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Monday, July 20, 2015

Can we Reveal the Love of Christ and Judge at the Same time?

Love and Judgement are having difficult times.





Believers for the most part agree we are called to love and God saves us in his loving kindness.

It's not the words that are stumbling us.


What love is and how to live this love in the world is stumbling us.   


The world is corrupt and being corrupted daily.  Fading fast.
A world that should cause us to turn away.....but we cannot.


You and I were part of that world before we were delivered from the dominion of darkness.   


 I would not be saved if the church, believers and my family didn't faithfully share the gospel with me and confront me with the love of Christ.  They were praying while I was sinning and lost.  Praying that with all hope that I would come home.  Thank you!



"While we were sinners Christ died for us."  Rom 5 
Jesus has always been clear with me, the Son of Man came for that which was lost.  I was one of those lost people. 




The problems of today's believing community stem deeply from the problems of identification with Jesus, of belief in his saving power and of the gospel being preached all over America. 


While we condemn people lost in sin and unaware of the truth, we possibly wound their hearts to the Gospel. We make it hard for the message to penetrate.  They harden and become callous to the message. The message that would save them and heal them deeply in his joy.  We agree with the spirit of age and condemn those Jesus came to save.

But we also do not shake off the dust.  We've forgotten to let people know our preaching is a visitation.  When we leave and when the Gospel is rejected we no longer work those fields.  The local church is both a family and a Kingdom Gospeling venture.
We are salt.  We are light. 

When we preach the gospel and we are not received we shake off the dust. 
We let people know they have made a choice.


It is one of the deep challenges of walking after Jesus.  We are at once open doors to love, grace and the healing power of the Cross, and at the same time proclaiming a word that must be responded to.  It is a word of life, escape and freedom.  There is no middle ground.   We are always open doors to love.  We are always calling for a life that escapes the present darkness and the wrath to come. 


For believers the Scripture is where we turn to pin point love. 


For God so loved..... John 3:16
Love lays down it's life for the people.

I Corinthians 13
Love acts and believes a certain way.  Like God.
Love never fails.  Just like God. 

"This is how we know what love is...
Jesus laid down his life for us.
And we should lay down our lives for.....?"  I John 3:16  

Who?   If we lay our lives down it might help with some of the trouble we are finding with love and Judgement. 

Scripture says "the brothers".  We lay down our lives for the brothers.  
Ok.  So love is expressed first in the family of God. Love is first among those who follow Jesus and adhere to his teaching. 

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."  John 15:12

That makes sense. 
Love those closet to you with the greatest effect of the Lord Jesus first.  
Love should be easy in the Lord's house; seeing people as he sees them, believing all things and hoping all things.


Love has a rich abiding place and value in the Family of God.
It makes sense that love dwells richly where Jesus is welcomed and received.
The church is the place Jesus is the most welcome and received on earth.
Or at least that the general idea for why she is here. 

So the amount of judgement going on should be less impacting in the church right? 

This all sounds fairly straight forward.  Then we encounter the challenges.

What do we do with people in the church who don't follow Christ, sow into love or have any intention of walking in the way of Christ in purity and holiness? 

Matthew 18 gives us some great ground to walk on.  We confront with restoration in mind. 
We go after the lost sheep and see if we can restore them to the grace of God. 
We keep the house of the Lord for what it was intended.  A House of Prayer for all the Nations. 
The church carries a culture of love with a revelation of righteousness in the Lord Jesus. 
 

Ok. But what about people who don't follow Christ, the way of love or even respect the believing community?  

Praise God.  Our forefathers created a country in which we can dwell and freely exercise our faith.  
That same freedom provides opportunity for other people to freely exercise moral choices that believers would never consider.   If they are lost and not proclaiming Christ Jesus as their Lord while they do those things we have open doors to love and the Gospel that sets them free.  

 The church is sent out in the same love of Jesus into the world.
"As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world." John 17:18

Injustice, evil in terms of breaking the law, and any unlawful acts is punishable by the government.  This is it's role.  It has a divine role to uphold the law.  

But I am sad to say it, but America is not the Kingdom of God. 
America is a great country with a typical worldly history. 
It has allowed for something very great in the history of humanity.    Freedom.
That freedom is also allowing for moral corruption on a personal relational level.  
We are free to participate in the government.  We are citizens.  We can vote.  We have freedom of the press and of speech.  So exercise your divine privileged. 

The real problem comes along when the believing community and the citizens of the country in general don't see eye to eye on what is morally good and acceptable.   Christians have been in this role for most of their existence. 

Why? 
The revelation of the Kingdom of God in Jesus Christ, his rule and reign, is a revelation of perfect righteousness, truth and love.  He is the high priest of a heavenly tabernacle.  It is perfect in its holy beauty. 

What was the response of believers in Nero's reign?  
Paul said this,  
"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings (Nero, Herod etc) an all who are in high positions...."  I Tim 2:1-2 

Love is trying to find a way "in Christ through the Gospel".   Ephesians 3:9


Judgement - We try and be like God and judge but we don't have the love of God or the perspective of God flooded in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.  


Without judgement there could be no practical justice.
The Government is established to make judgements and uphold judgement and justice.  


Without judgement there would be little in the way of decisive action.
Judgement is a practical and essential ingredient for the functioning of the world.


But in God's Kingdom judgement is held back by grace.  
Enough grace to overcome every sin past, present and future. 
Grace is calling out to the lost and those under the coming wrath. 
It is offering salvation in Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of sins.  
The same love, salvation and forgiveness that every existing believer has known. 

My thought is we need to walk in love and preach the Gospel of the Kingdom. 
The doors are wide open.  
Nothing is holding us back but ourselves. 
Are we up for the challenge of calling out to the wounded and lost in the Gospel of Jesus Christ?  


This is a challenging issues. I hope I at least got you thinking.  

Please comment and share your thoughts.  

The King of Kings is coming in grace and truth.  



What to do next?  
 

Visit my page at www.jeffreynoldsministries.com for more teaching and blogs on the subject. 
  
This topic is definitely one that provokes comments and ideas.  
Comments?  Ideas? Testimonies?  
Send those to me.  
Thanks for +1's and re-shares. 



Other posts that may interest you:


1.http://jeffreynoldsonedesire.blogspot.com/2015/01/7-things-enemy-devil-doesnt-want-you-to.html











Thanks for reading. 
The dialogue is awesome.  Thank you.
Testimonies?  Share em with me.  
Re-Shares lov em.  Thank you!

With much love in Jesus

You can do this thing!  He's got you. 






Jeff Reynolds   ---

Brother Jeff






jeff@jeffreynoldsministries.com

Thursday, July 16, 2015

The Jezebel Spirit - Unraveling the Story and Our Present Reality

Around the Jezebel discussion and the Jezebel spirit there is trouble. 
This should not surprise anyone.  




2 Kings 9:2-37

The Jezebel deception is deep. 
Typically it is on a scale of government captivity as seen in the Old Testament.  (I Kings 19)
It requires a supporting cast and continued inroads. 
It is a pervasive deception.  It is a cunning deception of control and fear.

Today, I believe, it is part of the very fabric of American Christianity, churches and ministries. 
It is here, now, today.  Among us. 
It needs to be broken. 
No longer tolerated.  (Rev 2:18-29)

 

What kind of sign posts mark the way and support the statement that Jezebel is pervasive and widespread in American spiritual settings? 

1) If American Christian men were honest...

Kingdom Authority is Given to us
Most if not a majority of believing men struggle with, have been hindered by, are addicted to or stumble in pornography.  It is a billion dollar swampland churning under the culture of America.   Jezebel seduces in sexual and unclean intimacy. (Rev 2:20)  Her prophets and worship plunge humanity deep into sexual enmity.  Growing farther and farther from real human contact, intimacy and righteousness.   

The intimacy we are called to walk in with Jesus (Rev 2:4-5) and abide in deeply (John 15) is all but destroyed by sexual sin, addictions to pornography and the entire culture of lust.  

The Jezebel spirit is at the root of this problem.  

 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.  Revelation 2:20


What goes away first is first love.  
The heart has a tough time wading through the guilt and shame of sexual sin.  It goes numb to divine passion.  Worship and prayer fall away and we can be swept up in a deluge of confusion, isolation and regret.  These captivities are not the foundation that can launch bold Spirit filled men and women into the fields of Kingdom harvest. 

We are made for love, for intimacy with God.  
We are made for first love with Jesus.  First love for God is the call of men.  It is the heritage of David.  The loss of authority in families, in churches, and in spiritual leadership is a key factor of the attack Jezebel brings.  Abdication of authority is the open door to Jezebel. Leadership in intimate worship, devotion and family is the foundation the family of God needs.  It is lost in the deceit of the Jezebel.  The abdication of headship leadership in the family opens the door for all kinds of spirits to fill the vacuum of authority.  The Jezebel attack hits at the heart of worship, authority and intimacy.  Many American believing men have been made Eunuchs by the Jezebel spirit. They no longer lead or walk in the authority given to them as leaders of their family and as leaders in the church. 

2) Despising prophecy.

Are we throwing down Elijah's instead of Jezebels?


In scripture we are commanded, "Do not despise prophecy". (I Thess 5;20) When we despise prophesy we remove the habitation of the Holy Spirit.  We grieve him. We also remove the spirit of testimony and living word resident in the testimony of Jesus. (Rev 19:10)  Prophecy is essentially love expressed with unction in encouragement, strengthening and comforting the Saints.  It is the testimony of Jesus.  He is life, living and active. He is alive today.  Prophecy is a powerful dynamic release of the life of Jesus Christ.  Applied correctly it is filled with love and unction.  

It is the greatest gift of the Spirit and extremely powerful when love informs its paths and motivations. (I Cor 14:1).   


The Jezebel spirit seeks to destroy prophecy, the environment of prophecy and anyone carrying the anointing of prophecy.  Ultimately the Jezebel attack would eliminate the NAME of Jesus from the church and completely bring worship into realms far from heaven.  


The revelation of worship, found in the work of Jesus, is our inheritance.  The fiery eyes of Jesus seen in Revelation 1:12-20 come from the witness of worship forged in obedience to the Fathers will (Hebrews 10;5-10).   

Any degrading of the Name of Jesus and the worship standard set by his victorious work is an affront to his righteousness and the rule and reign of his Kingdom.  

The degrading and loss of righteousness in the world is not the primary concern of heaven.  The world is already condemned.  Jesus has already triumphed over the world and has provided a Kingdom that is overcoming the world daily.  The world is passing away even as we write, speak and preach.  The primary call and concern of the Saints lies in upholding the truth and revelation of Jesus Christ in Worship and Prayer.  We are called to agree with heaven.  We are called to a coming Kingdom (Isaiah 9:7). 

Paul clearly tells us.....
He is a steward of Grace and of the Mystery (Christ Jesus revealed in the world)
And
The way forward is "in Christ through the Gospel". 
Ephesians 3:1-11 

The energy of the Kingdom of God is not spent trying to hold back a deflated, defeated and crushed world.  It is changing the world and its environments  from the inside out.  The Kingdom comes to the world in a people who carry the revelation of the mystery, Jesus Christ.  A people who move in the new Kingdom of Christ; his rule and reign shining in bright grace and power through the Holy Spirit.  

3) Abdication of spiritual calling and the corresponding authority.


Toleration is not a strategy
The witness of the Apostles of the Lord Jesus was to his unbounded power and worship in doing the Father's will.  Jesus overcame the world.  He crushed its power and took away it's weapons.  Sin was defeated.  Death was destroyed.  The Devil was stripped of his greatest weapons.  Now a people are arising in the way, truth and life of Jesus Christ.    They carry the rule and reign of Jesus in the lives they live.  His presence is here in a Kingdom with effective power.  By the work of Jesus we are delivered from the dominion of darkness and freed into a Kingdom of light and love.   


The rule and reign of Christ Jesus is effectively seen in the lives of those who walk in their calling and divine assignment in faith, hope and love. 
When believers and those in authority positions abdicate their divine calling through 
intimidation,
Fear,
lack of will,
lack of confidence in God
and become ruled by "worldly weapons" and control,
the vacuum is filled by spiritual forces opposed to the revelation of the mystery and the stewardship of Grace in Jesus Christ. 

Paul paints the way of power and effective Kingdom authority....


Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, 19 holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. 20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.  I Tim 1:18f


The Word and Spirit combine in the Kingdom for effective power and love when promise and prophecy are applied in faith, hope and love.  The fight that makes a difference is one received from the Lord Jesus.  All others are hay, wood and stubble.  So much Christian activity, passed off as effective ministry, is nothing more than worldly wisdom applied to organization structures.  True power is missing.  The Jezebel thrives in this delusion.  The reason being, it is typically upheld by control and policing.  It is based in worldly weapons. 


Effective authority from the Kingdom of God is walked in by faith.  It is received and welcomed and then fought for in the heavenly battle with "spiritual forces of evil. (Eph 6:10-20)  It is effective as an occupation of spiritual power and grace applied to the world we know with love and hope.   It does not fear.  It is resolute and clear in calling and therefore does not lack confidence.  It is definitely not intimidated by the world.  It has no hold on the Kingdom and presents nothing of interest to a Kingdom leader.  



Nothing seems to ever be at peace in environments under the influence or control of Jezebel.  Relationships don't find footing adequate to support, love and honor spiritual leadership or the prospering of divine vision. There is strife and division.  There is confusion and rebellion.  The spiritual gifts do not operate in their beautiful calling of love and encouragement. 

Certainly any environments that are seeking to:

  • "Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially that you can prophesy."  I Corinthians 14:1   Businesses, churches, leadership teams that set themselves to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, create environments of freedom, love and grace.   
  • Those that intend to welcome and steward prophetic ministry, will most assuredly encounter the Jezebel spirit. Healthy family patterns in both the church and family will easily put off the attack.  
  • Ministries that intend to develop, relate to and build ministry relationships with Prophets will most likely encounter Jezebel attacks. 
  • Ministries focused on welcoming the Presence and moving in the glory of the Name of Jesus in worship, will find that basis challenged as revelation of the mystery.  
  •  
Will find this type of attack at their doorstep. 

What to do next?  

visit my page at www.jeffreynoldsministries.com for more teaching and blogs on the subject. 

Jezebel Specific information and teaching
http://www.jeffreynoldsministries.com/#!everything-jezebel/cmd0

  
This topic is definitely one that provokes comments and ideas.  


Please forward comments.  
Share your ideas.
Is there a spiritual tie in to the undercurrents of American sexual struggles?  

Comments?  Ideas? Testimonies?  
Send those to me.  
Thanks for +1's and re-shares. 



Other posts that may interest you:

1.http://jeffreynoldsonedesire.blogspot.com/2015/01/7-things-enemy-devil-doesnt-want-you-to.html










Thanks for reading. 
The dialogue is awesome.  Thank you.
Testimonies?  Share em with me.  
Re-Shares lov em.  Thank you!

With much love in Jesus
You can do this thing!  He's got you. 


Jeff Reynolds   ---
Brother Jeff



jeff@jeffreynoldsministries.com
 
     
     

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

A Cloudy Negative Mindset Tried to Settle on Me - Where Did Victory and Promise Go?

I'm positive in my approach to life.  

Latch on to the flowers of promise
 Typically even keel and generally happy and peaceful, I see so many amazing God things.  They continuously unfold in my life and in the lives of those around me. 

It is not hard to rejoice in the love of God. 


I noticed this morning a cloudy kind of mindset settling on me. 





MINDSET (noun)
  The noun MINDSET has 1 sense:
1. a habitual or characteristic mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to situations.


The descending cloud, void of the truth of my victory, was weighty and dark. 
Instead of riding the white horse of victory and promise in Christ, 
I was invited to ride a donkey;

A passionless, broken down, 
complaining donkey.
 
Messages from the difficulties and struggles of my life flowed like water and flooded the rooms of promise.
I started agreeing with them. 
More agreement gave weight to the cloudy soup.
I stepped back for a moment. 
Fill your sky with his promise


What I saw was something momentary and small trying to tell something immense and powerful "how things were" and "how things are".
 


The light and momentary troubles (II Cor 4:17)

 

were yelling at my

 

Very great and precious promises (II Peter 1:4)

 

 


A great light started dawning in my heart and mind.  (Matt 4:16)



The cloudy sky started breaking up. 




Blue sky!  
Open blue sky.
I think I received my sight again. 
Go down these paths for breaking up cloudy skies.  


1. Look Back - Remember what God has done. 
There are three amazing testimonies - The Cross, The Resurrection and the Ascension.  Each one is part of our journey in Jesus.  Don't get stuck at the cross.  Move out into resurrection life.  Don't just have an earthly perspective ascend with the High Priest Jesus in the heavenly tabernacle. 


2. Look around and see the God things.
Granite Monuments to his beauty

Train you eyes to see God working.  The sun comes up and the moon shines in the night.  Creation is ground zero for seeing God at work.  There are so many other ways to see his handy work.  Ps 19 
 
2. Look at the Scripture - fill your life with great promises.  (II Peter 1)
We have everything we need in the promises of God.  Applied in faith we welcome the Kingdom of God into everything we are doing and living.  Step back and let things move over time.  It can be hard to see the growth in the plants when we view them 3-4 times a day. 


3. Look in his face - Focus your heart on First Love - Ps 27:4-10
We have a shelter.  We have a hiding place.  The presence of God is our refuge.  It is always there for us.  Jesus is always welcoming and open to us approaching the throne of grace with confidence.  Hebrews 4:15-16

 
4. Learn to settle into God's easy chair of peace. 
"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful."  John 14:27   Learning the ways of peace and how to abide and pray continuously grows over time.  Know that everything Jesus calls us into he has the grace and power required to possess it.   Trust him and press into the promise of peace.  



  5. Build a new mindset in promise.  Study - Show yourself approved. 
 "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. 16But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness,…"  2 Tim 2:15

Being very practical with promise is key.  Make a road to the mountain tops with the promises of God.  Then stick to the road.

Ask the Holy Spirit for the Word promises you need right now.  

Ask for encouragement.  Then take each one he gives you and copy it onto a 3x5 card.  Fold it up and carry it with you.  Every time the cloud descends read the promise. 
Don't look to the right or the left.  Aim for the mountain of God's presence and love.  Aim for the high calling on your life.  


Comments?  Ideas? Testimonies?  
Send those to me.  
Thanks for +1's and re-shares. 


Other posts that may interest you:

1.http://jeffreynoldsonedesire.blogspot.com/2015/01/7-things-enemy-devil-doesnt-want-you-to.html






Thanks for reading. 
The dialogue is awesome.  Thank you.
Testimonies?  Share em with me.  
Re-Shares lov em.  Thank you!

With much love in Jesus
You can do this thing!  He's got you. 


Jeff Reynolds   ---
Brother Jeff



jeff@jeffreynoldsministries.com
 


Thursday, July 2, 2015

Celebrate Freedom - No Longer Slaves to Fear - Enjoy the 4th!

I recently traveled in Bali, Indonesia, on a mission venture. 
I gathered a new appreciation for freedom and America while there. 

As much as America's moral freedom is a trial for believers, her commitment to freedom is amazing.
Supported by the rule of law, we Americans can go after the free exploration of our faith with joy.
We freely express worship and can go after the hearts desire in creativity and expression of God's Kingdom in Christ.
We have free streets, freedom of speech and freedom to move about the world as we desire.


Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are core values that we are free to run after.  

America is an amazing place in light of many other countries and places in the world. 


There is true jungle out there. 
People were known to have been killed by a mob in the streets for stealing a pack of cigarets.
While those with power are equally known to steal from those they are entrusted to bless and govern.

The owner of the home we were staying in in Bali told us a story. 
When the building of the home was nearly complete (actual plan and build totally different money pocketed by land owner estimated at $75,000.00) the owner of the home suggested there be a party for the village as a celebration and welcome.   Everyone would be invited.  About a 1000 people,  the home owner discussed it with the land owner (foreigners can only lease land in Indonesia) and all agreed that a party sounded incredible.  The estimated cost was $5000.00.  In the process the village got word of the event and everyone was very happy to be part of it.  The home owner gave the $5000.00 to the land owner to orchestrate the purchase of food etc....   NO party ever happened.

Alter in Bali - Free NOT to be slaves to fear
The land owner stole the money.  The village people all believed the new home owner promised something and did not deliver and so they were antagonistic to the home owner.   The home owner knew who stole the money but could do nothing about it.  The land owner was powerful and corrupt and well connected.   Any attempt to bring him to justice would have repercussions for the western homeowner.  The prevailing thought in conflict with westerners is "You should not be here anyway.  You are western."  The law of the jungle robbed, stole and destroyed another opportunity for love and freedom in Bali.

I love America in light of this story.  
How does a culture unravel such brokenness?  

America is the land of the free and the home of the brave.  
Brave Christians leave this free land every day and travel into other lands filled with corruption and murder and persecutions to share the gospel of Jesus in power.  They leave freely one of the most free countries on the planet to freely give the gospel of Jesus to the world.
American believers are brave.  Not to say others are not.  But we have an inordinate amount of stalwart Saints who lay down their freedom here to bring the deep and abiding freedom to the World in Jesus.
Brave soldiers leave these shores everyday to protect this freedom.  Thank you!
The sacrifice of so many families is the foundation established in blood for the freedom of our country.   They laid down their lives for us!   So thankful for the brave people who work to keep our freedom.

Great Song....No Longer a Slave - Celebrate Freedom!
https://search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=youtube+no+longer+slaves+to+fear&ei=UTF-8&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-004


Demons and cruel masters don't rule us.  We are not obligated to sacrifice to them to keep the balance or peace.  FREE!

We are free to raise funds, build projects, establish ministries and bless the world with the Gospel in this Country!   Free to have church openly.  Free to write, teach, train and equip the Saints in the way of Jesus.  We are FREE! 
We are free to write on google plus and express our faith in a hundred outlets.  And if there isn't one we feel great about we can create one....Freely!

So celebrate this Fourth of July.  
The story of America is much more about her success in establishing freedom in the world order than all her mistakes and shortcomings.   We are blessed beyond measure to live in such a country.






Thank you Father for this place you have blessed.

God Bless America! 

Thanks for reading.  The dialogue is awesome.  Thank you.
Testimonies?  Share em with me.  
Re-Shares lov em.  Thank you!

With much love in Jesus

You can do this thing!  He's got you. 


Jeff Reynolds   ---
Brother Jeff



jeff@jeffreynoldsministries.com