Warrior Ventures

I'm glad Jesus doesn't give gifts based on whether I've been naughty or nice...I was thinking about the "gifts" Jesus gives this season...so much to ponder. Of course we all think about the gift of Himself, coming as a baby to bring "peace on earth good will to men," completely fulfilled through the work of the cross and resurrection -- "His inexpressible gift," the "gift of God...eternal life through Jesus the Messiah our Lord." We know that "every good and perfect gift comes from above." So after we openned all of our presents, we stood in the midst of them as a family and thanked Jesus for them specifically. It helps put things like an Xbox or new toy into perspective. But I was pondering this:, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” He "gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service." He gave the gift

It seems nice and safe to think of a brand of "Christianity" where Jesus died for people who merely lie or manipulate, have shoplifted, had sex outside of marriage, worshiped money, coveted, or confess the faults that the world considers trivial, even some-what acceptable.  It's easier to think of loving the kind of people that make us look heroic -- like loving disabled children, handing $5 to a homeless guy, helping hurricane victims, or sending food to Africa.  All of these are wonderful. (And everyone stands in need of Christ's salvation, don't get me wrong).   BUT it's much harder to demonstrate love to the people that most of society deems " UNLOVEABLE "-- those who have sinned in ways it believes are unforgivable .  What are the kind of people (or specific people we can think of) that we find hard....even impossible...to love?  The kind of people we want to hide from view and not think about? Jesus died for thieves, felons, sex trafficker

Most of our world has been beaten down by a religious spirit for thousands, of years. They know a great deal about guilt, condemnation, shame, powerlessness, and inability. You need to offer them something different than they already have. Otherwise, you are just replacing one religious spirit with another one. You need to have a HUGE view of God's grace, identity inside of Christ, our inheritance in Christ, and what He has called us to be through Jesus – to be just like Him. Don't put any ceiling on anything that God hasn't put a cap on. Don't limit what He can do through me, you, or anyone else completely yielded to Him. “The lie of the enemy is that you can never become like Jesus or do what He did.” “We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” - 1 Jn 3:2-3 We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And wi

We don't get free from Fear by placing ourselves before fearful things on purpose, by watching horror movies, reading scary books, telling ourselves scary things, or entertaining fearful thoughts and then trying to psych ourselves up into not believing it or not being afraid of it.  We overcome fear by submitting ourselves to love and God's unending love in our life, by experiencing and placing ourselves underneath and focusing on the reality of how much He loves us.  The Bible says that perfect love casts out fear and those who are fearful or full of terror have not been made perfect in love (1 John 4:18) , so it is love that drives out fear.  So don't be fooled into thinking that by subjecting yourself to fearful scenarios it will make you stronger.  God's Spirit in us counteracts fear automatically when we surrender to Him -- He didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of love, power, and self-mastery.  (2 Timothy 1:6-7) It is love that makes us bold; it is His

If your god can be a woman/"she", then you don't worship GOD, you worship a goddess. Abba (Papa God - the God I worship) is not a goddess; Holy Spirit is not a goddess. He is God above all gods and goddesses and LORD above all kings. There IS the kind of questioning that comes from faith, based in the ecosystem of God's loving embrace and presence. AND THEN, there's the kind of questioning that is a subterfuge that seeks to undermine the unchangeable character and nature of the God (note I didn't say goddess), rewrite the annals of natural history, and erase the prophetic Word to inscribe some more pleasant destiny for those who trample upon the cross of Jesus. The second one can sometimes be candy-coated to appear like the first. Satan is, afterall, a deceiver. One is the questioning of a child of God which provokes faith, hope, and love for all of His precious revelation -- like Mary who wondered how she could have a child, since she was a virgin. The

Where I Long to Remain A place of freedom -- where God's voice is as clear as crystal, where I sense the pain and joy in others by the Holy Spirit and know just the word to speak to encourage them.  Where I feel I could speak anything from the whole counsel of God, regardless of the consequences, where the Word of God breathes on me conviction, encouragement, and truth.  Where temptation seems powerless in His presence and trials are beautiful reflections of my identity to Christ.  The world seems a passing shadow and a vanishing mist in light of my heart's awakening to His glory and soon-very-soon return.  Can I resist this love that lifts me, humbles me, pulls me, and pushes me. The reality of His grace and unconditional love are unescapable, and I barely have to try to pray, to share Jesus, to love, to laugh, to cry, or prophecy.  Where those around me sense this same freedom, and nothing on earth could stop His wind and fire.  At any moment, at any time, anyone feels fr

To: American Christians I recently read a post by a local pastor, which was mostly a case for why Christians should not be involved (or partner) with government and how nations (America in particular) cannot ever be considered anything other than a kingdom of this world, in contrast to the Kingdom of God. I’m writing this, because I realized that this is not just an isolated paradigm, but there is a disconnect from a balanced Biblical view and where much of Western Christianity is today. We need a spiritual reformation of Christians in government (indeed all the mountains of society) but from a slightly different angle. Basically because most American Christians have not been in this position before, or assumed they weren’t. While many Christians did vote for this administration, some did not and have become increasingly critical of Trump, because he didn't fit the typical “Christian presidential material”. Some even refuse to bless and pray for their leaders with thanksgiving,

The power of God for salvation (both unbelievers and believers) Evidenced by: Not just words, but accompanied by power, the Holy Spirit, and deep conviction, Produces: Reclamation of (finding) all that was lost in the fall of mankind Forgiveness of sins Healing of the whole person - spirit, soul, mind, and body Deliverance (set free) from all bondage - curses, lies and deception, demonic oppression or possession Freedom from all evil - Satan, the sin nature, the evil world (mankind's evil organization) Freedom from temptation toward evil Power for godly living ("being good" in every aspect of your being) Blessing - purpose, protection, fulfillment of destiny Godly Prosperity Inheritance - we receive every right as a child of God Promises of God - eternal life (freedom from death), paradise Restoration to friendship with God Presence of God (Holy Spirit) God's infused nature Restoration of all that has been stolen Resurrection of all that has died

Take Time to Be Holy 1 Peter 1:13-16 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” God has an expectation of us, but He also gives us the power to fulfill it.  Our Sanctification -- our "holy-fication" -- comes because of the work of Christ on the cross.  He paid the price to make us holy by His own blood.  Our own effort does not make us more like Jesus, but His grace does.  As we trust in what God has done for us in Christ, we surrender more and more to His purification to become just like Jesus -- in His character and His power.  Grace is not a license to keep on sinning, enough though God's love is great enough to forgive every offense.  Rather, grac

Lately I’ve encountered a significant number of people who are experiencing stomach disorders (ie. Acid reflux, indigestion, and even cancer). When the Holy Spirit leads me to pray for them I have discovered there is a common link among much of them – a bitter spirit. Bitterness can result from unbelief – a quenching of the Holy Spirit - or denial of Truth (Hebrews 12:15), as in Peter’s case when he denied Christ 3 times and wept bitterly. It can also result from idolatry (Deut.29:17). It stems from anger, rage, harsh words, maliciousness, hate, hard-heartedness, unforgiveness, and resentment. The solution for this bitterness is the sweet honey of the Holy Spirit. “Instead be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ Jesus has forgiven you.” – Eph.4:32 Bitterness can also be a God-given burden, which is designed for a certain purpose: Job expressed the bitterness of his suffering and situation (Job 7:11), Jeremiah developed a bitterness

Rebuilding Our Cities and Lent Last night I had a dream.  We were driving, following some friends who were driving an older car that looked like a Lincoln Versaille.  We drove along Columbia Falls Stage Road, and our friends turned west and drove across the Old Red Bridge. I was quite nervous following them, since I knew that the bridge had been condemned, even to foot traffic, for some years. As we drove across (one at a time), I noticed that some repairs had been done on the bridge. It wasn't a full restoration of the bridge, but it seemed "just enough" to make it barely usable for someone to venture across the bridge.  Eventually I think we made it across, but "just barely." When I prayed about the dream, I heard the verses from Isaiah 58: "If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.  And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy you

Real Fellowship - One Church I often hear the question, “Where do you go to church?” I used to answer the question, “Church isn’t a place you go to; We are the Church.” It seems like somehow that message has been by-passed. I've been praying a great deal about how to answer this in current days. I'm not just ignoring the question. I'm also not offended at anyone for asking it, and I don't want my tone to come across that way. It is a question I hear often, but it is a question I really struggle with. I don't really like the question, because I feel like it often comes with a reflexive judgment or stereotyping: labeling people according to their denominational or particular affiliation, rather than simply acknowledging people as the family of God, who truly know Jesus as Savior. As soon as I mention the church group I regularly fellowship with, others who don't go there immediately categorize me as being "not with them." Otherwise the question is used

Proclamations of My Destiny *Communication with those outside of Christ is absolutely necessary. "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;" (1 Peter 2:9). *The world cannot live without me; the world absolutely needs me. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” Matt. 5:14 *God loves me, no matter what. 1 Jn 3:1 “See what enormous love the Father has given to us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knows us not, because it knew him not.” *I am accepted - a loving, caring person, who is nurturing others in wisdom and the overcoming power of God. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offe

Praying God's Will "Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is." Eph. 5:17 When we pray, we ought to pray with confidence of what God's intended will or outcome is. There is a subjective encounter with the Holy Spirit which enlightens the believer, guiding him or her into all truth, revealing what God's will is. If we do not pray this way, we are merely praying prayers which are more along the lines of fatalism -- (ie. "well, I pray that God's will is done in this situation"). This is the excuse of lazy praying, insinuating that "God's will" is something which is unreachable, unknowable and therefore "unpray-able". Believers who follow this line of praying allow for attacks of Satan to be excused as "God's will". God will allow many things which are not His will; it should not be ours to merely let them happen by not interceeding. Believers who know that the "fervent prayer o

Gen. 8:22 Season will remain "As long as the earth endures, seed-time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease." Here is a promise that flies in the face of apocalyptic, fear-based warnings about world-wide nuclear winters, permanent global weather change, and other paranoia. I'm a HUGE fan of fulfilling our God-given responsibility to replenish the earth, but I won't be moved by panic or fear-based initiatives that lack soundness. I could rant about this for a while, but the main message I am getting from these verses is this: seasons. "Be instant in season and out of season." 2 Timothy 4:2 Jesus expects there to be fruit (of the Spirit) on our tree in every season, just like he expected the fig tree to have fruit on it, even though it wasn't even the "season" for the figs to be on the tree (Mark 11). It is important for us to know what season we are in and to “understand the times and know what

I gather to myself the strengths of my inheritance: from Ireland, the joy of celebration and the power of imagination and life; from Scotland - the warrior spirit and fight to bring freedom from England - nobility, reverance, power, and majestic rule from France - delicate appreciation for life and its details, art and romance from the Netherlands - industry and innovation from Norway - mystical awareness, and perseverance from Germany - militant determination and industrious production from the Czech Republic - spiritual knowledge, and secrecy from America - freedom, unity, and strength

Musings About Obedience Sometimes obedience is a risk.  We don't always know what's on the other side of the door of obedience, and often if we did, we would never go through the door.  There are many times in my life that I see that God has brought me through things I would never have chosen, and it is a good thing I didn't know everything ahead of time, because I would never have obeyed, and would have missed the reward that came through enduring the trials that came with the obedience.  Oh the wisdom and knowledge of God - how unsearchable is His wisdom and His ways past finding out. Don't let anyone despise you for your obedience.  They aren't the one who will answer before God for the choices you make.  You alone will answer for your life and whether you obeyed God's voice or not.  The ones who criticize your obedience are often the ones who will not lift a hand to help you build, face the conflict with you, or take the risks of faith that you take.