Brokenness

Jesus doesn’t just help us; he does everything for us…as us.  He’s not our example, he’s our substitute!  We’ve been pressured to emulate Jesus, in both word and deed.  We’ve been led to believe that after his resurrection, Jesus left.  (Nevermind his promise to never leave.)  He came down, cleaned up our mess and then vanished.  It’s up to us now; we’ve got to finish what he started.  There’s a lot of work to do.  We’ve got to “stay out” of our old nature and renew our mind.  I mean, Jesus couldn’t do everything for us!  That’s ridiculous.

Well, he did!  Jesus obeyed his law and then carried our cross, so that he could die with us…as us.  Let’s not glaze over that last part; we died!  Our death certificate is perhaps the best gift of all.  Understanding this truth is the key for the wine cellar!  And it all starts with brokenness.  

I like to use the word broken because that’s what it feels like at first.  It’s a place where we stop doing, stop trying, and stop depending (on ourselves).  We become 100% dependent on Dad and the finished work of Jesus.  Actually, a better word is dependency.  Being dependent means we do nothing but receive.  Sounds pretty good, huh?  Because it is!  Somewhere along the way, though, we were told to become “mature” and do things ourselves.  Ok, well let’s keep that in mind and find out if Jesus was mature.

The Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing.  (John 5:19)

By myself, I can do nothing.  (John 5:30)

Wow, how embarrassing.  The creator of the universe was actually quite immature!  He never grew up.  Or maybe he did, and he was just being modest there.  What about Paul?  Did he attain the level of maturity that Jesus lacked? 

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.  (2 Cor 12:10)

Wow.  Not only was Paul immature, but proud of it!  And he exaggerated.  I mean, do we seriously believe he “delighted in hardships”?  

Yes!  Yes we do.  But the better question is why did he delight in hardships?  Do we also delight?  Yes!  We delight in hardships because… they break us!!  (Quick disclaimer: Hardships are NOT from God.  Jesus told us his yoke is easy.)  However, when hardships do come, we’re quickly reminded that we no longer live.  And if we no longer live, then who lives in us?  Jesus!!  What does this mean?  It means when hardships come, we retreat back into Dad’s arms and do what we do best: receive.  We allow him to do everything. 

After we died with Jesus on the cross, Dad created a new species of human beings with DNAs intertwined with his son.  (I’m not sure if that’s exactly what happened, but imagining this helps us see the incredible union we have with Jesus.)  We don’t have a “separate” relationship with Dad.  Jesus’ relationship is now our relationship.  His mind is now our mind.  His power is now our power.  His favor is now our favor.  We are one and the same!

So bring on the trials!  They remind us to get out of the way; quickly and effectively.  We can then relax and feel the torrent of living water surging from within, always refreshingly powerful!

Desires of the Flesh

Dad loves us soooo much!  You have no idea.  It’s crazy.  Everything he says comes from a place of love, and is for our benefit.  Unlike any earthly Dad, he doesn’t need anything.  Except us.  Like a loving father needs his son, or a man needs his wife, Dad needs us.  We make him so happy and bring him so much pleasure. He’s drunk with love!  Every day he thinks about us and talks to us.  We hear his voice in our thoughts, saying the most wonderful things.  He’s incredibly happy and very excited to spend every moment together, for now and all of eternity!

Knowing Dad’s love is crucial for understanding bible verses.  Throughout the New Testament, Paul mentions something called “the flesh”.  The greek word is sarx, and in many places it means “the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin”.  Whoa…that doesn’t sound good!  Wait, I thought we weren’t sinners anymore.

That’s right!  We’re righteous.  We no longer live “apart from divine influence”.  Dad lives inside us and has already removed that sinful nature (Rom 6:6).  He’s given us a new spirt and a new heart.  Now we have direct access to him and the Holy Spirit through Jesus (who are madly in love with us).  We’re no longer sinners.  We’re righteous, just like Dad and all the angels in heaven!  Our authority and power has been restored.  We get to hear Dad’s approval and affection for us; constantly, without interruption.  If the enemy accuses us, Jesus and the Holy Spirit jump to our defense.  Pretty awesome, huh?

You know what else is awesome?  The fact that we can do anything we want, and still be righteous (1 Cor 10:23).  Seriously, anything.  And remain righteous and powerful, with eternal life!  Dad’s very proud of us and no longer hides his smile and approval.

But what if we sin?  Is Dad disappointed? 

No.  Sin does NOT offend Dad!  

It never has.  What bothers him is watching his children die.  That’s why Jesus came.  Not to make sinners righteous, but to make dead people alive.  The reason Dad talks about sin is because it kills his children (Rom 5:12).  It’s the same reason he talks about “the flesh”; because it produces death (Gal 6:8).  Today, “our flesh” is just in our heads.  We don’t actually have a sinful nature anymore.  What we do have, however, is lots of power in our tongues.  This is important, because if we think we have a sinful nature, we’ll speak (and act) accordingly.  And the power of death will roll off our tongues and into our lives.  Then we’ll wake up one day and wonder why there’s so much death around us.  It’s because we can’t stop talking about “our sinful nature”! 

Wake up.  We’re righteous.  We don’t have a sinful nature or flesh anymore.  We’re perfect, restored, and full of life!  Even though we’re allowed to do anything we want, we choose not to partake in death.  We want to experience Dad!  To feel his presence, his approval, and his powerful love every second, of every day.  He’s the one that brings us pleasure and happiness, and we want more!  And more and more!!

Power

Wouldn’t it be cool if you had something so powerful, it could raise people from the dead and cure terminal diseases?  Something that could get you anything you want?  Something easy and available right now?  May I present to you…your mouth!

  

There’s so much in the bible about speaking.  During creation, God said let there be light.  When Jesus was tempted by the devil, he said “Get out of here, Satan”.  He also shouted “Lazarus, come out”.  Crazy how simple it is, huh?  Who knew such power was hidden in the mouth?

Now, this power can be used for just about anything, but today I want to talk about temptations.  Most people think only the devil tempts, but we actually tempt ourselves.  Specifically, our minds do.  James 1:14 says we are lured by our own evil desires.  Not demons.  Ourselves.  

Whoa, let’s pump the brakes here for a second…we’re not evil!  We’re new creations- perfect and righteous!  Yes, but our minds are not so perfect.  They’re actually pretty weak and useless until they get renewed (which is a process the Holy Spirit loves helping out with).  But you know what’s not weak and useless: our tongues.  They are pow-er-ful!

So, if we get tempted with something, we have two choices: combat it using our weak little minds, or with our powerful tongues.  I would suggest the second option.  However, in order to use our tongues, we’ve gotta have something to say.  Something powerful.  Like grace.  

Grace says we’re allowed to do anything and still be righteous.  Grace says there are no more rules.  It says we don’t have to feel guilty anymore…about anything.  We’re perfect, righteous, and protected because of what Jesus did.  Our actions can’t undo that.  Pretty cool, huh?

Now grace can be a little scary for people who don’t have much experience with freedom.  They want rules, and to be told what to do.  But we’re no longer under law; we’re free.  That means no rules.  

So let’s say we get tempted with something (like anger, porn, or smoking).  We know we’re allowed to do all that but, since we’re new creations, we don’t want to.  If we open up the New Testament we’ll find, sure enough, that “All things are lawful” (1 Cor 6:12).  Shucks; no rules to hide behind.  But we still want to resist temptations, because we’re righteous and slaves to nothing.  This is when we can use the mouth.

Instead of answering temptations with our weak thoughts, we make it an unfair fight.  We use our spoken words! 

“I am a new creation!  I am righteous.  Even though all things are lawful, I don’t want that anymore.  The Holy Spirit lives inside me and loves me very much.  Jesus loves me.  Dad is very proud of me and has given me a happy life without pain or regret!”  

Spoken words are very powerful.  Thoughts, on the other hand, are weak (until the mind is fully renewed).  Mental battles are won simply by talking out loud.  So study scripture to learn what to say, and don’t forget to grow in the knowledge of how much Dad loves you!

Love vs. Grace

The other night at church, I found myself frustrated while a group of believers were lovingly speaking truth to someone who was discouraged.  They were surrounding this guy with love and making him feel good.  But, in my mind, they could have mentioned even more powerful truths!!

Haha, wow.  How did I get to this place?  This place where I care more about “pure” grace and truth, than love.  I feel like somewhere along the way, I missed the whole point.  So I told Holy Spirit I didn’t like what I had become, and was immediately comforted and encouraged by him; very gently.  He made me feel loved, yet again!  Here’s what he told me.

We were created to be loved by Dad.  He is love.  Every fiber of his being is love.  He didn’t create us for grace and truth.  Grace and truth came through Jesus to support his love.  For us!! 

Dad was so excited when he created us!  All he wanted to do was walk and talk with us, in the cool of the day.  In the back of his mind, he wasn’t thinking, “Boy, I sure hope Adam falls so I can show him grace and truth.”  No; he never wanted that.  But when Adam did fall, he didn’t freak out.  His plan guaranteed we would always stay with him, no matter what.  That plan was grace, also known as Jesus.  But his son was never the focus.  We are the focus!  Jesus simply allows us to stay in a place where we can receive Dad’s love.  Unconditionally.  100% of the time; no matter what!  And what’s even more exciting is that Jesus loves us too.  Just as much as Dad!  Now that’s a lot of love. 

Today, a lot of people are getting excited about grace, which is good.  But grace is not exciting by itself.  The only reason grace is exciting is because it allows us to receive Dad’s love, and ignore thoughts telling us we have to “earn it”, or that we can “lose it”.  Grace is the vehicle that brings us, and protects us, in Dad’s love.  But the destination is love!  Love is what we were created for; not grace.

“If I have the gift of prophesy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, but do not have love, I have nothing” (1 Cor 13:2).

Understanding ‘grace and truth’ falls under the knowledge category.  Yes, it’s highly beneficial to understand what Jesus did.  He did an amazing thing, and continues to do amazing things.  But if his finished work did anything, it was simply to protect us; so we can receive Dad’s powerful love, all the time.

People don’t want doctrine.  People want to be loved.  If your doctrine is getting in the way of loving people, ditch the doctrine.  And if your doctrine makes it hard to receive Dad’s love, read the bible again.  That book will give you the confidence and assurance to do nothing but receive Dad’s love.  Every second of every day. 

He loves us soooo much!!!  He's completely infatuated with us.  He's very proud of us and loves to make us happy, because we bring him so much happiness.  Jesus’ finished work is our safety bubble to do nothing but soak in Dad’s love forever, and ever, and ever!!

Once Saved, Always Saved?

I’m excited about this post.  This was a big question I had growing up, and no one could answer it with confidence. So I feel very honored and privileged to have the answer today:

YES!!!  WITHOUT A DOUBT, YES!!

Once saved, ALWAYS saved!

Dad loves you!!!  He is love! He created you because he wanted someone else to love…forever!!

Here’s the truth.  Only Dad can help you.  Only Dad can give you everything you want.  Only Dad can make you feel good, every minute of every day.  He doesn’t want you to be afraid of him; he wants you to feel safe and secure!  He is obsessed with you and loves to tell you how awesome you are.

But you won’t go to Dad if you think he’s mad at you.  Or disappointed; or has forsaken you.  So let’s get rid of that fear!

“Never will I leave you nor forsake you.” (Heb 13:5).  Never means never.  But then there’s the argument, “Well, God won’t forsake me, but I could choose to forsake him!”  Really?  You sure about that? 

Let me ask you this question: “Don’t you know that you are a temple of God, and that his spirit dwells in you?” (1 Cor 3:16).  How are you gonna kick him out of the house he made inside you? (John 14:23).  Ooh, I know!  Maybe with sin?! 

Haha!!  That would probably draw him even closer (as if he could get any closer)!  The world was full of sin when Jesus came.  “Where sin increased, grace increased even more” (Rom 5:20).  Good luck kicking him out with sin! 

And speaking of sin, what about this verse: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more!” (Heb 10:17).  How could he send you to hell if he doesn’t remember your sins?  You might say, “Well, that’s ridiculous!  Of course he remembers our sins!”  Uh, no.  God is God.  He can do anything he wants.  If he chose to forget our sins, he did!

And what about this verse: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has gone, the new has come” (2 Cor 5:17).  You’re a new creation!  You were never going to hell because of what you did anyways; you were going because of what Adam did (Rom 5:19).  Now, you’re going to Heaven (for sure!) because of what Jesus did, not because of what you did!  You’re a butterfly now!  Not a caterpillar.  He made you a new creation; unable to change back into a caterpillar! 

Finally, John 14:16-17 (this is Jesus talking): “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever…he lives with you and in you”.  Dang.  That sounds pretty permanent to me!

Listen, I know why people are focused on eternal salvation, which is why I wrote about it.  But Jesus didn’t come so that we can just go to heaven.  “I have come so that they may have life, and life more abundantly” (John 10:10).  He came so that we can have everything…right now!  If all you’re doing is waiting for Heaven, that’s ok.  But you could be pulling Heaven down here, on Earth!  Things like hearing Dad’s voice audibly, feeling his presence intensely, getting drunk off his Spirit daily, raising people from the dead, prophesying, getting raptured up to Heaven weekly, teleporting around the world, and so much more!

Eternal life is not Heaven, it is knowing Dad (John 17:3).  Increase your confidence of Dad’s love for you so that you can move past the “Heaven/Hell” discussion and experience everything that’s rightfully yours…today!!

Top 10 Lies of Religion: The Finale

God wants to make you feel good; every minute, of every day.

And he’s capable of doing it.

But you don’t go to him for pleasure, do you?  You go to other things.  Things like alcohol, marijuana, or sex.

But who said God didn’t create these things?  You think Satan created alcohol or sex?  Nope.  God created alcohol, sex and everything else.  He also created the desire for pleasure that’s inside you.  He loves to see you happy because you make him happy!  He gave you a powerful mind and a creative imagination, with unlimited freedom and protection to do anything you want!

Satan wants you to believe that certain pleasure-inducing actions are “off-limits”, and if you participate in such things, rejection from God will follow.

Well, God loves pleasure!  So why aren’t you going to him for it?  It’s because you’ve heard lies:

Lie #7.)  You can’t really get drunk from the Holy Spirit.  Love is not a feeling.

Since when is love not a feeling?  Turn on the radio.  Are people singing about doctrines?  Or about how they feel?!  “It was for the joy set before him that he endured the cross” (Heb. 12:2).  Not the “decision” set before him.

And just because you haven’t got wasted off the Holy Spirit, doesn’t mean you won’t.  When the disciples received the Holy Spirit, people thought they were drunk (Acts 2:13)!  So why did the church go to AA meetings and sober up?!  If you noticed, it was the Holy Spirit that got everyone drunk!  Should we have an intervention for him as well?

Lie #8.)  Once you’re a believer, you can no longer do anything you want.

Ha!  I used to think that too.  The truth is exactly the opposite: you can do anything you want, and you will be blameless!  If you’re unsure, read this post, or the New Testament. 

Wake up.  “It’s for freedom that Christ has set us free” (Gal 5:1).  If you want to snort cocaine your whole life, you’ll still be righteous and go to heaven.  If you want to commit adultery 50 times, God will still be pleased with you.  Serial killer?  You’re good!  (I’m talking to believers here, as unbelief is the one and only thing that will separate you from such an awesome, loving Dad.)  (John 3:18, 16:9). 

But why would you get addicted to cocaine, or hurt the wife who loves you, or kill people?  It’s because you think God won’t give you pleasure and has little to do with sex.  And, because you don’t know you’re just like him!  Loving.  Pure.  Clean.  Righteous.  Powerful.  Attractive.  Compassionate. 

  

Lie #9.)  God gives and takes away.

Before you go quoting Job, know that the guy was self-righteous (Job 32:1-2), bitter (Job 37:2), suicidal (Job 7:15), and didn’t really know God (Job 42:3).  Why not quote Paul who had the full revelation: “God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable” (Rom 11:29).  God doesn’t take gifts away because “you’re enjoying them too much”.  He loves you!

Lie #10.)  God’s different than me.

Nope.  “God created mankind in his own image” (Gen 1:27).  His son Jesus came down here to be fully man, and to forever emphasize with us on every level (Heb 4:15).  He knows pleasure, and is actually the source for the best pleasure around!!

God gives the most powerful, intense pleasure in the universe.  And it’s all for YOU!  

Pretty awesome, huh?

Top 10 Lies of Religion: Part 3

God wants you to know all about him.  He wants you to know his son Jesus.  He wants you to know his Holy Spirit.  This is your family!  You have a Dad who is very pleased with you; ready to give you anything you want (John 16:23).  You have a best friend named Jesus, who serves you; not the other way around (Matt. 20:28).  And a Holy Spirit who loves to get you drunk (Acts 2:13).

So why are you not interested in your family?  I know!  It’s because you heard lies…

Lie #4.)  Who can know the mind of Christ?  Not you.  Stop asking questions.

Two verses render this question.  The first is 1 Corinthians 2:16, “Who has known the mind of the Lord?”  But keep reading!  “We have the mind of Christ!”  The second is Isaiah 55:9: “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  This is simply stating that God has better thoughts; which is encouraging because we have those thoughts now!  Dad’s not into keeping secrets (John 14:26).  The Holy Spirit was given “so that we may understand what God has freely given us” (1 Cor. 2:12).

The lie that God is mysterious brings false comfort after someone dies despite prayers.  So we frantically try to explain it.  But again, we don’t change scripture to match our experiences.  We continue in our relationship with Dad, and we hold onto his promises.  Believers will lay hands on the sick and they will recover.  Period.  End of discussion.

Lie #5.)  People with gifts of healing and prophesy are super rare and super special!

Negatron.  Once again, YOU are the one who is super special!  And as far as gifts go, you have all of them…right now (1 Cor. 1:7).  Why do you even want to grow in these gifts?  Is it because they will prove God exists and loves you?  Well, you don’t have to prove anything.  Dad loves you and is very pleased with you, period.  The enemy is just trying to take your eyes off Dad.

The truth is God doesn’t wait for you to mature, while he talks to other people.  He in fact talks to you right now (most of the time, they seem like just your “thoughts”).  And as for signs and wonders, you’ll get these too!  They’ll happen naturally.  But you don’t get fruit by focusing on fruit.  You get it by focusing on Dad’s love for you.   

Lie #6.)  God’s love is about recruiting.  Not receiving.    

Christianity: The Great Ponzi Scheme!  Once you sign up to become a Christian, you’re told to find more people.  Then those people are told to find even more people.  And on and on it goes.  You’ve got to witness!  But what are you telling people?  “Hey, let me tell you about a God I barely know so that you can join this ponzi scheme and do the same thing?” 

You are not a recruiter.  Dad wants to spend time with you (Eph 3:17) rather than watch you talk to other people.  Once you begin to feel his love and know him better, you won’t be able to contain yourself!  But this will happen as an overflow!  Once again, not something you focus on.

Listen, there’s nothing to do except receive!  God does all the work!  You have an awesome family: Dad, Jesus, and Holy Spirit.  Feel free to know them.  God has made you perfect.  He sees you without flaw!  He loves spending time with you and is always smiling; totally obsessed with…YOU!!

Thoughts?