tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62067049708742058022024-03-12T17:21:20.778-07:00HIS GOODNESS REVEALEDThe Grace of God is revealed in Jesus Christ!
A revelation that, in itself, is the power of God to salvation for all who believe.
A message that demands righteousness from you has no power at all, and leads to death.
The message that leads to abundant and eternal life, is one that emphasises the FREE GIFT of GOD's RIGHTEOUSNESS - and being established in it...BY FAITH!Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-11024914011691162372015-09-05T15:21:00.002-07:002015-09-05T15:21:49.015-07:00We will never truly be effective for others until we know how fully and freely effective He has been for usI enjoyed reading this:<br />
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Moses asked God to see His glory. This was God’s reply, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion” (Exodus 33:19).<br />
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And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth” (Exodus 34:6). The word merciful is the Hebrew word rachum, it means to be full of compassion. This is the first word that God used to describe His glory. It reveals much about God’s glory and character.<br />
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The word gracious in Exodus 34:6 means to show favor, mercy, kindness, and forgiveness; longsuffering means to be patient; goodness means to show loving kindness; truth means to be faithful and trustworthy. All of these characteristics are seen as characteristics of love in 1st Corinthians 13. They are also seen in the fruit of the Spirit mentioned in (Galatians 5:22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. The word fruit in Galatians 5:22 is singular, there is only one fruit of the Spirit, which is love. All the other traits mentioned are characteristics of love. Likewise, in Exodus 34:6 the first thing that God reveals about His character is that He is rachum-“full of compassion”. All of the other characteristics of Exodus 34:6 are contained in this compassionate love of God.<br />
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As Jesus moved with compassion the power and love of God was revealed.<br />
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We are called God’s vessels of compassion who were created to receive revelation of His glory. That He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy (compassion), which He had prepared beforehand for glory.<br />
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Jesus has given us the same glory, the same love, which the Father gave Him. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:22-24) The glory of God and the Father’s love is now within us because of the New Covenant.<br />
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The glory of God is the manifestation and revelation of His love, in so many ways.<br />
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<br />Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-33593375738051419232015-07-22T07:25:00.001-07:002015-07-22T07:26:42.743-07:00Are we bold enough to let go?<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">We should not confuse the pain that may be experienced as we transform on our Christian journey, with the agony of trying to please God through our efforts.</span><br />
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"Suffering to please God" is like banging your head against a wall repeatedly and wondering why it hurts - it's not an honorable pain, it's a foolish pain that can end...just stop banging your head!</span><br />
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Having said this, so many "christian sects" and religious vomit have latched onto the "light yoke" offered to us by Jesus Himself, and weighed it down, sadly. The repercussions is a degree of pain that might be felt during a good old gospel purge - freedom to flush out the vile.</span><br />
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Purging and refining is not purposed to hurt, but the pain of letting go of "doing something", and simply entering into a promise is what many battle with - many have deeply rooted pillars keeping them "stable", but sadly it's in the wrong foundation (legalism and the traditions of man), giving them a false sense of hope.</span><br />
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I like how someone once put it:</span><br />
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<i>"Pain" is the friction between the lies that we have embraced - that have become our prison - and the truth that is revealed to us in Jesus, by the Holy Spirit.</i></span><br />
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The gospel is a declaration of freedom!</span><br />
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Are we bold enough to let go? :-)</span><br />
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<i><br /></i>Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-52877637668304443632015-07-02T05:26:00.001-07:002015-07-02T05:26:31.705-07:00Your purpose is predestined for you, not commanded of you<i>"The obvious impossibility of carrying out such a moral program should make it plain that no one can sustain a relationship with God that way. The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God arranges for him. Doing things for God is the opposite of entering into what God does for you. Habakkuk had it right: “The person who believes God, is set right by God—and that’s the real life.” Rule-keeping does not naturally evolve into living by faith, but only perpetuates itself in more and more rule-keeping, a fact observed in Scripture: “The one who does these things [rule-keeping] continues to live by them.”</i><br />
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Let's TRUST, that the life that God "expects from us", He ACTUALLY HAS for us.<br />
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When Moses went up to have a chat with God on the mountain, those left waiting eventually occupied themselves with a gold calf, which, while I'm sure a difficult decision at first, became the accepted habit within the community.<br />
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How many personal and community based traditions and habits are we engaged in, that have become a distraction to our ACTUAL life in Him...distractions that we've convinced ourselves and each other, are good! (I would list many here, but I'll choose to postpone controversy)<br />
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Jesus said, "It is finished."<br />
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The "work" is done.<br />
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The purpose is DISCOVERY and GROWTH.<br />
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Discover who you are...and grow in the knowledge of it.<br />
There's no prescribed cost to follow God. Even persecution is a fragrant aroma in the revelation of freedom.<br />
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What offends God, is us believing that our actions and omissions offend God.<br />
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It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. It is impossible to feel the release from the law if we don't understand the gospel and our freedom in its finality.<br />
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The gospel is a constant call...Both TO God, and AWAY FROM ourselves.<br />
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Continue in the freedom of His love and grace.<br />
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<br />Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-42581265588649633532015-06-25T03:58:00.002-07:002015-06-25T03:58:40.056-07:00Persevere in Hope<div style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Hope is the only defense that will keep death from crushing you. Hope in an eternal glory - eternity passed; eternity future.<br />A new earth...you cannot comprehend!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">This life is no doubt an emotional introduction to eternal glory.<br />We hurt, we cry, we laugh, we overflow with joy...it's a glorious 'hell of a ride'.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">We meet some who make it worth the effort; we meet some who inspire regret.<br />Rest assured, The creator waits, with childlike ecstasy, to embrace His bride.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Some have crossed the line. They have left us with a burdened heart that beats heavily before our eyes close each night, but they smile. They smile. They smile. THEY SMILE.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">There is no more pain.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">New is being prepared...For you. Oh you have NO idea!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Whilst we are here, Love will ALWAYS create new and lasting memories.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Yesterday's memories may hurt like hell, love confirms it!<br />But today belongs to tomorrow's memories, don't spoil that.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Christ's love (encountered through our fellow man) is the GREATEST remedy for restoration, for hope lost.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Letting people in to the deepest parts, is the most vulnerable act of trust. It opens you up and exposes you. It is where the seed of love best grows.<br /><b>THIS IS FOR YOU, MY FRIEND.</b></span></div>
Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-12988132518487413132015-06-12T09:48:00.003-07:002015-06-12T09:49:21.047-07:00Love<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.9939994812012px; widows: auto;"> "Accountability leads to pretense not freedom as people posture for the acceptance of others. The life of the church is based on love, service and encouragement where people are free to be authentic, to ask the questions that are on their heart and to discover the transforming power of Jesus that actually frees us from sin by the work he does. Our concern for each other’s brokenness and our honesty with people caught in sin is best expressed in love, not by trying to hold others accountable" - The God Journey</span>Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-21827044698641446522015-05-29T02:24:00.002-07:002015-05-29T02:30:43.854-07:00LOVE does not punish :-) <div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: center;">
<i><b style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">There is no fear in love, but</span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 0.625em;"><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-30605A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30605A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not</span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 0.625em;"><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-30605B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30605B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">been perfected in love - </span><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;">1 John 4:18</span><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; line-height: 1.1;">(ESV)</span></span></b></i></div>
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<span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; display: inline; line-height: 1.1;">God is LOVE!</span></div>
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<span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; display: inline; line-height: 1.1;">His PERFECT LOVE is not withheld from ANYONE ("For God so loved the world...").</span></div>
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<span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; display: inline; line-height: 1.1;">But, whoever has FEAR prohibits <u>themselves</u> from fully understand or tasting the flavour of this love.</span></div>
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<span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; display: inline; line-height: 1.1;">Where does fear come from?</span><br />
<span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; display: inline; line-height: 1.1;">FEAR finds its roots in even the slightest anticipation of <u>PUNISHMENT</u>.</span><br />
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<span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; line-height: 1.1;"><b>Perfect love casts out fear - </b>the more we open ourselves up to the mindset that God is a "punisher", the less accurate our revelation will be of His love for us, and thus, the less accurate our revelation of the TRUE GOSPEL and the FINISHED works of Christ will be.</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; line-height: 1.1;">LOVE does not punish!</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; line-height: 1.1;">LOVE cherishes what it has and yearns intensely for what is doesn't!</span></span></span></div>
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Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-66522819242720733172015-05-12T23:28:00.000-07:002015-05-12T23:28:05.879-07:00The beautiful Wrath of God<strong><em>A good friend of mine has taken the time to put together an awesome thread of biblical evidence, that God is indeed (and in FACT) head-over-heals in LOVE with YOU!</em></strong><br />
<strong><em>Grab a cup of coffee, settle down, and slowly read through a mind-altering journey:</em></strong><br />
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The <b><u><i>traditional</i> </u></b>understanding of <i>The wrath of God</i> is a huge stumbling block to believers all around the world. Because, when you boil it down to its essence, it essentially means that God is going to judge sin ...... again! (which obviously creates doubt as to the finality of Jesus work: Was it really "finished?")<br /><br /><span style="color: cyan;"><b>So, what do we do?</b></span><b><span style="color: yellow;"><span style="color: cyan;">1)</span></span></b> Well, we could just avoid all the texts that seem to refer to another future judgement and coming wrath from God<br /><span style="color: yellow;"><b><span style="color: cyan;">2)</span></b> </span>We could make up some stuff about "truth being in tension".. So, we can tell people, "Yes! it is finished.... BUT, well... it also is not completely finished yet - and then revert back to response No.1<br /><b><span style="color: yellow;"><span style="color: cyan;">3)</span></span></b> We could just become more comfortable with having a schizophrenic god and make sure our gospel stays very "reformed". (You don't need to ask any real questions because your reformed theological suitcase was neatly packed for you over the last 400 hundreds so you never have to ruffle through it again.)<br /><b><span style="color: yellow;"><span style="color: cyan;">4)</span> </span></b>Lets start with who God is.<br /><br /> Scripture tells us that God loves the whole world (all people), and that nothing could ever separate mankind from His love - not even death!!(despite popular "christian" teaching)<br /> But even further to the idea of Gods unconditional love for man is the reason this is so..... Because God IS Love! (1John 4:8)<br /><br /> Just as it is the nature of birds to sing, and dogs to bark, so too is it the nature of God to Love. Its who He is. Everything that He does is love flavored. He can do nothing that does not have love as its motive!<br />
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So, looking at "wrath" in scripture, when we start with who God is instead of our inherited traditions, bad bible translations and myths about "hell", we will reach a far different conclusion than what is mostly understood about Gods wrath. We will in actual fact reach a conclusion that God is for us and not against us.<br /><br /><b><i><u>These days</u></i></b> if some Christians were asked to define or describe to what "wrath" is, they would probably say something like.... "It is fierce anger", or in a religious context, "Its how God will act towards sinners at the end of time when he displays his anger at them - ultimately expressed by allowing them to burn in a place called hell, forever and ever.... that's God expressing his wrath"<br /><br /> Well, that is what we have been led to believe about what wrath is by Tradition. However, what does the word that's been translated as "wrath" in our English bibles actually mean?<br /><br /> The Greek word used for Wrath is "<i>Orge</i>'" - it is defined as any expression of<span style="color: cyan;"> <b><u><span style="color: yellow;">intense emotion or Desire</span></u></b></span><br /> In fact this self same word, "Orge" (wrath) is where we get our English word, "Orgy" from as well as "Orgasm" - yes that's right!<br /> Continuing: The root of "Orge" is defined as "straining or reaching out in an intense or violent way for the object of one's desire. (In Gods case - thats mankind!!)<br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">(<span style="color: orange;"><b>side note:</b></span> Some brothers - including me - have historically misunderstood Gods wrath. They love to quote <b>John 3:36</b> "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for <u>God's wrath remains on them</u>." - I wrote specifically on this verse a few years back: click here to read: <a href="http://thesoundofreign.blogspot.com/2011/08/in-light-of-gospel-that-we-have-come-to.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #00e90e;">Gods Wrath on unbelievers</span></a>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br /><b><span style="color: yellow;">Q:</span></b> So, from the modern traditional view of Gods wrath, when will God "pour our his wrath"<br /><b><span style="color: yellow;">A:</span></b> (from a modern traditional stand-point) At the end of time - when there will be YET ANOTHER JUDGEMENT. God will then Judge the world again and pour out his wrath on sinners...<br /> (this common view is based on a very confusion view of the Revelation, which hopefully ill write about in a post soon)<br /><br /> Well, here's a thought. Scripture actually tells us what Gods "wrath" being poured out looks like, and that it also seems to be happening now - in this age as well:<br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: yellow;">Rom 1:16 </span></b> For I am not ashamed of the gospel <span style="color: lime;">(Good News)</span>: for it is the power of God unto <i>salvation</i> <span style="color: lime;">(<u>Understand </u><i>Sozo</i>: the <i>Zoe</i> life of God in and through you - NOT an 'in' or 'out' of heaven issue.)</span> to everyone that believeth <span style="color: lime;">(<i>Read,</i> "<u><i>Trusts</i></u> the Good News" )</span>; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: yellow;">Rom 1:17</span> </b> <span style="font-family: inherit;">For therein is <span style="color: lime;">*</span>revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="color: lime;">(the Good News *<u><b><i>uncovers</i></b></u> the reality of your position of R</span></span><span style="color: lime;">ight Standing with God. We can participate in that Freedom when we Believe/Trust that its true)</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: yellow;">Rom 1:18 </span></b> For <span style="color: lime;">(Therefore)</span> the wrath <span style="color: lime;">(intense Agape Love desire)</span> of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness; <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: lime;"><span style="line-height: 17.12px;">(His Desire is to see Man - the object of his affection - free from that which harms him. The goal of his wrath is to SEPARATE man from the things that prevent him from seeing who God truely is - His Lover.</span><span style="line-height: 17.12px;">)</span></span></div>
<br /><b><u><span style="color: yellow;"><span style="line-height: 17.12px;">What does His wrath look like? How is this outworked?</span> </span></u></b><br /><b><u><span style="color: yellow;">Paul continues:</span></u></b><br /><div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: yellow;"><b>Rom 1:24 </b></span> Because of this, <b>God <i>gave them up</i> </b><span style="color: lime;">(read: "entrusted" them to)</span> to impurity in the lusts of their hearts, their bodies to be dishonored among themselves,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="color: yellow;">Rom 1:26 </span></b> Because of this, <b>God <i>gave them up</i></b> </span><span style="color: lime; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;">(read: "entrusted" them to)</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">to dishonorable passions, for even their females changed the natural use to that contrary to nature.</span></div>
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<span style="color: lime; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Gods wrath, his intense love and desire for them, causes Him to "entrust them over" to encounter the </span><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;">consequences of sin and</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"> ultimately reach the conclusion on their own - that He is the True Love. The True Life.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;">In Fact, Jesus himself gives us this <b><u>exact same scenario</u></b> when He was explaining what </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;">God is like:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;">In <b>Luke 15</b> Jesus tells a parable of a son who wanted his inheritance early from his father. He didn't want to stay in His fathers house. </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;">So, what did his loving Father do? </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;">He gave him what he wanted... he entrusted him over to worldly riches and his selfish desires so that he would reach the end of himself and realize his Fathers Goodness.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;"><b><span style="color: yellow;">Q:</span></b> Did the Father's love and desire for his son diminish towards his son at any stage?<br /><b><span style="color: yellow;">A: </span></b>Nope, in fact the Fathers desire to have his son back with him <u>remained relentless</u> as evidenced by his continuous searching for him - "even while he was a long way off, his Father saw him" Luke15:20</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;">This is what Gods wrath does! It remains on those who do not <i>believe (</i>which is to Trust the Good news). His INTENSE Love for them (his </span><i style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;">wrath</i><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;">) will graciously allow them to reach the end of themselves, then when they turn around, there is - running towards them with arms wide open and kisses of unconditional forgiveness!</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;">How perverted has modern western churchianity made this beautiful parable that Jesus told?</span><br /><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;">To the unbeliever churchianity says, "Repent!! Come to the Father and then He will be Good to you" </span><span style="color: yellow; font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;"><b>(This is Crazy!! ... and NOT THE GOOD NEWS, this is religious crap!)</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;">Scripture tells us that it is His Goodness that comes <i>first </i>and then repentance:</span><br /><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;">"..<span style="color: lime;"><b>do you despise the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the GOODNESS of God leads you to repentance</b></span>"<br />(It certainly seems as if most modern believers today actually DO despise Gods goodness towards ALL men.....)</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;"><u><b><span style="color: yellow;">Continuing:</span></b></u> So Gods wrath - His intense Desire and love for mankind - will often allow unbelievers to reach the end of themselves. Remember, God is Love.....Love is patient, </span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Love is kind, ......does not dishonour others, is not</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><u style="font-size: 13.5pt;">self seeking,</u><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Love keeps</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><u style="font-size: 13.5pt;">no </u><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">record of wrongs. </span><br /><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">(In fact God has made an oath to remember mans sins no more - Isaiah 43:25, Hebrew 8:12, Hebrews 10:17)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="color: yellow; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;"><b><u>Gods wrath is LOVE flavored because God is love.</u></b></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;"><b>All instances in Scripture of seemingly future "wrath"and "judgement" MUST be seen through the lenses of the *FINISHED work of Jesus and the Nature of God.</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;"><br /><b><span style="color: orange;">There can be no future judgement that in anyway dishonors the judgement that Jesus endured.</span></b> </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">*On the Cross, w</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;">hen Jesus said "it is finished" he wasn't talking about the wine he was offered on the sponge!! </span><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;">He was talking about completing what he was sent to do. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;">He uses the word "Tetelestai" which means that nothing further can be added to the work. It is absolutely complete. As a master painter would stand back after painting a masterpiece and say, "It is finished". Not one additional brush stroke needs to be added. The work is perfect.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.26px;"><br /><span style="color: yellow; font-size: 18px;"><b><u>Now, with "Tetelestai" in mind: </u></b></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.26px;"><span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></span><span style="font-size: 18px;">1) Remember that just before Jesus went to the cross he said, "Now is the hour of the Judgement of the world..." </span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.26px;"><b><span style="color: lime; font-size: 18px;">Q: So, is there another judgement of the world to come? </span></b></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.26px;"><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: 18px;">A: No, the judgement of the world is </span><i style="font-size: 18px;">Tetelestai</i><span style="font-size: 18px;">)</span></span><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"> *</span> Of course this raises questions about "future Jugement"in Revelation. Once again, i will go through the book of Revelation soon, and point out how its all about Jesus and what was ALREADY accomplished through him.</span></b></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;">2) John, "Behold! the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" </span><br /><span style="color: lime; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;"><b>Q: Did the Lamb of God TAKE AWAY the sin OF THE WORLD? </b></span><br /><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;"><b>A: Yes.<br />Q: Is there still sin that separates Man from God? <br />A: NO! The worlds sin has been taken away. It is </b></span><b><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;">Tetelestai</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 19.26px;"> - "as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed or sin from us". - Ps 103:12)</span></b></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><b><span style="color: orange;">So, will God really pour out His <i>anger </i>on unbelievers (as commonly understood), or will he pursue the very last one because he sees the intense value in all his creation?</span></b><br /><br /> Lets continue:<br /> In <b><span style="color: yellow;">Luke 15</span></b>, while talking about the prodigal son, he also tells of a Shepard who had 100 sheep and one goes astray. He relentlessly tracks it down until he finds it and brings it back home. The parable ends with a party over the found sheep and Jesus says that in just the same way there is great joy over one sinner who "changes his mind!" (repents)<br /><b><span style="color: yellow;">Q:</span></b> What made the one stray sheep (sinner) change his mind (repent)?<br /><b><span style="color: yellow;">A:</span></b> The goodness of God.<br /> Scripture says, "<u><b>we <i>ALL</i> like sheep have gone astray</b></u>, each has turned to his own way..." <b><span style="color: yellow;">Isa 53:6</span></b><br /> and then that text in Isaiah carry's on to say that he will not count our sin against us....<br /><br /> Then immediately after this - same sitting - Jesus tells a parable of a lady who looses a valuable coin and how she <u>relentlessly searches for it until she finds it.</u> The point Jesus was making is that <u><i><span style="color: yellow;">this is what God is like!</span></i></u><br /> Then again he says there is much rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who changes his mind (repents).<br /> Again, here Jesus is comparing the lost coin to a <u>lost sinner</u>. And the owner searches and searches until it is found. <u>This is what God is like</u>.<br /> He has WRATH towards the lost sheep, lost coin, lost son. <br /> His Wrath is his Intense love and desire to see ALL the sheep in one flock, All the valuable coins together again, All the lost sons come home again. He is NOT angry at the lost object. He loves them and he Saves them!<br /><b style="color: yellow;">Q: </b>What causes them to be saved?<br /><span style="color: yellow;"><b>A:</b></span> The relentless Goodness of God<br /> In fact Jesus actually said that the very reason He came was to <b><u>seek and save (<i>sozo</i>) the lost!!</u></b><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><b>Q:</b> </span>Did Jesus accomplish all he came to do?<br /><span style="color: yellow;">A:</span> Yes. He even said, Father i have accomplished all you sent me to do (John17:4).<br /> So when he said "It is Finished", it really was finished.<br /> If he said that He came to <u>seek and save the lost</u>, then it is Finished/complete.<br /> If, like John said, he is the Lamb of God that takes away the <u>Sin OF THE World</u>, then, it is Finished!! <br /><br /> Is God counting sin against man still <i>OR</i> has Sin been removed as far as the east is from the west?<br /> <br /> So, is God's wrath to punish sinners OR is it to rescue them from the detrimental effects of living as a sinner so instead they can live in the freedom he always intended? <br /> If sin has been removed by God himself and he "remembers it no more", then having "wrath"(as wrongly interpreted) against unbelievers is the height of hippocracy. - LOL!!, unless you make up some stuff about truth being in tension....<br /> It IS finished.... already. <b><span style="color: yellow;">The Good News of this reality, when we trust (believe/have faith) it causes us to partake in His freedom.</span></b><br /><br /><span style="color: orange;">But Andrew!! People <u><i>have to make a decision</i> to follow God </u><b> (</b>who, by the way, scripture calls "The Great Shepard")</span><br /><span style="color: orange;">Well, that's not what Jesus himself explained as mentioned above. He said the Shepard (God) </span><span style="color: orange; text-decoration: underline;">went looking for the one who chose NOT to follow him (unbeliever).... and found it and brought it home to be with the rest of the followers.</span><br /><span style="color: cyan;">LOL - i can hear some already... Am i saying now that nobody need follow Jesus because he is just going to <i>save</i> everybody anyway? <br /><b>I am</b> saying that according to scripture some will choose Him <i>in this age</i> as they hear the GOOD NEWS and some wont hear the Good News <i>in this age </i>(Or perhaps they will hear but have too much baggage or indoctrinated minds about who God REALLY is and reject him out of ignorance). <br />The Great Shepard will bring in every last one! This we can be assured of.<br /><br />We don't need to try to force a decision out of them by fear-mongering. If people believe and "choose" to follow God out of fear of <i>torment</i> (bad interpretation of wrath) then its NOT the Gospel they have believed - and it is NOT freedom they are living in, it IS BONDAGE.<br />Friends, we MUST see that the Gospel message is one of LOVE, not Fear. There is NO fear in love.</span> <br /><br /> Paul quotes Isaiah 65:1 in Rom 10:20 when he says that Isaiah said BOLDLY about God, <b>"I will be found by those who were NOT looking for me and i will reveal myself to those who DID NOT ask for me"</b>.<br /> It seems to me that God loves people more than our modern western fickle "gospel"will allow for.<br /> We want "WRATH" (bad def.) and judgement on unbelievers and so we have developed - over time - a doctrine to make room for this.<br /> Meanwhile, God desires MERCY over Judgement.<br /> (Remember when the disciples wanted to call down fire on the unbelieving Samaritans.... and Jesus rebuked them saying they are of the wrong spirit?)</div>
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<b><u><span style="color: yellow;"><br /></span></u></b> <br /> So to conclude: Gods wrath upon people is a Good thing!! - It's His full commitment to see them free from the ravages of sin - and be fully who they were made to be. (God will continue to reveal the riches of his Grace to us through Christ Jesus in <u>ALL the AGES TO COME</u> (Eph 2).<br /> God will continue to have his wrath rest on unbelievers until they finally see who He really is, that God is LOVE. Trust/Faith works through LOVE.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: yellow;"><u><br /></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: yellow;"><u>We really need to toss the vile doctrine of Gods Wrath involving punishment and torment of unbelievers!!</u></span></b><br /><b><span style="color: yellow;"><u>Perfect love casts out all fear because fear has to do with torment - 1 john 4:18</u></span></b><br /><br /><br /><br /> Thanks for reading. It is for freedom that you have been set free, so do not go back under a yoke of slavery again. God is GOOD. God is LOVE. It IS Finished.<br /><br /><br /><br /><b><span style="color: red;"><u>PS:</u> I am fully aware that for some reading this, the playing field (or lenses through which you read this) may not be even and you may have hundreds of questions.<br />1) If you believe in the modern western traditional of "hell" where God throws people into fire for all eternity this blog post will make no sense to you.</span></b><br /><b><span style="color: red;">2) If you are unaware that the word "eternity" and "forever" are not actually in the original language of scripture, but rather the word "aeon" refers to an age - a space of time with a starting and ending point, then this post might not make any sense to you. <a href="http://thesoundofreign.blogspot.com/2012/04/to-infinity-and-beyond.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #00e90e;">read here</span></a></span></b><br /><b><span style="color: red;">3) If you believe that God only loves Christians, then this post might not make sense to you.</span></b><br /><b><span style="color: red;">4) If you believe that the book of Revelation is a future tense event and not the revelation of Jesus and what he accomplished, then this might not make sense to you</span></b></div>
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Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-88097564140773301752013-03-23T01:25:00.001-07:002013-03-23T01:25:24.648-07:00Relentlessly in love!<br />
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When the ray of God's grace pierces through the cracks of a religious system, the goodness and wide open spaces are enough to either offend the "successful" products of the religious system, or release them into a roller-coaster journey, in the pool of the ACTUAL fullness of His Glory.</div>
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Within the confines of GOOD, there is always an unknown when walking by the Spirit. That is the peace-filled excitement of being a FOLLOWER of Christ. Sadly, however, many want to LEAD HIM.</div>
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I have no doubt that the Spirit moves in many institutional churches. It's a pitty, though, that He is prohibited from moving any further than the pastor's office and the passionate band practice (those are truly glorious and supernaturally intoxicating moments, but I've seen and been in the wake of its destruction..."But wait! Holy Spirit, I will take the Glory from here and administer it in an orderly fashion when the meeting starts."</div>
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Bitterness?</div>
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Maybe 3 years ago, but my choice of adjective right now would be...relentless! Relentlessly in love with Him and His bride.</div>
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"He has put our lines in pleasant places".</div>
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Holy Spirit is a positive charge of abundant, reckless, exciting wind of transformation.</div>
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I have asked myself before, "Surely His grace must be a global phenomenon by now, within the church", but I look to my right and find a crowd of brothers and sisters splashing each other with the moisture of a puddle of mud, when within themselves is a crystal clear fountain of uncontrollable living waters.</div>
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I used to be selfishly aggressive and spiritually egotistic when trying to understand why other PEOPLE were not understanding things the way I was.</div>
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But now I find myself being painfully prodded by His love for His bride. The barrier between Christ and His bride was once impossible to break...so He came down and smashed it, once and for all. But now there are barriers he cannot tear down, because WE continuously put them up in our thinking.</div>
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It's not PEOPLE who need to be torn down, it is, among others, the religious spirit that needs to be exposed and torn down.</div>
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Make no mistake, it is this very spirit that martyred 11 of the apostles and killed Jesus Himself (amongst many others). It is a relentless spirit that has divided many families, broken many friendships and pulled many who tasted of God's goodness, back into a poverty-stricken mindset...slave mentality.</div>
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Sure, the scent of freedom may very well set those who have been trapped in the choke-hold of religion, running off to actually find where, in fact, those gracious boundary lines are. Surprisingly, they will still run into God's grace in that place, but the stench of sin will frustrate them and they will return.</div>
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What are we to do?</div>
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We are to love them, follow them, build them up in the faith and pick them up when they recognize the smell of "pig sty" on them:</div>
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"But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God's love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life!</div>
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Go easy on those who hesitate in the faith. Go after those who take the wrong way. Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin. The sin itself stinks to high heaven." (Jude <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://0" x-apple-data-detectors-result="0" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors="true">1:20-23</a> MSG)</div>
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I am not bitter, but I will not hesitate to expose the malignant cancer of religion that eats the life of the church from within! Jesus didn't mind His P's & Q's when it came to this either, He loved all people, but He recognized the thread of destruction.</div>
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You belong to Christ - "His name is Jealous, and He is a jealous God". </div>
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You HAVE BEEN redeemed!</div>
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He will NEVER hold your sin against you!</div>
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His Kingdom is WITHIN YOU. Despite how you feel or what you've done, my brothers and sisters, HE has decided to make His abode; His home; His place of residence IN YOU!</div>
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His love for you as an individual person is beyond what you could ever imagine. He Has washed you and presented you holy and blameless...HE has made the executive decision to call you His FRIEND!</div>
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Much love and grace to you!</div>
Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-18188956020709565372013-03-07T22:30:00.001-08:002013-03-07T22:32:23.856-08:00Balance??<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;"><b><i>"Balanced grace" is a denial of the gospel. Balanced with *what?* Law? Personal responsibility? Moral behavior? By nature, grace is unilateral. Grace is the pure expression of the Father's agape delivered to us through His Son and experienced in His Spirit. Beware of warnings that "grace must be kept in balance" because what comes next is likely to disavow true grace altogether</i> - Steve McVey</b></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span id=".reactRoot[131].[1][2][1]{comment612726362087581_118214346}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3]">The skewed theology of Grace being balanced with anything is the element that confuses much of the church. The logic around that reasoning calls for people to leave grace for a moment in order to find the "missing piece" that completes it - it happened when Paul preached the pure gospel of Gods grace, and it's happening today too.</span><br id=".reactRoot[131].[1][2][1]{comment612726362087581_118214346}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[4]" /><span id=".reactRoot[131].[1][2][1]{comment612726362087581_118214346}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[5]">Nowhere in scripture is there the sharing of tension between Gods grace with anything else, not even faith.</span><br id=".reactRoot[131].[1][2][1]{comment612726362087581_118214346}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[6]" /><span id=".reactRoot[131].[1][2][1]{comment612726362087581_118214346}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[7]">This tension between Grace and faith is not biblical. It's 100% grace and it's 100% faith - i.e 100% God's favour and 100% us trusting that it's God's favour. It's at this point when true, peace-filled productivity begins to reveal itself (as a FRUIT).</span><br id=".reactRoot[131].[1][2][1]{comment612726362087581_118214346}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[8]" /><span id=".reactRoot[131].[1][2][1]{comment612726362087581_118214346}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[9]">I love what Charles Spurgeon says, "We hold that man is never so near grace as when he begins to feel he can do nothing at all."</span><br id=".reactRoot[131].[1][2][1]{comment612726362087581_118214346}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[10]" /><br id=".reactRoot[131].[1][2][1]{comment612726362087581_118214346}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[11]" /><span id=".reactRoot[131].[1][2][1]{comment612726362087581_118214346}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[12]">The arm wrestle evident in scripture is between faith and works, not faith and grace...and faith is the product of 2 sources:</span><br id=".reactRoot[131].[1][2][1]{comment612726362087581_118214346}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[13]" /><span id=".reactRoot[131].[1][2][1]{comment612726362087581_118214346}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[14]">1) A gift from God (each is given a measure).</span><br id=".reactRoot[131].[1][2][1]{comment612726362087581_118214346}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[15]" /><span id=".reactRoot[131].[1][2][1]{comment612726362087581_118214346}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[16]">2) Renewing our minds with the gospel of His grace.</span><br id=".reactRoot[131].[1][2][1]{comment612726362087581_118214346}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[17]" /><br id=".reactRoot[131].[1][2][1]{comment612726362087581_118214346}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[18]" /><span id=".reactRoot[131].[1][2][1]{comment612726362087581_118214346}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[19]">Faith is a response to His Grace, not the completion of it.</span></span></span></span></b>Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-2454261797952024772013-03-07T01:22:00.001-08:002013-03-07T01:50:52.214-08:00Have you got the right perspective?<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">'Why do Christians who earnestly desire everything that God has for them, never receive the blessings promised to them?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">The answer: they await and strive after a reward for their service, but because they are heirs, the Father can never give them as a REWARD, what belongs to them as a BIRTHRIGHT!'</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Man's primary call is to be reconciled; find rest in His reconciliation and discover true identity which is already existent IN CHRIST.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">Holy Spirit will take us on His journey for us (almost always brewing within us as desire).<br />We are not primarily called to discover "our purpose in life" - this ambitious mentality has crushed many young believers. Believers who burn with desire, but since they are not informed and discipled to walk in the Spirit, they pursue the "ministry" and not the Maker. Is there a journey mapped out for us? Yes there is, but HE wants to take us on it.<br /><br />It's interesting, in this regard, that Jesus Himself (a man whose purpose was dripping with prophetic confirmation) only spent 11% of His life fulfilling His "calling" (at least as our modern day church culture would recognize it to be).<br /><br />Despite the anticipation and desperation in all of creation for one man to fulfill His ministry and calling...there He was, throughout His entire twenties...carving stuff out of wood.<br /><br />Many adamant believers (ironically in their twenties) have "backslidden" from "ministry".<br />Why?<br />Because they were discipled to believe that "carpentry" is a selfish waste of time; that they are called to perform a responsibility that supersedes their selfish desires.<br /><br />Are we then to leave people to their own desires without a care in the world? No. But are we to force people onto our desires? No.<br /><br />Lead people. Not merely according to biblical principles, but offer them something better - a personal encounter with God...a gift of personal relationship where they are free to walk, and respond to Christ, and this not as our next series entitled "Walking with Christ" or "living by the Spirit", but as a lifestyle of faith and rest. Knowing that the good we increasingly desire as we are lead by the Spirit of grace and truth, is the good God desires.<br /><br />Let's sow the seeds and water with love, but let Him bring the growth. It's what He so wants to do.</span></span></b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">Grace and love to you!</span></span></b>Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-65364641212002382482013-02-17T11:10:00.000-08:002013-02-17T11:10:04.695-08:00Manifesting Reality<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">An excerpt from an article by John Crowder (be warned, the revelation you may receive could be uncomfortably freeing LOL). Be blessed:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Robert Capon tells the following parable of faith. A man is in a hospital bed in traction, his arms and legs motionless in casts. Meanwhile, he hears that his house is falling apart. As he lay in the hospital, he is helpless to do anything about it. Later, his friend comes along and tells him, “I have just paid off the contractor I engaged to repair your house. It’s all fixed – a gift from me to you.” The man’s friend has repaired his house. All the man can do is either believe or disbelieve his friend’s good news. He can trust that his friend’s word is true. But his belief does not “change” the truth. The facts are the facts. All his <em>faith</em> accomplishes is the enjoyment of the facts. Capon writes:<br /><br />“Look at it another way. Suppose I had decided, while staring at the hospital ceiling, that if only I could work up enough faith, you would undertake to repair my house. And suppose further that I had grunted and groaned through every waking hour trying to get my faith meter up to red hot. What good would that have done unless <em>you</em> had decided, as a gift to me in response to no activity on my part whatsoever, to do the job for me? No good, that’s what. Faith doesn’t fix houses – carpenters and painters do. And faith doesn’t pay bills, either. Faith, therefore, is not a gadget by which I can work wonders. It is just trust in a person who actually can work them – and who has promised me he already has” (<em>The Astonished Heart</em>, p. 41).<br /><br />Christ the miracle worker has already done it all. It’s only an issue of the<em>revealing</em> of what He’s done so we can wake up to reality. Right now, the earth is groaning for the revealing of the sons of God. For us to manifest an already existing reality. I am convinced as ever before that we are about to see a major outpouring of the supernatural like never before. But it will not come from groaning and pushing and trying to “make ourselves” manifest the kingdom. It is coming through a revelation of our identity – that we have already arrived. Our arrival is not a future point (when the manifestation occurs). Our arrival has happened – <em>it is Him</em>. You are a source of endless possibilities. Your identity is in Him, and your actions are an outflow of that. The problem has been our attempt at creating identity by carrying the responsibility for evangelism, miracles, kingdom advancement, etc. on our own. Those things will happen. But it’s about being over doing. And doing out of being. But never doing to become. It all starts with realizing our identity.<br /><br />You are not going to pump up the faith to shine forth your sonship in the realm of unusual miracles – no more than you pumped up your own salvation. You see, the gospel was never about your faith – it was always about the faithfulness of Jesus Christ."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Much love, grace and revelation to you :-) </span>Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-42519029976215657352012-09-25T23:17:00.002-07:002012-09-25T23:17:48.665-07:00Love<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><i>"Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?" (Psalm 139:7)</i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></b></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Thank...you...JESUS!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The Glory of t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
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hese verses were washing over my mind with such soothing ebb and flows, but a sadness pierced in.<br /><br />What has so subtly, yet ruthlessly intercepted this glorious gospel we have in Christ, when the revelation of an INESCAPABLE LOVE encountered by David and Paul centuries ago, has been replaced by a striving for devine affection and acceptance?<br /><br />We have layers of filth that has illegally caught a free ride on a naturally too-good-to-be-true gospel for hundreds of years (and I certainly don't profess to recognize all of it. But with discernment, grace, and scripture in context, I have pealed a few off already).<br /><br />Abundant life is not prescribed by just singing songs like David sang, nor is it encountered by quoting statements that Paul made.<br /><br />The glory of "unconditional" is that it's unconditional.<br />Wherever you go...you are absolutely loved;<br />Whatever you do...you are absolutely loved;<br />Whoever you are; you are absolutely loved;<br />Whether you like it or not,<br />Whether you believe it or not;<br />You are absolutely loved!<br /><br />Friends, purpose begins to unravel itself as we become "paralysed" by His love for us. Not by verses or songs about it, but by the revelation of a jealous God ("His name is Jealous, and He is a jealous God"...He LOVES you! He loves you, loves you, LOVES YOU! And you cannot escape this Love).<br /><br />This wasn't "scripture" to David or Paul, it was a personal revelation of truth, and I believe that all that they were and did in Christ was compelled by this very truth.<br /><br />This "process of paralysis" does not refer to "another christian thing we need to do". In fact, it's the very opposite. It refers to the undoing of this very mindset, and it does not come without its critics in the religious world, unfortunately.<br />Look at Jesus, who was aggressively accused of "neglecting scripture", all-the-while declaring to be the very source of life (He knew that He and the Father were one in spirit).<br />Or Martha, who was jealously accused of being lazy, while in fact mesmerised by the 'abnormal' love of Christ.<br /><br />Peter, who, although a pillar in the early church, struggled in his earlier days, since his gaze was on "noble self-sacrifice" instead of RECEIVING a sacrifice made. This lack of revelation in Peter's early days was made evident in his response to Jesus wanting to wash his feet.<br /><br />To try and stop doing things in our own strength, however, is a contradiction in terms...think about it.<br />We don't simply just sit still on a couch to be rendered physically paralysed (although you could fool many that way). No! The source of your mobility needs to be cut off (and Christ did this by fulfilling the law).<br /><br />Declaring that "we don't need to", isn't an indication that we have "caught grace", it's understanding WHY we don't need to, that empowers us - it's that He already has, because He LOVES US! His love WILL compel; it DOES compel.<br /><br />We become "paralysed" by His love when we discover that His love is the beginning and the end, and all the chewy bits in the middle. It immobilizes us from our own efforts, fills us with rest, and compels us to trust - in His unfailing love.<br /><br />The effervescent joy and trust that begins to bubble up from this supernatural revelation is ABUNDANT LIFE, which distinguishes the Spirit-lead person (compelled by love), from the religious busy bodies scratching the ground for their crumbs of blessings, oblivious to the fattened calf freely available to them.<br /><br />You are personally loved by God...regardless!<br />Have a lovely day just knowing that :-)</div>
Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-24088365365107431512012-09-06T23:20:00.004-07:002012-09-06T23:20:38.979-07:00Faith and Grace - "BELIEVING that you HAVE"<br />
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<em><strong>"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." (Mark 11:24)</strong></em> GRACE is God's free provision of abundant life - <strong>FREE; FOR US; and WITHOUT OUR HELP!</strong> Grace ALONE will not ensure us the pleasure-filled abundant life on a daily basis that salvation has to offer to it's maximum (although every person tastes of His grace daily without even realising it), it is grace receive through faith that takes us<em> consciously</em> deeper into His fullness...your fullness. </div>
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However, it's important to understand what faith is, otherwise abundant life remains a shallow-hidden treasure within easy grasp - not hidden FROM us, nor even hidden FOR us, but rather, and ironically, hidden BY us ourselves. Faith is <strong>NOT</strong> something we do to move God. It's not something we do to get God to do or release something otherwise held back by Him. Faith is not something we learn to do in order to get God to perform for us.</div>
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If we have this concept that faith is something we do to make God move, that's what the bible calls "dead works", and this "work of faith" becomes the obstacle to physically manifesting what God<em> has</em> already provided for us in Christ. So what is faith, then? FAITH is our<strong> PERSONAL</strong>, INDIVIDUAL response, birthed out of a <strong>personal revelation</strong> of what God has ALREADY provided - to personally TRUST in a finished work.</div>
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If our faith is not a personal, revelatory response to what God has ALREADY DONE by grace, then it's not faith. If our perception of faith is something we are trying to do to make God respond to us, then it's not faith. Faith doesn't move God, because God has already moved unto completion in Christ, who is now seated beside him.</div>
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An adequate measure of faith has already been<strong> FREELY GIVEN</strong> to each of us as a <strong>GIFT</strong> (without effort or prayer etc at all). From then onwards in life faith becomes stirred and grown by a consistent, personal<em> revelation</em> to what God has <strong>ALREADY</strong> done - for, in and through us even before we were created and needed it.</div>
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If we are getting bored with the gospel, then it's no longer the gospel we're hearing. </div>
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It's when our free, mustard-seed measure of faith begins to realize this good news, that even greater faith begins to grow.</div>
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Testimonies of a fruitful and obedient lifestyle are very encouraging and motivating, for sure. But if that testimony leaves people wanting to strive and change their behaviour in order to get breakthrough, then we aren't giving them the gospel.</div>
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Am I saying that it's wrong to change behaviour when we realize its potential harm? Hahaha, not at all! That would be...stupid.</div>
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My emphasis here, is living this life while tasting and imparting the maximum benifits of the Kingdom. Applying<em> 'Kingdom principles'</em> will not give us the satisfaction that we have <em>inherited</em> in Christ, it's<strong><em>knowing</em></strong> the<strong> King</strong> <em>personally</em> when those flood gates will begin to break open - that's my heart.</div>
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To build someones faith by trying to motivated them with it's [faith's] rewards alone, may motivate some...for a while, but abundant life is not fully accessible to the <em>ambitious</em>, but rather <em>by grace</em> to those who will simply<em> trust</em> that ultimately the good they desire, <em>already is</em> in Christ.</div>
Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-60332419300340934952012-08-07T23:26:00.003-07:002012-08-07T23:26:44.214-07:00DRINK :-)"My life is a witness to vulgar grace–a grace that amazes as it offends. A grace that pays the eager beaver who works all day long the same wages as the grinning drunk who shows up a ten till five. A grace that hikes up the robe and runs breakneck toward the prodigal reeking of sin and wraps him up and decides to throw a party no ifs, ands or buts. A grace that raises bloodshot eyes to a dying the<span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span> <br />
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if’s request–”Please, remember me”–and assures him, “You bet!”</div>
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<br />This vulgar grace is indiscriminate compassion. It works without asking anything of us. It’s not cheap. It’s free, and as such will always be a banana peel for the orthodox foot and a fairy tale for the grown-up sensibility. Grace is sufficient even though we huff and puff with all our might to try to find something or someone it cannot cover. Grace is enough. He is enough. Jesus is enough."</div>Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-49090631233620389152012-06-19T06:13:00.002-07:002012-06-19T06:13:49.208-07:00The Terms of the Covenant<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">A
paraphrase from a recent preach by John Sheasby, followed by a paraphrase from
John Crowder’s book entitled “Mystical union”. Be blessed </span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Georgia; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Georgia; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">“Their sins and
lawless deeds I will remember no more”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The law will
ALWAYS identify you as a sinner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">One of the
things that mess up our relationship to God is the posture of asking for
forgiveness whenever we feel guilty of sinning – i.e approaching Him with a sin
consciousness – and frankly...He doesn’t know what you’re talking about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">My friend, God
has NO memory of your sin. Can you receive that promise/covenant?!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: teal; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Heb 10:16</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"This <i><span style="color: grey;">is</span></i>
the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord; I will
put My Laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them," <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: maroon; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Heb 10:17</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>also <i><span style="color: grey;">He
adds</span></i>, "their sins and their iniquities I will remember no
more."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Most of us who
battle with Spiritual growth are stumbling on this point. We haven’t accepted
the fact that God means EXACTLY what he said here, and we continually allow ourselves
to be reminded of the past.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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“<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">I will put My Laws into
their hearts…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>what laws?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Do you honestly think the
Holy Spirit would bother to write the Mosaic Law on your heart as rules for
living, if it’s guaranteed to fail you? When it’s been declared week and miserable
principles (not in itself, but mixed with our flesh…)? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">What law has He put on
our hearts?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Well, we need to go back
to His promise – Ezekiel 36:25<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: maroon; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Eze
36:25</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I will sprinkle clean
waters on you, and you shall be clean. I will cleanse you from all your
filthiness and from your idols. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: teal; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Eze 36:26</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I will give you a new heart, and I will
put a new spirit within you. And I will take away the stony heart out of your
flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: teal; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Eze
36:27</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I will put My Spirit
within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall keep My
judgments and do <i><span style="color: grey;">them</span></i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">“I WILL...I WILL...I WILL...CAUSE YOU...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Firstly, the ‘judgments’
of the Lord are not as we would envision them through the lenses of the law with
it’s negative connotation – i.e ascribing guilt or passing sentence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Judgement
simply means to draw a conclusion based on the facts. The judgements of the
Lord are pure, because He is the only one who evaluates rightly. He sees us NOT
in our brokenness, but He sees us in Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The best news
of the new covenant is the person and the ministry of the Holy Spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The LAW OF LOVE
is what sums up the entire law of Moses. Love is the fulflment of the law, but
we cannot love in our own strength and ability.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Why?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Because many
people are not loveable. If you are going to strive to love, you are going to
be constantly challenged to try and love the “unlovable” and particulary your
enemies...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: maroon; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Rom
8:1</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is therefore now no
condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: teal; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Rom
8:2</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the law of the Spirit of life has set you
free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Romans Chapter 5 – Jesus dealt with the sin problem once and for all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<u><span style="color: green; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Rom_6:11</span></u><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Likewise
reckon ye also yourselves <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">to</span>
be <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">dead</span> indeed unto
<span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">sin</span>, but alive unto
God through Jesus Christ our Lord.</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">“Reckon” –<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> logizomai </i>(</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">to <i>take</i>
<i>an</i> <i>inventory</i>, conclude, impute, reason, reckon, suppose, think
(on)).<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Most people caught up in traditional theology are constantly trying to
die to sin. You can’t die to sin, you have ALREADY died to sin! All you can do
is “reckon” on what has happened on the cross...dead unto sin, but alive unto
God.</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">If we begin to try uphold the law, we will begin to crumble. Our faces
might be strong enough to portray a smile, but we will die inside. Paul felt
this in his past (Romans 7) his attempt to remain upright via the law was
crushing him, because he was trying to reckon his life in the law.</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">“Look to Jesus (as SAVIOUR), and live” - Spurgeon!</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: teal; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Rom 8:2</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the
law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin
and death.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">What was the law of sin and death?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">It was the mozaic law (pure within itself, but corrupted by the
flesh). In revealing your sin to you, the mozaic law passes judgement and
condemnation over and over again. So by trying to LIVE by the LAW, you are automatically
going to end up dealing with sin and death, over and over again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Paul says:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: maroon; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">1Co
15:56</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sting of death is sin, and
the power of sin is the law.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">NOBODY WILL
EVER GET FREE FROM SIN BY US TELLING THEM, “DON’T DO THAT”.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">If we try to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">set ourselves free</i></b> from sin by
constantly telling ourselves, “I wont do that anymore”, we are empowering sin
already. Because no matter how candy-coated that statement is with “ripe
rewards in endurance”, the fact of the matter is you are applying LAW to a
behaviour to try and stop it. Nobody can stop sinning by believing “Thow shelt
not”. That is NOT what is ment by “enduring in Christ”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Well, what do we do to walk in the freedom of LIFE?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Jesus said, “I have come, that you might have perfection and never
mess up”? NO. That we might have LIFE, and have it more abundantly! You have
within you, the Spirit of the gift of LIFE. With power enough to overcome and
advance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFEIN YOU NOW!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">The Spirit of God is constantly trying to lead us all into LIFE, and
we’re often stuck thinking that life is like a reward to be attained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">CHRIST IN YOU, the hope of glory. He that has the Son has LIFE.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Again:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: maroon; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Eze
36:25-27</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> I WILL</b> sprinkle clean waters on you, and you shall be clean. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I WILL</b> cleanse you from all your filthiness
and from your idols. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">And <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I WILL</b> give you a new heart, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I WILL</b> put a new spirit within you. And <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I WILL </b>take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I WILL</b> give you a heart of flesh. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">And <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I WILL</b> put My Spirit within you and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">CAUSE YOU</b> to walk in My statutes, and
you shall keep My judgments and do <i><span style="color: grey;">them</span></i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">We have the freedom, not
just to access, but to LIVE in His presence with boldness – a stance that is
humanly impossible when carrying a guilty conscience. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">When we begin to agree
with God about our sin, who we are, and what He’s done for and in us (confess=agree
with), we begin to walk in newness of life. Life doesn’t come by confessing our
guilt, but by confessing our innocence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">In Christ, the veil has been REMOVED! If you
see yourself outside trying to get in, you’ll live frustrated. The glory of the
law always fades – Up-and-down christianity is evidence of the fact that any
victory you may gain by means of the law is fleeting. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: teal; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">2Co 3:16</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is
removed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: teal; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">2Co 3:17</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the
Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: maroon; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">2Co
3:18</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we all, with unveiled
face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same
image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is
the Spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">So, when God says “I’ll
write my laws on their heart”, it’s NOT about little rules and regulations,
friends! It’s about the LIFE of JESUS manifesting in YOU…the hope of glory…by
His Spirit!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">When you begin to receive
this Word of grace, you’ll see stuff begin to fall off; stuff that you may have
been trying to rid yourself of for years, and the transformation into newness
of life beginning to blossom as you continue to behold HIM with unveiled faces.
(John Sheasby - paraphrase)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">_______________<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">You were united with Him
in His death.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">What died?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">The entire fallen
personality. Your old depressed self. Your old sinful self. The old fearful you
was buried. The old anxious you took a bullet. Your poverty died with Him. Your
sickness died with Him. Every bit of darkness and disease that you once were,
died with Him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">All your acne and PMS and
road rage took a tumble. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">The new you is happy,
alive and full of the wine of His love! The new you is full of faith. The new,
True Self is prosperous, bold and overflowing with life, hope, peace and
fruitfulness – you are not mandated/instructed to attain this life, it’s in you…HE’s
in YOU!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The old critical, introverted you is dead. The
new self is completely restored to childlike innocence and trust.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">The problem comes, in
what you are caught up “reckoning” (Romans 6:11)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Stop owning the sinful
nature as if it’s still hanging around for you to kill!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Believe that you are
indeed in Christ, and that Christ, in all His fullness, is in you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">This is not the
old-school “sinless perfection” theology that the early Wesleyans and the
holiness movement preachers advocated. Those guys said it is impossible for a Christian
to sin. And a lot of that devolved into do-it-yourself, clean-yourself-up
legalism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">We are talking about <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">God-given
</i></b>righteousness that manifests in a happy, holy life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">We are not called to
struggle with sin, or even struggle to stop sinning. Sin is no longer in the
equation in Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">If you think you’re still
a sinner, you will try to fight off evil with good. That is a return to the law
and self-justification, and God did NOT save us to send us back to the law.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">We no longer even eat
from the law, no matter how pure and holy it was in itself. There was another
tree in the “Garden of Pleasure”…the Tree of Life!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">When you eat of Him, you
live forever. (John Crowder – paraphrase)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Lets all be wonderfully
blessed as we are taken deeper and deeper (as individuals and in our
togetherness with fellow brothers and sisters) into HIS glory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Be mindful of Him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Much Love and pleasure </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Georgia; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-1846104516685688142012-05-22T23:26:00.002-07:002012-05-22T23:26:33.537-07:00CHRIST IN YOU<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Christ never gave us a baton to snatch from Him, turn around and continue running with..."I'm done, now it's your turn, brother".</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">We died with Him (dead) so that HE could continue to live in us - the good news WAS Him, it IS Him and will ALWAYS be HIM, in you, the hope of glory!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Does this negate daily decision making?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">No.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">What it should do is stir us to discover, with increasing revelation, the very nature of CHRIST IN US - a journey that may appear different from person to person, but will reveal a common cause - to build up and set free...but as I said, this isn't a baton, but simply what Christ is doing in His new body (the church).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">When the church recognizes its true identity, CHRIST IN US, we have "revival"/the miraculous/abundant fruit/good works, and we embrace diversity because we rocognize it as the move of GOD;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">when the church finds its identity in the "revival"/the miraculous/abundant fruit/good works, we slowly fester and become aggressively possessive of whose (human) perspectives are the most right.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Hahaha!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">You are blessed and abundantly gifted. Enter His rest and allow Him to absolutely blow you away with a greater revelation and taste of His glory...as you drink the Wine, He'll take you deeper into the Vine.</span>Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-1919494489893193882012-05-17T23:09:00.003-07:002012-05-17T23:09:47.329-07:00It IS finished!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Oh my word (or His...whatever, HAHAHAHA)!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">"It is finished"!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Some might wonder, "how finished is it if God is currently still doing a work in and through His body - the church?"</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">God, by His Spirit, is doing a work of drawing, calling and leading us toward, into and DEEPER into the FINISHED work of Christ.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">SHEW!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">The Kingdom of God is at hand; the Kingdom of God is WITHIN YOU.<br />And the power and nature of this Kingdom is not incomplete or 'under construction' - it is a PERFECT Kingdom at hand; a PERFECT Kingdom within YOU!<br /><br />It is a Kingdom that wants to be entered into and encountered by its citizens...heirs...sons and daughters...YOU!!!<br /><br />There will never be a shortage of hearing "Freely give", but take some time to consume and drink up just how much you have "Freely received"!<br /><br />Much love and grace peeps :-)</span></span>Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-60205526146080151252012-05-15T23:33:00.004-07:002012-05-15T23:33:44.327-07:00Love changes<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">"Those forgiven much will love much(Lk 7:47) and those who love much will sin less.The secret to sinning less is receiving forgiveness more".</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">When I hear pastors speak of having issues with members in their congregation, I start to wonder what criteria are in operation to create this conflict?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">How much of it is legitimate, Spirit-lead "conflict", and how much of it is, in fact, a controlling spirit.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">The degree to which we are being renewed by how much WE are loved and forgiven, is proportional to the ease and pleasure with which we exercise love and forgiveness towards others, even if they may be in error.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">And, the degree to which we FORGET how much we are loved and forgiven, yet still attempt to love and forgive others, is proportional to the level of control we exercise over wanting to ensure that others DON'T go into error.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">In both cases the motives are good and pure, but one has love as its motivation and the other has control (to avoid any "issues").</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">Jesus's motivation was always love, that's why we don't see Him obsessed with trying to control Peter - Why didn't Jesus pull Peter aside at any time and just spell things out for Him? After all, He chose Peter, Peter didn't choose Him. Why didn't He pull Peter aside and say "pull yourself together buddy, you're embarrassing me and my ministry here!"?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">Yes, there were tough moments for old Peter, but Jesus was motivated by loving Peter and edifying him to who Peter REALLY was, even though Peter couldn't see it himself yet - 'the rock upon which the church would be built'.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">I know a pastor (ex pastor) who, after tangibly encountering the Glory of God at an international conference, returned to his flock and said "I owe you all an encounter with God".</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">Of course, he never realized how much control he would end up losing over his flock (in a good way, yet difficult considering his history).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">People began receiving and growing in their OWN revelations, yet all the while still remaining in a strong togetherness.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">Some were loving the change; some were anxiously judging the change; Traditional, institutional "hand rails" were slowly removed and many felt insecure, and change and diversity was embraced and slowly understood - not easy for many though (Jesus knew that Peter's understanding of truth was tainted and blury, but He lead him and built him up into an understanding of truth - the breakthrough of which only really began after Jesus died and ascended).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">The gospel of God's grace shouldn't just be seen as a set of brilliant preaches to be downloaded from the archive files.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">The heartbeat and life-blood of living a life of love and forgiveness towards others, is the revelation of how much we are loved and forgiven (as individuals and the church body).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">I'll always say that I desire to love as Christ loves, but when I forget how loved I am, I begin to TRY and love and forgive, and quickly become frustrated with non-conformity...until I am renewed with the fact that Christ died for me, before I even had the chance to think about conforming to HIS ways.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">Much love and Grace!</span>Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-2675340469344854062012-05-08T22:58:00.001-07:002012-05-08T22:58:45.347-07:00His nature is grace!The Grace of God only becomes a contentious issue when a revelation of what it actually is, is either missing or forgotten.<br />
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Our memories will certainly allow us to hold onto the DEFINITION of grace, but we can easily lose the life giving REVELATION.<br />
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The grace of God is quite simply His nature, and it is in constant operation, whether we feel it or not, like it or not, believe it or not - it's HIS... attitude towards us...HIS decision...HIS feeling...HIS heart...HIS plan...HIS motivation...JESUS!<br />
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It's difficult to trust someone if you don't know them...in actual fact, on a human level, it can be foolish and very risky to blindly trust someone.<br />
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Yet many who have "put it out there" and blindly trusted God in a leap of faith, would have, in some way or another walked into something GOOD.<br />
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Why?<br />
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Because God is faithful.<br />
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Now, by telling people to "Just do it because God is faithful", we merely feed them with a "risky" sense of walking in faith.<br />
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You ask the average person to define faith, I'm pretty sure that somewhere in that conversation the word "risk" will surface (and sure, certain circumstances may stir up doubt within us), but how much more certainty and boldness will we possess in living by faith, when we are drenched with the revelation of GOD'S NATURE AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS US...When we actually get to know HIM.<br />
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The more I get to know Him, the more my skittish "blind faith" is replaced by bold TRUST in what/who I am now CONVINCED of!<br />
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The wrong thing to do with this now, is scrape together a few scriptures and "pointers" to deliver a "solid sermon" on "God's Nature". It's not a topic, it's the essence...if the scent of the UNCONDITIONALLY ACCEPTING NATURE OF GOD and WHO WE ALREADY ARE AS SONS AND DAUGHTERS does not fill the air when we share the word, then the bible becomes a sword we aimlessly weild around, prooning some and killing others.Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-34631214787884594912012-04-13T02:18:00.000-07:002012-04-13T02:20:23.836-07:00His goodness is better than ours!"...When we live in the grace of God we experience a creative flow, a joy, a spontaneity, and an enthusiasm for life; and - best of all - we stop trying to live up to some standard that we can never reach, free from the feeling that God is angry with us."<br /> - God will not be able to express the intimacy and power of His person through us while we're busy trying to express ourselves to Him - regardless of how biblical it looks.<br /><br /> Let's enter His rest, so that He can 'will' and 'do' in us.<br /> Jesus loves you :)Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-30103828334879850592012-02-21T22:20:00.000-08:002012-02-21T22:22:25.436-08:00He delights in you!"John 4:42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world (kosmos).<br /> <br />When mankind Beholds Jesus in Non-religious CLARITY - as in a mirror, When they see Him as He truly is and NOT as he has been wrongly re-presented by the current Orthodox church...., When they hear for themselves the Clear WORD (Jesus) of the Father... His express opinion of His beloved Creation - mankind....When they encounter Him ("It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me" Gal 2:20), they will realise that He is indeed the Saviour of the world!! Faith/Trust will come when they hear the message of/FROM Christ.<br /> <br />Jesus IS Gods spoken Word - His Clear OPINION - made flesh, revealed plainly for the world to see, know and believe the the Father deeply loves each one. He invites you to eat and drink this revelation of His Love for you and live intoxicated on this love (Songs 5:1). <br /><br />He delights to lead us into all truth!!! Allow him to re-shape your opinion of Him. It is impossible to over emphasis the fact that YOU are His hearts desire, you are His will!! <br />One may ask, "What is the will/desire of God?"..... YOU ARE!!!!!<br /> You are perfect in His opinion (Heb 10 - For by his one sanctifying sacrifice he has perpetually perfected you!!)<br /> <br />LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!!!!"<br /><br />(Cornerstone Keg)Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-42426972710343330572011-10-19T03:39:00.000-07:002011-10-19T03:40:39.105-07:00He is on YOUR boat!Have you ever ACTUALLY wondered how the "story" would have gone, if the disciples chose to remain at REST in the boat during the storm? <br />Exactly how far would the chaos have gone? Yet Jesus was adamant they should have simply trusted and "chilled". <br /><br />I mean, how can simply trusting that Jesus is with you actually get you through a practical, literal, physical problem or period in life? Hahaha, SHABBA!! <br /><br />I'll tell you! <br />As un-nerving as circumstances may be... as lengthy and as ruthless a "rough patch" might seem (sometimes you may even start seeing cracks forming, and water rushing onto your boat after you've said and done all things "holy") hahaha, there is still space to rest. <br /><br />I encourage you, emmerse yourself into the pure Glory of HIS FAITHFULNESS. <br /><br />Life isn't always fun, but it is possible to TRULY REJOICE during ANY circumstance (and that's no contradiction). <br /><br />The secret lies in the nature of your trust: <br /><br />If you are hoping and trusting for Christ to "break in at any moment now", your waiting will be filled with anxiouty, frustration and energy-sapping anticipation, until something good happens. And then the cycle starts over again. <br /><br />But, if your trust in Christ is in the fact that He has ALREADY "broken in", and is currently "SLEEPING ON YOUR BOAT" right now (WITH YOU), you'll begin to see an increase in your ferver for living, and begin to "rejoice in all things"...even during those "cruddy" times in life! <br /><br />Hahaha!! <br />Have a JOYFUL day :-)Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-89264776385277791772011-10-10T02:28:00.000-07:002011-10-10T02:45:57.542-07:00LoveAn excerpt from writings of "Isaac the Syrian" (died AD 700'ish):<br /><br /><strong><em>"...Love inebriates the souls of the sons and daughters of heaven by its delectability.<br /><br />When we find love, we partake of heavenly bread and are made strong without labor and toil. The heavenly bread is Christ, who came down from heaven and gave life to the world...The person who has found love eats and drinks Christ every day and every hour.<br /><br />...Love is the wine “which maketh glad the heart.” Blessed is the one who partakes of this wine!<br />...Licentious people have drunk this wine and become chaste;<br />sinners have drunk it and have forgotten the pathways of stumbling;<br />drunkards have drunk this wine and become fasters;<br />the rich have drunk it and desired poverty;<br />the poor have drunk it and been enriched with hope;<br />the sick have drunk it and become strong;<br />the unlearned have taken it and become wise..."</em></strong><br /><br />Many who thirst for a greater revelation of God's love have been labelled "selfish" or "passive christians".<br />I label them as WISE!<br /><br />Have a glorious day guys :-)Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-17004446710211912822011-09-02T02:22:00.000-07:002011-09-02T02:24:03.270-07:00The GREATER reality!What's your "reality"?
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<br />The slog of life? The "making-ends-meet"?
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<br />Sure, these are real, but what consumes your thinking and perspective?
<br />What are you MOST strongly CONVINCED about?
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<br />Paul himself said fix your mind on things above,
<br />he said our lives are hidden in Christ,
<br />he said he himself was compelled by Love...he was possessed by love...CHRIST'S LOVE!
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<br />Christ is our mystical REALITY, eager to manifest around us!Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206704970874205802.post-19742977008555018382011-08-02T05:28:00.000-07:002011-08-02T05:30:59.537-07:00Rest in HIMSome people study their problem more than they study their promise - Mark Hankins. <br /><br />We all, at times, fall into the trap of trying to deal with a problem in our own strength, empowered by the knowledge that there is a problem, and not empowered by the Holy Spirit who leads us INTO A BETTER WAY (our promise). <br />We don't overcome the flesh by simply deciding to overcome the flesh. <br /><br />Many "preach" behaviour modification. And while bad behaviour is indeed bad behaviour (there's no denying that), an attempt to cut off the fruit, doesn't kill the root. <br /><br />When a person is habitualy steeling (for example) his REAL problem isn't steeling (that's merely the manifestation of his problem. And as much as this may carry effects and consequences, my focus here is not the social impact of the problem, but restoration within the individual), his real problem is the OBJECT OF HIS FAITH. <br />If the battle is in the mind, then surely it's ultimately in THAT arena where victory or defeat is given birth. <br /><br />For such a person to overcome the lust of his the flesh (i.e steeling instead of trusting - and of course assuming that he wants to overcome it), "those who are spiritual" (as Paul would say) should gently lead him to repentance (i.e change of mind), so that his focus is not empowered by his habit and "need" to steel, but on the spiritual realities of himself in Christ (the gospel). <br /><br />You don't hold up a packet of salty chips to a person thirsty from eating many packets before hand, and tell him to stop if he wants relief. You give him water, where his focus isn't on the problem at all anymore, but now on the goodness of the quench...taste, and see! <br /><br />Coming to a place of freedom in a certain area is sometimes a journey. We are 'taught by grace' - remaining mindful of the finished works of Jesus Christ - where we become familiar with the GOOD nature of God, and the fulfilled promises that are in Christ. Ripe for the picking as we begin to trust and walk in the Spirit. <br /><br />That temptation to "better oneself", is as much a lust of the flesh as pornography is (it's just that pornography is morally frowned upon, whereas "christian DIY" SEEMS less destructive). <br /><br />There is a BETTER way. And it's not the moral code...it's the Supernatural promise, by a Supernatural Father, calling us into a Supernatural relationship. <br /><br />THANK YOU JESUS !!!!Troy Thackwrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552927528342514252noreply@blogger.com0