Lights, Camera, Action - 5 reasons Jesus Appears Dull in the Entertainment Church

The entertainment industry spends billions every year creating amazing, entertaining, powerful works of art that at times completely overwhelm.   That's the gig.   We love it. 

Is that the gig the church is in? 
Does Jesus' kingdom originate and translate through the normal means of the entrainment industry?
Overwhelm?  
Entertain?

Consider these thoughts....  

What if it all was stripped away.  Would we still have a powerful time together?  
Or is that not possible without the excellent band polished speaking and an amazing building?   Ie... is excellence power in the Kingdom?

Could people encounter the Lord Jesus and the love of his family without any of this? 
What if there was no band.  Lights.  Sound system.  Is God still around? 
Stupid question right?  
Yet how many believers are so immersed in the consumer culture of the day that they choose churches, messages, etc...out of taste, style and crowd volume?  

Where did mission, identity and assignment(Calling) run off to? 
Granted there are some shining lights.  But overall?

Jesus said to Pilot, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm."  John 18:36

Years ago we opened the door for entertainment.  Yea, OK.  Seemed like a good idea.  I mean we are people, live in a culture, and we want to do more at church than spiritual things right?  

So here are 5 reasons Jesus could appear dull in our entertainment church culture of today.  


1) Jesus doesn't need anything but himself to save the world. 
The early church didn't have any of this stuff, money, glam.  Most of it gives amplification.  So what are we amplifying?  When Jesus died he had a cloak and garment that was divided among the soldiers.  Yet the wealth of his mission forgave the sins of the world past, present, and future in him if you believe.  He united us with the Father in him forever and he released the rule and reign of his Kingdom that will never end. (Isaiah 9:7)  His inheritance was not in this world.  His victory sealed it's fate and it started fading immediately.
 

 "Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost. 2"Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance.…Isaiah 55:1-2

He and his Kingdom are the Source of life, the Way and the Truth.   John 14:6 
In his Kingdom defining teaching from the mountain he started with, "Blessed are the poor for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven."  Matthew 5:3   Nothing in the world adds to his Kingdom and it reaches the highest highs and deepest lows of the human condition.  Humanity can access it with no worldly means at all. 


Has American Christianity sought to gain voice and audience through the means of the world?  What if the corporate church had no money one day.   Would they still have a compelling and powerful gospel; encounter with God and people loving God for God himself?  
 

2) Jesus is low tech.   
People and face to face are his desire (Ps 27:8).  The poor finding life and family in Him, God's heart.   Powerful spiritual reality vrs comfortable understanding and all things natural his revelation.   Jesus is supernatural.  And so are we.  Do we shine more in the natural these days? 
As much as we love the lights, artistic backdrops, awesome sound systems, they don't translate the Kingdom directly.  They create an environment that we know and understand.  Is that a problem today?   We know and understand so much about entertainment environments and so little about spiritual power, being face to face with God and being in a church with the poor?  What do we know about Kingdom environments?  What do we know about sustaining grace and power in peoples lives?  



3) Jesus keeps saying the same things over and over.    Or does he?
We have become board with the content of what we believe to be the gospel.  The problem is we lack revelation of the Lord Jesus (Eph 3:17-19) The words of the gospel are not magic.  The bible words by themselves are not magic either.  Jesus told the Pharisees this very thing.  

"You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.…John 5:39

Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  A person.  A living God.  Not a Book.  His revealed word shines a bright light on HIM.  It throws out keys, doors and pathways of knowing God.  It is not an end in itself.  If we don't move toward Jesus, find deep need in Jesus, and increase in hunger and thirst for him in our Scripture teaching it is missing the mark. 
When we link the person (logos-the Word) with our scripture and see the Lord Jesus nothing is ever the same.   When we recite over and over the words of Jesus without the person, the secret, his power and presence, we build religion.   Frankly the world is wise to avoid this.   It's making Pharisees.  Sons of hell, Jesus said.  Worse off than ourselves.   Not good.  


4) Jesus does not dress for success or strive to impress.  He impresses the Father by fulfilling and doing his will as worship.  Welcome him and welcome the Father.  There are plenty of writings about Jesus showing up to our churches.  That we wouldn't let him in.  Yea.   Yet, he looks so sweet in all the paintings.  Reminder, he is the one who said in Revelation two that He would throw Jezebel on a bed of suffering and kill her children. (Rev 2:21-23)  The Lion of the Tribe of Judah doesn't parade for power.  He already possesses all authority.   Our monumental tasks seem to be of little value in today's entertainment church. 

• Manifest his NAME to the world - John 17:6 
• Go into the world the same as Jesus - John 17:18
• Be ONE in Him- John 17:20-23
•  Love the world as he loves the world - I John 3:16/ John 3:16

5) Jesus relies on things like prayer, relationship with the Father, walking in the Spirit and the spoken gospel confirmed with signs and wonders to save humanity.  His work is all sufficient.  Maybe these are the skills we should be focused on acquiring?

Abiding with the Father, consistent in prayer, strength filled weakness, don't make for entertaining, movies or constantly changing experiences.   Actually experiencing God's love, healing, encounter, and salvation seem to be what the New Testament points to over and over.  People encounter Jesus and his love and are restored by faith in him to relationship with the Father.   To encounter him in his love was to wake up.  

So am I advocating for dull, lackluster, mediocre?  
No, not in any way.  Things have come a long way.  That's good stuff.  I am hoping that whatever we do the power of God needs to be what shines brightest.  That Jesus encounters are the actual happenings of what we call church.   Hoping that we don't overwhelm the poor with our worldly success but rather make sure the gospel connects with them and our churches connect with them.   

The Kingdom is far more fascinating than anything Hollywood could ever conceive of.   I love movies and the creative arts industry a lot.  But compared to the Kingdom of God Hollywood does not hold a candle.  If all the entertaining factors of church were stripped away what would be left?  
If all the entertaining tech and phones etc...were stripped from us what would we have left?  There is a whole world out there waiting to be discovered in the realms of the Spirit.


Prayer, the quiet power, changes things.  Find it first in your life.  Col 4:2


Your comments are gratefully encouraged.  
I am going out on a limb a bit with this particular blog post.  Or may be not.  
What do you think?  
Re-shares +1's.. Thank you for those.  Very appreciated. 
The feedback is encouraging.  We all need it to keep going!


 Thanks for Reading.

Brother Jeff 
Jeff Reynolds
Capstone Christian Fellowship
www.mycapstone.org
www.jeffreynoldsministries.com 

Kick these 3 Things out of your Life and Thrive in Jesus.

The Enemy is defeated along with Death and Sin, yet we consistently battle the Flesh, the World and the Devil.  

The Kingdom of God is in conflict with this world and will be until Jesus puts all his enemies under his feet.  

"then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26The last enemy that will be abolished is death.…"  I Cor 15:24-26

 In the mean time we are.....

Satan's capture at the end of the age

1. Welcoming the Kingdom in others - Phil 2:29; Matt 10:40; Mtt 18:5; Matt 25:40
2. Welcoming the Kingdom servants - Matthew 10:41
3. Honoring the Lord's Servants and Leaders - Rom 12:10;
4. Living in, by and through Faith - Hebrews 11:1,6
5. Patiently enduring with a vigorous Hope
6. Zealously serving the Lord -
7. And doing this awesome this from      I Tim 6:11  

"But you, man of God, flee all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love endurance and gentleness."  

 Paul goes on and give us more encouragement.  I Tim 6:11-21

Fight

Take Hold

Keep

Guard what has been entrusted to your care

Turn away

 An awesome reminder in words of action.  

Flowering of snow peas

 Weeds grow easy.  Fruit has to flower.

The enemy sow weeds into the gardens anywhere and everywhere he can.  Weeds grow easy and early.  They seems to require very little to sprout and grow fast.  Fruit on the other hand has to grow in a plant that matures to the point of flowering.  The delicate flowers put off a fragrance.  Worship and abiding in Jesus produce flowering fruit.  

These Three will hinder any garden and infest the soil of all you do.   Let the Spirit reveal their presence in your life and with his power and help - KICK EM OUT!



Kick these 3 things out of your life and thrive in the Kingdom, abide in his presence and grow at a rapid pace.  
I Peter 1:3-9


1) Fear - raw fear.   
It is deadly to walking in, through and by faith.  Which means its deadly to pleasing God. (Hebrew 11:6)  It comes in so many packages.   Fear hold us back.  Even from things we know that we know that we know God has asked us to do.   It is nearly impossible to RISK - Rise Into Significant Kingdom ACTION with fear running free within us.  It distorts our vision.  Tells us things about the future that are not informed by the Holy Spirit (John 16:12-14).   Fear sometimes causes us to simply freeze up.  To Stop.  To not do anything in the Spirit.   Fear has to go.   

Simple approach:   Ask this question to the Holy Spirit just like this.  (John 16:12-14; Ps 139)  It's not magic.  Just helpful.  

Make sure you have a journal or something to write with.  Write down what the Lord speaks to you.  Wait on him.  Work through the process and ID all the fears he chooses to show you.  

Then: Repent - specifically naming the fear and inviting the Spirit to give you new understanding to replace the fear. 
Then:  Search the Scripture for the truth - it sets you free.  (John 8:32)
Then:  Write the Kingdom truth that puts that fear away and kicks it down the road. 

Here is the question:

"Holy Spirit, are there any fears in my thoughts, heart, mind that I am allowing to hold me back from fully walking in all that you have for me?   

2) Unrighteousness 
Ok. So we stumble. We fall.  We fail.  We give in.  We know we should not do that stupid thing but our desire mixed with the flesh mixed with the world mixed with the enemies direct temptations mixed with disappointment, discouragement, sometimes stumble us.    At every stage of this process we can escape.  We need to know that.  There is always a way to escape and the power to do it through Jesus. 

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.1Co 10:13

  Yet, even knowing this we fall sometimes.  What happens next is so important.   I've learned that the Devil does not take off after we fall.  He sticks around and then tells us a whole bunch of other lies to keep us down.   Here is one that seems to recur. 

• You are not worthy of the Lord's forgiveness.  He has given you so much and blessed you so well and now you do this?    HUGE NOTE to SELF - this is condemnation.  (Rom 8:1)   
• Answer:  True I am not worthy of the blessings of Christ.  While I was a sinner Christ died for me. (Rom 5:1-5)  In the Blood of Jesus my sins are cleansed (I John 2:1) and I have an advocate before the Father that speaks in my behalf.  I can repent and receive mercy directly.  Right now in fact.   So do that. 
• Never delay repentance.  Run back to the light no matter how far you feel away from God.    
• The enemy knows you can be forgiven and restored in a moment.  
• He seeks to divert you from doing what started your salvation in the first place.....believing in Jesus -  confessing your sin - receiving his mercy and grace and forgiveness.  Believing grants you access to all the benefits of his work on the cross.   

 Watch out for possible roads that lead to religion here.  
 Agreeing with the Devil that you are not worthy and therefore to get back in good graces with God you need to beef up your acts of righteousness and save yourself through your excellent walk in religion will deposit a religious mindset into you directly.   


3) Intimidation -  
Many of the spiritual attacks that plague the believers these days relate to intimidation.  Meaning: 

INTIMIDATION (noun)
  The noun INTIMIDATION has 4 senses: 1. the act of intimidating a weaker person to make them do something
2. the feeling of discouragement in the face of someone's superior fame or wealth or status etc.
3. the feeling of being intimidated; being made to feel afraid or timid
4. a communication that makes you afraid to try something

(1/8/2015, http://www.audioenglish.org/dictionary/intimidation.htm)

Through people, the Enemy, difficult experiences, challenging circumstances we have come to a point of backing down in the assignment and calling the Lord placed on us.   We feel the fear of reprisal if we take that steps required to move forward or step out in faith.   This is a key tactic of the enemy.  Often it is successful and we don't recognize the reasons for our backing down.    

All across America Christians who are not persecuted or forced to stop have backed down in sharing the gospel and the love of God in the public square.  In any given city the number of active believers preaching the gospel and sharing the love actively with neighbors, family, work associates etc.. would probably stagger the mind.   

Find out if you are intimidated.   First sign fear.   Reach out with the express purpose of sharing the gospel with those around you.   Do you feel fear?   That is intimidation at work. 

Imtimidation tends to relate to the "possible loss of something" if we take a certain action. 

Like the loss of a job if we express our faith at work.   

Like the loss of friends if they really see us live for Christ.

Like the loss of family if we decide to make a clear commitment to worshiping and following Jesus before them.  

There are plenty of people willing to intimidate those who want to follow Christ with everything they have.  Surrendering all.  Obeying his teaching and abiding in his presence with an undivided heart.    

So how do we navigate intimidation?   

1) First identify it in your life.  Back to identifying fears and limitations based on fear.  Jesus spent everything so that we could know him in his fullness and walk freely in the Spirit.  God is not intimidating us.   The world, the flesh and the Devil all counter the will to surrender all to Christ.  

2) Get the right posture.  We are called to abide in the Lord.  Constantly be in prayer and to walk in the Spirit.  The first fruit of the Spirit is love.  God is love.  Everything he does produces the fruit of love.   So get centered in the presence of the Lord and put first things first.   LOVE is first.  

3) Get the right weapons to wage battle.  II Cor 10:3-5.  Anger, power/control,  condemnation, judgement do not save the world or help foster a true witness of the love of Jesus.   As much as we would like to "overpower" those who intimidate us this is using the world's weapons.  We need to join Jesus in "overcoming" the world not overpowering it with its own weapons.   The divine weapons are mighty through the Spirit and foster the growth of the Kingdom.    One of the greatest weapons in the Spirit is surrender and first love for Jesus.   A second amazing weapon is obedience to the leading of the Spirit.   I guarantee you that if you walk in the leading of the Spirit you will find yourself acting in ways that break intimidation off your life, open doors for your Kingdom assignment and provide avenues to exercise faith through obedience.   

As I got going on writing this it kinda took off on me.  I really enjoyed going farther than I expected on this one.   I hope it is encouraging and helpful.   There is much more that can be said about these topics.  Here are some books that I have found helpful.  

Breaking Intimidation - John Brevere  - link to my site if you like to purchase at Amazon. 

Holiness, Truth and the Presence of God - Francis Frangipane 

Unmasking the Jezebel Spirit - John Paul Jackson

Comments?  Ideas?  Feedback?  Thank you for re-shares and +1's.  
The comments and dialogue are exciting and amazing.  
We are in this together.  Any help, inspiration we can give each other as well as encouragement is worth it.  


Stand Strong in the Lord and Walk Boldly in your Heavenly Assignment.


With much love in Jesus,


Jeff Reynolds.  "Brother Jeff"
www.mycapstone.org
www.jeffreynoldsministries.com 

7 Things the Enemy (Devil) Doesn't Want You to Know About Him.

Ignorance can be costly when it comes to living in the victory of Christ Jesus. 
The Devil and his cohorts love it when.....

involutedgenealogies.wordpress.com

• People don't believe they exist.
• People believe they are responsible for everything bad and fear them.
• People think they are everywhere all the time.
• People believe all that the movies portray of dark spiritual things
• People play with mediums fortune tellers etc like they are not real or connected to familiar spirits. 
• When people believe he is a cute and jester like person with horns and a red suit. 
  

 

It is clear we have an enemy and his full intent is to devour us.  (I Peter 5:8-9)  But before we get to excited about that scenario check out these things he would rather you did not know. 

Jesus has all power and authority in this world and the universe for that matter and everything in it was made by him and for him.  That means it naturally serves him and not the devil.  His authority is expressed in every believing member of the household of God.   

1.  Don't fear him resist him and he will run.  "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."  Jas 4:7

Great promise.  Try it.  Use it.  Live it every day.  It is powerful and effective against all kinds of spiritual attacks.  The path is simple and clear.  Surrender and stand.   The devil has such limited time and limited resources he can only work where he is welcomed or ignorantly ignored.   Grow your discernment in being a "living sacrifice" and through richly abiding in the word of Christ. (Rom 12:1-2; Col 3:16)

2. The Devil is a fallen Angel; he is a created being like us.  Though he once looked on God he is now perpetually drawn to fallen things and fallen ideas.  He is drawn to garbage and rotting things.  He cannot free himself from lies and rotting things he longs to be near.  Righteousness and walking in the Spirit are powerful weapons against his garbage life.  Let the Spirit lead you in growing righteousness in your life.   The Blood of Christ cleanses us from sin and the Holy Spirit clearly leads us to life and righteousness in Jesus. 

3. The Devil is shut out from the mind of God.  He has to guess.  You and I do not.  We have the very mind of Christ with Jesus dwelling in us. (Col 1:27)  We have the Holy Spirit leading us (John 16:12-14) and as we abide in Jesus and walk in his commands we receive the love of the Father and the revelation of Jesus. (John 14:21; Eph 3:17-19)  As we abide in Christ Jesus we carry his presence everywhere.  He never leaves us or forsakes us.  Satan does not know the mind of God for you!  He guesses.  

4. The Devil cannot create anything.  He can only seek to distort the good things God has created.   Think about it.  All the sins and failures of humanity are generated from interacting with the powerful and amazing things the Lord created for us to experience and enjoy. Example Sex.  Outside of marriage it still works.  It is powerful and wonderful and uniquely brings together two human beings.   And it brings destruction, disease, distorted relationship, enslavement in pornography, prostitution and perversion outside of its intended purposes.  Yet God created it powerful and amazing for our enjoyment and good.   Sow to the Spirit and walk in the Spirit and you will overcome the desires of the Flesh.   (Gal 5:16)

4. The Devil can only be in one place at a time.   Unlike God his creator he is not omnipresent.   So, we are not all fighting the actual devil in our struggles.  We may be fighting a lessor evil spirit.  In the same way he cannot be in all the world cities at one time.  He is going to be where the rotting things are and where he can set up strongholds and cultural enslavement. 

 

5. He is outnumbered. The Devil has limited resources.  Only one third of the angels fell with the devil.  That means there are 2/3rds and 2 times their number of "Fiery ministers doing the Father's bidding".  He cannot confront all believers let alone seek to address the millions of advancing Saints around the Globe at one time.   Even when he does attack it is with limited resources.   Always outnumbered.  Completely outgunned.  Stand and resist him and he will flee!

The Capture of Satan at the Final Rebellion

6. The Devil has been stripped by the Lord Jesus of his key weapons.   Col 2:15 "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross".   Jesus defeated Sin, Death and the Devil all in one massive victory on the Cross.  One of the key weapons the devil used to enslave was death and the fear of death.  Death has been swallowed up by life in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Those who put their faith in Jesus live forever.  

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Jhn 16:33

7.  He has lots of history and experience but uses the same ploys over and over.  In our lives he seeks to attack us with the same recurring temptations and typically his attacks are aimed at destroying, hindering or stopping our identity and assignment in Christ.  The more you know who you are in the Kingdom of God and what the Spirit has marked you for in authority and kingdom advance the more you can consistently overcome the repetitive attacks of the enemy.  Scripture effectively warns us of his tactics and ways and how to resist and fight him.  He continues to do the same things over and over.     

Everything the Devil touches, uses and manipulates is fading away even as he tries to make it sparkle or shine.  

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever."  I John 2:16-17

How do I move forward with these things in mind? 
One of the best ways to move forward and begin overcoming is to "set your hearts on things above" and "set your mind on things above".  (Col 3:1-4)  Our call is to place Jesus and his Kingdom first in our lives.  He is our occupation and focus.  Our affections need to be centered on him.  We are called to abide in Jesus and walk in the Spirit.  (John 15)  We will surely run into the enemy as we advance in the Kingdom.  As the devil's work is made known we can apply all the blessings of the Lord to vanquish him.   


1Co 15:58

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Comments?  Thoughts?  Re-share this with friends that are struggling and think the Devil has the upper hand.     


Thank you for +1's and your comments.   
We are an amazing army in Jesus that is overcoming this fading world all across the globe with the victory won in Jesus our Lord.   Stand strong and stand firm in him.   


Blessings in Jesus
Brother Jeff 
Jeff Reynolds  Sr. Leader
Capstone Christian Fellowship
www.mycapstone.org
www.jeffreynoldsministries.com

God Designed the World to Find Him. There is Always a Way Home

Christmas reminded me of something.There is always a way home.  

God designed the world to find him.   (John 3:16) 

Yes. The world is full of opportunity for distraction. (I John 2:15-17)
Our hearts have trouble getting free.  Getting free, free enough to see a glimpse of the beauty and power of the Kingdom of God, seems daunting.  We are surrounded by oceans of opportunity, real and now opportunity, to drown our pain and sorrows.   Wandering is an easy road; wide and open with the invitation to drift on the current.  
Eyes are easily clouded by the raw and blinding emotions of disappointment, anger, frustration, hate, etc....  
No need to run the list.

by Julie Fruth. pinterest.com

It appears daunting but it is not.  
Why?  
It isn't our work; not our task.  
It is the Trinity's awesome signature on the life we all share. It's the Father's goal. He creates ways home all around us.  The Father is working in the world.  Right now seeking to save the lost.   

The three in one wrote this plainly on the world.  There is always a way home.  


God is amazing and creative and has a love for us so vast we cannot comprehend it's breadth and width (Isaiah 40:28).   He is all the time, every moment, leaving doors open around us.  

He is always leaving doors open for us to come home.  

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable." Isa 40:28

The world, created in Christ Jesus, is perfectly suited to help every person find the way to the riches and glory in Jesus Christ.  It serves him.  Even in brokenness it cannot buck the design of love.  All its foundations were crafted in, for and through love.  Jesus reminds us of this in his words....

"Ask and it will be given;  seek and you will find;  knock and the door will be opened.  

Jesus explains this key written on the world.   

There is always a way home. 

by Karen McGillivray from Pinterest

"For everyone who asks receives; He who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8

Promise is at the heart of God's relationship with us in this world.  

He promises, proclaims and says things we want to find ourselves in.  We ask, seek and knock believing he will uphold his word in the NAME of Jesus.   And he does. 

Promise is one of the doors always left open. Sometimes lost, the reality is, we are we pursued by God.  He is relentless in his loving kindness.  In Christ the grace of God seeks after hearts willing to express even a mustard seed of faith in Christ.  

It is vital we run through the doors of promise and into the heart of God. 

Promise

1. He has promised to supply every need we have. The Bible says: "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus". That's Philippians 4:19.
2. God has promised that His grace is sufficient for us. (II Corinthians 12:9).
3. God has promised that His children will not be overtaken with temptation. Instead, He assures us that a way of escape will be provided. This promise is recorded in I Corinthians 10:13. Jude wrote: "Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present your faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy" (Jude v 24).
4. God has promised us victory over death. He first resurrected Jesus by way of assuring our resurrection. Peter said: "This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses" (Acts 2:32). Paul wrote to the Corinthians: "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (I Corinthians 15:3,4). Later on he adds: "but thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Corinthians 15:57).
5. God has promised that all things work together for good to those who love and serve Him faithfully (Romans 8:28). It may be difficult for us to see and understand how this is accomplished at times, but God has promised it, and He will deliver.
6. God has promised that those who believe in Jesus and are baptized for the forgiveness of sins will be saved. (Read Mark 16:16 and Acts 2:38).
7. God has promised His people eternal life (John 10:27,28). In closing, let me appeal to you to live so that the promises of God will be yours.   ("The Seven Promises from God to Man", Dec 2014,  http://www.bible.ca/d-7promises-god.htm) 

Yes.  In our fallen nature, we fight against God and resist his kingdom.  

This hides many doors from our sight.   Enmity was crucified on the cross.  Embrace your cross and see hundreds of doors open around you.   Doors of promise.  Doors of Hope.  Doors of Love.  Doors of life, things we cannot see as we wander with eyes seeing through the broken and fallen nature into which we were born.  

Many things stumble us and cause our eyes to loose sight, but God designed the world so that we would find him.  

Celtic door by Nicole Lee 

We are not left as orphans.  Jesus sent the Spirit to lead and guide us. (John 16:12-14)  It's all about what we are after.   What do we really want?   

If we want God we will find him.  Trusting his promise is the doorway to his heart.  

Thank you for reading.  Comments?  Questions?  Ideas?  
Thank you for +1's and re-shares.   I really appreciate it.   
Do this spark some other ideas or resources.  Let me know your thoughts.  


In the Love of Jesus,


Jeff Reynolds.  AKA Brother Jeff
Sr. Leader Capstone Christian Fellowship
www.jeffreynoldsministries.com
www.mycapstone.org

Is God too Small and the Problem too Big?

Everyone screams no way.  We get adamant about this.  
Yes. That is good.  
So why have we given up on some of the problems affronting our faith?  

A couple daunting problems that need "nothing is impossible" faith and resolute courage in the face of slow progress....  You can think of more I'm sure.  

1. We treat each other like competitors instead of family. A powerful witness of the love of God, the deep and true unity we share in Jesus, among the family and churches of a given city or even among leaders of different ministries is weak or non-existent.   Lines and boarders may be our testimony instead of a generous, vibrant, overwhelming love and encouragement.    High Praises to those warriors of Christ who are daily believing and working for love and the fragrance of Jesus among the diverse witnesses for Christ Jesus in their city.  

"The Core" - Sonya J. Day

 

There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.…Eph 4:5

Sonya J. Day - friend from Redding CA.  

Beautiful art - find her here - support her vision

http://www.sonyajday.com/hearts/o6szc9a20omkqv4kr9s9dhifl1xc1w

 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35"By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

 John 13:35

 Are you one of the change makers?

• Nothing is impossible
• The Father lavishes love on us in Jesus - lavish some on your divine family - Give and it shall be Given.
• All things are possible for those who believe

 In the end LOVE WINS. Sow the future now. Live in the hope of the consummation-all things one in Christ. By this all men will know we are HIS. Sow love first.  Be love first and last.   This is doable!  Jesus provided all we need to walk in love in the face of the worst darkness. 


God too small?  Problem to Big? 


2. We have limited impact with those who need the blessing and grace of the gospel.  Turning cities upside down with the witness of the Gospel of the Kingdom.   Possibly the problem is we want intellectual check offs, ideas and statements, more than we want surrender, following and evidence of new birth in Jesus.  Meeting the Lord of glory is so much more than checking off some "yes, I believe that" statements.   Religion makes people worse.  Jesus said 10x's worse.  Meeting and encountering Jesus sets them free forever.   

God to small?  Problem to Big? 

Believers today seem to have an identity crisis.  Many live in silence and fear at the thought of stepping out into the community to witness to the reality and glory of the Gospel of Jesus.  Sin, Death and the Devil are defeated through the work of Jesus.  We have a message that sets people free both now and eternally.   Every sin - Forgiven.  Every sickness - healed.  Every fear - crushed in love.  Every power - stripped.   The new creation born in his resurrection.  Everything sealed into the heavenly tabernacle when Jesus sat down at the Father's right hand.   

Sometimes the simplest things are the most difficult.  Love is easy.  Love your neighbor as yourself.


3. Problem Perspective: My personal problems are insurmountable.  As I work with faith communities I see apathy, depression, disappointment, anger and offense at God, leaders, church family, anyone who rises up to be a change agent.    Confronting hell with the power of the cross is desperately needed in and among those who claim to bear his name.   The cross is testimony of defeat for the powers of sin, death and the Devil.   Jesus was clear on this.  If we don't pick up our cross and follow him daily we are not worthy of him.   

"And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.…"

 Luke 9:23

The seed falls to the ground and dies first.  There is a great need for laying down our personal kingdoms for the eternal one in Christ.  It is so important that the everyday believer knows the power of the Kingdom to confront sin, death and the Devil in their own lives.  

Deliverance and discernment are the heartbeat of wisdom and love in action.   Love cannot bear to see the lost left without a shepherd and wisdom discerns the pathways of freedom and deliverance. Together there is resolute focus on freedom and overcoming the world.  

Many believers today seem to think that they inherited a salvation that brings them into a utopia dream of no problem existence where everyone is happy all the time. 

Reality - we are in a conflict with the powers of the age.  Sin, Death and the Devil.   The Father has given us the keys to the Kingdom.  We wage war in the love and power of Jesus for the salvation of the world.     Love wins.   Here are three characteristics of Kingdom love in action.

1) Love believes all things - Nothing is impossible with God

2) Love hopes all things - we carry his presence everywhere we go -  the reality of new life

3) Love never fails - As the Bethel Music song says "his love never fails, never gives up, never runs out on me."


God to small?  Problem to big?   
How big is the God you believe in?  
How present is he in your life today? 
How is his Kingdom coming daily in your life?  
He is an ever flowing stream of grace, mercy and love for you every day.  

 
The answer for the world is up to us.  How we live.  Hope.  Trust and walk in Him. 
Receive and welcome his Kingdom and Power in your life today.  
Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts!   I Cor 14:1

By this we know that we are in Him: 6the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

I John 2:6

Comments?  Ideas or discussion on this topic?

I appreciate everyone's comments and ideas.  We are in this together!

Thank you for reading.   

Keep hope alive!

In the Love of Jesus,

Jeff Reynolds aka - brother Jeff

www.mycapstone.org

www.jeffreynoldsminnistries.com

jeff@jeffreynoldsministries.com