Sowing Life or Sowing Death? We Have Power to Live in Jesus

The Kingdom of God is remarkably simple.  Children can thrive in it!  Unless we become as children we do not even see it.  Anytime it gets complicated, moves away from Jesus as the primary focus and loses the focus on LOVE?   We are most likely off track.

El Greco - Healing the Blind Man

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. ³ The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.

Hebrew 1:1-3

"...that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Col 2:2-3

Jesus is what God is saying.  Some people are afraid to say his name in given places in our world.  But he is what God the Father is saying to the World.  There is such a hope for compelling power to "sweep in and show the world that God is who he says he is".   The Father is not like that.  His heart was displayed in Christ and everything about the way he related to the world.   

• When the Jews demanded a sign what did Jesus say?   Jonah is your sign.  I will be three days in the ground and then rise to new life before your eyes.   If you don't believe in Jonah you will have trouble with the resurrection. 
• When the Jews demanded to know "how he healed your eyes".  The "condemned blind person" who was "lost in his sin" told them in childlike witness about Jesus.    I love what he said.  Essentially, I don't know.  Aren't you Israel's teachers and you don't know how he did this?

 In contrast, when a Roman Centurion (oppressor of Israel and representative of that power) approached Jesus for healing his servant, Jesus healed him and said there has not been one like this in Israel who understood things so clearly.    There is a new Kingdom rising that overcomes all of the world's perceived structures and castles.   In 300 hundred years the "children" overcame the most advanced and powerfully oppressive government on the face of the earth.  By force?  NO.  By love, service, surrender and sacrifice.  

But people don't seem to believe or want to respond to the message of Christ around me???

He told the rich man that there was plenty of witnesses for the truth surrounding his brothers.  (Luke 16:19-31)  He assured them that if they did not believe all the witnesses present they would not believe and angel or some major sign.  

Our hope for some dramatic demonstration of the Father's power is not consistent with the way the Father presented himself in Jesus.   His power was tempered by compassion.  He loves first.  He is heartbroken for the brokenness of the world.  Yet, he has actively provided a means of escape in Christ and more than that exploded his Kingdom and government onto the world with love, service and sacrifice leading the way.   

I loved what Kevin Prosch sang years ago.    He said something to the effect that we are an army of weeping and mourning and brokenness. 

A martyr story.  All this seems to wrap up for me in a story I read.  Through the witness of this story it is believed that all the gladiatorial slaughters of the Roman Colosseum were ended.  Wow.   It happened on a believers "vacation".     

So, a believer was traveling and went to Rome.  He ended up in the Colosseum and was watching "the games".   The crowd, the atmosphere and the murder taking place before his eyes were overwhelming to him.  Why he was there....not sure.  But the overwhelming compassion and desire to see God's grace and power overcome the situation mixed with the compelling witness of thousands upon thousands of believers who had died on that very ground caused a divine moment to occur that shifted the hearts of an entire people.   Our brother, compelled by what he was witnessing, got out of his seat and made his way into the area during a battle.   The crowd saw him and began to watch in horror as a perfectly free man made his way into the raging battle for life and death.  Thousands of people's eyes were fixed on him as he went over the rail and into the battle zone.   The warring gladiators noticed him but paid no attention.  A slip of their attention meant sure death.   The believer walked into the melay and approached the men who were fighting.   The entire Colosseum witnessed the following event.   The believer walked up to one of the warring groups and began pleading for them to cease their fight.   He was ignored at first.   Then still pleading he stepped into the battle zone.  A gladiator struck him down.  Before the entire crowd of witnesses a free and perfectly able bodied man was struck down by a gladiator.  He died.  Before their eyes.   On vacation.  

The amazing thing is "his witness" cut to the heart of everyone present.   Including the rulers and authorities.   From that day on there were no more gladiatorial battles in the Colosseum.   From that day on the slaughter stopped.   

Are we this kind of people?   Are we seeing the Kingdom coming more than the world that is present? 

Are we more attached and in love with the world than with our Father's Kingdom and the witness of Christ?   

Times are shifting and changing.  There is a Kingdom of love rooted in childlike simplicity and vision that can stop the gladiatorial slaughter.   

Who is willing to walk into the battle zone?   

With First Love on my heart and Jesus crucified in my eyes.  

Love from Brother Jeff. 

Comments?  Ideas?  Feedback?  

Send em my way.  I love talking with you.  

grace and peace in Jesus.  

God is our friend. Guilt, Shame and Condemnation are not.

God is our friend.  

Jesus heals woman - catacombs painting

Who is the friend of God? 
This is the time of grace.  By grace we are saved.  The gift is given by grace through faith. 
There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Rom 8:1) There is a law loose in Christ Jesus called the "Law of the Spirit of Life" (Rom 8:2) that sets us free.  This law is a law of life and hope and salvation. 

The Father has established through the Son Jesus Christ an eternal priesthood.  Jesus himself in his perfect worship and work is the High Priest of that tabernacle.  Forever there stand in the Father's heart a witness of perfect worship and love.   This witness and work of Jesus is exploding into the world we know with an invitation to abide in his presence, live in his power and rest in his peace. 

Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.  Heb 7:26

 Through Christ we are free to run with confidence before the throne of grace.  Free to call Father God our "Abba".  We receive the inheritance of Jesus and all the blessings of his relationship with the Father by faith.   We receive every work of Christ Jesus, perfect and powerful, in the fulness of God's grace and mercy. (Eph 1:9)  We are called sons and daughters. (Heb 2;10)  We are adopted children. 

Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to son-ship, the redemption of our bodies. Rom 8:23

 That groaning and longing for things to be as the Kingdom reveals in the heart of the Father, through the work of Jesus by the Spirit of grace and power, is from the Spirit.  It flows out of the wide open relationship of son-ship, adoption, and the blessings of running free in the presence of our Father.   

Our Father is for us, as demonstrated in Jesus through the sacrifice of the cross, ?  (Rom 8:31)  Not only is he for us he has provided for us through his divine power

"everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." 2Pe 1:3

Punishment and condemnation are gone for those who place their faith in Jesus Christ.  We pass from death to life. (Col 3:1-3)  

God is our friend.  Our Father.  Our Abba.  Our Papa.  Our Daddy.  

Are we abiding in the fulness of the work of Jesus Christ?  Are we free in the presence of the Father?   

What tears us out of all this?

 It is vitally important that we understand, NOTHING CAN TEAR US OUT OF HIS HAND.

 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. (John 10:27,28)

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  (Rom 8:38-39)

Our God is able to keep us in all circumstances and to make those situations turn into redeemed glory and grace in us.  (Rom 8:28-29)

Nothing can tear us away from the Love of God.   
The truth is all the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus are our inheritance as Sons and Daughter.   

So it is more about access, more about the heart, more about taking hold of that for which Christ took hold of us.  

There are three packages the enemy wants to deliver to us that will destroy our ability to run freely in all the Jesus has done for us.  

Guilt
Shame 
Condemnation 

Important key: All three of these are the "talk of the flesh" and flow from the mind of the flesh. (Rom 8:6) 

Guilt is easily dealt with.  If we have the Holy Spirit and sin or continue in a way of sin for a time we will be miserable.  The Holy Spirit in you will not let you go on sinning or continue in a way that destroys the Father's work in you.  He comes after us.   Be grateful.  Before you were saved you had no idea that such things could be wrong.  The presence of godly guilt for acts with lead to death is the blessing of his presence working the righteousness of Christ in us.  Embrace the reality that you cannot save yourself.  Yes.  You may have let Jesus down again, but his grace is sufficient to swallow the sins of the whole world.   Let go of your self and fall into Christ Jesus.  Let go of the thinking that you can achieve anything without the perfect work of Jesus Christ activated by faith in your. (Gal 1:6-8)  

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9)



Shame tags along after guilt.  It is the enemies second ploy.  It is more subtle and clings to us like swamp moss.   Shame continues on the path of the mind of the flesh saying....
How can God love me when I am such a poor follower of Jesus?   Shame rehearses the why's of the mind of the flesh.   How could I have let down those around me that I love?   How could I have made such a mistake?   Shame is the the mind of the flesh enacting death on us.   Rather than partnering with the Father in the perfect work of Jesus we partner with our dead flesh in the work of destroying ourselves.   
Jesus took the shame of the cross and destroyed it.   The hope of his glory is preached right through the worlds' understanding of shame.  And he crucifies it and then rises to life.   Shame is a mindset of self destruction and possibly rooted in self righteousness.   

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
Col 3:5

Condemnation is the chief fruit of continuing on the path of guilt and shame.

There is no condemnation for those abiding in Christ Jesus.  Those who by faith are living in the resurrection life of Jesus and the victory of the cross.   Condemnation is destructive enemy presence.  It weighs on us and drives into us the focus on the flesh.  Reject it in the power of Jesus and welcome his blood to cover you with mercy and forgiveness.  

We have to put to death all three of these to walk in the fulness and freedom of the Father's heart.  

How?   Encounter Jesus and his love. (Eph 1:18)  We need an enlightened heart full of the revelation of wisdom and knowledge of Jesus.  


Prayer and Ministry
1) Embrace the blood of the Son.  Go after the work of Christ in faith. His blood cleanses us from ALL unrighteousness.  ALL.   ALL.  Confess and repent and come into the streams of grace.   
2) Embrace the Love of the Father.  Everything Jesus did flowed from the Father's heart of love for us.  The Holy Spirit, which is the Spirit of Jesus, now continues to reveal to us that same love and pour grace on us.  

3) Embrace the hope of new life in the resurrection of Jesus.  (Rom 8:11)  

Get in a quiet place.  Quiet your heart and remember.  Remember who you are.  Remember the love poured into you.  Remember the love you have for Jesus.   Open your heart to his love again.  Let him wash over all your wounds.  Let him cleanse you in grace and mercy.  

Cry out in Spirit and Truth to your Abba Father.   Tell him the truth on your heart.    


You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them; They sank like lead in the mighty waters. 11"Who is like You among the gods, O LORD? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, Awesome in praises, working wonders? 12"You stretched out Your right hand, The earth swallowed them.… Ex 15:11


Email me if you need more help moving out of guilt, shame or condemnation. 
jeff@jeffreynoldsministries.com  


Comments?  Ideas?  Testimonies?  
I always want to hear from you.  


Brother Jeff
Jeff Reynolds. Sr. Leader
Capstone Christian Fellowship
www.jeffreynoldsministries.com 
jeff@jeffreynoldsministries.com 

 

Moving from a Church Mindset to a Kingdom and Apostolic Mindset - Deeper Into Generosity and Love

July 30, 2014

 My life is changing in an incredible way. 

Not that it appears to be easy.  But Jesus said, "My yoke is easy and my burden is light" Matt 11:30   The Kingdom is easy because of the love of the Father, the perfect work of the Son Jesus Christ and the overwhelming grace, encouragement, encounter and loving kindness of the Spirit.  The resources of heaven are beyond understanding and they are richly poured out in support of assignments and throne room plans directed by the Spirit. 

This Sunday as the first notes of worship were struck I saw a vision in my mind of buildings and structures falling down and crumbling to the ground.  Massive structures simply collapsing and blowing down.  What was exciting is that Dave McRae, my friend and cohort in the Fivefold ministry saw the same thing.  He shared about it right after worship. 

Then this morning I thought I heard the Lord say,

Right now.  This season requires...."Let go of your/the interpretations of your horizons that you are holding so clearly set in your mind, heart and interpretation.   Set down all the pieces and wait on the Spirit in promise."   It is critical that wisdom and love fashion what we are building under the direction of the Holy Spirit.  He is toppling structures that don't witness to the sound of his heart.

So, in all this I am in transition along with everyone else as we daily follow the Spirit in the hope of a Harvest of new Christ followers through the Holy Spirit that changes the landscape of America and the Nations.  In the midst of this I realized my view of the Kingdom is changing.   My understanding of church and churches is changing.  My understanding of being a church in a city is changing.  So much is changing.  I've come to discover that my mindsets and teachings of the past are simply not powerful in this time.  They need new energy and power in the Spirit.  What is awesome is that the Spirit is bringing new understanding and opening up the Scriptures in an awesome way.  New questions lead to new connections and understanding.  The ways of God are so beautiful. 

I am moving from a church mindset to a Kingdom and Apostolic mindset.  

This is not new for some but is for me.  I have served in and worked in and been blessed over many years by the church.  The local church.  The unit or family that may or may not be connected to a denominational affiliation or identity.   My concepts of the Kingdom flowed out of my church understanding.   You know 1000's of churches all attempting to be a whole picture of health, power, organization etc....  But as I look at the words of Jesus in Revelation (considering he did not have many in that book, I believe they are critical to success in the establishing of his ekklesia.  Which he is establishing by the way) I see 1) city wide expressions of Kingdom identity 2) Large emphasis on spiritual discernment  3) Lots of open doors to heaven 4) Revelation of Jesus taking the primary root and place int he whole book.   In short, I see a different set of criteria for evaluating, envisioning and empowering an ekklesia (regional assembly of believers in many expressions of their assignments and identities).    Jesus is front and center and revelation of wisdom and understanding appear to be the plumb line of righteousness in a given region. 

The perspective I have been growing in and coming to understand more deeply is Kingdom based.   This is not a new concept, having served the Lord as a Vineyard pastor for 13 years.  John Wimber brought a clear and fresh vision for the Kingdom of God and highlighted Ladd's influence on him.   But I have moved on in years and in understanding since those Wimber years and feel the Lord has added to the structure new levels of understanding for me.   

Here are a couple thoughts:

1) The city expression of the church (ekklesia) does not fall into denominational or family cultural lines.  There is One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism.  The overall expression of Christ Jesus, the revelation of his love to the eyes of the heart of a whole city, is encapsulated in each and every fellowship and gives witness across all those families of the reality and depth of knowledge of assignments and mission in the Kingdom.   Jesus clearly marked love as the true witness of the Fathers heart in a people.  Love between churches and those Christians in a given city is a critical watermark of the true and real expression of the Kingdom.  

2) The region and certainly each city comprised of churches of all kinds is a divinely appointed expression of the glory and majesty of Christ Jesus and is intended to impact the wider geography with compelling witness for the Kingdom of God.

3) Generosity, love and service toward one another (churches in the ekklesia) is the true call of the Kingdom.  Each part doing its work sharing in and through the blessings and inheritance of Christ develops maturity and power in their given assignment and identity and pours that out freely on the other fellowships throughout the city.  

Ok.  So this is happening.  But the prevailing economy between churches, the mindset of stand alone expressions of the Kingdom without connection or even love for the rest of the Body, and the judgement leveled against each other do not promote love.  

It is my understanding that not only is the Spirit bringing a dynamic witness of righteousness as the Kingdom advances, he is at the same time tearing down mindsets that simply cannot support the new structures of the Kingdom he is revealing.  

There is much more to look into on this topic.  Exciting times.  But with all the excitement, Jesus is the One desire I have focused on.  His love is ever expanding and growing in my heart. 

 Comments?  Ideas?  

Please forward your comments and ideas.  There is a so much to learn from each other.  

 Other posts that may interest you

www.jeffreynoldsministries.com  - blog 

Lord Bless

Brother Jeff Reynolds

jeff@jeffreynoldsministries.com

I Am Endlessly Searching For Something In This Life - Relief From The Stony Dead Heart

I am endlessly searching for something in this life.  

I could only offer ashes

When I was sixteen I realized it was not something I was searching for but someone.   In a Christmas service in Southern California, Jesus spoke my name.  Literally, I heard my name in the crowded room.  When I heard it, waves of understanding crashed into my mind and soul.  My heart, which was dead before this, was kindled.  My heart, lost and confused, heard the sound and came awake. 

The sound, that voice, kept coming and coming.  Coming to me and diving directly down to the raw vulnerable places of my life.  Pouring in to places long closed up and protected; the sound carried an acceptance and love far down inside me.  Nothing in me had the ability to hide.  I didn't want to hide.  I let Him in.  I welcomed the sound and the waves pounded and poured into me.    It was a reverberating sound, shaking and calling, moving things around inside me, my thoughts, heart and soul.  

I knew the dark places the voice touched.  Familiar and forgotten but remembered in a moment.  Maybe here, this place, in these moments is where most relationships end or turn or break under the pressure of truth?   The voice kept coming on, down to the places far beyond what I understood or even recognized.  I felt it.  I welcomed it.  Wanting more, a thirst grew that is now like a dry spot in the center of me.   A barren void was exposed that turned into a hunger and thirst.  It remains with me to this day. 

Like water filling up a bucket of sand and rocks, what went in began filling and swirling into every space.  Sand castles in my soul broke up and exploded.   The water wound in and around everything rose to the rim and overflowed.   I was completely known, naked, seen broken and longed for in love.   Pure light filled me up; my words, my past, the pains hidden away were invaded.   Dead hopes, killed by my own hands, were stirred up in the sound.  Overwhelmed by understanding, hearing language without words, known and embraced, I could never let my life be the same.  I did not completely understand.  But I could tell I was completely understood.  Welcomed.  Desired.  Embraced.     

I was completely known, naked, seen broken and longed for in love.  

It was at this spot in my life that I felt I could only offer ashes.  I had little or nothing to give in return to Jesus.  So I offered my life.  To me it looked like a pile of ashes in my hands.  But he wanted the offering.  To this day I marvel at his desire for me even as broken and torn down as I was.  

Thirty six years later, I understand a person filled up my life.  Jesus welled up in me and has never stopped spilling over all the boarders and boundaries I erected in my short 16 years of the stony dead heart.   A relationship started that night.   I've spent all my days since wandering in the depths of Christ.   

Restoring First Love - a compelling desire to bring sight to stoney hearts. 
My last four years have dwarfed any previous encounters I have ever had with the Lord. Combining all my mystery encounters, experiences, breakthroughs in the word and compelling witness of the Kingdom together, this season eclipses all other days put together.  This is spanning 32 years of pursuing his eyes of fire.   These days are greater in encounters with him and the depths of his love.  Days rich in the Word.  Alive with dreams and prophetic words of encouragement and destiny.  The Spirit is moving in remarkable ways.

My beginning carried pathways, stories and seeds in it. 
So does yours.
I write about first love because the overwhelming reality of my life these days and the entire past combined does not reveal or compare to the understanding and grace that the Lord has poured into me now.  
It is as if I was not even a believer before.  That's the dramatic difference. 

Embarking on a new series
I am going to focus my writing for a season and embrace the pathways of restoring first love.  
My deep hope is you will find your first love filling up the depths of your life and vision and purpose.  More important.  You will connect with Jesus and experience the love he carries on every word he speaks.  

With Love in Jesus,

Brother Jeff

What is he doing in your life?  Share your story, encouragement.  I'd love to partner with you to bring glory to the Lord Jesus.  
jeff@jeffreynoldsministries.com 

Here are some blog articles that you may be interested in...

Supernatural / Testimony / Prophetic / Spirit's Work 
1) 2014 What is the Spirit saying?  search in blog search above

2) An Angelic Visitation -   www.jeffreynoldsministries.com 


3)Time for a Healing Story - Distance Healing Testimony - Blog word search above

Some others on Jesus back to the Center.... Use the search feature for key words
1) You Fascinate me Jesus, So why are you considered so irrelevant?
2) No One Can Love You Like I Do


Thank you for reading.  Please comment.  Let the dialogue begin!

 

With Love in HIS awesome CULTURE OF LOVE

Brother Jeff

Jeff Reynolds. Sr. Leader

Capstone Christian Fellowship

jreynolds@mycapstone.org

jeff@jeffreynoldsministries.com

www.jeffreynoldsministries.com

Never be lacking in zeal. Need Some Revival? To Hear God? Dial Into A New Frequency and Remember the Lord's Character

Sometimes we get into a spiritual rut.  Bumping along the bottom basically on drift, low passion, not soaring or ascending.  

This Kingdom of God is about ZEAL and PASSION and DEVOTION. 
 

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, 

serving the Lord.  Rom 12:11

and 

Jhn 2:17

His disciples remembered that it is written: 

“Zeal for your house will consume me.”

Day and Night the heavens are awake and alive with the Lord's purpose and the advance of his Kingdom (Isa 9:7).    Heaven never sleeps and the sun is always rising in some part of the world.  The heart of the Father is always working.  When we see into heaven in the scripture (Rev 5) there are wild creatures and amazing things going on.  These are momentary glimpses.   Imagine a day in our time.   I'm sure few of us could handle the overwhelming volume of love being poured out.

So why do we slide out of passion, devotion, and zeal so often?  

There are as many reasons and answers for this question as there are cultures, families and people reflecting his image.  But getting a basic understanding of things always helps us move out of lukewarm and into his presence.  Jesus is seen by John the Apostle as "his eyes were like blazing fire.  His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace." Rev 1:14

Passion and zeal die when sin takes hold of us. 
 1) Sin.  Definitely puts a damper on zeal.  But it is easily dealt with.  What you say?  Christ Jesus our Lord accomplished "condemning sin in the flesh" (Romans 8:3).  It is dead along with our flesh.  "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9-10) The power that conquered sin in our lives yesterday is the same power that will conquer it today.   Repent.  Confess.  Agree with heaven and the mercy of God.   Receive in faith the perfect work of Christ over sin and death and walk in the Spirit. (Rom 8) Remember how it all worked at first.  Leave sin behind and move out in the new life in the Spirit.  Childlike faith overcomes the darkness. 

2) Religion and self-righteousness have a way of cooling the fires of love and zeal.  Religion is basically "I can do this" "I got this" spirituality.   It is soul power.  Soul power is not to be confused with Kingdom power and the Spirit.  Somehow after we have walked with the Lord a bit we forget the basics.....

Are you so foolish? 

After beginning by means of the Spirit, 

are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?  Gal 3:3

We all know, we are not saved by anything within ourselves.  So, why do we take on things that only Christ in his power has been able to do in and through us?  Like defeat sin.  Bring freedom.  Pour forgiveness on our sins.  By grace and faith in the perfect work of Jesus Christ, the firstborn among all creation, the Kingdom pours into us.  Jesus is our righteousness by faith.   We forget this so quickly especially after entering into believing communities that are very outward focused and rule focused.   The Holy Spirit is the one who disciples us.   We were unable to save ourselves, disciple ourselves, free ourselves.  Why do we think that now we have something more in ourselves that puts us above others for shows of righteousness? 

Fascinating Fact -  The Pharisees did not recognize Jesus.  
The sinless Lamb of God who takes away all the sins of the world.  
Why?   He did not speak religion and self-righteousness.  
He spoke Son-ship and Adoption.  He was the walking definition of 
righteousness and truth.  They were as he called them.  
Clean cups on the outside with everything vile and distorted on the inside.  

Zeal is from the inside.  Seeing with the eyes of the heart 


The Kingdom of God never sleeps.  Heaven is active now.  Learning to tap into new avenues of hearing and abiding in the presence of the Lord is key to keeping zeal burning and alive. 

Here is a simple equation  
1)Presence abiding in Jesus leads to (John 15)   
2)Revelation to heart eyes (Eph 1:17-19)   
3) Can lead to faith put in motion in the world and pleasing God (Hebrew 11:6)
4) By hope it is sustained through perseverance and endurance (Rev 1:9)
5) To the advance of God's Kingdom (Matt 13:31)
6) To more revelation of Jesus (John 16:12-14) 
7) To deeper abiding in his presence (John 15)


Hard as it is, we need to dance to the music of our life.  Bloom where we are planted.  There is grace enough for zeal and passion in the life we are walking. 

A pastor friend of mine pointed me to a book for this kind of season, Dark Night Of The Soul by St. John of the Cross.   For years I acknowledged the title as if I had read the book.  Mainly because I wasn't sure I wanted to read it.  It seemed like I was going to give in to something.  The Dark Night.  Not really something I was wanting to agree with or dive into even through I may have been in and out of it on occasion.   I did eventually read the book. Recommended.  But these days my mindset is so opened up with encouragement.  There is a passage through the dark night, but I am discovering a steady stream of grace, love, and passion flows in the presence of the Lord with endless proportions.  Tapping into that requires some diversifying.  We need to open up to new ways to hear the Lord, recognize his presence and dwell and abide. 

Think about these words with me.

Frequency - Atmosphere - Discover - Desire 


Frequencies
Learn to hear God in and through the many frequencies of God's world, both spirit and natural.   (John 16:12-14 and Ps 19)
Sound is a wave.  There are thousands of frequency waves in the world.  Heaven is speaking in so many ways...
in the Dark night of the Soul.   
David had those often it seems.  He wrote about them.  Heaven broke into those poems and he was reminded of the Lord's character.  The way God acted with him.  His loving kindness. 
Jesus had the darkest night ever recorded.   Before the cross.  So intense it was as if we sweated drops of blood.
Peter on the roof top at the tanners house.  Probably wondering why he was hanging out at a stinky tanners house dreaming about food.  A whole new people were introduced into the kingdom through his vision and obedient action.  (Acts 10:6)



Atmosphere
Anyone who has the Spirit of Christ is a carrier of the fulness of Christ, the mind of Christ, the Spirit of Christ and the blessings of his relationship with the Father.  Anyone who has the Spirit of Christ in them carries the Kingdom of Christ with them everywhere.   A key idea in the Kingdom is "overcome evil with good".  The Kingdom presence carriers are full of overcoming grace.  We can shift whole atmospheres with the love of Christ.   What kind of atmosphere do you carry?   Are you the fragrance of Jesus?   As you abide in his presence look into the atmosphere of your life and ask the Holy Spirit what he sees.

Childlike discovery
Raising kids provides an opportunity for some of the best things to come up - jewels to remember forever.  Sweet moments that nothing else in life provides.   After a wedding that my four year old attended and I officiated, we were eating dinner together with the family.   My 4 year old asked me what I was doing at the wedding and what it meant.  After telling him what marriage was about he said, "Dad, You are just like Jesus.  He paused and then said, "only smaller".   From the mouth of babes come pristine truths.   From the heart of the childlike his Kingdom explodes into the world.

 Same with God and us.   He loves our discoveries.  He loves seeing us find something new about Him and then diving into it with abandon.   

“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

  Mar 9:37

Desire for God
Hunger and thirst are necessary ingredients in the pursuit of God.  When you feel your appetite for the Kingdom waning, invite the Spirit to search you and know you.  (Ps 139)  He is able to get straight to the "mind of the flesh" and point us to the mind of the Spirit (Rom 8:1-7)
 Pro 27:7

One who is full loathes honey from the comb, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.

 Mat 5:6

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Hunger mixed with righteousness is the recipe for divine envelopment.   When our hearts agree with heaven and our lives resonate with his righteousness his heart is opened to us. 

Mat 5:8

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Water of the Word  
Nothing will secure the road to transforming power and grace like the Scriptures.  Being drenched in their insight and encouragement is a key to walking free and finding the grace to serve with zeal.  Zeal is part of the Character of the Father.   He displays it throughout the world.    

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, 

serving the Lord.  Rom 12:11

What is he doing in your life?  Share your story, encouragement.  I'd love to partner with you to bring glory to the Lord Jesus.  
jeff@jeffreynoldsministries.com 

Here are some blog articles that you may be interested in...

Supernatural / Testimony / Prophetic / Spirit's Work 
1) 2014 What is the Spirit saying?  
https://draft.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8154761678889975282#editor/target=post;postID=5163393029928222453;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=37;src=postname 
2) An Angelic Visitation 
https://draft.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8154761678889975282#editor/target=post;postID=6181407195797126360;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=3;src=postname
3)Time for a Healing Story - Distance Healing Testimony
https://draft.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8154761678889975282#editor/target=post;postID=7347375296000899068;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=30;src=postname

 Some others on Jesus back to the Center.... Use the search feature for key words
1) You Fascinate me Jesus, So why are you considered so irrelevant?
2) No One Can Love You Like I Do


Thank you for reading.  Please comment.  Let the dialogue begin!

 

With Love in HIS awesome CULTURE OF LOVE

Brother Jeff

Jeff Reynolds. Sr. Leader

Capstone Christian Fellowship

jreynolds@mycapstone.org

jeff@jeffreynoldsministries.com

www.jeffreynoldsministries.com

 

Jezebel Spirit? Has the World, as Fundamentally presented in Scripture, Changed Since the Time of Jesus?

Is the Spiritual realm real?
Have you participated in or witnessed the casting out of a demon or ever seen anything like what regularly occurred with Jesus in the New testament?

"My main interest is revival 

and changing the course of society 

through the power of encounter 

with the person and Kingdom 

of Jesus Christ. "

It is amazing to see the Kingdom of God in action in these realms of spiritual power and freedom.  In America.  In my small town.  In our church fellowship.  In other countries.  The geography doesn't seem to matter.  Definitely the presence of the Kingdom and the reality and understanding of the Holy Spirit's ministry is critical.   The Kingdom is coming as it always has with power to dislodge the enemies of Christ who bind up, put into captivity and seek to build demonic strongholds to enslave humanity.    This is not a passive struggle we are engaged in.  We have to move out of lukewarm and into something hot to see the power of the Kingdom of God expressed regularly.  It is the most exciting reality to see the Kingdom expressed in real time in the lives we live each day. 

Why don't whole segments of believing communities see the same expressions of ministry that we see in the disciples of the Lord?   That may be way to big to handle in a short blog.  yea.  It is.

Maybe we could focus on this?    Has the world, as fundamentally presented in the Scripture, changed since the time of Jesus?  

Many world views say yes.  Segments of the church say so as well.   Basic ideas include: 1) Progress has transformed the human heart, character and essential qualities.   2) Our higher forms of culture, technology etc have altered the inner workings of humanity.   3) We have evolved to a higher state of being and no longer understand things in the primitive way the Bible seeks to approach them.    Again, lots of interesting stuff for a philosophy class.

My main interest is revival and changing the course of society through the power of encounter with the person and Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

To do that, the reality of the Kingdom of God has to grow up and show up in the day in day out lives of people.   Healings on the street corner.  Salvation through connections at a gas station.  Family members touch by God's love and power to such an extent that old debilitating sins and relationship issues fall away.  Hope rising into authoritative prayer and intercession that binds together whole groups of people in the hearts desire to see the Kingdom of God overwhelm and set a whole generation free in his love.  

The Apostolic mandate is clear -

Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm 

against the schemes of the devil. 

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:12f

Fallen Angels.  Disobedient and rebellious spiritual beings seeking to enslave and destroy every good thing the Father puts forth for his children.  Powers building slave camps for the human race.  Camps that support enslaving lifestyles and attitudes.   Addictions are the center of his plans of enslavement and they come in every package imaginable. 

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,…

I Corinthians 10:4f

I am longing to see a greater measure of the "weapons of our warfare" unleashed in the world.   I am also walking in the hope of salvation and the patient endurance that accompanies such a longing.  Every step provides a greater measure of power and victory as Christ in us is enlarged by faith and the world is touched by the Father's heart. 

So, you may be thinking at this point.....Why did he mention Jezebel in the headline of this article? 

Elijah Meeting Ahab and Jezebel in Naboth's Vineyard' by Sir Francis Bernard Dicksee 1873




Here is where that spirit enters into the mix.   Or wait.  Some people have rightly searched the Scriptures for mention of a "Jezebel spirit" and not finding a direct reference have concluded that this whole discussion is charismatic fantasy and does not deserve mention.  The idea central is that the people and the flesh are the key issue.  That out of control people and fleshly carnal xians are the actual full reality of a Jezebel spirit if there is one at all. 

Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.…

Col 3:3

Controlling the flesh is not the high point of the faith.   We died.  Our life is hidden in Christ.  Go after that life; the life hidden in Christ.   Some of us feel like we found the pearl in a field.  And now we know why the person in the parable sold everything and went and bought that field.   Hunger far surpasses control.    Our greatest weapon is total devoted love for Jesus and a life lived in his presence, power and peace.  The weapons of our warfare are not of this world.   They flow from the Kingdom and are replete with the sound of his voice and ways of the Father.  

The Jezebel spirit is not mentioned as such in the Bible.  But a person in the bible named Jezebel practically destroyed the true worship in Israel, shut down nearly all the prophets of the Lord and distorted worship to such and extent that Israel no longer understood righteousness, worship and the character of their God and Father, their husband.   This occurred in covenant with a King of Israel, Ahab.  One who was to champion the Lord's cause in the earth and continue the revival and revelation of his glory to the world.   A person who had legitimate authority to provide for deeper, wider revelation and understanding of the Father, but did not.  Instead, he abdicated his authority in his  captivity to his idol worshiping bride, Jezebel. 

The same type of situation may be occurring in our Country today.   Weigh this.  And ask if the characteristics are not similar.  If they are....are we fighting something that has been around for a while?   That has taken whole people's captive?   That destroys the passionate worship of the Lord Jesus Christ.  

Jezebel had 400 prophets and ministers of some distorted forms of worship.  As this "worship" gained momentum the holy and true devotion to the Lord of Hosts declined.   Jezebel encouraged worship of  Baal the god who was worshiped along with his wife Ashe-rah.  Sexual intercourse was performed as worship with temple prostitutes.  Worship of Baal was a fertility rite to bring the favor of the gods and produce good harvests and material prosperity.   This is exactly what the Lord promised he would provide if Israel served him with their hearts and kept the covenant.   Israel fornicated under every tree as a form of worship instead.  Is This anything like the millions of American Christian men captivated and enslaved by the pornographic industries today?   This Billion dollar pornographic industry, I believe is having a huge impact on the devotion to worship among American men and men all over the world.   The Absence of true spiritual leadership on a tribe and family level among the men of the country is staggering.   Is this captivity with prostitutes, prostitution and the parading of prostitute worship having an effect on the men of the country?  Are we seeing something like the realms of Jezebel with a weak King Ahab and the infusion of forms of distortion and worship that ate like a cancer at the reality of spirit and truth revelation of YAWEH.  Yes.  I believe it was central then and is critical now.  

One of the most amazing and most powerful realities of human life, love and family is sex.  It is a power beyond imagination.  And so easy to enslave and distort.   It always works to some degree and can be intoxicating as any drug. 

But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; 4and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.…

Eph 5:3f

The righteousness of the Kingdom is our calling to pursue with a singular devotion.   It is very hard to imagine the meaning of righteousness being anything more than stopping sin when so many with the Spirit are debilitated in worship and enslaved in sexual sins.  

Is there a Jezebel spirit?   I believer there is definitely a spirit, principality or power that was clearly seen in Israel in the times of Elijah the prophet and that is clearly rooted in the lives of millions of American men.    Wrecking havoc on the worship of the church of America.   The priest of Baal deliver it daily as inciting and powerful as ever.  And the brokenness and emotional upheaval that follows throws thousands of men out of the presence of God each day.  Out of their covenant commitments and out of first love for Jesus Christ in a heartbeat.

But they do not have to leave the presence.   But they do have to surrender to the Godman Jesus Christ.   Repent.  Surrender.  Come back into the grace of Jesus. 

What to do today?

• Intercede for our churches across the country to grow in discernment and Kingdom power.   
• Cry out for the eyes of your heart to be enlightened (Eph 1:17-19)
• Submit and surrender to the Holy Spirit and allow him to light new fires of love and devotion to Jesus.  Sow to the Spirit.  
• Repent.  Turn away from that which destroys and return to the Lord. He is your God and Father.  If we confess our sins he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins.  (I John 1:9)
• Return to First Love and the pursuit of righteousness. 
• Follow Jesus each day....literally.  Surrender your life to following him. 
• Rest in his presence.  Give yourself to the presence of the Lord.   Hang out with the Father in the presence and rest there.   New life will unfold.  

Please forward your comments. Or comment below to google.  
This is an important topic that is critical to the overcoming waves of grace that the Father is longing to pour out on this country.

Thank you and Grace and Peace in Jesus.

Brother Jeff.
Jeff Reynolds. Sr. Leader
Capstone Christian Fellowship
jreynolds@mycapstone.org
www.mycapstone.org
jeff@jeffreynoldsministries.com
www.jeffreynoldsministries.com