Tuesday, January 15, 2019

Act Like Men

1Cor 16:13 ESV Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

Jesus reinforced true manhood. I have been teaching my youth/spiritual kids in church, who are preteen/adolescent boys, that Jesus did not lose anything of what the Father gave Him. So we as men must not lose what God gives us, including physical belongings. My class has a habit of misplacing things so I am aiming to teach them responsibility on the most basic levels. I plan to share this passage with them next Sunday.
-----------Luke 22:35-38 New King James Version (NKJV)
Supplies for the Road
35 And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?”
So they said, “Nothing.”
36 Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. 37 For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things concerning Me have an end.”
38 So they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.”
And He said to them, “It is enough.”
------------
There are many many things I do not know. I have no idea how to repair a car, fire a gun, or hunt for game. The last time I went fishing was about 34-35 years ago. Good thing that is not what makes a man a man. One thing I do know, is how to be a man of God... Leading, teaching, learning, confronting and pushing through obstacles. I am sure of who I am. I act like it.
My identity is attached to Jesus the MAN of GOD.
My personal story is one of manhood reinforced by Jesus.
My story, by God's grace: I followed God's call, not a woman. I was willing to face abandonment from a former wife and a lack of physical intimacy in order to obey Jesus Christ. I lived alone as a husband doing God's work, when my exwife had chosen to leave and forsake me. Jesus never forsook me and I was and am a Victor. By the way, I don't have a wife now. That former woman, she is NOT my wife. If anyone refers to her, please refer to her as the ex or as a "former wife". Because guess what, I am not married now and she is not my wife. God says the same thing in Hosea 2:2. (Hosea 2:2 "she is not my wife".) My past is in the past, and I refuse to let anyone resurrect my past. I am in the blood of Jesus, a fully formed and fully functioning man of God who has made God first. My future is bright and powerful in Christ. This is my present reality. My divorce is part of my testimony but it does not define my identity.
I endured spiritual threatenings, spiritual intimidations, and turned those spiritual threats and intimidations into opportunity in order to get breakthroughs and promotions and raises.
I stood for God's Word when other Christians were tempted to bend the Word of God. That required me to put the desires of the body on hold. I lovingly confronted them with truth when the time was right (because I value their life and love them in God). I endured loss of friendships and comrades because of this.
I submit to Godly authority, as instituted by God and I am accountable to these authorities (in church and in the marketplace). My own authority in Christ stems from submission to authorities in the marketplace and church.
And I am even brave enough to attempt to reach out to women of God to see if something might work in the future. But I never rely on women to complete me. I am already healed, complete and whole in Christ.
Women of God, if you are not ready to walk this path with me, you don't need me as a husband.
True Men of God follow Jesus and trust in God.
Men use their strength for GOOD.
Men are prepared in advance for sudden threats and emergencies.
Men honour the generations that came before them and the generations coming after them.
Men are organized and use all the tools and bags needed to be prepared. (Anyone who knows me knows I am ALL about carry bags/shoulder bags/knapsacks!! :)
Men will defend the weak with force/violence when necessary and courageously diffuse tense situations without force when possible.
Men are often the first to act. They don't wait around for others to see if they are going to do it.
Men are lovers. They love God and they love people in gentleness and truth.
Men are fierce defenders of their loved ones and principals.
Men have boundaries. They will not accept touch from women who are overreaching and crossing personal boundaries.
Men respect women. They view them as equal in value yet unique in function and ability. They are counterparts, co-regents in Christ, joint heirs with Jesus.
Men are not daunted by the threats of circumstance (I would know). Indeed I would suggest that danger is actually a male motivator. It fuels us to arise.
They learn not to take these things personally but instead use the ingratitude or ignorance of the world to fuel their own excellence and good work.
Men don't rely on others (women, peers, or corporations) for their identity. They rely soley on their Saviour and God, the Lord Jesus Christ who tells them who they are in Christ. Men of God, you are complete in Christ (Philp. 2:10).
Men are true to morals and God's principals. They do not hesitate to repent and turn from sins... and they practice right living as much as they can.
Men of God live in the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God sent by Jesus Christ.
Men are hard to offend. They already know who they are and are not fooled by hot-air-filled ramblings by armchair "experts".
Men act and prove what they say and believe.
And it's time for us to follow Scripture which says: 1Cor 16:13 ESV Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
God bless.
Be encouraged!
Pastor Curtis
Tue Jan 15 2019 2:54pm EST

Sunday, January 13, 2019

New Vision This Morning: The Mountain Guide

This morning, at church I was part of our regular Sunday morning worship service. I led some worship and the youth actually participate on worship team using conga drums and a keyboard. I have been training these particular students/spiritual children in prayer, the Word and in music for the past 4 years, now almost 5.
 Well today, we finished the worship and went into our youth class and prayed. And the youths took turns praying in Jesus Name for many important things including the ability to guard against temptation and asking for God's will to be done. Then I started to pray aloud, after they finished. And as I prayed, it was as if the Holy Spirit started playing a mini picture in my head and started narrating that picture through my lips. I was amazed at what I was seeing in my mind and what was beng uttered out of my mouth! The Lord Jesus truly does teach us all things by His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is such an important person... I could not function or minister or live without Him.

So in this prayer a mini vision unfolded. And amazingly, my spiritual children could see a glimpse of it too in their own minds.... I was amazed. 


Here is what I saw:

It actually was a picture of a mountain. I saw myself walking up the mountain path and the guard rail was on the side of the narrow path up the mountain. But instead of leaning on the railing, seeing how close to the edge I could get, I was following my mountain guide who was just up ahead, and we were tethered together, like a mountain climbing team. So it's like the Lord is saying we need the guard rail, the ten commandments, but we should not be testing them, coming too close to edge of the path. Instead we should cling to our Guide, Jesus, who has already been up the mountain and has already fulfilled all the law and the prophets. We cling to The LIFE, Jesus Christ, instead of to the rules (guard rail). Yet we still remain safe within the guard rails and we leave them in place and do not trespass those boundaries. But our true safety is in being tethered to the Man, The Last Adam, Jesus and following His lead. We are not being led by the railing, or moral rules (as important as they are), we are being led by a PERSON with whom we are are IN RELATIONSHIP. Our Lord Jesus is the Mountain Guide who succeeds Moses and surpasses Moses in glory and is leading His team up the Heavenly Mountain of New Jerusalem (not natural Jerusalem). This is shown to be a current daily reality. New Jerusalem is a present truth ! And we are overcoming all mountainous obstacles on the path. 





And we are going up higher in Jesus. 
We are pressing on in Him, so that we may KNOW Him more and KNOW His resurrection power!! We are going to reach our DESTINATION and live forever with the Lord Jesus! 

He is guiding us there today and every day, up the narrow way, that winding spiraling mountain path! And it was amazing that my youth were able to catch a glimpse of it as well as I prayed! God is so good. 

I think a good passage for that would be Heavenly Mount Zion, New Jerusalem. Read Hebrews 12:22-24. That whole chapter compares the old mountain (Sinai and the law) with the New Mountain (New Jerusalem and the Spirit of Life in Jesus). I encourage you to study this chapter and let the Holy Spirit speak to you in Jesus' Holy name.

Bless you!
Happy New Year 2019!!
Pastor Curtis

Sun Jan 13 2019 3:11pm EST