Have you ever seen something happen in a church or online that claims to be godly but it looks a lot like some of that New Age stuff that’s being touted everywhere you look?
I have…and it made me seriously question if that was really from God or simply New Age stuff making it’s way into the the church? Personally, I was inclined to believe that the world’s latest and greatest had somehow found its way into the church. But it got me to thinking, questioning, and wondering! And I set out to prove to myself…and eventually to others… that “that thing” did NOT belong in the church!
So I started studying God’s Word and looking up Biblical passages that spoke of that thing. And between what I’ve read and learned from God’s Word and going back into my notes of what I’d learned in Bible College I came to a conclusion of my own…and to be honest it kind of took me by surprise…
Want to know what I found out? Listen to the video below where I share what I discovered about this question… and what I heard from a trusted teacher that put the final touch on my understanding…
Feel free to comment with your thoughts on what I just shared. I’d love to hear from you.
Iâve always thought of Psalm 91 as a perfect example of Godâs promises for us, His people! Listen to these verses:
Psalm 91:1-3 AMPCâHe who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand]. I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust! For [then] He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.
This Psalm is a perfect example of the âIf I do this…THEN God will bless me with thatâ promises. But what I didnât realize is that itâs a perfect example of the Law being lived well.
Only problem with that is that weâre no longer living in the under the Law, but under Grace. Just as Romans 6:14 AMPC tells usâFor sin shall not [any longer] exert dominion over you, since now you are not under Law [as slaves], but under grace [as subjects of Godâs favor and mercy].
Godâs âIf you do thisâthen I will do thatâ statements under the Law became a series of âI willâ statements…without the âIf you firstâ statements, under Grace.
Take a look at these 5 âI willâ statements from God to Abram found in Genesis 12:1-3 AMPC:
1ď¸âŁ I will make of you a great nation 2ď¸âŁ I will bless you with abundant increase of favors 3ď¸âŁ I will make your name famous and distinguished 4ď¸âŁ I will bless those who bless you 5ď¸âŁ I will curse him who curses or uses insolent language toward you
(By the way: Five is the number for grace in the Bible.)
Notice that thereâs no longer any âif you, then I willâ statements. Itâs strictly âI WILLâ from God. There was nothing that Abram had to do to earn these blessings.
Read through the New Testament carefully and see how many times you read about Godâs graciousness toward His people. How many times Jesus says, that you will receive what you have asked for. How many times Paul talks about Godâs provision and Grace.
Did you know that Grace is Godâs provision for your every need? Just as it says in 2 Peter 1:3 AMPC–For His divine power has bestowed upon us all thingsthat [are requisite and suited] to life and godliness, through the [full, personal] knowledge of Him Who called us by and to His own glory and excellence (virtue).
Notice that you didnât earn any part of that. Itâs Godâs Divine power thatâs given “all things” to you as a gift. Bestow means to give an honor, right, or gift. God has given you the gift of ALL THINGS…and just so you know…that word âALLâ really means ALL, everything.
You canât earn the gift of Salvation. You canât earn the gift of healing. You canât earn all the blessings that Jesusâ death released for you. You can only receive it. Jesus is the One Whoâs spotless, sinless life earned it for you. Jesus is the One Who satisfied the justice that the Law demanded.
The Law showed you clearly that there’s no way you can fulfill any of it, in and of yourself. You needed Jesus, the spotless Lamb, to do it for you! And now that He hasâGrace has been afforded to you and you became the righteousness of God IN Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).
For you to try and do anything now to receive His Grace and Favor is to say âChristâs death wasnât enough for me! I need to add my fleshly and sinful actions to ensure I receive His promises.â
Itâs not Jesusâ death plus your goodness! Itâs Jesusâ death that results in your goodness. It’s only as you stand in His finished work on the cross that you are righteous. Nothing you can do will ensure righteousness for you. Itâs ONLY WHAT JESUS DID THAT MAKES YOU RIGHTEOUS!
Psalm 91 was written in the age of Law and it showed the heart of the man God loved…King David. But because Jesus died for you, you no longer have to earn your righteousness and Godâs Favor. Itâs already yours…because Jesus paid the price for you!
Itâs Godâs Love shed abroad in your heart, His Grace and His Favor poured out in abundance into your life that now causes you to say of the Lord, âHe is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust!â Psalm 91:2.
You don’t “speak” because you want to earn and deserve His Favor but because His Favor is so abundantly and freely poured out into your life.
Donât try to earn what Godâs already paid for. Accept the free gift and learn to live in, and enjoy, all the blessings He wants to pour out into your life!
Romans 8:5-9a NKJVâFor those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.
To be carnally minded is death… Carnally = G4561, âsarxââflesh, body, sensuous nature, human nature, as opposed to the spirit Death = G2288, âthanatosââlife on earth is ended, implies future misery in hell
To be spiritually minded is life and peace…
Spiritually = G4151, âpneumaââHoly Spirit, our spirit Life = G2222, âzoeââthe absolute fulness of life, life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God. Blessed, in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ. (I like to think of it as the God-breathed fullness of life that Adam enjoyed before sin came into the world.) Peace = G1515, âeireneââtranquility, immunity from the rage and havoc of war, harmony, security, safety, prosperity (because peace and harmony make and keep things safe and prosperous), joy
So, in other words, when you are carnally minded youâre living our lives in the flesh, âaccording to the fleshâ. Your whole focus is on the things of the fleshâyour life here on earth, your body, your pleasures, your likes and dislikes, your wants, etc. Everything is inward focused on you.
You consult your flesh when making decisions and choices. You live to please your fleshly desires. Your mind and life are in enmity against God. Your mind is hostile, has a deep-rooted hatred, and is in opposition against God. Youâre not subject to the law of God but in opposition against it. The end of a life lived this way…is death.
Living in the flesh
Living from the flesh means living death. You are constantly working to meet the ever-increasing demands of the flesh. It needs more and more to make you happy. Serving self begins to consume your thoughts. Your world rotates around you.
This may be an extreme example, but the same is true when you look good on the outside. You’re otherâs focusedâyou spend you’re life living for the good of others. In the world’s eyes that’s wonderful! But…doing good without God is called âbeing self-righteousâ…and in Godâs eyes thatâs just as evil as being self-focused. It’s still all about “S-E-L-F“!
Look at what the Bible says about “self righteousness”… Isaiah 64:6bâAnd all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; Romans 8:8âSo then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
And just for clarification âfilthy ragsâ are equivalent to our modern day âfeminine napkin or tamponâ. Thatâs what God thinks of anything we do through our flesh. Doesnât matter how good it may be…itâs as wonderful to God as a feminine napkin or tampon would be to us!𤎠For âthose who are in the flesh cannot please God.â
Donât be discouraged
If youâre feeling like youâre living from your flesh more often than not…donât be discouraged. Most of us start that way. It doesnât mean you havenât been saved, or youâve lost your Salvation, or anything else like that! It just means thereâs some work for you to do.
Itâs called renewing your mind
Romans 12:2 AMPCâDo not be conformed to this world (this age) [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
Renewing your mind is all about learning to think according to what the Word of God says about you…and the best way to do that is to know who you are now that you are IN Christ. I would highly recommend printing out this page, Click this link: Knowing Who I Am in Christ
Whatever your need, youâve already got it
The best thing about having the Holy Spirit living in you is that you already have all the answers and the Wisdom you need living right inside of you! Jesus tells us that in John 14:26 AMPC, âBut the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things.â
(I would highly recommend writing out this verse and then looking up the meanings for the different words and put it beside each word. Then the next time youâre wondering what the Holy Spirit can do for you, you can look back at this verse and know.)
The Holy Spirit also shows you the Truth, He will reveal Jesus to you…as well as comforting you, counselling you, helping you, strengthening you and so much more…
John 16:13 AMPCâBut when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes**, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father, He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you things that are to come [that will happen in the future]. He will honor and glorify Me, because He will take of (receive, draw upon) what is Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you.
**We no longer have to wait for the Holy Spirit to come. He came on the day of Pentecost 2,000 years ago…and He came to live in your heart the moment you accepted Jesusâat that very moment you were âborn againâ and Holy Spirit came to live in your spirit…making you a new creation.
I donât know about you…but I find that extremely comforting! You donât have to figure it all out on your own. Ask the Holy Spirit for His help and He will enable you to change.
Listen to what 2 Corinthians 3:18 AMPC saysââAnd all of us, as with unveiled face [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.â
Understanding your new Spirit
If youâd like to gain a greater understanding of what your new Spirit is and how it functions within you…I would highly recommend you watch this very important video: Spirit, Soul, & Body Animation by Andrew Wommack.
I guarantee you that after watching this video youâll have a better understanding of the difference between your Body, Soul, and Spirit and how each one works together with the other parts to bring you the God-Life youâre desiring.
Living in the Spirit
Galatians 5:24 NKJVâAnd those who are Christâs have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Psalms 37:4âDelight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.
When weâre spiritually minded…when we delight ourselves in the Lord…our thoughts and desires are focused on God and our life with Him in the heavenlies where we are already seated in the Spirit.
Ephesians 2:4-6 âBut God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 3:1-2 NKJVâIf then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
A spiritually minded life is ‘an absolute fulness of life’ experienced here on earth…. A life that is active and vigorous, blessed with Peaceâtranquility, immunity from the rage and havoc of a war fought in our mind between death and life…harmony, joy, security, safety, prosperityâbecause peace and harmony make and keep things safe and prosperous.
I donât know about you…but Iâd rather give my mind over to the Spirit than to my flesh. I remember my mom saying to me as a child, âWant is a cruel task master. Itâs never satisfied. It will always want more and more and more!â Thatâs a picture of living in the carnal mind.
So…How do you live from the Spirit within
The Bible is full of advice on how to live from the Spirit rather than the flesh. Here are just a few verses to get you started.
Romans 8:12-1 NKJVâTherefore, brethren, we are debtorsânot to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
2 Corinthians 104-5 NKJVâFor the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
These strongholds are the flesh fighting to live a fleshly life. Our mind is filled with thoughts of self and other thoughts that actually speak death to the Life within us.
Arguments are those thoughts that argue that being in the flesh is okay. That youâre not doing anything wrong. Nothing will be harmed by doing xyz. Itâs okay, just this once. Arguments war against following the leading of the Spirit.
Everything that prevents you from growing in the Knowledge of God MUST go. Every flesh-serving thought we have must be taken captive and put to death at the throne Jesus.
Instead we are to think on these things:
Philippians 4:8 NKJVâFinally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthyâmeditate on these things.
Galatians 5:22-23 NKJVâBut the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
For more Scriptures about living from the Spirit within you follow the links below…
Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you through these Scriptures. Ask Him to show you how to apply them to your life. Ask Him to help you become aware of all wrong thoughts. Ask Him to help you take those thoughts captive.
Rely on Him. This isnât work you do through your own will…but through the helping hand of the Holy Spirit within you. With His help you CAN, and you WILL change!
Dealing with offense is not easy…especially if the offense comes from someone close to you!
If you’re struggling with offense and want to know how to deal with it so it doesn’t poison your life…then I would highly recommend this video series about Offense by Pastor and teacher Duane Sheriff!
Most of the videos in this series are between 12-14 minutes long so it’s not hard to fit them into a short break in your day.
Click on this link below to access the series on YouTube.
Have you ever wondered what Jesus was talking about when He said “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” – Matthew 6:33?
What about Binding and Loosing?
Here’s another strange verse that may have had you scratching your head.
Matthew 18:18 – âAssuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earthwill be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. â
Is there any connection between these 2 statements that Jesus made?
I decided to tackle this topic with a video as there’s too much to say for a blog post. You can check it out here:
⏠⏠⏠Click on the image to watch the video I made.
Luke 12:31-32âBut seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Fatherâs good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Luke 13:18-19âThen He said, âWhat is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.â
Luke 13:20-21âAnd again He said, âTo what shall I liken the kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was ALL leavened.â
You are to seek first the Kingdom of God…and as you seek His kingdom all the other things important to life and living will be added to your life!
You should have NO fear because it pleases God…it is His good pleasure to give you the Kingdom!!!
So…what is the Kingdom like?
The Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed which a man planted into his garden!
According to Mark 4: 14 – 20…
Seed = the Word of God Garden or soil = your heart
So the Word of God planted in your heart will grow so big that birds can find refuge and rest in the branches and the shade of His Word will rest a weary traveler or protect the rest of the âgardenâ from being scorched by the heat of the day.
The Kingdom of God is like leaven which a woman hid in flour
Leaven = the Word of God Meal or flour = your heart
So the Word of God planted in your heart will grow and multiply till it fills your whole life with His life, power, authority, Love, compassion, Grace, Mercy, etc (every good thing that the Bible promises us).
Notice that in both of these parables the Word of God grows and multiplies till it overtakes everything else. It was the biggest tree in the garden and like leaven it raised and brought life to the whole lump of dough.
The Kingdom of God is like seed scatted on the ground
Mark 4:26-28âAnd He said, âThe kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. For the earth yields crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.â
Mark 4:20âBut these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.
Seed = the Word of God Ground = your heart
I love what this parable tells us about Godâs Kingdom! When you scatter Godâs Word in your heart…that seedâHis Word…sprouts and grows all by itself!
How? You donât know!
And all by itself your heart will yield a good crop as Godâs Word grows in your heart. First the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. And when that Word of God fully matures in your heart it will produce good fruit in your life.
Sometimes it will produce a small change in your life, sometime a bigger change, and sometimes it will completely change an area, attitude, thought pattern, behavior ,or habit in your life.
Notice that the change is not you forcing it on yourself from the outside…but rather Godâs Word working His good will in you so that you desire to change…so that you desire to do the very thing you thought youâd never be able to do!
This doesnât mean you wonât have to push past your fears…but thatâs so much easier to do when your heart is urging you…even pulling you toward the very thing you thought youâd never do!
Philippians 2:13 tells us the same thingâFor it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Itâs God Who works in your heart, through His Word that youâve planted there…not just once… but over and over again, day after day after day, till like a good sourdough yeast (leaven), it grows and multiplies in your life until your heart and mind are filled with the power of Godâs Word!
Then suddenly, and…often very surprisingly, youâll find yourself being inexorably drawn to do the very thing you couldnât do before…even though you wanted to do it or knew you needed to do it…and yet failed so miserably at doing!
This doesnât mean that you wonât feel any fear or trepidation at doing this thingâbut the drawing and pulling of Godâs Word working in your heart will give you the strength and the power…
After all… “I can do ALL things through Christ Who strengthens meâ… and youâll find yourself doing the very thing you feared and doubted you could ever do!
Victory is yours! All it takes is seeding out God’s Word in your heartâday after day after dayâtill you see first the blade, then the head, then the full grain in the head.
I challenge you to find a verse or 2 from God’s Word to seed into your heart. Write it (them) out on a sticky note or a recipe card. Keep it with you wherever you go. Whenever you have a spare moment or two read the verse out loud to yourself. Stand in front of a mirror and speak it over yourself. Repeat this several times a day if possible!
Do this every day for 30, 60, 90 days or however long it takes for God’s Word to start changing your heart. I guarantee you…God’s Word will change you! IF you are diligent and give it enough time to do it’s good work in you!
Want to learn more about God’s Word and it’s affect on your life? Check out my Instagram page: @Joanne.Spruyt
Which do you trust more: Godâs Word or manâs interpretation of it?
Man says, âGodâs promises are âyesâ ânoâ âmaybeâ ânot yetâ.
Godâs Word says, 2 Corinthians 1:20âfor all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
Manâs says, âGod took your child because He needed him or her more than you did.â Or âHeâs growing your faith.â Or âHeâs testing you.â Or âHeâs teaching you something.â Or âWe donât know why God took your child. But He has a reason.â
Godâs Word says in:
John 10:10âThe thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
You know who the thief is, right? It’s our arch-enemy the devil!
God’s Word says in:
1 John 4:7-8âBeloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know god, for God is love.
According to the Oxford Dictionary onlineâLove means an intense feeling of deep affection.
The Hebrew word for Godâs Love is âkhesedâ which means more than just affection…itâs also a loyal commitment to be generous to that person for the long run. In Exodus 34:6 God calls Himself âcompassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in âkhesedâ and faithfulness.
âKhesedâ has also been translated as âsteadfast loveâ, âgoodnessâ, âkindnessâ, âloving kindnessâ, âfaithfulnessâ, âloveâ, and even âloyal loveâ.
Let’s think about this logically
Would you, as a parent, kill your childâs beloved pet because he needed to learn a lesson…or it was punishment for something bad your child did…or they needed to see your love in actionâto learn that sometimes cruelty can really be love…or just to teach them some unknown lesson that will reveal itself over time?
Sounds pretty ridiculous, doesnât it? Iâm pretty sure that such an act would be considered child abuse.
And yet, we donât hesitate to attribute child abuse, cruelty, or other such atrocities to our God, Who IS Love! Does that make any sense to you????
1 John 4:7-8âBeloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Exodus 34:6 âAnd He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, âThe LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love (âkhesedâ) and faithfulness.â
John 10:10âThe thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
2 Corinthians 1:20âfor all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
When you look closely at the 4 Scripture references aboveâwhat do they tell you about our God? Will this God have favorites and say âyesâ to blessing your neighbor…but ânoâ to you or worse still…that wonderful đ âmaybeâ that He supposedly uses?
Will He steal, kill, or destroy your dream, your child, your spouse, or something else Heâs given youâjust because …? Or is that the trademark of the enemy?
John 10:10âThe thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
I think that as Christians, we really need to start questioning what weâve been taught to believe when it doesnât line up with what God’s Word says. Itâs time to start asking questions likeâIs this the action of a God Who IS Love? And if it isn’t then we need to find another explanation for what we’re experiencing.
Remember: He isnât just a God Who does Love. Heâs a God Who IS Love! It is His very nature! He can NOT do anything that isn’t Love!
If what we believe doesnât line up with what a God Who IS Love would doâthen it’s time to rethink what we believeâtill it lines up with what God’s Word says!
If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
The word translated as âaskâ is translated from the Greek word âaiteoâ = to ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require.
The word translated as âwhatâ is a compound word in Greek âhos he hoâ = which, what, that… and âeanâ = whatsoever, whosoever. Together they would mean a definite whatsoever you desire.
The word translated as âdesireâ from the Greek âtheloâ = have in mind, intend, purpose, desire, wish, love, like, take delight in, have pleasure, determine, choose, prefer.
The word translated as âdoneâ is the Greek âginomaiâ = to become, to come into existence, begin to be, come to pass, happen, be performed, finished, be made. This word is used with great latitudeâliterally, figuratively, intensively, etc.
Ask whatever you desire
So, Jesus is telling His disciples that if we live IN Him, make our home IN Him, take up residence IN Him…and His Word lives in usâwe meditate on it day and night (Joshua 1:8) make it a part of who we are and how we think… then we can ask, desire, require whatsoever we have in mind, purpose, desire, take delight in! AND it will come into existence, come to pass, be performed, be made for us!
Wow! Do you see what Godâs Word is saying here?
When we delight ourselves in the Lord, when His desires have become our desires, when we take pleasure in Him and desire to be obedient to His Word in and for our livesâTHEN we can ask for whatever we desire and it will be done for us.
This is not a “maybe” people! This is a plain and simple and undeniable “WILL be done” for us.
When our hearts are aligned with Godâsâthen our desires become the same as His desires! In what world would we ever think that God wouldnât want to fulfill His desires in us…and through us to others???
How can we know?
But how do we know if our desires are the same as Godâs desires?
Psalms 37:4 tells us to
Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.
âDelightâ from the Hebrew âanagâ = to be soft, be happy about, take exquisite delight, make merry over. The dictionary defines it as âto very much enjoyâ.
Does this describe your relationship with the Lord, or the desire of your heart? If you can say yes to this then youâve probably already noticed that your dreams and desires are changing. Your taste in what you watch or read or how you spend your time is changing.
The more I started to desire to be with the Lord, the more I found myself hungering for a closer relationship and a better understanding of Him…the more I found my tastes changing. I became fussier about what I watched on TV, what I read, what I spent my time talking or thinking about. Slowly, but surely, my tastes began to change over time.
The more you find yourself hungering to know God more, to understand His ways better, to draw closer to Him, to receive and understand His love betterâthe more you know that you are delighting yourself in the LORD!
And when you do that His desires unknowingly and increasingly become your desires and you can be guaranteed that He will give you the desires of your heart! Then you will be able to âask for whatever we desire and it will be given to usâ.
And honestly…think of it…what loving parent doesnât give their child their heartâs desire if it’s at all possible for them to do so? How much more will our Father in Heaven give good things to those who ask of Him! (Matthew 7:11)
Abide in His Love
John 15:9-10
As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Fatherâs commandments and abide in His love.
You are to abide, to remain, to tarry, to not depart, to continue to be present, to live IN Jesusâ Love for you.
You are to attend carefully to what Jesus has commanded you, to guard these commands, to keep an eye on them, to prevent them from escaping.
You are to prevent them from falling out of your understanding and knowledge, from falling into disuse in your life. You are to be keeping them in a fortress where they canât be stolen from you by the cunning lies of the enemy!
Our commission
You are to keep doing those commandments of Jesusâand as you keep them you’ll be living in His Loveâbecause Jesus was all about LOVE! To do His commandments is to LOVE on others. To pour out His LOVE to those around you. LOVE activates you. LOVE sends you to work in the fields and reap the harvest of souls. LOVE commissions you to be Jesus to all those around you. To…
âGo into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.â (Mark 16:15-18)
This is what your life is to look like. This is how you LOVE like Jesus LOVED while He walked the earth!
When Jesus left He sent you the Holy Spirit to live in you. To make you all like Jesus. To turn you into His little brother or sister who continues His work that He was doing while He walked the earth.
That is your commission. That is the Fatherâs desire for you. And that is what the devil has stolen from so many of our hearts…mine included…for so many years.
It makes me sadđđŤđ to realize just how many of my years were wasted chasing the things of this worldâwhen our God, our Abba, our Daddyâhas something so vastly much better for all of us to do!
Don’t let my mistake be your mistake. God has so much good instore for you and to do through you! If your heart is hungry to know more of this amazing God of ours…leave me a message. I’d be happy to share what I’ve been learning with you!
We are all brothers and sisters IN Christ! Let’s start working together to share the “to good to be true” gospel of Jesus Christ!
I’m not sure that I would have said that God still did miracles in this day and age…except that He’s done one in my life!
Needless to say I’m now a firm believer in our Miracle-working God.
Let me start at the beginning of my story so you get an understanding of the incredible-ness (is that even a word?) of the miracle God did.
I guess you could say that I was a believer all my life. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t believe that God was real… and when I was around 15… I can remember waking up one morning with a heavy depression weighing on my shoulders…along with the thought that if I didn’t believe that God was real – I’d go out right then and there and kill myself. The depression was that dark and that pressing.
No sooner had that redeeming thought passed through my mind…the depression lifted and I never had that heaviness and darkness attack me again.
Sounds pretty impressive right? But what that little story doesn’t tell you is that I was the most excruciatingly shy girl you could ever meet. I was terrified of my own shadow. Honestly I think I cried my way through the first 12 years of my life. After that I hid behind my big sister and was her quiet shadow till the day I got married.
It’s truly a miracle that I even got married. My husband always says that I’m the one who turned him into a talker. If he didn’t talk then things would have been mighty quiet between us. But somehow or another he fell in love with me and soon took over the position of my protector from the world.
Believe it or not…I managed to hide from the world in general, and people in particular…till I was nearly in my sixties. Yup, I was that old before my life and personality did a complete 180!
Then one day God brought something into my life that started a health and healing process that literally turned my life around. The stronger and healthier I became–the more interested I became in knowing God more intimately…and as I started developing my relationship with God I noticed that my excruciating shyness started to fall away!
The day I suddenly realized that I was no longer terrified of people was a day of great celebration. My renewed health had given me the energy to desire and seek God more and the closer I got to Him the more I began to change!
I had always thought that I’d be stuck with my terror of people for the rest of my life…but God had other plans! If you would have told me a decade ago that I would be writing a blog for people to read and comment on…that I would be making videos where I talked to people… Honestly I would have laughed in your face and told you…well more like…think about telling you…that you were stark raving mad!!!
I would have thought about telling you to dream again…because that was NEVER going to happen! And yet here I am…doing the very things I thought I would never do!
Now if that isn’t a miracle I don’t know what is!
My purpose with this blog is to share all the things God has been showing me–because our God is so much greater than we think and He can do so much more than we ever dreamed of–and He has commissioned us, and given us so much more to do than we can ever imagine.
This blog is my attempt at sharing God’s “MORE” with you in the hopes that you will catch the same fire, or already have the same fire burning in you that God has put in me. The more we gather together the stronger our Light will be! There is power in the Body of Christ! Feel free to comment…to question…to post your thoughts and ideas. I’d love to hear from you… God loves us all and Jesus makes us all brothers and sisters IN Him.
Agape Love is God’s amazing Love for us. Strong’s Concordance defines it as an unconditional, undeserved, unearned love that’s poured out on us regardless of whether weâve done anything good to deserve it or not. It’ s given by choice and will and isnât based on feelings or emotions of any kind.
God’s Agape Love gives us the right to call the devil a liar every time he tells us we arenât worthy or deserving or good enough to earn the Love, the Agape of God! Agape isnât earned or deserved! Instead Agape Love floods our lives and minds…simply because God has chosen to pour it out on us.
1 John 4:8 – He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
There’s nothing that this Love wonât do for us…simply because of the fact that it’s unconditional… without even the tiniest filament of a string attached. Itâs offered freely and not based on anything we do, have done, or will ever do–whether good or bad!
Do you see that? There isnât anything…not one single thing that youâve done or will ever do that will make you more, or less, deserving of Godâs Agape Love!
Pause and think about this for a minute or 60. God’s Love for you is completely unconditional… completely unearned… and completely undeserved. That means that we don’t have to earn it or deserve it or faithful and correctly complete a bunch of rules to have fulfilled all the conditions…
It’s FREE!
It’s UNEARNED!
It’s UNDESERVED!
Thatâs truly an amazing and comforting understanding! It means that His love never changes…it doesnât wax hot and cold like ours so often does. His Love is a steady flame the burns the same for us…day in and day out!
Nothing. Nothing. NOTHING we do or donât do will alter His Love toward us even one teeny tiny iota! Now STOP and think about this for a moment or many moments.
The God of the Universe Loves you with a never-ending, never-changing, everlasting love! How amazing is that?
There’s nothing you and I can do that will cause God to reject us and stop His love toward us. We can stop loving Him, we can do something terrible, we can do something excessively stupid, we can turn from His face and waste our days on useless stuff…and STILL He will NEVER reject us or stop loving us!
If this isn’t an awesome thought then I don’t know what is!
God’s never-ending Love for us is incredible! We should never stop being amazed by it! This Love gives us ample reason to stop regularly and simply worship Him!
How can you stop and thank Him, right now, for His incredible, abundant, and everlasting Love for you?
