PLAYING ENOUGH?

Last summer in Savannah, GA I saw this tire swing with moss on it. The adage 'a rolling stone gathers no moss' reveals that only something neglected grows moss on it. Somebody quit playing on that swing.

I once heard John Arnot say that while being powerfully touched during the outpouring of the Spirit in the late 1980's-early 1990's he realized that God is playful. I have found the same to be true. He really loves to have fun. Even Jesus was anointed with the oil of gladness above His brethren (Hebrews 1:9), and actually endured the cross, despising the shame for the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus once said, 'whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it' (Mark 10:15). Childlike playfulness is a prerequisite for accessing the Kingdom!

Being playful is an attribute of many very successful people. Notice the following quote by B.C. Forbes, founder of the major business journal Forbes Magazine:

“Many of the most successful men I have known have never grown up. They have retained bubbling-over boyishness. They have relished wit. They have indulged humor. They have not allowed “dignity” to depress them into moroseness. Youthfulness of spirit is the twin brother of optimism, and optimism is the stuff of which American business success is fashioned. Resist growing up!”

According to the Bible joy is strength. Without it we will not persevere in the difficulties of spiritual things and the problems of life.

Do you play enough?

SEATED IN THE HEAVENS...How's your seat?

Dimitri from Switzerland asked me this question:

"My name is Dimitri, I'm 24 years old, recently moved to Switzerland, and I'm studying the phrase "seated in heavenly places" for quite a time now. Can you tell me more about your insights and experiences? I read your blog and you just mentioned it shortly."

My brief response:

Paul reports in Ephesians 2:4-6 that we were instantly seated in the heavenly places when we were given new life, born again, or saved (depending on your phraseology).

"But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,"

Being seated in the heavens is not a state we come to because we 'matured' into it but were born into it. That means every believer has access to the heavenly realm, the realm of power, blessing, benefit, etc. But functioning from that place of access is something you must learn how to do, which is an aspect of living by faith. Healing, power, miracles, provision, prophetic words, all of those kinds of things come from that heavenly place. (For example, when Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes, where did the additional food come from? Heaven!)

Being born again, which means 'born from above or born from heaven', does not mean one instantly and successfully draws from that realm, but that one is eligible to do so. One must press into it, or become actively engaged in the realm of the heavens to experience it and draw from it. In Matthew 11:11-12 Jesus addressed this concept when he said the violent or the strong and forceful ones seize the kingdom by force:

"Assuredly, I am saying to you, There has not arisen among those born of women a greater one than John the Baptizer. However, the person of most humble station in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Indeed, from the days of John the Baptizer until this moment, the kingdom of heaven is being taken by storm, and the strong and forceful ones claim it for themselves eagerly, for all the prophets and the law prophesied until John." (Wuest Translation)

A key understanding about functioning out of the kingdom of heaven or kingdom of God is that we must energetically lay hold of this realm that we have been given access to. One mistake many make is that since they have not been successful in living the supernatural life they assume they do not have access or that God has yet to do something necessary for them to do so. As a result many fall prey to common 'religous' snares such as legalism, and/or other perversions of our Christian faith in an attempt to move in power. Jesus gave this simple yet profound answer to this issue when asked how one continually does the works of God:

"Then they said to Him, What are we to do as a habit of life in order that we may continually be working the works of God? Answered Jesus and said to them, This is the work of God, that you continually be believing on Him whom that One sent off on a mission" (John 6:26, Wuest Translation).

You access the heavens by believing in Jesus, who He is, and particularly who He is in you. You believe, move in faith, and learn how to function in that wonderful realm.

Robin

EXITS

In Ezekiel 48 the prophet tells us about the city of God called "The Lord is There". He tells us that the city gates are named after the twelve sons of Jacob. He doesn't call the gates ENTRANCES, which is the perspective I normally have about gates. Instead he calls them EXITS. Have you ever wondered why? It's because Ezekiel has a heavenly perspective of life and GOD wants to get out of us.

He is inside every believer but many believers are yet to believe that the One they believe in is inside them. Unbelievable!

Many are crying 'Lord, come!' when the Lord is saying, 'He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water' (John 7:38). We are trying to get God inside us while He is inside us wanting us to let Him get out and help somebody, supernaturally.

Are you looking for a downpour or an outpour? I'm looking for the awakened church to have a corporate 'outpouring' of the Spirit of God. This difference of perspective and understanding determines your experience.

Are you looking up... or down? I recently wrote on my facebook site:

Things are looking down... When you are seated in heavenly places you are 'over' all your issues and problems and only then do you have an accurate view point!

Up or down? Which way are you looking? Remember. Your perspective will determine your experience.

GEORGE LIELE: FORGOTTEN PRINCE

The very first Biblical commandment containing a promise is "Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you." (Deut. 5:16). We should not only honor our natural parents but our spiritual ones as well. Do we not want it to go well with us in the land our God has given us? One spiritual father who has scarcely been remembered, never mind honored is George Liele, a slave who was so radically converted that his master set him free to preach the gospel. In December of 1777 Liele established not only the first Black Baptist church in Savannah, GA, but the first Baptist church there of any kind. It remains to this day and is named First African Baptist Church.
After the Revolutionary War Liele indentured himself to a British officer to avoid being re-enslaved by the family of his former owner. After paying off his debt he established a church in Jamiaca of over 500 slaves. He predated Adoniram Judson, called the father of American missions by thirty years, and William Carey, another pioneer missionary, by ten years. He is a true hero of the faith and needs to be recognized for his accomplishments.
George Liele was reported as having the same preaching anointing as did George Whitefield, one of the most remarkable evangelists in history and a primary force in turning the spritual tide in North America prior to the obtaining our independence from England. It is time to remember both of these men and pray that others like them will be anointed to trumpet this next great awakening so needed even now.

Tomorrow's Bread...Today.

How amazing that God gave us a model prayer,a form (not a formula) that we my fill in ourselves, providing us with a checklist of all the prayer essentials. It is found in Matthew 6 and is known as the Lord's prayer. I can't imagine God not answering the kind of prayer He showed us to pray, can you?

As I have looked through each part I have concluded that 'give us this day our daily bread' part doesn't seem to fit as well as all the other parts, each identifying major spiritual issues, like: Honoring and revering God -'hallowed by Your Name', laying hold of the heavenly realm -'Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven', the huge issue of the relationship of forgiving to being forgiven -'forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors', being kept from temptation beyond our endurance -'and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one', concluding with this overarching faith proclamation -'For Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever, Amen'. To me it almost sounds like in the middle of the prayer form we are saying, 'and by the way, while you are helping me with all of these major spiritual issues, don't forget my sandwich please'.

I discovered that Bible translators had difficulty accurately translating the phrase, 'give us this day our daily bread'. I feel like there was much more intended by those words of Jesus than a plea for each days food. (Imagine believing that the bounty of heaven could be our portion and then throwing in a plea for food.) Those words could have been translated, 'give us tomorrow's bread today'. What might that phrase mean. Here is what that means to me: 'provide today what we need for tomorrow, in advance'. It could be extrapolated to mean, 'reveal to us the future and provide us with what we need to be successful. In the early 1970's, as Roe v. Wade was being passed, successfully taking the lives of over 50 million children many of the popular Christian books were about being raptured out of the world to escape the looming great tribulation. Those influences helped cripple the church by robbing us of future generations. The escape mentality robbed the church of a solid hope for our future.

'Give us this day tomorrow's bread' speaks of the supernatural nature of being a christian. It lives in light of a bright future. Since we have a tomorrow, Lord, give us what we need to fulfill it today. If in fact we can have the reality of the kingdom of heaven manifest in our daily lives 'in earth as it is in heaven' then we can live today with tomorrows help. Anyone who knows more about tomorrow than society does in general is in a place of supernatural wisdom and insight and is in a place to succeed. Imagine knowing today the state of tomorrow's stock market. Imagine knowing and having today the healing, the wisdom, the provision that you will need for tomorrow. Much like Joseph who understood the future, made provision for it, laid hold today of tomorrows provision, we should be able to sustain, impower, and impact our generation for what is coming by receiving revelation from God for what is coming.

God wants to restore our hope, our future, our very inheritance. What has the enemy robbed you of? What has God given you today that speaks of your tomorrow? What are you asking for so that you can become all He has intended for you to become? Lets talk about it.

Parking Lot Tree

My recent Savanhah, GA minstry trip was a successful one. Many of those who attended were touched by the power and presence of the Lord. Some were healed, some returned to the Lord, and some repented and were restored of some specific personal issues. Those who attended did most of the 'hands on' ministry. The Friday evening meeting was one of the top ten meetings of my life. It was powerful. We are going back the first weekend in in November, 4-6, to the same place:St. Luke United Methodist Church, 9114 Whitefield Avenue, Savannah. Meetings begin at 7:30.

Now, about the tree. While I was there I saw this massive live oak tree, about 50+ feet tall, in the middle of a vast parking lot. It spoke to me something very important. Look at. Think about it. What does a live 100 year old oak tree in the middle of a parking lot, say to you?

HAVING SOMETHING YOU DON'T KNOW YOU HAVE

Can you have something good that you don't know you have? I believe you can. In Genesis 28 Jacob said, "God is in this place and I didn't know it!" I have heard people say, 'How could God be where you are and you not know it?' Well, God is everywhere at all times, but He doesn't always manifest Himself everywhere. Over the years I have realized that His manifestation is often related to our recognition and appreciation of Him. God inhabits praise (Ps. 22:3). We enter His gates with thanksgiving, His courts with praise (Ps. 100:4, 95:2). Our appreciation matters to Him and affects His actions toward us.

You can be seated in the heavens and not know it. Being seated there is the equivalent of 'being in the river', 'flowing in the Spirit', living a Holy Spirit empowered life, etc., etc. God is amazing. He seems to skip some of the steps we may impose on people. Paul writes...while we were yet sinners, or dead in trespasses and sins...He raised us up, made us sit in the heavens in Christ...(Eph. 2:5-6).

If you are a believer and yet don't know that you are presently seated in the heavens, than I prove my point. You have the best seat in the house! But, if you say you know that you are seated there, and yet are not moving in some aspect of the 9 power gifts of the Spirit, then you still don't experientially know it, or yet worse, you have a concept of the truth that has kept you from the reality. We can know the reality of a life empowered by God. Don't stop until you do.

Power of People

The prophet Ezekiel tells of a city where God lives named "The Lord Is There". It has twelve gates, each one named after one of the twelve sons of Israel, each who became a tribal leader. So basically the gates are named after people who lead other groups of people.

Recently I wondered why the gates of the city were named after people? Its because people let God in, or let God out, keep God in, or keep God out! You may find that hard to believe but even Jesus is shown knocking on the door of his own church in Revelation 3:20. God rarely forces Himself in, even into His own church!

Just as each of Jacob's sons had opportunities to relate to God in a unique way, so do you. Just as each of his sons had influence with other people, so do you. You can learn how to both receive and release the power of God wherever you go. The most vital portal heaven has into the earth is the human heart, your human heart. You are the 'gate of the Lord'. Think of this: You may be head of the next tribe so empowered by the Lord that you change the world.

How will you change your world? How do you actually let God out? What happens when you do?

What do you think?

In Ezekiel 48:30-35 the prophet tells of the city named "The Lord Is There". He reveals that each of the 12 city gates are named after one of the 12 sons of Jacob. He calls the gates 'exits'. I thought they should be called entrances. No description in the Bible is accidental. Meaning is attached to each one. Why do you think he did that?

A Crab Mentaility

When you boil a pot of crabs they all try to get out of the boiling pot. Who can blame them. What actually happens is that each one tries to pull the one closest to escaping back into the pot. There has to be a more successful way to conduct a jail break.

People sometimes act like those crabs. If they aren't excelling they criticize the ones who are! Having this attitude greatly inhibits our ability to succeed. Their is a solution. When we are truly thankful for the blessings and successes others have, then we often begin to experience their level of favor. For this reason our enemy wants us to be critical, narrow, even jealous of those who succeed. He knows it will inhibit our progress, and our ability to help others.

Cultures that honor one another develop a corporate 'excelleration' rate. Everyone begins to excell at an ever increasing acceleration rate. I have seen this in action...even experienced it myself. Rejoice with him who rejoices and you will enter into the reality of their joy. Try it. You'll like it. Its much better than being boiled alive!

WAKING UP

In one episode in the life of Jesus a synagogue ruler named Jairus convinced Jesus to come heal his only daughter dangerously close to death. I am sure it was rare that Jesus made house calls then, although He does it a lot now. The popularity of His ministry, the pressure of many pulling on Him certainly limited the possibilities of Jairus getting Him to come. But Jesus agreed to go.

While the young girl lay dangerously close to death a woman with a serious 12 year long issue of blood interrupted Jesus on the way. Can you imagine the pressure Jairus must have felt to get Jesus their in time to save her? The woman got healed...and Jairus' daughter died.

When Jesus got to her house He met those who were mourning her death. They told Jairus not to bother Jesus any further, but Jesus said a strange thing. He pronounced, 'She is not dead, but sleeping'. The professional wailers began laughing and Jesus put them all out of the room. Of note is that Jairus' name means 'he will awaken', but from this sleep he was completely ineffective. Jesus wasn't. He can even wake the dead, just like he did Lazarus.

Our generation is asleep, maybe even dead, but Jesus can awaken them all! We just need to get ahold of Him in the right way and once again He will 'visit our house'.

TIME TO TUNE IN

No matter where you are, radio and television signals are moving through the air. If you have a way to tune them in, you can pick up channels or stations that provide unlimited subjects; anything from news to entertainment to music to education ...on and on, ad infinitum . Your television your radio, or even your satellite dish, do not create the waves. They are there. Your tuner simply lays hold of what is available.

The realm of the kingdom of heaven is much like what I describe. We don't produce the power from on high. We don't bring it, or create it, or even deserve to benefit from that realm. God, in His mercy and goodness, has provided more for us then we will ever need. To receive from Him, we simply tune in.

Paul's revelation has yet to fully take root in the hearts of our generation: "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10). This means that we were created, actually the text reveals 'recreated' to do good works, good works which God has already prepared for us! Upon closer scrutiny those good works are not just things we do for one another that are nice, but are like the miraculous works Jesus did when He was living among men.

How amazing is that. Right now, no matter where you are, moving through the air in the realm of the Spirit of God, are wonders, miracles, healings, and untold marvelous things. Each believer has the capacity to tune in. Start tuning in. You will be amazed at what God has for you and those you care about.

TIME TO KICK THE ROOSTER

In the 1920's my dad grew up on a 300 acre farm in southwest Georgia that abutted a cypress swamp. Today you would still drive seven miles on a dirt road to get there. His dad was a country doctor and gentleman farmer. Like many in the rural south in the early 20th century crops, hogs, cows, horses, tobacco, chickens, well water, the smokehouse, sowing, reaping, rattlesnakes, all of the characteristics of the country life formed the core of their lives.

One of my father's most vivid childhood memories involved a rooster that loved to intimidate him. If dad came close to the chicken coop this aggressive sharply spurred rooster chased him back into the house. The day came when dad had enough. The next time the rooster charged him dad charged the rooster, kicking him for all he was worth with his hard toed brogan boots. That old rooster, literally kicked 'cockeyed', somersaulted backward over and over, ending that bird's barn yard dominance of my father.

This short narrative reveals an important spiritual principle. In order to prevail in this life we must face what comes after us and go after it. James, the Lord's brother said, "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). We must not turn our backs on that which Wisdom dictates we aggresively resist. For many of us its time to kick the rooster!

Have You Seen This?

In Ezekiel 45-47 the Lord and the prophet Ezekiel measure the temple together. Although Ezekiel measured every aspect of the temple he did not notice a river running from the throne out the front door. Then the Lord took Ezekiel through the river; ankle deep, knee deep, waist deep, and then water over his head -waters to swim in. So, Jesus and Ezekiel were wading and then swimming in the river of God.

As they were swimming, the Lord asked Ezekiel a very odd thing. He said, "Son of man, have you seen this?" (Ezekiel 47:6). Even though Ezekiel was wet from head to toe the Lord still asked him if he had seen what he was in. Why would the Lord ask the prophet this question?

I believe it is for this reason. Many in the church are waiting for the river to come to the church when the Lord is expecting the river to go out from the church. By this I don't mean the Lord is mad at the church because we aren't doing the right thing. The reality is that the church has not really understood and believed that the river of God is currently inside them. As the church awakens to this reality, the Spirit of God shall manifest Himself in some most amazing ways. Everything shall live that this river touches. Ladies and gentlemen, it's river time!

Joy and Freedom:Kingdom of Heaven in Manifestation

This is a photo of a good friend of mine, Bobby Hussey our Children's pastor here at MorningStar, Fort Mill, SC. He is one of the most consistently joyful guys I know. He was so happy as a child that his mother thought there may be something wrong with him, and so, once spanked him just to see if he would cry.

I once heard that joy is one of the infallible proofs of the presence of God. In the New Testament, when Philip preached Christ in Samaria the result of his Gospel was joy, "And there was great joy in that city" (Acts 8:8). In the Old Testatment Nehemiah identified the joy of the Lord as our strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

2 Corinthians 3:17 says "Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." Joy and freedom are like twins and are two powerful characteristics of the Kingdom of God in manifestation. Our Gospel must produce them, but much of what is proclaimed as gospel is not really good news. Until the gospel you have heard is 'too good to be true' I am concerned you have never really understood the gospel in its fulness.

I have never understood why so many folks were upset when laughter returned to the church. Some said it was unscriptural even when Psalm 126:2 says, "Then our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing." The phrase our mouth speaks of a corporate mouth...filled with laughter! I am convinced that a 'religious spirit' has intimidated many in the church out of enjoying both the joy and freedom that Christ Jesus died to give them. It was for the joy set before Him that He endured the cross despising the shame (Hebrews 12:2). We must not let anyone or anything keep us from living in, demonstrating, and promoting the freedom of the Spirit and the joy of the Lord.

The Slumbering Giant

Our Nation is not a post-Christian nation as some have reported. It is a pre-Christian one. We are presently in the very early stages of another Great American Spiritual Awakening that will once again re-shape the nation.

A George Barna poll concerning aspects of the current American church determined that 45% of Americans are "born again Christians based upon their beliefs (not based on their adoption of that phrase to describe themselves)." That means there are 136,000,000 American believers! He also established that as little as 13% of those people claim to have what he described as the Charismatic gifts which he identified as healing, tongues, tongues and interpretation, word of knowledge, miracles, and prophecy.

God has given us the gifts of the Holy Spirit as a significant part of the weapons of our spiritual warfare, nevertheless 87% of the American Church is ignorant of their value and/or how to use them. We are like a giant army, sleeping in battle, with a very small percentage of us fully armed.

The American Church is a slumbering giant. As she awakens to the life and power of God available to her, the nations shall be shaken as it never has before. It is time to wake her up! Why...I hear the sound of an holy alarm clock now! Do you?

The Ladder

A ladder is a vehicle of access that is in two places at the same time; where you are and where you want to be. Jacob saw just such a ladder that connected the earth to heaven and angels were going up and down it. 'Ascending and descending', the order of their activity is important -up to heaven to get us what we need, coming down to deliver it to those who believed.

In John 1:51 Jesus identified Himself to Nathanael as Jacob's ladder, the One who provides us with access to the heavenly realm. He also told Nathanael that 'you shall see heaven open'. When Jesus lives inside us we have an 'internal Jacob's Ladder', a vehicle of access enabling us to be two places at the same time, here on earth, and in the heavens, where we want to be. Heaven is open. Help yourselves to all that God has to offer! What do you think? Does that make sense?

Knowing Where You Stand

Jacob had a ladder, Peter had keys, Paul had a seat, the disciples had a prayer, and the church has a door. All of these describe the access we have to what God has provided for us in Christ. Paul spoke of our access this way: "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we now stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Romans 5:1-2). Many in the church do not yet know where they are standing.

When Jacob awoke at Bethel he said, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it" (Gen. 28:16). Many in the church are about to awaken to the same reality. God is in their place, the place where they are standing. He doesn't have to come, He is already there, waiting for each of us to access all He has for us by faith. As more and more folks do...well, some call that revival. Do you want one?

Heaven is Open

In Revelation 4:1 John, the apostle, saw a door that was standing open in heaven. He received an open invitation to 'come up here'! Many believers think they have what has been termed 'a brass heaven', meaning that something, or someone (the Devil or demons) has separated them from the presence of God, and the realm of the heavens is shut to them. They then set about to do something 'religious' to try to open the heavens. IT DOESN'T WORK. Most just give up, or make excuses for the lack of spiritual presence. Heaven's door is not closed. No one can close a door God opens (Revelation 3:8)! But, if you believe heaven's door is closed, then it is effectively closed...to you! I agree with the apostle John and Revelation 4:1... not those other folks. Heaven is open.

In Revelation 3:20 we find that there's a door that is closed. It is the door to the church and Jesus is knocking on it, wanting us to open it! Here is a powerful illustration of our (the church's) current relationship to heaven: It is like we are living in adjoining hotel rooms with Jesus. Those rooms have two doors between them, one in each room. In this case, His door is open (heaven's) and our door, the door of our understanding, is closed. He is knocking on ours so that divine realities can transpire. Jesus wants in. Wake up! Open your door.

Two Things

I am naming this blog 'Waking Up' because I am convinced of two things: Our nation needs another great spiritual awakening and we can have one because of what Jesus did for us many years ago. 'Religion' has made our faith much too complicated and difficult. We just need to wake up to Who He is and what He has done. Through Him we have access to the realm of the heavens; no barriers between us and Him, and no barriers between the inexhaustible realm of the heavens and the earth. If you are interested...stay tuned.