PRIESTHOOD of BELIEVERS

"To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen" Revelation 1:5-6 NKJV ~ "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:17 THIS SERMON by Pastor Michael Hoyle: The priesthood of the Christian is a birthright. When a believer is born again, he becomes a priest with the rights and privileges of the office. The main privilege of a New Testament Priest is access to God. THEME: The priesthood of believers should show forth the praises of God and offer spiritual sacrifices unto the Lord. "You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:5 ~ GOD'S PROMISE: "Who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame." THE SPIRITUAL SACRIFICE: Who is obedient to the word, to which they were appointed. PROCLAIM THE PRAISE: "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" 1 Peter 2:9 ~ AFFIRM HOW WE BECAME a New Testament Priest: "and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the Ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever." Revelation 1:5-6 ~ THROUGH the Love and grace of our Lord God Who loved us...sooooo very much....Our GIFT is Jesus and our Salvation by His willing sacrifice...our Abba Father sent Jesus to come to earth to rescue us from the babble of this world, by grace and through the GIFT of FAITH "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." WOW we were washed in His own blood so that all the just demands of our holy God could be satisfied. "I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live for ever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." John 6:48 ~ JESUS is the Lamb of our Holy Father, the PROPITIATION "And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world." 1 John 2:2 ~ Our God's LOVE began before the foundation of this universe and His plan was to redeem us by the final blood sacrifice of Jesus. "Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." Romans 3:25-26 JESUS SET ME FREE, He bought me with His blood. MY REDEEMER JESUS chose to die for my sins. "In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." Colossians 1:14 ~ We are declared justifiably righteous because of the atoning blood of Christ JUSTIFICATION: "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him." Romans 5:9 JESUS thought of me and chose to be my SUBSTITUTION: He chose the humiliation, He chose the pain, He chose the rejection, because He loves me, He chose to take on my past, present and future sins "Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed." 1 Peter 2:24 ~ I accept the sacrifice of Jesus and His living Word, His purpose in His suffering on my behalf, that I would BELIEVE in His eternal LOVE and ACCEPT the healing of all my wounds, of all my sickness, that I choose to live covered by the blood bought righteousness of Christ. Thank You Jesus for restoring me, for making it possible that I may boldly approach Your Holiness. RECONCILIATION:"For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." Romans 5:10 The power of the blood is known personally to conquer sin as our guilt and memory is washed and we experience His presence with a clear conscious. He provided the Way for us to overcome hard times and tough choices by availing Himself with His eternal, ever present Holy Spirit. "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." 1 John 1:7 Blessed be the Name of JESUS and the will of God that we are born again as His anointed priests. "Having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispen
sation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will." Ephesians 1:9-11 The divinity of Jesus came down to show us compassion mercy and grace. Jesus cares, He is patient, He is kind, He is full of love and His understanding is obvious as He is the Creator who sympathizes with our human needs. "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin." Hebrews 4:14-15 ~ Jesus is worthy to be praised for stepping out of glory and into a flesh tent, to be our Advocate, to be our Friend, to be our Sacrifice, to be the Wayshower. "Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people." Hebrews 2:17 Let us praise His Holy Name JESUS "Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens." Heberews 8:1

Christmas 2012

The NEW living translation and study of HEBREWS 6:1-8 "So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds[a] and placing our faith in God. You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.

For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame. When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing. But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it." Many attend church, many read the bible, many like the Pharisees have it cemented in their mind about our Father, His Son, and the Holy Spirit, and they are unwilling to allow the Holy Spirit to REVEAL the TRUTH in their hearts, therefore they are unable to make a commitment that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords and the One who offers salvation to the lost.

The writer of Hebrews is specifically talking to Jews who had heard the good news that Jesus Christ obolished the law, and that we are saved by grace, not of works. People have witnessed transformations of others who accept Jesus as Lord, yet they turn from God's salvation plan and walk away from Christ, NOT FULLY surrendered to the Supremecy of Christ, and they continue to add knowledge and confidence in their ways, NOT in the ways of God. Over and over, God confounds those who consider themselves wise in this world. UNLIKE a knife, TRUTH becomes sharper with use. The TRUTH of the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ that is heard, yet not accepted does a body no good. Jesus warns:: “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ Mat 7:21-23

CONTAGIOUS PASSION

TAKE THIS CUP and pass it on!We were designed and assigned an awesome task by God. Our passion for Christ makes disciplining our minds a pleasurable encounter with His holy Word. God's Fire falls on the alter of our heart when we look to our heavenly Father. In LUKE 11:11 ~ Look how Jesus helps us to see our Daddy clearly, like a child trusting only good things from his Dad. God desires that we stop striving to study Him, and that we relax, like a child, and let our love for Him flow, like a refreshing breeze across our mind, and down into our heart. In MATTHEW 11:11 ~ Read and adjust how you see yourself. Greater than John the Babtist, is God's love for you! God wants us to know that He loves us with a passion, and He wants us to TAKE that TRUTH in deeply. WOW, now look in Revelation and learn that our Father looks at us with firery EYES of passion, with a burning love that catches us on fire for the things of God. We consume His word as our Bread of life, we drink in His life altering Love as a nutirient rich life Source, and we digest His every word with thanksgiving. We gladly sacrifice a sound of praise, our time, gifts and resources to make His ways known to others. His place in our soul, His home, is tenderly cared for that He is comfortable and welcome. Like a Lover speaks of their beloved, all the time, God thinks about us with a passion, all the time. God's Word is the greatest earthly treasure we can possess. Consider what God has done in you, then think of the testimony of the kings and priests before you. To sustain the move of God, and to experience His manifest Presence, choose to listen to the Spirit filled sermons online at Lake Chapala Baptist Church, or Quail Lakes Baptist Church.  With focused attention you build a contagious passion for what God is doing around the globe. We are His modern day witnesses. We get to SHINE and share our testimony and feel His delight. His tangible manifested Presence is available 24 hours a day! It therefore is easy to agree that life is too short to NOT burn hot for what GOD is NOW doing. Lord God we thank You for causing the synergy of our spirit filled body, our soul suit and our mind of Christ. Thank You for being available and listening to our constant prayers. "I pray that you would prosper and be in good health even as your soul prospers." Lord Jesus, thank You for praying on my behalf, in a language that blesses God. We seek wholeness throughout the complex design of our body, mind, soul ~ and throughout "Your church body". We trust that You will finish the good work You began in all that pursue Thee, and in all those that You draw near by Your confounding, glorious ways. Oh Lord we draw near and PRAY blessings to You and genuine thanksgiving for all that You have done, and for all Your plans for us. We come to You with the confidence that Your promises give us. We feel Your presence, and we thank You for the bouyant JOY of the Holy Spirit. "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Stockton, Lodi, Acampo, Santa Rosa, Loreto, Oregon, Arkansas and to the ends of the earth." ACTS 1:8 Whenever we PRAY scriptures, we experience the manifest presence of God, and we are instantly united with the Holy Spirit, for His word is truth, and when two or more gather, our Father is there ~ and we stand on Your word and speak words filled with faith. God tells us that He heard our first prayer, and we trust that our good Father supernaturally transfigures our situation SPEEDILY! 'How long will you be divided between two ways of thinking? If the Lord is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, then follow him.' ELIJAH SAID `The God Who answers by fire, He is God....Seven times Elijah said, “Go again.” The seventh time, he said, “I see a cloud as small as a man’s hand coming up from the sea.” LESSON: BE PERSISTENT and PRAY daily like the widow! PUSH = pray until something happens! PRAY and never give up because God has heard you and He has set things in motion that will go above and beyond what you ask for. BELIEVE and PRAY each day about ALL THINGS, and PRAISE GOD for all things, even when we do not agree or understand, praise Him for His ways are best! AMEN

Forge Relationships

 FORGE = To form a relationship by heating and beating to form a new shape. We might feel: "dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything." (2 Corin 6:9) God forges a relationship of trust with each of us. "I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly PURGE away your dross and REMOVE all your impurities." (Isaiah 1:25) Because God is holy, because He so desires to FORGE an intimate, close relationship with us, we must die to the desires of our flesh, be purified and made holy. Baptized with the Holy Spirit, we feel cleansed, fresh, and vibrantly alive and in LOVE with God..."For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) So we simply accept Jesus into our heart, we profess with our mouth that we love Him, and He trusts that we do without a single payment or deed required, no matter what we might suffer, His promise is that we will not perish, but have or possess ETERNAL life! (B) To form or FORGE a friendship by focused effort to build unity and mutual trust by talking about what is important. With concentrated effort God pursues us. He chose us, and He constantly uses circumstances to draw us to Him. Because He loves us, He wants to communicate with us, bless us and CHANGE us for He loves us too much to leave us as we were found! Either way A or B, the word forge is a verb, it is an action word. The first way to heat, hammer and beat into shape feels a bit extreme for humans, however, the truth is, in His way, over hundreds of years in our time, it took intensive measures of heat from God to bend and shape the will of man. I humbly admit that I needed the truth hammered into my head with repetition to stamp out the lies that were rooted there. The second way to forge a relationship of love is to invest time, to carve out a place on my calendar to devote to the person who has taken up residence in my soul. It is my sincere desire to listen to God with the fullest attention of my heart, mind and soul. "Iam the Vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." Without the love of God running through my mind, heart and veins, I am like a clanging noisy cymbal! Remove me from the FIRE, take me away from the association of like minded people, and my branch withers, no first fruits to give to God, and no fruit for others, my branch is bare! "If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear my fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples." (John 15:5) Our Father disciplines those He loves and He instructs us wisely. "Let us hold unswervingly to the HOPE we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may SPUR (kick) one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another ---and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Heb 10:23-25)

How do I Love the Lord my God with all my heart? The word forge seems harsh, but it is indeed a word of action. It is a spiritual discipline to BELONG to God eternally. Inspired by God Timothy wrote "train yourself to be godly." (1 Tim 4:7) We are called to train or FORGE a relationship with our unseen, holy God. (

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbors yourself." Matthew 22:36-39

In order to love God with all my heart, soul and mind, I admit that it takes intentional effort --- but after ALL He has done for me, taking time to talk to God, to listen for His voice, to wait upon the Lord, to hear what He has to say, to seek His comfort, His guidance is not something I do out of obligation or duty. Not a duty but a joy! Once upon a time I was like Alice in Wonderland chasing my dream of being cherished and loved. I chased many a rabbit and fell into the underworld. When God called me as I was and gave me His word, His love - I was born again as His precious, beloved child. I belonged to the King and became a member of a huge family! Overflowing with thankfulness, I grew as a result of the faithful kindness, patience and grace of God and the saints He placed in my life. Remember our first love? Remember how we could not stop thinking about them, how we could not do enough for them...we loved, not to impress, not to score points, not to gain favor, but out of pure love we gave our time, our dreams, our money and our commitment to love them no matter what. This is the description of loving God above all else, and then loving our neighbors as ourselves. "Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." (1 Peter 1:13)

"Let us therefore live a life that demands an explanation"
Jason Velo 3/14/10 Connexions Class at Crossroads Manteca

THE BEST NEWS

What is the BEST NEWS? Are you BORN AGAIN, with a fresh start, equipped by the power of the Holy Spirit, and fully satisfied by the living Word of God? The greatest TRUTH ever was hand delivered from God to you by His one and only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Are you ready to hear God speak to you and say "Well done, my good and faithful servant!" Often times people misplace their trust in other voices. The voice of a parent, teacher, past employer, or everyone's foe, the fallen angel satan. Have you earnestly said to God "Not my will by Thy will be done"? The Creator knows the hearts of His people, and He will never forsake you for messing up! He gave us His word, the history of our ancestors, the Holy Bible to show us that He rules, He saves, He forgives, and He restores. His plan in place saved us from our sinful nature. He redeemed us, He forgave us, He calls us to "BE STILL and KNOW that I AM GOD." He asked us "Come, all ye who are fearful, troubled, worried, tormented and lost ~ Come and I will give you rest, healing, peace and the Holy Spirit ~ Come as you are, come to Me broken, and I will give you a new heart filled with hope, glory and wonder! I will give you a JOY that cannot be jarred by earthquakes. God is faithful in His living, active, revealing, piercing, powerful Word. His promise of eternity in His glorious Presence is the TRUTH. Those that do not accept that Jesus is the Way to God, will continue to suffer - UNTIL we deliver the BEST NEWS, the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ. We were called to BOLDLY approach the throne of God and ASK God to equip us, to use us to reach the lost, the hurting, the hungry with His saving, transforming message of TRUTH. Jesus was annointed to preach the gospel. LUKE 4:18 Jesus was sent on a mission by God, He was empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak the Word of God and the people who had ears to hear were changed, healed and compelled to follow Him. Jesus chose a handful of men and spent quality time in on His way to the cross. For three years He taught by example to lean on God, to fellowship with God in prayer, to trust that He knew them, and that He would utilize them, and delight in them as He poured out His Spirit to reach the lost. Their short lives on earth took on new meaning, and a bold purpose as they employed their little faith and took action to obey. Jesus believed in them, and He believes in us to do His will. “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15)LEAP UP and SHOUT HALLELUIAH! The King of Kings chose YOU! What an honor it is to be called a child of God! What an opportunity to serve Him, to be a valued part of His plan. ASK the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom, and He will! Let go of the ways of man, of the proven ways that do NOT work! Renew your mind with the HOPE that is REAL, the Holy Words of God! Ask Jesus to increase your faith, and humble yourself to HEAR what the Spirit of God is saying to you. He will enable you to fully comprehend His role in your life. YOU ARE set apart for the gospel of God (Rom. 1:1) The world respected a man named Saul for his human understanding of the word of God. Saul was putting Christians to death, but then Jesus revealed Himself to Saul, changed his name to Paul and called him to serve God by using his knowledge of the Jews to reach those that were confused by the law. Paul was entrusted, he was given a responsibility to reach hardened hearts with the piercing truth of Jesus Christ. His confession of faith in Jesus Christ, His obedience to his call, to teach that Jesus is the One Messiah of God is why Paul was imprisoned and killed. In 2012 many are put to death for boldly speaking the gospel. Galatians 2:7 tells us that as believers we are also entrusted, that God believes in us, that He has given us the power to carry out His great commission! HALLELUIAH we are accountable to God and we are forgiven for our feeble frame of mind, for our unconfessed unwillingness, for our fear of rejection, for NOT speaking to our family, neighbors, or co-workers about Jesus. Paul was appointed to defend the gospel (Phil. 1:16), and like Paul we must remember that we each have a transforming testimony to share. We were lost, confused, deaf, blind, dumb, numb, empty and mostly concerned about IF we were perceived as worthy of the respect of men, or IF we were seen as LOVELY, or respected by another ~ be it our parent, our teacher, or our mate. THE BEST NEWS is that we were purchased by the saving blood of Jesus, and we were legally adopted by the King of Kings! We have the right to approach His throne without being asked. Our Lord wants us to come to Him with all our petty stuff! He longs to hear from us, and He wants to bless us with His best! One promise is that He will never forsake us! He gave us full access and a purpose with the Holy Helper, our Comforter, our Counselor, our trust worthy guide the Holy Spirit. Jesus told that He must go so that He can send the Holy Spirit that we all can abide IN HIM! We read that Paul was anointed as a preacher in 2 Timothy 1:8-12. Timothy was timid and Paul encouraged him as he does every reader of the living, active Word - that despite any obstacle, the Holy Spirit will use us, with our God given abilities and in our weakness, He will be shown strong! Paul relied on God’s power, and he was willing to suffer for God's sake. Paul knew that he could never repay God for choosing him for such a priveledged task, but he felt obligated to do his best to preach the truth. (Romans 1:14) Jesus had stopped him on his way to Damascus and He led Paul to reach many with many divinely inspired words, deeds and God's grace. Paul presented the message of salvation in ways that they could understand. Since God created us and designed us with specific talents, we can all rest assured by our Creator that we are useful for His purpose. What do you know for certain? Do you know God's love? His Power? His grace? His forgiveness? Are you EAGER to share the GOOD NEWS with others? READ Romans 1:15-16 and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal every opportunity for YOU to GO unashamed, but ready and happy to tell people about Christ. The truth is ALL people have eternal destinies. ETERNITY in HEAVEN with the LOVE OF GOD, the peace of God, the JOY of GOD ~ or ETERNITY in HELL where agony never stops.

Let us REMEBER that the Word of God is ACTIVE and POWERFUL and that when we His chosen speak it into the hearts of the lost, it is HIS POWER that interrupts their destiny as His Word finishes the work it was spoken to do. Ask God to increase your faith in Him to do the work, to nd trust that He is GLAD to empower the willing! COMPELLED from within to SPEAK a Word of truth to anyone ~ is to EMPLOY the Holy Spirit and fully RELY on HIM to do His amazing purpose! READ 1 Corinthians 9:16 and Jeremiah 20:7-9. Paul felt a fire buring within him, he felt compelled to tell others about Christ. The Source of our faith, the message of truth we are entrusted to share is found in Galatians 1:11-12 In 1 Thess 2:2 Paul called it the “gospel of God” and in Colossians 1: 5 he called it the “word of truth” The “good news” is the good news of Jesus Christ and His offer of salvation through His death, burial, and resurrection to be received by faith, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. It has nothing to do with our goodness but is instead a gift of God’s grace. The Accomplishments of the Gospel: When you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, many wonderful things happen. As a child of God, you are:

■Redeemed: Jesus paid the price for your sin on the cross and purchased you for God. As an adopted child of God, we now belong to Jesus, and He is the King, and we are welcomed to His throne room at anytime. No guard at His castle, just come on in!
■Forgiven: The blood of the Lamb paid your sin debt in full. The Lord no longer holds your sins against you, your sins are forgotten, you have a NEW life in Christ.
■Justified: He declares you are NO LONGER GUILTY of your sins.
■Reconciled: It is now possible for you to have a personal relationship with God.
■Sanctified: You are set apart as one of God’s children, and His Holy Spirit works within you to transform your life, to give you wisdom, and to convict you of sin.
■Glorified: We depart earth by His glory and enter heaven.

THE BEST NEWS is the GOSPEL of JESUS CHRIST, a message that is matchless! No religion or philosophy can equal it. We’re surrounded by people desperate for something they can’t name, and we have the answer to their need—the gospel of Jesus Christ. That’s why we are entrusted to boldly share it with everyone we meet.

EXALTED KING

As the youngest Catholic daughter born in 1951, Barbie was the overlooked child, the kid who sought solace while surrounded by the sounds of nature. She was an unwed pregnant teen who was voted the most unlikely to contribute. She was the Stockton woman who lived in a solitary prison of shame for a childhood evil. She was the outcast who longed to be accepted ~ God heard her silent whimpering and His Holy Spirit compelled her twisted mind and encouraged her broken heart to seek refuge in a living God ~ NOT in the cold hard stone statue of Mary holding a slain Jesus, or in the crucified marble art of a dead Savior on a cross! In secret this abused youth at the age of seven hid in the bushes of the stained glass Cathedral. She obediently walked to attend mass as instructed by her pagan parents - but with the courage given by the Holy Spirit she slipped into the backdoor of a nearby Methodist church one Sunday and sat in the back pew. Her sincere heart wanting so desperately to find love and acceptance, to fit in where she was wanted ~ to be a branch in God's vineyard, not cut off, not tossed aside ~ she listened hard in a noisy world and heard a faint but certain voice! Almighty God affirmed in her young spirit that "God indeed loves these folks and you too!" At home her father was found out for the undoing of her innocence and he said to her "As far as I am concerned you are dead!" Thus began her journey to seek comfort in the TRUTH. She was pre-destined to find GOD and to learn His WAY of giving unlimited, undeserved favor to the lost! The Catholic mass was in Latin and the rituals were meaningless to her. But the message that JESUS SAVES gave her HOPE and the Holy Spirit engaged her heart in EXALTING GOD! With a GLAD heart over several years she answered four alter calls to be SAVED, HEALED and BAPTIZED! She had been baptized and got married to Jesus in her first holy communion in 1956 at a Catholic Cathedral. In 1985 at Christian Life Center she received the Holy Spirit and involuntarily started speaking in tounges. In 1990 she went forward at a Corpus Christi Church and in 1995 as a group leader for Celebrate Recovery at Santa Cruz Bible Church. God's mercy rained on her after many desert experiences, and in His perfect time, in His perfect way, and for His divine purpose, this woman's compassion for the lost led her to remain single minded, to deny men in order to focus her eyes, and to pour her soul over the living Word of God and become His beloved, sought after bride! After listening and watching her Spiritual mentors Billy Graham, Anne Graham Lotz and Beth Moore witness to her spirit, after many years of vacillating in and out of the lie "Iam not good enough" she accepted the gift of a "reigning ear" and His proposal of a holy marriage that will last eternally! Like a horse that responds to it's Masters voice, her "reigning ear" heard and responded to what the Spirit of God was whispering. GOD IS FAITHFUL, GOD IS FAITHFUL and JESUS is WORTHY to be praised for His gentle, consistent corrections that have steered her away from falling into deep pits that her enemy strategically placed to trap her in gloom. Satan tempted Jesus right after He was baptized, and each time she got baptized he was there to tempt, to prevent her from winning the race and claiming the victory crown that Jesus held out for her. Trusting in her heavenly Father's PLAN, she embraced His enduring GRACE as His PATIENCE was finally recognized and prized! The EXAMPLE of JESUS WAITING to be GLORIFIED in His Father's TIME jumped off the pages of scripture and into her heart! Father God, my good Shepherd, my Savior appears to a simple minded, uneducated girl. "Father the time has come, and is here now to bear much fruit." Over and over, He gives me an extreme makeover with grace, His voice whispers "come walk this way". A complete surrender of her ways, strong will, and stubborn resistance was necessary that she might see the GLORY of His plan for her. Before she accepted the gift of a "reigning ear" it was necessary for GOD to use an uncomfortable "bit" in her pugnacious mouth. Her resistance to "follow Him" was mostly because of her DEEP DESIRE to be accepted by her parents, her peers, and her DESIRE to be cherished by man. Her fractured mind, her lost soul, her battering thoughts, her crushed heart, her foolish ways, her selfish motives, her pride and her inclination to pity herself for being rejected for her faith in Jesus ~ was given a NEW SONG TO SING! After years of being easily deceived to believe that she was unwanted and incapable of truly loving God or anybody ~ the time had come and in 2009 her soul erupted, and her plans got interrupted with His plan to use her in Mexico! The dark cave of depression because of her repression of the truth ~ that the Holy Spirit dwells WITHIN ~ this LIGHT gave birth to a new REBORN child of God! Uplifted and restored by the LIGHT of TRUTH shouting within, today she KNOWS her Father and that JESUS SAVES! She gave her hope to marry a mere mortal and acquiesced to His plan with a song of praise! "I will shout, I will sing, Jesus You are my everything! You're my treasure, my inheritance! Iam rich, I am blessed in Your love and faithfulness. You're my friend and forever my inheritance! My name has been changed from sinner to saint ~ all because of You. Now You call me Your own, Now I know heaven in my home. All that You hold in store is all that I want O Lord!" Such hymns of worship melted her resistance! Surrender did she to lyrics of love, to the tempo of thunderous praise! Her ear atuned, her sins atoned, she listened for His Voice and complied to the Spirit's intention of conviction and confession. Her thirsty soul quenched by His rain with a FRESH review and desire to obey! She was willing to "walk this way" in AWE of all the Lord had endured on her behalf! Worship SET FREE her captive, caged heart! God DOES NOT look at Barbara's appearance of a strong independent woman, thankfully, my Lord Jesus looks at my open, transparent heart. This youngest forgotten daughter was chosen and predestined to be filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit. Today Barbara thrives as God's legally adopted princess! She is ENABLED to LOVE and WORSHIP JESUS with the very LOVE He lavishes on her! Hallelujah, HALLELUJAH! My Jesus, My Savior, My God I EXALT Thee with these posted words of truth about Your redeeming Love ~ The love of Jesus filled the hole in Barbara's thirsty soul and therefore, Barbara ceased looking to the world, to a man, or to anything outside of herself, to make her happy, or satisfy her longing to be loved. Barbara accepts the truth that she is complete in Christ, and by His eternal love. She TURNS to HIM to EXALT the King of Kings. Originally written in 2011, reposted 2014

PEEK on the INSIDE

Wikipedia describes:
Laminins are a family of proteins that are an integral part of the structural scaffolding of basement membranes in almost every tissue. Laminins are what hold us together. LITERALLY. They are cell adhesion molecules. They are what holds one cell of our bodies to the next cell. Without them, we would literally fall apart. THIS IS NOT a 'Christian' view, laminin can be found in any scientific/medical piece of literature, and this is what you will see. God is indeed --- and in word, the MOST profound and amazing Father of all creation! The glue that holds us together, all of us---is in the shape of the cross! 'He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or Authorities; All things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him All things HOLD TOGETHER.' Colossians 1:15-17 The book of Ephesians speaks about how AWESOME we are as creations of God! "In Him, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fullfillment --- to bring ALL THINGS in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ." Ephesians 1:7. In Genesis 1:24 "Let US make man in OUR image." God the Father, Jesus the Christ, and the Holy Spirit, together as ONE awesome Creator, spoke the universe into being. Visit a grave yard and LISTEN. Press your ear agaist the tombstone. Do you hear what the Spirit is saying? Jesus said to them "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to." Luke 13:24 God's living and active Word is a light that we must choose to follow. Our star-breathing, universe creating God ALSO knitted our bodies together with amazing detail and wonder. From a medical standpoint, the intricate design of the human body is fascinating! From Doctor Luke's transformed doctor's perspective, the longer he practiced medicine, the more Luke followed Jesus, the more amazed he became about God's handiwork. Considering the perfection required for all the bio-chemistry, for the eye to see, for blood to pump, for the cells to repair, this doctor questioned 'How can ANYONE deny that a Creator did all of this? Doctor Luke went on to talk about how we can trust that the God who created all this, also has the power to hold it all together when things seem to be falling apart...how our loving Creator is also our sustainer. The structure of laminin looks like a flaming cross. Call me a crazy Christian and I will be most proud to say "YES I AM A FOLLOWER, A BELIEVER of Jesus Christ" AMEN! Thousands of years before UNBELIEVERS or scholars knew anything about laminin, Paul penned the words in the book of Colossians. With the visual PICTURE herein, we get a GLIMPSE of our inside. From a very LITERAL standpoint, we are ALL held together...One cell to another.... By the cross. We are marked, we are sealed by laminin, by our all knowing, all loving Creator. He knew EXACTLY what laminin 'glue' would look like long before Adam breathed his first breath!!

LOVING JESUS IN SONG

LOVING YOU JESUS IN SONG
"Famous One" by Chris Tomlin
You are the Lord, the famous One, famous One
Great is Your name in all the earth
The heavens declare
You're glorious, glorious
Great is Your fame beyond the earth
For all You've done and yet to do
With every breath I'm praising You
Desire of the nations and every heart
You alone are God, You alone are God.
The morning star is shining through
And every eye is watching You
Revealed by nature and miracles
You are beautiful, You are beautiful

"WORD OF GOD SPEAK" by Mercy Me
I'm finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's OK
The last thing I need is to be heard
But to hear what You would say
Chorus: Word of God speak
Would You pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That You're in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness, Word of God speak
I'm finding myself in the midst of You
Beyond the music, beyond the noise
All that I need is to be with You
And in the quiet hear Your voice
I'm finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's OK

"JESUS SAVES" by Jeremy Camp
Hope is here, Shout the news to everyone
It’s a new day peace has come
Jesus saves, Mercy triumphs at the cross
Love has come to rescue us
Jesus saves, Hope is here
What a joyful noise we’ll make
As we join with heaven’s song
To let all the world know that Jesus saves
Raise a shout to let all the world know
That Jesus saves, Free at last
Every debt has been repaid
Broken hearts can be remade
Jesus saves, Sing above the storms of life
Sing it through the darkest night
Jesus saves, Free at last
What a joyful noise we’ll make
As we join with heaven’s song
To let all the world know that Jesus saves
Raise a shout to let all the world know
That Jesus saves, Sing it out
To let all the world know that Jesus saves
Raise a shout, To let all the world know
that Jesus saves, You save You heal
Restore, reveal, Your Father’s heart to us
You rose to raise us from the grave
Your Spirit lives in us, Sing it out
To let all the world know that Jesus saves
Raise a shout, To let all the world know
that Jesus saves, Sing it out and shout
For we will know your name
Jesus, Jesus

"GET BACK UP AGAIN" by TobyMac
You turned away when I looked you in the eye,
And hesitated when I asked if you were alright,
Seems like you're fighting for your life,
But why? oh why?
Wide awake in the middle of your nightmare,
You saw it comin' but it hit you outta no where,
And theres always scars, When you fall that far
We lose our way, We get back up again
It's never too late to get back up again,
One day you gonna shine again,
You may be knocked down,
But not out forever,
Lose our way, We get back up again,
So get up, get up,
You gonna shine again,
Never too late to get back up again,
You may be knocked down,
But not out forever
[May be knocked down but not out forever]
You rolled out at the dawning of the day
Heart racin' as you made you little get away,
It feels like you've been runnin' all your life
But, why? Oh why?
So you've pulled away from the love that wou'd've been there,
You start believin' that your situation's unfair
But there's always scars, When you fall that far
We lose our way, We get back up again
Never too late to get back up again,
One day, you gonna shine again,
You may be knocked down but not out forever!
This is love callin', love callin', out to the broken,
This is love callin'. This is love callin',
Love callin', out to the broken
Lose our way, We get back up,
It's never too late
You may be knocked down but not out forever!

"YOU'RE WORTHY OF ALL MY WORSHIP" by Jeremy Camp
I will give you all my worship
I will give you all my praise
You alone I long to worship
You alone are worthy of my praise
I will worship with all of my heart
I will praise you with all of my strength
I will seek you all of my days
I will follow all of your ways
I will give you all my worship
I will give you all my praise
You alone I long to worship
You alone are worthy of my praise
I will bow down and I'll hail you as king
I will serve you, I will give you everything
I will lift up my eyes to your throne
I will trust you, I will trust you alone
I will give you all my worship
I will give you all my praise
You alone I long to worship
You alone are worthy of my praise

"BEAUTIFUL ONE" by The Tree
Wonderful, So Wonderful
Is your unfailing love
Your cross has spoken mercy over me
No eye has seen no ear has heard
No heart can fully know
How glorious, how beautiful you are
Beautiful One I love, Beautiful One I adore
Beautiful One my soul must sing
Powerful so powerful
Your glory fills the skies
Your mighty works displayed for all to see
The beauty of your majesty awakes my heart to sing
How marvelous how wonderful you are
You opened my eyes to your wonders anew
You captured my heart with this love
Because nothing on earth is as beautiful as you

"ONLY GRACE" by Matthew West
There is no guilt here, There is no shame
No pointing fingers, There is no blame
What happened yesterday
Has disappeared, The dirt has washed away
And now it’s clear
Chorus: There’s only grace
There’s only love, There’s only mercy
And believe me it’s enough
Your sins are gone, Without a trace
There’s nothing left now
There’s only grace
You’re starting over now
Under the sun, You’re stepping forward now
A new life has begun, Your new life has begun
And if you should fall again
Get back up, get back up
Reach out and take my hand
Get back up, Get back up
Get back up again.

"ALL I REALLY WANT" by Lincoln Brewster
Lord I love the way You love me
And how You move me deep within
Lord I love the way You hold me
And draw me into You
Lord I love the way You bless me
And how You look into my heart
Lord I love the way You lead me
Right into Your arms
Chorus: God I praise Thee
You amaze me, Take my life
And let Your light shine through
Jesus Savior friend of sinners
Fill me up ---'Cuz all I really want is more of You

"ALL TO JESUS" by Vineyard Music
All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live
I surrender all, I surrender all
All to Jesus I surrender, I surrender all
All to Jesus I surrender
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine
Let me feel Your Holy Spirit
Truly know that Thou art mine
All to Jesus I surrender
Lord I give myself to Thee
Fill me with Thy love and power
Let Thy blessings fall on me"BEGIN WITH ME" by Point of Grace
Lord I know sometimes you look down and shake Your head
When we know what we should do and do the other thing instead
We're living in glass houses and we're throwing sticks and stones
The love that will come to us is the love that we have shown
Ignite a fire in my spirit, And when I want to make a difference
This will be my prayer
Chorus: Begin with me, Turn my world upside down
Come change my heart around, Lord keep on washing me clean
Begin with me, Come and renew my mind
And lead me to the light
'Til I am more like You Jesus
Begin, begin with me
Have you ever noticed how we love to give advice
We offer up suggestions without thinking twice
Got 20/20 vision when we're watching someone else
But it's a little blurry when we're looking at ourselves
I can't forget to check the mirror
That's where I find the only one
That He wants me to change
Chorus: Begin with me, Turn my world upside down
Come change my heart around, Lord keep on washing me clean
Begin with me, Come and renew my mind
And lead me to the light
'Til I am more like You JesusWhat I truly long for is the warm fragrance of Him in the sunshine, the taste of cool breezes that prickle me with the tiny bumps of His awareness, the soft texture of flowers that He made for my pleasure, His vision of a birdsong, and the sound of a gentle drenching, quenching rain. To be immersed and totalled impressed by His passionate creation and respect His purpose --- for my soul.
With a bump inside, don't be shy ---

dance to TRINITEE 5:7 and sing "Dance Like Sunday"
I will give praise anytime, anyday
See he's done so much for me
That I want the whole world to see
Hey! That's o.k.
You can praise Him like me
You don't have to be ashamed
You can praise Him this way
Come on get out of your seat,
Stand up give Him a little dance, Say dance with me
He's done too much for you
We got to give Him a little praise
so here's what we gonna do…
CHORUS: We gonna dance dance like Sunday
We gonna praise Him in a new way
Show you how to have a good time,
come on get with me…
It’s o.k.. Everybody join the praise
Now look at me, even talk about me
for the way I feel won't change...
Hey! Cause I love to call His name
I can't sit down cause
everytime I think about
everything He's done for me (say)
I can’t hold my piece
Come on get out of your seat,
Stand up give Him a little dance, Say dance with me
He's done too much for you
We got to give him a little praise
so here's what we gonna do…
Dance with me (yeah) don't be afraid just do it
You need to give it up (just move your feet, yeah)
It's easy for me so if you really believe
come on…join the praise!

To accept that I am His and He is mine, for all time, without separation, without a need unmet. He says I am the bride and that He is the Bridegroom and I trust that His Word is truth. Slipping and sliding in and out of belief in the truth of who resides within us - to protect us, guide us, convict us and transform us.

 Artist Chris  Rice stirs us with a cool beat in his hit song "CLUMSY"
You think I'd have it down by now
Been practicin' for thirty years
I should have walked a thousand miles
So what am I still doin' here
Reachin' out for that same old piece of forbidden fruit
I slip and fall and I knock my halo loose
Somebody tell me waht's a boy supposed to do?
I get so clumsy, I get so foolish, I get so stupid
And then I feel so useless
But You're sayin' You love me
And You're still gonna hold me
And that You wanna be near me
'Cause You're makin' me holy
You're still makin' me holy, yeah
I'm gonna get it right this time
I'll be strong and I'll make You proud
I've prayed that prayer a thousand times
But the rooster crows and my tears roll down again
Then You remind me You made me from the dust
And I can never, no never, be good enough ---
And that You're NOT gonna let that come between us
Chorus: From where I stand
Your holiness is up so high I could never reach it---
My only hope is to fall on Jesus!Soaked in spirit I spin and dance in His presence and all of creation responds! The trees dance as the leaves clap their hands in the wind that is His ever present breath! Walking and talking with my Lord is more like falling in love than the very best daydreaming!

BE BLESSED listen for FREE on ITUNES to the happy melody of
Jason Gray's hit song: "More like falling in Love"
Give me rules, I will break them
Give me lines, I will cross them
I need more than a truth to believe
I need a truth that lives, moves, and breathes
To sweep me off my feet
It ought to be,
CHORUS: More like falling in love
Than something to believe in
More like losing my heart
Than giving my allegiance
Caught up, called out
Come take a look at me now
It's like I'm falling, oh
It's like I'm falling in love
Give me words, I'll misuse them
Obligations, I'll misplace them
'Cause all religion ever made of me
Was just a sinner with a stone tied to my feet
It never set me free, It's gotta be
It's like I'm falling in love, love,
Deeper and deeper, It was love that made
Me a believer, In more than a name, a faith, a creed
Falling in love with Jesus
brought the change in me
It's gotta be
More like falling in love.

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS oh God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changes not, Thy compassions they fail not
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be
Great is Thy Faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness Lord unto me
Summer and Winter, Springtime and harvest
Sun, Moon and Stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

RELUCTANCE and REVIVAL

Jesus spoke the truth ~ He repeats what He wants us to hear ~ In the book of John, Jesus repeated "I tell you the truth" many times but the proud could not hear Him. "You have never heard His voice nor seen His form, nor does His word dwell in you, for you do not believe the One He sent. You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me to have life. I do not accept praise from men, but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts....IF you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me....How can you believe if you accept PRAISE from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?" John 5:37-44 ~ The reluctance of the priests to believe in the Son of God ~ revealed the sin of pride that prevented their hardened hearts from accepting the truth. Unlike the Twelve Apostles, there is no indication that Saul or Paul ever met Jesus before our Lord was crucified. According to the inspired word of God, in the book of Acts, Saul converted to Paul when he was given a vision of the resurrected Jesus. His blindness to the truth, his stone heart towards Jesus, his conversion from Saul ~ the well respected Jewish Rabbi ~ to Paul the founder of the Christian church is a TESTIMONY of involuntary transformation! God calls us, and God equips us to do His bidding. Paul was chosen by God, just as we are chosen by God. Even the reluctant and unwilling can and will be used by God! While traveling the road to Damascus Saul was temporarily blinded. Saul / Paul asserts that he received the Gospel not from man, but by "the revelation of Jesus Christ". God stopped Saul in his tracks and revealed that Who He was. Jesus asked him "why do you persecute me?" Has Jesus stopped you in your tracks to ask why you have not listened for His voice? Have you failed to RECOGNIZE His intervention through words of those saints He sent? Saul had a plan, but God's plan was imposed upon Saul with a revelation of the truth. What truth did the Holy Spirit reveal through the scripture "Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there." Have you uttered threats under your breath, eager to silence the advice of a saint sent by God to warn you? Do you seek the scriptures or for the advice of those who consistently agree with your plan or choices? God's selection of Paul to serve Him gives all us with stubborn hearts a bit of HOPE! Fourteen books in the New Testament are attributed to Paul, though in some cases the authorship is disputed. Paul had often employed a scribe, only occasionally writing himself. The letters that were circulated within the Christian community was God's way of using those He chose, those He assigned with the gift of writing to be the scribes that wrote Paul's new zeal for God's way. Paul's influence on Christian thinking arguably has been more significant than any other New Testament author. God blesses us through the people He sends into our lives. Jesus perfects our faith in Him as we recognize His will in those He sends to speak the truth to us. As the Author of our soul, Jesus gives us insight into His ways, and He is Who gives true vision to those blinded by their passion and ways. (Gal 1:17). His preaching in the local synagogues got Paul into trouble, and he was forced to escape from Damascus, being let down over the wall in a basket (Acts 9:23). God is faithful to His word and as Paul was persecuted, he was blessed and protected as God's instrument of change. Three years after his conversion, Paul went to Jerusalem, where he met James, and stayed with Simon Peter for 15 days (Gal 1:13–24). Paul attempted to join the disciples and was accepted only after the intercessory prayer of Barnabas — the apostles were understandably afraid of Saul. Who has God sent as intercessory prayer warriors? Acts reports, that the followers of Jesus were first called "Christians" in the town of Antioch. This is a photo of the HOUSE OF ANANIAS where Paul preached. Paul’s first missionary journey begins in Acts 13 in Antioch. During this period the Christian church (community of believers in Jesus Christ) grew in prominence. The father's of our faith preached the gospel in homes, around the table. Do we need a church building fund, or do we need more lay people equipped by the Holy Spirit to speak the living Word of God with power in homes, in schools, in public places? IN ACTS 13:1 The Holy Spirit, spoke through one of the prophets ~ it identifies Barnabas and Saul, both appointed “for the work which I have called them to.” The group (the church) released the pair to spread the Gospel into the predominantly Gentile mission field. The significance of the Holy Spirit selecting Paul is in God's word “not through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father.” Barnabas grew up in Cyprus and along their journey from home to home, in the city of Paphos they met the false prophet Bar-Jesus, described by Luke as “full of deceit and all fraud”. The two rebuke the magician, causing him to go blind and, upon seeing this Saul is astonished at the teaching of the Lord. Once having left Cyprus, Saul exchanges his Hebrew name for the more appropriate Roman name of Paul for ministering to the Gentiles. It is also here that their helper John Mark departs from them - an act which later becomes a source of much tension between Paul and Barnabas and ultimately leading to their split in Acts 15:36-41. The two then set about strategically preaching to major cities as they make their way across Asia Minor. With no formal place to preach in they come across a man who has been crippled from birth. Seeing that the man has faith enough to be healed at Paul's instruction, he gets up and walks. Paul is hunted by disgruntled Jews from Antioch and he is stoned to the point where all thought Paul was dead. God's will and in His power, Paul amazes all and gets to his feet and flees to Derbe and preaches there. He then opts to return to the cities he visited to encourage disciples, establish churches and appoint elders. This emphasis on the role of the whole church is strengthened once at home in Antioch where he finally gathers together the unified church to report to them on all his experiences. Here he summarises the aim of his journey well, to “give God the honor and the glory” (Acts 15:4) Saul’s Conversion to Paul: "He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains. As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! Saul picked himself . up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. (the above painted in 1600's by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio of Saul's conversion) He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink. Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied. The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.” “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.” But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.” So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. Paul's life as a Jewish Rabbi was easy compared to his converted Christian life. Our New Year's Resolutions and our best intentions cannot change us. Only the Holy Spirit in us can make us more like Christ. TRUTH IS: God did NOT create heaven on earth. God gives us time on earth to build and strengthen our character for time with Him in heaven. It is the Holy Spirit's job to produce Christ like character in us, just as He did in the reluctance of Saul, and in the revival and transformation of Paul. Lord Jesus I ask that the Holy Spirit remove the scales from my eyes that I may see clearly as the Holy Spirit transforms me. AMEN

LET ME OUT

During this life we each have spent time in a dark place, in a pit of despair and we question "If there is a God, why am I suffering?" In our urban society there is a belief that God simply wants us all to be happy. Many have adopted the belief, their truth, that all religions lead to God. That each individual has the freedom to choose which way FEELS right, to them. --- In 2012 to BE politically correct, those who lack the wisdom of God TOLERATE everything --- The popular vote, the hearts of non-believers and many believers GO WITH THE FLOW in order to AVOID persecution in this world. We strive to win the approval of our family, our peers. The world's cunning MYTHICAL message is broadcast daily in the news. We seek to be LIKE a local HERO, a man made super star or fashion ~ all this idol worship leads us on a slippery path. It promotes the belief that we must accept that TRUTH is whatever is TRUE for each individual. "The JOY of the Lord is my strength, and in my weakness He is strong." Happiness is transient because it is based on fleeting events. The JOY of the Lord is eternal and consistent, regardless of circumstance. The goal of most people is "To just be happy" But God's perfect plan is to deliver us from the temporary and transport us into His eternal Love, Joy and Peace. The MYTH that WHATEVER makes us happy, makes God happy --- is to think that a human knows the mind of God. As long as we are satisfied with what we believe, we can then slide positively from one truth to another. Being righteously intolerant is to say "Hey, I like you, but your actions are offensive to God and to me." Let us put on the full armor of God and care more about what God sees and hears, than IF all people like us. A true friend shares light and salt. Many myths exist regarding our eternal fate. Today RELATIVITY = the absence of absolute truth. This generation is shown in song, on film daily that what is wrong is right, that whatever is down will on its own rebound, and that the perfect politician can fix the economy. Like Alice in Wonderland, the world is a confusing rabbit chase of glamor, glitz and fame. Some folks worship gold, dogs, trees, statues, Hollywood legends, fame, athletes, rock stars, or the freedom to be the most pleasing Snow White, Mommy, Daddy, Bachelor or out spoken Bachelorette. Today absolute TOLERANCE ---NOT Truth --- RULES! In the media, in the home, in politics, TOLERANCE is the worst sin of all. Any opposing ideas about: methods of parenting, same sex marriage, abortion, what is relative, what is true, Who God is, thoughts about the devil, or evil is absolutely INTOLERABLE to a holy God! A world wide web of lies exposes the wise and the innocent to instant data, facts, research, and oppostion to any position taken about any one thing. Images and words are directly aimed at our spiritual souls ~ to encourage us to TOLERATE all ways of the world and FLY freely about planet without a care or concern if our behavior offends a holy God. This world celebrates madness! The truth is WRITTEN: "Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." Hebrews 3:12-13 NKJV and God also warned: "And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief" Hebrews 3:18-19 IT IS WRITTEN: "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” John 4:24 NKJV ~ The Truth in the world is this: Lies, cheating, murdering, stealing, sexuality, and gossip is what spins the MADNESS into each script of most TELL A VISION shows. The world broadcasts boldly that "ANYTHING we DO or SAY is OKAY" Commercials are designed to change the mind so that we buy what we do not need and so we seek pleasure in dark places --- where whatever we do remains a sinful secret. God created us before the foundations of the world, He knows our hearts, He knows our thoughts, He knows our human weakness, and He gave us access to the truth, to His wisdom, to His perfect ways ~ and He gave us the freedom to choose Him above the ways of the world, the lost, the deceived, the deprived. God placed in each soul a yearning for truth, a need for divine love that never rejects and that is merciful. BE YE TRANSOFRMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND ~ IT IS WRITTEN: "While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only." Matthew 17:1-9 NKJV ~ Almighty God waits patiently for us to ask Jesus to reveal Himself. Ask God to give you eyes to see beyond the visible, and ears to hear His voice. Ask Jesus to come into your heart and give you new life. Receive the TRUTH of JESUS, the Son of God as your ETERNAL Father, the Lover of your soul and receive His unconditional love, joy, peace. Surrender your knowledge, the teaching of the world and be changed in a twinkling! Be satiated with His living water! The scales on your eyes will be lifted and you will understand that what happens in Vegas, does not stay in Vegas, but that the serpent of evil corrupts the mind against the simplicity in Christ. IF we choose to BOLDLY disagree, if we choose to broadcast the TRUTH that God does not approve of all ways to His throne, we are mocked as silly bible thumpers. ABSOULTE TRUTH does exist ---and God wrote to tell us repeatedly in the book of John "I tell you the truth". As Ambassadors of Christ, we are God's feet, hands and mouth. When we speak God's TRUTH, we are called lunatics and judged as INTOLERANT by those that love their life in this world. "The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." JOHN 12:25 "Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are NOT — to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." 1 Corin 1:1-31 - Let us LAUGH about our foolish past and rejoice in our NEW heart. Let us boast of what the Lord has spoken in our ear! IT IS WRITTEN: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man." John 5:24-27 NKJV