Episode 90d
Why Is "The Chosen" So Impactful?
I haven’t mentioned it before here, but I’m a big fan of the independent television series “The Chosen.” Its portrayal of Christ and his followers is not just inspiring, but inspired. The creators, producers, and staff of this show have aligned themselves with the Spirit of Heaven to capture something that evades most Christian productions: an air of authenticity.
The fact is, this show has a powerful effect on people. I know how I have been impacted by it, and I personally know others, Christians and non-Christians, who have been moved in their souls simply by watching it.
I am convicted that there is a “Truth” in Jonathan Roumie’s portrayal of Jesus (not to exclude the rest of the cast, all of whom are remarkable as well). These are not sanitized, “holier-than-thou,” pious portrayals of Biblical characters that so many “Christian” productions have tripped over and fallen prey to, or boring, unrealistic depictions that have been sanitized, certified, and duly-authorized by some sanctimonious religious body. #TheChosen #thechosen
What Are You Led By?
Many who sincerely seek to walk with the Lord and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, fall prey to the adversary's well-honed schemes of distraction by circumstance. Even as they perceive the direction and guidance of the Lord, challenges present themselves.
Instead of staying focused on God’s will and promises, they give their attention and efforts to the problems they are facing as seen from a natural perspective, allowing the circumstance to become greater than God in their own minds, forgetting the promise of Romans 8: 28 that “all things work together for good to them who love God and are called according to His purpose.”
The desire of the Lord they have previously been pursuing has become secondary and any perceived success hinges upon overcoming this or that challenge to their personal satisfaction.
God orchestrates even the worst of circumstances for our good. We do not have to, and are not called to, manage them ourselves. But we must keep our focus on the Lord at all times. To do otherwise is to put our trust in a house built on “shifting sand.” (Matthew 7:26)
Never give more attention to the factors and circumstances that constrain you than to the Lord Learn to live and put your faith in the spiritual, to abide and operate in Heavenly realms. It is the spiritual that affects the natural; the Heavenly that affects change in the physical on earth.
Fix your attention on the Lord and on Who He wants to be for you in the situations you are facing that He couldn’t be to you before. Every event is an opportunity to learn more about Him.
The bottom line is this: There is a real battle over what you will be led by. (Some would say who.) You must make a conscious choice. You cannot abide in the Spirit and walk in the flesh. The flesh opposes the spirit (Galatians 5: 16-18) and in my experience will try and sabotage the spirit at every opportunity. There is no middle ground. It is one or the other. You cannot serve 2 master
Episode 87 – Faith Or Flesh?
The Holy Spirit molds you into the image of Christ. This transformation is a natural result of the work the Spirit of God is doing in your life as you cultivate a personal relationship with Him. In doing so, you don’t live, operate, or stand in your own strength, you stand in the glory and power of the Lord.
Keeping the law that you might be good enough to earn salvation was never an option. Several thousand years of recorded history with His people proved the point time and time again. The Israelites couldn’t do it back in the day and we can’t do it now.
Any attempt of men or institutions seeking to establish their own interpretations of what God wants from us is just as worthless. If the very law of God could never justify and only convict us of sin (See Romans 3:20), there is no representation of men that could ever hope to save someone either...
Episode 86 – Bad Fruit?
Most of us know that the Fruit of the Spirit (found in Galatians chapter 5 - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control), these fruit are characteristics we aspire to achieve as followers of Christ.
These are the things that are supposed to define us as Christians. But why do so many struggle to reflect these attributes and values consistently? Why is it that some Christians don’t seem to possess these character traits at all?
Episode 79 – God’s Desire For Relationship
As a devout follower of Christ, it pains me to say that Christianity, as largely practiced in the Western world, has been reduced to little more than a social construct: A weekly “get-together” to feel good (or bad) about ourselves. I believe that there are too few Christians who have a genuine longing to see more, be more and do more in their spiritual walk with the Lord.
Christ’s sacrifice on the cross didn’t just save us, it restored our relationship to God the Father providing a path for our coming into divine kinship through Jesus Himself (Luke 10:22; John 8:19; 14:7) This restoration is a way established in Heaven, not in rules and structures imagined or developed by men.
The fact is, religion is man’s attempt to reach out to God and dictate the terms. Religion is a very poor substitute for a divine relationship..
Episode 85 – Don’t Hold God At A Distance
Many believers prefer to hold God at a distance. They really don’t want to get too close and they certainly don’t want intimacy with Him. They have little desire for a direct, personal relationship with the Almighty. They want to keep something between the Lord and themselves: denomination, church, doctrine, tradition, a pastor, bad habit, ANYTHING instead of a personal, one-on-one encounter with God...
Episode 83 - When Christian Religion Fails You
Many believers have enough faith to be saved, but not enough to live in the power that the Lord has provided for their lives because Christian religion has not taught people to cultivate divine intimacy, preferring to lead them into “learned dependence” and reliance on the institution. Yes, many churches are accomplished in teaching what the Bible says, but there is a universe of difference between information, knowledge, and wisdom, just as there is between knowing about God and knowing God intimately...
Episode 56 - World Problems Or Heaven’s Possibilities?
Our world is in crisis. Authoritarianism is on the rise. Democracy is in decline. Nature seems to be striking back with ferocity. People are reacting as one might expect. Old mindsets are being challenged. Long-held beliefs are being threatened. Frustration and anxiety are running rampant and we seem to be teetering on the edge of a world war.
Of course, it’s not the first time. But the Lord offers a place of perfect peace in the midst of this storm. Just not the one that most people think. As believers, we’re in a small boat with Jesus.
The problems of the world are revealing the possibilities of the Kingdom of Heaven. People are experiencing God in entirely new ways...
Episode 55 - What True Christianity Is NOT
The real issue and question for every believer is not, “Are you good enough to get into heaven?” It's, “Are you abiding in God and well-aligned with the Holy Spirit enough to bring Heaven down to Earth?”
Releasing Revelation To Ordinary People
What I share on this podcast ruffles feathers and makes a lot of people uncomfortable, if not downright angry. And I'm sorry if I offend some, but I know that a lot more people who hear these words are going to be freed, going to be unbound from oppression, and they're gonna experience the power of Heaven in their lives in ways that they may have never thought was possible before.
For too long, the church as an institution, has settled for a form of godliness, but denied the power of God. (See 2nd Timothy 3:5) And while the Lord, to our way of thinking how He does things, we feel that He might be delayed for a time, He will not be denied.
Our Father in Heaven is releasing revelation and pouring out His Spirit on otherwise ordinary people all over the earth today to see his purposes fulfilled in the world. The key to this are individuals who are moving beyond mere religion into intimate relationship with God.
That's what we were designed and created for.
It’s happening. The Lord is calling out and gathering together His own people, those I call His “Ekklesia Kuriakos” which literally means “an assembly of the called who belong to the Lord.”
God is raising up, not institutes of religion, but assemblies of His Kingdom. Religion has preached the good news of salvation for generations, but it has largely overlooked the Gospel of His Kingdom that Jesus repeatedly referred to.
An “Ekklesia of today” with power, authority, and influence the likes of which have been paralleled for over 2,000 years is gathering steam. Even as the world seems to be falling apart, it is not a coincidence that in the name of Jesus, dreams and prophecies, along with signs and wonders, are dramatically increasing again throughout the Earth – even if you don’t see it yet.
But why now? The answer is simple: The time has come. The Lord’s plan has always been to work on Earth with and through his people, not apart from them. From the beginning, God placed the role and responsibility of stewarding this world on His children. Now the sons (and daughters) of God are starting to be revealed.
To quote John Wesley: “God does nothing on the earth save in answer to believing prayer.”
Keep your eyes open.
God doesn’t do guilt. Religion does, not God.
It’s a shame how many believers are walking through life wracked with guilt, worried about what God is thinking about them, condemning themselves for their failures and mistakes. But God’s wrath against sin was expended on the cross. The price for it was paid and Jesus brought a new covenant that freed believers from the penalty of sin for all time.
When He said, “It is finished,” (John 19:30) it really was.
So why are we here centuries later still grappling with something that has already been dealt with?
What To Know BEFORE Pursuing God
When you decide to pursue intimacy with God, prepare yourself. It will not go unchallenged by the enemy. People and circumstances will try and change your mind. Your decision will be tested.
But don’t let that stop you. I have found in my own life that such distractions quickly lose steam and influence if you’re serious about pursuing a close relationship with God. He will respond and He will show you how to live in the fulness of His peace and provision.
Religion has failed to teach us that the release of Kingdom power and authority in our lives is in direct proportion to the level of intimacy with God that we achieve.
I don’t care how many times you’ve been told otherwise: God doesn’t do guilt. Religion does, not God.
It’s a shame how many believers are walking through life wracked with guilt, worried about what God is thinking about them, condemning themselves for their failures and mistakes. But God’s wrath against sin was expended on the cross. The price for it was paid and Jesus brought a new covenant that freed believers from the penalty of sin for all time.
When He said, “It is finished,” (John 19:30) it really was.
So why are we here centuries later still grappling with something that has already been dealt with?
When you decide to pursue intimacy with God, prepare yourself. It will not go unchallenged by the enemy. People and circumstances will try and change your mind. Your decision will be tested.
But don’t let that stop you. I have found in my own life that such distractions quickly lose steam and influence if you’re serious about pursuing a close relationship with God. He will respond and He will show you how to live in the fulness of His peace and provision.
Your Secret Identity In God
Living in the strength and power of God comes from knowing your true identity in Christ and shedding the false identities you’ve been given by others. This is another reason why intimacy with God is so important.
It’s in direct relationship that you discover who you truly are to Him. This is something the enemy aggressively seeks to obscure, convince you you’re not worthy of, or deprive you of… by any means available. Don’t let it happen. Get to know God for yourself.
Episode 30 - You won’t trust God if you don’t really know Him. And you won’t know Him if you keep Him at a distance. Trust in the Lord is a direct result of being in close relationship with Him.
If you aren’t cultivating intimacy with God, then all you have is religion...
You won’t trust God if you don’t really know Him. And you won’t know Him if you keep Him at a distance. Trust in the Lord is a direct result of being in close relationship with Him. Our God is a God of relationship.
The Trouble With Church "Morality"
Episode 29 - The whole idea of “cleaning yourself up” for God, is a demonic construct of the devil. The Father isn’t looking for you to perform for Him. What He desires is to restore the relationship you were created to have with Him so that He can renew you into what you were always intended to be.
Contrary to popular belief, salvation is not the reward for what you do in this life. It is the start of a personal relationship with God, not the finish line...
Episode 28 - No matter who you are or where you’re coming from, God wants to lift you up, reveal your true spiritual identity, and unleash power and divine authority into your life. How God sees you has nothing to do with how “good” you are when you come to Him, or what you may or may not have done before. Your “packaging” doesn’t matter...
