Why Confession?

I have been thinking about confession lately. That is a confession in and of itself. The biblical and early church practice has seemed to be lost. It has been lost in the classical evangelical churches I know and even in the charismatic churches I know. At least the teaching and reminder to practice seems to be missing. So, I have been asking why confess, besides it being a commandment of scripture, which is enough reason by itself but has not seemed to motivate people to practice. So, here is a brief attempt at the answer to that question.

What It Is

To confess, from the Bible’s perspective, basically means to agree with reality. It means to acknowledge or agree fully with something. Sometimes, we are told to confess Jesus as Lord. (Rom. 10:9) But other times we are told to confess our sins, faults, and brokenness, the negative things of life (1 Jn. 1:9; James 5:16). Why is this so important? Simply stated, it gets us in touch with the reality of who we are, and connects that reality with God, others, and the healing process.

We Connect the parts that need healing back to the source of healing: God

The main problem in man is not doing wrong things, if it were then doing right things would be the answer. However, man cannot even do the right thing by himself. The problem is man is separated from God. Reconciliation is the answer and confession reconciles the parts of us that still are untouched to God for the purpose of changing them. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive." (1 Jn. 1:9) Coming into agreement with God concerning sin is what brings forgiveness to the sin. This means more than removal of guilt- it means He begins to heal and change the thing confessed.

The problem is we confess surface stuff and not the real underlying problems like Jesus mentioned in Mark 7:20-23. We confess to God that we are frustrated with someone's actions and admit needing more patience, instead of confessing trying to control what this person does because I really don't trust God. I mean confessing the need to improve on patience is different than God I don't really trust you. But when we bring the truth to God, He can then begin the healing process.

We Connect the parts of us that need healing to others which removes guilt and shame.

The bible is clear of our need to confess to one-another. (James 5:16) There are many reasons for this and I cannot go into all of them here. One of the main reasons, is when we bring the reality of who we are to people filled with God's grace and truth we experience love and acceptance. This quiets shame and guilt which keeps darkness in the dark where it grows. The scripture says that we actually do not experience all of God's grace alone with God, but actually through other's filled with His spirit and truth (1 Peter 4:10)

This heals the split self we experience because of guilt and shame. Guilt causes us to hide the bad parts and therefore present a false self to others. So, we end up divided: the self we show others and the self we are in reality. This hurts us emotionally, functionally, and causes sickness in the soul. Confession to others who are experiencing God's grace, brings this split together and the real self is loved and accepted. This allows the person to look at the bad parts without shame and guilt and together with God and others overcome them.

God has given us each other for our healing, but we can cut ourselves off from this healing by not confessing to each other. We must open the door to be able to experience the connectedness that the Bible talks about in so many places. As Ephesians 4:16 tells us, we can be healed and built up by each other, as we do our work in our relationships. But this can only happen as we confess.

We get restored to truth

As we confess to God and others we come to the reality of who we are in relation to who God intent us to be. The truth of God is like a mirror (James 1:23,24) showing us the gap between the glory of God we were intended to be (Rom. 3:23) and who we are in reality. This "gap" brings us to an awareness of our need for grace. Self-sufficiency is seen as inadequate and we begin to change the way we were thinking and move into God's intent for us to be dependent on Him and His grace, power, love etc. This is true repentance. God not only begins to change our minds, but our desires, and the structure of our lives.

We build intimacy

Intimacy is one of the basis needs of mankind. We were intended to be naked and feel no shame. Confession to God and others who have grown in grace brings this into reality. We become deeply known and therefore the feelings of loneliness, isolation, or fear get reduced.

When you have a few people you are confessing your badness, your hurts and brokenness and the other things that reside in your "hidden self," then you will have intimacy. But this does not come cheaply. Read the list of things in Mark 7: 21– “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness,” and then see how you feel about sharing those aspects of yourself. That will tell you how comfortable you are in the true confession model of the Bible.

Who have you told about your “evil thoughts,” or your adulterous or envious fantasies lately? Who have you wished evil or destruction towards and who knows about those feelings. We all have them, but we don’t confess them. When you consider the true content of the things that ruin our souls, then you can see why confession is something that not everyone does. But if you could, and you can, then you will build a closeness with God and others that is beyond anything you ever knew.

Summary

There is no spiritual life without confession. The spiritual life begins with confession and is sustained by it. It is the process that opens the door of our hearts and souls to God, others and even ourselves. Begin to “agree with reality.” It can truly save your soul and life.

Hope this helps,

AT

Spiritual beings

In the garden, when Adam sinned, one of the major effects of that action was how he viewed himself. When Adam and Eve ate the fruit the Bible describes the immediate result as "Their eyes were opened and they knew they were naked." This is an interesting result of sin is it not? When the Lord comes to them they hide and Adam's reasoning for hiding was "I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself." The Lord then asks a profound question. "Who told you that you were naked?" In other words, where did that information come from Adam? It did not come from me.

Adam and Eve were not naked. I do not mean that they were already wearing clothes as we think, but that the Lord had clothed them with their flesh. Paul states clearly that the body is a tent, that it is our clothing. (2 Cor. 5:1-4) Do you see the problem? Adam and Eve's view of themselves changed. The Lord created Adam and Eve as spiritual beings that were clothed with the flesh, but sin resulting in a change in their perspective of their identity as primarily flesh that need to be clothed.

This "perspective change" cost them trading the truth for a lie. If you view something in a way contrary to how God views something you are not seeing it as it really is, therefore, not seeing reality. They then continue to act in away that supports their perspective they provide for themselves and protect themselves. I have written and will continue to write more about this subject but I would like to make one point.

When we through faith in Christ are reconnected with God we are connected spirit to Spirit. We are to be led by the spirit and not the flesh. Often times Christians live unaware of the Spirit of God or think "it could be God but it's probably me." I would like to say that is "carnally minded" and is at war with God. (Rom. 8) For that perspective is "I am a physical (flesh) being who maybe having a spiritual experience." But as a son of God, as the redeemed of God, as one who is restored back to God spirit to Spirit our perspective should be "I am a spiritual being who is having a physical experience." I believe this is the basis of a being "spiritually minded." Which leads to this way of thinking "it's probably God, but it could be me."

What does it look like to live like this? To acknowledge that God is speaking or working around us and then join Him in His work. What if this is a better understanding of "in all your ways acknowledge God and He will direct your path. (Prov. 3:6) To acknowledge God around you because you are spiritually minded and expect God's leading to be normal. Then you acknowledge that a thought was from God, or the dream was from God, or your awareness of a need was God and you say "O.K. God, I acknowledge You are speaking to me, now please direct me how to move forward."

I believe this is the way Jesus lived and He was really the only normal Christian.

Hope this helps,

AT

The Good Samaritan...

The parables Jesus told have always been exciting for me. It is quiet clear that they are intended to communicate truth, yet at the same time hide it. This is what Jesus meant when He explained to the disciples that some people "hearing never hear, and seeing never see." Some people only want to see what they want and hear what they want. Therefore, He used parables. (see Matt. 13:10-15)

I recently taught on the good samaritan found in Luke 10:25-37. I have had good feedback so I thought I would share. The story begins with a question from a lawyer to Jesus. This lawyer's question was not entirely sincere. He was testing Jesus and so asked a law based question: "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" Now Jesus knowing His intentions answers accordingly. You see the lawyer wanted to know what he could DO to inherit life. Jesus then questioned the questioner: "What is written in the law? What is your reading?" In other words, you are asking what to do, yet you know the law what is your understanding of it. The lawyer replies: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself."

Jesus confirms this by saying you have answered rightly now do this and you will live. However, Jesus knows, as He would later teach, that everyone needs forgiveness. Works alone cannot save someone. The lawyer's intent was to test Jesus, he was not sincerely seeking eternal life, so Jesus instead of reasoning with the lawyer for hours on end, simply advises him to go practice the answer the lawyer gave (which assumes even though the lawyer may have known the right answer he wasn't doing it). Jesus knew that if the lawyer took seriously finding eternal life and sincerely practice loving God and others the lawyer would find it still not enough and then maybe seek for the truth.

However, the lawyer is not satisfied with this small interaction. He further seeks to justify himself by asking, "And who is my neighbor?" He is hoping to justify why he doesn't love some and loves others. His functional dynamic is still based on his keeping of the law and therefore seeks justification accordingly. However, Jesus' answer hides the truth while at the sametime reveals it. Jesus answered with the parable of the good samaritan. Here is what I believe Jesus was revealing:

A certain man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho.... "Certain" can be translated a "particular" man. What if Jesus is talking about this lawyer.... or Adam as a representative for all men. This Adam, fell among thieves who stole his clothing, wounded him, and left him half dead. "Clothing" in jewish culture represented identity. For example, if some was going to beg he must present himself to the priest if found authentically handicapped he was given a certain robe which communicated to all in the city that he was legitimately a beggar. The first thing the Father did in the prodigal story is when his son came home was to give him a robe.

So, this man had his identity stolen, was wounded, and left half dead. Adam when he ate of the tree became separated from God. He was dead in this way, yet still physically alive. He was "half-dead."

Now a priest came by representing the law. Priests in Jesus day represented the covenant that was based primarily on the law. The Priest passes by on the other side. Why? Because the law can do nothing for a half dead man. The law can only condemn or justify it cannot heal nor transform anyone.

Next came a levite which represented religion. The levites where responsible for all the feasts' and other religious practices. He walks on the other side because religion can do nothing for a half dead man. It requires things from you it does not heal or transform you.

Then a samaritan comes by... The point has been overly stated that the Jews did not like the samaritans but why? A Samaritan is some one who is half jewish or child of Israel and half gentile. Now lets define some terms: Israel means prince of God and gentile means people or nations. It is used to describe people who are not Israelites. It can coming mean "of the world." So, a Samaritan would be someone who is half prince of God and half of this world. I believe Jesus is using Samaritan speaking of Himself. He comes to the man and has compassion on him. He bandages his wounds. He heals with oil, a consistent picture in scripture of the Holy Spirit and wine, a consistent picture in scripture of the blood of Christ. He places the man on His own donkey because "surely He has bore our infirmities and carried our sickness" (Isa. 53 and Matt. 8:17).

He brought the man to an inn, which literally means place of many dwellings. The other "place of many dwellings" Jesus speaks of is His Fathers house in John 14. John 14 is not about "mansions in heaven" but a place for each believer in the Father's house. "House" commonly refers to family or lineage in the scriptures, not simply or exclusively a physical building. It is here in the Father's house the man finds his identity as a "son of God" (see Gal. 3:27).

The Samaritan paid the inn keeper two denarii. One denarii was a days wage. He gave the man two days wages because he plans on returning the third day.

Now, Jesus asked the man which of these three do you think was a neighbor to him who fell among thieves. You see, he was hiding truth. The man who was seeking more things to DO to try to earn eternal life can interpret it one way, basically I need to be more neighborly to the guy on the side of the road. Which was not the point! The point was that doing more could not earn you eternal life. The truth was the lawyer was a half dead man needing one who was half prince of God and half of this world to come to him and have mercy on him and heal him!

The answer is Jesus is the neighbor and has come to us in our half dead lives to save us! Neither law nor religion can do that. Being more nice to the man on the side of the road cannot do that!

But sadly the lawyer did not get it because he was not looking to be saved but justified. So, Jesus told him, "Go do likewise."

Blessings,

AT

Free to be Christlike 3

We have stated in the first of these three blogs that one can be free from restraints but not free to do. One can be free from anyone keeping them from running a marathon, but not free to run a marathon because they lack the ability. Jesus has freed us from the control of sin, the flesh, and the world but we are not free to live like Christ without some training.

In the second installment I showed you that the believers options are not sin or don't but rather rely on our own strength which inevitably results in sin or rely on divine assistance given to us in the person of the Holy Spirit. Now Jesus lived and did what He did because He relied on the Holy Spirit. He also practiced a certain lifestyle that equipped Him to rely on the Holy Spirit.

I have stated that trying to be like Christ in the moment of conflict is about impossible as playing Beethoven on the piano without any previous practice. We must not think about what Jesus would do in the moment of conflict but what Jesus did when He wasn't in the moment that prepared Him to choose divine assistance in the moment of conflict.

Now I first must put these things in the proper context if not we end up with some perverted form of godliness like legalism or monastic (monkish) thinking. Jesus is practical. He has solutions for real life. He is not desiring us to live in a way that does not enjoy the things He has made that are good for us. However, He does intend for us to live in the divine assistance to the point where all we do is assisted by grace: the power and presence of God. He knows that the most fulfilling and pleasant life is one lived in the kingdom of God, where all things are assisted by heaven.

If you look at Jesus' life you will find in the back drop of a intensely supernatural life that there are some things routinely practiced. For example, solitude. Jesus was led into the wilderness, away from human beings, where he fasted and communicated with the Holy Spirit. Then after 40 days was tempted. Many say that the devil comes to you at your weakest moment. However, I would like to point out that solitude, fasting, and prayer was when Jesus was strongest. You see he prepared for the moment of conflict through the practice of solitude, fasting, and prayer. He routinely practiced these things often gone entire nights to be alone and pray.

He even told the disciples to "watch and pray so that they would not enter into temptation." This is amazing. He was saying there are things you can do like watching and praying that strengthens you so that sin does not even look inviting. However, we for the most part do not practice any of these things or at least in the right context and yet wonder why we do not have the "divine assistance" (power) available to us at the point of temptation. It is not the lack of availability of the Holy Spirit, but our untrained self in recognizing and relying on the divine assistance.

Now these things are not ends in themselves. You are not more spiritual because you fast more. That is a wrong view. Actually the more you mature, the more you know how to rely on divine assistance the less you will need to fast. These training tools, teach us how to recognize and rely on divine assistance.

Jesus engaged in many practices as a lifestyle: solitude, prayer, fasting, celebrating, serving others, study, simplicity of life, silence and others. Solitude clears us of the distractions that tend to come with being around others. The mind then can focus on God. Now study will assist you in thinking of God as He actually is not some perverted form you may have learned in Sunday School. Prayer teaches me how to hear his voice. Silence also helps greatly in this regard. Silence (not talking and little to no noise visual or audio) reminds us of death and death reminds us of what is just us and God. We might be amazed at how little there is of just us and God.

Now these things were lifestyles (practiced routinely) but were not the point in themselves. Jesus did not become a monk, He was actually sent to people, however, if He did not know/learn how to rely on divine assistance He would of been little help to the people He was sent. Jesus was sent to teach so He did not take a lifetime vow of silence, yet if He did not know His Fathers voice He could not have "spoke only what He heard the Father say" and His teachings would have been no different then those of His day.

Therefore, my challenge to you is this consider the way of Jesus. His teaching as well as His way of living. Applying your effort to do these things is not works but practice. It to "exercise yourself in godliness." (1 Tim. 4:7) These things done with the intent to become Christlike through relying on the Holy Spirit not for your own justification will result in the life of Christ in "your mortal bodies through His Spirit that dwells in you." (Rom. 8:11)

The world is actually waiting to see "Christ in you the hope of glory." We must take learning to rely on the Holy Spirit as serious of an undertaking as running a marathon or playing an instrument. The latter things are good, but the former brings an abundant kind of life filled with the power of Christ.

Free to be Christlike 2

Jesus speaking of Himself said, "I can do nothing." That means that Jesus could not heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons, or resist sin or walk in the holiness of God. What He did was rely upon the Father. He said it was the Father in Him who did the works. Jesus was rightly connected to the Father by fully relying on the Holy Spirit.

Now we have many things in our contemporary western Christian worldview that make it difficult for us to take serious the claims of Christ. One is our view of salvation. We are taught in western Christianity that salvation is a prayer to be prayed that moves your final destination from hell to heaven. However, Jesus proclaimed that He came to give a certain kind of life and that life was to be in abundance. This new life involved a new order, one ordered after or by the kingdom of the heavens. This life was abundant because it came from above.

Now Jesus intended for this life to be experienced now. We are living in eternity now therefore, the eternal life is for now. Now Jesus modeled this life for us while He was here. It was a life that was ultimately concerned with the Father and His kingdom. Jesus practiced a certain lifestyle that enabled Him to live relying on the divine assistance of the Holy Spirit. This included solitude, prayer, fasting, simplicity of life, celebrating, etc.

Now Paul argues in the book of Romans 5,6 that we who have given the rulership of our lives away to Christ, who have put our faith (confidence) in His rule over us have "died with Christ." He says we should "walk in the newness of life." He states that those who receive "grace and the gift of righteousness shall reign (rule) in life." (Rom 5:17). Now are tendency is to think of grace as a one time gift of get-out-of-jail-free. However, anyone who will take a in-depth look at grace will see immediately that is more than that. It is God in action. Grace is the empowering presence of God that enables you to do what God has called you to do and be what He has called you to be.

Therefore, let's read Romans 5:17 in my paraphrase: "those who yield to divine assistance will be given the free gift of being able to act righteously and this will result in a life of overcoming victory. Paul moves on to say therefore, (in light of the divine assistance made available) do not yield your members to acts of unrighteousness but of righteousness. This language is very clear we have a choice to make.

Those who have given rulership of their lives to Christ have Christ living in them through the Holy Spirit. Those in the grip of grace have a choice that people still ruling themselves do not have, the availability of divine assistance. It is now up the the person to choose not to give themselves to unrighteousness but to Christ and His Spirit in them. The option is not sin or don't sin it is rely on your own strength which will result in sin or rely on divine assistance given you through the Holy Spirit which results in righteousness and life!

Therefore the greatest of saints among us are not those who need less grace but those who consume the most grace, who live and rely on the power and presence of God as our model Jesus did. Now we are free from sin, however, we are not free to live righteously until we train and prepare ourselves to rely on the Holy Spirit

Now the question must be asked, is there a way of life that will assist us in relying on divine assistance? The answer is of course found in the life and practice of Jesus. We will discuss more in following blogs.

Free to be Christlike

Freedom from and freedom to are very different. You are free to fly in the fact that nothing is holding you down, however, you are not free to fly because you lack the ability to fly. A person is free to get married in the fact that once they are of age no one can stop them, but a person is not free to have a great, happy, satisfying marriage if he/she lacks the relational abilities to do so. I am free from any restraints to run a marathon, however, I am not free to run it because I am not in shape. Therefore, if I have the vision to run a marathon, then I intend on running the marathon, I will then employ the means to prepare me to run the marathon. This would include training over a period of time. Training is the the intentional, direct effort over a period of time that prepares me to do what I could not do by trying. Now this is true of many things: playing an instrument, singing, the arts, speaking, etc. I cannot try harder (exert more energy) and play Beethoven, but I can practice and in time play Beethoven.

Now why is it when it comes to being like Christ we lose such common sense? No where else in life would I desire to have the same results as certain person and go about getting those results by practicing nothing they did. You see we have been taught that grace means you cannot apply effort or it's works. This is not true. Grace is not opposed to effort but opposed to earning. Effort is action, earning is attitude. I did not earn a marathon by training for it.

Being like Christ seems difficult to us because we try to be like Him in the moment of conflict. In the moment of my enemy's hate I try to love him and find it as difficult as trying to play Beethoven without any prior knowledge of the piano. Therefore, we read that His yoke is easy but experience it as impossible. We read His commands are not burdensome but our experience tells something different. So, we decide not to try and reduce grace down to the willingness of God to overlook my failures but do not expect grace to empower me to change. We end up with a church culture where it is actually a common practice and expectation to be a Christian and not be Christlike.

There must be a restoration of the way of Christ to the church. A way of living not legalistic and religious but empowering and precise. A way in which produces people who act like Christ by nature because they have been transformed. The fact that many think becoming Christlike is impossible gives evidence to how far our thinking has come from the apostle Paul who actually and literally meant "to live is Christ and to die is gain."

Now most people think of Jesus as nice, polite, good but very few would say intelligent. In our list of the smartest people of all time we do not place Jesus on the list. We tend to still view Him through the Sunday school flannel board image. The long blond haired, limp wristed, candy bar after class, nice guy but not a genius who actually brought with Him the total answer to mans total need. I actually think Jesus and the apostle Paul were/are greater thinkers then Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle and I'll give you reasons.

Plato's Republic written 380 b.c. tells of a system that can govern free people. He speaks of just men and labors to define what that means. He concludes that a man who rules a city that prospers must be a man of virtue and justice. His conversations help us understand that righteous rule is when a man can govern not for his own interest but the interest of the people.

Now Plato's conclusions are historically pivotal and have been used for centuries. Plato concludes that righteous, good, just men in leadership is what is needed for a city-state to prosper. He is simply stating what Solomon told us a thousand years prior to him: when the righteous rule the people rejoice. Herein lies the problem: what do you do when there are no righteous men? Or insufficient number of them to rule? How does one become righteous and good?; not men who are able to do a good act but men who's dominating character of their life is good.

You see Jesus actually brought with Him a way that can actually produces righteous people. Not positionally righteous people but literally and practically righteous people. People who do good because it is who they are. The Apostle Paul proved that after Jesus' ascension a person could still become a new kind of person, living a new kind of life through Jesus and His way. A life not from this world but a life from above. A life that could actually bring the rule of heaven practically to the earth.

Jesus and Paul actually brought answers to some of the most profound questions of their day and all of human history. This is why philosophers and intellectuals came to the way of Jesus and the kingdom of God in droves because He alone answered the questions that wisdom demands answered. We have lost this way of life and it must be regained. I'll speak more on this matter in following posts

Oneness

In coming to Jesus at salvation we have decided something that will eternally change our lives starting at the moment we believe. We have unashamedly announced we are forfeiting our rights to rule of our own lives and have used our freedom to choose Jesus to be our Lord. Lord means sovereign one. We, by our own confession, have announced Jesus as our Lord and in His first act as our soveriegn, He saves us from the fruit of our own "ruling." He saves us from our sin and consequentially death.

However, as lifestyle goes and church function there is little to be seen that would give evidence to a change in sovereign administration. There is a mindset that each man rules himself and tries his best to do what pleases God in his own strength. This mindset accompanied with a inadequate ability to hear and respond to the Holy Spirit has created a culture of everyone doing what is right in their own eyes.

We are in a very important season as a local church and universal church. We are in a season where God is arranging His body with clarity to function at an unprecedented rate resulting in the coporate body of Christ putting on display a clearer representation of the fulness of Christ. This starts with the understanding that the individual christian has given the authority to rule their lives to Christ. Seeking first His rule over all areas of our lives is seeking first the kingdom of God.

The epicenter of this conflict is located in our soul. Will we be ruled by our soul or by the Spirit of Christ? Will we live as an orphan or a son? Will we submit to each other in the reality of God or will we push for our individuality to the point of division? These thoughts frigthen our souls. We have all seen orphans abuse authority, however, God's answer is not to abolish authority but to give us a model of righteous authority in Christ. There is still authority and always will be, the question is: will it be administered in soulishness or in a spirit of righteousness.

If you look at the early church, of which Luke said to be in one heart and one mind, you see something supernatural. This church of jews and gentiles, slaves and free, male and females all major differences and huge obstacles to overcome to be one in heart and mind, yet they did it. How? First, was the clear message they received on Penticost. The message from Peter was simple Jesus Christ of Nazereth is both LORD and CHRIST. The yielding to the Lordship of Christ was the frist and major reason for the unison.

Our bodies made up of many members, that are very different in shape and function yet work together in unison because each part is unconditionally submitted to the head. Therefore, it is clear to say that the division in the church is clearly a result of parts not being submitted to the head. We live in a day where it is not politically correct to render such a judgment, yet the scriptures are clear in there meaning. We must decide political correctness or truth? We, as a local church and the universal church, will only reach her God determined destination by speaking the truth in love not by sacrificing truth to appease the immature.

In this season, God is making one out of many. A oneness deeper than agreed upon doctrine, a oneness that is deeper than being a part of the same instituion. A oneness deeper than being in the same room during a service. We are in a day where God is making a body that will be as one as your physical body, functioning in complete harmony with each other, complementing each other by all parts submitting to the head. He is making us to be of one heart and one mind as we pursue displaying Christ in the earth.

The foundation for these things to come about is the Father-son relationship. God breathed into Adam and he became a living being. Adam is made in the image of God not by the forming of dirt but by the spirit that came out of God and into the dirt. Therefore, Adam came 'out of God.' Now God provided and protected Adam, and Adam was to trust God. This fellowship (joint participation) was how Adam was to rule the earth, bringing heavens order to a the chaos outside of the garden. After the fall Jesus came to model for us the life of a son, by trusting the Father with His life. The father loves the son the son trust the father.

Another place you see this principle is when God created Eve. God created a "helper suitable" for Adam by taking her from his side. This is simple: suitable helpers must be 'out of another.' Jesus the second son had a bride taken from His side on the cross. We are "suitable helpers" for him having been taken from his side. Adam calls Eve 'bone of my bone' and 'flesh of my flesh.' He saw his oneness with her because she was 'from him.' We are to see our oneness with Christ the same way, 'bone of His bone and flesh of his flesh.' We are one with Christ as His bride. Now are submission to our bridegroom and His love for us creates another context for us to see love for one and trust for the other.

The husband-bride and father-son relationship both teach us the same resounding lesson: that two become one through love. The one from which the other comes loves the new one as an extension of themselves. This is Paul's deep revelation in Ephesians 5 of Christ and the church. The one who has come from the other displays their love by trusting their lives to the one they have come 'out of.' Another place this 'out of one' kind-of-love is displayed is in the trinity itself. God who is one became many to display love. Jesus, the word that became flesh, actually came out of God. God actually separated himself to display love. He chose the Father-son relationship. God acting as Father and God acting as son gave us a context of how 'out of the other' love works. The pregenator loves the one that has come out of him as his own and the son-bride loves by trusting himself to the plans and intentions of the other. This is a oneness that no man can separate.

We have entered a season where the Holy Spirit is intertwining our lives together with purposeful intent under the headship of Christ. The Holy Spirit will be assembling the body of Christ, by arranging relationships within the body, to produce a joint participation between parts that will display a greater and clearer representation of Christ and His rule. This arrangement by the Holy Spirit will give a clear distinction and alternative to the orphan way of life. A sign unto you will be this, the Lord will turn the hearts of fathers towards the sons. In the chaos of the orphan culture of the world God is building a group of people so deeply connected through the arrangement of Holy Spirit, built in love and under the Lordship of Christ, that would bring the rule of heaven to earth. The coming of which will call many orphan's to the love of the Father! Your destiny is inseparable from the body of Christ. This then is the fulfillment of the body of Christ and each saint who has believed upon Christ.

Receiving Our Sight

The gospel of Jesus is the gospel of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-21), however, we have made it one of conciliation. Conciliation is crisis management demonstrated by a dividing of assets in an equal value: thus creating a self-centered perspective. "Were the assets divided equally?" If I went into business with a man named Bob. We made widgets. We had a separation in our relationship and so go to court for conciliation. The judge would assist us in dividing our assets equally. Who gets what and how much. That is the best justice our human court can give. Reconciliation is the restoring of relationship and the business back into it's original intent. Bob and I would be restored relationally and the widget business would be back.

The way we present the western, evangelical gospel is conciliation. We have been separated from God and now He is being nice and wants to rescue poor sinners. But we never ask what is the original intent for God creating us? What have we been restored too? Conciliation produces a vision focused on the end result, in this case, heaven or hell. Reconciliation restores the original purpose lost and therefore the vision of who we were always created to be.

Vision is central to transformation. Most Christians are never transformed into Christlikeness because the vision we have is focused on the end result not the purpose of our existence: thus we live as orphans surviving because we never grabbed the vision of our original intent; to be God's sons.

God has created us to be sons but we have lost our identity (vision of oneself). Therefore, Christ has come to bring "recovery of sight to the blind." Jesus has restored us to our original intent and even provided us with a clear vision of how a son lives. He has restored our vision back to the original vision. Come let us pull the blindfolds off and receive our sight: a vision for who we are and why we are here!

We are a part of a ancient royal priesthood that extends throughout human history including Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job, David, and more. We are a holy nation that will clearly put Christ on display that the world will have a clear vision of what the Father is like. We are being built into the house of God that will be filled with His glory and set on a hill for all to see. The nations will come to us and ask us to teach them the ways of the Lord. We are a family, of kings and priest, sons of the Most High God. We will not live to survive, provide, or protect ourselves- that is not the family way- we will live courageously selfless, love unconditionally, and speak the truth boldly. The glory of our Father will be seen upon our faces and we will be known in heaven and feared in hell. We are the sons of God, sent here to be an ambassador of the Kingdom of God, to show the world how extravagant our Father is.

This is the dawn of a new day that brings fresh light to see. Come and see from heavens perspective!

Word of God and the Present Tense

Jesus continued in John 16 by saying, “However, when He, the Spirit

of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth”

( John 16:13). Notice that He does not say when the Scriptures come, or

when the New Testament is finished, or when the cannon is closed

you will understand. No, He says when the Spirit of truth comes,

He will guide us into all truth. Truth is always revealed by the Holy

Spirit––never stumbled upon but guided to.

Why is this important? Glad you asked. It has been pointed

out, “Faith comes by hearing, not by having heard.” Faith is based

on hearing God in the present tense. Let me give you an example

that will show you the danger of misunderstanding layers of truth.

God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, but later God said the opposite,

“Do not lay your hand on the lad” (Genesis 22:12). I bet Isaac is

glad Abraham kept listening to God!

If Abraham would have kept doing what God had said at the

expense of what God was currently saying to him, he would have

been guilty of the blood of Isaac. In the same way, when the church

clings to what God has said at the expense of what He is currently

saying, the church sacrifices its future on the altar of its traditions.

The church then becomes guilty of murdering its young and its

future. The church then dies and looks to God and wonders why

He would allow such a thing. Or we create a theology that makes

our defeat and ineffectiveness “God’s will for the end times,” which

in turn eases our conscience and removes any responsibility away

from us and makes fruitlessness somehow pleasing to God.

God was saying something in the Old Testament and built on

that in the New Testament, which made the message different—

complete. The Old Testament message was incomplete; it needed

Jesus. For example, the Old Testament pointed out how horrible

sin is; the New Testament pointed out how powerful grace and love

are. It is incorrect exegesis to look at an Old Testament principle

without seeing it through the lens of Christ. For example, David

sinned with Bathsheba, and God struck his child with sickness, and

the child died. The principle is simple: the wages of sin is death. Yet

to look at this story and conclude that today God gives sickness and

kills babies is an incorrect interpretation. The correct one would

be seeing this analogy in light of redemption: “My sin deserved death,

but Jesus died for me and as me; therefore, God does not kill

babies, because it is unjust to pay for a sin twice. If we cling to the

guard rather than embracing the guide, we will be guilty of killing

our future!

My son is Up!!

This morning I heard Judah was up so I got up and made him a bottle. By the time it was ready for consumption he had fallen back asleep. So, I waited in the living room for him to wake up. Finally I heard him "talking" and was so excited I thought to myself, "My son is up!" As I ran into his room to see him and feed him I had this overwhelming thought that God thinks the same towards me. I like to think of myself as a good father... thats better than thinking about the alternative, but I am NOTHING like my Father-God. God is so amazing. And He is crazy in love with you. He delights in you...

Later in the day I took a break from my office and went into our auditorium. I was taking some time to worship Him when I was overwhelmed again. (Jehovah sneaky... He likes to sneak up on me) This time I was overwhelmed by the simplicity of the gospel. There is Father who loves His children. But His children have been lied to. They are deceived into thinking they are alone as orphans. The gospel is the pleading of the Father, through sons who have returned home, to sons who are lost and lonely. The plea is simple... There is a wonderful, loving Father who is in deep pursuit of you. He first sent His only begotten Son to redeem you and now sends all those who have been restored out to the ends of the earth to proclaim this wonderful news... "You have a Father who has never forgotten you and who has never for one moment stopped loving you. He is pursuing you and will never stop... will you stop running and turn and come home? A Ring, a robe, and family awaits you."

People love to tell good news... People love to hear good news... When did the good news stop being good?

"Papa, I am up now!"

AT

The Sons of God

The bible is clear that those who believe in Christ have become sons of God. (Gal. 3:26; 4:4) The problem is we still think like orphans. An orphans root identity is one of being alone. Therefore, they are preoccupied with provision and protection. Sons have this foundation of being loved and accepted, therefore, their Father is their source of provision and protection. Jesus gives us a great insight into the inward working of a orphan in Luke 12. He tells in my own paraphrase "do not worry about your life. What you will eat or how you will be clothed because your Father knows you need such things. However, seek first the kingdom and all these things will be added to you." Because orphans are preoccupied with provision and protection they cannot have the priority of the kingdom. Sons trust the Father for their provision and protection, therefore, are free to recklessly seek their Father's Kingdom.

What in you distracts you from seeking the kingdom? What in you competes with the presence of God? Orphans hoard; sons trust. Orphans control; sons yield. Orphans seek approval; sons impact nations. It is time we not only have the theology of sons but start thinking like one!

All of creation is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God! (Rom. 8:19)

Real Reality...

Just because you believe something is real does not make it real. It even may appear and feel real to you but still does not make it real. That would be a good lesson to learn and relearn: Just because it appears real or feels real does not make it or mean it is. The Greeks had no word for reality. Actually "reality" is the best understanding of the Greek word translated into english as truth. Truth is void of lies or void of things/stuff that is "un-real." Truth is void of distracting "un reals" so truth is ultimate reality or real reality. The Bible declares that what God says is truth. (Jh. 17) What God says is ultimate reality or real reality no matter what our experiences, sight, or touch tell us.

For example: I can tell you my name is Rich. You can experience me introducing myself as rich. I could be wearing a name tag that you see and read "R-I-C-H." Others may even call me rich. But that does not make my name Rich. The reality is my name is Aaron. It is what my Father calls me! So, your experience, sight, and even others would have given you false information. Even if I believed my name was rich it still does not change the reality... my birth certificate reads Aaron.

So the million dollar question is what is our birth certificate? And what does it say? What is the standard from which truth is derived? God! The devil is a liar. His main goal is to distort truth! To pervert "reality" or at least our perspective of reality. If all the devil is armed with to come against you is the lie... then all you need to have power over him is truth! I may be simple minded I been accused of that before.

What does God say about you? Find out and reckon yourself whatever He says. Romans 6:11 says reckon yourself dead to sin. I do not reckon myself dead until it becomes true but because it is true! I do not reckon myself a son of God until I start acting like one. NO! I reckon myself a son because I am one. That is who I ultimately am. What I experience, see, touch, and hear others say... is simply a perspective shattered with untruths and false realities.

May the Lord wash you with the water of His word... His ultimate reality,

AT

I can do nothing...

Jesus said in John 5 He could do nothing. That is a remarkable statement. The God man so restricts Himself that He lives not being able to do anything. Jesus could not heal the sick or raise the dead. He could do nothing. Everything He did He did because the Father was doing it and He joined in. He did not come to show us what God could do in the flesh but what one man could do when rightly related to God. Jesus lived completely abandoned to the Fathers will.

Jesus the man who had ever right and ability to prove to us who He is and what He could do restricted Himself to complete dependence on the Father. After His statement "I can do nothing" He says, "He does only what He sees the Father doing." Allow me to suggest to you that realizing apart from Jesus you can do nothing opens your eyes to begin to see what the Father is doing. Try it. It is so refreshing to admit I am not smart enough, bright enough, talented enough, strong enough to do anything of any eternal value. So, Lord show me what you are doing and I will join you and as we co-labor You can do Your stuff in and through me.

In Acts 4: 13 the bible says, "when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized they had been with Jesus" Are you willing to let people see what you are not so they might see who you have been with? Do not hide inadequacies but use them to practice vulnerability. Remember the great lesson of 2 Cor. 12: when we are weak He is strong. As we are aware of our weakness we will see His power rest upon us. I encourage you to practice the presence. Live with the awareness that apart from Him you can do nothing... but you are never without Him again... so listen and join Him in the Fathers business.

Becoming childlike

Spiritual maturity is the process by which God makes us more and more childlike!

One of the most important and yet seemingly lost qualities I have seen to be crucial to Kingdom living is childlikeness. Children do not worry about provision or protection nor are they concerned with their faith, their holiness, or their obedience. They hear, trust, obey, and trust some more. Oh! may God restore to His church the innocence of a child. May the simplicity that is in Christ become the focus of our daily lives.

Some where along the way I believed a lie. I do not think any one person taught it to me as much as I learned it through life in the western church. Some where I was taught that sophistication and intelligence were the qualities of the mature. But most likely the clearest and most genuine mark of maturity is childlike trust. The "ability" to lose self-awareness in a head-long jump into the Fathers arms!

We spend so much time trying to cover up our inadequacies to prove our maturity while losing humility! You see the sophisticated church goers, who know "how to act in church" i.e passionless think by sophistication they please God. But He enjoys all of His children simply because they are His children. This does not mean God does not enjoy the "sophisticated" "proper" acting christian but it to say He loves them in spite of these things not because! I must say I have climbed up the tree of knowledge and peered from its branches and saw a greater more fruitful pleasant tree: the tree of life. Delighting in the Lord and He in I is the only way to live each day!

I must insert here a much needed disclaimer; faith and intellect are not mutually exclusive. But seek first understanding with your intellect and you will miss out of the joy of faith. But seek first trusting God even when you do not understand and God will give you understanding. Faith is the only real way to understanding. Spiritual maturity is the process by which God makes us more and more childlike! Come as you are just do not let the titles, what you know, or what you do not know keep you from the joy of Sonship. If you are in Christ you are a Son and the Fathers arms are wide open ready to delight in you simply because you are His son.

May God grant you a childlike heart!

AT