Brother, i don't have time for you.

I've got so much for the Lord to do.

I've got places to go and people to see,

my time is so important to me.

I'll try to find time for you down the road,

hope you don't mind but i gotta go....

The next time i heard of that brother of mine,

he was dead, after committing suicide. 

Oh how i wish I'd taken the time,

to talk to that precious brother of mine!

If "ministry" doesn't benefit me,

how often do i refuse to see?

How often do I choose to ignore, 

the downtrodden,  lonely, broken or poor?

All while claiming I'm doing the work of the Lord?

 The Scriptures say this of Samson: "AND SAMSON SAID, LET ME DIE WITH THE PHILISTINES. AND HE BOWED HIMSELF WITH ALL HIS MIGHT; AND THE HOUSE FELL UPON THE LORDS, AND UPON ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WERE THEREIN. SO THE DEAD WHICH HE SLEW AT HIS DEATH WERE MORE THAN THEY WHICH HE SLEW IN HIS LIFE". 

And The Lord began to show me that the key to victory over my enemy is my death. My preemptive death -  for when i willingly die for Christ  - I give Him all the territory the enemy seeks to conquer, and through my death, many shall live, more can be saved through my death itself, than through my former selfish,  self-centered life, lived unto me.

On another level -  this scripture prophecies that even as the world is partying and rejoicing that they've bound Christ and taken him captive to their whims, to their will -  He will break loose and their house of horrors will collapse on them, killing them all. As they say "let us eat, drink and be merry", they shall die -  and they'll never eat, drink or be merry again. Meanwhile,  there will be great joy, feasting and drinking at the wedding supper of the Lamb. The "lords", by the way, refers to demons and demonic principalities,  the "people" refers to souls in league with them. 

 Part two

Every denomination,  indeed every church,  believes their doctrines are correct.  Some beliefs are common to all but even these, if declared from a place of pride,  avail them little, indeed will blind them to The Truth, because once they've declared they know - they can't be taught anymore on any given subject, and if the Truth disagrees with what they believe is the truth, they'll call the Truth a lie and cast it out of their understanding  -  refusing to fellowship with, commune with, the truth, instead casting it out from their presence and ultimately crucifying it. And if true disciples of truth, followers of truth, try to speak truth to them -  they'll stone them, with their words, casting fiery darts at them, hoping to put the truth to death yet again. 

Where is the hope? The path for those who desire to know The Truth, Jesus himself? Not what we desire to be true, in our own "eyes of the understanding", no, we cast all we think is right or good at his feet and we declare we are bereft of goodness, of righteousness,  of understanding  -  and we put all our faith in Him -  our Lord and Savior-  OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.  We say to the Father -  by our very lives, our deeds, not only our words -  

                                     Jesus is my righteousness-  may i have entrance into Your presence Father because Jesus, Yeshua, has invited me there. I am not good. I am not holy, without my Jesus. His righteousness is mine and my sin is His and another i will not follow. I love you Father as Jesus loves you and i welcome your Holy Spirit's fellowship both now and forever.

Our "statement of beliefs" is constantly expanding as our understanding deepens. Not changing, but deepening.  We are never limited to what we believe now, no more than a baby is. If a five year old were to declare in a written statement "this is what i know and believe about this (fill in the blank) subject" and he sealed it and refused to add to it as he grows, that would be ludicrous. Yes, what we believe at five may be true -  from a five year old's perspective,  but as he grows his perspective grows with him, hopefully.  Yet, people get some understanding and dance around it, sing about it, camp around it -  celebrate it -  and build an entire denomination around it -  refusing to hear anyone else teach "truth", including the Holy Spirit.  Why? In a word -  Pride. If truth is a person than to know truth, with our hearts not just minds, we must know Him. And follow Him. And love Him. And obey Him. Truth is absolute.  Unwavering,  unchangeable-  but our understanding may change as our relationship with him changes, grows, matures. WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I SPAKE AS A CHILD, I UNDERSTOOD AS A CHILD, I THOUGHT AS A CHILD: BUT WHEN I BECAME A MAN I PUT AWAY CHILDISH THINGS". 

I put away childish thinking and understanding.  I rejoice in knowing Him -  " rather rejoice that your names are written in Heaven" i do not have wisdom and understanding- i have the Spirit of wisdom and understanding dwelling in me. It is not of me, it is of Him. He gives me words to say and deeds to do in the moment they're needed, all to please the Father. And the Father loves people. This is what it means to come out from under and in the spirit of this world -  pride does not have anything more to do with us. We do not decide what is right or wrong any longer, we look to Christ, we eat of him, not each other. When we eat of him, we eat knowledge and understanding, we eat maturity, we eat miracles.  All we do that is in any way good comes from Him - therefore he shall forever receive all the glory and honor for it. So then, Amen. Selah, friends.

 In the world, righteousness is based on what people think is right in their own eyes. Because they are not basing their morality on Jesus -  the only standard the Father will accept, there are no absolutes-  their morals shift with whatever is popular at the moment.  Their righteousness is based on THEM, what they think -  they walk around with signs, they talk endlessly on newscasts or talk shows -  on TV or radio, trying to convince each other that they are right and therefore good. To them, you are right, morally upright,  if you agree with them, AND they believe that if they can reach enough people and get enough people to agree with them, it's proof they were right all along.

All we like sheep have gone astray -  following the wrong Shepherds.  My point is, in the world,  people decide what is right or what is wrong , because that is what gods do! They see themselves as gods -  as masters of their own destiny, of their own brief lives. They've replaced God with themselves.  One thing God does, afterall, is judge right from wrong. This is the point of The Law, to show us what really is right or wrong -  from God's perspective and therefore to show us we cannot ever be right in and of ourselves,  in our own wisdom and strength. 

In God's Kingdom,  righteousness is based on a person -  "In his days, Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby he shall be called; THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" -  our goodness,  our righteousness,  does not in any way come from us at all "THERE IS NONE GOOD BUT ONE, THAT IS, GOD" and "AS IT IS WRITTEN, THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS,  NO, NOT ONE. THERE IS NONE THAT UNDERSTANDS,  THERE IS NONE THAT SEEKS AFTER GOD. THEY ARE ALL GONE OUT OF THE WAY, THEY ARE TOGETHER BECOME UNPROFITABLE,  THERE IS NONE THAT DOETH GOOD, NO, NOT ONE. THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN SEPULCHRE (a grave), WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY HAVE USED DECEIT, THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS".

This is God's summation of the world, of all mankind-  apart from Christ, it is impossible ro do good, to be righteous because every act of seeming goodness they do glorifies themselves and declares "God -  we do not need you, we are good enough without you. See what good people we are! See how wise we are! Who needs you God? (except as a means of making money). People who say they need you are weak".

Yet, those who declare they are righteous because of their religion are under the same spirit as those in the world who go about seeking to establish their own righteousness.  God says this about His own people -  "They have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.  For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness AND GOING ABOUT TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS,  HAVE NOT SUBMITTED THEMSELVES UNTO THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD - FOR CHRIST IS THE END OF THE LAW FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS TO EVERYONE THAT BELIEVES".

The churches of our day are busily going about seeking to establish their own righteousness  -  based on what is right in their eyes ( some of us need to become blind in order to see). They set up a "statement of beliefs" declaring their understanding to be right -  therefore all they teach is right and it is all from the same spirit that permeates the world. It is rooted in pride. Every denomination believes their beliefs are right. Some beliefs are common to all but even these, if declared from a place of pride, avail them nothing, indeed, blind them to the truth, because one they declare they know, they can see, they can't be taught anymore,  on the subject they say they understand.

In John chapter 9, we find a very interesting conversation between Jesus and some Pharisees - "And Jesus said FOR JUDGEMENT I AM COME INTO THIS WORLD, THAT THEY WHICH SEE NOT MIGHT SEE; AND THAT THEY WHICH SEE MIGHT BE MADE BLIND. And some of the Pharisees which were witn him heard these words and said unto him, ARE WE BLIND ALSO?  Jesus said to them IF YOU WERE BLIND, YOU SHOULD HAVE NO SIN: BUT NOW YOU SAY, WE SEE; THEREFORE YOUR SIN REMAINS".

How fascinating! Because they say they see, their sins remain. I think this has to do with pride....something every denomination is caught in. Be very careful what you brag about! 

Part two soon feel free to comment below

 Without love

 all we think our lives

 are worthy of

 profit us nothing 

Love suffers long

does not keep a record

of wrongs

Love is kind

allows no evil thoughts

to enter it's mind

When it sees it's brother blessed

it envies not his happiness 

yes

.....for so long love seemed

but a mist covered, distant,

unattainable dream

till love reached out

his nail scarred hand

and rescued this fallen man....

Oh, love does not misbehave! 

Rejoices not in things depraved

reaches out to all to save

Jesus still weeps today 

Love does not our hearts puff up

but humbles us when he comes to sup

Love bears me over

the river of filth

i once was drowning in 

Love gave his blood

to cover my

rebelliousness and sin

Love believed in me

when i didn't believe in love

Love continues to hope for my best

when all hope has left my breast

Love continues to love me

when all i deserve is death

Love endures,  is strong and sure,

when i am frail

For love, my God,

                                  NEVER FAILS 

Part two

"But be not ye called Rabbi ( master, teacher): for one is your Master, even Christ; and ye are all brethren"  -  Yet in church after church I've been in, pastors demand to be called "Pastor" or "Teacher" (learned ome) - they take great pride in titles -  Enough! From hence forth we are all brethren. We may be an apostle or prophet but we must not demand to be called such. Just do the work. Use first names. Do not exalt yourself -  "whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted". 

I'm crying out to this generation of ministers God is raising up  -  do not take any glory for yourselves-  you exist to give Him glory and no man. Do not be like the Academy Awards, do not get together and praise and exalt each other. Do not name drop, except the name of Jesus.  Name drop His name as much as you like. All should leave your presence saying "I've been with Christ". Oh how we love our celebrities  in America.  Even the Prophetic movement has them. The Big shots. The Big names. Some because God has exalted them, some because people have. If God exalts you, work extra hard to keep men from doing so. I'm also speaking to myself here. Right now, I'm a nobody,  and i may remain so but if i ever become "known" I must remind myself to follow my own advice.  I do not ever want to be the focus of any gathering of believers -  Jesus must be the One we focus on whenever we meet -  even when just two or three of us meet together.  "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them". 

Now I ask you -  if Jesus is in our midsf, whenever we gather together,  who should our focus be on? I would be mortified if Jesus and i were standing together and you put your attention on me! Again -  if our focus is on Him -  and we are all "brethren" -  then divisions will fade away with our fleshly lusts and desires as they're crucified in His presence,  in our midst -  no one of us can exalt ourselves in His presence but all of us should (spiritually) be on our faces before Him. This is how divisions die in any fellowship.  At the Cross, Christ is above all, where He belongs. We died with Him on the Cross, in the bleeding body of our Savior  -  who among us dares to exalt himself over his brethren? Who is "greater"? The very desire to be greater, to be honored and recognized by men, must die.....daily.  Is Jesus not our example? He said "I receive not honor feom men". 

"I am come in my Father's name, and you receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him you will receive.  How can you believe,  which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that comes from God only?"

Let us come in Jesus name, not our own. Let us homour Jesus -  and the Father who sent him, not ourselves.  Let us go forth in his authority, his power, and his Spirit, not our own and let us give all glory for the results to HIM who is able to keep us from falling and present us faultless before the  presence of His glory with exceeding joy, for His is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

 People have been conditioned by pastors and the religious pastoral system of gathering together (what many refer to as "having church") to idolize and become dependent on their leadership, to varying degrees depending on the denomination,  to the point where apostles and prophets God has raised and released in our day must be very, very careful,  as Paul was -  

       "Now this I say, that every one of you says, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of 

        Cephas (Peter); and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? or were 

        you baptized in the name of Paul?"

If this scripture were written today, it might read like this -  "Now this I say, that every one of you says "I am of Luther; and I of Wesley; and I am of the Baptists, and I of the Pentecostals,  and I of Christ.  Is Christ divided? Was Luther crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Wesley? 

Paul commanded the Corinthians and us -  "that you all speak the same thing, that there be no divisions among you, buy you be perfectly joined together " - "for while one says, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos; are you not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos?" Indeed, who is Luther, or Wesley or any one of countless men that people esteem and say they are followers of today? People are quicker to exalt their pastor or church then they are Christ himself? Is Christ divided? NO! But most who claim to be his disciples are. So as God sends apostles and prophets to bring clarity and healing and freedom to those who are Christ's true disciples,  we must guard ourselves from falling into the same trap the Corinthians did - and denominations of today.  We must not let men exalt us above due measure-  and if indeed we are ministering the very words, the very wisdom and ways of Christ,  we must emphatically prevent people from saying they are our disciples- or even followers of us. They must give ALL honor to Christ -  we must not take any for ourselves.  This is the only way to keep divisions from occurring.  

If all are following Christ- there will be perfect unity. If any set their hearts or minds on a man, any man, division will occur.  We leaders must not accept men's praise or adoration-  only their love. Be careful of what gifts you receive- for some give with ulterior motives.  The more popular you become,  the more danger you're in.  Be very, very careful about what ministry opportunities you accept.  Is God opening that door? Or man? The mightier you are used by God,  the more humble you must become.  If your name is being spoken by people more than God's  -  something's wrong.  Either in your heart or the people's or both -  "But be not ye called Rabbi: (master; teacher) for one is your master (teacher), even Christ; and all ye are brethren." 

Part two in five days...