Become FRIENDS with GOD; HE is Already a FRIEND with YOU!

John 15:14-16 (The Message)

"I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father.  You didn't choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won't spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you.”

 

 

Today is the last day of 2011 and I just wanted to take a minute to thank God for his constant love for me.  For drawing me closer in everyway to take rest in him, knowing that He is my Daddy and I am His son.  For making relationship with Him possible; the way it was meant to be.  God wants relationship not religion with you today; grab hold of the Gospel of Grace and start living in the Grace Zone!

 

You have heard me say before that God made man for relationship and that he sent his son who was born, birth; life made new, lived among us, the lamb of God; Savior of the world, died, took on all death; sacrificed for us, paid the price in full, arose from the grave, claiming victory over death for us; so that we who believe can have life everlasting, and will soon return.

 

Glory to God, Thank you Jesus!

 

I will start today reading from 2 Corinthians 5:14-20

 

2 Corinthians 5:14-20 (The Message)

 

Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own.

Because of this decision we don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don't look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We're Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We're speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you.

God seeks to have relationship with you.  The world was created so we could live and breathe and have relationship with him.  To walk in the cool of the day, to fly with the eagles, to lie down in green pastures, to run and never grow weary, David’s psalm tells it this way.

 

Psalm 23 (The Message)

 

God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing. 

You have bedded me down in lush meadows, 

You find me quiet pools to drink from. 

True to your word, you let me catch my breath 

and send me in the right direction.
Even when the way goes through Death Valley,
I'm not afraid when you walk at my side. 

Your trusty shepherd's crook makes me feel secure. 

You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing. Your beauty and love chase after me 

every day of my life. I'm back home in the house of God for the rest of my life.

As 2011 comes to a close today and we embark on 2012 and all the New Year has for us God wants you to know that He seeks relationship with you. God wants you to grab hold of life the way He meant it to be since creation.  He wants you to know how much he loves you and cares for you and that he is there in every situation. Right now he is asking these questions;

  

Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message)

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

 

God sent his Son Jesus to proclaim you innocent, to be sacrificed for all your sin; past, present, and future, to rise in victory over death to give you life, believe in this and receive the gift of salvation given freely for you today.  Do you want this relationship that God seeks to have with you?  If so pray this prayer with me today…

 

Dear Daddy God, thank you for sending your Son to proclaim me innocent, Thank you for loving me so much. Thank you, Jesus for taking all my sin to the cross past, present, and future. Because of your sacrifice I am now a Son (or Daughter) of the most High God. My heart leaps full of Joy knowing that you have sent the Holy Spirit to guide and comfort me. Most of all thank you Jesus for giving me your gift of Peace, because of you Jesus I am free from death and will enjoy life eternal ! Amen

 

If you prayed that prayer today I want you to know that you are now living in what I call the “Grace Zone”.  All that God has is yours. 

 

Matthew 6:26 (AMP)

 

Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they? 

YES YOU ARE!

As you move forward in 2012, rest in knowing that God is there for you every step of the way.  You are now a New Creation, old things are past away, and all things are made new.  Let God’s peace and understanding fill your heart and soul, for there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

 

God Loves You!  You Are Blessed!

 

The Greatest Gift of All!

In all the hustle and bustle of the season, decorating, trimming the tree, shopping for that right gift, cooking up everyone’s favorite dish, cookies and candy, have you ever stopped to take the time to realize what the real gift is that was given?


Yes, we all know that Jesus is the reason for the season, but what does it all mean? Let's start in Isaiah 9 verse 6;


Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)


For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.


Unto us a Son is given. Not only is Jesus the reason for all seasons, He is the ultimate gift given because of God’s love and grace to make the world right again, to bring peace to a world full of chaos. Let’s turn to John 3:16;
John 3:16 (MSG)


This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.


I am sure you have all read the King James Version of this verse. As a child it was probably one of my first verses memorized and most certainly the one that I remember the most. The gift of His Son, so that no one need be destroyed; can you imagine after all the prophecies that the greatest gift of all would come into this world in such a simple way? To fulfill God’s plan to bring us back into right standing with Him so we could have true relationship with our creator.


Yes, Christmas is our way of celebrating the birth of Jesus, but what is Christmas if you are given a gift and never open it, or even worse you open it like what you see but never take it as your own. When God gave this present he had you on His mind. He wants you to not just receive the gift but open it and grab hold of all that it has to offer. Today is Christmas day and in Luke 2:11 we find;


Luke 2:11 (AMP)


For to you is born this day in the town of David a Savior, Who is Christ (the Messiah) the Lord!


The gift has been given, it has your name on it ready for you to tear into and enjoy everything it has for you. You might not even have a gift under the tree this morning but God has wrapped this one especially for you. He is reaching out to you wanting you to take it so He can fill your life with Joy! You might be the one with plenty of gifts, but God has one wrapped especially for you as well, He had you on His mind the whole time he was wrapping it, He is reaching out to you with the anticipation of you taking the gift and making it yours. God loves you!


Do you want God’s gift? All that is required is your belief in the Son of God given to Save you, proclaim you innocent, and put you back into right standing with the Father. The way it was meant to be. If you are pray this prayer with me today, right where you are:


Dear Daddy God, thank you for sending your Son to proclaim me innocent, Thank you for loving me so much that you gave the gift of your son. Thank you, Jesus, for taking all my sin to the cross past, present, and future. Because of your sacrifice I am now a Son (or Daughter) of the most High God. My heart leaps full of Joy knowing that you have sent the Holy Spirit to guide and comfort me. Most of all thank you Jesus for giving me your gift of Peace, because of you Jesus I am free from death and will enjoy life eternal! Amen

Praise God! Rejoice with the angels and take what is said here in Luke for your own.

Luke 2:13-14

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace (the emotion of having no debt or guilt), good will (to be of high reputation) toward men.



God loves you, and He gave so you can have a whole life, nothing broken, nothing missing. Celebrate all that God has for you, “The Greatest Gift of All!”


Merry Christmas,


God Loves You! You Are Blessed!

Jesus Defines Who I Am!

I was awakened this morning to the thought of a conversation that I had with my daughter before going to bed to where she was visiting a church today that her boyfriend was to sing.  Her question to me was what do I say if I am asked why I do not go to church regularly?  My first response was that church does not make the person and that because of Grace; Everyday is the “Lords” day.

I also have stated before that going to church makes you no more a Christian than a mouse eating cheese makes it cheese.  Now whether you like that analogy or not is just a simple way to look at what I am trying to say.  Now, do I believe in fellowship with other true believers? YES!, Do I believe in teaching and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ? YES! Does this have to be only one day a week? No! Does it have to be in a building made of stone? No!

I have used the following verse in Matthew more than once in my messages and I also use it as a curtain call when teaching the Grace message. It speaks volumes and more importantly Jesus speaks these words to you.

Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message)

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

It is Jesus that defines you not the church you go to or how often you meet.  You are the Temple in which the Holy Spirit dwells not the buildings made with human hands. In Corinthians it states it this way:

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (The Message)

You realize, don't you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? No one will get by with vandalizing God's temple, you can be sure of that. God's temple is sacred—and you, remember, are the temple.

I tell my daughter and I tell you now because of Jesus birth, life death/burial, resurrection and soon return you are a child of God not a servant and the Holy Spirit lives in you.  Rest in knowing that everyday you can spend time in God’s presence and that he is happy with you because of who Jesus is, not for what you do, especially going to church every time the church doors open to be a taught a mixture of the Law of Moses and the Grace of God!  It is because of Jesus you are righteous, not because you follow a ten step teaching of things you have to do to become righteous.   

In Romans you will find one of the most liberating passages ever and this is what it says;

Romans 8:1 (KJV)
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.

What this is saying is if you are being judged by those who mean well about your relationship with God and how you should be living it then they are still eating from the same tree of Good and Evil that Adam partook of, feeding on Death the Law of Moses written on Stones instead of Eating from the Tree of Life, Life being guided by the Holy Spirit who lives inside of you.  God does not condemn you, he sees you as his Son and Daughter because you believe in the finished work of Jesus!  

You are a New Creation!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (Amplified)

Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!

Are you ingrafted in Christ?  Or are you trying to hold on to the ministration of death and life with a mixture of trying to please God instead of just letting God be pleased with you?

The message translation says it this way;

2 Corinthians 5:16-20 (The Message)

Because of this decision we don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don't look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We're Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We're speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you.

I end with this, Don’t let people define who you are, Jesus is the ultimate definition of you are.  God wants "Relationship" not religion.

God loves You! You are Blessed!