Never run dry

The trees are make really loud cracking sounds, sounds they usually don't make. It's because of the cold. It's extreme cold, the kind of cold we are not meant to be in much, 0, with -5 wind chill. When we are in situations that take us to the edge of life, of what we are comfortable with, we must have The Lord guiding us, and not our flesh. Romans 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. We had a diseased tree in our back yard, and it cracked really loud. We knew at some point it would fall over, that why it was cracking so loud, it had a split in it. It was aiming right at our house, we knew if it fell, it would cream our house. It is not a good thing for a tree to hit a house. We had to cut it down. It was an easy fix right now, but if the tree crashed into the house, it may not even be able to be fixed at all. At the same time my wife had cancer, which had to be cut out. If we had not, it had already reached the wall of her chest, it would take over her body, and be much harder to heal, if it could be healed at all. So when it gets hard in life, it's too easy for us to give up, or press through in our own strength, instead of relying on the Lord, and His strength, which never runs dry. "Lord, help us today to remain faithful, even if it's hard, and we feel like cracking. Let us rely on Your power, Your strength, and Your wisdom. And help us to realize that it's all You anyway, even when we have a good thought, it's from You, for," Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights...(James 1:17) Have a great day.

Believing you have received! Do not doubt!

Trusting, not doubting, believing He will never leave us or forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:6 (NKJV) 6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”) And God never lies, nor is He ever wrong. He's not even slow as some count slowness...2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. So, why do we doubt? Fear replaces faith, the belief in things unseen. Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for , the evidence of things not seen. We recently had to step away from a job that provided a paycheck. With no visible means of support, we believed that the Lord was asking us to step out on the water, and walk with Him. You have to do two things to walk on the water; hear Jesus call you there, and believe He will sustain you, because you can't, remember it's impossible to do the impossible, unless you believe He is calling you, then all things are possible for those who believe. (Matthew 19:26) Remember too, that, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. ( Hebrews 11:6 New King James Version (NKJV)) So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17) So if we receive God's word, "Come" then we have to be careful our hearts don't get in the way. Matthew 13:18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” These are like the growing conditions of God's words to us. If the soil is good, and we know the seed is good, because it's God's word, then let not those seeds be choked, in Jesus name! God is not a liar, and His word can't return void, or with no effect! Isaiah 55:11 (NKJV) So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Yes, and amen!

Worship music, how do we get it?

I have read a few articles on worship, but they never seem to address much about the Holy Spirit, who was called among many other things, to "teach us in all things." This is an attempt to address singing in worship to God from a different perspective. My friend with his acoustic guitar, would come on Sunday morning with sometimes 3-5 new songs that were always some of the most anointed songs I have ever sung. God sang them to him. He would carry around a recorder, then God would start singing, my friend would grab his recorder and sing them back into the recorder. Anointing, what is that? King David was anointed King of Israel when he was still a boy, but before that he was anointed to write and sing songs to the Lord, songs that would chase demons away from King Saul. Anointing is like a special manifestation that comes when God calls you to something and then blesses your obedience, it's like His stamp saying, I have called this one to do this one thing. Often you can feel the power of God all over what they do. I have seen people anointed to play certain instruments. I have seen people with an anointing to play over people and they are healed of sicknesses. Is God even calling a certain person to lead, or be a part of the music part of worship? If you're not called, please, find out what your calling is, but don't just "do" worship. God can anoint anyone, even if they don't have musical gifts. Andre Crouch could not play the piano, at all. His dad was the pastor of a church, their piano player didn't show up. His dad looked down at him and said, go play the piano. (He was a really young kid) God anointed him, he played beautifully, as if he had been playing for years, and could play always after that. Andre Crouch has received many hundreds of songs from the Lord. Did God even give us that song? Did He write it? Rich Mullins (Writer of Awesome God and hundreds of others) wrote a song called Mary Picked the Roses. In it he claims God as the song writer and he just the vessel chosen for the song. Annie Herring of the 2nd Chapter of Acts says she's a song receiver, and not a writer. When we claim ownership of a song, maybe we should keep it because just like a sermon, I want to hear what The Lord has to say, not some another sheep, I hear enough from my own kind, I want the Good Shepherd to lead me! Peter said to the Lord, "You alone have the words of life, where else should we go?" when Jesus asked who people said that He was. If Jesus alone has the words of life, then what source are we getting our music from if not from Him. And if we are not getting it from Him, who exactly are we getting it from? It's the Spirit Himself who bears witness with our spirits....if there is a powerful anointing on a song, the singer and the players, then you will feel it, wow will you feel it. And in some cases, you will see it. People will be healed, people will be broken, and mended. Jesus Himself will inhabit those kind of praises. The ones of a shepherd boy just singing to His God who he has a heart after.

Take me all

When a man dies, and then is revived, or a person is saved from certain death, there seems to be a gratefulness that overcomes him or her. In that grateful spirit they often say, "I will live my life differently now" and often they do. I was just healed of a nasty throat condition that did not allow me to eat much and swallowing was very painful, and sleep was hard to come by. When I woke up yesterday and today, the difference was dramatic. I feel whole again. I too want to live life differently, take advantage of every moment. A life in the Spirit is supposed to be just like this everyday. But something chokes out God's Word in our hearts, and we forget, or put off. Deceitfulness of riches, having no depth in our relationship with Christ, so that persecution takes God's Word from our lives, cares of this life, or satan himself stealing the seed of God's Word from us, these are the things listed in Jesus parable of the seed sower. (Matthew 13) I want to have the good soil in my heart that produces, 30, 60 and 100 fold for God. I want to hear and understand God's Word to me each and every day. I love waking up and feeling the powerful presence of God, and I don't want that to stop, or even falter for a moment. Even in my weakness I want Him to be made strong. "Lord, take it all. Take all of me. Everything I have, everything I am, take me Lord Jesus, take me all. In Jesus name, Amen."

Live as if you were dead.

I am not good at winging it with measurements, and I'm not sure any of us should be. If I am baking cookies, and I've used the same recipe I should be able to eye it close enough, but if I am installing parts on a military helicopter, where lives depend on it, eyeing it is not an option, literally. At Ft Eustis Virginia I was training to be a Scout Helicopter Repairman. It was not only by the book, but no no matter how many times I repaired a part, I had to go step by step in the manuel, period. I, nor any other mechanic, was allowed to just install something. It had to be by the book, every time. This is how I was trained, because lives literally depended on it. How much more so with God's word. Saving souls is maybe a catch phrase we've heard so much, we get lost in it's translation, but we literally are in the business of saving lives. Jesus Christ bled, died was tortured, and rose from the grave to save our soul. Now it's our turn, and we must not eye ball it. If I wing it on spiritual things I will be in serious trouble when it comes to taking this bird off the ground. I can't walk on the water, I can't heal the sick or raise the dead, open blind eyes, I can't wing that, it just aint' happening! It is Christ in me at work, willing and doing of His good pleasure and it IS His good pleasure to do these wonderful things, but it is not within our capabilities. I would also go on to say it is not within our capabilities to live one day on our own merits or strengths. Wether it's a ministry of healing, or one of just living life for Christ, it can't, and should never be tried, on our own. We must live as if we were dead. Romans 6 says we are either slaves of sin, or slaves of Christ, we are not our own anymore. We want to be raised with Christ, but we are not always willing to be crucified with Him, and yet we must me, if we are to live at all. We are not to go on sinning, this old man, this body of sin, of death, is no longer here, with us, but was left up on that cross when we came to it, and submitted to it's crucifixion process! Verse 4, we should walk in the newness of life. We have been united together in His resurrection! I reckon! Romans 6:11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Yes, we are alive if we have died! 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Sin leads to death, and obedience leads to life. (Verse 16) We were slaves of sin, though we'd be hesitant to admit that, but now we are slaves of righteousness! We used to use our body's, minds for sin,now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.(Verse 20) Sin has but one end, death. (Verse 21) But now that we've been set free from sin and death, we are slaves to God, and now our lives can have the fruit of holiness and everlasting life, for; " 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Yes!

Clean Today, And Everyday!

Each morning I wake up, I take a shower. Loosens up the muscles, helps my back feel better from inactivity. The best part is it takes all the dirt off. Each morning the process repeats itself. Our sin is like that dirt. It wants to come each day, and place itself upon us, but something is different if we are in Christ. The dirt can't stick. No matter how hard we're tempted, we don't have to give into sin. Christ didn't, and was crucified for it. We don't have to either because it is now, "Christ in us, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:27) And, "It is no longer I that live, but Christ that lives in me." (Galatians 2:20) Sin can be defined as taking something of God's and using it as if it was your own. Everything is God's. Our breath, our eyesight, all the trees, everything. But we act is if it were our own, but it's not! Psalm 24:1 "The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness" There is nothing that isn't His, so let Him have it all and control it all, stop acting as though something were your even yourself. Gal. 2:20 again! "It is no longer I that live, but Christ that lives in me." Now put the two together: It is no longer I that live, but Christ that lives in me, the world and those who dwell therein. There, we said it, not let us live it.

One Body of Christ, not many bodies, only His, the One that He's coming back for.

If I am to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, (Matt 6:33) but I am in actuality seeking to build my own kingdom, there will be nothing good of that, even if it seems like there's fruit. For the Word of God will not return void. (Is 55:11) So why do we see all these divisions in the Body of Christ if we are seeking His kingdom first, if we are not indeed building our own. Instead of His Kingdom come, His will be done, on earth as it is in heaven, it has become our kingdom come, our will be done. We have churches closing left and right, fights and wars among us, people throwing out the meaning of God's word to tickle the ears of our dying congregations, and all why. because we're building His kingdom, I think not. Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they[b] will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” James 5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Are we seeing this, are we operating as One Body, One faith, One baptism, One Lord of all, who is in you all...(Ephesians 4: 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.) Why is this happening, James 1: 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. We have become like an old feeble man that wanders from half truth to half truth, stumbling about in the darkness of our own self worth.Instead of a many membered body we ahve become a many splintered body: 1 Corinthians 12 New King James Version (NKJV) 12 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: 2 You know that[a] you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. 4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same[b] Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. Unity and Diversity in One Body 12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into[c] one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the best[d] gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way. If we continue to do this on our own, with our won understanding, we will continue to fail, and see this old garment we're calling the Body, never be that true bride without spot or wrinkle He is coming back for. We have sinned, committed evil acts we call church, when in reality people are perishing outside of our doors.Proverbs 3:5-6 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct[a] your paths. We need Him to be our head, and be OK with us being His sheep, He the Good Shepherd. He alone can lead us beside the still waters that we so desperately need. We need every part functioning the way they were intended,We need to operate in this: Eph 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. How can we love each other, if we're so busy stepping over other in pursuit of our own personal dreams instead of fulfilling His: John 17: 20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. Now that sounds more like that Bride without spot or wrinkle. This is the kind of Church I want to be a part of, the kind Christ Himself builds; Matt 16:18b ...on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.