Trials? Tribulations?
0I want to talk to you about trials and tribulations in light of a loving God. I grew up in the church thinking the only way to receive revelation. Was beating beaten down by the devil over and over surrendering to God in the name of him teaching me something. I’ve heard things attributed in this like, sickness, death, hard time in life, pornography, childhood and among other things. I can remember time and time again where I would seek revelation but only when i’m having a hard time because that’s where I was taught where the Lord was and is most effective.
Friends this is a lie. Let me tell you something out of experience, I often wondered what it would be like to receive from God when things are going great, amazing. As life should be, but what I’ve been taught is when things and life get this way, I become prideful, arrogant and unteachable. That don’t worry “your’s is coming” as if as a Christian I ALWAYS needed to be in a trial and tribulation somehow being purified in the fire.
This is really interesting because the only way I’ll be able to receive is to desire to be in a tribulation, since that is my desire and desire is everything in the kingdom. Boom, happens.
Ever talk to a person who identifies themselves as atheist or an agnostic? They don’t nearly walk around with such fear that they are going to fall into some hole and be “Characterfied” Many of them have challenges, which I am not shoving out the window here… but They seem to live much happier lives than Christians. And we want to invite them into the kingdom so that they can “STRUGGLE” just like us? Don’t forgive me with this, but I will not bringing anyone in the kingdom that way.
Here’s my issue, we move through life always waiting right around the corner for some huge wrecking ball to wreck our lives, We imagine it, picture it. Think on it and in that we literally invite it into our environment. Then boom, then we say God is teaching me and molding my character. To them I say “Bro I love you, but God doesn’t have to wreck your life that damages you and other people, destroys relationships in the name of molding your character”
I’ve been told things like, “Jimi, you only listen to God when your down in the dumps and not surrendering to him”. AS IF I am not surrendering to him when things are going GREAT. Didn’t Jesus PROMISE us ” I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full?”
Why have we been taught this way? My guess is manipulation and control. There’s something in a business package when your presenting it in competition that shares this is better because Agnosticism and Protestant Christianity…. They are the 2 on the table, Agnosticism seems to enjoy life but still has the same challenges that many Christians do. Protestant Christianity seems to consistently beat themselves to a pulp and tell themselves and other people how much worthless sinners they are.
I’d rather be an agnostic personally, because if God is so big he has to be so much bigger and better than that. No wonder people want nothing to do with the Jesus. The life they are living is so much more fulfilling than the one they are being presented with.
Then a 3rd guy comes in at the last minute, His proposal? GRACE. He shares how it is free, life abundant, becoming who you are without destroying your self identity, walking out just like Jesus with him, and in love with him, your church is everywhere, not inside 4 walls.. I have not had ONE PERSON reject the gospel from the 3rd guy approach. Have you? Have you accepted it? Have you tried it?
Have you rejected the devils schemes? or just let him come and eat your lunch in the name of God’s teaching me by you eating me lunch. NO THATS MY LUNCH GET OFF.
Do I have a problem with Trials? Only when we say they come from God when the fruit of them steals kills and destroys. We love welcoming Satan right in the foyer and walking away to get him a cup of water when then he steals all of our jewelery and runs out the door. Truth is we just don’t know who we are as a community, a body and children of God and until that time that we do their will be small groups of people rising up, fore-running this lovely little idea that God is a good God and doesn’t let any bad thing happen OR isn’t in direct puppet control of the world.
Conclusion? Trials and tribulations will happen, but that doesn’t mean you have to accept them with open arms and say YAY! Come to MEEEEEE! That isn’t life abundant. I’ve learned more in the past 3 years of life going amazing than my 2 years of struggling as a Christian combined.
When we walk out in love and with love and in love with our creator, trials and tribulations become more of a nuisance than a necessity.
Does the bible claim to be the word of God?
0I want to go in depth here share my heart sooooo Enjoy….
I’ve been in camps where if you didn’t agree with what the bible said according to their understanding your seen as one who’s threatening rather than someone who’s loving… Here’s my desire, that you experience the father in his fullness without any hindrance from religion or man. They will keep you back, put you in a box, lock the door, until you scream I QUIT. I have quit Christianity as a religion. I have quit institutional church. So before you scream “HES BEEN HURT” listen up… What if I’m just tired of the “man over God’s plan”? What if the first question above is one of the sole questions that allows, and even encourages the religious bondage that many of us have been part of? What if I’m finding God more outside the church than inside? Does that mean I’ve been hurt? Or that I’m onto something big? That many many many people are also finding that while the institutional church has done some incredible things. It’s losing. It’s sinking. The community has gone out the window, the preaching is by one man who screams biblical when NOTHING in the bible says that there needs to be a one pastor in charge and leading a church… I’m getting off topic… So before I get crazy in this rant.. Back to the bible.
Is the bible the word of God that so many have claimed it to be? No the bible is not the word of God. It never claims to be the word of God. This is called Bibolatry. Jesus is the word… John 1:1
Here’s an excerpt from my buddy Richard.
“The New Testament does NOT refer to itself as the Word of God. The phrase occurs
nearly 50 times in New Testament, and it is not referring to the Bible. Here are some
examples. “They spoke the word of God with boldness” Acts 4:31 (also see 13:46).
“They preached the word of God in the synagogues of Judea” Acts 13:5 (contrast this
with Philip’s ministry to the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8:35 when Phillip “preached unto
him Jesus”). “The word of God is not bound” 2 Timothy 2:9. “The word became flesh
and dwelt among us” John 1:14. “His name is called the Word of God” Revelation
19:13. Are these passages talking about a book, or are they talking about a person, a
presence, a palpable power to be encountered and experienced?”
John 5:39 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me”, and Isaiah 28:5-14
What about primary leading and direction? Does the bible claim that it primarily leads its followers? Romans 8:14 “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.”
Hear that? It doesn’t say those who are lead by the bible are the children of God it says spirit. How about John 16:13? “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” Keep in mind again, because a little tidbit here, The bible wasn’t out until about 120 years after Jesus died and rose again. What did its followers do without a new testament bible? Who did they listen too? Think it may of been the spirit of God? What if something isn’t in the bible? What do we do?
The bible doesn’t say that the bible has everything you need to live a life of Godliness. It is said that you already have everything you need. Bible or not. Let me ask you this. Let’s say martial law happens, and they take all of our bibles away. How many Christians would be still around? Didn’t the inspired scripture say that he has written his laws upon our hearts? That we’ve been made a new creation and have the mind of Christ? Yes he said that. My bible is a tool to explore my inheritance, but it isn’t God. My bible is a springboard into a experience and more experiences with my God. What is your bible?
Now hear me please, I have a high view of scripture. I love scripture, Scripture is inspired but it is NOT word for word dictated. It captures in essence the authors principles and word he/she wanted to convey. I hear so many say “THIS IS A WERD FROM GAWWD” I’m like dude, What does the holy spirit say to you? Does he confirm that? Does he divide and guide your hand changing scripture, Yes I said it. Jesus did it too. haha to capture the principal of the Jesus Christ? That of love, compassion, leading into a romance between man and his creator? What does inspired mean? “imbued with the spirit to do something, by or as if by supernatural or divine influence: an inspired poet.” Does it mean taken over? No! It means to affect someone or something according to an impulse of something higher or greater, (OR someone
)
We cannot keep going in the rate many are going, so many see it to be truth to make sure that everyone believes the exact same thing or they are chastised, condemned and “Held in accountability” because its outside the churches theology… I’ve seen the spirit work, its amazing… It’s incredible being in rest not feeling like you have to do something its been done just rest. That’s faith friends. It has nothing to do with your willpower but rest in the will and the purpose and the comfort of God. I had such a narrow view of the world when I thought like I did before. I see mountains to climb, valleys or friendships to embark on with people that are searching too. I am so Tired of the religious system that aims to bring someone closer to God but actually pushes them away and makes them so scared and feeling so worthless that they want nothing to do with the God they are preaching..
Ending with this: I quit the religious system and I saved a whole bunch of money by switching to giving in abundance. Rather than tithing which is a topic for another discussion. Remember that if your bible is claimed to be the word of God that elevates your understanding to be God because you can only see God to the ceiling of your understanding, and the moment someone comes and challenges you, you lose your paradigm because that understanding has become your safety net rather than Jesus Lord of Lords being your safety net and you’ve brought back the law Jesus fulfilled and did away with.
DID GOD EXECUTE ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA?
1Peter asked Sapphira in the literal Greek of Acts 5 verse 9, ” Why did the two of you agree to pressure the Spirit?” (Word Study Greek-English New Testament, Paul R. McReynolds, Tyndall, pp. 441 (1999). In other words, why did you two push away the protective presence of God? The implication is clear then that Satan, not God, is the culprit here. Satan “filled their hearts” to lie, then Ananias and Sapphira quenched away God’s protective presence with their sin, then Satan filled the vacuum in their hearts with his oppressive condemnation, and they both died.
McReynolds’ interlinear translation of 1 Corinthians 10:9 describes this same dynamic. “But not we might PRESSURE OUT the Christ, just as some of them PRESSURED andby the snakes were destroyed.” Interlinear translations can be a little awkward to our ear, but they often give us the gold of better understanding Scripture texts.
Do you see what this Acts passage now describes? Ananias and Sapphira’s rampant neglect and disbelief toward God, combined with their fear toward their circumstances, all combined to do the following. THEY PRESSURED OUT THE PROTECTIVE PRESENCE OF CHRIST AND WERE DESTROYED BY SATAN.
How do we know God didn’t kill them? Because Hebrews 2:14-15 says Satan has the power of death, not God. John 10:10 says Satan kills men, not God. 1 Corinthians 5:5 says Satan destroys the flesh of men, not God and actually, the passage doesn’t say anybody killed them, but they themselves “gave up the ghost” (spirit) AFTER hearing Peter’s words of condemnation. It may well be that they feared Peter’s words so much that they just surrendered their will to live. We all know, or have heard of, people who give up on life in despair, some gradually, others in an instant in time. Some “give up their spirit” because of a broken heart, or impending sickness or disaster. Perhaps they were so worried about their sin because it was one of the first of the church age, and they thought it was perhaps unforgivable.
In other words, it appears Annanias and Sapphira were condemned to death. But was this God’s will? Was it God’s best? Did Peter show them the same grace he himself received when he betrayed the Lord? What if somebody in apostolic authority, James or John for instance, told Peter to essentially “drop dead” in the wake of his sin, might he also have given up the ghost?
Did Peter extend God’s grace to them to NOT hold this sin to their account, as Jesus did, as the martyr Stephen did, or did he even try to minister repentance to them, to counsel them, to pray for them, to intercede for them, to lay hands on them to be forgiven and healed, or any of the other things later Scripture and later Church practice advised?
What about this passage? “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault , ye which are spiritual , restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself , lest thou also be tempted .” Galatians 6:1.
Was the spirit of this above passage followed? No, Peter appeared to quickly and immediately condemn them, then he just stepped out of the way and let the Devil have them. If lying to the Holy Spirit by holding back some of our resources REALLY mandated immediate Holy Ghost execution, then how many of us would still be
standing? How many of us would not have been executed long ago? Perhaps the morale of this passage is more about Peter’s mercy-deficit than it is about Annaias and
Sapphira’s faith-deficit.
These are all questions the Holy Spirit wants to minister to us. It is understandable that the infant Church might have less tolerance and patience than a more mature and experienced group of believers. I know when I was newly converted and freshly fervent in the Spirit, my tolerance level for others’ unbelief was small. I would have been just as firm and ferocious as Peter. But, with time and maturity, my patience for people’s shortcomings, sins, and failures has exponentially increased. I am not nearly as quick to pull the condemnation trigger as I used to be.
Paul had the courage to “withstand Peter to his face” when Peter was wrong (Galatians 2:11). Perhaps WE should “withstand Peter to his face” in this passage as well. But regardless, one thing is certain. God did not kill Ananias and Sapphira. Satan did. Satan was certainly working lies and crippling condemnation in their hearts, and possibly in the hardening Peter’s heart toward them as well. But, Satan was the true assassin here any way you look at it.
Facelifted to encourage you from the Goodness of God -Richard Murray
“Judgement” of the father?
0◄ John 5:22 ►( Jesus words) Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son,
◄ John 12:47►(Jesus words) “As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it.
WHO BE THE ONE JUDGING IN JOHN 12:48? There are only 2 suspects Moses and Satan
◄ John 5:45 ► “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set.
◄ Rev 12:9-10 ► The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have come the salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down.
◄ 1 Timothy 3:6 YLT►
not a new convert, lest having been puffed up he may fall to a “”"”"”"”"”judgment”"”"”"”"”" of the devil; (For those who like more known translations like NIV and others the word there is Condemnation “krima” G2917 which means JUDGEMENT
Who be killing people in the OT?
The last ENEMY to be destroyed is death. ◄ 1 Corinthians 15:26 ► (Giggle)
WHERE IS GOD IN ALL OF THIS?
◄ Luke 2:14 ►
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Conclusion? Satan is the one who Judges you to destroy you. Not God. Come to the father. His love is oceans wide for you.
Been a while ehh!??!?
0It has been quite a while!
Some of your have realized we (I, James) haven’t posted in FOREVER, I’ve been stepping back, going back to foundation in what I believe and really been seeking a deeper personal relationship with God, it has been incredible. I’m going to a church that is pouring into me, and is happy to be part of my healing journey. I do what to be honest with all of you and say this, My vision for this ministry is to see it give out so much encouragement that discouragement will no longer be able to stand in our scope of influence, a great start is twitter. This is easy since the darkness cannot overcome the light, John 1:5.
I also want to say something else, Ever since I started this ministry I have had a couple of people but it has been mostly myself (James) running and maintaining the ministry I have always had a vision that multiple people would be maintaining, and pouring into people on twitter and Facebook. Little side note, I have deleted my personal Facebook which shutdown Yay Jesus on Facebook. Its still there but nothing is happening with it at the moment. My concentration for the next 6 months is going to be twitter, and this website Lord willing. The Lord has given me massive peace that I cannot keep inside but must keep moving foreword and sharing because it is contagious.
I want to take this ministry in a direction where testimonies are shared of people getting healed, raising the dead, goodness of God and just that old fashioned encouragement that makes you have all them butterflies inside!
I want others to see, that God still moves today. That he is willing to move amongst his children, While he is a mystery, He will and has unleashed his love among his children through signs and wonders. They haven’t gone anywhere!
I want everyone to see that they can do it too, in Christ. My sharing of what God has done isn’t to glorify me. Its to glorify him, because he is Lord.
Vroom vroom.
God says Gay is good?
0
It’s common to hear the condemnation for LGBT but the truth is God’s heart for LGBT is breaking and He wants them to enter into His Kingdom. God offers rivers of living water to everyone. He said He would pour out His Spirit on all flesh…The great out pouring of His Holy Spirit into the LGBT in the coming season is going to shake the church and the LGBT community both to it’s core. This will spark the greatest revival. If you were an LGBT how would you respond to this message of God’s love pouring out to you? Would you give up your identity as a homosexual? How do you feel about keeping the word word “gay” Which God has redeemed to mean happy. The requirement has always been to repent and turn to God. It was never meant to make you feel condemned to the point of taking your own life. Or thinking that God created you to go to hell because he created Hell for the devil and His angels not for you.. What do you think the Holy Spirit communicates to you through this message?
God’s goodness PT.1
1Want to see the goodness of God?
I’ll show you an example, many people say God is an angry God in the old testament. It is important to understand that Satan and his kingdom were embryonic. While Yes Satan still worked, It wasn’t until page 585 into the OT where he was mentioned by only the 1st of the 3 old testament writers that ever wrote about Satan, Moses, Lot, Abraham and david never mentioned of Satan and his kingdom.
The initial prognoses to the Old testament is this, They thought Satan was part of God’s kingdom doing the “dirty work” They thought he was an “Angel of Death” or part of God’s character. Hince (God’s anger rose against so and so) An example that Wrath is not part of God’s character is this… “When moses struck the rock he did it out of wrath and his own righteousness, he didn’t do what God told him to. “He told him to speak to the rock” but moses was mad at them because they kept asking and not trusting. Moses mis-represented God’s character and that made him not able to go into the promise land. When God showed them patience moses represented with wrath and smite.
The whole “Satan is against God and working against Christ” is a very new idea “Posted” when Jesus came on the earth. He set the record straight on God’s character. We can see God’s character by and through the lens of Jesus.
If Jesus didn’t do it while he was on the earth, that means that the father doesn’t do it nor will he.
As far as the example goes pulling this all together,
Check out 2nd Samuel 24:1
Its VERY important to mention that these are parallel bible verses of the same story, same event, same David and same Israelites (70,000) It was a sin to divide the israelites and david did it anyway.
Here it is: Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”
Seems legit right? Wait, Look at 1 chronicles 21:1
It says,
Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.
Here is the conclusion, the OT writers had DUI glasses approach and knowledge of God and his Character.
When you see God’s anger, if you care too, find parallel verses and watch it say Satan. EVERY TIME
I’ll end with this, Read the bible by the spirit, not by the letter. If you read by the letter you will get God’s character missed and messed up. Letter kills anyway IF you read by the spirit, he will reveal to you what you just read.
Crazy in Love
1Did you know the God of the universe journals about you? He doesn’t journal about the things you do wrong, Satan does all that.
HE journals about the times he is with you, (Always) He journals about the times he’s together with you (Always) He journals about the times he is pleased with you (Always)
We have largely mis-represented God and his character.
He’s freaking crazy in love with you. He has screamed it on top’s of the mountains that have said, be moved.
He doesn’t want obedience, he doesn’t want to do just do good things. He wants a relationship with you.
He wont stop loving until he has it and the love doesn’t stop there, Who ever is reading this and says i’m dead wrong, get ready for the magic carpet ride, The Lord is coming to show you in his power and his love just how much he has loved you.
-James
Starting the engine: 1st gear
0You will see Jerusalem, a city quiet and secure.
It will be like a tent whose ropes are taut
and whose stakes are firmly fixed.
21 The Lord will be our Mighty One.
He will be like a wide river of protection
that no enemy can cross,
that no enemy ship can sail upon.
22 For the Lord is our judge,
our lawgiver, and our king.
He will care for us and save us.
23 The enemies’ sails hang loose
on broken masts with useless tackle.
Their treasure will be divided by the people of God.
Even the lame will take their share!
24 The people of Israel will no longer say,
“We are sick and helpless,”
for the Lord will forgive their sins. NLT
Starting the engine
1I first write this blog post with a smile because i’m being led to write it. I have realized that what I’m about to write is not for universal audiences, its for a targeted audience. I know that I will step on toes from a doctrine standpoint, but I must preach the gospel just as Jesus did as he has called me to do. Here’s an analogy
I feel in my heart that i’ve been giving the keys to a car that has been in my garage the whole time. Black leather seats, Crimson red paint, 450HP v8. If i had to describe it, Its a corvette grand sport. I had no idea I had been given this car by the most high, Being honest i’m afraid to start it. I know what a corvette sounds like, its incredible I’ve been driving my little eco car and have loved it! but yet, this car is so much better and I cannot ignore it anymore… I’ve put the key in a few times but, since I don’t have many people around me to sit in the passenger seat and teach me how to drive it stepping out, pushing the clutch in and turning the key is my biggest fear. Soon however i’m connecting with a couple of people who have been in that car and drive it everyday!
I’m still seeing this ministry encouraging others, which is what i’m going to continue to do… Encourage you. A man plans his ways and the Lord determines his steps right??? (Proverbs 16:9) The vehicle i’m about to start driving is the full blown gospel, destroying the works of the devil, laying hands on the sick. Bringing others to Christ in Jesus name and for his glory.
Its healing. Many more things i’m learning as well but, the biggest in the last 3 months is healing. I was astounded by it when I first got into a relationship with the most high, but a wise man told me that I need to concentrate on my relationship with God first so that I’m not deceived. With Good reason, I’m so blessed to have waited and have the understanding that the holy spirit lives inside me, that I am holy and righteous in his sight, not because I have deserved it, because I have not. I deserve to be eternally separated from my daddy. Thankfully he sent his son to say “I love you” and “I want you to know me” and “I want to know you and your time” Now, The Lord has brought this to my forefront, I’ve turned my back on it 3 times. I cannot anymore because it is part of his Name in “I AM” as healer.
Knowing that the one who made me loves me for who I am fully human and fully his is incredible I am fully forgiven and he sees me as righteous in his sight, I’m beginning to see myself in my sight towards him that way as well. Just a quick sentence on my background, I grew up in a broken abusive home with an earthly father who didn’t mirror my heavenly one. Knowing that he might be reading this, I love him. I’ve forgiven him and our relationship is building. I hope we get to open the word together someday. (tears wiped and continuing)
I’ve seen many things happen on youtube(people getting healed), in the word of God and many peoples responses to it are. “That happened in the biblical times but not now” Even though there is nothing in the Word of God that says these signs and wonders that follow those who believe (Mark 16:17) have stopped
In fact, Matthew 10:8 it says “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” I must say If we are continuing to freely receive we must be continuing to be freely give.
Mark 16:18 they(believers) will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
Why am I not laying hands!? If you nodded I completely agree.
What ever your background is on healing, supernatural. It is the power of God, always has been. Paul said something incredible many parts of the new Testement. 1 Thessalonians 1:5, 1 John 3:18, 1 Corinthians 4:20, all through acts, “For the kingdom of God isn’t of mere words but a demonstration of Gods power.
Searching my heart in this i’ve found there are many things I have adopted of the church that are not of God. This is for another blog post because for me, dealing with about 15 of them its a big deal and a long conversation.
The greatest of these is love. (Corinthians 13) We cannot walk in the full gospel until we walk in Love. As God is love hey! Things just get done. This blog post is the beginning of pouring my heart out in what I learning as a Christian what it means to be blown by the spirit (John 3:8)
Simply has the mandate of Matthew 10 changed today? What does it say? READ UP!
I look foreword to updating you on what God is doing and I hope to encourage you to do the same in the near future.
Blessings in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,
-Jimi