MY GREATEST DECEPTION

For years I thought I was a Christian.  This involved bedtime prayers, Sunday school, striving to be a good person, and  pleasing my parents. Christianity, to me, was the same as being a good moral American citizen.   All my friends and family went to church, attended the bean suppers, and baked cookies for the church fair.   If anyone  asked me what religion I was, I  honestly would say, "I am a Christian. "  It never occurred to me that I wasn't. Talk about deception, But still this wasn't my greatest deception. 

The irony of all this didn't occur to me until after I was convicted of sin, repented and asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. By faith, I was now a real Christian and growing to have a personal relationship with Jesus, through the person of the Holy Spirit. 

For the first ten years, I struggled confessing my sin over and over again, trying to change myself. It was exhausting.  My new Christianity wasn't much fun. I was more concerned about changing my behavior to be more like Jesus than a desire to know Him personally.

Then one morning in prayer, I heard this voice-thought,"My daughter why are you still trying to change your old nature? It is on My cross."  What a revelation. 

 My greatest deception was, I had been striving in my flesh, to put a patch of Jesus on my old nature, forgetting that I had died in Christ. I was now a new creation in Christ Jesus. The old was gone and the new has come. 

God's ways are totally opposite to this world's system.  It feels so good not to have to patch up my old self and to know that Jesus is more concerned with my new nature.  By faith I now live in His resurrected life and my life is hidden in Christ in God. (Col.3:3). 

 It is true freedom. I am no longer bound to the law of sin and death, but have been set free by the law of life in Jesus Christ (Romans 8:2). To be free from guilt and condemnation is the greatest blessing in my life. The Lord has given me a new heart of righteousness and the Holy Spirit to enable me to obey Him.  

I thank the Lord for His grace and His mercy renewed every morning.  Life doesn't get any better than to know you are loved and accepted by the most gracious person in the whole universe--the Lord Jesus Christ and that His Father is also excited about you. 

There are times when I still make bad choices. I hate my sin.  It cost Jesus His life., but I don't feel condemned, but convicted.  I am so grateful for the gift of repentance and forgiveness.  It is God's sustaining grace that will bring me home one day to Him. Until then, I will praise my Lord and worship Him ONLY. 




  

Good News For You!

ENTERING INTO MAJESTY

 As a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, we have come into a newness life.  The old life has been nailed to the cross and we are beginning to understand  who we are as new creations in Christ.  I pray you will find this word encouraging to your soul.  Graham says is so well.  May your hearts be blessed and your spirits fed by the Word of God.

THE MEANING AND PURPOSE COMES FROM IDENTITY

This says it all.  Listening and watch carefully. Open your heart and receive the truth of who you are in Christ. The old has gone and the new has come.  Be blessed, dear ones, and let the love of God that is shed abroad  in your hearts by the Holy Spirit flow out to others and draw them to our Savior.

A DREAM THE CHANGED MY LIFE

Several years ago, I had a dream that changed my whole life.

I saw the cross with a little door at the bottom. It was VERY, tiny. It was so small, that I wondered if I could fit? As I started to crawl, army style on my stomach toward the cross,  it began to open up. It was such a mystery. I wanted to know what was on the other side, but I didn't dare to look up, in case the Lord might notice me. 

Foolish woman that I was--Jesus wasn't even on the cross. Then a voice spoke to me, "Why are you crawling on your belly, child?" The voice was familiar. It was Jesus.

I answered, "Lord, I want to go through the tiny door, but I am afraid I won't fit."

"With  that backpack strapped to your back, child, you will never get though. No baggage allowed," He responded

I was so disappointed. I didn't recognize that I was carrying a heavy burden on my back. For years, it had been attached to me like superglue.   

The Lord knew my thoughts, " Have you forgotten?  I AM THE DOOR and I took all your burden through this door years ago." exclaimed the Lord.

I had forgotten. Strapped to my back was still my burden of sin. I knew better, but why was I still holding on to it? Before I knew it, Jesus had unstrapped my backpack, put it on His shoulders, and disappeared. 

The tiny door began to mysteriously open.  I heard the Lord say, "Now, go through the door and enjoy my presence."

In fear and trembling I went through the door as it closed behind me. What a marvelous sense of His presence and fullness of joy came over me.   For the first time, I was free of my burden of sin. 

Suddenly, I heard a loud wailing cry from the outside of the door.  "My God My God, why have you forsaken Me?"

I fell prostrate on my face.  In my spirit, I saw Jesus on the cross with blood sweating through His pores and dripping down His face. His flesh was merciless stripped from His body. All of this was endured for my sake. My sin had nailed Him on the cross. I cost Him His life.  For how long I don't remember, it was quiet.

Then I heard these words, " Arise my daughter.  Your sins though they were many have been washed in my blood. You were forgiven--come follow me."  I  now found myself on the other side of the cross looking out into the world through the eyes of Jesus  and my heart was changed. 

This vision opened my spiritual eyes to see that Jesus is the door into the Kingdom of God. There is no other way. Through His death, burial and resurrection, the Lord crucified me. Now I no  longer live, but I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.(Gal 2:20 KJ).  I have a brand new life and it is a brand-new day.  Jesus is alive in me and I in Him.  
John 10:9  'I Am the Door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture." 

THE LORD'S PRAYER LIKE YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD BEFORE

This is the most beautiful rendition of the Lord's prayer I have ever heard.  Our God created man's voice to worship Him.  These five men have used their voices to bless the Lord in tones and expression that will make you weep. It is beautiful.

THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS

                                           

                                             

It doesn't matter what you are addicted to: alcohol, sex, drugs, food, gambling, TV, or cigarettes. The list could go on and on. If there is any thing that you can't control and it controls you, it could be a demon oppressing you. Don't freak out. Demons love to prey on our weaknesses.  The name of Jesus is above every name.  His name is more powerful than any addiction. He is our deliver from this world of sin. 

 What I am about to share is a true story of how the Lord delivered me from an 18 year nicotine addiction. I have to admit that there are more powerful devices than nicotine, but an addiction is an addiction, and anyone who has had an addiction knows what I mean. It is not that easy to quit a powerful, controlling vice in ones life. You need something or someone  stronger than your will power to deliver you from an addiction.

I was eighteen years old and a freshmen in college when I started smoking. Back in the 50's, cigarettes were a status symbol. I was  heading off to college and  smoking became my identity.  I needed it to feel accepted.  I never thought about my lungs or any other health issues that might occur.  All my friends smoked.   A white cloud of smoke followed my gang  everywhere across the campus.  By the end of my freshmen year, I was smoking a pack a day. It financially shot my monthly allowance. 

For the next eighteen years I smoked.  It was part of who I was.   Many of my friends who smoked weren't addicted.  They could stop and start at will.  I could not.

Hope for the first time came one morning in prayer.  I  cried out to the Lord, "Why can't You stop me? I can't stop!" I was desperate.

A soft answer came into my spirit, "You love the cigarette more than Me.  It is your idol. Repent and I will deliver you."

Honestly, I had no idea that I loved smoking more than the Lord and that it was an idol. I repented. "Lord forgive me for loving the cigarette more than You.  I confess I have listened to the devil's voice and not Yours. In the name of Jesus I renounce the spirit of nicotine. I repent and turn to You."

Second Chronicles 15:17 quickly came to mind "You will not need to fight this battle.  Stand still and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf." I realized that this scripture was given to Jehoshaphat when he was up against an enemy worse than my smoking, but His God was mine, too, and  God doesn't change.  By faith I received this word as if God was speaking to me.  The desire for smoking disappeared within a week.


Shortly after this deliverance, one afternoon while I was resting, I felt a  warm sensation come over my lung area.  I didn't think anything about it, until later, when I went shopping. A strong desire for a cigarette came over me.  I kept a pack of cigarettes under the front seat just in case.

 The urge was getting stronger,  and as I reached under the front seat, I heard a small still voice say, "I healed your lungs. Why do you want to destroy them now?"  From that day on, I have never smoked or had the desire. The God who delivered me, by His grace is now keeping me, by His grace. He won the battle of nicotine  and I could see for the first time the power of the cross, not only against addiction, but against my sin. To this day there is  no hidden pack of cigarettes under the front seat of my car. 

OUR INHERITANCE IN CHRIST

When I think of inheritance I think of someone dying and leaving a Will.  There may be some stipulations if you are under 21 years of age or perhaps it would be given out as a measured as a allowance.  There are many ways to leave a Will.

However, a man has died and left an inheritance of extraordinary abundance to His love ones.  The Lord Jesus Christ has died and He has given to His bride the Church the first downpayment of His whole inheritance to enable us to live in the world and NOT to be of it.

As you listen to this tape may the Lord bless your spiritual ears and eyes to see your new inheritance in Christ.                

Tape by  Jonathan David Helser and Granham Cooke.

THE KINGDOM OF SELF

The Kingdom of Self was created when Adam fell and mankind was left on his own or were we?

The light of God glory that once covered us in the presence of God was gone. Now we walked alone in darkness, separated from our God, dead in trespasses and sin. The Lord's presence was only a memory  There was no return, no escape from the dreadful darkness.  Self -life became our only interest.  How we felt, what we thought, or decisions we made were all conspired within ourselves. Satan had trapped mankind into His Kingdom of darkness where the emphasis was on me, myself and I.  Pride would now rule in  man's heart. There would be no way out of this Kingdom accept through the death to self. How would this happen?

God didn't skip a beat. Jesus was born as the second Adam. He lived  the perfect, holy and separated life unto His Father that Adam never did.  His blood sacrifice for the sin of the world was accepted by the Father and mankind was now free to be restored and reconciled to the creator as he was in the beginning. Only on one condition, the sinner must die.  

How could that happen? By identifying with Jesus's death, (Romans 6:3-14) as our very own.  Jesus not only died,  for us but as us. By faith in Christ Jesus we have been born again. God is not interested in our old life in Adam. That has been dealt with in His Son. But He is very much interested in who we are in Him. There is nothing more exciting to the Father than to see His Son reigning in our hearts growing in the glorious image of His Son.  The cost is that we must die to 'self', that he might live in our new creation.

Luke 11:23 says it so well, "If anyone would comes after me let him deny himself, pick up his cross daily and follow me.  For whoever would loses his life for my sake will save it. "  That is the good news of the Gospel. " I must deny my self-life.  I no longer live, but Christ Jesus lives in me and the life I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loves me. (Gal:2:20)" By faith I have been reconciled  to my Creator. I owe Him my life.. My cross is my death to self. and now I only live for His glory.  My pride steals His glory.  I am so grateful for God's great salvation. I have never been happier.

The Nature Of God

This is a very encouraging video to bless you as a believer.  God has a big heart and as His child, He wants you and I to know what He is like.  He is not a man that He should lie.  He loves us all the time and is always ready to forgive.  He never changes.  That is what I love about Him the most.  God is faithful and emotionally reliable.  He does n't love you one minute and hate you the next.  He is consistently kind and merciful, slow to anger and amazingly patient.

Please listen and and hear His great heart for yourself.  It will bless your day.

Love Encounter

Have you ever had trouble believing or receiving God's love?  I have, even as a believer. I encourage you to open your heart and listen to the prophetic words given by our brother Graham Cooke to edify the Church. 

The Lord is not interested changing our old sin nature.  It is nailed to the cross.  In our self (flesh) dwells no good thing. By faith, we have a new nature to enable us to love God and  turn away from our sin and the love of this world.  The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, Romans 5:5.  God wants us to open our heart and let Him manifest His love to the world around us.  Jesus loves you so much that He stretched out His arms and died. Jesus is alive and He desires to release His love to this dying world through His body, the Church.

 Enjoy this video and receive His love deeper in your spirit.

CHOCOLATE MILK THEOLOGY

"I don't know much about Calvinism other than the five points known as-tulip.  I am definitely not an expert. Although I can to some extent agree with the depravity of man, after all, God's word tells us that the heart is desperately wicked - and yet, John tells us that the light is within all men. I believe it is that light that enable us all to have equal opportunity to exercise free will in either heeding that small still voice of the Holy Spirit or ignoring it and/or denying it.  From what I understand, Calvin taught that we are so depraved that none of us would choose God given the chance and that is why God does the choosing. Personally I believe that it takes the Holy spirit working and the human spirit being open to it pretty much simultaneously.  It is like chocolate milk.  - it takes both milk and chocolate at the same time. 

 If unconditional choosing is biblical, what do we do with all the scriptures that point out we have a say in our eternity.  The door of the ark was even left open for seven days after God called Noah and his family inside. My question is why?  Also, why is Satan released at the end of the millennial reign?  This doesn't count all the places in Scripture that say "Whosoever Believeth" etc. 

In the days ahead it will not be theology that will unite us or hold us together.  Everyone has their own doctrines and theology.  There is nothing wrong to have opinions, but it is not what is going to unite us in love. Whether you are a Calvinist or whatever, Jesus Christ is neither.  He is God and He desires for His children to draw close to Him and enjoy a good glass of chocolate milk. He will straighten it all out when He comes again.

DELAYED JUDGEMENT

My husband Roger and I were driving through New York City on our way to New England for a week of vacation, when we needed some gas. Pulling into a gas station, Roger quickly got out, filled the tank, and we are off again.  We were not down the road more than a hundred yards when a black sedan behind us with four black men in it honked their horn at us. We immediately had stop for a red light.  My imagination went crazy,"They are going to rob us, shoot us to death and steal our car.!"  Great spousal support.  The sedan stopped behind us.  There were no flashing lights, so it couldn't be an undercover police car. Roger got out of the car. A man got out of their car and said , "Sir, your wallet has been on the roof of your car ever since the gas station."  We were shocked.  "What?" exclaimed Roger, "My wallet left on the top of the car!  Thank so much for stopping us."  Roger reached into his wallet and gave the man a twenty dollar bill, "Thank you, sir for your honesty. I really appreciate your tracking us down."

Phoo! that was a close call. Roger and I had prejudged the black sedan with four black men.  God forgive us. What if they had been four black angels sent by God to preserve Roger's wallet and to protect us. It certainly was a thought to ponder.

This situation made us stop and think.  How many times have we prejudged a person without first knowing anything about them.  It is far too easy to do.  Jesus said, "Judge not that ye be not judged".  Roger and I learned a valuable lesson that afternoon, not to prejudge anyone by his color. It could have been angels unaware, 

"Lord forgive us for judging perfectly honest men this afternoon.    And thank you for returning the wallet."

The Kind Intentions Of God

I am so grateful to be loved by a kind, loving, and personal God. His  kind intention towards His children is always for us. He does not always  agree with us and our stubborn ways, but He still loves us.  He is not a man that He should lie.  When He says He loves me with an everlasting love He means it. God is love.  His is 1 Corinthians 13 personified.

Be encouraged and inspired as you listen to the kind intention of God.

THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION

        The Power of the Resurrection

Jesus is alive!  The reason that I know that  He is alive is because He told His disciples, 
"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you....Because I live, you also will live. I am in My Father and you in Me and I in you." (John 14:18-20) 

At the last supper Jesus was preparing His disciples for His going away.  Of course they did not understand.  But He said to them, "It is to your advantage that I go away; if I go away I will send to you the Helper (Holy Spirit). He will lead and guide you into all truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare what is to come.  He will glorify Me, for He will take what is mine and declare it you"(John 16:7-15). 

Think about this?  When did the disciples receive the Holy Spirit?  Many say it was at Pentecost, but let's look again at the beautiful Word of God. "On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, peace be with you,When he had said this, He showed them His hands and his side......"Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, eve so I am sending you." And when He had said this He breathed on them and said,"Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of anyone they are forgiven: and if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld." (John 20:19-23)

The disciples first received the Holy Spirit before Pentecost  They were born again but without power.

This question is still relevant today. Many are born again by faith, but were is the power?  Why was it first given at Pentecost?

I would like to suggest that even though the Holy Spirit had been breathed into the disciples by Jesus, they were still powerless to be His witnesses of His RESURRECTION. 

Jesus fulfilled His promise by releasing upon them the power of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.  When this happened the seed of the Holy Spirit that Jesus had breathed into them was ignited. They were then anointed with power to proclaim the gospel with signs and wonders following. 

Some people call it the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Whatever it is, it is the power given first to the early disciples to be continued from generation to generation to testify that Jesus is alive in the believer  

Because He lives, we live also. The Holy Spirit is the grace or power of God given to us, that will transform us into the image and likeness of His Son. 

Do you believe that the power of the Holy Spirit?  If so, is He released to testify that Jesus is alive in you? Not only with the fruit of His Spirit, but with signs and wonders following?

Jesus said,"Truly, truly I say to you,whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I do, and greater works than these will he do because I go to my Father."John 14:12  

How can this be?  We walk by faith and not by sight. God said it and I believe it.

What Does It Mean To Be KINGDOM STRONG?

The Kingdom of God is in our midst.Luke 11:17.  Jesus came preaching the Kingdom of God.  He is the King of His Kingdom . When we were born again, Jesus took us out of the Kingdom of darkness (Adam) and placed us into His Kingdom of Light (Christ).  The desire of the Lord's heart is for His Kingdom to come on earth as it is in Heaven. 1 John says, "As he is so we are in this world." May His kingdom reign in our hearts as we die to ourselves and let the Lord reign through us to save souls.

ARE YOU A WORM OR A BUTTERFLY?

Are you a worm or a butterfly?  For years, I was told that I was a worm. As a sinner, that is the truth. I am a worm.  But when I was born again, I thought that I was a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthian 5:17). What is that all about?

I found it very confusing. How could I be born again and still be called a worm?  Even in nature  the Lord creates a butterfly out of a caterpillar. Through the process of metamorphosis  the capterpillar becomes a new creation.

Because I believed that I was just a sinner saved by grace, I spent ten years striving in my old nature to change my behavior. I was so focused on myself and my sin that I had no joy in my heart. I was greatly deceived.

It was when I started to read the letters of Paul, that  I noticed that he addressed the believers as saints, not sinners(worms).  What was he saying?  My eyes were being opened.  Romans 6:3 revealed the mystery of new birth in Christ.  The sinner (the worm) died in Christ, is buried and resurrected as a saint to a newness of life (as a butterfly).

This reality changed my whole perception of being a Christian. Apart from Christ, I am a worm, but IN Christ I am a saint. Does that mean that I am perfect and don't sin any more?  Heaven's no!  But I no longer desire to practice sin. 1 John 3:9 "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God." It is a miracle to be born again by the living God.

 By the grace of God, I am no longer striving in my flesh trying to change a sinner to look like Jesus.  Colossians 3 says,"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  For you have died, and your life is hidden with  Christ in God.  When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory."

GOODBYE WORM..YOU HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED IN JESUS CHRIST AND RAISED UP AS A BUTTERFLY. NOW SPREAD YOUR WINGS AND LEARN TO FLY IN HEAVENLY PLACES WHERE YOU ARE SEATED WITH HIM.  GALATIANS 2:20, EPHESIAN 2:6

THE TENACIOUS LEAVES

I love the spring.  It is my favorite time of  year. It alway reminds me of resurrection life. As sap begins to flow up through the barren tree, before you realize it, the dead tree of winter is flourishing with beautiful blossoms and green leaves.

The other day I was out walking and I observed the most unusual tree. New buds were appearing and yet there were still an abundance of dry dead leaves on it's branches.  I thought to myself, "Why are those dry, dead leaves SO TENACIOUSLY STILL hanging on. Didn't they know that their old life was over?  The winter was harsh, icy cold, and with heavy winds.The leaves should have been shaken off by now."

Then I thought, "What if this tree represented my new life in Christ and the dead leaves my old sin habits still holding on? What if I am fixing my eyes more on the dead leaves instead of Jesus?  What if I am deceived trying to prefect the flesh instead of believing I am a new creation in Christ? 

The good news is we are born again to a newness of life. We should    not be deceived trying to change ourselves. We are dead in Christ. He not only died for us but He died as us. His death on the cross is our death too and His resurrection is our new life in Him. "Deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow Him".  Jesus will lead us into all righteousness.  He loves us and is transforming us into His image and likeness.

This tree was once dead in the middle of winter, but new life has sprung forth in all its beauty. We were once dead in our trespasses and sin, but "By grace we have been saved through faith, and this is not of our own doing; it is a gift of God, not the result of works, so that no one can boast."  Ephesians 2:8,9.  The only difference is that we, as believers, will never die.  Jesus Christ is the Tree of Life, in us and because Christ lives, we live also in Him  Our lives become an expression of His beauty, day by day. Our bodies will go to dust, but our soul and born again spirit will live with  Him forever. To God be the glory.

THE CHALLENGE OF HEARING GOD'S VOICE

To be still and to hear God's voice is a daily challenge.  There seems to be always some noise around us, whether it is the television, the cell phone ringing, a baby crying or children fighting. Perhaps, you are at work, and it is an overwhelming day, full of demands and dead lines to keep.  People are upset,
anxiety is high and there is no time to be still and know He is God.

I believe the Lord has good news for us.  We can practice the presence of God.  By faith the Holy Spirit has quickened our once dead spirit to newness of life. We can hear God 's voice.  It is our minds that are full of continuous chatter that keep us from hearing. Our minds need to submit to the Lord's voice in our inner new man as the Holy Spirit renews our minds.

I think we will be amazed how His presence within us will speak.   His voice is speaking to our inner new man all the time, if we will only stop and listen.  He has wisdom for every situation.  Our Lord is a master problem solver.

The Lyrics to this song, I believe will encourage your soul and strengthen your heart.  Be still, today, my friend and hear God's voice for you.

THE LIGHT AMIDST THE RAGING STORM

Have you ever been in a blinding snowstorm? The snow is coming down so fast that you can't see your hands in front of you? It is scary. You are lost in the midst of it wondering how to get out.

If you live in a warm climate you probably cannot fathom this experience.  However, if you are a born again Christian for any length of time, you will experience another kind of blinding snowstorm, a spiritual snowstorm. The only cry in your heart will be,"Where are you Lord?  I can't see you and hear you?"

When I listened to this song," praise You In This Storm",  1 Thessalonians 4:17 came to mind. "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all CIRCUMSTANCES for this is the will of God concerning you in Christ Jesus.". I am grateful that the Lord is in me and that I am in Him, because that means He is IN all my circumstances. I can trust Him to deliver me from any impossible situation. Please enjoy the song.  May it bless you no matter what situation you may be in.. The Lord is your peace.  He will keep you in the midst of any  storm.

The Inheritance- Jonathan David Helser (& Graham Cooke)

 I really wanted to share this with you, especially, because it expresses the deep, faithful love that the Lord has for all mankind. You may be a believer or not a believer, but He still  loves you. He will never change He opinion of you. Seek Him out for yourself.  He is so good and will reveal Himself to you.. God is love and the lover of our souls.