On My Heart

So it’s been a time, times, and half a time since my lost blog. Over three years ago my wife and I move from the state I was raised in and the city I lived in for over ten years to Philadelphia. It was filled with excitement and unknowns and a hope for spiritual renewal of sorts…

I’m still looking for said renewal. I was met with an arid spiritual climate. Let me first preface that I believe I am the number one person responsible, if you want to use that term, for my spiritual walk and well-being. That being said I had this notion that God was going to help me get plugged into a fellowship, church, or whatever and it hasn’t happened yet. I’m a Teacher redemptive gift and moved to a Teacher state and a Teacher city. I’ve visited several churches and been a part of two so far. It seems to me that there are either historic, denominational churches (think Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopal) or new “wanna-be” megachurches. I’m not a denominational church guy so those weren’t really an option per se. If God really spoke to me about going I would but it wouldn’t be a choice I would make on my own.

So the first church was a Elevationesque church. Hipsterish. Think Metreosexual if that term is even used today. There were great people there, honest and genuine. But it was young…like very young. Which is fine but being the seemingly the oldest person there felt weird. I don’t wear skinny jeans and don’t have a hard part haircut. I also don’t find value in a lot of what some Millennials hold value in. I’m what can be called an Xennial. I grew up playing outside and occasionally playing Nintendo. I had a computer when I was in middle school but dial up wasn’t worth the wait. I played outside. I didn’t have a phone until I was 16ish. Landlines where the communication of necessity. I didn’t even start driving until 19. I didn’t have Google. I had Jeeves which one would “Ask”. I also had a full Encyclopedia Britannica. (I don’t want to come off as hateful or a virtue signaler but just speaking from the heart and head.)

I like to believe I’m much more relational as well. In reading Brain Rules for Babies (yes my wife is expecting and read this) there was a story where a child was having a slumber party and a bunch of friends came over. Long story short they all mostly had their phones out and were locked into the internet instead of each other. I’m not one for gadgets (even though I fixed computer issues for a living) so the next latest and greatest iPhone isn’t in my radar.  5G can kiss my… Back to the subject in hand, I didn’t feel I fit in. The pastor was younger than me which was also different. He had some good messages but I needed more. That and the worship was the loudest, concert like worship I’ve ever seen. I could hear myself talk. I was on the prayer team and I had to pray for people and attempt to pray loud enough for them to hear me. I stopped because it didn’t seem genuine and only a side note in service (to me prayer lines are very important). There were literally visitors hiding in the bathroom during worship because it was so ungodly loud. Another church we visited actually had ear plugs provided which makes me think…umm maybe the music is too freaking loud.

The other fellowship, of which I’m still a part of, is much different. It’s small and very home fellowship focused. I’m an introvert so much more my jam. The pastor is older than me and also a hipster. I would say they are “progressive”. Not a term I care for in today’s political landscape. Don’t really hear much about holiness and morality unless it’s directed at people who voted for Trump. Sin isn’t talked about much, which can be good because we are dead to it, but Truth sets us free and doesn’t let us hold onto things we shouldn’t. I would venture to say if they knew my political beliefs I might be disbarred. But I suppose that goes for both sides. God’s kingdom is above and supersedes any political party or stance. I like how a pastor once said, “I can’t wait until we all are in heaven and Jesus sets us both straight.” Now I’m thinking I probably shouldn’t post this…we’ll see.

So I’ve been involved with a total of six churches in the past 15 years. All non-denominational, charismatic. Most are matured, established churches. The two last ones are not. If I may, I’m going to talk a little bit about the differences I’ve seen with established churches and church plants. Now these are differences I’ve seen so they are specific to my experience so they aren’t necessarily meant to be general statements.

New Church Plants

They tend to be very specific and tunnel visioned. Which is not bad in their own right but for one must be able to follow, because that’s what they want is followers, what they are doing. Again this isn’t a bad thing. The caveat is that God may be calling you to something specific that either they don’t believe, have room for, or don’t care about. For me it’s prayer ministry which includes inner healing and deliverance. These churches usually want a lot of volunteers, because which laborers are worthy of their wagers except pastors (I know it may seem controversial but there are tons of churchgoers who get burnt out from volunteering with no seeming wages, and yes I know our rewards are in heaven I get it). They want others to come alongside to help them. In my experience they may seem to want to help you get to where you feel God wants you but it seldom gets put into action. This first church plant gave off a huge vibe to accept and welcome new members but after say six months it’s like you’ve fallen off the face of the earth and God forbid you don’t want to volunteer anymore or take a break. The one church had their campus pastor get together with me over coffee. I thought it was to hang out but no, it was to get me back into a group. One girl used to hang out at the pastor’s house all the time then all of a sudden the pastor became unreachable except by appointment through his secretary who live five states away.

That combined with extremely loud music, which was always joked about but never addressed, we ended up parting ways and joined a closer church plant. Another church that has their special flavor and want others to join and promote. Again, nothing wrong with that. It comes with church plants especially plants that aren’t from a more mature parent church. This current fellowship has a lot of keywords that float around. And the pastor likes the word “Coaching”. Likes it’s a sport or something. They are very anti-religious but at the same time have their own Christianese.  A preacher name Kent Maddox once said, “You can make a religion out of being non-religious.”

…it’s now been three years since I saved this post in my drafts. Man how things have change these past three years. Apart from the pandemic and such my faith has surely been, I guess, challenged. After leaving the “mega” church wanna be we got involved with a very small somewhat of a house church in South Philly. The pastor was cool, at first. He grew up in California so lets just say I found out his version of Christianity was very liberal for lack of a better term. His heart was definitely in the right place with being involved in the local community and had what was called Dinner Church or Brunch Church. Every meeting there was a meal provided and then a short message and discussion. It was nice in the beginning. Then when my wife was pregnant we couldn’t go to their meetings as much and then after my kid was born we didn’t really go that much either. Some bitterness ensued with that Pastor and he felt that we didn’t hold out end of the relationship so he cut ties with us…even though he was the Pastor and we were just part of his small congregation. So we haven’t been to church in three years…

I feel as one in the desert, rather parched and if I were to have a label on my head it would declare, “I believe, Lord help my unbelief.” I really need to get “plugged in” with another community but I fear that it’ll be another masquerade ball. I literally just looked up the purpose of a masquerade ball and it is as follows: “They are used for entertainment purposes, as well as for celebrating rituals, rites of passage, and speaking to the dead…” How apt. I don’t like any of those. I don’t have much of a conclusion from my rambles.

I believe, Lord help my unbelief.

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Attention Men: Lions Get Wounded Too

“In a sort of ghastly simplicity we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man

Lions Get Wounded Too

Today’s climate towards men is interesting to say the least. There are screams of “The Patriarchy” to “Toxic Masculinity” to “The New Beta Males”. As if things were that simple. Taglines, headlines, news snippets are a plenty. Also we hear, “Believe Women” and the “Me too” movement gaining ground but that’s a different blog for a different person to write.

Lions do get wounded but how many address it. There is a huge stigma with men and owning up to their issues regardless of self or other inflicted. I think there is a healthy medium to be at. Too far has the pendulum swung. It really has been a slow fade. In the 90’s sitcom and even today’s the man has, generally speaking, come across as a buffoon. Dads are mocked. Fathers are non existent. Men are pointed out as chauvinist or super alpha. Hardly the case in real life but in today’s social media and headline world there seems to be no middle ground.

So…I began this blog post almost 4 years ago…my have things changed. I’m now considered racist, privileged, and nationalistic purely because I’m a man and I’m white. A always thought one was judged based on the content of their character and not the color of their skin but I guess not. What is Operation Mockingbird up to these days? The word “Man” is now under attack as well. This isn’t even a political post, this is a realistic, real life post. The media, in my opinion, are to blame along with “higher” learning. I hope there is a revival amongst the geldings to regain their God given manhood and begin offering their strength once again. There is definitely “toxic” masculinity out there just as there is “toxic” femininity…don’t shout me down when I’m preaching good. It is true that men has ravaged the world but equally true that good men have counteracted and fixed or prevented the ravaging millions to their own death.

So men, buck the media’s false version of you! Rid yourself of the geldingness! Regain your manhood! Stand up straight with chins high, so high as to gaze upon the One who made you a man for a reason! Walk humbly yet confident! Be proud of whatever color of skin you have for that is how God made and intended you to be!

Let the Church say “Amen”

What’s in a word?

Amen.

Amen is literally a universal word:

The word “amen” is a most remarkable word. It was transliterated directly from the Hebrew into the Greek of the New Testament, then into Latin and into English and many other languages, so that it is practically a universal word. It has been called the best-known word in human speech. The word is directly related–in fact, almost identical–to the Hebrew word for “believe” (aman), or “faithful.” Thus, it came to mean “sure” or truly,” an expression of absolute trust and confidence. When one believes God, he indicates his faith by an “amen.” When God makes a promise, the believer’s response is “amen”–”so it will be!” In the New Testament, it is often translated “verily” or “truly.” When we pray according to His Word and His will, we know God will answer, so we close with an “amen,” and so also do we conclude a great hymn or anthem of praise and faith.

The word is even a title of Christ Himself. The last of His letters to the seven churches begins with a remarkable salutation by the glorified Lord: “These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God” (Revelation 3:14).

We can be preeminently certain that His Word is always faithful and true, because He is none other than the Creator of all things, and thus He is our eternal “Amen.” As our text reminds us, every promise of God in Christ is “yea and amen,” as strong an affirmation of truth as can be expressed in the Greek language.

It is, therefore, profoundly meaningful that the entire Bible closes with an “amen.” “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen” (Revelation 22:21), assuring everyone who reads these words that the whole Book is absolutely true and trustworthy. Amen! – HMM

Thayers Greek Lexicon says this about the word:

It was a custom, which passed over from the synagogues into the Christian assemblies, that when he who had read or discoursed had offered up a solemn prayer to God, the others in attendance responded Amen, and thus made the substance of what was uttered their own

The most common meaning to Amen is: so be it. This is defined as “Let it be so” or “I accept it as it is”. For example, If you can’t change the reservation, so be it; I’ll travel on Monday. This phrase, often given as a translation of the Hebrew (and Greek and Latin) amen, has been employed in the current sense since about 1600.

I think the word is overused. Way overused and I’ll explain why.

Let the Church stop overusing the word “Amen”

Have you ever felt like a word gets overused so much so it loses it’s meaning? Words have a way of changing meaning based upon the intention of the person speaking it. It’s not that the word has actually changed but that the word loses it’s intensity. Kind of like listening to the same song over and over again…it’s loses it’s original effect. My previous post is in the similar vein to this. We says things without knowing what we are saying.

How many times have you been in Church and hear people say “Amen” after every sentence? Or people are preaching about the horrible things happening in the world and then hear people say “Amen”? Do we know what the word means? Are we saying “so be it” when things are being preached that are not biblical or when wrongs are spoken of? Are we saying “Amen” when the devil is having a hay day with someone? Are we standing in agreement with negativity unawares? Amen is a word of agreement more so than just a reply to a statement given.

Agreements are a powerful thing. We make them and break them all the time. What are you saying Amen to today?

Amen is meant to establish God’s kingdom on Earth with His Truth.

 

 

Guest Blogger: Robert Shipley

Welcome to my first ever Guest Blogger. He is my best friend and a great writer. We’ve written one book together and he has written others one of which is in the publishing process. Below you’ll see a blurb about said book. Enjoy the post and, if you feel led, donate to his GoFundMe as I know it’s good soil.

 

In this world we struggle trying to keep up with many financial obligations. It seems like we work endless hours and overtime to barely make a dent into the bills that our due.
Is this all that life is? Are we born, live and die only to work? Or is life so much more?

It has always been thought that the husband and wife were the main providers for their families. Is this true, or could it be the couples are in error? You may ask, “Well, if not us, then who?”

In my book, Who is your Provider?? I touch on this topic and many more. In it, I speak of God being the source of everything we need. This is a challenge to not only many in the church, but in this world because man being the source has always been. However, a transition needs to be made to where man looks to God for everything he needs.
Ever since my faith walk started in 2008, I had been put in the place to where God has been my source. He more or less tied my hands to where I couldn’t do anything but rely on Him. Through this time, amazingly He provided for all of my needs. All the contents in the book is everything I had learned through this time of trusting on God.
I had finished writing it in 2010 and now it is the 7^th year. I had been waiting in faith for the Publisher God had told me about. Recently I sent my manuscript to a literary agent from Christian Faith Publishing. After the review board read it, I was informed that they loved it.
As of now, I’m walking in faith for the amount close to $5000 to get it through the publishing process. Once the amount is paid, six months down the road the book will be on the stands for people to read.
I have set up a Gofundme page so people can not only see the progress of the book, but if God leads them to give towards it. On the page, I have placed a promotional video about the book and an unedited excerpt from one of the chapters in it.
I hope you will like it and I look forward to your reading it once it comes out.
If you would like to see the Gofundme page, here is the link to it:

https://www.gofundme.com/whoisyourprovider

https://backtotherootsministries.wordpress.com/

What do you call Him?

I’ve been in Church since I was born. I’ve been in Charismatic circles mostly, with a short stint in a Methodist Church, and I always have observed how people pray (I know it’s not right but I’m being honest). It’s always interesting listening to how people pray. You have the repetitious prayer that start and end every sentence with “O Lord God”. As if they need to keep God’s attention while praying so they constantly address Him in case He looks away or something. You have the one whose face contorts to a “something smells bad” face. Then you have the gasper. The one who, seemingly, has breathing issues. The gasp after every sentence. You have the short-winded, “Thank you, Jesus” or the long-winded “During Lord excellence Jesus on the Throne, God Almighty, El Shaddia, Eloyhim…etc etc” On the other side you have the one whose tone becomes but a whisper and sounds on the verge of tears the whole time. One of the most common, which I like the least, is the prayer preacher. You know who I’m talking about. The one who takes advantage of the silence in order to praypreach where they tell God a sermon in their prayer, but you know that person is really speaking to those listening. I can’t help but the mention the King James prayer. They pray in thees and thous as if God only understands or speaks Elizabethan. At last but not least is the conversationalist. The person who is himself when praying. There is no lower or higher persona they go to in order to talk to God.

I’m attempting to be humorous while describing because you know these people and you may be one of them. And hey, there’s no shame in your game! That’s who you are and don’t be ashamed. These ways of praying are not wrong per se but I want to submit a challenge to you later on so please keep reading. However, I do find it important not so much how you call Him but what you call Him. Let me explain.

What do you call Him?

God has many names. Depending on who you talk to you it ranges from zero to 8 to 100. If you’ve read “A Name is to be Desired” you’ll know the impact names have and how they direct or influence the person. Name carried weight and the speak about the relationship you have with the person the name is attached to. Have you ever heard someone call their Dad by their Dad’s first name? Weird right? Well I think so. I’m sure it could very well be a cultural thing or respectful thing but, in general, it strikes me as odd. Usually its the step-dad that gets called by their first name. To me, it’s about relationship.

Let me describe a fictitious and very generalized person to you:

Joe was an Army brat. Always moving and never planted. No roots. His Dad, due to his military training and culture, wanted to be addressed as “Sir” and only “Sir”. No “Dad” or “Daddy” just “Sir”. Joe grew up with a Dad who was more authority figure than father. All through Joe’s life he respected his father but didn’t really know him (his dad was always away or working a lot). His dad with the boss. A strict boss. Now Joe gets saved. He goes to Church, sings songs, and pray for his meals. Yet he never connects fully with God. He addresses God has “Almighty God” or “Master”. But the conversation is always one-sided. Either “God” tells him what to do all the time or he speaks to God in vague or cold words. He didn’t know a father growing up, just a sir. Now only knows God in the same way.

You may be “Joe” or know a “Joe”. He’s not at fault. You’re not at fault. Who we are today and how we relate to God today are directly influenced by our childhood and the relationships we had when we were kids. A product of our environment if you will. Lets look at another profile.

Jenn was a great student. She walked early, spoke before all the other girls her age, and performed high in all aspects. Her parents saw that and took advantage (in a good way) of her developmental stages to have her learn as much as possible. Her parents had a list for her to accomplish. However when older that same list became a burden. She felt like a project. How many things could her parents accomplish through her for their benefit. She grew away from her parents and left the house when she was 18. She went to college and never visited home. She studied hard even though she knew it drained her and, though never talking to her parents, was secretly still trying to please them. Then God found her. Though He lovingly wanted to speak to her just for the sake of know her she only felt a burden to please Him. Addiction could very well be a good word to describe her relationship to Him. She really could never address God personally but only as “God”. The most generic, emotionless side of the word.

Again this is a very general profile of someone but could very well be you or someone you know. If it is you then take heart. It wasn’t meant to dig into any wound but to show you a better, more lifefull instead of lifeless way to engage with your Heavenly Father.

What do you call Him?

And there’s the word. Heavenly Father. Father. Dad. Abba. Daddy. Did you know you can call Him “Daddy”?

We have many relationships with God. He is God Almighty the Creator of Heaven and Earth. He is El Shaddia. He is also Abba. He is Master. The list goes on. So I have a challenge for you.

How we address God in prayer determines our posture before Him. If we only call Him “God Almighty” then our focus will always be on His bigness and not His closeness. If in prayer we only address Him as “O God” after every sentence then maybe we come to Him with a helpless plea instead of a confident expectancy of His goodness. When you pray, are you praying to a God out of reach or a God that lives inside you? Is God only a harsh taskmaster with a to-do list for you or is it a conversation with an intimate friend or older brother (that’s who Jesus is to and for you).

If you’ve had an over bearing father growing up and only address God as “God” then try calling Him “Father” instead. How we address and relate to the Trinity can speak volumes of our relationship with Him. If we had a poor or nonexistent relationship with our earthly father then God as Father is a hard thing. If we had no siblings or poor relationship with siblings then we may find it hard to relate to Jesus since He is our older brother. If we didn’t have a mom or our mom was harsh and not intimate then we may have issues relating to the Holy Spirit. What I just described is what some call the “Father Ladder” where we look at our past and present and how we relate to God and where to find possible blockages to relating with Him.

Challenge

So here is the challenge. Try to address God differently. If all you know is to call God “God” or “Jesus Lord God” as some, then start to address Him as Father, Dad, and/or Daddy. Address Him by the opposite character of the bad root you experience as a child or with religion. If Jesus is hard to relate to then address God as Jesus. If the Holy Spirit is hard to relate to then address Him as Holy Spirit. If you had the worst dad imaginable then call God “Father”. It may be extremely difficult at first but just try it.

In my own life I almost always say Father or Heavenly Father. It gives me proper perspective and brings a closeness to God that doesn’t come with genericness. Also I try my best not to continually use His name. When I pray to Him, His ears are always attentive and I don’t need to continually gain back his attention with calling out His name constantly. Prayer should not be religious. I mean look how Jesus prayed. In John 11:41-2 He says, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.”” Have. Have heard me. Hey even Jesus did some prayerpreaching! I told you it’s not necessarily wrong!

 

What to Do when you don’t know what to Do

This may sound strange coming from a man but…I love reality shows. Well not all reality shows but certain ones hold some value. Not those silly Survivor, Jersey Shore, and other weird ones. My two favorites are The Voice and So You Think You Can Dance. I tear up when I experience seeing someone who is somewhat hidden now blossoming into their gift. I absolutely love honor, dignity, and being noticed. This article could go very religious in that I could talk about vanity, God’s glory versus man’s, and the other arguments against, well whatever religious people hate about random things but I’m want to come from a different vantage point.

Like I said above, seeing someone be recognized for their gift and honor moves my spirit and soul to a deep place within me. However, if you’re like me, than you’ve tried many things to find “what you’re good at” and have  yet to hit the mark. I played Soccer as a kid (who hasn’t) and then tried baseball one summer then went on to play football for a losing team on a local community league. I then played JV football at high school (nobody gets cut there) then got cut in 11th grade for Varsity football because I was more of a soft-spoken, laid back type of gent. I didn’t care much about school nor about the future. My siblings were excellent hockey players who went on to play pro roller hockey but not me. I liked pot and video games. Then when I was 20 I (re)dedicated my life to Jesus. Got free from pot yet still entangled with self-worth issues.

You see I had trouble individuating when I was younger. I wasn’t really great at one thing. Sure I was semi good at soccer, in baseball I couldn’t hit the ball for the life of me, and in football I wasn’t as aggressive as I should have been. I actually tried out for hockey once but made the B team and then dropped out. I wasn’t good at any particular subject in school though I enjoyed Home EC and the Sciences in general. I absolutely hated reading and writing was a close second. I couldn’t sing, dance, or play an instrument (I tried learning guitar many years back as an adult but threw my “Idiots Guide to Playing Guitar” book away after it demanded I learn to read music) so that was a bust. I even wrote and recorded rap songs (which can still be found online) when I had a lot of free time on my hands. I wasn’t good at it, though I thought the lyrics were on point and held several meanings often. I did not have an education so I went into the family business of carpentry. I was fairly good at that. I do have a strong attention to detail, when I want to, so that helped in that field. Left that field went to other labor work of delivering mattresses and then working at a major toy company’s distribution center. After working 10 hour shifts on concrete floors and working 10 hour shifts during a 12 day stretch twice during Christmas season I had enough of that riff raff. I then took classes at a local community college to help study for three different computer certifications. That was over 4 years ago and I only have 2 out of 3 certifications…in a field where I don’t find fulfillment or gratification. Then I started studying and reading about inner healing & deliverance concepts and I’m hooked. It fascinates me to no end. That and psychology as well. Abnormal psychology to be exact. My new venture is writing. For a person who abhorred reading and writing to become an avid reader and writer is interesting to say the least. The verdict (mine, God’s, and those who read it) is still out on writing. I  also find immense fulfillment is doing prayer ministry in the limited time I do it. If would do it full-time if it were to be economically viable one day. I still have my doubts, which is something I’m pondering in my spirit and my soul, if this is what God has for me or not. Looking back I wish I went to college for Christian counseling but some things weren’t meant to be I suppose. Even at 33 years old I’m still individuating.  Still investigating to find my niche. Still trying to “Do” while finding out what I’m suppose to “Do.”

What I wrote above is probably not foreign to many of you. The only difference is that you may be 20, 40, or 50 and above and still not know. Mid-life crisis anyone? Most of us in waiting have to do what we  have to do to survive and pay bills and most hobbies are to kill time. We are swamped with responsibilities and somewhat forced into fields that don’t fulfill. To those who love what they do and get fulfillment and get paid we all envy you or at least I do. Now here’s the rub…what do you do when you don’t know what to do.

We must reconcile our past and present with God’s truth over us. And to borrow Graham Cooke’s quote, “We must bring the future into today.” The foundation for any “Doing” comes from “Being.” Character is the foundation where fulfillment can be built. When you live in and with fulfillment, the problem of problems diminishes. Problems become a stepping stone instead of a stumbling block. Fulfillment bends the will of the problem in your favor wherein problems become but a servant to a master. Fulfillment comes when God’s design, imprinted in your spirit, meets the works that were prepared for it. So here are a few places needing to be addressed.

• Time
• Land
• Agreements
• Surroundings

I’ll attempt to explain these as short and concise as possible. Remember there is no shame or condemnation just reconciliation and alignment.

Time

How many of you have been asked the question, “If you were living in a different time when would it be and why?” It’s a great ice breaker in small groups. But how many actually wish they lived in a different time? When we reject the point in time we are in now we reject God’s very own placement of us. We can see God’s time set for all of us in Acts 17:26 which says, “And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands and territories.” You see here that God determines the time in which we will live. If we have rejected our time then we must repent and ask God to forgive us. Some have trauma related to time (good teaching here) and some have even cursed their conception and birth like Job (Job 3:3). Still others have actually had their time switch and manipulated through occult activity and SRA. If that is the case God can and will reorient us back to His original timeline for us. When we come to a place where we accept when we are then we can look at the where we are.

Land

Land is an interesting one. There is not much teaching on land in the body of Christ. But if you were to do a word search the word “land” is used in the KJV you’ll find it used 1,717 times in 1,489 verses. Most, I’m sure, are simply talking about land in general but if you look deeper and read all that within the Scripture you’ll see that land plays a big role. As we see in the Acts verse above God appoints land and territories. God appointed land to Adam & Eve, Moses, and Abraham. The only way these people could live out their destiny is to be on the right land. There are deeper dynamics to land (good teaching here) but I’ll queue you in on one. 2 Chron. 7:14 says, “and My people, who are called by My Name, humble themselves, and pray and seek (crave, require as a necessity) My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear them from heaven, and forgive their sin and heal their land.” We’ve all heard this verse but how many have glossed over the ending? I know I have for years but it shows that God wants to heal land. And, like a lot of things, the New Age has stolen and perverted due to the Church leaving a vacuum of not address the whole counsel of God.

When it comes to us and land there are generally two current realities. One is that we are on the land God wants us on or we are not on the land God wants us on. If the former is true and you agree with the Lord than awesome. All is well on the land aspect. If the former, then there are a few reasons. One is that we reject where God wants us just like the time aspect above. Two is that we are not on the land but are moving towards it like Moses and Abraham. Three is that we are dynamic in our land relationship. We go in and out with bondage or we go in and out with freedom. If in bondage, than we are being pulled away by the enemy, ourselves, or trauma but are fighting to stay in. If in freedom, than we accept our land but also know that God has things for us in temporary land placement. To reconcile the where we must again repent for rejecting the land where we are and to ask the Lord if we are on the right land now and if not where to go. God may not say exactly but He may move you to a different city or state like He did to me. We should also ask God about the current land to cleanse it and mine it for God’s treasures (gardeners will understand).

Agreements

We all make agreements as we go through life. Some we vocalize while other we internalize. Both can be labeled “Inner Vows“. Another good article on this is “What is the Soundtrack to Your Story“. When we make agreements on our current life situations, we enforce and solidify the mentality and emotional reactions which then cloud and distort future life situations. That means the past life situations in which you made unhealthy agreements with yourself, others, or the enemy are now clouding and distorting your current reality. We make or have made bitter root judgments which then create a bitter root expectancy.  These judgement we have made then hold us and keep us from advancing. It may very well be one major aspects of not know what to do. We again must repent for our inner vows, bitter root judgments & expectancies and ask God to release us from our words and vows so we can move forwards. All of these steps are things you can do before you know what to do.

Surrounding

We are, for the most part, products of our surroundings. We are an amalgamation of our past. We had good parents, bad parents, or no parents. We had good, bad, or no siblings. Our home was either structured, chaos, or somewhere in between. The list goes on and on. Our environment is a huge factor on who we are and whose we are. As you read above in the “Agreements” section you may notice that some of those agreements we’ve made come from the surroundings we were in. Now the past is the past and can be healed, redeemed, and we can learn from the pain we experienced. What I want to talk about is current surroundings. We need freedom. Freedom to do. Freedom to be. Freedom to try. Freedom to fail and freedom to succeed. If you are not in a place, especially Church, where you can’t grow, try new things, expand than you may need to ask the Father if there is a better place for you. If you were never able to individuate as a child or young adult or even a middle-aged adult then it’ll be difficult to live a life of fulfillment. We must surround ourselves with encourages, life-givers, and positive people. It may be hard where you are now but God can provide at least one person but if not, His Presence can surround you and show you Himself and yourself.

Conclusion

Above I described at least four things to do before you know what to do. The list could go on and on but I wanted to give you a few things that maybe you haven’t looked at before. We need to accept the time we are in and the current land that we are on. Then break previous debilitating agreements and adjust our surrounding as much as possible. You’re probably thinking that you don’t have gifts but I can assure you, God has places design and birthright into your spirit and soul. It’s the process of finding what it is that proves to be most difficult. There is probably no platform, TV show, or other experience where you will get honored or esteemed. But if there was a show highlighting people’s ability to speak peace over troubled souls then you’d been voted in. If there was a show looking for the best mom then you’d be at the top. If there was a contest for “Best Dad” then you would out shine them all. If there was a show where a person who loves to serve without any recognition then you would be showcased. If there was a show where raving about the best person who goes over and beyond while behind the scenes then you would be the star.

I struggle everyday to know “What I’m Good At” and still question the things that I think maybe I have a shot at it. I’m still individuating. Maybe I’m a good writer or maybe I suck. Maybe I’ll be a prayer minister (current dream) or maybe I’ll do more harm than good. I still feel the “problem of problems” and am seeking fulfillment where obstacles bend to my design instead of me bending to them. I’m still attempting to walk out of spirit looking for the works that God designed for it. If I look for outward fruit I may be disappointed but I must know that every tree bears fruit at different seasons. When or where is my season? I don’t know. When and where is your season? I don’t know. But what I do know is that we can prepare beforehand and rid ourselves of baggage and develop character and the fruit of the Spirit which provides a foundation for the gift. Graham Cooke said it best, “People destroy with their character what they’ve built with their gift”.

Spirit I call you to attention and I give you freedom to try and to fail.

I give you freedom to try and to succeed.

I give you freedom to receive your sonship and legitimacy from God your Father.

I give you freedom to be a bride who can rest in the Bridegroom.

I speak peace in the process.

I speak healing from the past and restoration in the present.

I bless you with walking with God instead of walking for God.

I bless with you being before doing.

I bless you with being you and no one else.

I bless you with looking in the mirror and liking what you see.

I bless you with looking in the mirror and loving what you see.

I bless you in the name of Jesus, who loves you with an everlasting love.

Acting Like Mere Men

And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not acting like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not like mere men? – Apostle Paul speaking to the Corinthians

This passage for the past several months has intrigued me. Not the jealousy bit or the strife, not even the “I am of…” statements. But the “acting like mere men”. This has been pinging around my noggin and spirit. Are we not to act like men? Or just like mere men?

Mere defined is: that is solely or no more or better than what is specified. The smallest or slightest.

Spiritual in Greek is pneumatikos which means, “relating to the human spirit, as part of the man who is akin to God and serves as his instrument or organ.”

The above Scripture is 1 Corinthian 3:1-4 and speaks of infancy versus spiritual, milk versus meat. Believe you me, I love getting back to basics. For it’s the basics that provide foundation. If you know anything about building or bedding you know you need a good foundation. Without a proper foundation a house can crumble and a bed can sag…neither are desirable. But lets look at the Scriptures below:

“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil…Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. – Hebrews 5:12-14, 6:1-2  

Growth is key in the Kingdom. Salvation is the first step…the most important step as it is clearly the foundation of a person life but we must grow. However growth is a gray area. Depending on who you talk to and their background growth means character development, theological understanding, or the amount of miracles that are happening in and around them. I feel like it’s a combination of the three. Balance is key. In order to move forward you need balance. We must submit to God’s grace in order to grow in the fruit of the Spirit. We must learn and grow in our understanding of God and ourselves. We must also grow in faith and understanding of the power of God.

We are not merely men and women but brand new creations in Christ. We must live with this truth. We are spiritual people having physical experiences and not the other way around. The problem is we live as physical beings attempting to obtain spiritual experiences. We have lost touch of Eden and are absorbed with the fallenness that has entrapped us. It is no wonder that Scripture uses the term ransom in regards to our freedom. We live veiled and attempt to re-sow the fabric of the Temple. The matrix has become our reality. Christ did more than die for sins, He restored our position. He restored our spirituality from the sin of looking to the ground and relationship for identity and security. He came to show us Himself.

Ask any scientist about this world. Physicists, Biologists, Astronomy, etc. There is so much to this world that we are finding out and still searching for. Space, biology, oceanography, physics, geology are all fields looks for answers and reasons. I think, no I know, we need more scientists in the Spirit. The Earth is filled with God’s taste and to say that this world is extremely detailed while the spiritual world isn’t is ignorant. People need to launch off of the foundation of the basics and searching for truth and Truth. To say there is no more to God than what Scripture says is a fallacy. Whoa Jordan back up! Are you talking about extra-biblical stuff? Yes and No. Yes because God is bigger than a book and the KJV is not the 4th person of the Trinity. No because God has given us the Scripture as a foundation and blueprint to work from. We must break free from our small boxes of denominations and small views of God and ourselves and enter into a bigger box of God allowing us to see more. Need Scripture proof? Here you go:

So now through the church the multifaceted wisdom of God [in all its countless aspects] might now be made known [revealing the mystery] to the [angelic] rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. – Ephesians 3:10

Multifaceted in Greek is polypoikilos which means much variegated, marked with a great variety of colors. So here we see that through the church God’s multi-colorful, multi-faceted wisdom would be made known to the heavenly places!! We are commissioned to seek God’s wisdom, that hasn’t yet been seen or known, to the physical and spiritual world. This wisdom isn’t milk. It’s meat and we need people who are not mere men and women who can chew on this wisdom. Ask, seek, and knock for those who ask, receive and those who seek, find and those who knock, the door will be opened. We must submit to the training of the Lord so we can better discern between good and evil. Real and false. True and counterfeit.

Can we live a truly physical life and spiritual life together? Why yes you can. As far as we know Jesus is the only person in Heaven with a physical body (one can argue if Elijah, Enoch, or even Moses are included). Jesus is living a truly physical and spiritual life at the same time. Our body is the gateway for the spiritual to operate in the physical (more on that with an upcoming post). We are not mere men. We are more so. We must live above the natural man because, to the core, we are more than that. We are individuals in the Kingdom but we are more so a part of a body and this body needs to work together. This world is dying, hurting, and in pain and we need wisdom from God. We must no longer use prepackaged answers for non packaged problems. People’s pain is specific so our answers should be as well. And we can only handle the answers if stop acting as mere men and engage our spirit with God’s Spirit to co-labor with Him to prepare for His coming.

In closing I hope you understand what I’m getting at. There is so much more to this walk then doing church. There is true adventure when we engage with the Lord in our everyday life. If you have a problem and haven’t found the answers in the 5th book you’ve read on the subject or the 10 time in the prayer line then engage with the Lord and own the answer. We must move past our toddler staged Christianity and enter adolescence and then onto adulthood. There is wisdom to the person who asks and is able to get past the milk and onto the solids.

“To whom would He teach knowledge,
And to whom would He interpret the message?
Those just weaned from milk?
Those just taken from the breast?

– Isaiah 28:9