Righteous Conviction

When you think of the word "conviction", it is easy to associate it with someone who is living for themselves instead of living for God. That feeling someone gets who rarely sees a preacher on TV, or maybe comes to church on Easter and Christmas. Or maybe when they hear something that makes them really rethink about the way they live. I want to address another type of conviction. The type of conviction that a Christian who goes to church twice a week feels when they become satisfied with where they are. The type that comes from The Holy Spirit that is always meant for your good.

A lack of this conviction creates a vacuum, because lack of ability in understanding of both simple and greater things is the result. This is the case because without conviction one inevitably hits a solid wall in their spiritual growth, and God is forced to not act as He would have, because you're not ready for it. Additionally, without conviction, often there is no urgency to change, and even worse, no ability to change. You can't change something if you don't see a reason to. A person with no conviction leads a stagnant life that slowly decays, as a fish tank would grow algae until you can't see through the glass anymore.

Conviction should be welcomed. It is one of very few reliable things that always lights up a direct path towards something better. Conviction has the power to create a sense of urgency where there was none before. Unfortunately, people sometimes tend to view conviction as some sort of guilt trip on the way they live. They see it as invasive. Worse yet, is that it is so easy to dismiss something that no one will call you out on, which is often the case because it challenges the hidden things within, as well as the little things that others may not notice.

But it is conviction that can have the one of the single most transforming effects that exists, outside of salvation. God will never use conviction to hurt you, only to put you on the path of destiny that He has already planned for your life. The fleshly response to conviction is to defend itself by way of attacking or ignoring the conviction. The spiritual response to conviction is to seek out and attack with resolute change what the conviction calls out. Seeing conviction as an ally empowers and emboldens one, propelling them to new levels of success.

Is there anything else out there that pinpoints areas of weakness and need for improvement in one's life with such directness? No, but because of this, having that conviction means having no excuse for not making the proper adjustments. Sometimes it is hard to willingly put yourself in a place where you create more personal accountability, and that's a large proponent of people purposely dismissing conviction on their lives. We've all done it. I do it now. There are things I ignore that I know I am being led to change when I'm honest with myself. People speak of personal capacity, and responding to the tug of conviction is an excellent way to increase that.

Personal Impact: When I view conviction as an ally, my defenses are softened, and I am able to see it's endgame goals and necessity with the clarity one would have when watching a movie about a character with whom they have no relation to. With no defensive reactions, I can plan for the good that conviction is trying to achieve, like a coach would plan a 3rd and long situation from the sidelines, or as a precise military tactic would be planned and carried out by a general with a bird's eye view of the war zone.

The personal attachment to oneself is where the problem with conviction usually lies. Just as we are capable to see much room for improvement in others, so can we see within ourselves without the personal attachment if we will allow conviction to do it's work. Remember that conviction in the form I describe is really The Holy Spirit guiding you towards the more complete will of God in the first place, which is in part to temper your personal relationship with Him. We know that God will never give us more than we can handle. The same is true with advancement and promotion in Him. You can only go so far in your in your spiritual growth when you ignore that conviction that was placed on your heart for a purpose.

Reality, formerly titled Quotes

I've seen the world, folks. I've seen that it is lost, and that there are billions of people out there that don't know God. Now either it's His fault, or it's ours.
-Keith Green

Believe that when you come into the presence of God you can have all you came for. You can take it away, and you can use it, for all the power of God is at your disposal in response to your faith.
-Smith Wigglesworth

In order for our prayers to be effective, we have to be ruthless with our sin.
-Keith Green

It is impossible to get exhausted in work for God. We get exhausted because we try to do God's work in our own way.
-Oswald Chambers

I want to obey God even when it hurts to do so. Because what it hurts, I want to see die.
-Unidentified, alluding to his flesh

It is not the daily increase but the daily decrease; Hack away the unessential.
-Bruce Lee

And as much as you've not done it to the least of my brethren, you've not done it unto me. Depart from me. And thee shall go away into everlasting fire, but the righteous, into eternal life. And my friends, the only difference between the sheep and the goats, according to the Scripture, is what they did, and didn't, DO!
-Keith Green, quoting the Bible with some hardcore commentary

Keith Green said it best! There can be no compromise!!
-Pastor Kevin Gerald, jumping up onto a pew, preaching (1983)

I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.
-Mahatma Gandhi

I am afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraving them in the heart of the youth.
-Martin Luther (died in 1546)

Why should I have to live to a different standard than you? We are all going to be at the same judgment. There's no judgment for pastors and and judgment for people that want to live their own way, conformed to the world . . . Like the transformed go to the transformed judgment and the conformed go to the conformed judgment. No, the conformed go to hell, oh wait, that's too harsh, I'm sorry.
-Pastor Tracey Armstrong (straight killing it one Sunday morning last month)

Peace if possible, truth at all costs.
-Martin Luther

The price we are having to pay today in the shape of the collapse of the organized church is only the inevitable consequence of our policy of making grace available to all at too low a cost. We gave away the word and sacraments wholesale, we baptized, confirmed, and absolved a whole nation without condition. Our humanitarian sentiment made us give that which was holy to the scornful and unbelieving... But the call to follow Jesus in the narrow way was hardly ever heard.
-Dietrich Bonhoeffer, on the subject of cheap (modern) grace.


Have you ever heard or seen of how God works in other countries? Third World countries? The difference is the raw hunger for God! Christianity is most prevalent in America. Yet it is watered down more here than anywhere else on the planet. Ever wonder why? We need people of God to have convictions like most of the quotes above. They are the type that will be the vessels that God will use to restore what is all but lost. And the rest of the "Christians" that we see now? Well, they'll need to be transformed, because the kind of people that I'm talking about are the same kind of people that will follow 1 Corinthians 5.

9 I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.
12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person. (NKJV)

Take a look at how comfortable and friendly The Message Bible states this stuff:

9-13I wrote you in my earlier letter that you shouldn't make yourselves at home among the sexually promiscuous. I didn't mean that you should have nothing at all to do with outsiders of that sort. Or with crooks, whether blue or white-collar. Or with spiritual phonies, for that matter. You'd have to leave the world entirely to do that! But I am saying that you shouldn't act as if everything is just fine when a friend who claims to be a Christian is promiscuous or crooked, is flip with God or rude to friends, gets drunk or becomes greedy and predatory. You can't just go along with this, treating it as acceptable behavior. I'm not responsible for what the outsiders do, but don't we have some responsibility for those within our community of believers? God decides on the outsiders, but we need to decide when our brothers and sisters are out of line and, if necessary, clean house.

While it's true that with the tolerant Message Bible version you'll gather more people to church, and get a bigger offering, there is some really false doctrine being suggested. Inconvenient realities are being smoothed over for the sake of comfort and not being offensive. And this becomes part of the root, the established base, for people's faith. Is not something terribly wrong with that? (Editorial note: I started this as just some inspirational quotes, I guess it turned into something more)

Seek and Find

Passionately seek God. Chase Him down with all the tenacity of someone who NEEDS to catch God in order to live, because that's how it really is. Go after His plans for you like a pit-bull on crack. Run toward your God-given dreams without knowing how they will work out. Think of every inspirational movie scene you've ever seen where the protagonist does right for the sake of right, at any cost. Be reminded of the testimonies of people who were hopelessly dead, and came alive in Christ.

When He is all that matters, nothing else means anything! Embrace instruction, wisdom, and every good thing. Cling to truth, feed on Scripture. Live in a continual moment of praises to The King. Aggressively proclaim the truths that The Bible promises. Shout of victories not yet seen. Face the unknown like someone who has zero concern of the outcome, because he knows it's a fixed fight. Put on LOUD praise music alone and dance in God's presence. Pray hard! Pray often. Despise whatever comes between you and your growth with God. Don't make exceptions for your flesh. Kill it by feeding your spirit with every good thing of God.

Go to sleep dwelling on God, awaken praising Him! Scream to the heavens in amazement and wonder. Get revelation! Revelation that will change how you produce fruits. Revelation that will change how other people think, act, and live. If you are living like this, then you already know where the energy comes from, and why. You already know that man can never get tired when he lives out of the Spirit of God and not out of himself. You already know that God loves to inspire, loves to charge and energize revelation in people for the purpose of influence. If this isn't you right now, start with ANY of the short sentences above. Grab God's hand and fly, because nothing He will do can be done from any lower position.

(Ed. note - If this seems spastic it's because I'm in the middle of something spiritually altering right now, I'll be able to fill you in on that in just a couple of weeks.) Matthew 12:35

How I Praise God

(Editorial note: If you can't be bothered to read this, at least read the big bold chunk below)

Recently at my church during praise and worship, the worship leader made a comment in between songs that really stuck to me. She said to the congregation, "Hey, if you're not up here shouting and dancing . . . it is because of your pride". My first reaction was just that, a reaction, and one based on defensiveness. I thought to myself, "Look, I'm just not that kind of guy. I don't dance unless you count rocking the heck out. It's not for me, that's not how I worship, and who are you to tell me otherwise? Just because I don't flow like that doesn't mean I'm not worshiping just as much as you".
I should tell you a little bit of how I praised God before that day, just so you don't skip reading this thinking I'm all fired up about getting ready to tell you that I learned to lift my hands that day. I wasn't one of those people you see who just stood there or sat there during praise and worship. I lifted my hands, and not in that fake way where people only raise their hands because it's a lyric or because other people lift their hands. I really did praise the God that I live for. I sang to Him, I felt His presence, He ministered to me every week. I looked forward to it before church.
It's important that I convey the fact that my whole Christian life I had been praising God in a way that seemed to me to be something that I got more out of than some people, because I meant it. But the real point is that I wasn't getting nearly as much out of it as God wanted for me, because I had decided everything was fine, and ergo put no thought into any other option. Anyway, God opened my eyes on the spot, and what I saw immediately melted my defensiveness. As I watched my inspiring worship leader, I saw that she was indeed more free in her worship than I, and I had to admit that it was impossible for me to be as free because on some level, I had always kept myself in check during worship. Keeping myself in check wasn't really a conscious effort, but it was true that I didn't praise God at church quite the same way I did at home or in the car, when it was just Him and me. At home I was certainly louder, because it didn't matter how well I could sing if no one heard it. At church, I could hear the person next to me and KNOW that they sounded great. I also KNEW that I didn't sound nearly as good. I didn't want to interrupt their beauty with my less than angelic voice.
These thoughts were the indisputable proof that I did indeed limit my praise to God, if for any reason, that I thought of them enough to change the focus from worship to my actions when it was supposed to be "God and me" time. So I took a chance. I stretched my arms toward the sky more than I ever had before. I said to God, "Alright man, free me from me! I don't want to hold anything back". And I meant it. I said it with hunger. And that is exactly why the change was allowed to take place and be so effective in freeing me to do what was from the beginning, the right and natural thing to do: Praise my God!
Love Him through honest and open, and very real communication. My spirit at once cried out in the freedom that came from holding back nothing, and from disregarding my fleshly concerns! The two (spirit and flesh) cannot exist on the same plane without one choking out the other. With my flesh now unimportant, my spirit was free to love God in this sacred time of worship! I put everything into it, for it is what my spirit longs to do, >>>> and would easily do without a body born into sin. And I tell you the truth friend, I'm talking about a different grade of experience here. Red pill, blue pill stuff. What follows is, in part, the revelation that God gave me while I worshiped at home the very next week:
To "let everything that has breath praise the lord forever" is the natural order of things. We see it as some type of commandment but really, it is a statement attesting to that natural order. It was written by a psalmist, who by nature describes things in an eloquent way, much like a poet. Sin; the fall of man, is what confused the natural flow in the first place, because of it's separation consequence. But we have God to un-confuse and re-connect us!! And He is discovered on a profound level in praising Him.
When you enter into communion through worship you see past the illusions; through the fog, because you're not looking through sinful eyes, through "natural" eyes, any longer. That false nature cannot exist in God's presence. Being in that special place allows one to break through the illusions and allows Him remove the thin veil that we are unnaturally accustomed to. It is in this place that we can most see Reality. Ultimate Reality, God's Reality. This is precisely why in praising God, you can get SUCH fantastic vision, direction, and that knowledge that nothing can stop you. Only the One True Living God could ever invoke such reaction from His own creation!
As long as we live in these sinful bodies we will have to fight for these Ultimate Reality viewpoints. As a friend of mine said, "It's not God who puts up the walls that we must break to enter that quiet place with Him. It's us" (thanks M). Get past the "fallen human" factors of pride and emotion driven choices. It would be a hopeless endeavor on our own, but being who He is, God makes this possible. Do what is indeed the truest natural order of things, being on the plane of existence that only the One True Living God could create and dwell in and take us to and wait for us to discover. He inhabits the praises of His people (Psalms 22:3) and He shares life-changing revelation with us. Being close to the Master Lover, we are engulfed in Love, again the natural order can only dictate revelation!! You say you want revelation in your life, a fresh word. Enter that place and meet God. He won't hold back. As a matter of fact, only you can hold Him back by not opening yourself up to get in that Holy place with your Creator.
If every Christian got this honest in their worship, no one would get caught up in that weak, Christian on Christian judgmental pride. Furthermore, the world wouldn't even judge it. People don't judge what is the set standard. We wouldn't even need to tell people about God in America!! The world would flock to the church and God's people, desperately wanting some of that joy. (That's pretty heavy, I better save that for next time, after you've awoken to the idea of revelation.)
So now I'm that guy in the front that's all crazy during worship. I used to be the guy that scoffed at the people in the front row getting all crazy. So if you see me and judge my motives, it's okay. We're just not looking through the same eyes. The curtains have been pulled back on mine. By the way, if I've required you to read this, it can mean only one thing; You're coming to church with me soon, and I don't need you to take your focus off of why you're really there. I don't need you getting caught up in wondering why I do what I do, that could interrupt your worship of God. And there isn't a good enough reason on Earth for that to happen.


P.S. That place with God is not about feeling dizzy and getting goosebumps, it's about being brought to a place of empowerment for the purpose of strength, focus, and going back out into the world more capable than before. But that's another topic entirely . . .

Undone Potential

6-10-08
The other day I was driving a friend home after an afternoon out together. We had a good time, talked about life, bowled maybe a couple of games, had lunch, you know, the typical all around good day. At the end of this typical ride, my friend had said something rather profound, but for him, it was again typical, however lost that concept might be on him. We said our usual goodbyes, not meaningless or rehearsed, just typical, like the rest of the day. As I drove away it occurred to me that I might never again see my friend (I don't know why, but these kind of thoughts often enter my head; not necessarily negative, but decidedly a completely different tangent, to be sure). It got me thinking that I should have told him the important things instead of the normal things that are so very common in our encounters, before we parted ways. Should have told him that he had no idea how inspiring he'd been to me over the many years, should have told him that it always amazed me that he was so clueless about just how profound he could be, and that that in itself was a great asset, able to help him keep pure and pride free once he discovered how deep his words could be. Should have told him that I value him more than almost anything in this life, that without him, I would have never had a prayer of turning out to be the person I am today. My friend is not the point of this story, but more of a catalyst. We all have people in our lives, people that we hold things back from. For whatever reason, we idly fluff our conversation, and leave so many important, genuine things unsaid. Perhaps it's because of the conditioning from society, perhaps it's pride or bashfulness. Whatever the reasons are, they aren't good enough. Instead of saying all the things I should have said to my friend, I said "Alright man, stay cool. Hit me up later or something". The difference of the levels of empowerment and encouragement between what I said and what I should have said is beyond comparison. What positive, inspiring, raw energy there is in saying what we should have, instead of the typical. How much better off would each of us be if we all did this? Take the time to be honest with one another. Not just close friends, but every friend. Build one another up with truthful little quips, never lip service, never cheap compliments, just being real, just being true. Set aside worrying about sounding foolish or mushy, and just let somebody know about something you've taken from them to become a more complete person. If that had been the last time I saw my friend, that day of my story where I fed him the accepted, lazy regularities of conversation, what of the undone potential? (editorial note - there, M.A., told you I had a less heavy post coming up. Pbbbt!)

Convenient Christ.

(editorial note) I've had this post done for a few weeks now. I had been debating whether to put it up or not. I actually considered lying and saying that I found it somewhere out there and thought it was good. But that's not the truth. The truth is that I wrote it. But if what I'm about to say is difficult to hear even from a stranger, how much more would any chance of growth be choked out if it comes from you may know? Anyway, here we go:

What I'm about to say is hardcore. Difficult to swallow. It's also an excellent opportunity to grow. I was talking to my brother about a book he was reading, and he mentioned the term "cheap grace". I don't know who wrote it, I haven't read it, but that term "cheap grace" stuck with me. Cheap grace teaches and breeds a lifestyle of forgiveness without repentance. What are the effects of cheap grace built up over a life long walk with God? A weak Christian mainly. A person that God can't do much with, and the things He can use you for, you bring shame to, because you're weak in Him. Does anything else matter after that? I'm sick of seeing people use and abuse God's grace. I categorize myself in this way as well. I'm no better than you, probably worse at times. Do you think it's God's grace in action when you decide that you're going to bathe in a rotten pile of carnal fleshly sickness by choice and evil desire? Jesus didn't die so that you could call on him when you feel bad about how your selfish life and choices screwed you over and left you empty when you already know SO much better. That was meant for when you were new to God. Not for when you're supposed to be beyond "infant's milk". You've heard the term "putting God in a box". This is far worse. It's not putting Him in a box when you draw lines as to how much of a Christian you're going to be; How much you're going to allow God's Word to change you and how much you won't. How much you REFUSE to adhere to conviction until it just kind of goes away. Will God give you this grace anyway? Absolutely! Does He want you to need it on that level? Obviously not, since we MORE than have the ability through Christ to advance beyond that level. This cheap grace is how people are Christians for 25 years and are still living like babies in Christ. It's how people have the form and never the power. This is how people who have walked with God for 20 years have a plastic smile while in secrecy, they hate themselves and those around them. Grace is temporary in the big picture view - and my Bible says that we'll give account for everything in the end! I'm sick of Christians being self-centered and self-serving whores. Whores. I use that word because it's true. Whoring yourself out to sin's consuming way because it serves your purpose of self fulfillment. Not you, you say? You serve at church and smile at people you like? You don't hate and steal? Well, blessed be your name! I'm not talking about clear worldly behavior. I'd even say that many Christians aren't using God in that way. I'm talking about the things that we harbor in our hearts and inner thoughts. I'm talking about the hidden things that you abuse God's abundant grace to pardon yourself of without intention to change! Clearly it is obvious that outward sin is much easier to overcome. Why is that? Because inner sin is secret, for one. Inward sin is destructive to us because the secrecy means we don't always have a sense of urgency to destroy it. People can't plainly see it, so it can be easy to nurture it instead of kill it. It's the inner filth that people don't want to give up that crusts up until we are changed into something that makes God sick. The Bible says that all have fallen short. That's not a license to continue being stubborn in sinful ways because it suits you. Repent of whoreish behavior. Be free. A lot of people like to quote the bible to suit self-serving causes. Here's one:

Part of John 8:32 : ". . . and the truth will set you free."

Well, that's fun. And comforting. Here's the verse before that:

John 8:31-32 : Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

He who is set free by the Son is free indeed . . .

Ripped Off

I've really wanted to write a post lately. But I have this thing about me that won't let me write something when I've read or heard something profound from someone else. The reason for this is that I refuse to chance writing someone else's word. It's no good to me, because everything I write, I feel; like you would feel a really great song, or some poetry that moves you. My spirit thrives on God's inspiration when I write, and it's all very personal and heart-felt to me. It's not a pride thing, I just know in my heart that the weird way I write is exactly how I'm supposed to do it. Enough about that, let me get to the point. I was recently able to hear some truly great stuff from my pastor, Tracey Armstrong. It was so packed with revelation that I was in shock, and am even now reeling from the effect of that great teaching. It was so impactive to me that I felt sorry for people who didn't hear it. Somehow that led to thinking about Mark 6:4. "But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house." This does not only mean a literal prophet. It refers to teaching, preaching, prophecy, almost any anointing. I thought about how so many people fall victim to this scripture's foretelling fate. The message that I heard from Tracey was life changing! It will for the rest of my life shape how I think. How many people grew up around him, knowing him, that simply would never allow ANY word from him to penetrate their being? What a sad shame! When Jesus said this, he wasn't saying it as if it were a biblical principle that is inescapable. As a matter of fact, according to the next verse, regardless of that situation, he went about his business. He kept doing what he knew he was meant to do. In that verse, the people's unbelief and nonacceptance stopped the hand of God from touching their lives! Jesus never meant that this is how it should be. My brother is one of my greatest heroes. The things he has instructed me on have benefited me greatly. Some of the things he has learned in communion with God and shared with me have been filled with more actual substance than many, many services in church. I can't imagine how awful it would have been for me to have missed some of those things just because of the human weakness Jesus described in Mark 6:4. I couldn't imagine not taking to heart what my pastor says because I had grown up around him. Don't get ripped off. If someone you know has a good word, take it to heart. Don't miss potentially life-building wisdom for some petty reason that means nothing. That's not what God wants. He puts people in your life for you to build up and to be built up by. Don't miss out on something that may complete a part of you.

Silent Reservations

I don't know who this might help or apply to, but it's definitely for somebody. You've been hurt in your relationship with God, either by the gradual process of falling away into darkness, having a dream and not seeing it come to manifestation in what you believed to be a timely manner, or having a viewpoint that you failed Him because you could have done better, done more, lived to the higher standard that the more "Christians" you met, the more you realized they didn't have. You're all alone now, and tired of feeling dead. You think you have enough desire to make a comeback. You decide that you're going to repair this problem by making things right with God. You resolve to do better. You swear that you're not going to waste anymore time. No more will you stand by idle. But something isn't right. You can't go full throttle anymore, and it's because you were devastated and can't risk that again. The pain was near overwhelming before, you almost never came back. So you subconsciously draw a line concerning God that you will not cross. You can only commit so far, because you don't want to be dropped from so high again, because you're pretty sure you would never recover. You refuse to be that vulnerable ever again! So you make certain that you won't extend yourself to that dangerous of a point. You watch from the sidelines instead of making the driving plays. It's safe. But, the reason you do all this is that really because somehow, during your isolated and hurt time, you forgot what God called you to be. What He said you are and will be for Him. Just who He promised you would become. You forgot how intense the visions He gave you in order to answer His call were. Why then do you think you can come back to a righteous life and be apprehensive and so far removed? What part of anything God ever showed you do you think you can do with anything less than absolute full throttle? Yes, the pain you felt was real. And no, it never is easy to be as humble as it really takes, and as trusting as it really takes to not have those scars jeopardize the future quality of life with God, like they're doing now. He truly wants you to remember the resurrective power He is willing to share with you. God wants you to recall the fact that restorative regeneration is something He is always eager to share with you again. But He also holds you accountable for what you refuse to see or are unable to see due to your sin. And then the true things of God are hidden from you, and you operate with far less power than you should. The whole thing becomes a nightmarish, fevered effort by you to stay somewhere in between. This isn't about or even referring to a lukewarm issue, that's entirely different. This is about being healed. This is about being fully restored back to the person who put it all on the line because the promises of God are all they knew and cared about. About becoming the person once again who held nothing back, again becoming the recipient of the benefits of being a child of God who is abandoned fully to Him. God is faithful to complete the work he began in you so long ago. He wants you to jump off the edge using that amazing level of faith He gave you, for a time just like this . . .

Darkness

Darkness. It happens to most of us at some point or another in our walk with God. I'm not talking about the minor setback that slows us down for a bit. I'm talking about the major (or at least very seemingly to us at the time) setbacks that all but stop us. Paralyzing every area of growth, it halts all progress and drains us of the very will to move on. When it takes hold of you, you get disgusted about your relationship with God and become self-loathing. In extreme levels of this, you try to dismiss the importance of the relationship in the first place in an attempt to justify. I read a book by Tim Storey once that talked about not letting your "setback" become you "step back". He warned of this because all too often, that's what happens in these situations. It's what has happened to me recently, and this is why there have been no blogs. I am forthcoming about this because frankly, I'm called to use such honesty in what will someday become my style of ministry. I do this because it is relating to others with genuineness that softens their hearts to accept and apply what's being said.
Anyway, when darkness consumes us in this way, we cut ourselves off from outside support. Partially out of guilt and shame, and partially because sin divides and conquers by nature. Satan bathes in his perverted version of joy from seeing us successfully separated from God and from the people that God puts in our lives that were meant to support and build us up. The real danger of darkness is the hopelessness that it purveys into a person's viewpoint. It alters what is real and morphs it into something that is built entirely on a lie. This view feels SO real that every action and inaction we take is affected by it. The separation causes us to make bad choices that have outcomes that further annihilate and sever. A very base reality of being a human being is a certain level of susceptibility to things like this.
This is why God has put so much effort into giving us all that we need to pull out of it. How often it is though, that we choose to endure that private hell without letting Him heal and restore us. The trap is very real. Anything that separates you from God's plan for your life should be attacked with reckless abandon. If you wake up one day and wonder, "How did I end up here?", it's already much later than it should be. You've been leeched from by darkness, inflicted and transformed into a shell of who you were. The real key to preventing this from happening to you is to know exactly how to stop it before it takes hold. That's difficult when by nature, it sneaks into your life. Look for signs of rebellion that start out disguised as "independent thinking". I'm all for independent thinking when that's what it is, but it simply isn't always so. If you humble yourself to God, you can worry a lot less about rebellion creeping up on you. There's intense power in getting on your knees and turning to Him for help. Verbally admitting to God that you need guidance and asking Him to save you from yourself can be more freeing than you might expect. Watch for "no time" to invest in the Word or prayer. When you do disappoint yourself, stand tall and fight inch by inch to overcome through God's power. Get the tenacity of a bull-dog and REFUSE to be a victim of ignorance. Open your heart to God and remind Him that He said he would get you through it. Some rough times are ordained by God for your personal development. Never think that this is the case when you are spiritually deteriorating. More soon.

Be Holy

Holiness. It's the key to unlocking extreme potential in your quest for the most effective mastery over life. The importance of holiness can not afford to be overlooked. But I tell you now that it is being overlooked by the majority of Christians and is indeed the foremost cause of ineffectiveness in so very many Christians. Paul put so much substance behind the necessity to be holy for exactly this reason. We as Christians have been set apart as holy. We must live our lives to that end, if we ever expect to answer God's personal calling on our lives. Holy is defined as "one perfect in goodness and righteousness". Quite obviously this does not mean you will not make mistakes. But when you knowingly make compromises in your life for other people's standards, not only do you limit what God is willing to do with and for you, but you show others that the transformation of a person into an active, called Christian; the power of God really, isn't really that intense. I'll give you an example that is easy to see. On myspace.com, there was a profile with a name that was something like "Ready to transform the whole world for God". That was not the exact name, but the point is made. When I went to this person's page, there were worldly things being advertised by the very individual that thought it important enough to name the profile what they did. By clicking on the friends in this profile, I could see the comments that the "Extreme Christian" left for the friends. Things like, "Eff that noise, call me." Eff that noise? What does that mean?! When I heard someone at a church once use that term, I asked them why they chose to use it. "We're at church, this is God's house!", they replied. You may not be that transparent, but that's no better. At least someone who is that transparent has a better chance to recognize the need for change. You could just go through life deceived about what a real, intense, clearly committed life with God is like. Is it any wonder that people experience short term walks with God? Impotent lives that bear no productive fruit? People always look to the world as a source of friction for the Christian. How problematic many Christians are! It's the carnality and the lack of boundaries that set people up for guaranteed failure. You will either have set standards that you follow or you will allow things to compromise your relationship with God. You can't be holy when you allow such ridiculous folly. If you find yourself living a life that a stranger would not be certain that you are holy, you probably are not. Don't justify it, crucify it. Give it to God or have your standards and quality of life further raped by your unholiness. You can never expect God to work great things in and through you when you expose your temple to compromise. And if it seems like God is actively working through you, then consider what He could do if you were holy. Don't be deceived, being holy is the key to igniting those around you. It's the very element that lets God do absolutely fantastic things through you. It is what makes a person unstoppable in their personal growth and it is the gateway to becoming wiser to all things.

Impossibilities!

It Can Not be Done:

Everything that can be invented has been invented.
- Charles H. Duell, an official at the US patent office, 1899.

It will be years, not in my time, before a woman will become Prime Minister. - Margaret Thatcher, future Prime Minister, October 26th, 1969.

That virus is a pussycat. - Dr. Peter Duesberg, molecular-biology professor at U.C. Berkeley, on HIV, 1988.

Man will not fly for 50 years.
- Wilbur Wright, American aviation pioneer, to brother Orville, after a disappointing flying experiment, 1901 (their first successful flight was in 1903).

Everyone acquainted with the subject will recognize it as a conspicuous failure.
- Henry Morton, president of the Stevens Institute of Technology, on Edison's light bulb, 1880.

That the automobile has practically reached the limit of its development is suggested by the fact that during the past year no improvements of a radical nature have been introduced.
Scientific American, Jan. 2 edition, 1909.

It is apparent to me that the possibilities of the aeroplane, which two or three years ago were thought to hold the solution to the [flying machine] problem, have been exhausted, and that we must turn elsewhere.
- Thomas Edison, American inventor, 1895.

There will never be a bigger plane built.
- A Boeing engineer, after the first flight of the 247, a twin engine plane that holds ten people.

Atomic energy might be as good as our present-day explosives, but it is unlikely to produce anything very much more dangerous.
- Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister, 1939.

There is not the slightest indication that nuclear energy will ever be obtainable. It would mean that the atom would have to be shattered at will.
- Albert Einstein, 1932.

Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?
- H. M. Warner, co-founder of Warner Brothers, 1927.

The cinema is little more than a fad. It's canned drama. What audiences really want to see is flesh and blood on the stage." - Charlie Chaplin, actor, producer, director, and studio founder, 1916.

It's a great invention but who would want to use it anyway?
- Rutherford B. Hayes, U.S. President, after a demonstration of Alexander Bell's telephone, 1876.

Television won't last because people will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night.
- Darryl Zanuck, movie producer, 20th Century Fox, 1946.

Very interesting Whittle, my boy, but it will never work.
- Cambridge Aeronautics Professor, when shown Frank Whittle's plan for the jet engine.

If I had thought about it, I wouldn't have done the experiment. The literature was full of examples that said 'you can't do this'.
- Spencer Silver on the work that led to the unique adhesives for 3-M "Post-It" Notepads.

The most critical point here is that each of the people who made the claims of improbability were the most knowledgeable, respected men in their fields. These are the people who had it all together. When they talked, people listened. If Albert Einstein tells you something can't be done, it is with finality that you naturally except it as truth. The theme here is that success came from ignoring the naysayers. In some of the cases that I've listed, the people were actually held back by their own admission. In other cases, people saw it done, tried it, and still didn't see the worth! What I'm really getting at here, is that in life, and especially with the things of God, you CAN NOT allow the things that are standard to define and determine what is possible and what will be. You cannot allow circumstance, state of mind, a belief system, or lack of belief to get in the way. If you have a vision, a dream, or a direction from God, you must throw logic out the window in its entirety. It is because God's thoughts and ways are higher than our thoughts and ways, that there is no logic behind trying to determine and measure that which God will make of and for your life. You must let go of human belief. Human belief is not good enough for what God has planned.

Quizzical

As I look over these posts of mine, I realize that they aren't in the least "Newbie Christian" friendly. If you're a younger Christian, these posts probably aren't for you. There is some great material out there for the "Baby Christian", and you should definitely give it a look. Joel Osteen puts out some nice stuff that is right up your alley. As I was saying, these posts are mainly for the purpose of awakening and strengthening the person who is already going to church, possibly even someone who has been for years. They are for the person who forgot who they're supposed to be. The person who got too comfortable and changed their name to "Compromise", or "Watered-Down". I always write from my heart because I've been so many things in the past. Everything that I write about comes from experience. Anyway, I just felt I should clarify that because these posts appear on my other site, and I've been asked questions like, "Who is this enemy that you refer to?". These posts aren't for evangelism. For this I thank God. I am called to this, and I am answering that call. Evangelism is an awesome thing to do for God, but it's not my calling. What I'm about to say is in no way out of pride. None of what I exalt is born of me so it can't be! I doubt that I can convey this properly, but just know that I've died and am dying in so many ways to the flesh that I am close to God in a way I could never describe. And I promise it will cost me more than I can imagine. I am on the path to selling out to God like Elijah, David, Keith Green, Oswald Chambers, and other people who let go of themselves and straight up leeched off of God for EVERYTHING. This is in no way boasting, except as Paul said, boasting on God. Everything good in me is from the Father. I point all this out for the purpose of telling everyone who reads these and turns away, be careful, it may be that you're supposed to be reading them, and not turning away, but instead implementing them into the tangible and applicable. Furthermore, I don't expect comments really, but as many subscribers as there are, it does get me thinking: if we were all sold out, we wouldn't be able to stop spurring one another towards good things. In the future, some people will unsubscribe to these blogs, one has already, and that's okay, because the level to which I seek God before and as I write these assures me that they are written the way they should be. I tell you this with the utmost sincerity, the things of life that are not related to Him seem so insignificant when you start to sell out, when you die to the flesh. I know it's not just me that has seen what God wants to do. Come along with me if you've got the unction. I know that someone reading all these blogs certainly does.

Weak

The enemy will try to curse ANYTHING that God tries to prosper. That's just the nature of the game. Satan has been succeeding at this since the fall of man. The thing that really gets me though, is that the attacks are always the same. Nothing new . . . ever. Every attempt Satan makes at robbing you of being in close contact with God has been used by him a million times. No, that's an understatement. It very well could be hundreds of billions. There will never be anything new in his arsenal to use against you. God has restricted the devil to what you already experience of him in most cases. He lies. But he also tells the truth. He accuses you, usually of something you are indeed guilty of. This makes it all the more effective. At times, you ARE the flake he called you. You ARE a hypocrite. You ARE selfish. He points out the truth, but only in shards, and only when it has a chance of effecting you. He doesn't want you to answer his charges with scripture, he'd rather you dwell on what he tells you because, "Hey, it is true". He doesn't want you to tell him that The Word already told you that you weren't good enough and that you're glad you're not required to be. He prefers it when you don't remind him that you are saved by grace and not by works; whatever he says to knock you back can be answered by Truth. His best stuff is focused on dividing and conquering. He wants to separate you from God and what God desires to share with you. He lusts to get you alone and defenseless, that he might influence you to hopelessness. He is bitter that you, a weak, insignificant being, are able to share a relationship with God, and that he, a far more powerful being, cannot. He is bitter that God receives joy from you having a relationship with Him. This relationship makes Satan sick. His attacks are weak and reek of desperation. He has his limited set of attacks to draw on, and he hopes with all his might that you don't discover how weak and pathetic his attempts are. Because the moment you do realize that, he has no chance. For every lie he tells, The Bible presents a multitude of truths that individually are enough to overcome that lie. God is all about "more than enough". It's His nature. It's the enemy's nature to retreat in fear when you follow the simplistic biblical approach. It works every time. Stop making the devil out to be something he isn't. He relies on you to crumble under his tired routine. He needs you to participate in his ruse or he has nothing. He does have one thing; the weak and tired routine with absolutely nothing capable of being effective against you unless you choose to make it so by your acceptance and inaction.

Quiet Rumblings

Whenever you take a stand for God that is higher than ever before and that will require more of you than ever to get to the next level in your journey of answering God's call, you're guaranteed more opposition from Satan. I think this is known by most people who have striven for more. But I want to focus on another aspect. The opposite of the opposition from the enemy, it comes from the Holy Spirit during the same period of time. You're praying more, reading more, growing more. But the Holy Spirit is quietly calling you to further change, usually in part based on your reaching to God for more. It starts with a vision, a personal vision that is sometimes so faint or so inconceivable that it is easy to dismiss as something else entirely. Perhaps as a fantasy or a tangent of whimsical thoughts.
For God to increase your capacity for Him and His ways, you must decrease in ways that are contrary to Him. God will desperately want you to be ready to handle more, He celebrates that. But He won't give you more than you're ready for, especially in areas of advancement. I'm reading a book right now (Becoming a Pioneer of Success by Tracey Armstrong) that talks about how you can't expect to move on to bigger and better things in God when you allow areas of compromise into your walk. His book goes into that in depth, and is worth mentioning here as there is a connection between what he is talking about and the quiet rumblings of the Holy Spirit. You should first put an end to those things that stick out plainly to you. We know that God gives wisdom out in spades when you're working towards His cause, so it really isn't difficult to do.
After that process, and sometimes during, those rumblings of the Spirit within your soul start to whisper more and more. That's really just God pre-approving you for promotion in Him, since you are capable of all He asks of you. When God gets excited for what's next for you, He starts presenting more and more ways for you to achieve more and more of His destiny for your life. This is evident in those quiet prods from the Holy Spirit. As a parent, I know a unique level of joy in wanting great things for my son. You're simply seeing and feeling God's heightened version of that joy. Isn't that spectacular to know?! It's worth getting excited about for sure. How great a thing it really is that God gets STOKED at the possibility of your personal growth!
How much do you help something happen when you have a passion for it? That's nothing in comparison to how much God will help great things happen in your walk when you allow Him to take action by grabbing on to what the Spirit is trying to show you. I'm not at all talking about tangible things that you can touch. I'm talking about God unlocking your destiny for you as an individual being. Is there really anything more important than locking in to God? Close your eyes and grab His hand and run with Him. Your own views will just get in the way of what I'm talking about anyway. The Lord is faithful to complete the work He begins in you!

What is possible?

I'm more in love with God than I've ever been in my life. It certainly hasn't always been like this. As a matter of truth, it's new, at least to this level. I am constantly hungry for Spiritual food. I go just an hour or two without praying or getting into some praise and worship or a little bit of the Bible; my spirit and soul start to ache. It's hunger pangs. Did you hear that? It's hunger pangs. This is in no form any way of boasting, save for boasting on God's Perfection and Grace. I am amazed by my growth. Make no mistake, it is because of how far God has lifted me up. But it's also due to my efforts. I can choose to settle for less, and there are times that I have. There have also been times in my life when I have sought the will of God for my life, but not like this. I am constantly seeking to be consumed more and more by Holy Fire. I want to grow and shine and be lethal to the enemy. Sounds an awful lot like the 15 year old at a youth camp, no? That's what they sound like, before something else happens to them.
I said to a friend recently that God is getting ready to do some big, big things. Unseen in these times type of things. He said to me that he was tired of hearing that. That he'd been hearing that for years. He'd been hearing it since he was 13, and now at 30, he's still hearing it in today's youth groups. Here's the thing though. God was and is always ready to do something big. It's His people who back off. It's the kid in the youth group that graduates high school, gets a full-time job or gets ready for college. God is waiting for those who are willing to go further for Him than the people before them.
The reason I mention all this is that I have discovered that I am one of those people. God already knew that, He was just waiting for me to catch up. To stop putting limitations on Him. It is imperative that we realize what "apple of His eye" means. It really is a matter of perspective that determines so much about you, about where you're going with God. If you can't see yourself like I've described, then how will your faith increase? The Beastie Boys were right. "The man makin' diamonds out of coal is the one who holds the remote control." How you devour the opportunities that are available only through God determine how far He'll take you.
I've heard it said countless times that there are certain biblical principles that you can benefit from whether you serve God or not. I'm done hearing about that. I've got all I can from that for now. I'm talking about the things that will ONLY happen when you give in to God. Keith Green says in one of his songs, "I want to die and let you give your life to me that I might live." He's talking about dying as fleshly death, the only way for God to truly inspire you to action.
You see, there's only so much God can use you for when you limit Him by not being ready. I don't want to serve a limited God, because it would be completely my fault that He was limited. Dying to the world, crucifying the flesh, getting that hunger; these are the keys to being rocketed ahead towards God's perfect will. The casual Christian mentality will never increase your personal capacity. You'll peak, and rules are rules. That will be as far as you go, your entire life if you so decide.

Harsh

(I realize that this may come on strong, believe me that it's not directed as a generalization, but to those that it is, it's meant to come on strong)

Hunger for God. The Real God. The God that you so many times hold back so that you can live your life more comfortably in sin. I say in sin, although you may not see it that way. It's easy to see your life as "pretty good". As a Christian, it's easy to compare your life to worldly people. You say, "Hey I go to church. I pay my tithes. I don't drink. I don't beat my kids, and I come home after work every night." You even compare yourself to other Christians and rate yourself higher in your walk with God, though no one should do so. These comparisons are dangerous and need to be viewed as though they were stealing your most sacred treasures. They cause and further implement you in your walk with God to slip into a level of existence that only barely gets you by.
No hunger for God! Not aching to be consumed by Holy Fire. You're greedy and selfish. You want the most out of a life with God for the least amount of effort. You allow yourself to be satisfied with the bare minimum. What causes this? You need to thirst for the MOST you can possibly handle of God. Do you remember that hunger? When God first found you, broken, contrite and ready for a new life? Where did that fire go? God holds up his end of the deal, is faithful, blesses you MUCH more than you need, and you soak it all in, making sure that you're the best looking, most stylish person at church. You're far too cool for God. Lukewarm that is.
Revelations says in 3:15-16, "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth." To vomit is to eject forcefully, violently even, but certainly with the motive of getting the filth far away. This means that God would prefer you in either of those states than where you are, and He prefers it with a passion. It's easy to see why He would want you to be hot. But cold? Well, at least cold is honest. With cold there is no disguise, no concealment of truth, no pretense.
I'd much prefer that to insincerity and hypocrisy. Someone who is cold is more stable, and has better character than the lukewarm. It is easier for a cold person to become hot than for a lukewarm person. Saul, as a murderous, Christian hater became Paul, writing 13 books of the New Testament. Judas, taught by The Son of God for years, was a thief and a fraud. Saul was cold, but Judas was lukewarm.
If you're lukewarm, don't stay there. If you realized the gravity of the situation you'd know that you should actually panic. It is that serious. The trouble is, once you're lukewarm, it's so easy to stay there. The enemy lusts that you would stay in that putrid state. You're no one for him to be concerned with. You can't be used by God for anything. Satan views you as dead, and he's almost right. Almost. See, I've been lukewarm at points in my life. I know of the constant toil that comes with it. I tell you the truth, you must be humble before God and desperately want change to be changed, just like with true repentance. But oh how quickly God smites that, igniting you, instantly propelling you to hot. He wants it more than you do in your most longing moment of desire. He would have to in order to spew you away from Him.

Bitterness

Bitterness. Webster's defines bitter as "marked by intensity, cynicism, and pain." Marked is an excellent way to view the effect bitterness has on someone. They are marked, and usually by personal experience. It's that sour experience that causes someone to lock away the very best parts of themselves. Everything good is locked away because bitterness CONSUMES an individual completely, affecting every faucet of their being.
Bitter people are intense. They eventually become dead set on malevolence and spreading pain. It may not start that way, but that is in fact the ONLY conclusion if bitterness is not healed. After long term exposure, being consumed by this contemptuous state can cause you to think higher of yourself than people who don't agree with your cynicism. From your twisted perspective, they slowly become the enemy. From their perspective, they see your hardened heart and are turned away.
Webster's also defines bitterness as "being relentlessly determined and intensely unpleasant, especially in coldness or rawness." The determination of a bitter person is unrelenting because that uncontrollable drive is powered by severe pain, grief, or regret. Bitterness is a breeding ground for self-loss and isolation. In the end it leads to deep, insurmountable sorrow, depression, hopelessness and the immensely overwhelming feeling that emptiness is not only acceptable for your life, but the only option. Bouncing back from this fate can prove more difficult than most anything else. This is due to the fact that with bitterness we naturally harden ourselves, as a protective measure, oftentimes in an attempt to not be hurt again. We vehemently reject any type of reproach, directives, compassion or help offered by others.
When people are bitter about church and church leadership, they see non-bitter people as pawns. Not pawns unto themselves, but of the people representing anything church related. When others don't share their hardened opinions or "see the light", they then become worthless to the bitter soul. This in turn creates a vacuum. It's because of this lockout that only God can rescue someone from this spiraling wreck. It WILL produce a spirit of ill ambition and contention; it WILL destroy any who are ruled by it, and it offers nothing less than complete mastery of you. The Sword of Truth of course, can slay bitterness. Come away from that sickness that can prevent you from using The Sword. The Sword which God entrusted to you, that you might use it! Ask God for meekness, humility and kindness and start melting that resentment away.

Introspection

Introspection. A powerful ally or a daunting enemy. Choose introspection to narrow the wide gambit of areas for self-improvement. Focus on one or two key elements of your findings that you sincerely wish to change. This will transform your entire being a little at a time. It can become really easy to get overwhelmed trying to be a better person, a more solid person of God especially. It's so easy to put tons of pressure on yourself expecting instant change when all you think about is that "The Power of God" is at work and Salvation is instant, so therefore, you should be able to be revolutionized instantly! How misleading this train of thought is!
Looking throughout the Bible, you see many examples of people of God that God had to wait on to fulfill their destiny. This is because they needed to grow into what He envisioned for them. Moses had a great calling on his life. He also argued with God every step of the way as to why he couldn't do it. Jonah was a preacher and a prophet for God. His life was a wreck. If God is speaking through you, He clearly is at work in your life. I'm not saying that you should give yourself excuses to live a "Comfortable Walk" by only doing some of what you know you should do; I'm saying that it doesn't happen overnight (like salvation). The thing is, when that instantaneous transformation of God coming into your heart happens, that's "God's work on you". Changing into a powerful warrior of Christ is partially "Your work on you". Big difference.
So use introspection to mold yourself into a more complete Christian. Take full advantage of the ability to single things out that you want to attack or strengthen. God will provide ample opportunity to see what else needs to be changed when you finally run out of the obvious. Seek wisdom from Him and you will find it.

Good Times

What follows is an excerpt from the book "America is too young to die", by Leonard Ravenhill (author of Why Revival Tarries). It describes these present times, although it was written in 1979. What follows is all too common now, ten fold more than when written (and in just 28 short years!). Take a look around. There's something happening here.

"In this day of thin theology, gospel peddlers (I hardly dare call them
evangelists) have accented free grace until some such teaching has become a
disgrace.
Men will not always say in clear words what they imply in their
teaching. But the average evangelist, with his eyes on the crowd or on the offering, has a 'gospel' which, in Paul's words, is 'another gospel.'
It goes something like this:
You have done wrong (the ugly word 'sinned' is omitted), this will ruin
your life (not, 'sin will cast you into hell'); come and tell God you are
sorry (not, 'bring forth fruit therefore meet for repentance'). Now don't
sob like that (though God says 'a broken and a contrite heart'), the Lord
understands; now that you have prayed, all is well. Just think of it this
way; your name is now written in the Book of Life. You will have a mansion
over the hilltop, a crown and free ticket to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb
and will be a ruler over five cities.
This, if it were true, would classify for the title, 'The Great
Give-Away.'"

Pride

Pride. What do think of when you think of pride? We tend to think of pride as something that we should avoid. A sin that entangles. And it is. I was thinking about pride today, with its ensnaring characteristics, and wondering. If pride is so sly and so capable of sneaking up on us, then there must be other areas of sin where pride is the root cause; however hidden. For example, pride generally must be a ruling element in order for one to take offense. There must be something to offend, and pride is usually it. Without pride, you often wouldn't get offended when "You had every right to".
It's pride that keeps us from being healthier, happier Christians, we all know that. But in subtle ways it works that truth. We fake stuff for the sake of pride, especially around other Christians, like it was a competition! At church when someone asks how we're doing, pride helps us grin like a used car salesman and say, "Blessed and highly favored", but without living it, without even believing it. We can be struggling inside, only to keep up an illusion meant to show everyone that we're still doing okay. Like it's weak of us to need help. At church of all places! (Stupendous is the sin that can cause you to not seek support at church!!) Really though, it just keeps up walls. Walls that we trap ourselves behind and that are difficult to see over, let alone to break down. Because the longer you keep up an illusion, the harder it is to be open, to be real again.
Pride is the invisible dominator. It's power is strengthened the longer it is allowed to take hold on us. We all know of obvious examples of pride, but it likes us to only focus on those factors, ignoring the sick damage it can cause over time when hidden as a fuel for other sins. A gateway to loneliness, it divides and conquers more than other sin. Its specialty is separation, not just from God, but fellow man. Let's raise our guard, absolutely abhor pride, and make it weak. This will create synergy amongst us. You can't put a price on the benefits of that.

Starting Point

I've had a Spiritual Awakening really recently. I'm sure people have them all the time; of one kind or another. It doesn't really matter, it only matters that I feel it is critical to write some things down consistently, at least for the time being. Going into this, I don't know who this is for (possibly just me) or even why it is so important. I do know that this is something I must be devoted to. I will not stop. I will not hold back.
To some of you who know me, you very well may think that you know me (that's funny sounding). You may have opinions of my faults, my weaknesses, my isms. The fact is, If you met me during or after 2002, you don't know me. I haven't known me since then.
I'm not sure even now how to begin this journey, and I don't expect everyone to read it all everytime I post something. It's okay. I'll still do it even if I am the only one who sees it. I don't even know how or when this will end, but it needs to be done. And it needs to not stop. I think that I want people to take it in, and do whatever they need to with it. I think.
None of what I've just said really matters, but this one thing does; When you allow God to demolish strongholds that have defined your life and your very self, all that is left is clay that He can use. I am that clay. All the bitterness, rage, hatred, pride, deception and chaos are gone from me. All that is left now is a willing vessel that God can use, that He can shape to His concept, His vision, His Likeness.

Today I wanted to talk about church. I wanted to talk about what church is to you, what it is to me, and what it should be for everyone. I wanted to talk about people who become complacent. I have many things inside that I must say; they need to come out. I am not capable of holding it in. I am not capable of holding it in! But restraint will be shown, if anything, for the purpose of too much meat not being as effective as it could be. Its effectiveness is nullified a bit in too large a dose. People need time to reflect on whatever they digest if they are to get the most capacity. So that is all I'm going to write today. Well, besides this: Take yourself out of the equation, and be shocked by what God can do.