A Christ Follower: The Journey

INDEPENDENCE DAY ! It is for freedom that Christ has set you free. Stand firm then, and don't let yourself be burdened with a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 Here in The United States, a very special day is about to be celebrated. Many mistakenly greet others by saying "Happy Fourth of July!" But we are not just celebrating a day. We call it Independence day! This is the day that changed the course of our nation's history, and I believe it changed the whole course of the planet. For if the USA hadn't won this war that gave us this special day in 1776, and the War of 1812, our second war for independence, there is no telling where the world would have been after #Hitler marched across Europe and the Japanese were ready to rule the Pacific. After that war, which we call World War Two,  we could have ruled the world. Everyone else was wasted, and we were the only ones with the atomic bomb. However, because of our Judaeo Christian foundation that made A...

Ephesians 1:1 (NIV 1984) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: The Misunderstood Identity I doubt their is no more misunderstood identity than the one we look at today. The Apostle Paul says that we who are Christ-Followers are "Saints." And that is indeed what each of us are. Now, I realize our Catholic brother's and sisters believe that the Pope, after his subordinates work through many steps, eventually declares someone to be a Saint.  Or he can do as was done with the Patron Saint "Saint Christopher" and declare he is no longer a Saint. This discussion is not about this at all. It is simply about what God says through the Holy Scriptures about who you are or who I am. Check out the letter to the Ephesians 1:1. Paul is writing to God's faithful people (people of faith,) and he does not address them as "Sinners saved by grace." As a matter of fact, wh...

Now you are the Body of Christ. And each one of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:27 One of the weirdest things about the Church is that people confuse it as an organization rather than an organism. Billions are spent on bricks and mortar and technology and other stuff to make it modern, relevant and up to date. We regulate it and over regulate it into oblivion. Many times these religious monstrosities become tomb like monuments that people visit, but there is no life within its ever being repaired walls.  All to often, those who need to belong, are broken and hurting, wounded and in need of a Savior. Sadly, they are left out in the cold. They do not feel invited to belong. The Church, as given to us by The Almighty God, was organized a bit; however, its vitality, life and world transforming power came from it being The Body of Christ . People came to know the Savior (Jesus) up close and personal, and the Holy Spirit began to grow the body numerically. So, each par...

Your body is the Temple of The Holy Spirit -- Paul When I think of this identity, I really have to take a step back. Why? Well, I guess I never conceived of the idea that I give the Creator of the Universe a house to live in.  The ONE who is greater than His own entire creation lives within me. My body is a Temple of God' s own Holy Spirit that also happens to "flow where it wills" and accomplishes mighty things in the Universe. At the same time, this encourages me because I am not alone anywhere I go. God's Spirit is always with me, no matter what and no matter where I may go. I have been all over a good portion of the northern hemisphere, and I can testify to this one thing: The Holy Spirit has always been with me.  If I take time out to think about this promise, and it's fulfillment in my life, I can tell you that in my best moments and worst moments, God's Spirit does exactly like He has promised. He flows through my life and empowers me to walk with...

I AM NOT WHAT I USE TO BE The Bad News Hey Christ-Follower! As you take time to look at this controversial passage of scripture, I want you to notice something that rarely get's highlighted when this passage is read.  Most people, who really do not take time to see what is being said, in the entire context of the passage,  just look at one angle of the passage, and this viewpoint is God's originalist view. You know the part I am talking about. It's the part that tells you and me in unequivocal terminology who will NOT "inherit the kingdom of God." He highlights ten kinds of sin filled enslaving behaviors that traps people in bondage to their sins. And such people cannot free themselves by themselves from this sin bondage. These lifestyles include: Sexually imorality Idolatry  Adulterers Male Prostitutes Homosexual offenders Theives Greedy people Drunkards Slanderers (Even got the gossips in here.) Swindlers A Hazardous Belief System...

                                                  Accepted and Intimate With Christ But whoever is united to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 Great Spiritual Thing  Being intimate, not sexually, but authentically intimate, is one of the greatest things going. And it is something that many long for, but few actually have such a connection with anyone to really receive it. You can long for it. You can cry for it. You can put on a good face to try really hard to be acceptable. And there are many other things that the so called self help books say you can do to have it; however, the kind of intimacy -- that can be received by we human beings authentically -- comes at the spiritual level of our being. If it comes from any other place, I firmly believe that it is missed entirely. God Thing Our verse above is on target when it...

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,  we have peace with God Through Our  Lord  Jesus Christ. Paul: Romans 5:1 JUST A What? As anyone reads this I.D. #3 passage, the language is difficult to grasp for these 21st Century ears. Paul says we have been "Justified." I can imagine quite a few of my millennial, Gen Xers or even Z friends asking "Say What?" or "Just A What? " Even some of ye olde baby boomers might sit in a state of confusion when we hear this word. But let's think about this for just a short while: Law Breakers In each of our lives, we have broken one -- need I say more than one -- of the big 10 core values of The Creator, Sustain-er, Maintainer and Closer upper of the Universe. He gave us only 10 rules for living, and I can just about guess that most of us have broken nearly everyone of the liberating limits. Yet, God has given them to us in order to order our lives. And when we break these...