0:20 - Opening Prayer Time
Prayer to Go to Heaven vs. Transformation of Life
1:55 - If it’s not about a prayer to go to heaven what do you say to people? Do you say a prayer?
2:40 - Don't just make it about getting into heaven - Talk about dying to live - Saying a prayer is not wrong. The key is that you don’t want to imply that the only thing they are doing is getting into heaven.
3:15 - Question (cont.) - In short I don't know how to approach people when it's not a simple prayer that changes you. - Sinner’s prayer - Give understanding - We came up with the sinner's prayer about 100 yrs ago. It's not that it's a bad idea. And it's not that it's wrong to lead somebody in a prayer. It's that you give them understanding about what they are doing. You are responsible for giving them understanding on what they are doing. They’re not praying a prayer to get into heaven they are giving their life back to God. They are dying to the old and living to the new.
3:45 - Water baptism - We're dying to live - The reason there is less emphasis in the church on water baptism - and that you can pray this prayer and not even think about being water baptized is because we have taken out the part about dying to yourself, taking up your cross and following Jesus - Mt. 16:24. So you can pray a prayer to go to heaven and still have the same mentality, the same emotional make up, same perspectives, same mindsets, same issues and struggles. But at least I’m going to heaven now. That’s kind of what we’ve reduced it to.
4:15 - Show them who they were created to be - And how different they are from that right now - So your goal is not to just get them to pray that prayer. But to understand who they were created to be. I bring up selfishness; how easily we are hurt and offended; jealous and proud. And people are like, “Well, yeah.” And I get to explain that we were not created for that. That Jesus came and modeled a life that we were created to live. That He is the firstborn among many brethren and He said, “Follow me.” So when I look to Jesus I see my created value - my destiny wrapped up in His life lived. I find out who I was created to be in the first place. And all of this other stuff is who I became through the fall. It’s what the world taught me. So I put that away. I put that off. And I put on Him.
5:10 - It's about giving your life back - So don't struggle with talking to people. Don't feel like you can't get them to pray a prayer. Praying a prayer can be a strong contact point of faith for a person. But you’re not praying a prayer just to go to heaven. You’re giving your life back.
5:25 - Gospel message parallels water baptism - I like to do that whole thing in the process of water baptism. Down in the baptismal, people will often say, "I just want to die. I just want to give my life back."
5:35 - Water baptism in TN - 13 people drove home wet - no change of clothes. In America if you drive home wet, God is moving! - great change of heart for young man. Don't get your eyes on outward appearances. Because this young man didn't look like he was receiving - but seeds were going in. Just love people and preach the truth in love and let Holy Spirit do the work.
9:00 - It's about transformation of life - So our goal is not to get our name in a book to go to heaven. The goal is transformation of life. Born again. That's where we kind of took a bend in the road when we made it all about going to heaven. "Hey, if you die tonight and you don't know where you are going, just raise your hand and we will pray and fix that." And we pray and we confess Jesus as Lord. And that's all we do, give people the idea that, "Hey, I'm covered. I've got insurance. If this thing wraps up at least I've prayed this prayer." No, it’s transformation of life. It's putting off the old - putting on the new.
➡ 9:45 - Let me just show you that real quick but we are going to get into this somewhere down the road. It will be a little dangerous going here. I want you to see where I get this stuff. It's all through the Bible. In Col. 3 it talks about being raised with Christ and putting off the flesh. We are going to teach that out. I am going to wrap up Rom. 6 today.
➡ 10:35 - We have boldness to approach God - And that's where we are changed - Review - In Hebrews 10 we saw that we have boldness to enter the holiest place. Why? Because through one sacrifice we were perfected forever. I am made qualified to approach Him. Whose idea was that? His. So He must want me in His presence. So the days of guilt, condemnation, shame, self consciousness should be obliterated completely through this.
11:15 - Self-consciousness keeps you from going into that place of transformation. Self-consciousness is the flesh lie that keeps you from stepping into His presence to be made more like Him. And now you have some natural reason that justifies you from going into intimacy with the Lord with unveiled face. So you stay covered - afraid of the light. Are you kidding? You are created for the light. So jump in and shine.
12:00 - You’re explaining to people why Jesus came. - And people respond - This is in light of the earlier question. You're explaining to people why Jesus came and rose again. That’s what they did in the book of Acts and people would respond, “What must we do to be saved?” We've turned it into plowing to get people to pray our prayer. In Acts people would hear and see the gospel and they would respond. We've turned it into getting society to repeat our prayer. You can't find the sinner's prayer in the book of Acts.
13:00 - Philip and the eunuch - The eunuch inquired about the scripture. Philip preached Jesus - Philip must have preached transformation of life - putting off the old, putting on the new - because right away the eunuch wants to be baptized. Acts 8:36 In Christianity you can’t live until you die. There is a dying to live.
13:55 - Die to live - If we don't share that with people and show them that thing that we think is "living" - it's like the living dead - you live to yourself - but the way that seems right to a man produces death - Prov. 14:12. So we've got to get that (living death) off of people to get life to come. So we are putting off the old and putting on the new. We just saw that in Rom. 6. The old man is crucified. You are not teaching that if you are just praying a prayer to go to heaven.
14:20 - It's the gospel of the kingdom - We’re not just trying to get numbers so that Jesus can come back. We want the transformation of life and love to overtake the earth. It's the gospel of the kingdom that needs to be preached everywhere. The gospel of the kingdom - that means that His kingdom is come - that His will is being done - that you are created to be sons and daughters - that there is a restoration and renewal of life through Jesus - transformation of life. That's different than trying to get the world to pray a certain prayer and man if we can cover everybody with media and TV and missions then maybe God will blow the trumpet and Jesus will come. That sounds right. That's what we say. But there is no transformation of life most of the time - same frustrations, same anger, same unforgiveness, same bitterness, same insecurity, same identity crisis. That's not what I see here. I'm going to read it (Col. 3) to you...
The Kingdom of God
15:30 - Jesus said the kingdom of God is within you. What exactly is the kingdom of God? It's the gospel of the kingdom. It's the way God works - the way God functions and flows. It's life in God. The kingdom is within you. You are created and designed to manifest the kingdom. So if I am just waiting to go to heaven and that's all that I understand and know and nobody has taught me that I am a son, even though the kingdom is within you, you’ll manifest the fall of man - the wisdom of man - the same old fears, frustrations, mindsets, emotional patterns, yet you knew you needed Jesus as Savior.
16:40 - Born again to manifest something different - I'm not being proud but I didn't have that experience. Because in 1995 something changed. Now before that I would have told you that I was a Christian as long as I can remember back. I would have told you that I was a Christian. And I could have told you why - because Jesus died on the cross for the remission of my sins. I could have told you that. And I was a total utter mess. But when I got born again at age 33 and understood what I am teaching... I can’t even relate to fear, anxiety, worry. That's not my fault. It's not because I am a great believer. It’s because of what I see. If my eye is single my whole body is flooded with light - Mt. 6:22. There’s a whole lot more than praying a prayer to go to heaven.
18:20 - Believing that I can't change cuts off the grace that I need to change - How many of us even believe that there can be change? How many of us say, “The way we are is the way we are. But thank God He loves us. Thank God He considers us.” Then there is no faith to receive grace for change. You are going to see this in Colossians.
19:20 - The Spirit of God inside me - Participant's comment - I knew that there was more than what I was being taught. There's got to be more.
19:40 - That's the Spirit of God - the kingdom within. He's inside you and all that God is is encompassed in Holy Spirit. Some ask, "What's my gift?" What do you mean. The Spirit of God is in me. So all that He is is in me. So the capacity of the kingdom of God and all that He is is inside me. So, I’m growing in what that means.
20:15 - Participant's comment (cont.) - Grew up in denominational church and there was good teaching but "God, if there isn't anything else, I am finished." Baptism in Holy Spirit. - You were crying out your heart to God. It's amazing how God answers that and shows mercy. It's a heart cry.
20:45 - If the kingdom of God is within us, why is it so latent? (latent meaning - asleep - existing but not yet developed or manifest. Hidden.)
21:10 - God has made great provision for His kingship to be expressed on the earth - We need to UNDERSTAND our role and what's available - Because a lack of understanding. The Spirit of God is not here to control your life. He works with us. He flows with us. He works by faith. My people are destroyed by a lack of knowledge - Hosea 4:6. He says, awake and arise you who sleep - Eph. 5:14. There is understanding that has been put to sleep a long time ago - subtleties that have been interjected. I believe a lot of our teaching is laced with a strategy of deception - without willful intention on the part of teachers. You're just passing on what you've been taught. It's ignorance.
21:50 - We must RECEIVE that view, that provision, Him - All of this great power is inside of us. And this great identity. And the way God views us has never changed. But you have to RECEIVE that view to receive the blessing of that view. Until you realize you are precious to Him, you won’t walk in the fruit of that. But it’s still totally, completely true from His angle. So it’s either, unbelief, continued extreme self-consciousness, "yeah buts", trying to talk around truth because of circumstantial realities... The list why (you're not receiving) could be huge.
22:40 - Even when we haven't received yet - God is still the same - But here is the good news. God hasn't changed. Jesus died and rose again. And the Spirit of God is here. And truth is on the earth. God hasn't changed.
23:15 - Kingdom of God - Seek first the kingdom of God (Mt. 6:33) - the way God thinks, the way God works, the way God functions, the way it is in the realm of God. We’re seeking the mindset of God - the heart of God. And His righteousness - the way He looks at earth - His nature - His character. I’m seeking to know Him - that I may know Him. That's my journey. That's my goal as a Christian.
Colossians 3
23:45 - v.1 - If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. -
24:25 - Seek the things that are above - We often talk spiritual - confession, "Hey, Jesus loves me..." - but live through the eye of the flesh. That needs to be obliterated. To live by the flesh is death. To live by the spirit is life and peace - Rom. 8:6. The eye is the lamp of your body - Mt. 6:22. This scripture is not here to sound rosy. This is here for transformation. Jesus wrote this stuff by the Spirit.
25:15 - Positionally you were raised with Christ. Some people just grab ahold of a positional theology. "It's hell on the earth. But at least I know that I am seated with Christ in heavenly places." It's way more than positional if you read on...
25:45 - seek those things which are above - seek the way that heaven thinks.
26:00 - v.2 - Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. -
You are the steward of your mind - Set your mind - So there is your job. You are the steward to set your mind. Sounds like it could be a challenge. Sounds like there could be a challenge to have your mind other places. Why does he tell you to set your mind there? Because there may be temptation to have your mind in other places, other arenas, other mindsets.
26:30 - Driven by life - Things above and not on the things on earth - We can be driven by life and it’s happenings and people and what they are saying and not. If we don’t get a grip on thinking from above we won’t be able to process the things that are going on here correctly. Then we’re at the mercy of life - but living in the name of the Lord.
27:05 - I don't want that. I had that years ago. But for the last 16 years that's changed. I tell people that I am either the most whacked and deceived man on the planet or I'm free. It's one or the other. And I am banking on free. We'll find out one day.
Why are you going to "set your mind"? Here's the key. See we didn't just pray a prayer to go to heaven...
27:35 - v.3 - For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. -
You died - Why are you going to do that? Because you died to you and the way you thought and everything that encompassed you. The seed fell to the ground and died. You died so that you could spring up and bear much fruit. If a seed doesn’t die it abides alone - John 12:24. It’s just self-conscious, self-centered, self-preserving, self-serving and at the end of the seed's journey all it is is just the seed that was called to be much more. We died to this life - this way of life. We’re thinking from above.
28:35 - v.4 - When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. - You get mocked and judged. "You've got to face reality brother... Get out of denial... Everybody goes through..." You are not called to justify and prove and defend all of that. You just live and be free and manifest purity and you’ll be with Him. That's what it means to commit yourself to Him who judges righteously - 1 Peter 2:23.
29:15 - v.5 - Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: - Therefore - because all of this is true. Put to death…
29:30 - v.6,7 - For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. - He’s saying, That’s not you any more. You used to live in them. Now you might get tempted by them. Now when something like that passes through your mind, you call it for what it is.
30:00 - When you recognize a temptation you call it for what it is - You used to own me, but I belong to another now. You used to drive me but God I thank You that you've changed me from the inside and You have raised the level of integrity and the honor of who I see myself to be. And I am way beyond that now in my spirit and in my life. Father I thank You that You have delivered...
30:25 - Set your mind - That’s what it means to set your mind. You are not just letting things drift through and eat your lunch - own you, drive you.
30:50 - Believe that the word is written to you. When He’s talking, He is talking to me.
Putting Off the Old without Getting into Works
31:10 - v.8,9 - But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; - But now --> change has come. Put off the old man and his deeds.
31:30 - How do I put away all these things - put off the old - without me just biting my lip and getting into works and trying not to be angry?
Put off the old through communion - By releasing faith and receiving grace - It’s totally relational. It’s faith and grace. You start realizing that you weren’t created for any of that. The lie is finally exposed and you understand that you were not created for anger, wrath, filthy language... I was created for God’s image, for His glory, to be a son. And you finally see that...
32:40 - Put off the old - Father, I thank You, You have made me to love. I thank You that You didn't make me to be an angry man - a jealous man - a self-serving man. That's why I am surrendered God. I yield myself to You. I give myself to You. And I thank You that the days of anger driving me are over - Your Spirit working effectually in me giving me understanding, changing me from the inside out. Your grace is all over me God, to mold me and shape me for the way it was before Adam ate from the tree. I'm in, God. I don't reserve any rights - anything for myself. As best I know, I'm calling it all dead. And thank you for causing me to live...
33:20 - It's a supernatural change - You're praying that way, thinking that way, believing that way and you are surrendering rights in prayer. And when you walk into life you’ll be amazed at how those rights aren't there - how you used to react you don't react that way any more. You are changed.
33:40 - And here is the sweet thing - How did you get that way? And all of the sudden you can't take any credit. You can't say, "Because I have been really disciplined. I've been reading a lot and fasting, etc." No, you don't even realize the change because it's supernatural. It's spiritual. It's from the inside out. But I know one thing - you are willing - you are yes...
34:00 - I was not created for anger. Anger is unacceptable. Strife will no longer drive my life. Stress is over. God, I thank You that I have peace with You and You have invaded and overtaken my life because I have yielded like clay and You are pottering me and making me Your masterpiece. I thank You that I am a tree of righteousness. There is fruit hanging all over me. And when the thirsty need drink it's on my tree. When people need loved, come to me. When people need mercy and forgiveness, it's all over my life... I have prayed that way for years.
34:40 - So now the Spirit of God has faith to work with and agreement to work with. All of the sudden the Spirit of God rises up in you - not that He ever slumbers - and He is awake and alive. And all of the sudden you get thrown into a thing where you should be so angry and you don't even know how to be angry. Not because you are trying not to be angry because it's the Christian thing to do. No, the change is supernatural so God gets all the glory. [Example scenario of change]
Exalting Sin
36:20 - Why do we tend to focus on sin as opposed to righteousness?
By false humility we actually exalt sin - There could be a lot of answers to this question. One thing we do that we don't realize is - we honor the ability to sin - thinking that if we make ourselves humble it exalts God. That’s not God’s intention. God's intention is not that we humble ourselves by exalting our sinfulness.
37:35 - Pride resists - humility receives - Actually humility is the ability to receive. Pride resists. When you say yes to God's love that's humble. When you say yes to God's mercy that's humble. Receiving the grace of God is humility. Resisting the grace of God is pride. When you say yes to God’s love, that’s humble. When you think of your old life but He says that He loves you and doesn't even remember the old, if you receive His mercy, that's humble. When you say, "Who me? But you don't know where I've been... He could never forgive me," that's pride. When you resist you exalt your past over His nature. So pride resists. Humility receives.
38:20 - Some things have an appearance of humility and they are false humility because they resist the grace of God. Humility receives the grace of God. The Bible say, God gives grace to the humble - Jas. 4:6. So if someone is resisting grace that would make them proud. So the best thing that you can do is let Him love you.
39:00 - Participant comment regarding how do we put off the old but staying out of works. The work of God is to believe. God doesn't need our service, love. We just respond to His first love.
40:00 - If it's works then we are paying off a debt. But it's not debt. It's grace.
Lying
40:20 - v.9 - Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; -
Don't lie. Why? How do you put off the old man? The only way you put off the old man is communion with God and prayer. And coming out of the lie of who you were always taught you always have to be. That's another reason that sin is mentioned so much. Make sure that you don't use that sin doctrine as your excuse to remain in the flesh. Sometimes we come up with a doctrine to oblige our life instead of change our lives.
41:40 - Don't lie to one another - Don't live insincerely, deceitfully. Why do people lie? Self preservation, protection - you are covering something. If you die to yourself, you have nothing to hide. Let's live in truth. Why? Because we are now Christlike. 42:20 - Dishonesty is inconsistent with who He made us to be - We think that lying is human nature and it is human nature through the fall but it’s not what you were created for. What God is saying is that the way you lived before I came (into your life) isn't the way that I made you. The way you lived before I came is because of sin and being born into Adam and you must be born again. So you have a brand new nature, brand new way of thinking, brand new way of living, brand new motivation - now it's love. So why would we lie? Why would we live in deceit and dishonesty if we have put on Christ? Deceit has to do with the old man - part of the old nature. Watch what we are going to do then...
Putting on the New - Image of God
43:20 - v.10 - And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: - renewed in knowledge - This is what we haven't understood. The purpose in teaching this school is because it seems like we haven't understood this. So we want to get this knowledge out there. In all of your getting get understanding - Prov. 4:7. If we can get a revelation of this it will transform our lives.
43:40 - It will convict us in areas where we haven' received change. Things that were permissible but not edifying all the sudden get exposed and revealed for what they really are. Truth comes and makes you free. That's why you teach.
44:30 - You were created for His image - v.10 is where you make the connection that you were made for His image. - after the image of his creator - Let us make man in our image and in the likeness of God He made them - Gen 1:26. You look like your daddy. So when He sees us, He sees that destiny, that potential to manifest His nature, His character. So the Christian life is a restoration back to the image of God. So the new man is thinking through, living through, seeing through, who God is. And you realize that you have received every right to become that by His grace and power. And faith takes you there.
45:45 - Pride and humility - Participant comment regarding humility and pride. It's almost like we are taught the opposite. - Yes, like what I am preaching could be seen as presumptuous, arrogant, "Who do you think you are?" Well, I'm trying to tell you who I think I am. And it's not glory to me but glory to Him. It's His desire. "You need to not think of yourself more highly than you ought." That would be pretty hard because God, through Jesus Christ (His life, death, resurrection) is saying, "I love you. Your life lived is worth the blood of my Son."
47:10 - Yes, it's reversed. To speak the way that we are speaking is considered proud and to do the opposite is humble. It's twisted. [Twisted language]
47:30 - Formulating doctrine from experience with regard to healing - from the devil - defending our experiences. You can hardly preach healing because of the walls that have been put up.
48:40 - What is the image of God? The image of God is love. God’s nature - tender mercies - gentleness… We're going to read it right here...
➡ 48:55 - Love - We are going to hit becoming love. Hang on... because it is so challenging. It so exposes human flesh and motivation when you preach love. Love is the freest place you can live. The reason God is so free and amazing is because He is love. He's not having a bad day and His heart is not hard. And if you would look through human eyes, He has every reason to be a mess. He should probably change His mind about us. He should probably have some of us on probation - making us prove ourselves. But God doesn't think like a man thinks. God is love and He gives you every opportunity to shine. So why don't you shine.
50:15 - v.11 - Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. - no comparisons
50:25 - v.12 - Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; -
Elect of God - What are you? You are the elect of God. You're God’s choice - the best He’s got - and He’s good with that.
51:25 - Inaudible participant comments - Wait, I'm elect. If I believe that I pass the test. I'm humble. Grace is on me.
51:45 - Pride says, "Well, I don't know why He choose me?" The only reason you are saying that is because you are weighing your life based on past life lived - not potential, destiny, calling and identity through Christ. The only reason you would say that is because you are evaluating through the flesh instead of Christ in you and your potential. Guess what else you are...
52:30 - holy and beloved - that’s the way God sees you through Christ. You live what you think you are. That's why this identity thing is so huge. You give yourself to the value you possess. Your identity dictates the fruit that hangs on your tree.
53:20 - Addictive behaviors are almost always attached to shattered esteem - identity crisis - insecurity. Addictive behaviors, compulsive behaviors are because we have devalued our identity.
54:30 - You are the elect of God. So since this is true... You're not just elect so that you can wear it on a t-shirt. It's to enter you in to the transformation of life. It's to qualify you to receive His grace, His nature, His Spirit - to be transformed.
54:55 - Receive God's love - Become God's love to others - Elect of God - Does God love you just for the sake of loving you? Is the goal of the cross for you to say, "Father you love me," or for you to be restored back to that love (becoming that love)? We could stop right there and say, "Well, it's all about "God loves you. God loves you." Well, that's great. He does. That's paramount. That's why I'm camping so long on it. But you are going to find out in this week coming up that the whole reason that the love is so free to flow is so that you be transformed by that love and reproduced after it and made just like it.
55:25 - Or it's still just a self-serving thing. It's about being loved by God instead of becoming the love of God. If that's the way it is, you're just walking around on a little island all by yourself - God loves me - but you despise people, you are jealous etc. “Well, I don’t care what you think. God loves me.” That’s twisted. The whole reason for communion with God is for love to flow out to others. The whole reason that God's love is on the earth towards you is so that you become that love and love one another.
56:15 - Nobody is on an island alone with God. And even if you take a little vacation with Him, it's still all about you becoming love and manifesting that love in your life.
56:25 - Put on - Here again, if we put off through communion and union, then we put on through communion and union. So we put off the old. Now we are going to put on the new. You put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long suffering, bearing with one another...
57:30 - v.13 - Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. -
Receive forgiveness - Become forgiveness - You are already forgiven. So why don't you become forgiveness. Grace is given to humanity - why? - so that we can become the same thing - His image - the restoration back to His image - and manifest Christ to the world - Eph. 3:10 - and that God's intent - through the church make known His manifold wisdom to the powers that be.
58:25 - v.14 - And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
It's all about becoming love - Above all put on love - bond of perfection - perfect unity. Love is the fulfillment of the law. It does no harm to a neighbor. The goal of our instruction is love. 1 Tim 1:5 It’s all about becoming love not just about going to heaven. If you become love you are one with the eternal One and you are going to live forever.
59:45 - perfection - I am perfected in that day of judgement because I have boldness. Love is perfected in this that we have boldness in the day of judgement. 1 John 4:17 Boldness because... as He is so are we. We are one. So I have nothing to hide from and nothing to fear. When He comes, He will see Himself in me and two are already one. That's perfection. And who is He? God is love - the whole chapter 1 John 4.
100:15 - Participant comment - 1 John 4 - The one who loves his brother has been perfected.
100:25 - 1 John 2 says that if you love there is no cause for stumbling because of your brother - 1 John 2:10. That means that nobody has the authority, the power in love to stumble your heart - to offend you or cause you to take a step back. When we get on love, you guys are going to be stretched.
Opposition from Within?
101:00 - We are supposed to “put to death.” Where is all of this opposition in man? - Col. 3:5 We're dead and yet we have to mortify?
The gospel restores your innocence - We lost our innocence through sin. So when you hear the phrase "become like a child" (Mt. 18:3) that's the restoration of your innocence. So one goal of this gospel is restoring your innocence - to where your heart is pure - Titus 1:15 - and to the pure all things are pure and the pure in heart see God - Mt. 5:8.
102:00 - You're in a war - There's an enemy - But if you have to "set your mind on things above" (Col. 3:2) - there are still things that rise above the knowledge of God. There are "yeah buts," the flesh is involved, passing desires, memories of the past - some are demonic - some are memories - some are strategies of the enemy, interjected at the opportune moment to see if you are what you say you are.
102:15 - You are in a war - not with flesh and blood - Eph. 6:12. There is a deceiver who is whispering. He's a snake in the grass - who says, “Did God really say that?” And he twists what God says. And that kind of language is in the church a lot on certain topics - especially healing.
102:50 - Last year's school - Talking about healing - It felt like we couldn't hear. Cried.
103:05 - This stuff isn't just positional - where you confess it and that's it. There are thoughts that rise above the knowledge of God in your life. Some comes from your soul, lost innocence, the way that seems right to a man, some comes from demonic whisperings - "Did God say?..." It really doesn’t matter what the source is. If it's knowledge that rises above God, it's not God. So it doesn't even matter what the source is. Who cares technically where it is coming from. It's not God. It's not edifying. It's not wisdom. It's the way that seems right.
104:00 - I have to get to the place where I know what is (of) God and the lamp of the body is fine tuned and narrow to the truth and all of these other things are exposed through truth and light and removed. So I am setting my mind on things above.
Daily Devotions
104:25 - Reading the Bible - To know Him - That's why you have to build yourself up in the word. You read your Bible because you want to know and understand and know Him. You want to be in the light and in the know and you don't want anything to eat your lunch and sell you short not that Christ has come. So you are not reading your Bible because it's the Christian thing to do. "Welcome to the kingdom, make sure you attend a good church and read your Bible once a day and make sure you pray." We tell people that and turn them into a robot. Rather than tell them, "Enjoy getting to know Him. Just understand that when you read the word, this is your face to face encounter with God. You will see who He is here. And the more you see who He is the more you will know who you are. Man, you get excited and get in the word because every time you open it. Don't read it like a history book. Ask Holy Spirit to give you revelation and understanding and illuminate you and cause you to see the face of the living God." That's a little different than reading because you are a Christian and doing your daily devotions. "See I am devoted to you God. I'm keeping my mind on the things of God this morning so that I can live the rest of the day OK." I'm not against setting time apart but God needs to show up and make it life.
The Eye is the Lamp
106:30 - What do you mean by “single eye” (Mt. 6:22)? Being heaven minded - the mind of Christ - your identity lining up with what God says - Is that right?
See things as He sees them - And ONLY as He sees them - Looking through truth. Looking through the life of Jesus. Looking through love. Single eye - God’s not multiple choice. He’s not a wide view lens. In other words, He’s not “yeah but…”, "yeah, if...". He is THE way. It’s the way of love. Love doesn't take account of a suffered wrong. Why? Love doesn’t seek its own - 1 Cor. 13:5. So, If you don’t die to yourself in your Christianity, you will always seek your own. That’s where fear, frustration, discouragement, despair all come from.
107:15 - We don't believe that it's possible to be OK - We teach in a way to give permission to those things and say it’s normal and when somebody says they are not normal is in “denial”. That’s a lie. So we get to the place where you can’t just be OK. People say that if you know someone who is always doing good you need to get them alone, look them in the eyes and say, “Now tell me how you are really doing.” We don't believe that we can be OK. And if you don’t believe you can be OK, you will never manifest OK. The Bible tells me I am free. We sing about freedom and then believe that we can't be free.
108:30 - His grace is sufficient to transform you back to love - Don’t believe that you can’t be transformed and walk in the image of God. Grace is sufficient for you. What God calls you to, He empowers you to. But you have to believe it. Did He call you to become love? Is He willing to make you love if you are willing? Of course He is.
Put to Death the Old
109:00 - Going back to Col. 3:5 (see question at 101:00) - How do I reconcile the old desires that rises up from within and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit? Col 3:5 - Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: -
Put to death the old - Therefore put to death… or consider the members dead. So if they seem to have life, guess what you do... kill them. Don't say, "Why do I have to keep killing them if they are already dead?" Just kill them.
110:30 - Enjoy the ride - There is nothing wrong with you - Put to death the members of your flesh. In other words, you’re not going to live by the flesh but by the Spirit. And enjoy the ride because there's nothing wrong with you.
110:50 - Conviction is a great thing - Light to recognize it, kill it and so it will stay dead - When you see something in your heart that has a twist to the motivation, that's an exciting thing. That means that you are walking in the light. That means that things are being revealed.
111:05 - Some of them just leave and you never know it. They just leave in the process. Some of them God wants you to be aware of. He highlights it so that you aren't snared by it - so that it doesn't subtly sneak in. He wants to kill it for sure. So He shows you what it is and gives you understanding, so that it's not a snake in your life, and He crushes it. So you don't have a problem.
111:25 - Don't get negative because of challenges - Now if you aren't clear in your understanding and that happens you're like, "Oh God, I can't believe after all of this time I've still got this wicked stuff in my heart. I don't know if I will ever change." And then we go into that demeaning mindset language - "I wonder if I am even saved?" That's the whole strategy of the enemy. Satan’s strategy: get into your head and slowly repossess your heart.
112:15 - Set your mind - There will be challenges - We used to live that way. And there is a temptation to still reserve that right. But you "set your mind on things above." The fact that it says, "Set your mind" means that there is going to be a trial in areas of your life. That things are going to come back to test you and to try you. The devil himself is going to look for opportunity (Luke 4:13) and don't you be unaware of his devices - 2 Cor. 2:11. So you work out your salvation with a awe and reverence toward God (Phil. 2:12) and you manifest who He is because you can.
112:50 - Participant comment on Romans. The only command Paul gives before chapter 12 is "reckon." Chapter 12 talks about what the new life looks like but you have to go through chapter 6. Reckon yourself dead to sin...
➡ 113:25 - Recap of Romans - Recon yourself dead indeed to sin - Rom. 6:11. We pounded that yesterday. That was so life giving. Romans 6 - Reckon yourself dead indeed to sin. Romans 7 - The man still married to the law. Still trying to work out his own deal and not through Christ. Romans 8 - Tells you to live by the Spirit. And that you’re predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. And that if God didn’t spare His own Son, how much more will He freely give you everything it takes to be like His Son. And it keeps going and building... Romans 12 & 13 - Reveals the life of that finished work.
Transformed to His Image
114:15 - Is it possible that 2 Cor. 3:18 is a wedding ceremony where the veil that is over us is God saying that you are a chaste virgin? And where it is said who gives this woman? And where the father lifts the veil off and says it's time for the wedding night?
115:00 - You can see all of that that you want and rejoice. It's what you can see. 2 Corinthians 3:18 - But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. -
115:30 - We ought to just pass out mirrors.
115:40 - Looking in the mirror. I see you in there.
116:35 - Look in the mirror and see what He sees - We are being transformed. The first key is you, with an unveiled face, look in that mirror and see the potential of (looking like) God - the image of God - the created value of God. You look in the mirror and see that you are one with Him.
16:55 - You ARE being transformed into the SAME IMAGE from glory to glory.
117:10 - From glory to glory - Back to His image - God has delivered us God has always seen me for who I am. God has always called me to His highest best. God has always called me to His image. That's a place of glory. He created man to be His glory on the earth - Ps. 8:4-8, Heb 2:6-8. So from glory (the way we were created) and then Christ crucified and raised again, to glory (restoring us to His image - glory) and everything in between is swept aside.
118:10 - God never lost sight of who He made us to be. What God blessed is still blessed. God doesn't change His mind. He blessed us in creating us in His image. Man fell away. Man died. Man lost the image. But God moves all of that away and from glory to glory - through Christ we are restored back to what we always were in His sight. That's phenomenal.
118:35 - So you better with unveiled face behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord and go ahead and let Holy Spirit transform you into the same image just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
118:40 - 2 Corinthians 4 v.1-2 - Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. - Do you hear the purity in all of that? Why would we want anything else unless you are selfish? Why would you want anything less if you are surrendered and dead and alive unto to God.
120:10 - Participant's comment on "The way" - Roman highways built up so that the water runs off. They were really raised. So if you ran off the edge you really went off an edge. Is. 35.
121:10 - Transformation through the renewing of our minds - That's like being in the world but not of it. That's like being transformed by the renewing of our minds - Rom. 12:2. So our minds need a total conversion and that's where transformation is found.
121:20 - The mind is the battleground - That's the only battle there is. That's the only playground of the devil is to try to get into your head (mind) - into unrenewed areas, unsurrendered areas, misunderstood areas or just no understanding areas - and take advantage of what you don’t see.
Discipline from Love - Not Frustration
121:30 - How do you parent out of love and not frustration? How do you separate the anger out of discipline - that there are consequences for our actions?
Separating frustration from discipline goes back to becoming love - A lot of us face this challenge. We take what our kids do more personally than if someone else’s kid does the same thing. It all goes back to becoming love. Seeing the value of your child and the blessing of your child. And it’s this communion place we’ve been talking about. Frustrations - come out of taking their actions personally. Take that right (straight away) to prayer and you start putting that off.
122:50 - Putting off frustration with a child - Father, I thank You for the blessing of little Bobby. Father, I thank You that just the way You saw value in my life, even when I was way off track, You never came and slammed me. You weren't frustrated. In fact, the best You could do was love me and send Your Son and make a way for me. Thank You for making me that love - causing my eyes to see in little Bobby, what Your eyes see - and have always seen in me and in him. Lord, I don't want selfishness...
123:30 - There is conviction. Tears are awesome. Tears show that she cares. She's realizing that this isn't the way. There has to be a better way. But there are a lot of people who wouldn't bat an eye at being frustrated at their kids. They are expecting to be frustrated. "I would have been ticked too. I would have knocked him across the room."
124:00 - There has to be a better way - Father, what I am feeling is not Your heart. What I'm feeling makes me uncomfortable. Put Your heart in me. I want to see the value of them. I don't want to be selfish. I don't want to be personal ("take it personal") in this thing. And I don't want to touch them outside of love. You have never touched me outside of love. God, thank You for moving in my life so that I never touch outside of love. What You have done in me, I want to do in others. Reproduce Yourself. Have Your way...
124:40 - God brings change in the midst of communion - ...And God starts changing things. I don’t know how God does the changing, but if you will commune with Him like that, change will begin. And all the sudden you will just find yourself...(changed).
124:55 - Change happens as you become love - Praying for patience - People say, "Be careful if you are praying for patience, brother. God will give it to you. Don't pray for patience." What do mean pray for patience? Just become love. Love is patient. If you are praying for patience, you are saying I have a love deficit. Don't break up the attributes of love and try to become one or the other. Just become love and you’ll become very patient. Why? Because love doesn’t take account of a suffered wrong. Love is not seeking it’s own - 1 Cor. 13:5.
125:25 - Disciple a child for their sake - See their value - And when you discipline a child it becomes for their sake - you see their value - looking toward their long road good. They might not really understand it. But take the time to teach them that if they continue to live this way it is going to cause them great pain down the road. You try to teach that through disciple - through a reaping and sowing kind of mentality. If you discipline out of frustration it produces rebellion, willfulness, secrecy - creates a mess - because there is no grace on that. So you are not disciplining because they have ticked you off. You are doing it for their sake.
126:10 - Be real and ask Him to change the way you see - Come out of agreement with it - Call it what it is - So you are asking Holy Spirit to reveal their value, the beauty of disciple, the wisdom of it and the right heart in it. And most of all you can cry in your bedroom when nobody is looking and say, I know that I shouldn't feel this way right now. There is something I'm not seeing and I want to see it. You can pray that humble and real. Don't try to be so spiritual that you can't get alone with God and say, You know what, I've been struggling with this. This frustration feels like it is what is motivating me. It is so not your will. So you come out of agreement with it. You call it what it is and isn't. You realize that it's not your calling in life or your lot in life.
126:40 - Don’t label yourself as a person who struggles with frustration. It’s not who you are called to be. And Father, I thank you for teaching me and showing me... Right then Holy Spirit might put a verse in you... Or He might be there listening. But you walk out of the room in faith and you thank God that He is transforming your life - faith. You’ll be amazed how things start changing.
127:15 - Depend on Him for change - Not your own effort - You'll end up discouraged - You don’t bite your lip to be a better Christian. You’ll get discouraged because you can’t and you’ll feel like something is wrong with me. “I must not be sincere. If I didn’t get it by now I’ll never get it.” All of those thoughts come and they are degenerate and they are not true.
127:40 BREAK
Righteousness
128:00 - Romans 6 - In chapter 6 Paul is talking about how we are free from sin.
128:10 - Recap - hard to recap. You need to realize that it's one big letter. If you read in context you can get the intent and progression of thought.
➡ 129:05 - Communing through the word - We’re going to get into (the subject of) communion with God soon… Reading the word - There are times that I will read a verse or a paragraph and that's all I need to launch into communion. And other times I will read chapter after chapter. It just depends.
➡ 129:30 - Recap of Romans 6 - We found in Rom. 6 that we died to sin. And that we were buried with Him in baptism. I don't want to get into too much detail because of time. I want to get a little further in the chapter and try to wrap it up so that we can start next week fresh. (Next week you will see...) I want to get to the place where we see that our faces are unveiled - that we have boldness to enter the holy of holies - that we are holy, blameless and above reproach in His sight and we are going to continue in faith. And we are going to have access to Him. We’ll really talk about communing with God. That seemed to be a very impactful part of the school last year. Someone last year said, “I’ve always been told to have fellowship with the Lord but I’ve never know what it looks like.” That was the day when I woke up and He said to just forget that they are in the room and just love me, commune with me like you do.
➡ 131:20 - Recap (cont.) - Buried with Him through baptism - into death. We’re not going to continue in sin so that grace can abound. Why? Because we died to sin - to it’s identity, mark, stain, memory. Not created for sin - created for sonship. This chapter 6 reveals that Jesus did not just die because we are sinners. Jesus died to regain lost sons - it’s a restoring of sonship. He died not to expose (point out) your sin but to remove your sin. The lamb that takes away sin - John 1:29. Why? To get to your sonship - to qualify you as sons.
132:10 - v.4,5 - Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: - It's not just about dying but about living.
Strong Identity vs. Ministry to Feelings - Ministry Crazed
132:25 - v.6 - Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. - We’re supposed to know this. Don’t get bored. This stuff is so foundational. You want this to become so real to you. It’s who you are. So that you will never sell out cheap again. Like you can't buy me out - sell me short. My identity is secured through Him. I'm not my own. I’ve been bought with a price. You're not going to talk me into anything less. You're not going to get me to feel bad about myself or others. You see the best in people because of love. You get renewed in the spirit of your mind - Rom. 12:2.
133:15 - Flashbacks / Dreams - Old man is dead. Oh you can still remember things... You can get flashbacks and dreams you wish you didn't have. Don't get freaked out and think that the devil has some subconscious grip on you and start praying for deliverance.
133:35 - Praying after dream that you wish you didn't have - Father, I thank You, You've changed my life forever. I thank You there are no "former things" about me. There's just future - today and the future things to come. You have Your hand on me. God, I thank You You have delivered me from all things. You've washed me clean. You've made me free. You've made me whole.
133:50 - Let your dream send you to God - Don’t even let your dreams make you feel vulnerable. When you wake up enter into communion with God and declare truth. Thank God for freedom. And don’t be afraid. We take that stuff so personally - just the fact that we had a dream from the past.
134:10 - Ministry crazed - Ministry to feelings undermines strong identity - Christians who don't understand the gospel - will have a field day with that at the cost of your identity. It's a strategy (of the enemy). Misinformed, misunderstanding and all of the sudden it's a ministry thing, an oil thing, a deliverance thing, a casting the devil out of you thing... And it's like, "Did that dream bother you?" "Yes, it was horrible." "Good. It used to be your life and now it bothers you. Why don't you lift your hands and thank God that you are changed forever - that the devil no longer has access to you even in your sleep. He's just reminding you of your transformation. Rejoice and give God glory."
135:05 - We're not being taught that. "You have what? Oh my goodness, that sneaky devil. We need to pray this... and do that..." No you need to lift your hands and rejoice and cast everything that rises above the knowledge of God down and bring it into obedience according to Christ. Hold it captive - 2 Cor. 5:10. Agree it with Jesus.
135:25 - A lot of these avenues of ministry that we have come up with are at the cost of strong identity. They are actually suggesting issues. It's fear based. If you are constantly suggesting that we have issues, when are we ever free? When are you ever founded and firm and rooted in Christ? - Only if you are FEELing like it... God forbid. Enough on that.
Parenting
135:45 - v.6 - We have to RECEIVE what God provides - Not every child is willing to receive what a parent provides - body of sin - God has made a way for you to walk free from sin - it's guilt - it's memory. But YOU have to RECEIVE that and walk that out by faith. That’s why it says “might.” Not everybody accepts this gospel. Not everybody runs with joy into the arms of God.
136:20 - God is the best parent - But not every child runs to Him - God is the best parent there ever was and ever will be but not every child of His is running to His lap. He doesn't need a parenting program. He's not doing anything wrong.
136:30 - Sometimes when a child goes haywire, we think it's the parents and the parents think that it's them. "If I had done a better job..." - condemnation. God is the best parent that there ever will be and not everybody is running to His lap - not everybody wants His counsel. Sometimes if your heart is in an opposite place you are going to run from the most wisdom there ever will be. It’s not a reflection on the Father. It’s a lack of identity on the part of sons. It’s not just always the parent.
137:00 - We’re hard on fathers in this society and even the church. We're always talking about the fathers. It's not always the fathers. Sometimes you need to see that you are a son so that you can be fathered. Sometimes you need to see that you are a part of something so that you are not so willful.
137:25 - Mothers feel like they are failing as a parent if their kids aren’t doing well. There child may be little and throwing some tantrums and rage, etc. "What am I doing wrong?" You’re kid is going to need to be born again some day. Don’t freak out and take it personal and get condemned. Just keep shining Christ so that one day they say, “Mommy, I want to be just like you. What’s different about you mommy?" [Extended hypothetical scenario with child being born again]
139:05 - Do you see how powerful being born again is? So you are not getting them to pray a prayer to go to heaven. No, the child is convicted and convinced by your life. Now the kid knows that Christianity is not just getting up and going to church on Sunday mornings.
139:20 - Teaching kids religion - You can teach your kids religion by having strife in the home and then saying, "We need to get to church." You are teaching your kids that Christianity is going to church - not being transformed. Don't do that. And even if you have done that, it's not the end of the world. Never too late to change. Once you get understanding you can start now. God is a redeemer. He's bigger than the mistakes we've made.
140:00 - Model repentance before your children - Even your children need to see the humility of repentance and change. [Conversation scenario on change after repentance] You teach your child through your repentance that people can change - live with integrity and be sincere. God works with all of that and reveals His glory.
Love One Another
➡ 141:20 - Loving one another - Participant comment - Isn't that how we should handle each other too? Yes, we are going to cover love extensively and what it means to walk in love. Yes, we should love one another just like God loved us.
141:45 - If you are looking at others in a way that God has not looked at you then re-define your view. If I am putting expectations on you that God hasn't put on me then what am I doing?
142:20 - Your life can encourage others - And then what do we do to one another? We inspire one another in the way. We can actually a conviction and a helpmate with one another. We can all sharpen one another in a life lived in Christ. I'm to live in a way that encourages you. Let your love be sincere without hypocrisy. When we do that we grow really fast.
143:10 - Setting boundaries - Love is greater - There are Christian books on setting up boundaries so that your trust isn't broken and your heart isn't hurt by others - self-preservation - self-protection. And you say that God is your rock and defense. No, you are trying to protect yourself. That implies that you’re subject to attack and vulnerable to being plundered. No, He is my rock and defense. How? He’s changed the eye I live from - my view on life. You have no ability to hurt me. That's me trying to protect myself from your weakness, faults and failures. I thought love was greater than that. Does God have Himself hedged in? Does He protect Himself from you? So that His heart doesn't get broken? We do that because of past life, past experience. And we are not being renewed in the spirit of our mind.
Covering in Prayer
144:35 - What is our responsibility to cover our children? (Going back to your comment - There was a time when I kind of left them out there on their own. But I realized that I am their father...)
145:25 - Covering in marriage - Even in a marriage - if one spouse is not on board - don’t fall apart - don’t feel like you can’t walk in fullness and completeness - You have Christ. You have the Spirit of God. You don’t have some great deficit until they are on board. The believing spouse sanctifies the unbelieving spouse lest the children be unclean. Your righteousness blows away any unrighteousness under the roof and that even the children are protected as you are walking in sanctity and holiness and love. "Yeah, but he's into witchcraft." "Yeah, but you are into Christ!" Why do we make what people are doing wrong is greater than what Christ has done right in us? Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world - 1 John 4:4. What they are doing is not greater than who Christ is in me.
147:00 - Covering kids in prayer - My children are covered. So I would pray certain ways over my children - forgiving them - showing mercy - and, God, thank you for the right to train them up and teach them. As they got older I believed that they were more on their own - because they had to acquire their own faith and stuff like that. And I kind of let them come out from under my covering in some areas. And I saw some things happen that I don't think necessarily had to happen...
147:35 - There is a place for me to keep them before God - as a priest unto God - to believe for them - even if I know that they are living out of line with the way that I brought them up. Mercy can still step in there and they can be healed - fixed - restored. Because the goodness of God sobers them to come back. Rather than, "Well, you are going to have to learn the hard way. You are the one that chose that path. You are reaping what you've sown. I've told you that over here is the way. When you are ready, hey..." That's what we do.
148:15 - Mercy triumphs over judgement - James 2:13. Love covers a multitude of sin - 1 Peter 4:8. Overcome evil with good - Rom. 12:21. The goodness of God turns men's hearts - Rom. 2:4. We forget all of those scriptures when it's close to home.
148:30 - You are not limited even if your spouse is not on page - The synergy of a husband and wife believing together. Beauty of unity. Are you limited if your spouse is not believing? If you believe so. I have experienced things with my wife in prayer that I hadn't experienced before. That's why some say that you are limited. But I have total peace in my heart. I'm in the anointing. I know that I am loved. I'm walking in love. Whether she is saved or not, I am a lamb of Christ.
149:15 - The synergy of marital prayer - If who she is in Christ adds to who I am in Christ, of course there is a synergy there. Two becoming one - two souls, two wills, two emotions becoming one - it's a high place. It's the expression of God.
Marital Unity
149:30 - Adam & Eve - One at creation - The creation of Eve. Adam and Eve - God made them two from one. They were both made in God's image so there was nothing to make them not one. That's why it's not another lump of clay (when Eve was created.) They are in Him. Everything about them is Him. He reaches into what is already full of God and brings forth the woman. So the woman came out of the fullness of God in the man. And then together, the two become one.
150:30 - Participant comment - Job made sacrifices for his wife and children. God put a fence around the family because of Job's faithfulness. As the faithful person in the house you have to walk in that authority.
151:00 - Believing spouse sanctifies the unbelieving spouse - There is a place of love that is apart from fear. You can cover an unbelieving spouse. If you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven. If you let your heart get hard grace is hindered. You can take authority in your house even if you are a woman. But you need to see... Because you are in Christ. It's an authority shift. The believing spouse sanctifies the unbelieving spouse lest the children be unclean. So as you remain in faith and realize that you are unlimited and unhindered and it would sure be nice if they were on board. But you know what, it is the way it is right now and God you are amazing and thanks for loving us. And you don't miss a step.
151:50 - It's about love - Not about what you need - If it's all about, "When are they going to change?" Then it is all about yourself again. And you need them to be a certain way so that you are OK. That's not even love. That's not loving your spouse. It's actutally needing your spouse to be a certain way so you're OK.
152:15 - Love gets demeaned - Do you see how we demean this beautiful thing called love and bring it into human reasoning? And all of the sudden we have permission to write books to defend and protect ourselves and build boundaries because we were so hurt in ministry and we are never going to let that happen again?
152:25 - Ministry to feelings - Remove the foundations for being hurt - How about getting rid of the foundation for being hurt. What are we doing being hurt in ministry. Who are we ministering for the kingdom or for ourselves. If God’s not a basket case why are we? Probably because our motive is a little different. And we excuse it with spiritual language. It's religious deception.
153:00 - Intercessors - Intercessors give themselves permission to be hurt by everything and lose their joy of salvation because they are carrying this heavy burden that God never put on their shoulders.
Free from Sin - Not Perfection but Purity
153:30 - Romans 6 - v.7 - For he that is dead is freed from sin. -
You are free from sin - Live as a son - What is he? Freed from sin - So you are not still a sinner. That doesn't mean that you don't have the ability to miss the mark at times. But I don't talk about it that much because I am not giving permission for the flesh. And I don't want you even thinking, "Well, what? Are we perfect?" You are freed from sin. So he doesn't even want you asking that question. Just take on righteousness, enjoy being a son and live for God. Don’t think about sin. Don’t think about the devil. Be a son. And you'll be amazed what that looks like. It’s not ever about trying not to sin again. You are free from sin.
154:15 - Our war is not: trying not to sin - Just stay in Truth - So our war is not trying not to sin. Our war is actually embracing and staying with an unveiled face, looking in the mirror realizing that we are sons - we're daughters. That becomes your biggest battle. You are lovable. God is for you. He made you. You are the elect. You are His purpose. All of that kind of good stuff.
154:30 - Opposition - Life tries to steal that away and convince you otherwise. The devil is so afraid that you will see this. He's trying to tell you why it can't be true. Unfortunately we can have 10 strong truths in front of us and one whisper and we will grab the whisper.
155:00 - Die to self - If you don’t die to yourself it muddies things up. Selfishness is still there, your consciousness is still violated, wrong motives, manipulation. That get's muddy. I'm not talking about perfection, here, I'm talking about a pure heart. Dying, surrendering and getting alone with God.
155:20 - God I'm not living for myself. Right now there is a little frustration in my heart, in fact it feels like a lot of frustration. And I'm telling You, it is not Your will and It's not my created value and You didn't make me for this. And alone with You in this room with nobody looking, I'm getting real and it feels good be able to be in contact with my heart and say, listen, I don't want that in my life. I want to see through Your eyes. I want to love my children like You love me and the world. And I want to be the man of God that You made me to be. And here I am God. Frustration has no part in me. I will not accept it, tolerate it, make excuses for it, I am a man of God... That's how you pray. It's a giving of yourself. That's this wedding thing...
156:30 - The sacrament of communion can be like a wedding - All that is mine is Yours. And I see that all that is Yours is mine. So in return all that is mine is yours. Yes, I do. I receive You. And I give myself to You. The sacrament of communion can be like a wedding ceremony. By My stripes I promise that you are healed. And I will never leave you or forsake you. And the blood has spoken better things - you are in and never out. I will never reject you. I will bless you forever. It's all these covenant vows. I do. And Father, I give my life to You. And I vow... And your heart exchanges back. It's like a wedding.
157:10 - Communion like a wedding - Sacrament of communion at New Life for Girls - He doesn't want a girlfriend. He doesn't want to park in an alley and have an experience. "Oh my God preacher!" He wants a wife. He doesn't want a concubine that serves Him and brushes against Him now and then. He wants a queen and you're His queens! Exchange of rings. Exchange of vows. They were undone.
➡ 157:45 - You can take that truth and embrace it in your personal life. It can be your life. Why? Because we are freed from sin. If you don't get that out of the way you won't have the conscience and confidence to do what I am saying.
158:00 - v.8,9,10 - Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. -
➡ 158:20 - v.11 - Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. - This is a major, major verse. We hit it hard previously. I'm just breezing over it today.
See yourself as dead to sin and alive to God - RECKON, CONSIDER, SEE yourself dead to sin, alive to God in Christ. SEE yourself dead to sin.
158:40 - v.12 - Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. - not going to let sin reign -
Don't let sin continue to dominate - Kill it - Why? You are not created for it. You were created for God's image and God's glory. The more you believe that and focus there and pray there, the dimmer and fainter the drive of the flesh becomes - the more that you camp in this truth. Set your mind in this truth and it puts to death the dictates of the flesh.
159:15 - The flesh doesn't like dying - Sometimes they shout and scream it seems. Why? Because you've given them so much life. You have nurtured them yourself. You have actually fed them. And now all of the sudden you say, "I am changed." And they are saying, "Yeah, right." So you stay in this place of fellowship and you put to death... those things. Set your mind.
159:35 - v.13 - Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. - don’t present your members -
Don't even see your self as an instrument of sin - That doesn't just mean not to do the acts of sin. But don’t SEE yourself as an instrument of sin. Don’t label yourself as sin waiting to happen. Don't wake up conscious of your ability to sin. Don’t fear your ability to sin. Don't present YOURSELF as an instrument for unrighteousness.
Present Yourself to Him
200:15 - Give yourself to Him - But present yourselves to God. I'm yours. You love me. You receive me. I'm elect. I'm holy. I'm beloved. I'm blameless and above reproach. Present yourself as alive from the dead. Do you hear that that is prayer and communion?
200:30 - Present yourself alive - Father, I was dead but I'm alive now. Father, You've raised me from the dead. I'm alive and Your Spirit is in me. Your image is in me effectually. And You are stripping me of every weakness, every flaw, every false motive. The light in my life is delivering me from the power of darkness. I have been made free. Yay! You read something like this verse - and we are going to get into meditating in the word and communing this week - I remember meditating in Isaiah...
201:05 - Meditating in the word - I am a tree of righteousness the planting of the Lord - Is. 61:3 - I'm a tree of righteousness - the planting of the Lord. I'm a tree of righteousness and You planted me - You nutured me - You fertilized me - You raised me up. And the fruit of who You are is hanging all over me. I am ripe for the picking. There are people who need love and can come to me and eat and be satisfied. There are people who need mercy... I would get so flipped out about that. And I would go to work and see my coworkers just like God saw them.
201:45 - Mocking and scoffing at work. And I would realize that they just didn't understand. All of the sudden I couldn't get angry any more. I realized I wasn't insecure. It doesn't even matter what they say because of what I know.
202:25 - I was changed because I presented myself to Him - Why? Because every day I was presenting myself. I sought the Lord. It's not just a special to Dan only, sovereign touch from the Lord. I believed what He said about me. Unveiled, unreservedly, I have been alone with Him thanking Him that He made me this precious to Him. That's what I find that a lot of folks haven't done.
202:50 - Most people don't present themselves - They have just read their Bibles or sat under preaching and said, "Oh boy, I've got my work cut out for me now." And then they try to be a better Christian. And soon settle into a mode of whatever.
203:15 - Time alone with Him - Communing in nature - Going out into the woods to worship - tapes. In Montana.
204:00 - Mountaintop overlooking Helena - had impression that someone was right there - lady watching - directions - I thought it was angels. I felt impressed that if I came I would find out who God is. She cried. Got saved.
206:10 - Many people have been touched wrong by the message of the church. We have so misrepresented the message - turn or burn.
206:25 - I shared with her the love that sent Jesus - her value - her identity - everything I am preaching to you in this school. I watched Miracle-Gro pour into her spirit.
207:00 - If you are getting up and presenting yourself as something less than a son, you are probably not ready or even hearing that good stuff. You are still fighting a battle He already won - (war with sin).
Free from Sin
207:10 - v.14 - For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. - Sin has no dominion. Why? You are not under the law.
207:20 - If we stumble - There is grace for the sincere believer - Continuing righteousness - Even if you find yourself slipping up, messing up or backtracking in a moment of weakness or an expression of flesh, it's not the end of the world. Don't you curl up and die. Your heart is sincere and pure. You're not looking for a way to sin and get away with it. You have grace. Your heart has been changed and God can work with that.
207:45 - Willful sin - Now he addresses the people who are not sincere or will use this gospel as an advantage for the flesh...
208:00 - v.15 - What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. - Of course not. It's never again about sin. This is powerful. ➡ This is the rest of Chapter 6 that we didn't cover yesterday.
208:20 - v.16 - Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? - Do you not know? - It's a question. You are going to be someone’s slave. You are going to be tied to something here. And it's called your belief system.
208:45 - v.17 - But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. - You WERE a slave to sin. You obeyed from the HEART. That's the key. Unfortunately, in our day, this doctrine hasn’t been delivered to everyone.
209:20 - v.18 - Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. - HAVING BEEN set free - God seems pretty intent on telling us we are free. You became a slave of righteousness. I am chained and tied to righteousness to serve it the rest of my life - forever till the end of time. Jesus will be in position to be my redeemer, the lamb slain and I am a son forgiven for eternity. He will never change His mind. [Expanded scenario - He won't change His mind.]
210:30 - v.19,20 - I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. - Present members to righteousness leading to holiness. [Hand gestures - Present yourself upwards - righteousness - and that leads to outward manifestation - holiness.]
211:30 - v.21 - What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. - Fruit - Transformation - When you tell a testimony and people say, “I can’t even imagine that” that's the whole idea. It's transformation of life. I can't even imagine that." "Good, because that's the man that was and he died. And this is now the man that is a slave to serve righteousness." That transformation brings glory to God.
212:35 - Ashamed - At some point we realized, "Wow, that was so not God." That doesn't mean that we are living under shame now. It means that when we look back on those things there is no life there for us. But it's, "Thank goodness I am changed now - that I see it for what it is."
213:00 - v.22 - But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. - But NOW, HAVING BEEN set free from sin. So we are set free in v.7 and v.18 and v.22. I wonder if we are set free? Fruit to holiness.
213:55 - Slave - A lady came to me and said, "I don't like that word 'slave.' That feels like bondage to me." "Honey, you are missing the meaning. It means that you’ve been captured to think nothing else - there is no other option - it's the truth.
And it's end - everlasting life.
214:25 - v.23 - For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. - How many times did Paul just say that you are freed from sin.
Under the Law - Not Dual Natured
➡ 214:40 - Romans 7 - In Chapter 7 Paul is talking about the old man that was living under the law - Trying to achieve righteousness - In Romans 6 - You are free from sin. Now in Romans 7 he talks about man living under the law - the law has dominion as long as he lives - dying to the law - not being free until there is a death - your own ingenuity, own strength, own ability. The law was used in a holy and awesome way in that it tutors us to Christ - it identified sin. Before the law, I was free with regard to sin. But when the law came I realized that I had fallen short of the nature of God.
215:30 - v.6 - But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. - delivered from the law - old written code v. new life of the Spirit.
215:40 - v.7 - What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. - The law showed me my sin and my need for a Savior. It tutored me to Christ.
216:00 - v.8,9 - But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. - The key is ---> You receive grace through Jesus and you die to that which tutored you to Christ now that He came. He goes on to teach that the law can’t save you from sin.
v.10,11 - And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. -
216:30 - v.12 - Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. - The law is good because it is bringing things into the light. The law marked us for who we really were. Ten commandments - We were way short of the standard of God.
217:00 - v.13 - Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. - The law is not the problem. Sin is the problem. The law is exposing what is killing me. Then Paul goes on to describe the process by which the law is killing me.
217:35 - v.14 - Not dual natured - For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. - The Law is spiritual but I am carnal, sold under sin. Here in chapter 7, Paul is not talking about the man he wrote about in chapter 6. The man of ch. 6 is freed from sin. He’s not carnal and sold to sin. This is the man before this new revelation - the man living under the law.
218:00 - Paul breaks it down for them. The law is a good thing, but you don’t live by it anymore. You live by grace. But the law made sin exceedingly sinful. The law reveals that I was a carnal man, sold under sin - born into Adam. And I had a need to be born again. Paul is not talking all this righteousness and freedom - and John writing all these things so we do not sin - and then turning around and saying, “Look this is our dilemma - we still got sin living in us - we’ll always be carnal and we are always going to sin.” That couldn't be farther from what he is saying.
➡ 218:30 - v.15,16 - For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. - We’ve all been through that in the process of repentance and getting saved. Our consciences got real and we realize that there are a lot of things working in me that aren't God. And even the ones that I don't want, still come and I end up doing them. All of us have been through that at some level.
219:00 - But he’s not saying, that is who you are and who you will always be. He has just told you in 6 that you are free from sin. Present your members unto righteousness. He’s not turning around in hypocrisy saying that I’m carnal. No, he is spiritual. And he is free. He’s talking about under the law. He introduces the whole chapter talking about something has to die so that it lives. So you are dying to the old. So the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from this law that he’s now talking about. That’s is chapter 8. It’s progressive and all one big letter.
219:50 - Dual nature - An out of context interpretation - v.17 - Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. - Some people read this - It is no longer I who do it but sin which dwells within me - and say, “See, sin is still in us.” Out of context. If you read Romans 5,6,7,8 you couldn’t possibly misinterpret this.
220:25 - “Sin is still in us.” That’s blasphemous because he just finished telling us that I’m freed from it. You have to reduce it to - He didn’t really mean that - what he said in chapter 6. No, I’m free. He said it a bunch of times in chapter 6.
220:50 - So if you reckon yourself dead to sin, are you carnal sold under sin? No, you're reckoned dead to sin. He’s taken you out of that and into Him.
221:00 - v.18-20 - For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. - This is a man, the man Paul is talking about in ch. 7, sold under sin. People say, "I have the same dilemma as Paul - 'the evil I do not want is what I do.' I'm not perfect. Paul had the same dilema." And then we use grace as occasion for sin.
221:35 - v.21 - I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. - The law exposes that evil is present with me - I was born into Adam - I am sold under sin. I have a task master. I’m driven in life. I might have some things that I want to do right but life is driving me. I’m a captive, a puppet, a slave, in bondage.
222:10 - Muck and mire - We were like the children of Israel in Egypt but now we have been delivered - They were serving the will of another - to build another’s kingdom. A picture of bondage to sin. We’re created in God’s image, for God's glory - sold under sin - building another’s kingdom - unrighteousness - when we are called to a spiritual house stone upon stone - 1 Peter 2:5. So we come out of the land of bondage into the promised land. New master. He delivers us out of the muck and mire. I'm no longer making bricks for Pharaoh's monuments. In fact now I am empowered to tear those same monuments down.
223:10 - v.22 - For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: - delight in the law - God I thank you for the illumination that comes through the law. If not for that illumination I would walk right into destruction.
223:35 - v.23 - But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. - another law at war - the law of sin - Through the law I realize that I need help. I need a Savior. I am powerless to walk in the image of God - powerless to walk in love - powerless to fulfill the statutes of God.
224:00 - v.24 - O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? - Wretched man - This is what I realized at work in 1995 (born again experience). "You are so pitiful. Your life is so pitiful. You are so selfish. You are so full of hypocrisy. You hurt everybody you say that you love. You don't care about but yourself and you don't even like yourself. You want everybody to love you and you don't even like you." I remember bawling and saying that. "I'm so pitiful. 10x" It was a good day. "Oh wretched man that I am... Who is going to save me from this place? What hope is there for me?" I was no longer denying the wicked, twisted motive of my heart.
225:10 - v.25 - I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. - People stop reading at the end of the chapter (as if it was originally written that way) and say, “See, sin is still in me. I’m damned to serve it.” This is one big letter and they don’t go on to say...Therefore...
Life in the Spirit vs. the Flesh - Free from Sin
225:45 - Chapter 8 - In chapter 8 Paul talks about life in the Spirit
v.1 - There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. - Therefore - there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. Why? Because we don’t walk according to the flesh. So we don’t serve sin. We live by the Spirit.
225:55 - v.2 - For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. - has made me free - There I am. I am free again. So am I carnal - sold under sin or am I free? Free!
226:10 - v.3 - For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: - weakened by the flesh - our flesh. He cursed and crushed what was killing us and rendered it voiceless and powerless and remembers it no more - took it away.
226:35 - v.4 - That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. - So, I’m not in works. I’m no longer trying to live up to a standard. I already passed. I already have an A+. I’m already in, already His. So from the place of being His, I begin to live my life as a son. And God grows me up into Him in all things.
227:00 - v.5 - For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. - So if you set your mind on the things of the flesh, you will immediately bump into sin. But if you set your mind on the things of the Spirit and present your members unto righteousness for holiness - you’ll produce the fruit of righteousness.
227:15 - v.6 - For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. -
Carnally minded - If it weren’t possible for you to live carnally minded Paul wouldn't write this. You set your mind on things above. The devil would love to keep you carnally minded - even as a Christian who sees your need for a Savior - selling yourself cheap - even though the kingdom is here.
228:00 - v.7 - Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. - If you couldn't walk carnally minded, why would Paul address it? Jesus says that you are either for me or against me - Mt. 12:30.You can see your need for a Savior and still have a mindset that is moved by things that are against Him and His kingdom. You can be a member of the body of Christ and have a lack understanding and actually live as if you're against Him even thought you are crying out to Him. It’s a lack of understanding. That doesn't make you evil or wicked, you just don’t understand.
228:35 - v.8 - So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. - Without faith it's impossible to please God - Heb. 11:6. So if you don’t see by faith what God has accomplished through Christ you will remain in the flesh. So even though you will sing the right songs and be in the right atmosphere, you won't believe the right things and manifest the fruit of His finished work.
229:05 - v.9,10,11 - You are not in the flesh - But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. - But you are not in the flesh. He's saying, "If anybody is even thinking that you are in the flesh, you're not!" Will quicken your mortal bodies - One day we'll have bodies that were never touched by sin - no memory of sin - sin is crushed - brand new, incorruptible, immortal body.
230:00 - v.12,13 - Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. -
You are not damned to sin - Allow God's provision of grace to have it's full effect by living in faith - Amplifying what he is saying again. You are not damned to the flesh. It's not your lot in life to be bound to the flesh. Righteous consciousness - a righteous identity - a sonship identity - presenting my members unto God for holiness. As you live in righteous identity - a son - sin and it’s voice die. You put to death the deeds of the flesh by standing as a son.
231:10 - Righteousness / freedom from sin is really important. We've spent a lot of time covering it. Looked at many scriptures.
231:15 - Objections to freedom from sin - No faith, no grace - These scriptures are all over but some still say, “ Yeah but brother we're always going to miss the mark." Don't let that stuff come out of your mouth. "Yeah but brother, you have to face reality, we are always going to sin.” Language of hell to rob you of the fruit of what this is declaring. By having no faith you limit the grace, the ability of God to transform your life. When you talk and think like that you are stopping the grace that is here. What does it mean to RECEIVE the abundance of grace - Rom. 5:17? To open yourself up to what’s possible through the finished work of Christ. And don’t limit God based on your experience. But let God be God by you yielding and letting Him have His way.
32:10 - Yield yourself to the Master Potter to be crafted into what He sees for you - Potter & Clay - So, you’re the clay. He is the potter. The only thing the clay can do is yield to the Potter’s masterful hand. The Potter is the One who has the image, has the skill, the vision, the talent. The clay just yields to the expertise of the potter.
232:50 - There is clay that is not ready to yield. “Yeah but…” It's dry, brittle. He will wet it down and get it to the place where He can finally mold it.
233:10 - v.14,15 - Free from fear - For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. - Fear - That means that you can live free from fear. The Bible says that, not me. Cry out - So as you by faith start crying out, “You are my daddy.” Holy Spirit goes, “Yeah, yeah, yeah...”
234:00 - v.16,17 - The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. - heirs - no limit. What are we lacking from His end? Absolutely nothing. Fear not little flock. It is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom - Luke 12:32.
234:35 - Suffering is an opportunity for us to manifest - So, why did he have to stick suffering in there? Because you are in the world but not of it - John 17:16. And adversity comes. You are called to shine in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. There are things going against the grain of truth every day of your life. And you are called to shine in the midst of all of that twistedness. Suffering situations give you the great privilege to manifest this great truth and shine as a son so the world can see and know. Or else it’s just all about you - how you feel and don't feel and you reveal that you're not walking in this place and it's still all about you. And you succumb to what you call suffering.
235:15 - Trials of suffering from the enemy - That's the big one right there (suffering). That's the one that the devil plays with all of the time. Because the devil doesn’t believe you love God but that you need God. He believes every man loves his own life more than he loves God. He just needs God and incorporates God into his situations for help. That's in the book of Job...
236:10 - Devil in the book of Job. "Nobody love you God. They need you. They look like me." [Extended discussion] Don't you make him right about you. In a lot of cases he is right.
237:00 - Gospel recap - The just shall live by faith. And you repent and you give your life to Jesus. You deny yourself and you pick up your cross. Everything that we got through the fall was inherited by default - sin and deception. So all that Jesus is asking you to give back is what you never were in the first place.
237:30 - Participant comment on Rom. 6 and Enoch - Gen. 5:24 - He didn't even have a covenant. How much more should we be able to walk with God - even like Enoch.
➡ 239:10 - We are going to get on to meditating in the word, communing, walking in love.
239:00 - Closing prayer - Your way is right and righteous and You are illuminating my eyes. You have changed my life and You are making me just like You. I want to be found in your image. And I thank you that I am not lacking any good thing. I'm not fault finding. I'm not nit picking with my life. I am rejoicing in the truth that has come. I am a child of God and you're working in me for your good pleasure. And you are making all things brand new. Thank You for your faithful love in Jesus' name. Amen.