Cross In The Heavens

Comment

Comment by Albert Finch on September 14, 2015 at 8:15am

CALLED TO BE A BRIDGE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH

Exodus 16:4 - Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law or no.

GOD TOOK A LITTLE, INSIGNIFICANT MATTER, THE FOOD THEY ATE--AND USED IT TO SEE IF THEY WOULD LISTEN TO HIM OR NOT. HE TOLD THEM HOW MUCH OF IT TO GATHER, WHEN TO GATHER AND WHEN NOT TO, AND WHAT TO DO WITH IT AFTER THEY BROUGHT IT IN.
AND THE ISRAELITES WENT RIGHT OUT AND VIOLATED THOSE INSTRUCTIONS. THEY SHOWED GOD BY THEIR ACTIONS THAT HIS VOICE WAS NOT IMPORTANT TO THEM. THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO OBEY EVEN HIS SIMPLEST COMMANDS.
GOD WORKS THE SAME WAY WITH US TODAY. BEFORE HE SENDS US ON A MAJOR MISSION, HE GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVE WE CAN BE TRUSTED WITH SMALL INSTRUCTIONS.

Luke 16:10 - He who is faithful in a very little (thing), is faithful also in much.

Ephesians 1:3 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.

The earthly minded will constantly try to restrain those who are seekers of God with such statements as,"don't become so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good," which is precisely the opposite of true wisdom.
Heaven is the realm into which we are called to abide with Christ Jesus, and the only truly effective ministry we will ever have on this earth is originated from that position.
The church that becomes to earthly minded is not doing the earth any good.
We are called to be a bridge between heaven and earth, and to represent the reality of all we have been given in Christ Jesus in the heavenly places.
Christians should be so saturated with heaven that it is more real to them than anything in the natural realm.

Ephesians 2:4-6 - But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus.

Comment by Albert Finch on September 7, 2015 at 9:14am

NEW REALM OF POSSIBILITIES

Matthew 10:8,9 - "And into whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you."

THE REALITY OF BEING BORN OF THE SPIRIT MEANS THAT A WHOLE NEW REALM OF POSSIBILITIES, CHALLENGES AND OBSTACLES NOW UNFOLDS BEFORE US. THE IDEA THAT THE ONLY RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH HEAVEN IS THE ONE WE EXPERIENCE AT DEATH IS SIMPLY CONTRARY TO THE WORD OF GOD.

Hebrews 11:3 - "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."

I NEED TO THINK, BELIEVE AND SPEAK, NOT ACCORDING TO THINGS WHICH ARE SEEN - MY CIRCUMSTANCES - BUT ACCORDING TO THINGS WHICH ARE NOT SEEN - THE WORD OF GOD. AS I AM FAITHFUL TO THINK, BELIEVE AND SPEAK ACCORDING TO THAT WHICH IS NOT SEEN, GOD WILL MAKE THOSE THINGS TANGIBLE IN MY LIFE. HE WILL MAKE THEM "SEEN"!

Psalm 25:14 - "The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He will make them know His covenant."

FEARING GOD MEANS TO HAVE RESPECT FOR HIM, TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIS MAJESTY AND GREATNESS, TO HONOR HIM AS GOD - TO RESPECT HIM AS THE MYSTERIOUS, INDESCRIBABLE LORD, TO BE FAITHFUL TO HIM AND TO FULLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY TRUST HIM.
AS I CHERISH HIS CLOSENESS HE DISCLOSES HIS SON, WHO IS THE HIGHEST SECRET OF ALL - CHRIST, THE MYSTERY OF ALL MYSTERIES.

Psalm 16:7 - "I will bless the Lord, Who has given me counsel: yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons."

Comment by Albert Finch on August 31, 2015 at 10:58pm

MAKING A WAY IN THE WILDERNESS

Deuteronomy 30:19 - "I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life."

He was saying, "Stop procrastinating and hoping you will eventually get somewhere in life. Decide whether you're going to get a curse or a blessing. Decide whether you're going to die or live."

Affirmations:

I AM NOT DESIGNED TO DRIFT - I AM DESIGNED FOR DESTINY.

I AM NOT GOING TO PROCRASTINATE ON MY DREAM AND DRIFT ALONG, ENDING UP WHEREVER THE LUKEWARM TIDE TAKES ME.

I MAKE A PLAN AND FULFILL IT.

Revelation 3:15,16 - "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth."

Isaiah 43:18,19 - "Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

When Jesus stood at the scene of the woman caught in adultery, revelation exploded. Men were present, obsessed with her mistake, ready to stone her.
But Jesus was looking at her "future" . With one single stroke of mercy, He removed her past: "Neither do I condemn thee" (John 8:11). Then, in a masterful stroke of the Master Artist, He painted a portrait of her future: "Go, and sin no more" (John 8:11).

Comment by Albert Finch on August 24, 2015 at 11:04am

LEAN ON ME

Song of Solomon 8:5 -- "Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?"

In order to learn new ways to walk we must first learn to lean.

Proverbs 3:6 -- "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."

Leaning on our Beloved often requires us to lean away from our own understanding. His ways are not our ways, nor are His thoughts our thoughts. This often leaves us with a lack of understanding. When leaning and depending on God for direction, more often than not He will ask us to do things and go places that make no sense to our natural ways of thinking. And when we begin to obey His leading, the "leaning" will become even more essential.
Intimacy and dependency are vital for receiving knowledge and revelation about how to walk and where to go--as well as the timing of each step.

STEPPING OUT OF BONDAGE INTO TRUTH

Psalm 25:4,5 -- "Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; build me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long."

As we allow the Holy Spirit to show us every lie that had held us in bondage, we allow Him to exchange them for the truth that will set us free. The accuser had been shouting accusations at God and His people, but we need to know how to quiet our hearts in order to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit that will lead us into all truth.

DREAM BIG -- EXPECT LARGE

Ephesians 3:20,21 --" Now to Him who is able to do immeasurable more than we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!"

It is time to live like those who know that HE IS ABLE!

"Go possess the land." (Numbers 13:30).
We need to quit limiting our expectations and "dream big" -- advancement to our DESTINY depends on it.

God may ask us to do something that would exceed what we would ask for or even imagine. He may give us something that is more than we imagined, but we must be willing to hear and obey even when it makes no sense.

QUESTIONS TO ASK MYSELF:

What is God asking of me?

What are my dreams?

What are His dreams for me?

Am I ready to see God do immeasurably more than I ask or imagine?

Is His Word truth?

Then He is able to do more! His power is at work in us so we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

AFFIRMATION:

I dream big and then learn to follow His lead as I lean.

Comment by Albert Finch on August 17, 2015 at 10:44am

KINGDOM AGENTS

Luke 17:20,21 - And when He was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you."

The word "observation" in verse 20 literally means to stand beside and watch. This accurately describes the posture of many who are looking for a rescue or a revival. They stand beside as life passes by and watch passively for the Lord to move sovereignly.

Jesus told the Pharisees that the kingdom of God would not come when they stood by and watched for it. He then told them the kingdom of God was within them.

Jesus was saying that the kingdom of God will not come if we are not actively engaged in bringing it. Since the kingdom of God is within us, it is within our power to see it come to pass. The kingdom of God will not come if we are in a passive posture, because we are God's agents to bring out the kingdom He has planted within us.

Affirmations:

I START WORKING WITH THE LORD TO BRING IN THE KINGDOM FROM WITHIN MY SPIRIT WHERE GOD HAS DEPOSITED HIS SPIRIT.

THE KINGDOM OF GOD COMES AS I LABOR WITH THE LORD TO BRING IT IN.

WHERE THERE IS BARREN LAND, I PLANT; WHERE THERE IS FRUIT, I REAP - I STOP LOOKING FOR THE KINGDOM TO COME FROM WITHOUT.

Comment by Albert Finch on August 10, 2015 at 9:04am

JACOB'S LADDER

John 1:51 - "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Jesus is Jacob's ladder which we ascend and descend upon.
It is our calling in Christ to both go higher and go lower. We are called to ascend into the heavenly places and be seated with Him there, and at the same time descend to the earth with the evidence of heaven's reality.
As children of the King, we are members of the greatest aristocracy in the universe, yet we go to the lowest sinners as their servants to help them join the true nobility.

Ezekiel 47:11 - "But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt."

SWAMPS REPRESENT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN: 
(1) CHURCH BODIES TURN INWARD AND CEASE TO HAVE A PURPOSE BEYOND THEMSELVES.
(2) INDIVIDUALS STAY IN PERPETUAL RECOVERY.

SWAMPS AND MARSHES ARE PLACES WHERE WATER GETS STUCK. WHEN WATER DOENS'T FLOW ANYWHERE, IT EVENTUALLY TURNS TO SALT. GOD SAYS TO US THAT BECAUSE YOU DON'T GO THERE, BECAUSE YOU WON'T FLOW THERE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE GIVEN OVER TO SALT.
WE'RE EITHER GOING TO BE GIVEN AS SALT TO THE WORLD, AS IT SAYS IN MATTHEW 5:13, WHERE WE ARE A PRESERVATIVE AND SEASONING - A GOOD THING; OR WE'LL BE GIVEN OVER TO BECOME AS DEAD-END SALT BEFORE THE WORLD - A BAD THING. NOTHING CAN LIVE IN THAT KIND OF SALT. IT'S A CURSE, A JUDGMENT.
EITHER WAY, WE WILL HAVE A SALT ENCOUNTER.

Comment by Albert Finch on August 3, 2015 at 8:40am

INTIMACY AND BRINGING HIS KINGDOM TO EARTH

Matthew 6:9,10 - After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

THE LORD'S MODEL PRAYER PROVIDES THE CLEAREST INSTRUCTION ON HOW WE BRING THE REALITY OF HIS WORLD INTO THIS ONE.
BIBLICAL PRAYER IS ALWAYS ACCOMPANIED BY RADICAL OBEDIENCE WHICH ALWAYS RELEASES THE NATURE OF HEAVEN INTO OUR IMPAIRED CIRCUMSTANCES.
JESUS' MODEL PRAYER REVEALS THE ONLY TWO REAL PRIORITIES OF PRAYER;
(1) IMTIMACY WITH GOD THAT IS EXPRESSED IN WORSHIP - HOLY IS YOUR NAME.
(2) BRINGING HIS KINGDOM TO EARTH, ESTABLISHING HIS DOMINION OVER THE NEEDS OF MANKIND.

AS A DISCIPLE OF JESUS I AM BOTH A CITIZEN AND AMBASSADOR OF ANOTHER WORLD.
THIS WORLD IS MY ASSIGNMENT, BUT NOT MY HOME.
MY PURPOSE IS ETERNAL. HAVING AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE CHANGES THE WAY I DAILY INTERACT WITH OTHERS AND MY MUNDANE CHORES.
THE RESOURCES I NEED TO COMPLETE MY ASSIGNMENT ARE UNLIMITED - THE ONLY RESTRICTIONS ARE BETWEEN MY EARS.

John 15:7 - If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will,and it shall be done unto you.

FELLOWSHIPING WITH JESUS IS HOW YOU GET TO KNOW HIM PERSONALLY. AND THE BEST WAY TO FELLOWSHIP WITH JESUS IS WITH HIS WORD.
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ABIDE IN JESUS WITHOUT THE WORD AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ABIDE IN THE WORD WITHOUT JESUS, BECAUSE JESUS AND THE WORD ARE SYNONYMOUS.
KINGDOM DYNAMICS BEGIN TO FLOW THROUGH YOUR BEING, AND YOU KNOW WITHOUT A DOUBT THAT WHAT YOU ARE MAKING DEMANDS ON MUST OBEY YOU. YOU ARE NOT TALKING OUT OF YOUR OWN STRENGTH OR CONFIDENCE ANY LONGER. YOU HAVE THE ANOINTING OF GOD'S WORD. YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE DOESN'T HEAR YOU TALKING ANYMORE; IT HEARS JESUS TALKING.

Comment by Albert Finch on July 27, 2015 at 8:50am

HE GAVE ME POWER

John 1:12 - "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name."

AND SO THE POWER TO BECOME SONS OF GOD DOES NOT COME FROM TRYING WITH OUR HUMAN WILL TO ACT IN A GODLY MANNER. OUR NEW BIRTH COMES AS WE ARE CHANGED BY THE INWARD ACTIONS OF GRACE.

Proverbs 1:7 - "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction."

Observation:

TO FEAR GOD IS TO LOVE HIM ABOVE ALL ELSE! IT IS THE WILLINGNESS TO OBEY GOD EVEN WHEN IT APPEARS MORE ADVANTAGEOUS FOR ME TO COMPROMISE OR NOT OBEY HIS WORD.

Psalm 85:9 - "Surely His salvation is nigh them that fear Him; that glory may dwell in our land."

Matthew 14:28,29 - "And Peter answered Him and said, 'Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.' And He said 'Come.' And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus."

Observation:

BREAKING THE POWER OF NATURAL LAW IN MY LIFE HAPPENS WHEN THE WORD OF GOD UNITES WITH MY MEASURE OF FAITH.

Comment by Albert Finch on June 28, 2015 at 10:36pm

GOD-INSPIRED WORKS

Ephesians 1:3 - "According as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love."

God knew us before we were born.

Ephesians 2:8,9 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast."

So, we can thank God in Christ for liberating us from a "works based" salvation, ie. we are not working for acceptance or to earn our salvation.

Ephesians 2:10 - "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Yet, the revelation that salvation is not based on our works should not be interpreted as though the family of God is a "work-free zone." God has not liberated us from the realm of works, only from self-generated, religious "dead works."
As new creations, the Holy spirit dwells in us in an eternal relationship. His presence is a living reality, capable of speaking to us, inspiring and directing God's PURPOSE for our life to fulfill "God-inspired" works.

We are not saved by our works, but neither are we saved from works.

Affirmations

I EXPERIENCE GOD-INSPIRED IDEAS, LOVE-ACTIVATED THOUGHTS RISING UP INTO MY MIND FROM THE REDEMPTIVE SPIRIT OF GOD.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS WORKING THROUGH ME TO REVEAL GOD'S PURPOSE FOR MY LIFE (MY DESTINY IN CHRIST).

I AM ALIVE TO BURN FOR GOD. I'M ALIVE TO MAKE HIM KNOWN.

I FOCUS ALL MY ENERGIES ON CARRYING HIS PRESENCE WITH EXCELLENCE - I CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE A MOMENT IN MY LIFE WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES DISTRACT ME FROM TENDING THAT FIRE IN MY HEART.

Comment by Albert Finch on June 22, 2015 at 8:43am

VISUAL DISTRACTION

1 John 2:15 - "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

Someone said, "You can look, but don't touch." This is bad advice. There is much visual distraction today. It's easy to be lured away into worldly thinking and be deceived by the enemy by (continually) looking at something that is beneath a Christian's dignity.

Job 31:1 - "I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?"

What we alow ourselves to see will dictate what we think.

The scripture says, "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7). But the verse right before it says "Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye.."

It has been said "If you hang out at the Barber Shop long enough you are going to get a haircut." If we allow our eyes to see things they shouldn't, we will eventually wind up doing it. Satan gives a very bad haircut, and in the long run it will turn out to be an expensive one.

Don't have a bad hair day.

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