Author: admin

I put brand new tires and a brand-new battery on my 2008 Toyota Forerunner in December 2025. It only has 292,000 miles on it (not much for a one-owner Toyota). Now I’ve gone and let it get low on oil and damaged the motor! Now it’s knocking! I’m told if I drive it, it could freeze up. It’s a good-looking black vehicle that handles great, and now, what do I do with it! That’s the price of neglect! Yes, I’m still chapped that I messed my car up. Yes, I’m dealing with regret. Repentance deals with the sin of neglect and poor stewardship, but there are still consequences to our actions—or our inaction. If I was a shade-tree mechanic, I would already have that engine out and figuring out what to do with it. I like that car, but affections don’t always balance out with the hard cold facts of book value of the car, versus what needs to be invested in it to get it up and running. Thank God we have another vehicle. It’s a Toyota also, and you can know this, it got its oil checked this morning! So, what do I take from this experience for a spiritual lesson? Number one, be diligent. Jesus said watch and pray to be accounted worthy to escape what is coming on the earth. Make sure you have oil in your vessels with your lamps. Coasting along in casual business-as-usual American Christianity can leave you lacking. I can work something out with my transportation in time, but Jesus warned that lack of proper spiritual preparation and maintenance can leave you outside, knocking at the door—eternally! The five foolish virgins failed to gain access to the wedding party, and the Bible says they heard the words “I know you not” (Matthew 25:1-13). Number two, as Jesus said, pray. Open up the lines of communication with God. That’s something you do now, not when you are drugged unto lack of sensibilities, or if you are suddenly taken from this life. God invites you to do that; He does not do it for you. Start talking to God. Open up in complete honesty to Him. You are not accountable to your spouse, your significant other, your preacher, your church, or to the “hypocrites in the church.” We each are solely accountable to God. The good news is that if we are totally honest with God, He is faithful to show us the truth about ourself and about Him. If we take ownership of what God shows us about ourself, then we can truly see that what Jesus did for us on the cross is our salvation with God. What Jesus did for us is what makes us right with God. None of our goodness or good works makes it with God. We’ve got to see that first, then we can see Jesus as our salvation. Forgiveness, fullness of the Spirit, healing—all we need is found in abundance in Jesus Christ.

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Master, we saw someone casting out devils in your name, and he is not not in our group. We told him to stop because he was not with us in our group. Jesus said, Don’t forbid him. Let him bless the people. If he is not against us, he is working with us. Mark 9:38-40 (my paraphrase)

          We are in the midst of a global spiritual upheaval. We want to each just do our part. On one hand, it is a spiritual revival. On the other hand, the evil is rising up to oppose with oppressive tactics. A main tactic of the enemy is to get our focus off of the Lord Jesus Christ, and onto some thing or onto some group or onto some person, particularly onto ourself.

The Word says that God validates His work by signs, wonders and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to His own will (Hebrews 2:1-4). T.L. Osborn said miracles prove Jesus is alive. God wants to work and prove Himself by His power for His glory, with no flesh glorying in His sight.

          Let it be established, God’s heart of love is to set people free. By faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ, and His working in and through us in this present day, God is working to help oppressed people, and to set them free from the enemy who is robbing and oppressing them. (Venezuela)

          God is working on every level of society, and God will work in any and every group or individual who believes in and yields to Him. He does not wait for us to get perfect before He uses us. We go through a time of preparation, then, there is a time of demonstration. There are seasons of this. We want to move and operate in God’s seasons and timing.

          Even if our theologies and practices might not all be the same or right, bottom line is that God still wants to set people free, and it still takes God’s power to do God’s work. In spite of differences, God will still use us or our group as much as He can, as we yield to His Spirit in faith.

          Flow around the stump in the river. “Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21

Why Do People Not Operate in the Power of God?

          Unbelief. “Jesus rebuked the devil…the child was cured…the disciples…said, Why could we not cast him out…Jesus said…Because of your unbelief.” Matthew 17:18-21

          Spiritual blindness. “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” 2 Corinthians 4:3-4

          Being religious without the revelation of the person and the finished work of Jesus, is being a “believer” without being truly surrendered to God in faith and yielded to the Holy Spirit. It is having a form of godliness with no power. 2 Timothy 3:1-5

The love of God is shed abroad in our heart by the Spirit of God (Romans 5:5). Jesus had the love of God enough to go into the temple and clean house, and set it up as a place of prayer, true worship, and as a healing center for the people. Matthew 21:13-14

          If we are not truly surrendered to God in faith and yielded to the Holy Spirit, there is no miracle-working power of love.

The Key to Operating in the Love and Power of God

          Faith. Jesus said if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you can speak to a mountain, and it must obey you. Matthew 17:18-21; Mark 11: 23

This is the work of God, that you believe on Him whom He has sent. John 6:29

When we truly believe God, there are at least six things that will be taking place.

1. Empty of self. Brokenness. Humility enough to believe His Word.

2. Total dependence on the Holy Spirit. Being led, not driven or rushed.

3. Quiet life of obedience. Daily, personal, private devotion and faithfulness to God. Living our daily life with integrity before God.

4. Living for God’s approval alone. Willing to be misunderstood or put to shame for His name’s sake. 1 Corinthians 4:1-5

5. Reverence to the Holy Spirit. Uncompromising holiness of heart and mouth. Total resolve to please, obey and give place to Him; to never to grieve the Holy Spirit.

6. Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep us balanced with our focus kept on the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 20:20-21

“God is not looking for strong vessels, but surrendered ones.” A child, surrendered to God, can be a vessel through which God can manifest Himself with great power.

When you dwell in the courts of The King, you are very kind and loving, but you carry His authority, and you hold no fear of any entity on earth. “They took knowledge…that they had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13

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We are in the season of gifts. Gifts are being thought about. Gifts are being purchased. Gifts are being wrapped. Soon, the gifts will be delivered, and gifts will be opened and enjoyed. I remember the eager anticipation as a child. I didn’t know what or how, but I knew that in this season, there would be gifts. At that time, as a child, I did not consider that they were bought and paid for by the labor and love of my parents. In those earliest days, all I knew was that “Santa” was certainly going to bring gifts. The excitement of that Christmas eve! I went to bed wide-eyed. I had to lie there and wait, because I was made to stay in bed (those were days when authority and respect were normal in the home). But, lying there, I finally must have drifted off, because early the next morning I awakened. “Oh! This is the day! I can get up!” I remember bouncing out of bed and going into the living room, and as I approached the tree, it felt magical. There were gifts! Lots of them! Just what I wanted! And more things than I ever dreamed about! And in the background were my parents—overjoyed with every minute of my shrieks of joy and exclamations of awe, as I so gladly received and began to enjoy the gifts. God is not poor. God is not stingy. Jesus taught that if natural parents know how to give good gifts to their children, “how much more” shall your heavenly Father give good things to His children in the power of His Spirit (Matthew 7:11; Luke 11:13). James said every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights who never changes (James 1:17). (Sounds like the Father likes lights when He gives good gifts). God gives gifts of ministries: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. These are given to minister to His children, so we can grow up into Christ and enjoy the presence of God in this life and forevermore. He still gives these gifts. He has not changed. God gives gifts through His Holy Spirit. These are “manifestations” of the Spirit. They are word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues. Again, these gifts are given so we, God’s children, can have deliverance and encouragement as we grow up into the abundant life in Christ. Man says God has changed and no longer gives these gifts. Jesus said, “Fear not little flock; for it is the Father’s good pleasure to GIVE you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32 emphasis mine). We don’t want to disappoint the Father by refusing His gifts. We are in a season in the world, in which we need all the presence and power of God we can get. Let us be open to receive the gifts of His labor and love for us in Christ.

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There is a popular worship song on the radio entitled “Praise.” It goes like this: “I’ll praise in the valley, praise on the mountain. I’ll praise when I’m sure, praise when I’m doubting. I’ll praise when outnumbered, praise when surrounded, cause praise is the waters, my enemies drown in. As long as I’m breathing, I’ve got a reason to praise the Lord, oh my soul, praise the Lord oh my soul. I’ll praise when I feel it, I’ll praise when I don’t. I’ll praise cause I know, You’re still in control. My praise is a weapon, it’s more than a sound, my praise is the shout, that brings Jericho down. As long as I’m breathing, I’ve got a reason to praise the Lord, oh my soul, praise the Lord, oh my soul. I won’t be quiet, my God is alive, how could I keep it inside, praise the Lord, oh my soul. I’ll praise cause You’re sovereign, praise cause You reign, praise cause You rose and defeated the grave. I’ll praise cause You’re faithful, praise cause You’re true, praise cause there’s nobody greater than You.” Then it ends up chanting “Let everything, that has breath praise the Lord, praise the Lord.” Our church sings this song and the kids will come on the stage and sing it. I have learned it on the piano. Praising the Lord and being thankful to Him no matter what just makes good sense, because one thing for sure, God is greater than our experience whether it is good or bad. With Thanksgiving approaching, yes, we need to remember all the blessings we are blessed with and be thankful. In addition to that, as the above song says, we can carry the attitude of thanksgiving at all times in every situation. We might be facing age and illness. God is greater than our age and illness. It does no good to bemoan our experience in life. However, faith rises up on the wings of praise and thanksgiving. His Word says with God and believing, all things are possible. Thanks be to God! The Word says that for those who wait on (who are entwined with) the Lord, these renew their strength (Isaiah 40: 31). The Word says He satisfies our mouth with good things so our youth is renewed like the eagles (Psalms 103:5). Be thankful for that! God is faithful to His Word. When we do our part of believing His Word and abiding in His presence, God always does His part of fulfilling the promises. Scholars tell us there are about 2400 promises in the Bible. Faith with praise and thanksgiving, obtains the promises. Hey! Why not? We know that being grumpy and unthankful will only get frowns and wrinkles. Why not get outside of ourself and just be thankful anyway? It sure won’t hurt anything, and it can sure give us (and others) a more positive outlook on life. Every day, we need to find something new for which to be thankful.

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The Finnish concept of tenacity, courage and determination is portrayed in the movie, “Sisu.” The film is set during the Lapland War (1944-45), a real conflict where Finland fought to expel German troops from its territory as Germany was retreating. The main character was inspired by a legendary Finnish sniper who fought in the Winter War. The narrative is that of a lone individual persisting against impossible odds to accomplish his goal. The film depicts a single commando single-handedly fighting a large platoon of Nazi soldiers, and succeeding (info taken from online AI). I watched the action movie and took this from it. To obtain or keep what is rightfully ours, sometimes we must fight for it. There are forces that work incessantly to keep us from having what is rightfully ours. Then, when we have obtained it, those same forces will work viciously to take it from us. In our walk with the Lord, we can sit back and just have our religion as usual, or, we can get hungry for more. If we read the Bible from an unbiased perspective, we can readily see that God has purposed and wants us to have, a whole lot more than what most of us are presently experiencing. Some religious people are just not really interested in anything beyond the normal. Some people are religiously involved and wonder about the “whole lot more.” Some people are convinced that God desires for us to have a “whole lot more,” and they are in hot pursuit of what they see in the Word of God. You who are in hot pursuit might feel like a “lone commando” against a whole platoon, or a whole army, who are against what is rightfully yours in the Word of God. Jesus knows the feeling of being that “lone commando,” and He knew His followers would have the same experience. So, He encouraged them, telling them that they were blessed if they were hungry and thirsty after righteousness, for they would be filled (Matthew 5:6). He was saying you are positioned to be blessed by the Father Himself if you want all God has for you, as He has so clearly spoken in His Word. For if you are courageous, tenacious and determined to get all God has for you, you will receive. If you “refuse to die in your faith,” and you keep believing and pressing forward to know Him in His fullness, God will meet you with His power. Our part is to repent, renounce and receive from Him by faith, and by our total surrender to Him as Lord, by the persistent yielding of all our life to Him, He will meet us with His life and supernatural power. We will overcome the “enemies.” We will lay hold on and retain that which is rightfully ours. When Jesus died, rose again, and was seated by His Father in heaven, forgiveness, peace, and the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit was rightfully ours for today.

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We are justified before God by faith in Jesus Christ— “Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5: 1

God demonstrated His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through His love and faithfulness toward us. Romans 5: 8

“And having made peace with God through the blood of His cross”—even though we were enemies of God, now He has reconciled us, He has cleared our account with Him, in the body of His flesh through death. Colossians 1: 20-22

We are “buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead…having forgiven you all trespasses…nailing it to his cross.” Colossians 2: 12-14

We were not actually there two thousand years ago to be nailed to the cross with Jesus. We were not actually there to be laid in the grave with Jesus, then be raised from the dead. But by hearing the Word and believing the report, we are with Him by faith.

Baptism is a demonstration of our faith in and identification with what Jesus did for us over two thousand years ago.

Our faith connects us to the person and work of Jesus. By faith, when He died, we died; when He was buried, we were buried; when He was resurrected, we were resurrected. Our baptism shows and publicly seals our commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Repentance, turning from our sin and our life, and turning to the Lord, calling upon Him in faith, gains remission and forgiveness of sin. We are baptized to demonstrate our trust in and our commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 2: 38; Acts 22: 16; Romans 10: 8-13

Baptism gives us a clear conscience of obedience unto God in our identification with the death and resurrection of Jesus. Our faith is demonstrated. 1 Peter 3: 18-22; James 2: 17

We are saved by the blood of Jesus. We identify with Jesus by baptism. Our identification is in and with the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and in and with the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew 28: 19; Acts 2: 38; Acts 10: 48

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As stores are putting Christmas stuff out for sale, so those who do extensive, detailed Christmas decorating must begin well ahead of display time. Barb, my wife, who loves to decorate for this season of seasons, starts her behind-the-scene preparations long before the actual time. She keeps an eye open year-round for bargains on Christmas-related stuff, but come October, she starts getting strings of lights out of storage to test them. The items having lights that have been in storage need to be tested before they are taken out to be displayed. A rat, mouse or a broken wire can render the item without shine. A pretty, clear-spired, sputnik-like star, that hangs from the ceiling, would not shine. A star that does not shine is just not a star when it comes to Christmas time. She was disappointed that the pretty ornament would not shine. She changed the batteries. It still did not shine. She cleaned some corrosion off the connections. It still did not shine. She was determined to make that star shine. She checked the connections again and “vigorously” cleaned corrosion off. Vwalah! It shone brightly. It now hangs in its corner as she continues to decorate inside the house. Later, after the inside is done, the whole decorating process will move outside. Sometimes our light fails to shine. This can be due to some corrosion on our connection. When we are solidly connected to the Lord Jesus Christ, our light will shine. Sometimes our connection is corroded with our own self-righteous, religious goodness. There is only one way to be right with God, and that is by faith in the pure righteousness and finished work of Jesus Christ on our behalf. Our goodness is not the savior. Jesus is the Savior. When we scrub our goodness off the connection and just trust that what Jesus did for us is enough with God, then our light can shine in peace. When we scrub off our legal religious good works and see that the work of Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection is what makes us right with God, then we can shine in His righteousness. When we turn from and clean the sin off our connection, then we can shine with no condemnation. When we clean the corrosion off the connection of dead, religious head knowledge and doctrine, and anoint it with the oil of the Spirit, then the connection is sealed by the power of God to help us keep it clean. With the star plugged in to the power source, it can shine with the life, liberty, and power of God for all to see. We are no longer a star in dark form only—having a form of godliness with no power. With a clean connection to the life and power source, we can shine to the glory of God. By faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we can do the works of God. Clean the connections and shine brothers and sisters! Shine!

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I have been seeing little white balls of something like cotton scattered around in the yard. It was just an unconscious observation for some days, then one day I noticed a larger portion. I went over and picked it up and determined that it was a polyester-like material. I thought, “Where is this coming from?” I looked around the yard in wonderment. My eyes fell on our cushioned lawn furniture. From a distance it looked normal and okay, but I thought, “Could it be?” So, I walked over to it. “Whup! Looky there!” There was a hole in the top of one of the cushions. Then one day, from a distance I observed a squirrel with something white in his mouth heading to the woods. Two and two together, and there you have it. The squirrels have discovered an exclusive material with which they can line their nests and raise their young ‘uns. What can you do? In town, you can’t shoot the squirrels. If you take the cushions up, you have defeated your purpose of having them, besides, this set of cushions have already been “holed.” Pepper spray or some other repellent on the cushions might be a solution, but for the moment, it is what it is. There are some little squirrels being raised “first class.” Those cushions have been out there for at least a year or two or three. They have been there all the time. It was just that one day, they were “discovered.” One day the squirrel, scratching around and diligently investigating things, received the “revelation” of abundance of fine provision for his home. Now, he is drawing from that provision. Here, we have a picture of grace. The Lord Jesus Christ became sin that we might be free of sin. He took a tortuous beating in His body that we might be healed. He became poor that we might be rich. He was anointed by the Spirit of God that we might receive and live by that same supernatural power of God. All the provisions for having a fine life in our “home,” in our present life, are all in place in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything we need is already provided for in abundance in Christ Jesus as our Lord. By our submission to His Lordship, by our identification with Him as a person in the flesh, and by our receiving His impartation of the Spirit, we can live in abundance of “first class” provision. The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ makes available to us prosperity in every way—spirit, soul, body, family, finances, socially and eternally. It is there already. By hearing and believing the Word of truth unto repentance, we are submitting our life wholly to the Lord. This positions us to draw on His grace in our daily life. We are justified by faith unto peace with God, and we have access by this same faith into all His provisions. Romans 5: 1-2

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With a small power washing project before me, I rolled out the old power washer to give it a crank and get the job done. A quick glance into the gas tank to fill it up with fresh gas revealed debris present in the bottom of the tank. My friend Jeffrey, who is very mechanically minded, proceeded to remove the gas tank to get it thoroughly cleaned out. In the process, we discovered since it had been sitting for a season, the water pump was frozen up. We got that loosened, then with the gas tank clean and re-installed, we attempted to start it. We finally got it to fire and run for about ten seconds, then it would die. After all that we did to it, we concluded there must be trash in the fuel line or carburetor. The next step is to get some carburetor cleaner and spray some of that in there and see if that will inspire it to start and continue running. If that doesn’t do it, there will be a judgement and decision if I am going to spend anymore time and money on it. It is an old Craftsman machine that has well served its time, virtually an antique. If we can’t get it running this time, it might well be headed to the scrap pile. A lot of people have been sitting around in the church house and are “frozen up.” First of all, it needs to be stated that just because you sit in a hen house for twenty years does not make you a chicken. The reason some people are not living the life of Christ is because they don’t have it to live. Being good and religious is not the same as having a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Then, there are some genuine believers who are not running well—they keep dying after about ten seconds with the debris of unbelief in their gas tank, not seeing results as they expected. Or, they got their eyes on a person or a church instead of looking to the Lord and His Word alone. Focus on God who is faithful. Sin, unbelief and catering to the flesh in our life, brings spiritual death. We need to get our spiritual tank cleaned out and blow the fuel lines out and clean the carburetor. This is repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. If we are “frozen up,” and not sharing Jesus freely with the passion of the fire of God, we need to let God get a hold of us and break us free from religious corrosion and bondage. Once we are broken free by the working of the Word and Spirit of God, then we need to get filled up from Him with the fuel of the Spirit, get cranked and running. Sitting idle will render you ready for the scrap pile. A total commitment to the Lord Himself will get you up and running smoothly.

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Jesus took love, truth and the healing, delivering power of God into every level of society. He took it into the street, into the established educational and religious institutions, and into the political arena. He chose twelve people He could train to follow Him. Today, He is calling to His church for “the twelve” to follow Him.

Two Different Mentalities

There are two different mentalities. Lukewarm is not acceptable. So, we all have a choice to make. Which mindset will we adopt?

The Church Conservative does just that—it conserves. It holds on to what it’s got; it keeps refined truth inside the four walls of its institutional grace.

The Church Militant marches out to war. It takes raw truth and power to the druggies on the street, to the town meeting, to the day-care centers, to the schools, to the universities, to the seminaries, and to the highest political arena—to every level of society.

One mindset is to hold on to what you have—a defensive mindset.

The other mindset is to push forward to take more territory—an offensive mindset.

One mindset offers freedom and liberty to a select few who we encounter in the sphere of our convenience.

The other mindset sacrificially and aggressively goes to the ends of the earth to offer freedom and liberty to all, through the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

One stays in the realm of caution and conformity, for measured responses.

The other steps into confrontation and chaos with the truth and power of God to make it happen—and then continue to take the truth and power of God into whatever does happen.

The Call is Going Out

God’s call to His church is going out to us all. Many are called, but few are chosen. Those who are chosen are those who make themselves fit and ready in the love, truth, grace and supernatural power of God. Not just a revival—a revolution of love, truth, grace and supernatural power, all issuing from and revolving around the Lord Jesus Christ.

We all have a choice to make. What is your choice?

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