If we do not invite Him today to live His life through us, we will discover that we have not changed, and God will use the ensuing failure to bring the point home.

Romans 7:18, For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.

Because of how religion infiltrates the Church, so few have a doctrine of failure. There is one very big problem with this: We all will fail! Most are emphasizing a one-time fix, meaning that some understanding or some conference will free a person from all future conflict. It is not so with us. Our system not only allows for failure but plans for it. The Epistles are written because Christians are failing, they are not getting it, but most importantly they have moved away from their focus on Jesus. Without their failures we would not have those books. We have all learned as they did through their failures. If they learned through theirs, is it not true that we will learn from ours? Do any believe that the early Church didn’t have failures? Paul uses the occurrence of believers’ going to temple prostitutes to explain the principle of oneness. He didn’t tell them they were hopeless; he told them why they should not be doing it and to stop. Peter was a tremendous failure after being taught by Jesus for three-and-one-half years. What do we learn about soul strength in our attempts to serve God from his example? What did he learn? If you are prepared for failure, when it comes (and it will) you will not have to enter into condemnation, unbelief, and become a Galatian. The flesh doesn’t change, but that really is a beautiful thing, because if I don’t want to walk with Jesus, I will be the same mess I was before . . . well, actually worse. With Adam’s life in me, wearing sin was natural. With Christ’s life in me, wearing sin is very abnormal and miserable. The hardest thing to get across is that we are not improving, but only abiding longer. I know a man that was in a mental institution, came to see Christ as his life, and as Christ flowed from him, people could see Jesus. However, he believes in a one-time fix, and now when he isn’t abiding he still acts very psychotic, but now it is more of a Christian psychosis and more “acceptable.” Well, amen. An elephant can live up to 100 years, and the reason it dies is this: It has six set of teeth. As it wears out one set of teeth, the next set comes in, and so on until it has no teeth, can no longer eat, and it dies. We, like the elephant, have many sets of spiritual teeth for eating at different stages of our life. There are teeth for the milk of the early things and teeth for the later things, and one day we will leave this body. Until then there is always something to chew, and if we chew long enough we need a new set of teeth. We have chewed long enough on heaven vs. hell. It is time to chew on the fact that Christ is in us. As we by choice invite Him to live through us, He will today, but for today only. I am not saying He is coming and going; I am saying we must choose to relate to Him in a certain way. If we do not invite Him today to live His life through us, we will discover that we have not changed, and God will use the ensuing failure to bring the point home.

Over the course of the years I have attended, witnessed, and been told of a variety of meetings and experiences that simply cannot be witnessed to from the Scriptures. Attempts to verify and legitimize them through the Scriptures are made; however, most often this ends in a distortion of the Bible. So what about such meetings and experiences? Those that have such experiences will vehemently fight for them as valid experiences of the Spirit. Though the expressions are not consistent around the world, “other” type experiences are. Some witness to having teeth turn gold, others to a cross turning to gold, uncontrolled laughter, pictures of saints that exude a fragrant aroma that heals, falling down and passing out, prophecies, people turning to pigs through prayer, and much, much more. I have heard many accounts, all told with sincerity and conviction. Again, what about such meetings and experiences? First, I must keep it all in perspective. In short, I really don’t care. Why? Not because I don’t care for the people, but because even if the experience and meeting were legitimate, it wasn’t my meeting or my experience, so why would I argue a position? It is too easy for all of us to move into pride. While Jesus was with the disciples, they were one. Take Jesus out of the center of any conversation and there will be division. I wouldn’t sacrifice my relationship with Christians over an experience that someone else had. Therefore, we approach such experiences without an agenda. I am not trying to prove or disprove. In comparison with my fellowship with a believer, I don’t care. Therefore, I will often go quiet if I see that my observations would cause a division. This approach won’t satisfy those that want to fight for the truth. However, the truth is not any experience, but Jesus. This brings me to the second point: a meeting or an experience does not create a heart for Jesus, but it does reveal one. Camping on this point has helped me, for I see both types of people attending such meetings. One person goes for the spectacular, for the seeking of the experience, all in the hope of creating a heart for God or obtaining a shred of proof that he is acceptable to God. This person is most open to deception. Some with this attitude are even leading the meetings. Perhaps we could liken it to “Christian pornography.” The purpose of pornography is to stimulate the fleshly body, albeit unnaturally. The body is to be stimulated by one’s mate, not another in the form of a picture. In the same way, the mind, will, and emotions belong to God and are to be stimulated by His Spirit. However, Christian pornography would be allowing something other than God to stimulate the soul. Many in seminaries are addicted to “intellectual pornography,” for they are always looking for the thing that will stimulate the mind. Many organizations are driven by men who have their wills stimulated through fantasizing about great works, or “pornography for the will power.” Others are into “emotional pornography” through the stirring of the emotions in a meeting or an experience. It is unnatural to go to a meeting seeking something to stir the soul other than Jesus. When those with such a heart are describing the experience and are questioned, they will immediately shift course and say that it is all about Jesus. However, His name was never mentioned in the course of the description. Instead there was a forceful presentation of the experience and the meeting. This is a revelation of the heart. Remember that Jesus did miracles and generally told the people to be quiet about them. He didn’t want to attract people who were attracted by miracles. Actually, I believe that a false teacher is used of God to reveal false hearts. I don’t mind if people go running to them, for they are seeking something other Jesus. Christian pornography, those things that stir the soul, are like the picture; they are a substitute for the real Person. In talking to a Pentecostal Pastor and a Baptist Pastor, I asked the same question. “Go back 20 years and think of the people in your church. Where are they today? How many are still moving forward?” Both pastors gave the same percentage; both have the same “results.” One can only conclude that it is not doctrine that allows for forward movement, but the grace of God and the choice of man. Therefore, the doctrine of a meeting can be completely wrong, but we must not neglect those that attend such meetings, for the revelation of the motives of their hearts. Faith is an amazing thing. If you believe that God will meet you at the Baptist church, will He? If you believe that God will meet you at the Pentecostal church, will He? If you believe that you will meet Him in the mountains, will you? He is everywhere. He can be found in any place at any time. Therefore, good-hearted people go to strange meetings and meet Jesus. Their hearts are revealed. The proof is in their lives. I have known those that have had very abnormal experiences, and yet it is obvious they are moving up in Jesus, talking more about Jesus, promoting Jesus, and not pushing the experience. What do we say to such things? Well, amen! I don’t have to understand it to witness to it. I know people personally that were, outwardly, going nowhere until the experience came and something changed. They became Christ-centered. In conclusion, meetings do not create hearts, they reveal them. Go to any meeting with the right heart, and your heart will be revealed. Go to the weird meeting wanting to create some kind of heart, and any manner of thing can happen. That is why people with a right heart come away from really strange things blessed, and those with a wrong heart are led further astray.

Over the course of the years I have attended, witnessed, and been told of a variety of meetings and experiences that simply cannot be witnessed to from the Scriptures. Attempts to verify and legitimize them through the Scriptures are made; however, most often this ends in a distortion of the Bible. So what about such meetings and experiences? Those that have such experiences will vehemently fight for them as valid experiences of the Spirit. Though the expressions are not consistent around the world, “other” type experiences are. Some witness to having teeth turn gold, others to a cross turning to gold, uncontrolled laughter, pictures of saints that exude a fragrant aroma that heals, falling down and passing out, prophecies, people turning to pigs through prayer, and much, much more. I have heard many accounts, all told with sincerity and conviction. Again, what about such meetings and experiences? First, I must keep it all in perspective. In short, I really don’t care. Why? Not because I don’t care for the people, but because even if the experience and meeting were legitimate, it wasn’t my meeting or my experience, so why would I argue a position? It is too easy for all of us to move into pride. While Jesus was with the disciples, they were one. Take Jesus out of the center of any conversation and there will be division. I wouldn’t sacrifice my relationship with Christians over an experience that someone else had. Therefore, we approach such experiences without an agenda. I am not trying to prove or disprove. In comparison with my fellowship with a believer, I don’t care. Therefore, I will often go quiet if I see that my observations would cause a division. This approach won’t satisfy those that want to fight for the truth. However, the truth is not any experience, but Jesus. This brings me to the second point: a meeting or an experience does not create a heart for Jesus, but it does reveal one. Camping on this point has helped me, for I see both types of people attending such meetings. One person goes for the spectacular, for the seeking of the experience, all in the hope of creating a heart for God or obtaining a shred of proof that he is acceptable to God. This person is most open to deception. Some with this attitude are even leading the meetings. Perhaps we could liken it to “Christian pornography.” The purpose of pornography is to stimulate the fleshly body, albeit unnaturally. The body is to be stimulated by one’s mate, not another in the form of a picture. In the same way, the mind, will, and emotions belong to God and are to be stimulated by His Spirit. However, Christian pornography would be allowing something other than God to stimulate the soul. Many in seminaries are addicted to “intellectual pornography,” for they are always looking for the thing that will stimulate the mind. Many organizations are driven by men who have their wills stimulated through fantasizing about great works, or “pornography for the will power.” Others are into “emotional pornography” through the stirring of the emotions in a meeting or an experience. It is unnatural to go to a meeting seeking something to stir the soul other than Jesus. When those with such a heart are describing the experience and are questioned, they will immediately shift course and say that it is all about Jesus. However, His name was never mentioned in the course of the description. Instead there was a forceful presentation of the experience and the meeting. This is a revelation of the heart. Remember that Jesus did miracles and generally told the people to be quiet about them. He didn’t want to attract people who were attracted by miracles. Actually, I believe that a false teacher is used of God to reveal false hearts. I don’t mind if people go running to them, for they are seeking something other Jesus. Christian pornography, those things that stir the soul, are like the picture; they are a substitute for the real Person. In talking to a Pentecostal Pastor and a Baptist Pastor, I asked the same question. “Go back 20 years and think of the people in your church. Where are they today? How many are still moving forward?” Both pastors gave the same percentage; both have the same “results.” One can only conclude that it is not doctrine that allows for forward movement, but the grace of God and the choice of man. Therefore, the doctrine of a meeting can be completely wrong, but we must not neglect those that attend such meetings, for the revelation of the motives of their hearts. Faith is an amazing thing. If you believe that God will meet you at the Baptist church, will He? If you believe that God will meet you at the Pentecostal church, will He? If you believe that you will meet Him in the mountains, will you? He is everywhere. He can be found in any place at any time. Therefore, good-hearted people go to strange meetings and meet Jesus. Their hearts are revealed. The proof is in their lives. I have known those that have had very abnormal experiences, and yet it is obvious they are moving up in Jesus, talking more about Jesus, promoting Jesus, and not pushing the experience. What do we say to such things? Well, amen! I don’t have to understand it to witness to it. I know people personally that were, outwardly, going nowhere until the experience came and something changed. They became Christ-centered. In conclusion, meetings do not create hearts, they reveal them. Go to any meeting with the right heart, and your heart will be revealed. Go to the weird meeting wanting to create some kind of heart, and any manner of thing can happen. That is why people with a right heart come away from really strange things blessed, and those with a wrong heart are led further astray.

. If someone has their name blotted out of the book of life, it is because they specifically wanted it erased.

Deut. 29: 20, “The LORD shall never be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of the LORD and His jealousy will burn against that man, and every curse which is written in this book will rest on him, and the LORD will blot out his name from under heaven.”
Rev. 3:5, ”He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. 6He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Rev. 20:15, “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
From the foundation of the world it was God’s desire that none should perish. God even sent His own Son to that end. Therefore, from the foundations of the world everyone has their name written into the Lamb’s book of life. It doesn’t seem to be a matter of choosing Jesus one day and then rejecting Him the next, thus having one’s name blotted out of the book of life. However, there is a choice to stop believing in Jesus. It is interesting that children want to believe in Jesus. In fact, they have to be taught not to believe in Jesus. It is not so much that we make a choice that gets our name in His book; rather, it is that we make a choice that gets our name out of His book. I often hear from people, “One day I just stopped believing.” Unbelievers like to lay all blame at the feet of God and yet maintain their freedom to choose what they want. If someone has their name blotted out of the book of life, it is because they specifically wanted it erased. It is getting the desire of the heart. God will not go against the heart, and if the heart wants out, it can get out.

Can’t we all just look to Jesus and let the Spirit initiate what He wants?

Acts 2:1-2, When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Pentecost is worth enjoying. There was a time in the Church when Whitsunday (the coming of the Spirit) was celebrated more than Christmas (Christ among us). He is just as much in us as He is among us. In fact, what makes a person Pentecostal is the belief that He is residing within. Believing in gifts and miracles does not make one Pentecostal. Pentecost gives a deathblow to religion and takes Christianity completely out of the realm of religion. The move of the Spirit was not generated from within but from without. In the same way today if there were a move of the Spirit, it would be initiated by the Spirit. The proof that an expression is not initiated by the flesh is that those who have the experience will not point others back to the experience, but will point them to the One who gives the experience. To say a particular expression is of the Spirit and then to point people to the expression is proof that it is not of God. In religion, the experience becomes the focal point and the experience is fought for. In Pentecost, Jesus is the issue; people are pointed to Him, where they will get what they need. Personally, I never understood how there could be a move of the Spirit, and yet for me to have it, I had to work and move my flesh. If He came to the original recipients without the initiation of man, then why can’t He come to me without my initiation? Why must I be convinced, be in the right place, and believe a certain thing? Can’t we all just look to Jesus and let the Spirit initiate what He wants?

There is only one Truth, and to tell the Truth is to tell of Jesus.

John 14:6”Jesus said* to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.’” In this day and age, truth is in short supply, so this question is all the more important. Do you tell the truth? No, I don’t mean, “Did you lie on your taxes, did you tell the police officer when questioned about your speed, or were you honest when asked why you didn’t make the meeting?” There is only one Truth, and to tell the Truth is to tell of Jesus. I find more and more in the Christian community that don’t tell the Truth. I am told what will bring healing, how to build a church, how to have a happy family, and how to obtain material blessings. However, I don’t think in all those sermons I am being told the Truth, for after listening intently, I can’t hear the name of Jesus. In fact, walk around nearly any church institution, seminary, or organization and you will not hear the Truth. “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” I find that most who would confront and divide over a minute point of doctrine are never telling the Truth. Their little point is never the point. The point is Jesus. These people simply are not concerned for the Truth, for if they were, surely we would hear His name.

“And Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.” Acts 8:1

It is said that in the U.S. there are over 50,000 new laws passed every year. That includes, local, state, and federal. This doesn’t include all the covenants that are passed. Why so many laws? First, the government would like a law to replace the conscience of man. The government believes in abortion. How can there be abortion without the hardening of the heart? (However, I have met many where the intellectual argument for abortion could not override their heart. For those, there has been forgiveness, restoration, and a moving on in Him.) Kill conscience in one area and it is likely to die in another.

The second reason for the multiplication of laws will be revealed in the future. Persecution for the Christian is coming to America. It would seem impossible since Christianity is the foundation for the constitution, laws, and the fact that there is freedom of religion. Christians won’t be put in jail for their Christianity. That would be too overt. Christians will be put in jail for some other vague law that will have been broken. It was the joke in the former Soviet Union, “We will put you in prison and find the law you broke later.” However, when it happens, it will be no joke.

A church attendee wrote a letter to the editor of the newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday.

“I’ve gone for 30 years now,” he wrote, “and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can’t remember a single one of them. So I think I’m wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all.”

This started a real controversy in the “Letters to the Editor” column,much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher: I’ve been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this: They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!”

When you are DOWN to nothing…. God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible!

Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment!

As with most things, we need to stop and think about them for a minute. We know that God does not show partiality. It is not within the capacity of love to do so. Therefore, if a believer were able to miss the will of God, it would be God’s fault.

Paul, as an unbeliever, was missing the will of God. God stopped him and set him on the proper way. Paul, as a believer, was missing the will of God. God sent an angel and redirected him. If God did not allow Paul to miss the will of God, and God does not show partiality, then how could He let you? Now, I am not talking about sins; all sins are missing the will of God. All have sinned, and therefore all have missed the will of God. No, what I am talking about is the ultimate will of God for your life’s calling and vocation. It is impossible to miss it.

Paul was content in whatever state he was in. Again, many in the Church have made people discontented with their lives. Others are constantly meddling in the lives of God’s people and defining what the will of God is. It is evil to make someone discontented where he is. A woman is struggling in her marriage, and the first thing the evil, meddling Christian says is, “You should go!” Another is barely coping at work with a condemning boss that makes him feel trapped. The meddler adds to the turmoil by saying, “God is calling you into fulltime ministry.” How do these meddling people know the mind of God?

In the love of God is assurance that you are getting what you need today, and that today you are in the perfect will of God. His will may be simply changing diapers!

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. ” Matthew 6:33NASB

My partner, Ray Andrews, says this: “If you are depressed, you should first ask what it is that you are doing that you know you should not be doing. The second thing to ask is what you would like to be doing that you should not be doing.”

It is a good point, for depression often (not always) has its roots in the desires the flesh is exercising or wants to exercise. The way of the flesh is to do what you like and hate what you are doing. This all causes depression. Depression, then, can have its root in desire. We seek God for what we desire (our will), and if we don’t get it, we get depressed. If we get it and then discover that it was not really what we imagined it to be, there is more depression.

Do you know that if you have ever prayed, “Thy will,” then “Thy will” is exactly what you are getting? But you thought that “Thy will” would be something spectacular, comfortable, and blessed as defined by the world, including harmony in marriage, obedient children, and more.

Let me explain. He is bringing to each of us the revelation of Christ that we NEED. To prepare us for that revelation so we will not be exalted and destroyed, He is giving us what we are getting today. The revelation of Christ can completely destroy us if not preceded by His will. Paul says so. He explains that a thorn was given him so that in the abundance of revelations, he would not be destroyed.

What you are getting today in “average” life is everything you need to precede His revelation. Remember, the purpose of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to give you peace as you come in line with His will. This is the greater time, wherein He is going to use the lesser (in the worldly churches’ view) believer, and this is how you are prepared.

Stand fast. Don’t be discouraged. Today’s hiccups, rejections, conflicts, abuses, and concerns are what are needed to prepare you.

Why are Christians in so much defeat? Don’t think I’m a heretic; just let me say it through to the end.

Christianity as a religion has failed. Christianity as a moral system has failed. The Bible as a source of power has failed. Truth is not only preached; it is demonstrated. Christian seminaries have failed and could be sued for false advertising; they have not created leaders or spiritual men. Christianity as a teaching is the best option; it has a better book and higher standards.

But what does that mean? Visit churches at the level at which I see them, and you will find that covert, self-righteous deeds of the flesh and covert, unrighteous deeds of the flesh abound. Very little can be found of loving an enemy, allowing another to wound, or blessing those that curse. Some of the rudest people I have met are Bible professors who know so very much.

We must admit it has failed. We have the same rate of divorce as the unbelieving world. Why? Because Christianity has schools, but it is not a school; it has a book, but it is not a book; it has a philosophy of living, but it is not a philosophy; and it has doctrines, but it is not a doctrine.

Christianity is Christ. Period. It was never meant to be another religion; it was always about a relationship with Christ.

The legalists–those who have attained their own form of righteousness–would like to rip two passages from the Bible, “You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life, and it is these that bear witness of Me” (John 5:39), and “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27.)

Man is made for Jesus to be connected to the Vine, not to imitate, but to participate. I’m not a heretic, but I can’t believe how much trouble I get into saying that Jesus is all we need.