Let It Go!

Let It Go!

by | Jan 19, 2024 | Attitude Adjustments, Fragments

GOD WANTS YOU TO LET IT GO

Ephesians 4:31-32: Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 

The sad part is that sometimes we are too caught up in ourselves to recognize how bitter we actually are.

We cannot hear the Holy Spirit rightly if our ears are stopped with the cotton wool of a bruised ego, plugged with insecurity (feeling threatened) or filtered through and muffled by past rejection, resentment and hurt.

A lot of the time we feel angry, and we call it righteous indignation, but in reality we are throwing a tantrum because of our own feelings of inferiority – our own feelings of inadequacy and not feeling good enough.

The Lord says it is time to let go.

The least will have the highest place in His Kingdom. Be the bigger person – be less.

The Lord has a better plan for you.

And it starts with letting go of self.

So what if people don’t agree with you?

The only thing that really matters is whether YOU agree with God.

There is very little room for opinion and ego in the interpretation of the Word. God should have the last and final say in all things.

Don’t let your anger, bitterness or resentment fester – do not let your inability to forgive cause your Garden to rot.

So what if you were wrong? It is bound to happen at some point to ALL of us.

Only the fool despises correction (Proverbs 15:5).

It doesn’t matter if YOU were wrong or right. What matters is that GOD IS ALWAYS RIGHT.

And God wants you to forgive.

He wants you to let go of your rage and your fear and your insecurity. He wants us to let go of the little, petty feelings of an oversized ego.

He wants us to have a happier, more fulfilled life – and a part of that is letting go of these little foxes that spoil the Garden – not making them your pets but getting rid of them.

God wants to restore families and relationships. He wants to restore you – but it starts here. Repent of ego, renounce your pride.

Choose freedom. Choose forgiveness.

Shake off the shackles.

Choose the love of Christ today. Choose to live the love of Christ today.

Woke versus Waking Up

Woke versus Waking Up

by | Jan 10, 2024 | Attitude Adjustments

CONSERVATIVES ARE HAPPIER THAN LIBERALS: DO YOUR VALUES PLAY A ROLE IN YOUR MENTAL HEALTH?

Romans 12:1-2: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Samuel D. James (author of Digital Liturgies) recently wrote a short article entitled “Part of a Christian’s Job is to Point Out that Modern Life Stinks”.

“Part of the evangelical witness right now should be to point out that modern life stinks. Its technology makes us lonely. Its sexuality makes us empty. Its psychotherapy makes us self-obsessed. Many people are on the brink of oblivion, held back in some cases only by medication or political identity. We struggle to articulate why we should continue to live. Evangelicals should jump in here.”

One of the things he points out earlier in this article is that young liberal Americans seem to suffer from more mental health issues than their conservative peers. Many studies over the years have supported this claim. (eg: Bullenkamp & Voges, 2004; Duckworth et al., 1994; Guhname, 2007; Howard & Anthony, 1977; Kelly, 2014; Unorthodox Theory, 2020).

An article on American Enterprise Institute’s website seems to go even further, implying that liberals, or left-leaning individuals seem to be less happy in general – and not just in terms of mental health.

A recent study by Colombia University (The Politics of Depression) has shown that teenagers from conservative families “… reported lower average depressive affect, self-derogation, and loneliness scores and higher self-esteem scores than all other groups.”

Other studies have also shown that the children of parents who hold to traditional family values and more conservative wolrdviews have better mental health and seem to adjust better to the pressures of modern life.

As a young-ish South African and Pastoral/Addiction counsellor I can vouch for the fact that it seems to be true outside of the USA as well. If I think about the overall mental health and happiness levels of the congregations I have been involved in there is a clear difference between the ‘woke’ and those who have woken up.

I have also noticed that those who hold more conservative views recover faster from drug addiction and tend to have a stronger recovery than their more liberal counterparts.

 

Our society IS failing. Our society is falling apart.

As the WOKE agenda slowly takes over worldwide we see an increase in identity confusion, mental health issues, drug and digital addictions, the breakdown of marriages and dissolution of families.

The fight for social justice, in many cases, has achieved the opposite end – drawing clear lines in the sand and intensifying racial and class conflict – instead of addressing it, it has made things worse and encouraged aggressive activism and even terrorism.

As James so aptly states in his article: “Its technology makes us lonely. Its sexuality makes us empty. Its psychotherapy makes us self-obsessed.”

Our modern society and its solutions are not solutions at all, but rather part of the problem.

The WOKE agenda is totalitarian in nature. It is all about cancelling and censoring anything that goes against its often anti-Christian values and views. The freedom it promises produces only fetters and chains.

The issues we face as a society is not to be taken lightly – we have to realize that it is very much a a call for a return to more traditional, more conservative values.

This is a call for the renewing of our collective conscience. It is time that the church takes its place as the voice of reason once more.

When I Was A Child: Making Up My Mind

1 Corinthians 13:11: When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.

An open mind – just like an open door – is not always a good thing. It can easily be an entrance for unwanted visitors.

I grew up in church. As a youth I dropped out of conventional schooling and most of my teenage years were spent in the safe confines of church and home.

At home we were taught the traditional values of faith and family, and the church I grew up in held rather conservative and uncompromising views.

As an avid reader, devouring whatever came my way, and being a fan of punk music, I found myself struggling to reconcile the left and the right sides of my moral brain. Secular wisdom seemed to be more inclusive than the church. More understanding of my humanity. More accepting of my flaws.

It was okay to be who I wanted to be.

But the church wanted to change me.

The church preached righteousness and holiness. The church seemed to want us all to look the same, think the same and act the same.

I grew to like the idea of ‘non-religious’ happy clappy hippy Jesus – the Jesus who loved everyone regardless and just said ‘come as you are.’ I often said: “Jesus did not come to bring us religion. He came to bring us a relationship.”

The Jesus with open arms. The Spotless Lamb.

But that’s not who He is.

Jesus us to challenge us. He wants us to change.

Jesus was not some woke hippy – He was not just some radical – He was a REFORMER.

The Jesus of the Bible is a Man of Action, the Son of God – our Royal High Priest, our Redeemer, the Deliver – the one Revelation calls Faithful and True. His eyes burn like fire and His voice roars like the ocean tumult. Jesus is the love and mercy of God extended towards mankind, but He is also the image of the righteous, jealous, holy God of Heaven.

Yes, He is the Spotless Lamb slain for our transgressions – but He is also the very imprint of righteousness. He came to reconcile us with God. To bring us back into RIGHT STANDING – not just ‘relationship’.

Yes, He loves us – unconditionally. He loves you for who you are right now – but He loves you so much that He does not want you to stay where you are. He wants you to be better. He wants you to be transformed by His love, He wants to rewrite your life with His mercy – He wants to restore you to the blueprint HE HAD IN MIND for your life.

Love is unconditional. Relationship – right standing – is not. Relationships have conditions. Relationships have requirements. Relationships take work.

When I was a child, much like Paul, I reasoned like a child.

I did not like religion. I felt it was judgemental – but it wasn’t. I was very much wrong. I had stuff in my life – stuff that wasn’t good for me. Sin. Desires. A carnal mind.

My friends did not like religion. They felt it was judgemental. They felt judged. But this judgement was not judgement at all – it was the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and they chose to ignore that still small voice. My ‘compassion’ for my friends often drove me to ignore the unction of the Spirit in my own heart as I struggled with the concept of accepting the sinner without accepting their sin.

In retrospect our arguments against the legalism and strictness of religion is often nothing more than an adolescent tantrum – the results of reasoning like children. The fight against the boundaries and parameters of God’s Word is akin to a child crying because he can’t have his way.

I had to repent.

I had to grow up. I had to wake up.

 

The Wake Up Call

James 4:4: “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. “

It is time for the church to wake up.

We have flirted with political correctness for long enough.

It is time that the church comes back to a place of preaching truth. No compromise. It is time we start, once more, to call a spade a spade.

When I was young I reasoned like a child. I was very much left leaning in my thinking. Very much liberal. I thought myself enlightened.

But there was a constant darkness in my head. A looming depression. A constant anxiety. My enlightenment led to a shadow life of drugs and rebellion.

Thank God, He brought me back.

Flirting with the broad and easy leads to destruction.

 

There is a solution to the problems we are facing today. There is a solution to the constant anxiety and depression. There is a solution to this mass crisis of identity. There is hope.

There is a solution to the issues caused by the WOKE agenda.

WAKE UP!

There is a solution to the issues caused by this so-called enlightenment!

THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD!

It is actually quite simple.

There is a solution.

JESUS!
Wake up o sleeper! It is time to rise from the dead! Wake up o sleeper! Let Christ shine on you!

To the church of Ephesus, Paul writes the following:

1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.[a] 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them. (Ephesians 5:1-6).

Elsewhere in his epistle to the Corinthians he writes:  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. (1 Cor 13:6).

You will know the Truth – and the truth will set you free.

The Truth is this.

God wants you to be happy.

If you are not happy it very much does mean that there is something that needs to change.

Often this change can be accomplished by making the decision to change.

I say this as someone who has faced anxiety, depression, trauma, addiction and a multitude of other situations and circumstances in my life. I am no stranger to temptation. Even as a Christian, in years gone by, I lived a carnal life. At times, even, a godless, wicked life.

I am the first to admit that I have been a wretched and terrible sinner in my time. I am not perfect – and never will be.

If it was not for the grace and love of God, where would I be?

God wants us to be happy. And since my return to the fold – since my own journey of repentance – a journey of continual and daily repentance and seeking after His holiness and righteousness – I have found happiness. I have found satisfaction and contentment. The darkness has subsided.

Friendship with the world is enmity with God. Compromising with sin and the agenda of this world system is enmity with God – is to fall out of right standing with God.

To be an enemy of God is the epitome of unhappiness.

God wants you to be happy.

So come home! Dear sinner, come home!

Ephesians 5:1: gives us the key to happiness: BE IMITATORS OF CHRIST!

Live as He lived. Walk as He walked. In all truth and righteousness, pure and holy with a heart that seeks to please the Father. He showed us what it means to speak the truth in love.

Jesus showed us the straight and narrow and how to walk on it. He is the Way – we are called to walk IN HIM. IN TRUTH. IN RIGHTEOUSNESS. HOLY UNTO GOD.

I really really tried to be WOKE… But I’ve been much happier since I chose to wake up instead.

And the phone is ringing for you. This is your wake up call.

Stop caring about public opinion. Stop worrying about political correctness. Stop worrying about whether or not you are going to offend your neighbour with the Truth – the Truth is supposed to be challenging. The Truth is supposed to be offensive. The Truth is supposed to shake you a little. That’s how you wake up.

We need to repent of our sin and unrighteousness – and this includes our sin-by-proxy. If we want to see change in our world we need to be serious about addressing sin and unrighteousness, not only our lives, but also in our culture.

As Edmund Burke supposedly said, or perhaps John Stuart Mills: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

Charles Spurgeon said: “If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for.”

We need to start speaking the truth. My friend and fellow minister Erick Bouwmeester writes the following in his book (LOVE BEYOND WORDS): “We are called to be ambassadors for Christ. If we are walking around not speaking the truth then we have very little or no witness to the a world desperately crying out for us to be deliverers of THE TRUTH.”

Repent. Wake up. Let Christ shine in you.

Let us – one by one – return to God – and let Christ shine in us so brightly that tribes, peoples – even nations return to Him as well.

Let us live good lives guided and defined by Christian values and Godly truth, so much so that our children, and their children, from generation to generation might see the Face of the Lord shine upon them.

Let our lives proclaim the Gospel of Jesus: THE TIME IS NOW! REPENT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS HERE! (MARK 1:15)

 Selah.

The Beautiful Gate

The Beautiful Gate

by | Jul 7, 2023 | Attitude Adjustments, Blueprint Reboot

re·​boot | \ ˈrē-ˌbüt  \
plural reboots

1: the act or an instance of shutting down and restarting something (such as a computer or program).
2: the act or an instance of starting (something) anew or making a fresh start.

In the beginning God created man in His image to serve His purpose. The implications of the creation narrative are that there is more to life than simply just being – there is purpose and meaning.

God had a blueprint in mind for each of us – but we deviated from it. We chose – and continue to choose – ‘nothingness’ over EVERYTHING.

We fill the God shaped hole in our hearts with sex, with drugs, with technology, with entertainment, with streaming services, even church – these things have become our idols. We live after the flesh and not by faith, chasing visceral (body) experiences instead of the grace and love – the very heart of God.

Peter Rollins explores this idea often, going as far as saying (and I’m just paraphrasing) that churches have become shops, clergy have become sales people and Jesus, in a lot of cases has just become another product we sell.

We keep ourselves fat on milk, chasing spiritual fathers who never teach us how to chew. We chase a temporary high – and we become dependent on the dealer. This has been my experience with many charismatic churches over the years – in many, not all. We exalt the leader instead of the One who appointed him. It was the same problem that Moses encountered when he left the Israelites to meet God on the mountain and came back to find a golden calf.

For the Israelites at that time, Moses was the embodiment of God in their midst – he was the face of God, the voice of God. When he went up the mountain, his people felt like they had been abandoned. Moses, however, knew that this was not how it was supposed to be.

I propose a shift in focus.

Romans 8:15: “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba, Father.” (NKJV)

Although I believe in Spiritual Mentorship, and I have had many spiritual fathers who have mentored me, I do feel that we need to realize that in many cases our leaders have failed us. They have made us dependant on them instead of God. The moment we start focusing on the leader, the prophet, the preacher, the PERSON, we are putting our faith in the wrong place.

It says in the book of Corinthians that God is Spirit, and that where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. No preacher, apostle or prophet can give you freedom, no preacher, prophet or apostle can break your chains – but Jesus can – and HE HAS!

We want to strip away the dead works of religion. We want to live according to the Word of God.

I absolutely love the book of Acts, especially the story in chapter 3 – which I like to call, ‘Waiting to Be Beautiful’.

1Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to [a]ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” 5So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” 7And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. 9And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

The man sitting at the gate got an instant reboot – not because John was there, not because Peter spoke – but because Jesus had paid for the healing – there was an impartation of grace that took place in that moment through the movement of the Holy Spirit.

The book of Acts continues:

11Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. 12So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15and killed the [b]Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. 16And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

When those gathered in the temple tried to pat Peter and John on the back, when they tried to attribute the healing of the lame man to the ‘godliness’ of these two apostles, Peter rebuked them saying that it was simply through the Name of Jesus.

Reading this article is not going to bring about any change in your life – even my obedience in writing it is not going to do anything. In my last 20 odd years in prophetic and pastoral ministry I have found that the anointing flows most powerfully when I take myself completely out of the picture. Your life is going to change because YOU are going to lay your burdens before God. YOU are going to lay yourself on the altar, as broken as you are – as dirty as you are – as imperfect as you are – and YOU are going to say, ‘God, here I am – let Your will be done.’

All I can do is pray that God will open your eyes and that there will be a supernatural impartation of grace into your life – but it will depend on your willingness to receive from the hand of God.

We have chosen nothingness over and over again – I know I have – but I have lost my life and found it in Christ – He has rebooted the blueprint He had in mind when He created me.

Romans 8:15: “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba, Father.” (NKJV)

When we choose to live according to religion – here being defined as a specific system of worship created and set out by man – when we choose to live according to the teachings of fallible men – we will always be subject to the bondage of fear.

We will do things because we are afraid of the consequences of not doing them. We will refrain from doing things because of what people will say and think.

But when we live according to the Spirit, something beautiful happens – we ourselves are made beautiful.

Doubt and Calling

Doubt and Calling

by | Jul 7, 2023 | Attitude Adjustments, Blueprint Reboot, Discipleship, The Pattern

The Call of God

I remember when I was still a youth, just after getting accepted into Bible college, and just before the first year of study was to begin, I had serious doubts regarding my entering the ministry.

One night I went out during an altar call, asking for agreement in prayer. I expressed my doubts about formalizing my ministry. At this stage – at eighteen years old – ministry was not a new thing for me. I had started out preaching, running small groups and being a part of the worship team since my early teens. I had spent four years going weekly to the hospital to pray for the sick. Made efforts to attend every Bible study, help with Sunday school, volunteered at youth groups.

Church was something I was born to do. Just like Joshua, as a young man, I had my own Moses. An elderly pastor who mentored me, and spent a lot of time teaching me, guiding me, encouraging me towards this moment. However, now that the call was going to be ‘made official’ my feet started going cold.

A third year student came to pray for me, and after hearing my ‘complaint’ gave me the following sage advice – “If you don’t feel ready now for the call of God, you never will be.”

Over the last 15 years these words have stuck with me.

Every time I went through a rough patch, or some self-doubt – or a dark night of the soul as the mystics called it – I would hear these words and push through.

In Numbers 13:8 we are introduced to another young man who would find himself in a similar situation. He is introduced as Hoshea, son of Nun, from the tribe of Ephraim.

His name is ‘Deliverance” or ‘Salvation” but at some point a little later his name gets changed to Joshua (Yehoshua) which much like the name “Yeshua” or English “Jesus” means “God is Salvation”.

His name gets changed to make clear where the salvation comes from. Not from man or any other power, but from God. God is our deliverer. God is our salvation.

In the first chapter of Joshua, we see God speaking to the warrior-prophet.

“After the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over the Jordan, you and all the people, to the land which I am giving to them – the children of Israel.”

Moses, the Servant of the Lord, had passed away, and his assistant Joshua is called by God, directed to fill the shoes of his predecessor. It is interesting to note in verse 1 that Joshua is refered to as ‘the servant of Moses’, and not the “servant of the Lord” at this stage.

The vision God gives him in this moment is earth-shaking. Too big to comprehend.

God given vision, a God given calling, usually is.

And it is almost certain that Joshua quite possibly doubted in his own ability to set out and accomplish this mission, for God encourages him three times in the first nine verses that he (Joshua) will not be going into this alone, God will be with him.

Jeremiah doubted

Doubt is not a rarity in the Bible. Many of the prophets and leaders God called had doubts about themselves.

Jeremiah for example, finds himself one day hearing the voice of God.

“Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

Jeremiah is immediately overcome by self-doubt. He cries back to God, “I cannot do this for I am just a youth”. Not a “young man” – but a “child”.

It is important to note that Josiah, son of Amon, and king of Judah at this time became king at the tender age of eight. Scholars seem to agree that Jeremiah, in the thirteenth year of Josiah’s reign would have been somewhere between the age of 13 and 16.

But God, very reminiscent of Paul’s advice to the young minister Timothy, admonishes him to not look at his age, but to rest in the thought that He will empower him in what is to be done.

“Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See I have this day set you over the nations and oer the kingdoms; to root out and pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant.”

Immediately after these words we find a sort of confirmation of the calling and acceptance on the side of Jeremiah as he receives the vision of the almond branch.

Isaiah felt unworthy

Isaiah in chapter 6 of the book of the same name – whose name also interestingly means “God is salvation” – has a vision of the Lord upon His throne. The angels cried out “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Lord of Hosts. The temple was filled with His presence, the very foundations shaking with his holiness. The house was filled with smoke.

Isaiah sees the glory of God and immediately he is despondent. In verse 5 he calls out “woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts.”

The chapter is described as the ‘calling of Isaiah as a prophet’, although it seems that he had already been receiving visions and prophecies before this time. This chapter seems to be more of a confirmation of the call already on his life.

However, the servant of God is still dismayed at seeing the Lord.

When we as human beings are confronted by the glory of God, there is no way that we cannot react the same.

An encounter with God is necessary before Isaiah is ready to receive and move in the direction of his calling. “Behold, this (a live coal from the altar) has touched your lips, your iniquity is taken away, and your sin is purged.”

A part of me wonders if the live coal – the purging – the burning was at all uncomfortable for Isaiah.

I imagine it would be.

I somewhat wonder if he watched the angel coming towards him, holding the tongs with which the coal had been taken up, with fear, awe and wonder.

I’m sure I would have.

Sometimes the calling is uncomfortable. Sometimes the things we need to go through to discover our purpose is uncomfortable. Perhaps even painful.

Yet, after this encounter we find Isaiah is weighed worthy, feels worthy enough to respond to the call, “Here I am, send me”.

Moses outright argued

Since we are looking at Joshua, we also have to pause and reflect on Moses. His name is mentioned 10 times in Joshua chapter 1 alone.

In Exodus 3 we find a younger Moses tending to his father-in-law, Jethro’s sheep, after having killed an Egyptian and fleeing to Midian.

He led the flock to Mt. Horeb, and here he has a startling, life changing encounter with God.

A bush bursts into flame as the Angel of the Lord appears to him, and Moses gets called near. God explains that he has heard the groaning of His children, that He has taken note of the oppression taking place under the iron fisted rule of the Egyptians, and that Moses will be His instrument in bringing the Israelites out of bondage and into the Promised Land.

Immediately though Moses questions this call.

In Exodus 3:11: he says to God, “but who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”

God, who am I that you could trust me with this duty? Who am I?

Isn’t this the most common response? I am not good enough! That’s what Moses is saying. I am unworthy.

I must admit that I have always preferred the preacher who doubts in himself, but trusts in God and grows in boldness over time, than those who arrogantly and ignorantly climb onto the pulpit. The Word of God is holy and should be approached with respect, with awe and reverent fear. His work should be done diligently. It is with great ardour that we study to show ourselves approved, seeking not material gain, fame or social standing, but that souls may be saved through the grace of God.

We see this in the prophets mentioned above – even in Moses. The Law-Giver, the one one who led his people out of Egypt, the same Moses through whom God parted the Red Sea – this great and almost legendary figure so highly regarded by history – his first question to God, his first argument against his calling is: Who am I? I am not good enough.

And perhaps this is where you find yourself right now. You feel the stirring of the Spirit within you. You feel the flames of passion pushing you in a certain direction. You feel the tingling of a God given purpose. You know you are called to make a difference, but somehow you argue that it cannot possibly be, because of qualifications, insecurities, fears and anxieties – but God does not call the qualified – I know it’s a cliche, but bear with me – God qualifies the called.

So God speaks to Moses, and tells him that the calling will be confirmed through signs and wonders – Moses just has to trust in the plans and purposes of God.

Still, Moses is unsure. This continues for quite a while – Moses arguing with God.

“What if they don’t believe me? I can’t just go to them and say ‘the God of your fathers sent me’ – surely they will ask me what Your name is? What shall I say?”

But God keeps answering. “I AM WHO I AM.”

Still Moses keeps arguing, going so far as to say, “I’ve never been very eloquent, people won’t listen to me.” and the final one, out right denying the call of God, the epitome of self-doubt – “God, please send someone else.”

God has called each of us for a purpose, for a reason – and for some it is easier to say, “God, please send someone else.”

However, in the fourth chapter of Exodus, God assures him once more that He will be with Moses, that he will supply the resources necessary – in fact – Moses already has all the resources he needs.

The rest is history.

HIS story.

God wants to use us to tell His story, to write history.

Jesus is calling. You are called to be a minister of the Gospel. We all are. That’s the beauty of the Cross – the Blood calls to the East, to the West, to the South and to North. The blood of Jesus calls us near, to become a part of this family. To become a part of this royal priesthood. To leave our chains, to come out of our graves, to turn our back on the darkness that enveloped us before, and proclaim the goodness of Him who called us.

Moses argues that he is not eloquent enough to lead the people out. God instructs him to use Aaron as his mouthpiece (Exodus 4:16).

Exodus 4:16 – 17: “So he (Aaron) shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God. And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.”

“YOU SHALL BE TO HIM AS GOD”.

We are called to be imitators of Christ, to be a reflection of God. We were created in His image, after all, and even though that image might have been tarnished by sin and carnality, it has been restored through the reconciliation found in the Blood of Jesus.

You are called to be as God to those around you. The Kingdom should not just be something you belong to, but a lifestyle. God is not just an object of worship – He is living and active in our lives.

He has called you. And He will provide the opportunities and resources you need to fulfill the words of The Our Father.

“Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.”

May the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, be living and active in you, around you and most importantly through you.

Repentance and the Renewed Mind

Repentance and the Renewed Mind

by | Jun 30, 2023 | Attitude Adjustments, Blueprint Reboot

At the beginning of Jesus ministry – after His baptism and His trials in the desert – He went to Galilee, and in Mark 1 we read:

14Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Jesus goes to Galilee and starts preaching the gospel – a declaration from the kingdom of heaven.

There is an amazing Wikipedia entry about an inscription found on a rock where the word Gospel is used – the relic itself is dated to be from around 9BC – and it is called the Priene Calendar inscription. The inscription itself is in currently in the Berlin Museum.

The inscription features the term “gospel”, which is the Old English translation of Greek εὐαγγέλιον, evangelion, meaning “good news”. As exemplified in the Calendar Inscription of Priene, dated from 9 BC, this Koine Greek term εὐαγγέλιον was used at the time of the Roman Empire to herald the good news of the arrival of a kingdom – the reign of a king that brought a war to an end, so that all people of the world who surrendered and pledged allegiance to this king would be granted salvation from destruction. The Calendar Inscription of Priene speaks of the birthday of Caesar Augustus as the beginning of the gospel announcing his kingdom, with a Roman decree to start a new calendar system based on the year of Augustus Caesar’s birth. Into this context, the words of the Gospel of Mark are striking: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” (Mark 1:1 ESV) Jesus is thus heralded as the king who ends war by conquering people’s allegiance, in contrast to the Roman Caesar (title).” (From Wikipedia)

So, in essence, Jesus comes and starts preaching – a revolutionary message – declaring that the Kingdom has come and urging us to repent and believe in this good news – to take this declaration seriously. Jesus comes to confuse the norms; He comes to interrupt the status quo. His followers, those listening to His message, were quite familiar with the term ‘kingdom’. They had heard of the kingdom of Herod, they were familiar with the kingdom of Rome, but now they are introduced to a new kingdom – the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. He comes to bring us a revolution of the heart – to overthrow the ruler of this world, and to establish His throne in our hearts.

I like what the Koine Greek definition of the word ‘gospel’ conveys: “The arrival of a kingdom – the reign of a king that brought a war to an end so that all who surrender and pledge allegiance to the KING would be granted SALVATION from DESTRUCTION.”

This is what Jesus asks us to accept when He declares that the Kingdom has come. This is what He offers us when He asks us to believe in the Gospel.

He also asks us to repent.

In the Greek, the word used here is metanoeō (G3340 in the Strong’s concordance), and can be defined as follows:

to think differently or afterwards that is reconsider. (Strong’s)

The proper definition of metanoeō therefore is to have a change of mind.

Romans 12:1-2: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Metanoeō therefore does not just imply a sense of regret, its not a list of ‘thou shalt nots’ but rather a call to action, calling us – not to just stop sinning – but to start thinking differently. Calling us to be transformed through the renewing of our minds. Paul admonishes us over and over to be imitators of Christ. Even when he says: imitate me, as I imitate Christ (1 Cor 11:1) he is not telling us to be exactly like him, he is telling us that in this ONE thing we must imitate him – we must be imitators of Christ.

How do we imitate Christ? We must have the mind of Christ.

Philippians 2:1-4: ”Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

He goes on to explain the type of mindset that Jesus had. This is true repentance – becoming one with Christ. Being united with Christ and the change of mindset that comes with it.

When we start to allow God to renew our thinking, our actions will change. When we value each other more than we value ourselves, we will not steal, we will not gossip, we will not hurt one another. The change in the way we think will reflect in our behaviour. Changing what you think will change what you do.

Repentance is the loss of self-interest. Repentance is to start putting others before yourself. Repentance is to be transformed by love.

Repentance and the Rule of God

Repentance and the Rule of God

by | Jun 22, 2023 | Attitude Adjustments, Blueprint Reboot

Early in Mark we read about the heart of the preaching ministry of Jesus.

Mark 1:14-15:

Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

There are three main points in this message:

  1. The Kingdom of God is at hand.
  2. Repent (change your thinking)
  3. Believe the Gospel (surrender and pledge allegiance to the Kingdom so that you may be saved from self-destruction).

The word ‘Gospel’ was originally a politically charged word referring to a type of announcement, the announcement of the arrival of a kingdom (authority) that brings with it SALVATION from DESTRUCTION.

The word for Kingdom used in Mark1:15 is basileia which according to Strong’s refers to: kingship, sovereignty, authority, rule, especially of God, both in the world, and in the hearts of men; hence: kingdom, in the concrete sense.

Jesus comes to establish His throne in the hearts of His children, so that our thinking may be renewed and so that we can accept the SALVATION from destruction that forms the foundation of the Gospel.

We do not repent from sin – turn away from sin – for God’s sake. God wants us to turn away from sin for OUR sake.

To believe the Gospel is to give over to the rule of God, to allow Him to establish His throne in us.

To believe the Gospel is to surrender to the grace and mercy of Christ, the renewing of our minds through His Holy Spirit living in us, and to pledge allegiance to His cause – to make His desire our desire.

This means emptying ourselves of ourselves, and giving over to Him completely so that Christ may reflect in our actions and behaviour – that we may be living testimonies of His goodness and grace.

Deliverance only comes after repentance. When we empty ourselves, and allow the Spirit of God to come and inhabit us – when we become His tabernacle, He will break every chain.

This is succinctly described in 2 Corinthians 3: “1Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? 2You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.”

Christ is ministered to us, through the impartation of the Word (faith comes through hearing, and hearing through the Word of God), and truth is written on our hearts by the Spirit of the Living God.

To support this, I refer to Matthew Henry’s Full Commentary:

“The apostle is careful not to assume too much to himself, but to ascribe all the praise to God. Therefore, 1. He says they were the epistle of Christ, v. 3. The apostle and others were but instruments, Christ was the author of all the good that was in them. The law of Christ was written in their hearts, and the love of Christ shed abroad in their hearts. This epistle was not written with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; nor was it written in tables of stone, as the law of God given to Moses, but on the heart; and that heart not a stony one, but a heart of flesh, upon the fleshy (not fleshly, as fleshliness denotes sensuality) tables of the heart, that is, upon hearts that are softened and renewed by divine grace, according to that gracious promise, I will take away the stony heart, and I will give you a heart of flesh, Eze. 36:26. This was the good hope the apostle had concerning these Corinthians (v. 4) that their hearts were like the ark of the covenant, containing the tables of the law and the gospel, written with the finger, that is, by the Spirit, of the living God. 2. He utterly disclaims the taking of any praise to themselves, and ascribes all the glory to God: “We are not sufficient of ourselves, v. 5. We could never have made such good impressions on your hearts, nor upon our own. Such are our weakness and inability that we cannot of ourselves think a good thought, much less raise any good thoughts or affections in other men. All our sufficiency is of God; to him therefore are owing all the praise and glory of that good which is done, and from him we must receive grace and strength to do more.” This is true concerning ministers and all Christians; the best are no more than what the grace of God makes them. Our hands are not sufficient for us, but our sufficiency is of God; and his grace is sufficient for us, to furnish us for every good word and work.”

When the veil was torn, when Jesus gave His last breath, we saw that there was nothing behind the curtain – God was not there – He was, and has always desired to be in our midst, in our hearts. The tabernacle of the Old Testament, just like Noah’s Ark was but a foreshadowing of what was to come through Christ on the cross.

It is interesting to note the closing remarks of the 3rd chapter of the second epistle to the Corinthians. Paul writes regarding the old testament: “12Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— 13unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. 14But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. 15But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as [b]by the Spirit of the Lord.”

Where the law – or ministry of death engraved on stones (v.7) – brought separation between God and man, a veil between the Glory of Him who made the Heavens and the earth, and His children – just as Moses covered his face, and the curtain separated us from the Glory – the Glory of His mercy and grace is revealed in Jesus Christ – the veil is lifted in Christ (v.14). When we turn to God – when we draw near to Him, He draws near to us – and the veil is taken away (v.16) we realize that we can become one with God – we can be united with Him in the Spirit – one with the Father, reconciled through the blood of Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit – and in this we find liberty. We find freedom.

The day you get into a relationship with God, and start make a commitment to maintain constant, conscious contact with Him, you will know a new freedom. Freedom from sin, doubt, fear, depression, anger, negativity – Jesus sets you free.

As we continue on this journey together, we will look at practical ways of dealing with sin and destructive attitudes in our lives, we will find purpose, meaning and calling in Christ, and we will become ambassadors for His Kingdom.

You have purpose.

You have meaning.

You have a calling.

And we are going to get there. The blueprint is being restored.

Pray with me: Lord, as I come before you now, I give you my heart, I give you my soul – I give you my life. I pray that in the coming weeks you will help me to empty myself of every attitude, every thought, every thing that is not from you, so that You can take up all my space. I surrender – all of who I am to you in this moment, and as I draw near to you, I pray that you will draw near to me. That Your Holy Spirit will fill me. That I will feel your anointing. That I will feel new strength arise from the ashes of my old life. I lay before you all my sins – those that I know of, and those that I might be unaware of, and confess them before you now. I know you have plans of good, not just for me, but also through me. I say Hosanna. Come save me. Your Kingdom come, your will be done In and through me, here on earth as it is in Heaven. I speak healing over my life – over my body over my soul. I pray that you will keep me committed to the choice I make today – a choice to go deeper in my relationship with you, so that you, as the author and finisher of my faith, may write your truth upon the tablets of my heart – not in ink, but through your Spirit. Reveal to me the things I must change. The stumbling blocks in my life. And help me remove them. In Jesus name. I pledge allegiance, and surrender completely to you. In Jesus name, my chains are broken. In Jesus name. Amen.