We have been tracing the concept that we all come out of our own spiritual slavery to ‘Egypt’ when we become Jesus Followers. We all begin messed up – we are not born perfect, Psalm 51:5.
Everyone has a system of personal strongholds
As we have said in past posts, the vast majority of Christians come into God’s kingdom with worldly mindsets, ingrained bad habits, deep set judgements, biases, undealt with hurts, old forgiveness issues and other assorted heart stuff. These ‘fortified structures’ of false beliefs are what Paul refers to as ‘strongholds’. Read more...(986 words, 4 images, estimated 3:57 mins reading time)
According to Scripture, the ‘unregenerate’ heart – the heart without God – is the seat of the Self-system, or the Old Nature. It is this fallen, self-centred, rebellious, corrupt heart that has led us astray, Jeremiah 17:9.
The story of the two houses
Before we came to Jesus, it’s like we lived in a different house. Its run down, cracks in the windows, the doors squeak but we are used to it. Along comes Jesus and offers us ‘a new house’, a new life and we accept. Read more...(610 words, 3 images, estimated 2:26 mins reading time)
Recently, someone recommended a great book they had been reading: ‘Restoring the Christian Soul’ by Leanne Payne. Here are some of the comments about the book.
There are three barriers keep us from being whole persons as we follow Jesus:
The inability to receive forgiveness;
The inability to forgive;
The inability to accept ourselves
The author, Leanne Payne describes the value of self-acceptance and how Satan uses self-hatred to tempt us into believing his lies. This reinforces the need to watch our self-talk and renew the mind. Read more...(171 words, 3 images, estimated 41 seconds reading time)
As we continue to trace the healthy pattern in our growth as Jesus followers, seeing the depth of being adopted into His royal family expands. Here are two YouTube videos that further explore what it means to be adopted into His family.
James & Denise Jordan – Understanding The Role of the Father’s Love
Published on Jul 11, 2015, Ron Mainse speaks with James and Denise Jordan about the importance in all of our lives to come into a full experience of the love of God the Father. Read more...(165 words, 1 image, estimated 40 seconds reading time)
There is a cry in many people’s heart for someone to father or mother them. There are many spiritual orphans who have never had the opportunity to be loved into wholeness. Fatherlessness is a curse on a nation, and the result of that curse is wounded people, carrying an orphan spirit.
The pain in the lives of spiritual orphans empowers five lies: Read more...(557 words, 3 images, estimated 2:14 mins reading time)
The Rejection Lie – I must protect myself from others
The Fear Lie – I must hide myself from others
The Performance Lie – I must prove myself to others
Faith is the biblical response to the truth response to the truth, and believing what God says is a choice we all can make. If you say, “I wish I could believe God, but I just can’t.” you are being deceived. Of course you can believe, God because what God says is always true,
Sometimes, we are greatly hindered from walking by faith in our Father God because of lies we have believed about Him. We are to have a healthy fear of God – awe of His holiness, power and presence – but we are not to be afraid of Him. Read more...(497 words, 2 images, estimated 1:59 mins reading time)
From Spiritual Slavery to Spiritual Sons by Jack Frost
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A Word from the Lord:
"I have followed the flight of an eagle with My eyes. I have seen the mighty fish in the sea and they all give Me great pleasure ..… but do you know the greatest of all My creation is the Adam and Eve I created?
"Time has not changed My joy in seeing mankind grow. However, My heart has been saddened when I know the pleasure I wish to give My people, give to you My child. My ways are meant to be light, My burden easy. Religions and rules make the heaviness I wish to lift from My people.
"I long to draw you closer, to teach you deeper things of My Spirit. I need you to let your Heart rest in My love, to rest in My peace. I know the paths ahead for you. I have planned and will provide many treasures you have yet to see. Look for My hand and let Me guide you.
"I do know of your beginnings, of the painful places you have walked in your life. I have provided healing and grace to get up and go on … but know this, My child - I have never left your side. I have always walked with you, even when you cannot see My hand in your life. It is in times like this that I wish to grow your faith and trust.
"I have treasured your growth in following Me … and I want you to continue to seek Me for who I am, not what others have said about Me - or what the groups around you think.
"Look for Me and you will see Me in many layers in your life. I know your future; I know the dark places ahead and the places filled with sunshine and light. You will find Me in both places as I am moulding you and teaching you to walk with Me.
"Trust Me as you see the world around you. I will never leave you or walk away from you as I love you with a deep everlasting love. Yes, even when you make mistakes or take your eyes off the track. I am here! Rest in My peace and continue to let me fill you with My ways, with My treasures."
From Your Lord Jesus, your loving Father God via the Holy Spirit.
If you would like your own personal Word from the Lord, come find me on
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365 Meditations for Men
Surender
When I don't desire God
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To begin this section, let me tell you a story. 'Jenny' grew up in a semi-Christian home where she went to Sunday School every Sunday. It was probably more so that her parents had Sunday morning to themselves, away from their 4 children that they were sent to church. For whatever reason, little seeds grew in Jenny until she was a 20 year old and working in the church office.
She enjoyed her work and 'served well'. She even had a t-shirt made that said 'Steward of the Most High God'. She often marked her folders as 'Jenny, Steward of God'. This sounded like a good saying and to her, even sound doctrine … but it wasn't the whole truth. Something was missing.
She thought about leaving this group and looking for another church. Working in the church office made her feel like she belonged somewhere. She was the 'Helper to the Pastor' and that was how others saw her too.
They were her 'authority', her source of comfort and didn't they have the final say on what the Bible said? She wasn't really 'close' with any of them anyhow; none had tried to help her grow spiritually. She kept the rules of the church but quietly thought about 'church hopping someday'.
When she had a good day at work, she felt God smiled at her, even though her peers frequently excluded her in their church activities. She had her job with the church and they didn't. "Maybe they are just envious", she thought. "I need to protect what God has given me, especially since they don't understand me."
More and more she felt guarded and distrustful of others in the church and sometimes - if she let her thoughts go there - even felt the church pasters and leaders weren't doing the very best as stewards that they could have. "God was sole owner of everything and He had given me a job to do!" … and that was that as far as Jenny told herself.
So that was Jenny until the day her Mother died and she faced some hard truths. She was independent and could take care of herself but what about her family? One or two of the pastor's wives stopped by to offer their sad words but few others came.
The funeral wasn't very impressive as their money had been used for doctors. Jenny felt alone and lost, wanting to be loved by those she served but somehow, all this need and pride was mixed with isolation and being alone.
Sad and lonely, she went for a walk. "There's got to be more to God than this!" She began to question if she even knew the real Jesus and His love for her. At first, she didn't really feel like she could talk to HIM, the One who walked beside her. She didn't feel worthy; maybe she hadn't done enough? She was only His Steward …. but He saw her as so much more!
As Jenny walked and allowed His love to penetrate her independent, self-sufficient Heart. Her view of her walk as a Jesus follower began to change. Her view of being that 'Steward' began to melt into another sense of being His child first.
She began to feel gratitude for what the Lord was doing for her … and for her family. Never having known her biological father, she began to sense she really had a Father who just might cared for her. As the tears rolled down her face, she could she had turned her back on the real Source of her comfort, turned to the pastors who could never fill that need inside.
She could see that believing she was 'only His steward' had robbed her of knowing she was His child. Taking care of His things had replaced knowing she owned these things as His heir and beloved daughter.
She returned to the home she knew with greater peace than ever. She removed the labels 'Steward of God' of her folders and books. She replaced the labels with 'Growing child of God'. What a difference she felt!" (Names and places have been changed to protect 'Jenny's identity.)
As we begin this Stage 4 in our series From Slave to Bride, join us to find answers for your own life.
become Jesus Followers. We all begin messed up – we are not born perfect, Psalm 51:5.
