Sneak Peek: Entrance to Grace

"Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin." Romans 3:20


Through the man, Moses, God delivered the Law to the children of Israel. But, the Law was for a purpose that many fail to recognize. God knew that there was a flaw in the Law, but He purposely allowed it. 


The Law was to reveal the need of Him! The Law was not JUST rules to follow, it was a standard of living. It opened the eyes of the people by revealing that they were not living up to the standard of God, therefore, they needed God in order to live accordingly.


Thus, simply being a good person doesn't gain you access to God. You cannot enter His presence because you're "good". Nothing we have is what we deserve. All that we lose is not because we deserve to lose it, we don't deserve to live!
But, this is all about grace. Grace didn't abolish the Law, it established the Law's fullness! It's fullness is Christ!


He was the only one who could tear down the barrier! The people were totally afraid of God's presence on the Mount. And that's the purpose of the Law. 


God was saying: 
"If you come near Me, you will surely die! You are sinful and My presence alone will point out your sin and being that I am holy, you cannot even approach Me!"


But, here's what God's work in this was:
"Therefore, since I love you so much, I'm going to give you what you do not deserve. I, Myself, will come down in a Man's body, being holy and perfect and all powerful, I will humble Myself and be destroyed for the very reason that you cannot approach Me and I'll separate that wall between us!"


Here's an entrance into grace... not disobeying the Law, but God dismantling our penalty if we choose to recognize our need for Him.

Anointing of the Anointed

Many have heard of the story of David in the Bible. It is quite remarkable that his "victories" are not discussed before he was anointed next in line to be King of Israel.

It goes on from the recounting of the lion and the bear. Then, there's Goliath. David came to Goliath in the name of the Lord!

Note: This is not about power, it's about IDENTITY!

A lot of us struggle with many situations but life could be a bit different if we'd just understand something... EVERY time we're faced with trouble.

After being anointed, the kid had some major gut boost. But, somehow, David understood who he would be and had confidence in God!

But one thing David had a good view of was that since he was anointed, the anointing would operate the destiny in the present. God inhabits eternity and grabs your destiny and puts it in your heart now. It is vital for the child of God to know their identity in Christ!

"You are anointed to do as the occasion demands!" as my pastor states.

Many are in an identity crisis! That's the devil's manipulative work.
The devil is aware of the emanating power of the Spirit that dwells in us and he has no chance against it. What he does is remove your awareness of the fact. It is written, "My people are destroyed for the lack of knowledge."

We must dive into the Word of God and view ourselves in that mirror. And with the gained knowledge of our identity, begin to do as the occasions demand!

David was anointed king and his anointing gathered him spoil as a boy, before he became king.
Don't allow the enemy to shove you around and strip away your rights in Christ.

As Saul said to David...
“Go, and the LORD be with you!”_1 Samuel 17:37

An Everyday-Thing...

Corruption... it's everywhere!
Yes, it's even in the church today. We live in a day and age where it's rather hard to distinguish between the church and the world!
Churches are practicing unbiblical matters and yet claim to glorify God through these things.
What deception!

The "people of God" have gotten out of the book in this century, although it has been happening since the church began.

But, Peter said that scoffers will come in the last days... they're here. Do the math.
Paul warns Timothy about perilous times and perilous men... in the church! We're in those days!

Corrupt things have crept in, what we call these days, the church. Jesus strictly warns of corruption in the household of faith!
Hold up, let's make sure the majority is covered..

Foreign doctrines and practices that are ungodly and against the Holy Writ of God!

Our generation of men and women of God needs to be a standing generation, not just a dancing generation!

We must rise up to the upward call of God and Apostolic Ministry in these days of deception. We must be firmly grounded in this thing and base our lives on the Chief Cornerstone; Jesus the Christ!

Doesn't mean the scoffers will go away...
Doesn't mean the corruption will fade away...
Doesn't mean everyone will be saved...

But what it really means is that God will fulfill His purposes in our midst regardless of those who do not take heed!

The enemy plants tares though the wheat is good. The corruption grows with the good seed, but God knows the end...

Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” Matt. 13:30

Break Down the Barriers!

Jesus said, "you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you!"


power: ability to do or act; capability of doing or accomplishing something


Listen, God didn't stop talking there! If He did, than that power is misdirected. But Jesus wasn't done making the statement! See, you SHALL RECEIVE POWER but when you DO... you SHALL be WITNESSES of ME(JESUS)!


Jesus didn't give you His Spirit so you could sit on a pew and just look pretty! No, NO, no! He didn't enlighten you with that heavenly gift to go and make an ego for yourself! You ain't born again to get your picture taken either! 


But, check this out! "You'll be witnesses of Me!" They witnessed what He did! They witnessed how He was. So their witness to their world was showing others what Jesus did! Not just by words, but by reflection! Like the Moon reflects the Sun, the Apostles reflected Jesus! Monkey see, monkey do!


God never said wait for revival! He said, "I am the resurrection and the life!" Revival isn't something that  just comes, it's something that is spoken into existence! "Lazarus, come forth!" "Arise and walk!"


Listen, if you don't get, here it is plain like wheat bread:


God ain't call you to be reserved, He called you to be like Him and do what you see He's doing! Jesus healed, raised the dead, preached, casted out devils, was holy, was pure, He prayed, He fasted, He knew the Word, and He did crazy things! 


BREAK DOWN THE BARRIERS! THAT'S OUR VERB! It'S what He did and it OUGHT to be what you and I dO TOO!


"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do... "

Lepers With the Goods

2 Kings 7:9

Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent. If we wait until morning light, some punishment will come upon us. Now therefore, come, let us go and tell the king’s household.”

We live in a world where it's all about "ME". Everyone's just living life centered around themselves!

All the while, the church has struck gold! The lights stay on, God is still providing for His people in the 21st Century. Though some problems may arise, it is always taken care of. Can't nobody do you like Jesus!

BUT... there is a major problem! We've got everything this world needs, yet we keep it to ourselves at times. We need to snap out of it and realize, "We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent."

I'm pretty much positive that every single one of us can do better than we are currently doing. What I hear Jesus saying is this: "C'mon, you can do better than that!"

He sees what we're doing and surely, it's not in vane. But, us Apostolics, are still missing something!

Our forefathers had something that we don't... they had a consistency beyond our understanding!

The miracles, signs, and wonders were constant! The book of Acts tells the story in every chapter! Lemme tell you why:

When God does something through us, we get SATISFIED! Then, all that's left is for God to hold back His "stuff".

We gotta wake up! Contentment should happen with the temporal, not the eternal! Lemme be plain, we ought to be satisfied with our pockets, not the power of God!

What the apostles knew is that they were really some messed up people. Our problem is that we get so clouded by God's blessings, that we forget where we came from! Can I say this.... you're just a blood-covered dirtbag! Get over yourself!

Pete a.k.a. Preacher of Pentecost a.k.a. Bold ol' Pete, he remembered where God called him from! Smelly ol' fisherman with a mouth bigger than a toilet bowl! Yeah, Pete, the one that lied to Jesus' face and was a big disgrace at Christ's death. Yupp, God chose Pete! This is the man that laid his hands on folks and they got the Holy Ghost! So powerfully used of God...why? Because, despite all the blessings of God, he still knew that he was just a dirtbag that blood had been poured on.

Here's what I'm saying:

Don't let your success stop you in your service to God and to the people He placed in your life. We're all just some lepers with the goods! Let's spread the goods around folks!

God loves to use the people that know that they're just lepers with the goods! People that know that they're nobody and know that they have something! That's right, get over yourselves and bless someone else!

Mounting Up...

The first five months of this year has had major ups and major downs.

You name the area in life, I got a story in just 5 months!

But, I just got home from an awesome youth service and I truly believe the Lord has spoken once again!

His Word rejuvenates this boy that's typing!

But, as I have freely received, I will freely give... it is only right!

There was one line of Scripture that the Lord has endued me with...

"...they shall mount up with wings as eagles..."

God gave me some silence and opened this up to my understanding!

I thought about it and the Lord showed me exactly what He was telling me!

The eagle is an awesome bird of prey and we can learn from it!

God is saying that those who wait on Him will mount up with wings as eagles!

An eagle uses all opposition as a benefit.

How it uses the winds of the storms to elevate it to a higher level.

The scripture doesn't say FLY, it says MOUNT.

Mount is a verb and the meaning is to CLIMB!

We're climbing up peeps!

Every situation that we deal with! Every trial and all the trauma! The headaches, the heartaches, the pain, and the suffering!

Use it people! Whatever it is that you're going through... what the enemy meant for evil, God meant for good!

The devil is smart in knowledge, but very DUMB at heart! Instead of defeating us, his tactics really suck! You may get us down, but we ain't staying down!

But, this is the Word of the Lord:

"They shall mount up with wings as eagles... yes, all that stuff that you went through and are going through, I'm allowing it for your good. Use it to propel you into your destiny. Use it so you know the difference of good and evil. I'm taking you to a higher place and it takes some storms for you to get here! I am always with you, even to the ends of the earth!"

Amen

UnArmed Soldiers

Zeal has power to propel but a lot fail to realize that it can also kill.

While the battle is hot, everyone wants to jump in!

It is true, the believer is on the winning team, but what is often not examined is that all don't make it to the final strand.

To get right down to the point, just because we're in the midst of revival, doesn't mean everyone can just dive into the battle head first.

You have to use caution and pace your zeal.

Zeal is the cloak, not the armor!

It's a foolish move to just dive into battle.

You need to be armed!

This is the problem sometimes with many churches.

All we hear about is ministering, ministering, ministering!

But, what we don't hear a lot is relationship, relationship, relationship!

Your youth group may be poppin'!

You can have it going on in there!

Everything may be on fire!

But, when the fire's over with and its already rained...

Do you find yourself like Elijah?

There's a lot of things that happen in the church house but fade away the next step you take.

My question to you is: Is it still there?

The church don't need people that can shout; but shouting is good!

But, what I learned from my pastor is: "It's not about how high you jump, it's about how you walk when you land."

Without a real, authentic relationship with God, you're just an unarmed soldier.

Yes, baptized in Jesus' name, tongue talkin', born again believer... still an unarmed soldier.

You don't get everything you need when you gather together..

Look here, you get that stuff when you're up close and personal with Jesus!

Listen to this goofball:

If there's anything I do know, focus on Jesus and your life will minister to the crowds.

Focus your attention on Him and everything else will fall into place like dominoes.

God's opening up the heavens and the water mingled with fire is on its way!

The biggest test to the church will be:

CAN WE WALK RIGHT AFTER WE'VE JUMPED?

I see it all the time! I go to Youth Congress, I go to Youth Convention and everyone is just gettin' it on! They've saved their best outfit for this gathering/event. But, when its back to the real world, at home, things get shaky and they lose what they got.

Your brethren aren't gonna clothe you in the armor, Jesus will.

Desires shouldn't be set on the gifts, the desires should be set on the Giver; JESUS!

Notoriously Victorious

Psalm 44:4-8
You are my King, O God; Command victories for Jacob. Through You we will push down our enemies; Through Your name we will trample those who rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow, Nor shall my sword save me. But You have saved us from our enemies, And have put to shame those who hated us. In God we boast all day long, And praise Your name forever.  Selah


Yes, Selah. Pause and take in the Word of the Lord!


I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me! 


Victory is assured because the Master in Command has gone forth! He has defeated the enemy, every enemy you can muster up! Behold, the Lord cometh out of His abode! He comes with fierce anger and wrath upon our enemies. He will tread them underfoot! He will destroy them with the Spirit of His mouth!


TERRIBLE! Yes, terrible is the Day of the Lord! 


Now, let's cross-analyze. Your present situation, BEHOLD, the Lord cometh!


Surrounded on every side, BEHOLD, in His name shall we conquer. By Him we shall overcome!


Your circumstances would love to weigh you down, but this BOOK says, "But GOD!" Every time the words are put together, be expecting. 


Why do you stress? Why do you pout? The battle is not yours, the battle is the Lord's!


So, really, what I'm saying is this:


In His name, by His authority, we are powerful because of His blood, power, and might! The power and authority has been issued forth from God that we might be where He is. Walking on the water with JESUS!


Envied, hated, reviled, rejected, and all that good stuff. BUT, notoriously victorious!


WE WILL PRAISE HIS NAME FOREVER, the BORN-AGAIN BELIEVERS in JESUS' NAME!

Clarity of His Severity

Romans 11:21-22
For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.


God is good! But, don't misread into His goodness! To be plain and clear, YOU CAN GET CUT!


Don't ever stop to believe that God will keep you if you're not even holding on. Every trial that comes your way is to test the trust that you have in this God. John 15 says, you can get cut!


Fire is the trial that the Lord uses. There's a fiery trial that God has in plan for this world. A lot will be cut off! The earth will be utterly shaken! Don't ever start to think that God cannot cut you off of His remnant. Listen folks, its all about Him! There's nothing else out there. All the religions of this world is nonsense if Jesus isn't recognized as the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One! He is the supreme manifestation of God. Revealed to us in the flesh and we MUST behold His glory!


That Man of Nazareth, though He is exceedingly merciful, His whole essence bears SEVERITY! He speaks as One with authority! Who is He? He is GOD and THAT'S that! Simple!


Don't ever stop to think that He can't cut you! If you're not holding to Him, it's only a matter of time before He let's go of you!


Here's wisdom, He cut Israel off, those are His own people! They're His regardless of what they think or say! If He's done it to them, He'll do it to you!


The same God that's beautiful is also biblically described as TERRIBLE!


Believers BEWARE: Draw near to God and He'll draw near to you. Same goes that if we hold on to Him, He'll also hold on to us!


This is CLARITY of the LORD'S SEVERITY.


This walk is serious...

Behind Enemy Lines

1 Samuel 4:10-11
"So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. Also the ark of God was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died."

The Philistines were mighty men with a mighty fear. They heard the children of Israel shouting for the Ark of God had entered the camp. They were unintelligible concerning the things of the God of Israel, but they did know one thing; His fame. They knew that God or whoever Israel's gods were were the ones or One that plagued Egypt. God's fame was spread throughout all of Israel and beyond its borders.

But, despite their knowledge, they continued on with the process of defeating Israel... or they thought they did. The Philistines had the audacity to capture the Ark.

This was a time of sorrow for all of Israel, but little did they know what God was in the midst of doing. To Israel, the glory had departed, but to God, the glory was coming back. Israel lost the battle but God fought the good fight and won the battle behind enemy lines!

The Ark was captured and brought before Dagon, the Philistine god. They placed it there that the God of Israel might be found worshiping the god of the Philistines. This was a very foolish move.

After day one, the Philistines came in their temple to find Dagon face down on the ground before the Ark of God. Do they not know? Worship the LORD all ye gods!

Therefore, they set Dagon back up. After day two, they found Dagon on the ground once more! This time, both palms of his hands and his head were broken before the Ark of God!

Listen folks! The battle is not yours, the battle is the Lord's! He does the job a lot better than we can! Israel failed but the God of Israel sure didn't! Perhaps, He got the job done!

The Ark traveled behind enemy lines and fought Israel's battle. Once again, the Lord is proven victorious!

Ever wonder why we fail sometimes? IT's God's platform to be Victorious and Glorious in our trauma.

Also, Jesus proves to be God manifest in the flesh. According to the Gospel accounts, He entered death, hell, and the grave and conquered all.

Our God is the God that fights our battles behind enemy lines!

Agreed!

Amos 3:3
"Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?"

Simple question with a simple answer. They can't!
But, many accomplishments can be dealt with if they are agreed upon.

As Bro Arnold says, "The Miraculous Power of Oneness!" But, oneness was meant to be in unity with one another. A house divided cannot stand, but a house united will stable a fall.

To agree means to have the same views or to harmonize in opinion or feeling. Truth is, God's greatest need for His people is to agree. Jesus said, "Where two or three agree, I am in their midst."

If you want God to touch down on your world, grab a brother or sister's hand and agree!

The Church is a community in which the presence of the Most High resides. If His people don't agree, His hands are tied. You cannot expect miraculous power in your midst if you are not in agreement.

The prison doors would not have been opened if Paul and Silas did not join their voices in singing praises to God.

There is great power in agreement! The key reason for the growth of the Apostolic Church from Acts 2 and on was that they agreed! They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine. They were in constant fellowship with eachother. But, most of all, they were in agreement!

The Bible says in Acts 2:44: "All the believers were together and had everything in common."

They agreed! Thus, to conclude, here's the reason for the ministry that God has ordained. God has always sought for a vessel to use for His work. Jesus, is the ultimate vessel for the Bible says, "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me." Hebrews 10:5

But, that body has been resurrected and serves as the express image of the invisible Spirit that works all in all!

Here's revelation! As soon as that body, the Man Jesus, ascended into Heaven, He left the Promise of the Spirit in several men and women to continue the work that He began. His Promise, the promise of His presence, goes with us wherever we go. We are the church!

To continue, God has ordained the five-fold ministry for a particular purpose.

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. -Ephesians 4:11-16

All God really wants is for His people to be AGREED!