"The Weakest Link"

In the last blog we talked about how easy it is even when strong in spirit to slip into the flesh. Peter recieved the revelation that Jesus was the Christ, and than a few verses later we see Peter rebuking Jesus telling him that he would'nt have to go to the cross. Jesus goes on to nickname him Satan. Peter had very clearly gotten into the flesh. We talked about the fact that the flesh is "the weakest link" I stated that we find our "weak link" in the account of Jesus being tempted by the devil in the wilderness. When satan tempted Jesus the very first time it was in turning the stone into bread. Why? It was because at this moment it was Jesus highest point of vulnerability. Our "weak link" will be found in our vulnerability. The enemy will not hit a person where their strong, but where they are weak. Hes a total coward and plays by no rules. He's going to hit where it counts. We must be ready! When this all went down in the life of Jesus, he was PREPARED! Men shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God(Matt 4:4) Where did Jesus get that? It was from the book of Deuteronomy. My point is Jesus was prepared for very moments like this because of time in the word! Expierence will not defeat the devil, only the word of the living God will defeat the devil! If expierence could make any dent in the devil, Jesus could've very easily used his own. This temptation happened just moments after he was baptized is the Jordan river and the dove descends upon him and the voice of the Father audibly heard by everyone said "This is my beloved son in whom Iam well pleased". It was his time in that book that enabled and empowered him to resist by the power of the spoken word! I want you to understand "the flesh" does not rule you, you RULE it! "Christianity is not a life of attainment, but its a life of RESISTENCE" Without the resistence of air planes can't fly, without the resistence of water ships can't sail, and without the resistence of gravity men can't walk! Every single one of us has a flesh. Its the biggest enemy there is to faith! Its bigger than the devil, because were able in the authority of Jesus name and power of his word to cast him under our feet! However we cannot cast out the flesh, it must be crucified. In more future blogs were going to talk about how this very thing is done. Before we close this blog, lets identify the flesh. What exactly is "the flesh" Is it fornication or adultry? Is it swearing murmuring or backbiting? Is it eating an extra pieace of pie or bowl of icecream? NO! These are all WORKS of the flesh. When we attempt to go after these things its like were attacking the symptom and not the SOURCE. The book of Galations gives us a list of the "works" of the flesh. now the works of THE FLESH are manifest which are these: Adultry, fornication, uncleaness, lasciviousness, Idolotry, withcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkeness, and revellings(Gal 5:19-21) A good way to put it is these are fruits of a greater root. The bible defines the flesh as a MINDSET. Its a erroneous way of thinking. Every thought is followed by an action, every belief is followed by a behavior. The eigth chapter of the book of Romans makes this crystal clear. For they that are after the things of the FLESH, DO MIND the things of the flesh, to be CARNALLY(fleshly) minded is DEATH(Rom 8:5,6) We find here that it indeed is a house of thoughts, its a systematic system. Where does it lead DEATH. We will describe later in descriptive detail how to "strive for mastery" thus gaining and granting over it victory in the name of Jesus!

Flesh or Spirit?

Jesus said that which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of spirit is spirit(John 3:6) Althrough hes talking in this verse the difference between natural and spiritual birth. There is another very deep rooted meaning that every blood bought born again believer must recognize. When not careful its very and highly possible to begin in the spririt and than end up in the flesh. God through the mouth of Paul warned the church of Galatia of this very thing. Are you so foolish to have BEGUN in the spirit now made perfect in the flesh(Gal 3:3) This is so powerfully & profoundly illustrated in the life of Peter. In the sixteenth chapther of Matthew Hes given the revelation that Jesus was the Christ. This occurred after Jesus asked the question Whom do men say that Iam? It was awesome that Jesus said Blessed are you Simon Barjona flesh & blood has not revealed this unto you but my Father in Heaven(Matt:16:17) peter was indeed in the spriit! However we read just a few verses later after Jesus goes into detail describing the fact that he must suffer many things of thands of the chief priests, Peter rebuking him. Can we like even imagine? Jesus reponds by nick naming him SATAN! Can someone say WOE? The fact is as quick as Peter was in the spirit recieving abundant revelation, there was in the flesh telling Jesus he would nopt have to go through what he said he would. We must learn an imperative & important lesson in this... the very same thing can and WILL happen to us if not cautious. When were in the spirit there is LIFE! Jesus said my words I speak unto thee are SPIRIT & LIFE(John 6:63) The bible says that when we sow into the flesh it will reap or corruption(Gal 6:8) The moment we get into the flesh things are automatically put to death. There ceases to be an annointing on what we do. The flesh SHALL NOT glory in his presence(1 Cor 1:29) We must never forget that the flesh is "the weakest link" Jesus said the SPIRIT is willing but the FLESH is weak(Matt 26:41) In future blogs we'll get into detail on how to discover our so called "weakest link" We find a clue from jesus temptation in the wilderness. as we conclude lets remind ourselves of the words of Jesus the head of the church and our Master "That which is born of flesh is flesh and that which is born of spirit is spirit"

"The Crossover"

In the last blog I shared the vision the Lord gave me about the dresser and drawers. The book of Josua opens up talking about a transitionary time with the children of Israel. Lets make no mistake about it, we as the BOC are in that time. Its make or break, its have or be had. Moses the servant of the Lord had died and the reins were passed onto Josua. A brand new way of living was going to be adopted and assimulated. Moses had always been the "monkey in the middle" for the COI. Everytime they got into a pickle, there he was interceeding to God on their behalf. After his death came a period where they were going to have to challenge thinking, talking, and actions. God commanded them to CROSSOVER the Jordan(Josua 1:2) Its time for "the crossover" We must surrender areas that are holding us back from crossing over into our promiselands. The very first thing that we must do is ACKNOWLEDGE. We all have the "so called drawers". The problem is the longer we wait, the harder it becomes. We can get to a place that what were doing becomes a normal way of life and get trapped into familiarity. The bible says that our conscience can be seared with a hot iron(1 Tim 4:2) The bible says we must acknowledge him in all of our ways(Prov 3:6) Surrender & submission is not easy. Its an act of will, not feeling. Jesus in the garden was under such pressure in the midst of submitting his will to the Father that he sweat great drops of blood from his forehead(Luke 22:42) The book of Mark says that his soul was EXEEDINGLY SORROWFUL(Mark 14:35) In other words he had to rise up boldly under the pain and say NEVERTHELESS! Oh my thats a good day! Its a decision to do what PRODUCES good, not what FEELS good. Second, We must ASK. Jesus said ALL power & authority has been given unto me in Heaven & Earth(Matt 28:18) However he cannot do one thing for us until we ask. Jms 4:2 says we have not because we ASK not, Jesus said ASK & we shall recieve(Matt 7:7, Luke 11:9) Jer 33:3 Call upon the name of the Lord & I will show you great mighty things that thou knowest not. The HolySpirit is hovering over, but must be welcomed in. My Brother Dave said that the Lord spoke to him the phrase ENTER IN. We do that by asking him!!!! Number three we must ATTEND. Prov 4:20-22 says My son ATTEND to my words, incline your ears to my sayings let them not depart from your eyes keep them in the midst of your heart for they are life to those that find them and health to all our flesh. The bible says in the world there are many voices(1 Cor 14:20) There are so many voices attempting to get our attention. However the only voice that we are to take heed is that of the HolySpirit. He speaks and brings back to our rememberence the word of God. The thing is if we dont know what he said than hes got nonething to bring back. Jesus said Give us THIS DAY our DAILY BREAD(Matt 6:11) He did'nt say weekly, monthly, annually, or seasonally. We eat virtually everyday. The only time we dont is if the Lord hastens us to fast. How much more must we be eating the word of God. God said to Jeremiah EAT MY WORDS!! As we DO that we'll be so locked into the voice of the spirit and it will guide & govern and we'll not be tossed to and fro by the sleight of men. Fouth, we must be AGGRESSIVE. Josua & the children were going to have many battles on the way to breakthroughs and blessings. We must refuse to be conquered but to conquer. There is a phrase birthed and breeded by the spirit that said Our CALLING is in our CONQUERING!!! Do you want to get to the next level? Conquer whats in front of you, and be aggressive! Be merciful toward people but not principalities!!!! Its time to crossover to this new and living way! Let the Lord challenge you. He did'nt come to condemn but to correct. All of us have those places that need to be corrected. Its often just a small little adjusment. Its like the turning of the knob on a radio. Practice these principles & precepts they will produce power in ALL our lives in JESUS name!!!!!!!!!!!!

No More Cheese And Crackers

There was a story I heard of a man that went on a five star luxury cruise. He had enough money to pay for the ticket, but not to eat the fabulous food. So as the others went to "fine dine" he would sit in the corner of the ship eating cheese and crackers. He did this for a number of days until one afternoon someone came up to him saying " I notice you sitting in the corner eating cheese and crackers". why dont you come join the rest of us in the dining room? The man responded "I only had enough to pay for the ticket but not the meals"The other guy just shook his head in shock and suprise saying... Sir the meals were included in the price of that ticket! The point is there are too many believers that are sitting in the corner of life eating cheese and crackers. they are settling for far less than Gods best and living way beneath their rights and privledges in Christ Jesus. We serve a covenant keeping God! He has promised to provide and take care of all that are underneath it. However there are many that dont have a "covenant conscience" They trust more in the devils ability to hurt and harm than Gods to protect and provide. it doesent take long to figure out. Listen to the speech that comes from the mouths of people that are under the blood. It often duplicates that of the world. The reason for this is found in two majior areas. Its because we dont KNOW what belongs to us. God said through the mouth of the prophet Hosea MY PEOPLE are destroyed through a lack of knowledge(Hosea 4:6) Notice God said his people are destroyed not from a lack of education, ability, or talent but by his KNOWLEDGE! Its time that we as covenant kids of the most high know what belongs to us and walk ye in it. In a time of intercession before the Lord, He said Brian there are too many of my kids living in Lodabar. This was the place that a young man by the name of Mephibasheth lived. His life looked hopeless. A dude dropped and made crippled destined to live in a parched land with little opportunity. However one day King David asked one of his servants if there was any in the house of Saul that he could show kindness to for Jonathans sake(2 Sam 9:1) David had a covenant with a dude named Jonathan. The bible says their souls were knitted together(1 Sam 18:3) In other words if one of them were to die it was the others responsibility to provide for any that be in the lineage. It seemed sure that all Sauls decendants were dead. However to the dismay of many Mephibasheth was found. David said to him that he had a place right at the Kings table. The thing was he simply never knew! How many blessing are ours by inheritance but we simply havent got a clue? The second is our words. There are many people that know what belongs to them but simply refuse to surrender their speech to Him. They would rather speak how they feel and what they see rather than what he says. When David looked at the crippled boy telling him his inheritance, all he could do is simply state how could this be FOR SUCH A DEAD DOG AS I(2 Sam 9:8) Do you have a dead dog mentatlity? Are saying something other than what the word says for your life? STOP IT! The bible says that if we offend not in word, the same is a perfect man(mature) thats also able to bridle the whole body(Jms 3:2) The Lord showed me a vision. In it there was a dresser and at the bottom there were three empty drawers that were pulled out. The dresser represented our lives, and the drawers represented areas and arenas of our lives that had yet to be surrenderred and submitted unto Him. The drawers were EMPTY because once they were surrendered and submitted, he will pour the content of his presence power and provision! One main areas especially in the lives of believers is their talk. Mark 11:23 Jesus said saith three times compered to believe one time. Its important to believe with our heart but its equally important to SAY with our mouths. With the heart man believith unto righteousness and with the MOUTH CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO............ What are you confessing unto Today? More lack, pain stress, condemnation, the beating up of ones self? God gave us our tounges to edify not to crucify and this includes our ownselves! Refuse to be conformed to the word and sadly much of the church. Our tounge is like the rudder on the ship and through it maybe being blown by fiearce wind, it will move in the direction wherever the governor listeth(Jms 3:2,3) WE ARE THE GOVERNOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Make "09" a no cheese and cracker year in JESUS name!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seed Conscience, not need conscience

If not careful we can be completely focus on need. The bible is more of a bag than a book. It is sixty-six bags of seed! There is one that will meet every need. We must in this new year allow the seed to lead. We have to get our focus off of ourselves and on the word of the living God. The bible calls the word "the incorruptible seed"(1 Peter 1:23) The dna already exists within that seed to come to pass. When a farmer goes out and plants peach seeds, Hes not going to recieve a watermelon harvest. Everything produces after its own kind. Many times whats on the mind of men is their need, but there must be a switching of gears to the power of the seed that will meet it. Lets be all about the solution, not the problem. God spoke through the mouth of the Prophet Amos saying The days cometh saith the Lord that the plowman shall overtake the reaper(Amos 9:13) This means that any sooner theres planting, we'll be in the harvest. It works on each side of the specktrom. Jesus says something very powerful and profound in Mark 4:26-32 hes like what can the Kingdom of God be likeunto, its like a man casting seed into the ground, and he sleeps and ONCE ITS SOWN, In other words seed does no good until its sown. God can multiply any seed sown(2 Cor 9:10) but zero times zero equals zero! When the seed goes in it looks as small as a mustard seed, however it will GROW UP to be the GREATEST of ALL HERBS! The harvest is always superior to the seed. Perhaps your staring at a famine straight in your face. Maybe its spiritual, emotrional, physical or financial. Remember everything produces after its own kind. Get your bag out of the barn lol translation get the bible off the bookshelf or off the coffee table. Aim this mighty incorruptible seed to that need in the name of Jesus! Issac faced a fierce famine and sowed right into it recieving a hundredfold return that very same year(Gen 26:12) Dont be moved by need!!!!!!!! a very close examination of every instance where a need existed, there was a seed that the persoin had to plant. Whether it was Moses throwing the rod down, Josua marching around the walls, Naman dipping in the Jordan river seven times, danial persisting in prayer twenty-one days, the man with the withered hand stretching it forth, the boys launching out into the deep, the waterpots being filled, the man at Bethesda taking up his bed, The little boy sowing his sack lunch, the blind man washing in the pool of Siloam, Mary & Martha taking away the stone, the disciples throwing the nets to the otherside of the boat. Be SEED Conscience, NOT NEED CONCIENCE!

"The Shake Off"

The book of Acts gives an awesome account of the apostle Paul in the island of Malita. He went down to throw some sticks into the fire, and out of nowhere came a poisonous viber that latched onto his wrist. The bible says that "He shook it off"(Acts 28:5) As we go into this new year, there must be some inventory on our parts. We must be careful that we dont go into "09" with any junk in the trunk. Often times when that phrase has been used its been with negative conatations. What Iam saying is those things that we refuse to deal with and be delivered from. Our past is history, our Tommorrow is a mystery, but we live in the ever present permiated with power and potential. However are past can come right into our present. Were going to neeed the boldness of paul with that viper and shake those things off. It maybe unforgiveness, disappointment, circumstances & conditions. God spoke through the mouth of the prophet Isiah saying Behold I do a new thing, can you not see it?(Isiah 43:18,19) The Lord spoke through Paul in Phil 3:13,14 saying Forgetting the things that are behind, pressing toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Pressing forward implies force. Its going to take some E for effort. God is unable to give us the new while we cling to the old. Doing the same thing over & over expecting different results is the definition of insanity. when we want a change, we must be willing to make a change. Ask some real questions going into this new year. Everything is based upon seedtime and harvest. If you havent liked the harvests that have come into your life this past year, think aboiut the different seeds that can be sown in the coming year. Maybe your trusting God for love, sow love. Maybe its finances, sow finances ect It works like this in every arena and area of life. While the earth remains seedtime & harvest shall not cease(Gen 8:22) Its Gods gurantee! Whatever we sow, we shall reap(Gal 6:7) Before we start sowing seeds, we must determine the size of the harvest that were desiring back. If we want a big one, than we must sow many seeds! Sow bountifully and we shall reap bountifully, sow sparingly and we shall reap sparingly(2 Cor 9:6) We cannot recieve a million dollar harvest , while only sowing a ten dollar seed! This isint just financially, but spiritually, emotionally, physically, and relationally. Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The Working Of Miracles

Christmas is a wonderful time of year to think upon the miraculous. The virgin birth is the key element that differentiates Chritianity from all religions. Unto us a child is born and unto us a child is given(Isiah 9:6) Behold a VIRGIN shall conceive, and bear a son and call his name Emanual(Isiah 7:14) Think about what a miracle this was! A woman that had never been consumated with her husband, became pregnant with the son of God. The focus of this blog is to understand that if God could do that, what miracle can he not do? We serve a God of miracles, one that is the same yesterday today and forever! The one that parted the red sea, held the sun still, walked in the midst of the fiery furnace, supernaturally shut the mouths of lions, calmed the raging seas. What is it in your life that needs a miracle. A supernatual suspension of natural law. This is what God said through the mouth of Paul in describing one of the nine gifts of the HolySpirit called the working of miracles(1 Cor 12:10) we must be hungry for the manifestation of this gift in our lives. The more hungry we are, the more in position we'll be for this materialization. It dont matter if its a wayward child, a troubled marriage, a terminal 7 inoperable disease, a seemingly never ending strife in the family, or a financial dept of doom. He is a God that will ADD super to our natural. There is a statement that goes "Expectancy is the breeding ground for miracles." If we expect nonething, we'll recieve nonething. The man in the gate beautiful that had been lame since birth, FASTENED his eyes upon Peter & John EXPECTING to RECIEVE something(Acts 3:5) Its than that the mighty gift of the spirit manifested and he went away leaping praising & shouting!!! Continue to SEE your miracle done through the eyes of faith. 2 Cor 4:18 While we look NOT at the things that are seen: for the things that are seen are temporal; but the things that are NOT SEEN are ETERNAL Every & each circumstance & condition is SUBJECT to change. We are not moved by what we see, or moved by how we feel, ONLY by what we BELIEVE! God prayed through Paul for the church of Ephesus. The spirit of wisdom & REVELATION be upon you. THE EYES OF YOUR UNDERSTANDING BEING ENLIGHTENED(Eph 1:17,18) Let your eyes of faith be enlightened in Jesus name! MERRY CHRISTMAS!