“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24

The word from God today is “perfunctory” and is characterized by routine or superficially. This attitude is pervasive in Christianity and greatly grieves the Spirit of Christ.

Jesus is alive and He wants you to be alive and vibrant in His life. There is nothing routine about the Son of God. He is a God of splendor and wonder!

Every day is unique and special to those who invite the Living Christ to be a reality in their life.

Approach God for who He is, the Creator of the heavens and earth. Nothing is impossible for God.

Christ wants to be alive in every challenge and activity in your life today. There is nothing lackadaisical about God. He is a God of greatness, power, glory, victory, and majesty and wants to exhibit all these qualities in your life today.

God does not live in a box. He is everywhere. Invite Christ to manifest Himself in your life today!

He lives so you can live!

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

This narrative is about those who accept Christ and then elect to worship Him from self interests and not in the wholeness or purposes of Christ. And, this is a predicament facing everyone who calls himself a Christian.

You and I have to accept the truth you cannot live with Christ and retain your innate personality and natural desires or talents.

Christ has no interest in sanctifying the workmanship of your character at birth. He desires to make you into a new person void of your independence, self interests, and old habits.

God cannot make holy what does not belong to Him. Your old self is of little value to God.

As a believer in Christ, your innate personality and natural affinities are an impediment to knowing Christ. They are your sanctuary to self interests and have to be crucified if you want the live stream of Christ.

Jesus wants to make you into a new creature reflecting His character and demeanor. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature and old things fade away and all things become new.

Don’t think God is willing to overlook your natural inhibitions. He is insistent on making you into His workmanship. You can’t hang onto the old and expect to find the life of Christ.

If you want the efficacy (fullness) of Christ you have to let go of your private domain. Come to God with an openness of heart and accept that He owns your existence and purposes in life.

Give Christ the freedom to operate in His ways without any expectations. Then you will quickly get to know the Living Christ and your life will never be the same.

The work of Christ is a learning process and it takes many years to discover the live stream coming from Christ.

Today, simply ask God what needs to go in order to receive the live stream of Christ. This relates to you autonomy, self preservation and sacred idols.

Jesus loves you!

 

“Abide in Me and I in you.” John 15:4

As I was praying yesterday with Jan, my wife, the title for this blog came to me from God. And, later in the day the Holy Spirit started speaking to me about this subject.

A relationship is usually defined by some type of an agreement between two parties. In this discussion, we are talking about the relationship between Christ Jesus, a spiritual being, and a human being, who has been created in the image of God.

Each party is alive and possesses a unique personality and a range of emotions. God wants you to come under His authority. Your inner nature wants to live for self. This is the conflict in this relationship.

As human beings, we tend to act with compunction which is making decisions without moral scruples. This is pervasive in all of society. We deny the Holy Spirit who is our moral compass and do as we please.

God wants to look after your well being. He is omniscient and knows you better than you know yourself and He sees every detail of your life—past, present, and future.

The challenge is how can a mere mortal like you and me create mutual respect with Christ who has power and dominion over all things. This sounds like an intimidating or impossible task!

Here is a synopsis from the Holy Spirit concerning how to build respect with Christ:

Don’t take Me for granted! Develop a serious attitude about getting to know My ways and be open to My counsel. Your destiny is in My hands.

My interest is to become a vibrant and embracing presence in your life. I desire to be your best friend and confidant.

I cannot be measured or judged by the ups and downs of your life. Remember, I never change and My ways are perfect.

I am an unpredictable God and you cannot place expectations on Me about how I will work in your life.

What deeply grieves My Spirit is those who display a contemptuous attitude towards Me when things don’t go their way. I want to be respected for who I am!

As you wake up each day, inquire of Me for wisdom, direction, and My order for your life. Allow Me to help you plan out your day. Troubles arise when you choose to live for self or satisfy fleshly indulgences.

I talk with you by placing My thoughts in your mind. Learn to be still and listen. I cherish conversations with give and take. You will find Me in the ordinary and common moments of life. Don’t overlook my presence. I am in everything you do!

Learn to praise Me for every good and perfect gift in your life. Nothing happens by chance in the life of a believer!

I am motivated by those who believe in who I am and walk by faith living in My promises.

I have a high regard for those who yield to the Holy Spirit, obey My voice, and are dedicated to living for Me.

I respect those who pray diligently, listen to My voice, and seek Me through the Word of God.

The goal for a believer is to live in oneness with Me. This is possible by yielding to My Spirit and inviting Him to have authority over your life. He lives in you and desires to guard you from all evil.

My plan is to give you the desires of your heart. This happens when your mindset is to know Me above all else and comes in My perfect timing.

Invite the Son of God to have His way with you and your life will be flowing with the riches of Christ.

I live so you can live!

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1

The word from God today is abandonment to the Living Christ brings the fortress and refuge of God.

You will find the presence of God by dwelling in the secret place of Christ. The question is how do you dwell with an invisible and mysterious God who lives in Heaven?

God is very approachable. He wants a personal and vibrant relationship with you.

You have to take the initiative. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

God is holy and will never accept you unless you come to Him covered by the blood of Jesus.

The most precious quality of God is His Word. Live in His Word in Spirit and Truth. God never changes!

Your heart condition towards God is the determining factor in living under the shadow of Christ and receiving the awesome promises in Psalm 91. Have you abandoned yourself to Christ without any limitations?

Christ wants a consciousness with you at all times. You can only accomplish this by living under the authority of the Holy Spirit who dwells in you.

Christ cherishes your prayers and wants you to seek Him out for your every need.

You will impress Christ by demonstrating your faith in every aspect of your life. My help comes from the Lord who created the heavens and earth. This has to be a genuine and living example in your life.

Christ wants you to know Him for who He is! This is your purpose in life.

The secret of Christ is inviting the resurrected power of the Cross to have authority in your life. The Spirit of Christ is your source for wisdom, strength, and security.

He is your everything!

 

 

“For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5

The word from God today is “propensity” and comes from the character of God as described in Psalm 30.

The definition of propensity is an inclination or natural tendency to behave in a particular way.

This Psalm paints a beautiful picture of the propensity of Christ and our interaction with Him. It is the reality of the Living Christ!

We bless God for He has lifted us above our enemies and provided a mighty shield of protection. If God is for you who can be against you!

We cry out to God and He heals us. His mercies are new each day.

God sustains His people with the resurrected life of Christ.

The anger of God is for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime.

You and I cry out at night over our many sorrows which never seem to end but we awaken with the joy of the Lord.

God brings prosperity in His perfect timing but this will never cause us to move away from our foundation in Christ. For in Him, we live and move and have our being.

At times you hide your face from me and I feel abandoned by you. I live in my troubles day and night. Then your favor comes upon Me and you make my life whole. I feel like a strong mountain filled with the greatness of God.

I cry out to you God without end seeking your mercy. Where are you?

I asked you God, “What value is there if I die. My bones or the dirt around my grave cannot praise you.” The Lord is my Keeper. God allow me to live so I can bring glory to your name.

I ask you God to have mercy on me and be my helper. My strength comes from the Lord.

I praise you God for turning my sorrows into celebration and dancing. There is no one like you. How great is our God!

You have taken away my grieving and filled me with your unspeakable gladness.

As long as I can breathe, I will praise you and give thanks for your great works. You alone are worthy!

“You sell Your people for next to nothing,
And are not enriched by selling them.” Psalm 44:12

The word from God today is “disrespect” for Christ Jesus.

Last night God gave me a dream showing the polluted condition in the Body of Christ. I saw the evil flowing into the kingdom of God because of the broken walls.

The Israelites were God’s favored people. God sold them into slavery (or cast them away) for next to nothing. God was not enriched in any way in this transaction.

The Israelites had reached a point where they were contributing nothing of value to the kingdom of God. They were not a light shining in darkness. They had became symbols of worldly living.

Can you see the parallels with life today? God has allowed the horrors of today because we have lost our value in the eyes of God. In fact, we have gone much further than the Israelites fall from grace!

We have besmirched the name of Christ and have contributed to the erosion of His truths and influence in our society.

We have sold out God for religion and have compromised His values.

The remedy for a follower of Christ is to pray for the blood of Christ to cover your sins and to agree to walk by faith believing in the promises of God. There is no other way.

The righteousness of God will come to you by living out your faith. Today you and I are stranded from God. You cannot overcome this chasm by religion, works, or keeping laws. They are of no value to Christ.

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Do not be deceived by false teaching.

Return to the values of Christ by making a decision to live by faith and respect Christ for who He is.

He is a holy God and there is no one like Him.!

 

“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.” Hebrews 4:9-10

The Word from God today is to rest in Him.

The rest of Christ is not about idleness or ignoring the responsibilities of life. It is living through the Spirit of Christ and rejecting human striving or efforts of self sufficiency.

The rest of Christ is acknowledging the Creator of the heavens and earth and entering into His rest.

In reality, the works of God are finished. So it is just a matter of living by faith in what God has created for you and me.

The rest of God is living with confidence in Christ and not wavering in fear or doubt because of what you see with your eyes.

This rest comes through the work of the Cross. The resurrected power of Christ is your lifeline to wisdom, strength, security, and healing. When Jesus died on the Cross it was complete in meeting your every need.

God wants to equip you today to meet your every challenge. Just ask and you will receive!

The impediment to living with Christ is fear and doubt. We doubt because we believe (or accept) what we see and reject the promises of God which come by faith.

Fear suffocates your faith in Christ. You and I need deep roots into the life of Christ to survive in this world. Pray you can be grounded in Christ through His Word and the Holy Spirit.

Today the world will attempt to destroy your faith and lead you away from Christ. Stand firm in the Living Christ. He lives so you can live!

 

I would like to share rich bible stories with you today and celebrate the miracles of Jesus. But I cannot do this because God is on another track with me.

God has a mindset about judgment and expressing His views and feelings about our society.

Here are His thoughts over the last couple of days. I hope you can see through the harsh judgment to find the love of Christ. He died so you can live!

I cannot be controlled. I will unleash My judgments as I please. No one is immune from the wrath of God.

The troubles today cannot be overcome by human wisdom, research or technology. I alone will determine the severity and reach of My judgments. You are at My mercy.

Your only hope is to come to Me with repentance and a genuine desire to live by faith. This cannot be an intellectual or emotional decision.

Faith is living in My promises and reaching out to Me for your every need. How do you think I feel when you look everywhere else for help and ignore Me.

The cornerstone of Christianity is to build your existence on My life. There is no variation or shadow of turning in My Word. I never change!

My life and spiritual teachings have been replaced by worldly values and wisdom. I abhor secular thinking.

Christianity has become an eyesore to Me. It is filled with hypocrisy, greed, and manipulation. You cannot be justified to Me except by demonstrating your faith in every aspect of your life.

I died to set you free not to live under the bondage of religion.

The worldly view is to reply on human wisdom to make your decisions. This leads to destruction and death.

I have power and dominion over all things and I am a God of greatness and glory. I am the only source of true wisdom to deal with your life today.

Come to Me with an open heart and I will fill you with an abundance of the life of Christ. There is no one like Me!

My ways are perfect!

“For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, Nor did their own arm save them; But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, Because You favored them.” Psalm 44:3

Christians go to great extremes to obtain the favor of God. They attend church, home groups, and participate in all kinds of religious endeavors. They pray, read the Bible, and try to be spiritually correct people.

Unfortunately, none of these activities will bring the favor of God upon you.

God has a mind of His own and He alone determines the course of action for your life.

The Israelites were chosen by God and given a promise from God. Then they were asked to follow God by faith without any evidence of the unfolding of His plan.

This promise finally came into fruition through the favor of God and in His perfect timing. The Israelites did not have any influence or power in this miracle of God.

The question now becomes how do you and I get traction with Christ? The response is “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”

The Word of Christ is your salvation and the bread of life. Your priority is to honor and obey the voice of Christ above all else.

The efficacy of Christ will meet all your immediate needs and the favor of God will fall upon you at His discretion.

Christ Jesus operates in mysterious and unpredictable ways. You have to believe the means justifies the end with God.

What doesn’t make sense to you, makes perfect sense to Christ.

The secret is to abandon yourself to Christ without any limitations. This will bring traction and vibrancy into your relationship with the Living Christ.

This commitment doesn’t mean you can avoid troubles or the testing of God but you will be living in the security of the transfigured Christ.

Your journey with Christ is chosen by Him. You cannot control or influence God. It is not by might nor by power but by the Spirit of Christ.

Trust the words of Christ and walk by faith. He alone is worthy!

 

“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Exodus 3:5

How do you enter into the Hall of Fame of Christ? Or, what makes a perfect disciple of Christ?

The qualifications have little or nothing to do with personal holiness. They relate to knowing Christ, walking by faith, and living in abandonment to the Son of God.

The entry into the Hall of Fame is not measured by works, obeying laws, or religious activities.

God is holy. There is no one like Him. He is very protective of His holiness. Moses could not come close to God without taking off his sandals.

God said “Be holy for I am holy”. The challenge is understanding how to be holy without hypocrisy, pride, or pious efforts.

The misnomer in Christianity is thinking God’s purpose is to make you into a religious robot displaying the holiness of Christ. You can forget this! It will never happen.

God’s purpose is for you to live in oneness with Christ…nothing else really matters.

Your goal should never be to try to attain the holiness of Christ because it is impossible to achieve or to even come close to the standards of Christ.

The holiness of Christ is a gift to you from God. This gift comes by your faith in Christ and is bestowed on you by the Holy Spirit. This holiness belongs to God and you have no entitlement or license to this gift.

The holiness of Christ was not intended to give you any special merit or be used for self gratification. It is given to a believer so he can be a powerful light for Christ and draw people to Him.

It is impossible for a believer who has met the Living Christ to have a “holier thou thou” attitude. This is because the Spirit of God reveals to all their corrupt (or fallen) inner nature.

You see yourself for who you are and realize in the depth of your heart you are saved, redeemed and transformed by the love of God.

Be yourself with God! He loves you just the way you are!