The type who knew God, but who wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. The result was that their minds became dark and confused.
So who are these people?
They are those who have recognized, even through creation, the beauty of nature that there IS a Creator. However, they have chosen not to honour Him, or thank Him for what He has done. Instead, in pride, they make up their own ideas of what 'god' is like - making Him vague, or human or animal, disinterested or cruel. The result of their choice to worship their own god-image rather than the Living God is that their minds become dark. And confused. They claim to be wise, but they became utter fools instead, muttering incantations over jars of catguts or stones. Connecting with spiritual powers they do not understand, neither of which are they in control of as they assume they are. They worship idols made to look like mere people, or birds and animals and snakes instead of Yahweh. So He lets them go ahead and do whatever shameful things their hearts desire.

Paul longed to see the Church in Rome so tht he could get together and impart a spiritual gift to them. Also to get together and mutually encourage one another by their faith.

Hmm.

I've just been home for a visit to my home church. In the months and weeks leading up to the visit, did I anticipate meeting with them to invite Holy Spirit to come and impart spiritual gifts?
No...
Did I plan a get-together with my brothers and sisters in Christ so that we could fellowship and share stories of what God is doing in our lives to mutually encourage one another and build up our faith through one another's testimonies?
No...
As a matter of fact, I asked to share with my home congregation and was denied because the service was already to 'full' and there would have been a possibility of the meeting running past the one hour standard.
Sad, but true.
However, as is the case when we let Him, Holy Spirit came upon me and I was able to share anyways, just before the closing song. Praise God. And as I stood and faced my family, all 200 of them in the pews around me and addressed them from my heart and through the Spirit and saw their faces uplifted, I was grieved in my Spirit that this kind of sharing is not commonplace in my church.
How are we meant to encourage one another if we don't even know what God is doing in each other's lives?