Ruins Come to Life

“Desire is insatiable as death, but He who filleth all in all can fill it.” -Charles Spurgeon

There is a special attribute to the Kingdom of God that I fear many Christians forget or are just unaware of. When seeking first the Kingdom we often get wrapped up in external activities but: “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” (‭Luke‬ ‭17‬:‭20-21‬ NKJV)

For years I was not a Christian and sought to fill the desires of my soul with worldly, temporary pleasures (two of the big ones being alcohol and pornography). After becoming a Christian I had a constant struggle between this old man and the new creation that I had become. My flesh would still desire worldly things and in an attempt to earn holiness I would go on streaks of self-denial. These never lasted very long and sent me into a whirlwind of identity struggle.

The problem is that I was looking outward, instead of inward. Focusing on outward self-denial of the flesh actually makes your fleshly desires grow. Phrases like “murder your flesh” are thrown around but according to scripture I’m a new creation and my old man is already dead!

I did not find freedom until I learned to turn inward to Christ in me, the hope of glory. It is there that I find all I am looking for and become delighted in the Lord. It is there that God does the work from the inside out and uproots the hidden leaven planted by the principalities of darkness in our earlier years.

If you seek breakthrough do not strive towards anything but knowing Christ in you the hope of glory. It is there that all deliverance comes.

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! (‭Psalms‬ ‭34‬:‭8‬ NKJV)

Sunday’s Meditation

I’ve decided to start posting on Sundays a simple set of verses that the Lord has been speaking to me through in the prior week. So here’s this week’s verses. Let me know in the comments if He’s spoke to you through these as well.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬ NKJV)

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭33‬ NKJV)

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭3‬ NKJV)

God Corrects Those He Loves

In seeking the Lord recently I have been asking in prayer to have the mind of Christ and for the Holy Spirit to correct my wrong thinking. One way God has been doing this is by showing me what certain scriptures do not say.

The first verse He did this with was Hebrews 12:1 where He told me it says, “run the race with endurance, not speed.”

Today He has corrected me in what it doesn’t mean when we are “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Heb 12:2) and when we are “pressing toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:14).

It doesn’t mean that you get so focused on Jesus that you take your eyes off of those around you.

For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. (‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭21‬ NIV)

To have our eyes fixed on Christ is to share the mind of Christ which is:

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭3-7‬ NIV)

I will confess in many things I can be very selfish, even in spiritual things. I get so caught up in what I think I need to be doing that I often miss the needs of others around me. I’m so focused on the prize that I blaze right past people standing around me that need a hand.

Thank you Lord for revealing this and I ask that by Your power I be awakened to have the mind of Christ. I ask for a supernatural humility and the ability to be your hands and feet reaching out to the least of these whom you love so dearly.

True Good Works (Part 2)

Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest… (Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭1-3‬ NKJV)

In my last post about good works (which you can read here) I talked about true good works being a state in which we are completely surrendered to God so that our works actually become His good work through us.

The Lord has shown me one more facet of true good works which is working from rest. This goes hand in hand with being completely surrendered to Him. When we are surrendered to the Lord we have laid every burden of worry and anxiety at His feet. We have ceased from our own work and put our complete trust in Him. Through this beautiful gift of comfort and faith from the Holy Spirit we enter His rest.

We find this through obedience. We are commanded to be diligent to enter His rest (Heb 4:10) and entering comes when faith is mixed with the Word of God which has been spoken over us. Many of us often doubt our standing with God. We believe lies that our performance affects His countenance towards us. This is the farthest from the truth! It is His countenance that gives us peace (Num 6:26). The Father is smiling down upon you and wishes for you to seek His face. As you seek His face you will see the truth that His countenance towards you is of love, joy, gladness and pride. He is proud of you for you are His good work. Rest in that truth. Accept this word into your heart and embrace your identity as His good work.

True Good Works

The Lord’s been speaking to me about what true good works are. He’s shown me verses like:

Ephesians 2:10.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

And Matthew 5:16.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

And then showing me in Titus 2:15 and 3:8 that His own special people are zealous for good works and should be careful to maintain good works.

Then there is of course James who says faith without works is dead (James 2:26).

From all these verses it’s easy to see that good works are important to God and ultimately the fruit of any follower of Christ. But what exactly is a true good work?

The Lord’s been teaching me the heart behind good works that He wants us to have. A true good work is when we are surrendered to the Lord so much that it is actually He who does the good works through us. For we are His workmanship and we are His good work (Phil 1:6). We are not at all saved by good works, lest anyone should boast (Eph 2:9) nor do we earn God’s favor through them. But when we surrender our will and let the Holy Spirit possess us, naturally His good works will flow out of our lives. We become His good work that He promises to carry out to completion.

Strengthen the Brethren

Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” (‭Hebrews‬ ‭3‬:‭12-15‬ NKJV)

We fight unbelief and doubt by exhorting, and encouraging each other. When you receive a word of encouragement from the brethren receive it as from the Lord. He uses us to speak to each other and this process strengthens both the giver of the word and the receiver. In faith accept that encouragement, for faith comes by hearing the word of God (Rom 10:17). And when you do receive a word from the Lord pass it on and be a part of God’s plan in strengthening the brethren. This helps us to enter and remain in His rest, for we who have believed do enter that rest (Heb 4:3).

Open Doors

God opens and closes the doors and the doors He opens no man can shut.

If He’s opened a door for you, all you have to do is step through it.

If there’s multiple doors, do not fear. He has given you a choice and either way He goes before you and makes the crooked paths straight.

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. (‭Isaiah‬ ‭42‬:‭16‬ NIV)

There is a Better Life

Depression runs rampant in our society. I have known it and it is a dark hole, an evil abyss of darkness that I never want to return to.

There is a better life. There is hope, there is peace and there is true Love! So many wander this earth with no purpose and my heart breaks for them. My words seem so insufficient. How can I reach them? How can I show them the Light which I have come to know?

I myself cannot, but He who is in me can! When I submit my life to He who is greater than he who is in the world, Light shines.

When He lives in me His peace becomes real, His hope manifests and His love reaches out and overcomes darkness.

Oh Lord may I be your hands and feet. May I speak boldly the truth when it is your will for me to do so.

I break off every lie of the enemy in Jesus name! I break off every discouraging whisper of lies saying you are not good enough, that God cannot work through you. He can, He does and He will!

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬ NKJV)

A Transformed Mind

“I can’t afford to have a thought in my head that He doesn’t have in His head about me. We adjust our thinking to His.” -Bill Johnson

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬ NIV)

I believe a huge part of having a renewed mind is surrender. A mind transformed has been washed by the water of the word (Eph 5:26) and submits our thoughts to the thoughts God has about us! A transformed mind is a new creation in Christ whose mind is aware of the new identity we have in Him. A transformed mind knows what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us and that we are now sons of God who received the Spirit of adoption, not of bondage and fear (1 John 3:1, Rom 8:15).

I want what He wants for me. What all that entails I do not know. But I do know it is exceedingly and abundantly more than I could ever ask or think.

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. (‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭5‬ NIV)

Thy will be done Father, on earth as it is in heaven. Show us Your will and enable us through your Spirit to accomplish the plans you have for us. May our thinking all be aligned with the mind of Christ rebuking every lie of the enemy in Jesus name.

You Are Not Alone!

You never have to do it alone because Jesus is with you!

Whatever you’re going through, whatever is stressing you out taking up space in your thoughts, you don’t have to do it alone. Jesus is with you.