Life of the Beloved

It has been a while since I have written to this blog. Life comes at you fast a furious at times. I have been teaching and studying the prophetic, our authority to heal and the supernatural realm of God over the past few months. Today while taking a break from work I was reviewing some material for this evenings healing class and I became over whelmed with the thought that "we have this treasure in jars of clay".

We have this treasure the kingdom of God, the knowledge of the holy, the indwelling presence of the Living God in these jars of clay we call our bodies. We often take for granted just what a glorious and awesome thing it is to be a Christian.

We must meditate on the awe inspiring revelation of "Christ in us the hope of glory". We do not earn this we receive this grace (power) by faith (trust) in Christ for our eternal salvation. This simple child like faith causes a life transforming power to be released and to begin working in and through us.

We must take time to sit in the presence of God and just think on meditate on and contemplate the indwelling presence of God. As we quiet our souls we can connect with this all surpassing power that is from God.

Recently I and others have laid hands on and prayed for several people whom God has healed. Some were dramatic and some were subtle we saw nothing to make us thing anything had happened at all. We have had backs aligned and healed, lupus and fibromyalgia healed and confirmed by blood tests. Rheumatoid blood work coming back reversed and the signs of rheumatoid and the pain going away. We have seen spirits of infirmities driven out and swollen body parts immediately shrink before our eyes. All of this and more humbles us when we think of how much God loves us to use us in such ways. It is not by some great working up of faith but by humble dependence on God and prayer that these things have and continue to happen.

God is good, God is love, God is full of compassion and he seeks those who simply believe to show himself strong on their behalf. As we contemplate the presence of God within us and his love, we see him prompt us and use us to be his body in the earth today.

I am amazed and over whelmed by the treasure we have in jars of clay and all surpassing power that is from God.

This is the life of the beloved, Ed

To borrow a title from John Piper, "Brothers We Are Not Professionals".

During a year end worship service at our church we were seeking God for insight and revelation for the coming year. Asking if there is anything He would say to us. Then very clearly I heard these words, "Inspire my people".

It was so simple and direct and powerful I knew it had to be form the Lord. Inspire my people is such a simple phrase that many of us in ministry take it for granted, but I believe the Lord is asking Pastors and church leaders to seek Him for inspiration to lead His people. We must guard against allowing the call of God to devolve into a job. Brothers we are not professionals, we are called to serve the body of Christ. We are the servants of the church and our calling is to inspire God's people.

The definition of inspire is interesting and enlightening.

Main Entry: in•spire
Function: verb

transitive verb 1 a : to influence, move, or guide by divine or supernatural inspiration b : to exert an animating, enlivening, or exalting influence on c : to spur on : impel, motivate d : affect 2 a archaic : to breathe or blow into or upon b archaic : to infuse (as life) by breathing
3 a : to communicate to an agent supernaturally b : to draw forth or bring out

Wow God is calling us to guide our flocks by divine inspiration. To breathe new life into them and communicate the supernatural life changing Word of God to them. We must spend time seeking the Lord and bring what He has His breath upon. We are being asked to spur on and motivate the church to devotion to Christ.

We can only give that which we have been given. We must buy fresh oil. We must seek a fresh encounter with the Holy Spirit. As we develop our sermons, study our commentaries, follow our favorite theologians, we must spend time seeking a fresh move of the Spirit of God. We must be men and women of the Spirit first and foremost. Jesus went away so he could send us a precious friend, companion and guide, His very Spirit.

This is the year we must renew our friendship with the Holy Spirit and following him. The Lord recently spoke these words to my heart when I felt a little over whelmed with it all, "it IS hard to lead, but you follow me".

As we follow the Lord he is calling us to inspire His people, to lead them by divine guidance, to breath fresh life into them and motivate them for service in the kingdom.

This is life in the beloved. Ed

The Lord has been showing me that 2010 will be the year of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit will be the emphasis and His presence will be manifest in many wonderful ways this coming year. We must be a people of the Spirit. The prophetic will be re-energized as the Holy Spirit moves on His people renewing them and lightening them.
Rivers of living water will flow from within our belly. Rivers of living water mingled with fire.

Here is the key for this year: We must take time to slow down and really fellowship with the Holy Spirit this coming year. Quiet contemplative prayer will be a key as the Spirit of God wells up within us.

We must become like the pool of Bethesda on the inside, as we gaze at the still-water of the Spirit within us, we will see the reflected glory of the Lord. Then when we see the waters stirred by the Spirit we must move and following His leading, even when it goes against our normal tendencies and our history with God.

This is one of the things the Lord has been showing me for this coming year in 2010.

Enjoy this life of the beloved, Ed

In Matthew 6 when Jesus is asked by his disciples, Lord teach us to pray. He begins with a very imortant peice of information, "Our Father".

These simple words create a very powerful image of our real postion, as believers, with the Lord God of Israel. This was brought home to me this past Sunday in church.

I was worshipping and playing a djembe along with the worship team. Then I felt a little hand on my right forearm. At first I just keep playing. Next I felt two arms wrap around my right arm and I felt the weight of our three year old leaning on the djembe. Which obviously was in her way. She wanted to get in her papas lap and just because he was busy is no excuse. She knew if she pressed in I would lift her into my lap and hold her.

I looked down and saw her smiling up at me and I could not resist. I placed the djembe aside and liffted her into my arms and stood up worshipping with her in my arms.

I then got the inkling that is how it works with us and God. If we would take time to try to crawl up into his arms, he will be touched by our actions and give us the warm safe place we are searching for, in our father's lap. My three year old would not be denied. She knew she was loved and she could press in a get love when she wanted it.

Jesus said pray Our Father. If we really believe these words we can go to the Father with confidence. We can go to him over and over again, because he is a loving father. He is always looking for his little boy or girl to push their way into his lap.

Knowing God as Father is truly the life of the beloved.

Blessings, Ed

Mat 28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus and he says go therefore. We are to go because and in his authority. We are ambassadors of the King. We have entrusted with a great commission to make disciples of all nations. The rightful King has sent us to gather out for him, his subjects. He has given us the power and authority to accomplish the task.

We need a revelation of our spiritual authority. Notice the phrase I am with you always, to the end of the age. Hidden here is the key to our authority. Now read what the Apostle Paul writes in his great prayer for the Ephesians.
Eph 1:16-23 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,
having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might
that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,
which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Jesus has been exalted far above all authority and power and dominion. Ephesians 2:6 tells us we have been raised up together, and made to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ.

Our authority comes from Jesus exaltation and triumph on the cross. Col 2:15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

At the cross Jesus disarmed the powers and authorities of this evil age. He was buried and then rose from the dead to break the power of death and was seated in heaven at the right hand of the Father. He was given all authority in heaven and on earth and here is the amazing part he has commissioned us to exercise his authority and power on the earth.

Psalm 115:16 The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth he has given to man. God has given the earth to man. Man was given dominion, rule and authority on the earth. Gen 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." Man was created in the image of God. Man was told to rule over the earth and fill it with the image of God.

This commission is echoed by Jesus in Matthew 28. Now we are to fill the earth with Christians, little Christs. Th earth belongs to man. We have the right to rule and reign on the earth in Christ.

This will be enough for now. Meditate on these things. We have been seated with Christ in heavenly places. We have been commissioned to go and subdue the nations for the King. Jesus disarmed the enemy through the cross.

This is the life of the beloved, a life of victory. The devil is a defeated foe and he can go to hell! He ends up in the lake of fire for eternity. Ed

When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:13,14

Another key to unlock the heavens is Prayer and Fasting. When we open the heavens through repentance and obedience God tells us He will hear form heaven. When the heavens are shut it is because God wants His people to seek His face. He desires for His people to hunger and pray. When prayer is not enough we must fast. Fasting and prayer are vital keys to unlock the heavens. Fasting and prayer shows our hunger level. Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened. With prayer and fasting we are asking, seeking and knocking on the doors of heaven. Ask the Father to open the windows and doors of heaven over you.

If we are bound and the heavens seem like brass, we must fast and pray. Fasting is sacrifice. We chose to weaken ourselves. In fasting we humble ourselves before God. We become a living sacrifice as Paul writes in Romans 12. When we pray and fast we show our dependence on God. We deny the flesh and its desires and we seek the Spirit. Jesus fasted and prayed for 40 days and he came back out of the wilderness in the power of the Spirit, see Luke 4:14.

The final way I want to mention to open the heavens is by tithes and offerings. Malachi 3:10 "Bring the entire tenth to the storerooms in my temple. Then there will be plenty of food. Put me to the test," says the LORD. "Then you will see that I will throw open the windows of heaven. I will pour out so many blessings that you will not have enough room for them.

We see in the book of Acts chapter 10 we see that God sent and angel to tell Cornelius his prayers and gifts or alms have come up as a memorial offering before the Lord. What was the result? An open heavens, the apostle Peter in another town fell into a trance and saw heaven opened. He went to Cornelius’ house and preached the gospel. While Peter was till speaking verse 44 says the Holy Spirit came upon Cornelius and his entire household.

When the heavens open we see whole households being transformed by the Spirit of God. When we contend for an open heaven over our life it impacts our family. An open heaven over our life brings blessing on all those around us.

So if we hunger for the things of God, are thankful, praise and worship, repent and obey, fast and pray, and live a lifestyle of giving we will see the heavens opened over our life and we will become the blessings God intended us to be.

I am contending constantly for an open heaven. When I have seasons of blessing in my life I do not coast and thing I have made it. I continue to ask for more. I thank the Lord and praise him for what he is doing but I seek more. I seek to know Him in a deeper way through a life of faith and obedience.

This is the life of the beloved, Ed

Duet. 28:1 ..."the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth."

At Jesus baptism the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended like a dove and rested on him. The Holy Spirit abides with in us at all times when we come to faith in Christ. But there are times when the heavens open and the Holy Spirit comes upon us and rests on us in power.

Here are few keys to unlock the heavens:
1. Holy Hunger - we must prayer for and seek holy hunger. We must thirst for and seek the manifest presence of the Lord. David said my heart and soul cry out for the living God. Luke 6:21 says blessed are you who hunger now for you shall be filled. So the first thing to do to open the heavens over your life is to begin to hunger for more.
2. Wait on the Lord - the second thing we must do is spend time in the presence of the Lord. We must learn to slow down and soak in the presence of the Lord. 1 Samuel 3:1-4 The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.
One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place.
The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was.
Then the LORD called Samuel. Samuel answered, "Here I am."
We see the word of the Lord was rare, Samuel sleep in the presence of the Lord. He soaked in the Lord's presence. He spent time with the Lord and the Lord spoke to him. We must spend time with the Lord to have an open heaven in our life. Visions and the word of the Lord again began to flow when someone spent time in the presence of God.

3. Repent and Obey - We must be tender in the Lords hand and prideful or arrogant. We must be willing to repent and seek the Lord. We must walk in obedience. Jesus said if you love me you will obey me. Repentance opens the heavens and obedience keeps them open. The Holy Spirit descended on Jesus at His baptism and He rested on him through out his life. Jesus was perfect in obedience. When he was tested he remained faithful. If we stumble we have 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. We have provision for keeping our selves holy and pure the blood of Jesus cleanses us form all sin.

This is a good start toward opening the heavens over our life. Next time we will continue with opening the heavens. It is our birth right to live and move under an open heaven.

This is the life of the beloved, Ed

In a time of uncertainty there is only one place to find real peace. That’s in the presence of God.

So many things are seducing us to steal our time. We have good intentions. We plan to spend time with God but something seems to always come up or worse yet we don't get up like we promised ourselves.

When I talk about things seducing us I'm not even talking about just bad things. Some days even good things will seduce us and lead us away from time on our knees in the presence of God.

The Lord promises that if we seek Him we will find Him. We are living in a remarkable time. We can see the plan of the ages coming together right before our eyes. Time is being shortened right in front of us. Time is a very scarce thing in our society. And it is the very thing our Lord desires of us. He longs for us to come and spend some time with Him, seeking His face and His hand.

How do we love Him? What can we give the one who created the universe? The one thing He desires our very self, heart, might, mind and strength. Give your self to Him.

Jesus said come to me you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, for yoke is easy and my burden is light, he says. If anyone thirsts let him come and drink and out of his belly will flow rivers of living water.

Jesus is our refreshing place, our oasis in the middle of this desert we call the world. Only He can bring true refreshing and true life. He said he came to give us life and to give it in abundance and to experience this abundant life we just need to spend time with Him.

I am going now to prayer. I am going now to seek His face and to tell Him how awesome and beautiful he is. I chose now to obey his word to show my love for him. I chose to deny those things that call me and spend time with him, now, soaking in His presence is where I belong.

This is the life of the beloved, Ed