Denying The Devil His Daily Bread

Satan is a spiritual parasite and his only diet is our carnally minded spirit, our depraved human nature: the nature of the flesh.
"God created man from the dust of the ground."

God knows that apart from His Spirit, man is but dust. 

To the serpent He said, "You will eat the dust of the ground all the days of your life."

If we walk by the Spirit we will not gratify the desires of the flesh, thereby removing the very sustenance of the demonic parasites whose only purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy. 

We can cleanse the temple of the Holy Spirit from becoming a den of thieves by putting on the mind of Christ.

PJR

"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers." (3John 1:2)

Food For Thought

At least in the U.S., apart from the obvious poisoning of our food supply and the cruel mistreatment of livestock-

The information highway is running a muck with the oldest and the newest research, unfounded claims, and rumors on what's good, bad, right and wrong for the health of humanity. If we become engrossed in these reports then we allow the contributors of the scientific community and the counter rebellion thereof to frighten us out of our freedom to taste and see that the Lord is good. 

"To the pure, all things are pure."

Self Proclaimed Christianity

The Holy Spirit is our counselor, not our baby sitter.

"When I was a child I acted like a child, but when I became an adult, I put my childish ways behind me."

Faith is not complacent with so great a salvation as simply having been sealed, building an easy road of Christianity by saving our own lives while remaining Spiritually malnourished.

On the other hand, though the Holy Spirit is our source of power to do God's will, He is not our genie. As well, faith and the Spiritual gifts are not a power we can wield at our own discretion. True faith comes by the immediate prompting of the Holy Spirit and that is the present work of our Father. When it appears that God may be silent, then grace, belief, and trust are what we are to rely upon during these seemingly idle times.

Reconciliation Is The Fruit of Grace

 

Of what value is a saint that has carnally ascended into a form of godliness that prevents them from presenting the 'good news' of grace to the lost world around them?

 

"For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned." (Romans 12:3)

Grace is received but once, and the Holy Spirit has sealed it within us. Its manifestation is seen in the form of faith, and both grace and faith are a gift from God. We could no more believe in Jesus than we could create ourselves. And grace is not found by asking for it, but by living in it, for He lives within us. It is indeed sought after, but only in the person and power of Jesus. We know this because He ascended from the grave and is now seated at the right hand of our Heavenly Father.

Good-Will Or God's Will

 

Performing Christianity as a delegate

or

Releasing the life of Christ in us as an ambassador

　

"...as it is written: 'There is no one righteous, not even one.'"  (Romans 3:10)

We see in the world around us how unbelievers are seemingly able to make "good choices", especially in regards to the welfare of those who suffer unjustly. Yet even this is just basic human compassion, because it lacks the pure love and motives of God. There always lies an ulterior, selfish motive behind anything resembling a "good choice" among those void of the Holy Spirit.

Fear is one of the more powerful human emotions that will quickly force a "good" choice toward others, yet its true motive is simply human preservation. Perfect love, as we know, casts out fear. There is no "choice" involved when it comes to perfect love. It simply is.

A Christian may even think about the good choices they themselves make, but the reality is, they are merely releasing the nature of one of two spirits within at a particular moment, be it human or Holy. The human spirit, at best, works out of a sense of responsibility, obligation, and preservation. The Holy Spirit, however, works from the very heart of God, pouring forth pure love that is sacrificial and eternally hopeful. Only the lives that have surrendered their human will into the hands of the Father through the cross will demonstrate this. (1 Corinthians 2:2-5)

There is only one reality that has kept this world from imploding in on itself; it is the mercy and grace of God. (2 Thessalonians 2:7) One aspect of this grace is the moral law introduced among humans. Now while the law was introduced to increase the trespass (Romans 5:20), the consequences of breaking the law was designed to incite fear in the hearts of the lawless. Yet we know the law has limited restraint on evil.

In the Garden, before the fall, God had given the first law to Adam and Eve; "You are not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." How were they able to break this law? ...they simply did not have the faith to do otherwise. But faith is never of our own doing, nor is it just possessing the power of God to believe, or His provision to obey. Faith is the life and character of God so deeply wrought in a person that they become the essence of Holiness themselves. Yet it comes at a great cost; it is not casually imparted.

So, what is truly good and faithful are those whom God has allowed to eat from the Tree of Life while suffering through a world that has only partaken from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You see, without intimacy with Jesus, good and evil becomes open to any one's interpretation, thereby making it impossible to truly love God or neighbor. You end up with people seeking to increase their own personal welfare; they are selfish and lawless.

It is only by God's grace and mercy that good and evil configures into His ultimate purposes for something that appears so chaotic here on earth. Anything found truly good in humanity has its source in Jesus. He is the Tree of Life. This is what was lacking in the relationships of the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve could not have possessed anything "good" within themselves, for they would not have disobeyed God if they were indeed "good". (Psalm 47:3, Mark 10:18, Romans 3:12)

This is not to argue against the fact that God called everything He created in the beginning, "good". Indeed, it was "very good", because He had set into motion a plan for His creation. Like the beginning of creation itself, dark and void, we too were spawned into frustration and futility, with the Spirit of God hovering over us as well. God had ordained that the end purpose of humanity would be to reveal the sons and daughters of God; those that will have gone through the same suffering that His Only Begotten had suffered first, becoming the first born of many. They would become His very own dwelling place for eternity! They are the children of faith. (Romans 8:18-23), (Galatians 2:21-22), (Hebrews 11)

The key component of humans obtaining God's Holiness without simply becoming robotic in nature is to suffer alongside others who have yet to receive Faith. But we are not called to forsake them, we are called to reach out to them. We are called to love them; to bless them, not to curse them; to care and tend to them, not to avoid them; to afford mercy to them, not to condemn them; to forgive them, not to judge them. We are called to give up our human rights so that we may become a testimony of the living Christ.

Active Christianity today lacks the understanding that we are called to be ambassadors of Christ, not delegates. The role of an ambassador is to be a perfect representation of the one who sent them. They speak what was spoken to them; they do what they were told to do (perfect love). On the other hand, a delegate has some wiggle room. They have been delegated authority to make decisions or even change the outcome should they feel it warranted. They can shut down the entire process if they feel threatened (fear). Can you see the huge difference in the witness between the two?

The former represents a pure authority without shifting shadows. The ambassador illuminates a trustworthy source because their very nature never gets out of line from that source. They are not concerned with the results of their work; they are only mindful of yielding to the pure expression of that source. This, too, is their peace.

The latter represents the endless possibilities of continued bargaining. Arrangements or agreements can change at the drop of a hat and therefore, no real trust can be established between the parties. Delegates come with an agenda and will fight tooth and nail to achieve it. They convey in their very character that there is a compelling ulterior motive behind every move they make. Diplomacy is their only peacemaker.

So, what then is "truly good"? Why, the good news, of course. God's will, not man's good-will. We are God's treasure in jars of clay for the purpose of reaching out to a lost world whose only hope is the pure source of life. Let us become a pure representative of the treasure we carry within. We were never called to pick up where we think God left off; an Acts 29 pursuit if you will. God has not and does not delegate His authority. Rather we are called to become empty of ourselves so that we become full of His Spirit. The life is His, the work is His, the battle is His, the result is His. Remember, "it is finished".

"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6)

PJR

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified." (Romans 8:28-30)

From Tithes To Talents

The errant teaching of tithing found in churches today, especially Malachi 3, is one of the biggest guilt trips laid on church members in order to support a lavish building complex and infrastructure. In Malachi 3:8 we read, "Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In tithes and offerings."

Since our hope is for the life of Christ in us, then Malachi 3 has nothing to do with us regarding financial support of an institutional church community. Everything in the natural realm is a shadow of the spiritual realm (if we will but look for it). Verse 10 says, "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this…". I believe this is right in step with the parable of the talents.

Obedience Before Intimacy?

The New Testament, taken in its literal form, appeals to the unsanctified mind as a mere extension of the Old Testament law, full of commands that appear to direct and control the behavior of believers within the church. The legalistic mindset loves to build community around the law because it has no desire to allow the Spirit of the word to challenge their lifestyle. Sadly, the 'flesh' desires nothing more than that of human authority, because they can either fight to change it, or just leave it when ever they decide it no longer suits their desires. This is a mind void of the idea that they "were bought at a price", because to come under the authority of the Holy Spirit is to surrender ones entire life to His work.

Dead Works

Until we have been taken through a thorough wilderness of sanctification, until we are absolutely convinced that we have been bought at a price, one of the most seemingly insensitive statements we hear Jesus speak is this:

"Another disciple said to him, 'Lord, first let me go and bury my father'. But Jesus told him, 'Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.'" (Matthew8:21-22, Luke 9:59-60)

Fellowship

I can not see where Christians would ever find perfect community until our perception of such is adjusted to accept the fact that our fallen human nature is an inevitable part of it. Jesus' entire ministry was with the lost sheep.

Even if the purest of saints were to isolate themselves from the world, they couldn't escape their own human nature. We do what we don't want to do, and don't do what we should.

Instinctive Love

I see the creatures of the earth to be given as an example for the children of God to observe. There are so many different aspects of our Christian walk we can glean from them. (Here is an excellent example: http://intimatekingdom.com/ants-intimate-kingdom/ ) But like the angels, these creatures were created in the realm of instinct, and that is for the purpose of unwavering service to the world at hand. Humans are nothing but instinctive creatures, albeit the most intelligent, and all creatures, apart from the Spirit of God, are programmed for survival. Yet survival comes at the expense of the lives of others. Some die to provide food for another. Others, because they threaten the instinctive desires of another to dominate as they see fit. All of creation, plant and animal, survives by the sacrificial lives of others. This is one of the most overwhelming shadows of Christ that this world presents to us.

Train Wreck

 

"Train up a child in the way they should go..."

(Proverbs 22:6)

Every single person has within them with a unique natural talent, as well as a personal disposition to accommodate it. When an individual is free to flourish by the natural bent of their lives, we witness the pinnacle of creative expression from them. They are free to enjoy the life they were intended for. Unfortunately, the world has one agenda, and that is to conform as many as possible to its pattern of life. The squelching of living life to its fullest begins at an early age. Everyone is required to participate in their own regional system of basic education and afterward (if not during), most are forced into the work place just to make a living. Life becomes a drudgery of conforming to curriculum established by the world without much regard for the uniqueness of individuals. By this oppression of the masses, people in the work place are subjected to continuous personal frustration because they have departed from the original design of their lives.

Criss-Cross

"Agree with your adversary quickly..." (Matthew 5:25)

When Satan accuses the children of God, it is always their human nature that he targets. Whether we agree with the accusation or not, we can be assured that we are either guilty or quite capable of being so. Because he knows the Holiness of God and the frailty of humanity, he will arrest the lawbreakers and try the self righteous where they are most vulnerable. He desires to accuse and destroy us before the throne of God. (Job 1:6-12)

"Agree with your adversary quickly..." reveals the necessity for us to confess our weaknesses to God and one another because the devil is not incorrect in his assessment. His ploy is to get us to defend ourselves, to place our righteousness in the flesh. But if we agree with him, we take away his ability to cause us guilt. This is when we take our sins to the cross, that we may be "covered" by the blood of Jesus, which redeems us from all condemnation.

A Look At The Ministry Of Death

To regard no one in the flesh is to be passionately conscientious of sharing the love of God to the world. But it is so much more than verbalizing the written word of God. It is Christ in us, rivers of living water, that quenches the parched hopes of the lost, and refreshes the path of the believer. Below is something a dear sister in Christ recently shared with me.

"We are at a place right now where maturity in Christ means a willingness to recognize and acknowledge validation and love from Christ through each other - not just vertically - and as if we are receiving from Christ Himself! The age of "just me and Jesus" is over... if there ever was such an age."

Deeper Waters

God is infinite... 

...full of beauty, majesty, mystery, treasure to be pursued and discovered, wisdom, joy, peace, passionate love -- ABUNDANT LIFE!
 
We will never bottom out on God's LIFE...in Him, there is no boredom at all...but to possess more of Him, He must have more of us -- an intimate exchange!
 
So, why are we settling for walking on the surface of the gospel?

Select Fruit

"For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." (Romans 11:29 ESV)

"Simon Peter said to him, 'You shall never wash my feet.' Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.'" (John 13:8 ) Having lost his boast in self-sufficiency, Peter then responds boastfully toward the opposite extreme; "...'Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!' Jesus said to him, 'The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean, but not every one of you.'" (John 13:9-10)

Here, we witness the pride of Peter arguing every angle, hoping to avoid the work of fellowship that God divinely established for the body of Christ.

A Better Mirror To Gaze Upon...

"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:18)

If we are continually gazing upon Christ (meaning we know Him intimately, not just as subject matter), we will see ourselves and others much differently...namely, we will see how much we, ourselves, and all are in desperate need of His salvation, forgiveness, cleansing and grace for transformation. If we reach out to remove a speck from our brother's eye (a brother being one who is able to see with the light of Christ because he is indwelt by the Holy Spirit), let it be done after self-examination and from a pure heart with the goal of love.

I realize that if I am offended, I need the Lord to purify my heart before I go forward to speak with my brother, so that when I do, it is for the benefit of my brother and not for revenge, self-defense, or to puff up my own ego.

Head Wound

Simply standing adamantly for something the Bible admonishes us to receive as children of God does not necessarily mean we have been purified in the Spirit of it. The fruit of our tree is the final judgment upon us, not our knowledge of that tree.

As we are quick to point out the discrepancies of others, let's first consider the plank we have impaled in our own eye.

The Cross

 

 

While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us,

 

even death on a cross.

 

Rather than sorrow, an execution of hope,

 

it is a symbol of life, drawing all men unto God.

 

We redraw death's grip,

 

we redraw God's love,

 

we redraw the cross.

 

 

PJR -inspired by Christine Alexander



Reconciling The Gospel

As the believer's mind becomes renewed, they tend to turn this enlightenment back towards the unbelievers of the world in the form of intelligent argument. It doesn't take long to find that the lost aren't interested in our side of the argument, except that it gives them more fuel by which to mock us. The harder we try, the more they resent us.

We can expect this to play out our entire lives if our approach to proclaiming the gospel is through the strength of our mind apart from an intimacy with our own cross.

About Me

I would like to shed a little light on why I write the way I do. You know...forceful, authoritative, maybe pompous...okay, you can stop now. :-)

I have always seen myself as an insignificant nobody, Every one in the world seemed to possess a purpose in their lives. It didn't matter who I came alongside, I was always the subordinate. The first life celebrity I could actually say I knew was a friend who worked behind the window of a drive-thru teller. I thought, "Wow! I finally know someone of significance!". Seriously, I had lived a very insignificant life! I was in my late twenties then.

For The Moment

God’s discipline is not a chastisement for disobedience, a punishment for being wrong. That's what Satan wants us to think of our Heavenly Father. No, our Father’s discipline for His children is toward the destruction of our carnal nature, that we may know Love beyond ourselves.

PJR

Below is an inspiration my wife shared with me after reading this.

Grace: The Offspring of Love

It is the intelligent Christians that are afraid to embrace a doctrine of grace alone, thinking it would cause many to become complacent in their faith. On the contrary, it is the intelligent mind that tends to avoid the intimacy necessary for the life of grace to become the power flowing from within them. They are the Spiritual lethargy of the church,

The Garden-variety Of Faith

Contrary to popular belief, Adam and Eve did not have perfect fellowship with God in the garden of Eden. They did live in a perfect environment, but the life God had given them was that of a subordinate spirit.

What Came First...?

What came first, the chicken or the egg?

...the parents or the children?

...the tree or the fruit?

What came first, the tempter or the tempted?

...the sinner or the sin?

...the cause or the effect?

A Baptism Of Love

John the Baptist told Herod it was not right that he married his brother's wife and Herod put John in prison for it. I suppose John may have felt Jesus would've come to his rescue. After all, he was the very present prophet who, in the Spirit of Elijah, had prepared the way for Jesus' ministry. And Jesus did claim to be the Messiah, the Savior of Israel.

Too Big For Our Own Tunic

Good morals are pleasant to be around, but mere human morality is at best, temperamental and riddled with hypocrisy. As a matter of fact, good morals left to themselves is nothing more than legalism. It was the main portion of the Pharisees' religious diet and Jesus constantly took issue with them. 

The Prosperity Of Perfect Faith

Faith comes by hearing the word of God, and though it is the spoken word heard first by the mind through the ears, it is in the depths of your soul where the Holy Spirit dwells that the Life of the Word is joyously received. Then the mind will engage the source of that faith, becoming renewed from its natural sense of rationalization and into an ambassador of Jesus. It will be trained in the way of perfect love, reaching out to the broken and contrite and inviting all who recognize and embrace this peace to fellowship in the bride of Christ. 

Hearing and faith go well beyond mere brain function.