Name above every name

Ephesians 1:21-23
He is far above every ruler, authority, power, dominion, and every name that can be named, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. God has put everything under the Messiah's feet and has made him the head of everything for the good of the church, which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills everything in every way.

Do we really believe His name is above all names and therefore has rule, authority, power, and dominion over all things? I can't say I always do. I remember as a new believer, I was on fire for Jesus. I would see a situation, put it under the feet of Jesus, and pray with an authority by the power of the name of Jesus!

Why has that bonfire become more of a slow ember? Maybe you could say it's because of a sense of aloneness in my passionate pursuit? Maybe cases of feeling failure in a situation, not seeing what I prayed for coming about? Maybe just because it's easier to be lazy? Probably a little of all......

I feel like I'm suffocating at times because what gave me life, energy, and joy has been put to the way side in the attempt to have a comfortable life. I have traded the passion of following Jesus with fire in my heart for a life without conflict and confrontation. Am I alone in this? I don't think so....

Reading this passage today triggered something. Why did God put everything under Jesus' feet?

which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills everything in every way.

We are called to be the fullness of Jesus here on earth......we are to live out the life He lived.....we are unique creations of God.....not God but filled by God.....human but distinctly different from the fallen homo sapien or "Knowing Man"......we are homo divina! "Divine man"

I have a lot to think about........

- Posted in the moment

How we hinder the work of the Spirit

Galatians 5:19-21
Now the actions of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, rivalry, jealously, outbursts of anger, quarrels, conflicts, factions, envy, murder, drunkenness, wild partying, and things like that. I am telling you now, as I have told you in the past, that people who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, good ness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.

At times, I am faced with situations in my life and in the lives of people I lead that are difficult. Not because I or they are purposely or intentionally trying to be difficult, but because we are products of an inner war that Paul expresses so wonderfully in his letters. In Romans, he speaks of a conflict where we know what is right yet do not do it, and speaks of us knowing what is wrong yet doing it. This struggle between allegiance to a flesh which leads to destruction and sin and a Spirit which seeks life and holiness.

We see here in Galatians, he is speaking to a people group that has been invaded by those that would turn people away from the Grace of God that empowers us to live a life foreign to our past understanding. A focus on the exterior and ritual; on managing the flesh or living in submission to the Spirit.

I know we (the assemblies of God) see the evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in the speaking of other tongues, but I have began recently to ask the question posed by a friend a while back to me:

If we see that, yet not the fruit of the Spirit, what are we really seeing?

We can easily check the "don't do it box" to many of the first list of flesh actions. Sexual immorality, check! Impurity, check! Promiscuity, check! Idolatry, check! Witchcraft, check! Then, we get to hatred......well it's happened. Rivalry.....maybe. Jealously, outbursts of anger, quarrels, conflicts, factions, envy........okay so maybe there's something going on here!

These things happen in our encounters with other believers more than I think we would like to admit, but what creates this? Is this part of who we are....our identity? No! These are products of a flesh that is in rebellion to the Spirit of God. A flesh that feeds on past hurts, let downs, and feelings of insecurity and mistrust. I find it interesting that it says, "Now the actions of the flesh are obvious!" We know and can see the flesh at work because when the flesh is at work we see destruction in its wake, but the fruit of the spirit maybe is a little more subtle?

We are no longer like the unbeliever, veiled in a lie. We have experienced the love and grace of God and are with out excuse. We must recognize that we have a choice. Do we live controlled by our need to be right, in charge, heard, or vindicated, or do we answer this call to live like Jesus? Ready to take a curse for others blessing?

The question is:

Where do find our identity, empowerment, and leading?

Maybe you have never been told this. Maybe I never fully realized this, but those characteristics Paul is speaking of, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, good ness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, are already in you and me! We don't have to somehow work hard to achieve them. If Jesus is your Lord and you have been inhabited by the Holy Spirit, you posses each one of those wonderful characteristics already!!

But..........

In the grace and wisdom of God, He has given me and you the choice who we will follow. Are we choosing to be bringers of life or death? Light or dark? Grace or condemnation?

The answer is:

Our identity is in Jesus. Our empowerment comes by His name. Our leading by His Holy Spirit.

We find a hard truth in scripture just before these lists.

Galatians 5:14-17
For the whole law is summarized in a single statement: "You must love your neighbor as yourself." But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you are not destroyed by each other. So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will never fulfill the desires of the flesh. For what the flesh wants is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit wants is opposed to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, and so you do not do what you want to do.

We scream for revival.....the Holy Spirit whispers love one another. If we desire to see the Spirit of the living God move among us, we must live by His leading bearing the fruit of that same Spirit. If we choose to live by the flesh, we stand opposed to the Spirit.

Let's choose life :-)


- Posted in the moment

Are we judge of this world or ambassador?

Psalms 5:7-12
But I, because of the abundance of your gracious love,
may come into your house.
In awe of you, I will worship in your holy temple.
LORD, lead me in your righteousness because of my enemies.
Make your path straight before me.
But as for the wicked,
they do not speak truth at all.
Inside them there is only wickedness.
Their throat is an open grave,
on their tongue is deceitful flattery.
Declare them guilty, God!
Let them fall by their own schemes.
Drive them away because of their many transgressions,
for they have rebelled against you.
Let all those who take refuge in you rejoice!
Let them shout for joy forever,
and may you protect them.
Let those who love your name exult in you.
Indeed, you will bless the righteous one, LORD,
like a large shield, you will surround him with favor.

I love this statement, "LORD, lead me in your righteousness because of my enemies." Righteousness by definition is being found doing the perfect will of God and doing what is right in His sight. He says lead me into doing what is right in your perfect will because of my enemies.....not to my enemies. So many times we see this world as a battle field working against our enemies. Struggling against a political system, religious system, or social economic system. Working to change how they work. David is saying, "God change me!" He isn't hiding from the fact that his enemy is evil....they are! They are in rebellion to Gods ways, but isn't this whole world in that place? The fall of man because of disobedience to Gods perfect ways?
He openly states his case to God that they are wicked, liars, and deceitful, but what does he say next?

"Declare them guilty, God!
Let them fall by their own schemes.
Drive them away because of their many transgressions,
for they have rebelled against you."

He isn't asking for the ability to judge these people, but instead recognizes Who is in charge. Who is Judge. Who is condemner and redeemer! Then precedes to remind us of the glorious promise in times of struggle. Take refuge and rejoice! Shout for joy! Exult God!

Sometimes I want to be judge. Maybe you, in seeing injustice, do to at times too, but we need to remember who is judge and savior all in one. God who sets the standard, judges by that standard, and saves us when we on our own have no ability to satisfy that standard.

1 Peter 5:6-11
Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time he may exalt you. Throw all your worry on him, because he cares for you. Be clear-minded and alert. Your opponent, the devil, is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Resist him and be firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you by the Messiah Jesus to his eternal glory, will restore you, establish you, strengthen you, and support you. Power belongs to him forever and ever! Amen.

Maybe we easily remove the end of this scripture, but when honest in the whole picture we see at times resisting and being firm in our faith will take us through struggle to the other side......not by our actions to change the world, but by Gods plan to change us in front of a world looking for something to hold on to :-)

Be blessed and be a blessing!


- Posted in the moment