So I have been talking to God over the last few days about the concept of small talk, kind of an interesting thing to talk to God about I thought but I couldn’t shake it. What He was telling me was to avoid small talk with Him, not that talking to God is bad by any means. Matthew 6:7 warns to avoid, “the same words again and again, as the Gentiles do: for they have the idea that God will give attention to them because of the number of their words.” All that to say that I started spending time with God and talking to Him just to hear Him, and attempt to get something from the conversation other than saying that I had done it. When I did that I came across Psalms 100:4, “Come into his doors with joy, and into his house with praise; give him honour, blessing his name.” I started doing that in an attempt to really get close to Him and hear what He had to say to me. It was really cool, I spent the time with Father to…spend time with Father and He planted the thought of my mind. Matthew 22:37 says, “And he said to him, Have love for the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” As I started to follow that and ask Papa about it, I was reminded of the song “We Prepare the Way.” The version I heard starts with “Oh Lord, give us new hearts and new minds for Your glory.” I started thinking about having a “new mind.” Romans 8:6 says, “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” On that same note Romans 12:2 says, ” And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, in order to prove by you what is that good and pleasing and perfect will of God.” I think that to be knowledgable about what God has for me and what His will for my life is I have to constantly renew my mind, Ephesians 4:22-23 says, “For you ought to put off the old man (according to your way of living before) who is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” If I’m reading that right, Galatians 2:20 isn’t talking about only killing your flesh, but also, if not primarily, the killing of your old mind in order to think in the way of Father which can only be done through a new mind, one that is spiritually minded like Romans 8:6 says. Ephesians 4:24 goes on to say, “And you should put on the new man, who according to God was created in righteousness and true holiness.” That means that when I walk out Galatians 2:20, I’m not an improved version of myself but I am a new man! A man created in righteousness and true holiness! I’m no longer a man of the world; as Romans 12:2 says, a man not conformed, but transformed. I no longer live in the flesh. It’s crazy to me to think that I have known this for years without actually knowing it, or I’ve known this to a lesser degree. I’m amazed at what God shows me when I just want to spend time with Him. I hope this hasn’t been confusing, I sometimes jump around in a way that only makes sense to me but I hope that you guys can see how hard this hit me tonight.

I was listening to Overcome by Jon Egan and the Desperation Band.  The following verse is a bridge that’s sung over and over in the song.  As I was worshiping, the words of this verse really came alive and began to speak to me.

Revelation 12:11 (NKJV) “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”

So how do we overcome?

1. The blood of the Lamb

This is the fulfillment of the law of God that breaks satan’s legal right and claim to us.  “And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. “  (Heb 9:22, NKJV) When we’ve been washed in the blood of the Lamb, we are forever the possession of God himself.  There is much that could be said here, but that’s another post.

2. The word of their testimony

This is where we can break the power of sin the enemy holds over us.  This is where the rubber meets the road.

Proverbs 18: 20-21 (NKJV)

²⁰ A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; From the produce of his lips he shall be filled.

²¹ Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

What we claim – what we speak – is what will fill our stomachs.  Interesting picture as the stomach is essentially where digestion of our physical food begins after we eat.  So it goes with the words we speak.  When we speak words, we listen, we hear, we believe – we digest – those words.  “You are what you eat,” directly applies here!

It’s time to begin confessing the words of life.  Even if it’s not evident yet, speak it.  “I was a hypocrite, but God has helped me overcome.” or “I was an angry man; but God has helped me overcome.”  Speak what God has or is making you.

The word of your testimony is what breaks the power of sin in your life, but only if you’ve been bought by the blood of the Lamb.

1.  Are you legally God’s? This is critical and the first thing.  Without #1, you can’t do #2.

2. What is God helping you overcome in your life? Speak it OUT LOUD! verbalize it!  Hear yourself say it audibly!

I read and spent time with Papa today, but I got nuthin new for today.  It was a great day, and O.C. was real good, but no new revelation for today.

I really don’t have anything to talk about.  I am still looking at this wind and waves thing.  Right now I have nothing new.

I read Genesis 29, 30 and part of 31.  I still am struck by how Jacob didn’t get it.  Jacob is the patriarch of the Twelve Tribes, shouldn’t he get it fron day one?  Shouldn’t he be walking around giving glory to God at all times?  I find it humorous that after the way he fought with Esau that he himself id deceived into marrying Leah and then after he gets Rachel he lives with continuous sibling rivalry.  God can be funny.

Anyway, Jacob makes a deal with Laban to get the spottled, speckled, etc portion of his flocks.  He then goes through some elaborate scheme to make the animals only bare spottled and speckled offspring.  Two things jump out.  First, Jacob is still conniving and deceptive.  Second, he believes that his superstitions are what make the animals bare the spotted offspring.  Did he forget that God told him he would bless him?  How bad must Esau have been for God to not have simply said “This guy is pathetic.  I’m going to be true to what I promised Abraham and Isaac, but I had better go try and do it through Esau.”  Throgh this entire process, Isaac never gives God the glory.  It is only what he has done that makes it all possible.  in 31 he does admit that God protected him during all of this.

I guess I have to wonder if we, if I, ever do this.  God has made promises to me about my future.  So, when things go well do I give God the glory or do I believe that it happened because of my abilities?  I can tell you this, I truly believe that without God I am nothing.  So, if I am not gving Him the glory, CALL ME ON IT!

In spending some time with Father and listening to my own thoughts as I did, I’ve realized that I have a pretty big fear of failure. I’m pretty sure that it’s the reason I haven’t finished school or started volunteering with youth. I’ve convinced…or allowed myself to be convinced that if I step out and try something I’m going to fail, and I would rather not try and fail, so I just don’t. I read a statement made by someone named Dr. Richard J. Krejicir on a site called “Into thy Word.” He said, “No fear of failure is the ability to take a risk and keep the focus and attention on our call and obedience!” I agree with that in my head, but by my life you wouldn’t know it. My question is this: How do you move past a fear of failure? If I’m scared like a little girl to step out, how do I take steps to work through it? Can you guys please help me with this, it may not be an internet sort of thing, but I’m kinda sorta tired of it.

15 They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. (Romans 2:15 NLT)

I’ve been contemplating (on and off again) the role of the mind in our transformation. I’ve written about it a few times on this site about the mind being the control center and such. I recently heard a teaching that the “gates of hell” could possibly be the mind itself.

I think this verse lends itself to confirming the importance of the mind. All too often, we’re asked as Christians to turn off our mind in order to walk in Faith. I don’t believe that accurate. I believe God built into the DNA of mankind His truth. This passage adds credence to that thought.

I’m still processing it. It certainly adds weight for me to “renew my mind” (Rom 12:2).

Still chewing on it…

Genesis 28, Jacob takes a nap, has a dream/vision about angels going up and down a ladder, God speaks some promises to him and then he wakes up.  After waking up, he says “If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God.”

Jacob doesn’t seem to really get it.  He seems lost.  He has deceived or manipulated his brother twice.  He has the blessing of his father, but it appears to mean nothing to him besides the monetary gain.  Now he meets with God and he gives an if/then statement.  I am very glad that God held up His end of the deal so that Jacob ended up making Him his God.  Otherwise, things might not have ended up so well.

^17-19But remember, dear friends, that the apostles of our Master, Jesus Christ, told us this would happen: “In the last days there will be people who don’t take these things seriously anymore. They’ll treat them like a joke, and make a religion of their own whims and lusts.” These are the ones who split churches, thinking only of themselves. There’s nothing to them, no sign of the Spirit!

 ^20-21But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God’s love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life!

 ^22-23Go easy on those who hesitate in the faith. Go after those who take the wrong way. Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin. The sin itself stinks to high heaven. (Jude 1:17-23 MSG)

Churches beware…there are those who have been positioned in our midst for no other reason than division. They will turn Christianity into their own personal doctrine of self-centeredness. It seems like I have known a few of these in my lifetime of going to church. I have known of division in churches based on the wants and desires of one group vs. another…over Sunday school curriculum…over what type of music…over who is counting the money…over the color of the flippin carpet. Is this the people that are written about here? Or are they the ones who have taken the wrong way? Are they the sinners with which we are to be tender? How do we tell the difference? How do we stay at the center of God’s love?