Do we (As American Christians) even know what the voice of the Lord is?  According to some folks, God is saying lots of things that aren't adding up!  Have you ever been around that 'super saint' that is always saying, "The Lord said this and the Lord said that...?"  People are making the Lord contradict His own word....  How many time in the early church (book of Acts) do we find people saying, God said this and God said that?  We do have a time or two where the Spirit spoke to people in the book of Acts, but we sure have a lot of it today and with little results.  The early church don't talk about the Lord speaking all that much and they were turning the world upside down.  Are we REALLY hearing the Spirit?   Sure I believe God can speak...He can do anything He wants to do...but I don't think what most people are hearing in today's church is God at all.  I have had the Lord to reveal a scripture passage to me or help me to see this or that.  Maybe it's not wrong to say "The Lord shown me..."  BUT I could probably count on both hands the times I have actually heard His voice.  I have never heard it audibly.  But the times I really knew God was speaking to me, it knocked me to my knees.  It totally broke my spirit.  It is so easy to put words in God's mouth and say that He said this or that when in fact maybe He didn't say it at all.    The Spirit is very much able to speak at any given time, but IF it is really Him, LOOK OUT for some major changes in your life.  Those that took God's word to heart, experienced great change!  Are you ready?  Do you really want to hear? 

Thinking Again,

James

I love this time of year...I truly do...BUT, there are LOTS of things I don't like about it!  I saw a note that was hanging on our Post Office door that said, "Closed on the 25th..."  "Will be back open on the 26th at our normal hours..."  Sometimes I get an 'inner sick' feeling and don't know really why until later as I think abou it.  Christmas is known as a time of, LOVE, GIVING, SHARING, GOOD WILL, PEACE, ETC.  Was the sign at the Post Office saying that all these things are over for another year?  Why do we call the rest of the year 'normal?"  Shouldn't "NORMAL" be Love, Giving and so forth?  Why do we take only a few days out of the year to be NOT-NORMAL?  I really hate this about the Christmas holiday.  Because IT'S NOT how we really live....We are only going through the motions... Isn't this hypocrisy??  I guess it's back to normal...YUCK!!!

Just Thinking, 

James

 I've been hearing a lot of Christmas songs with the word 'YULE' and/or 'YULE TIDE' in them...thought I would check it out...WOW!!

Yule or Yule-tide was a Germanic midwinter festival involving a sacrificial feast that was absorbed into Christmas. The pagan Germanic peoples celebrated Yule from late December to early January on a date determined by the lunar Germanic calendar, and various theories surround the festival. The term is still used in the Nordic Countries and to a lesser extent the Anglosphere to refer to Christmas. Customs such as the Yule log, Yule goat, Yule boar, Yule singing, and others stem from Yule. In modern times, Yule is observed with religious rites by some Christians and by some Neopagans.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

James   www.clearblogs.com/shakennotstirred

  Part of my work is, duplication.   Duplication is where I take a 'master' copy (a CD or DVD) place it in a duplicator and out comes copies of the master.   As a matter of fact, the copies are so much like the master that you can't even tell the difference between the master and the copies.   I'm sure there are some differences between the two, BUT the differences are not really noticeable to the ear.  This really preaches to me.  In this we see the making of a true 'disciple'  a copy of the Master.   Truly, we are all a bunch of blanks.  We have nothing to offer.   We are totally nothing!  What good is a blank CD?  You can place it in the CD player and nothing happens.  It has no sound to share.  However, it goes through the motions of a real CD....it spins and spins yet NOTHING comes out.   There has to be a transfer from the Master to the blanks.  This was Jesus' life and ministry while on the earth.   Making people sound and look (His nature) just like Him!  I believe we have a lot of blanks today.  People who haven't had the transfer from the Master.  Their lives are blank and empty.  But, they try to sing and to preach and to put off a good sound.  BUT, they are blank...they have no data from the Master.   Most of the time, He will have to remove all the old data and RE-MASTER us.  This is a very painful process.   Religious data and worldly data and tradational date must be removed.  Thank God we are RE-RECORDABLE!  Not just a ONE TIME use!  Are we true disciples of Christ?  Has there been a transfer from Him to us?  Do you sound like Him?  Do we have His nature?  How can we claim to be His disciples and not sound like Him?  Let's get in the duplicator and receive His data...

Just Thinking,    James

www.clearblogs.com/shakennotstirred

I was at a local restaurant today having a hot cup of coffee (on this rainy day).  I was sitting there and thinking about the true Gospel that Jesus brought to earth and about what the heck is the meaning of my life.  I noticed on the counter was a small Santa figurine...on another part was a small Jesus figurine.  That's funny, I thought, it was only 6 weeks ago (on this same counter) that there was a halloween figurine and a haunted house and ghosts.  How fast things change.  The other day I was driving and saw a house with a Christmas Tree in the yard and a HUGE jack o lantern on the porch.  People really don't know what they believe anymore.  Many just do what everybody else is doing.  Many Christians are the same way.  We say 'one thing' and live 'another way.'  We say we love God and many times won't take time for a brother.  We can say 'God is love' and be cranky and even too sharp to our families and to those we love.  We say we are disciples and haven't laid down anything that He said we MUST to be one.  We say we want the life of Christ and we run from our cross.  We live a double standard and the sad part is we don't even know we are!  That's real deception folks.  To be so 'doing' stuff and don't even know that most of it is a double standard.  Does our walk match our talk and does our talk match our walk.  God help us!

Thinking Again,

James

I love this time of year!  I love putting up the Christmas Tree and spending quality time with my family.  We put up 'part' of the Tree on Friday night and part of it Saturday night.  Friday night we discovered that most of our lights (for the tree) were bad.  On Saturday morning I went to the store to buy some more.  That night, I really had a lot to do.  I had planned on going to a church gathering in Leitchfield to see someone, but the kids were SO excited to put the Tree up and to decorate.  So, I decided to stay home...I am so glad I did!  We had a WONDERFUL time!  After the tree was all ready, we turned out all the house lights and I kicked the Christmas Tree lights on!!  The kids all started clapping their hands and shouting!   Later, we did something real Spiritual...we watched Frosty The Snowman and several other Christmas classics!  This was one of the best evenings we have had as a family in a long time.  Oh, I almost forgot the eggnog!!  Our evening together was truly communion together in Christ!  Just to see our kid's smiling faces...to feel the warmth...and to see the love that we have for each another made up one of the best nights I've ever had.  To some folks watching 'Frosty' isn't too Spiritual...WELL, maybe Frosty in himself ISN'T....But for people who love Jesus all snuggled up together on the sofa sipping eggnog IT IS VERY CLOSE AND SPIRITUAL!   I'm seeing 'communion' in a whole different light...I truly praise God for my family!!!

James

Acts 17:28 "For IN HIM we live and move and have our being..."

 This is part of a teaching from my friend- John Fenn...go to www.ifaithhome.org for more...james

 The ‘pyramid’ that I refer to is the traditional structure that began in 495AD that has 1 person at the top, the pastor, unto whom all submit. He (or she) is the speaker, director, and font of God’s wisdom for a congregation. The symptoms listed below vary only by degree and frequency determined by the size of the church or ministry. Being a man made device, I’ve seen these traits in churches of 25 people and mega churches, it’s the structure that is inherently flawed, therefore these elements are common no matter the size.

The steepness to the sides of the pyramid are determined by the strong will and drive of the head person. Whether the pyramid is very steep or relatively shallow, the same principles apply: To move up in the pyramid one must sacrifice part of himself and his identity to ‘the vision’ or ‘the man’ or ‘the call’.

Draw a triangle, a pyramid, and place your pen along the base on the inside of the structure. As you ascend straight up, you eventually run into a side wall running at an angle to the very top. In the church world, if you want to make your way towards the top, you must change direction once you hit the side wall...you must change from moving only vertical to moving sideways while moving up, and herein lies the compromise; moving sideways is usually political. This is where you give up part of yourself. The reward for this compromise is that you get to stay within the pyramid, making a name and territory for yourself. For many within this system, everything else from this point on is done either to maintain position, or continue to move up by manipulating the system and person at the top to get your way.

www.ifaithhome.org

For years now I have been a Digital Editor.  Digital editing is a passion I've had for a very long time.  Being in radio now for 19 years, I have grown to really love it.  My job as a Digital Editor is to remove everything (out of a recording) that's out of context or that's not stated right such as tripping over words and the 'uhh' everyone seems to have.  I also remove little 'side statements' like "water please" and "can someone turn the air on."  Over the years I have edited thousands of recordings.  I have to listen very very closely to what is being said.  Sometimes a 30 minute recording can be reduced to 25 minutes or shorter.  Like trimming the fat off a good steak, so to speak.   I was thinking about God and if He was editing all that He heard.  What would be remove and what would be keep.  He listens very closely to what's being said.  I wonder how much would actually be left once He was finished?  Once He removed all the endless rhetoric that goes on in His name and all the 'out of context' stuff.  What would be left?  Maybe this is why 'prayer' doesn't seem to work sometimes.  Maybe this is why at times nothing seems to work..after all, we've been told to say all the right 'christian' phrases...right?  We've been praying for 'revival' for years now....we've been praying 3 hours a day...we've been on a dozen 40 day fasts....we preach 12 times a week....we cast out devils in your name....Surely God see's how spiritual we are...???

Should we pray? Fast? Speak and all these things?  Maybe so...But in many cases these are 'spiritual tread-mills' that get's us no where...at all.  Rhetoric! Rhetoric! Rhetoric!  How much of this is God actually saving on His hard drive and how much is He removing from off the screne?

Thinking Again....James

Readers of this blog....please note the following information.....

PALM DESERT, Calif. -- Two people were shot to death in a crowded toy store on Friday in a confrontation...   Palm Desert Councilman Jim Ferguson said police told him two men with handguns shot and killed each other.  The confrontation was believed to be over a toy.

A TOY????    Americans have totally lost it!!!!!!!!!!! 

What is this world coming to....oh yea....AN END!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

James

"IT NOT THE SCRIPTURES THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT TROUBLE ME....ITS THE ONES I DO UNDERSTAND THAT TROUBLE ME"---MARK TWAIN

HOW TRUE.....JAMES 

   “Thanksgiving” has come to be more of a “holiday” or “celebrated tradition” more than a way of life for most. Sad to say, it isn’t a true reflection of our attitude in living and it isn’t usually a true expression of a genuine thankfulness, gratefulness, and appreciation to God, and others, in our “everyday life”. It doesn’t even seem to really be very important or acknowledged any other time of year, even among ‘believers’. But as you observe the history of the Pilgrims, and the “first Thanksgiving”, you will see it was their genuine thankfulness of heart in their every day living that produced the very first Thanksgiving. It was a sincere desire to express their gratitude and joy, not an attempt to establish some type of tradition or ritual to be followed.

                                                               The First Thanksgiving

   During the first year that the Pilgrims lived here, they suffered many hard things. They landed in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, on November 21, 1620 (they later scouted out land suitable to build a colony, which they named Plymouth). New England winters are cold and snowy, and their food supply was limited. They had to wait until spring to plant crops. Even the animals took shelter, so there was little game for the hunters that first winter. They also had to build a ‘Common House’ that would have to be a house, fort, and ‘church building’ for all 102 Pilgrims that winter. Many became sick, and at one time there were only 7 strong enough to care for the rest that were sick. By spring, half of the Pilgrims had died. Yet, when the Mayflower sailed back to England in April 1621—not one Pilgrim returned with it.

   That spring, God sent some ‘Indians’ (Native Americans) to help the remaining Pilgrims learn to plant crops, fish, and hunt more effectively in the “different” land they had come to. They were also able to build some individual homes that spring. The Pilgrims were so thankful for God’s mercy during their first hard year, that on November 21, 1621, after the crops had been harvested- they set aside a special time for giving thanks to God and feasting. They had over 90 Indians join in their celebration. It lasted for 3 days! They hunted, gathered berries, cooked, played games, and the Bible was read out loud for everyone to hear (including the Indians that joined them). The Pilgrims and the Indians offered prayers and thanks unto God.

    In a letter to a friend in England, Edward Winslow, one of the Pilgrims, described the first Thanksgiving:

The first Thanksgiving, they ate deer and fish as well as turkey; and among all the corn, pumpkins, berries and nuts, they had popcorn!

                                                      The Second Thanksgiving of 1623

I know this has been lengthy, but I couldn’t speak of the history of Thanksgiving without mentioning the second Thanksgiving of 1623. It really touches me to see their dependence on God and their faith that prayer would make a difference…and it DID. What a witness and testimony to the Indians, as well as to US!

   Although the previous winter had been damp, the summer of 1623 was so dry that it soon seemed as if the Pilgrims’ crops would perish for lack of rain. The Pilgrims set aside a special day for prayer and fasting, and for nine hours they prayed to God for help. Some Indians, hearing that the Pilgrims were going to pray for rain, watched the sky to see what would happen. When the sky finally clouded over and a gentle rain began to fall, the Indians remarked in awe-stricken tones that the God of the white man had heard the white man’s prayers. Ten days of rain followed this day of prayer, and the crops were saved. The Pilgrims were so grateful for God’s mercy that they again set aside a special time of thanksgiving. At each plate they placed five kernels of corn, so no one would forget God’s provision during their time of great lack and need.

 Thanksgiving didn’t become a national holiday until Abraham Lincoln declared it in 1863, during the War Between the States (the Civil War). Four other presidents had denied it, but a lady named Sarah Hale was very persistent in writing and petitioning each president (for 38 years!) to see that the whole nation would celebrate Thanksgiving on the same day every year. In those years, Thanksgiving had almost been abandoned altogether. Thanks to the perseverance of Sarah Hale, and the honorable heart of President Abraham Lincoln, Thanksgiving is now a national holiday.

   I hope you have been as touched and inspired as I have, and hopefully your personal celebration of this holiday will be enriched as you reflect on its beginnings as well as the hearts of those who first celebrated unto Yahweh; our great God and Creator.

Well....usually when I blog, I try to share a thought about God or the church (as best as I see it).  On this blog I've got to air-out some thoughts NOT from me, but about me.   I'm still grieving over the loss of my Mother.  I loved her so much!  She was such a strong voice in my life.  I don't know if I will ever recover from this.   But this only adds to my preasure.  Joy and I have talked for thousands of hours about 'the church.'  We spend hours of talking and with many tears trying to know what it is we need to do and how to do it.  We know that God has revealed 'body-life' to us over the last two years.  Question is, how can you have body life without creating an "IT?"  ITS come in many ways.  I've have never seen 'relational leadership.'  Is it possible for a group of Christ's people to be together WITHOUT 'leaders' telling you what you can or cannot do?  Or, is this right?  I have looked at many communities over the last 27 months, and it seems that most of them have a set of rules and/or conformities for you to conform to.  In other words, If you want to be here, here is what we do and what we don't do.  Then, all you have is another IT to serve and uphold.  It's really no different than some local church that's in the church-system of today.  On the other hand, it seems without rules or something, people would get out of control and do what is pleasing in their own eyes.  Some Christians think it okay to do just about anything; rock music, drink, watch certain movies, while others couldn't be around it at all.  What is it that brings the UNITY we read out in the Bible?  Conforming to some set of rules (for the sake of being together) isn't real unity!  Biting your lip to keep from killing someone for their smart mouth isn't unity either.  If anyone reading this has some answers for me, please email me.....   jameshcoates@yahoo.com   Where is the 'common unity' that makes community?   Just learning to adapt to 'leadership's' rules can't be the unity in scripture.  What made Christ and the Father ONE?  Was Yahshua living by the Father's rules?  What made them ONE?   This IT takes on many different forms.  One could be serving IT for years thinking it was God.  We can serve a system and not Jesus. 

I Need Help!   James

Joy and I want to thank everyone for their prayers and thoughts during this time.  On November 12th 2008, my Mother (Donnie Coates) passed away.  We had no warning at all.  This is the hardest thing I have ever faced.  Thank God I don't have to do it alone.  God's peace is totally awesome!  We truly praise Him for His comfort.  I believe with all my heart Mom is in a better place than we.  I don't think she would come back here if you offered the whole thing to her.  She loved her Lord and Master, that's for sure.  I've been reading the stack of notebooks she left us.  We are and will miss her greatly!  Thank you friends for standing with us.  You can view her slide-show at www.pattonfuneralhome.com  and then click on 'obits.' 

 See ya later Mom, this isn't over!

James & Joy

Acts 9:18 is an incredible verse of scripture!  Saul/Paul had just met Jesus/Yahsuah on the road to Damascus.  He saw a light brighter than the noon-day sun.  He heard the voice of God telling him what he was called to do.  This must have challenged Paul's religious mind, because Paul thought he was already serving GOD.  After this life-changing experience with God, Paul goes to the city to met 'his Ananias.'  We as followers of Christ MUST have our Ananias.  Ananias lays his hands on Paul and immediately there fell (as it were) scales from his eyes.  Did you ever wonder why Jesus didn't make the scales fall away?  We can encounter Christ and the revelation of who He is and STILL have scales on our eyes.  God sends him to A PERSON.  Here is where THE BODY of Christ comes in.  Instead of Christ removing the scales, Ananias does.   I have many Ananias' in my life.  Many I have met and many I have not met.  These precious people have (through the Spirit) have laid their hands on me and scales have fallen from my eyes.  Some of my Ananias' were passed away before I was ever born.  Paul needed BOTH.  The encounter of Christ and the touch of the body.  Many people today have never had the second touch.   It's sad to think that there are many today EVEN PREACHERS of today who still have scales; scales of religion.  Some have encountered Christ, but have never seen the church of the Lord Jesus.  Once the scales fall, things become more clearly.  Have you ever wondered why certain Christians, it seems, just can't seem to understand certain things about God.  Often we say THEY ARE HARD-HEADED!  Well, maybe they are, BUT they, more than likely, still have scales.  Scales blind you!  You don't even know you have them until they fall off!  We need Ananias to come and lay his hands.  We need each other.  Many people today attend a 'church' but have never seen the true body.  Inside the Kindgom of God/the body, is where and what the Lord uses to break the scales of us.  Who is your Ananias??

James

I was talking to a friend today and he made this statement...he said, "I don't put a lot of stock in gatherings...I want my whole life to be a gathering."  Very well said!   I think it is very important to meet with other believers.  The Heb. 10:25 verse kicks in here.  This is NOT a verse to support the 'church mess' we have here in America.  It is NOT a verse to support most I have ever seen or been involved with in my 20 walk with Christ.  It IS a verse that deals with getting together with others/friends/believers.  And as much as possible realizing we are living in the last days.  The Bible places little emphasis on 'church services' and 'church meetings.'  But it places MUCH on BEING the Church of the Lord Jesus.  Jesus did not go around arranging 'church meetings.'  Nor did the Apostle Paul or any other person in the NT.  We spend much time doing this type of stuff.  Christ's LIFE is what messed people up!   Not the meetings or conferences He put together.  It may sound like I'm opposed to meetings and I am!!  IF you think that's what Christ came to establish.   Again I will say I think we should get together with other Christians for prayer and edification in a non-religious way without the 'fast songs' then the 'announcements' then the 'slower songs' and then 'the message' and then the 'altar call.'   This non-Bible pattern is NO WHERE practiced in the NT.  It comes from the 3rd and 4th century.  (www.paganchristianity.org)  Yet this goes on year and year in most places.    Have you ever wondered 'WHY?'  Most Christians have NO CLUE where these pracitces came from..they just do them... whole heartily.   May our lives be a 'worship' to God.

Just Thinking Again,

James

I've often shared how God showes me things in the shower.  Today I was thinking about all the prayer that went up to God about this election and the new president.  I thought, "God, so many were praying...many churches prayed around the clock for many days."  Then, this thought hit my mind.  "Why aren't they praying today?"   I thought, "Yes," today is the day we should be praying.  Why did we stop?  It isn't over friends, LET ME REMIND YOU- IT'S ONLY STARTED!   If we are really concerned, why aren't the churches filled today?   Why aren't the parking lots full of cars?  Why aren't we crying out to God over this country?  Why haven't we been this whole year?  Why do we wait until we think we MIGHT NOT WIN?   The truth is most of us aren't really concerned over this country...we are concerned over US and OURSELVES!  The truth is most people aren't really people of prayer.  We say we are...we like to think we are.

  This could be a sign that God has lifted His hand OFF this country.  In the book of EZ, (14)God was going to judge the house of Israel and He made an amazing statement.  He says that even if Noah, Daniel, or Job were to pray it wouldn't do any good (my version).  God said they would deliver themselves, BUT it would not stop what He was going to do!  Not even NOAH, DANIEL, OR JOB could not have stopped God's judgement.  Prayer is a powerful thing BUT there comes a time that not even prayer will work.

God Help Us!

James

Well, it's been a while since I've blogged....I just wanted to share a quick 'spiritual' thought.  The other day I was shooting a game of pool with a student (where I work).  We were talking about how 'off' this particular table was.  You could see the ball (you were shooting) , fall way short of the pocket.  Several times, he would make a shot and miss and say, "Man this tables is off."  And I would do the same too.  I told the student that he had better NOT play to much on these tables or it would totally mess his game up.  He asked me what I meant by that.  I said, if you get 'real good' on this table, you won't be able to shoot on a perfect table.  As soon as I made the remark, I felt that inner nudge on what I had just said.  I think this is so true about lots of things we have been taught about God and 'church.'  I think a lot of people have gotten real good at playing the game (so to speak) on a crooked table.  The truth is we don't realize its crooked until we see the right way.  Then when we try some of our old shots on the straight table, they don't work and we miss.  Those who have been playing the right way for any period can clearly see the difference, but you will never see the difference until you see the straight way.   One might even say to the straight way (perfect table) "This thing is OFF, LET'S GO BACK TO THE OLD TABLE...AT LEASE I CAN SCORE!"   Truth is, we CAN score on a crooked table because that's all we have played on for so long.  God help us to see the differece and play on the STRAIGHT table.  If you're good on the bad, you will be bad on the good...If it's easy on the bad, it will be bad on the easy...understand?

James

 This post is longer than most I do...Send me your comments at:  jameshcoates@yahoo.com

   Dear reader, how hard would it be for you to forget all you have ever known religiously or about Christianity?   In order for the Apostle Paul to write such hard words, he must have carried this cross all the days of his life.  Truly, part of bearing the cross of Christ is denying all you know and following Him.  Realizing you know nothing (1 Cor. 2:2 “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified”).  Paul wasn’t always a great man of God.  Religious? Yes!  Dear friends, we must not confuse Jesus and religion.  It’s so easy to do.  A person can be truly religious and very sincere in what they believe and still not know Christ at all.  Paul was of the tribe of Benjamin (Phil. 3:5).  He was taught at the feet of Gamaliel; and was very skilled in the Law of God (Acts 22:3).  Paul was a devout Jew and loved and served God with his whole heart.  Paul had no idea that HE was the very enemy of God and working against the very plan of God!  He actually thought he was serving God to the fullest.  Like some ministers today that think they are serving Christ when actually they are serving a ‘system’ and not the Christ of the Bible.  He goes on to say in Acts 22 how he was ‘zealous toward God.’   I know many who are ‘zealous’ for what they believe, but would they forsake it all like Paul?  Paul really thought that he was doing a good thing, a Godly thing, by persecuting the followers of Christ.   He delivered many men and women to the prisons of his day.  I truly think he loved God and thought he was defending the ways of the Lord.  Until one day!  Then, he met THE CHRIST and all changed!  He realized for the first time that he actually did not know God at all.  All he had ever known was strictly religion.    The voice said, “Why are you persecuting ME” (Acts 9:4).  Can you imagine what ran through his mind when he realized he had been fighting against the very God he thought he was serving?   He realized all he had spoken, taught, thought, wrote and practiced was off and totally wrong!  Paul’s religion was placed before The Judge that day, and put to death.  This man would never be the same again.  As a matter of fact, he tells the story again in the 22^nd chapter of Acts and again in the 26^th chapter.  Actually this event on the road to Damascus becomes his life’s message.  Paul never recovers from this encounter.  He is ruined and totally messed up from this point on.   Life, as he had known it, WAS OVER.  At this point, Christ, and the true followers of Christ, would be all he would ever need.  Paul would spend the rest of his days pouring himself into the establishing of Christian communities (churches) all over Asia.  So, when he later writes to the community (church) of Philippi, he states, “forgetting those things which are behind…” and ‘those things’ being, all who he was or knew up till Acts chapter 9.  

Ladies and Gentleman, there are two things that every true disciple will face in his walk in Christ.  Number one; forgetting all you know.     This is a painful process.   This process will cost you friends, family, social status, religious positions and many other things.  When Jesus spoke about ‘taking up your cross’ it was usually in the context of breaking off relationships.  Do you realize ‘relationships’ makes us who we are?  When we are born we establish a relationship with our Mother and Father.  Then we build relationships with siblings.  Then we build relationships with cousins, aunts, uncles, Grandfathers and Grandmothers.  Then it’s off to school where we build relationships for the next 12-15 years.  And don’t forget about relationships at work.  Then we meet our spouse.  Then we have children.  Then we have grandchildren.  And of course we have our relationship with God and the family of God.  Our entire life is centered on relationships.  Jesus knew this and said we must forsake them and carry our cross.  The cuttings of these cords cause much pain and grief.  The writer of Ecclesiastes said, “For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow” (Ecc. 1:18). I used to wonder about this verse.  How could ‘gaining the knowledge of God’ bring sorrow and grief?  Because, tied to the realization of who God is and what Christ expects, is a cross!  I believe most Christians think that ‘carrying your cross’ means going to church when you don’t feel like it; or witnessing to someone that goes against your grain; or praying an hour a day; or fasting forty days.  Such things are the attributes of a disciple; not the means of one!

This is why Jesus was such a hated person.  He called men to lay down ‘all they knew’ and to follow Him.  This brought much fear to many people.  He called religious people (People like Paul) to forsake all they had ever known and to follow Him.  Imagine yourself in the first century.  Imagine yourself a devout Jew and serving God with all your heart.  Then, hearing a new voice calling you to forsake it all, forgetting all you know and become as a little child.  It’s real easy for us to say things like, “Oh yea!  I would!  If I had been there… I would have forsaken all and followed the Savior.”   Really?  Would you today?  What if you realized that most of what you have done or believed, up to this point, what off and wrong?  Would you forsake it and seek after truth?  Or would you hold to what’s familiar and comfortable?  Most people say, “God has given me MY revelation…how can I walk away from what I know is true…after all, it’s Biblical!”  Keep in mind dear soul, Paul’s doctrines and beliefs were based on the Word too… the Old Testament.  Paul could have also said, “Lord, I am following your word in all that I do.  I have been trained by a man of God and am following all I have been taught.”  I do believe that TRUE revelations FROM GOD must also be placed to the fire to see that if IN FACT they are TRUE REVELATION.  A lot of what WE know, is handed down, man-made traditions that we THINK are revelations from the Lord.  These are the enemy of Christ!  They make His TRUE Word of none effect (Matt. 15:6 “Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.”).   These are big questions and I realize right now your mind is probably in a spin.  This is what Paul is talking about in His letters.  Number two; and reaching forth.    Not only did Paul forsake all that He was, He next part is ‘reaching forth.’  After God kills us, He then wants to resurrect us!  This is the pattern of our Lord’s life too.  We love walking in new-ness and a resurrected life, BUT we hate the death.  This reminds me of the Tabernacle of the O.T.  Before a priest could enter in to the beautiful laver, the lamp stand, the table of showbread, the altar of incense and eventually the raw presence of God Himself, they had to face the ‘altar of sacrifice’- the place of death!   The word ‘reaching’ in the Greek language is ‘epekteinomai’ which means ‘to stretch.’  It’s only after ‘forgetting all you know and becoming like a child’ that God can stretch us and mold us into being a true disciple.  A life of stretching and pressing doesn’t seem like a popular message in today’s Christianity.  You probably won’t hear it much on the Christian TV networks of our day.  This was Paul’s testimony, and every other true disciple.  We must reach forth into ‘all He has for us.’  We’re not leaving ‘the death’ by any means.  But we are ‘stretching’ for the prize of Christ Himself!  This is also what Paul is referring to when he says ‘to win Christ’.  Phil. 3:8 “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ…” 

As I write this I am reminded of a true story I heard a couple of years ago about a man who thought he had mastered Karate.  He had trained most of his adult life.  He had won several tournaments.  He had climbed about as high as one could go in his field.  He had several degrees even in ‘black belt’ Karate, which is the highest honor in Karate.  He had taught Karate to many other students over the years.  He was at the top, or so he thought.  One day, the dream of his life happened, an opportunity to travel to Japan and compete!  This was something he had longed for most all his life.  And now it was his turn to shine!  To make a very long story short, as he began to compete with the Karate experts in Japan, he noticed strange looks and even laughter.  The harder he would try, the more they would laugh.  He had learned an ‘American’ Karate, they told him, which didn’t work all that well in Japan.  Everything he had thought was right and true now was challenged!  He realized he had a choice to make, either go back home and pretend he hadn’t seen what he had seen; or allow himself to be stripped of all he had practiced and taught and re-learn the right way.  He chose to re-learn the craft.  The road was long and hard.   It would have been so much easier to return back to America and keep on as he was before.  But something inside him drove him on.  In his mind he thought about all the students that had learned under him and how he had unknowingly led them wrong.  He had to completely die to all he had known and allow himself to be taught.  He returned to America a changed man.  Even today, many, many years later, there are times, while competing, he catches himself using the old way he learned as a youth.  It’s takes extra effort to keep in touch with the right way of doing Karate. 

This speaks volumes to me, and hopefully it does to you.   The story I have just shared with you describes my life.  Joy and I, over the last twenty-seven months have had to re-look at everything we ever thought was true.   Many of the things we were taught were not exactly right.  For more about our testimony, you can visit my blog or simply request a printed copy of it.

James H. Coates

jameshcoates@yahoo.com

Sometimes your medicine bottle has on it, "shake well before using." That is what God has to do with some of His people. He has to shake them well before they are ever usable.
--Vance Havner

james

Lots of talk going on about the election and the condition of our country.  I truly thank God for our nation.   I do think we should pray and vote according to the teachings of the Bible.  As much as I love this country, I don't this is the Holy Nation that God wants to raise up.  Some folk believe that it's America's job to change the world.  It's not America's job nor any nation's job.  The Holy Nation spoken of in the scripture is the 'church.'  God's desire is a holy, functioning nation of believers living the life of God.  A Priesthood/Nation of true disciples laying down their lives each day for each other.  Showing forth His praise.  This is the nation that we should really be concerned with.  I really don't see any nation being what it should be UNTIL we, THE CHURCH, learns how to love each other and to be Christ in the earth.  When this one gets in line, then the physical nations will follow.  So Goes the Church, So Goes The Nations! 

James

Question- Would a COW eat a Hamburger?  Would a PIG eat bacon?  THE ANSWER IS "NO!!"

Yet Christians do it all the time!

Gal. 5:15 "Ye bite and devour one another..."

Are we lower than animals????  hee hee

Think About It...

James

Well, here it is Saturday moring.  I'm at work.  I do get to leave early today though...at 12 PM to celebrate my Mom's birthday.  We have a date scheduled for today (if you will).  God is good!  I am very thankful for my Mother.  We lost Dad about 3 three years ago and we miss him very much.  The Bible has a lot to say about 'Mothers.'  We need more Godly Mothers in the world today.  I want to encourage you to spend more time with your Mother (if possible).  A visit, a card, a phone call can do wonders.  If you still have your Mom here, show her God's love.  My Mom turned 64 on the 17th of October.  I thank God for her being a strong voice in my life.  And if it wasn't for her prayers (over the years) I wouldn't be here this morning writting this blog.  I can honestly say, IF IT WASN'T FOR HER, I WOULD BE HERE AT ALL!!!   ANYWHERE!!!!! 

Happy Birthday Mom!   I Love You!

James

The Elijah list is again jumping head first into the cesspool of goofiness with claims of embedded Angels.   They have featured an article by Bill Yount in which he claims that Ancient Angels of Faith are embedded in the walls of many Churches and YIKES they are being activated! Why are they being activated? Bill Yount claims that it is because of the prayers of the saints of past generations. All of the prayers were being absorbed into the walls and ceilings of the churches causing a sort of crusty build up if you will. Now, these sleepy Angels are awakening and stretching their wings. Of course if I was an Angel and I had been sleeping in a crusty wall, I would be due for a good stretch upon awakening too.  However, now, all these stretching Angels are going to cause the walls to come tumbling down.

From www.deceptionbytes.com

God Help Us...James

If Paul the Apostle was here today (2008) what would he say about today's institutions we have come to call 'church?'  I've been reading and looking through the book of Acts (again).  Looking how the early church operated and functioned.  What love they must have had for each other.  No one really had anything.  Everything was sold and all the money was given to help those in need.  (how many offerings have you seen taken up like that?? )  Today, in most "churches" the offerings go to pay some staff or CHURCH bills.  My, my, how we have drifted.  Is it wrong to help a man of God?  NO!  But to take every dollar, and then some, to pay staff when there are people in the congregation that need's help??  GOD FORBID!  If Paul was here today, what would he say?  If he was to begin establishing churches again, what would they look like?  Much like Jewish communities I would imagine.  For sure, NOT what we see today.  As I read the book of Acts and Paul's letter to the communities (churches) I've noticed lots of things missing.  Like: networks, office of a pastor, altars, pews, sunday school, church programs, priase teams, worship pastors, children's church, membership, VBS, youth pastors, & youth groups, just to name a few.  Have you ever wondered why you never read of these things in the Bible??  You never read statements like:  Let's Go To Church..or Where Do You Go To Church? Or Where Do You Pastor?  I challenge you to read 'Pagan Christianity' by Frank Viola and you will find that these things came from the 3rd and 4th century.  Today, most of what we call 'Move of God' is steeped in paganism and we don't even know it!!   And we wonder why God isn't moving like we think He ought to!  DUH!  And we wonder why the world is growing darker and darker.  Dear soul, God is going to remove the 'lampstand' from us IF HE HASN'T ALREADY!  We are a weak, sick, off, poor excuse for what Christ came to establish....God help us to lay down our lives and come together in His unity...Ps. 133. 

Just thinking outloud, (again)     WHAT DO YOU THINK?  LEAVE A COMMENT.....   :)

James

jameshcoates@yahoo.com

  Last week I was talking to another brother about end-time events.  The subject came up of 'Anti-Christ.'  I made a statement to him that went like this: "It's not the Anti-Christ that troubles me, it's the spirit of Anti-Christ that troubles me."  According to first John, the spirit of Anti-Christ was in the world IN HIS DAY.  For 2000 years this spirit has been here and in full operation.  This spirit is such a part of our society that we probably aren't aware of it.  As a matter of fact, we have probably been particapating in it for most of our lives and haven't known it.  Think about how and where we eat...think about how and where we work...think about how and where we shop...think about how and where we intertain ourselves...think about how and where we get our education...think about how and where we worship.  This spirit is a part of the fabric of who we are.  Anti-Christ, the person, will be a man of 'deception.'  His spirit THAT'S HERE NOW, is no different.  The spirit BEHIND most all we do isn't of God.  The whole world is deceived by this spirit NOW and don't even know it.  God's Biblical pattern for our daily lives has been perverted. 

I want you to think about this and PLEASE comment or email me your thoughts.... jameshcoates@yahoo.com

James

Every 7 seconds a child dies from hunger....think about it!

  I'm not trying to make you feel guilty for eating your next meal...BUT do you realize how much food and water we waste in this country?  Most American's dogs eat better than some children.  It was reported this week that MY FAVORITE COFFEE SHOPPE, STAR BUCKS, wastes 6 million gallons of clean water each day (in this country) while letting their taps run.... WOW!!  That's just ONE out of THOUSANDS of companies in this country! 

God help us!

james

 Quote from Fellowship of The Martyrs

98.7% of people have access to scripture in 6,700 languages leaving 78 million in 6,800 languages with no access at all.

 From Fellowship of The Martyrs

It is estimated that Christians worldwide spend around $8 BILLION dollars PER YEAR going to the more than 500 conferences to TALK about missions. That’s more than HALF the total spent DOING missions.

 From Fellowship of The Martyrs

Less than 1% of Christian revenue is spent on evangelism to the most unreached.

I really appreiate all who are reading my blog.  I want to encourage you to leave your comments with me.  It's a little dry not having the interaction with the readers.   Also, I want to encourage you to click the "links" button.  I have several great links for you to enjoy...like:  Babu Lonnie, John Fenn, The God Journey and others.  Here is a link I haven't added yet:  www.deceptionbytes.com   Be sure and check this one out! 

Also, if you would like to receive our FREE monthly Friendships Newsletter, just let me know...God bless!

James

 On Pondering the Possibility of Another Great Depression...

While at work on night, on the background of a cumputer was a quote by Bruce Lee.  The quote said, "Knowing isn't enough, we must apply...Willing isn't enough, we must do!"   This quote from the master Karate-man spoke volumes to me.  Like a PUNCH from the Holy Spirit!  In Matt. 7 there is recorded one of the most important parables Jesus ever gave us.  Two men...Two houses...Two storms...Two outcomes.  The first man built his house (his life) on the sand.  Sand is something that can and will wash away.  The second built his house (his life) on a Rock.   Jesus said the one man heard the Word...the other man heard the Word and DID IT!  Hearing the Word means more than just hearing someone behind a pulpit preaching.  I guess most of America has heard 'the word' this way.  When Jesus spoke this, there were NO BIBLES!  He's not referring to scripture here...He's not referring to a BIBLE!  He's referring to His Voice in our life.  What is HE SAYING TO YOU RIGHT NOW??    Only YOU KNOW!   Knowing it ISN'T ENOUGH!  We must apply!   Willing ISN'T ENOUGH!  We must DO!   This was a real kick between the eyes from Bruce Lee!

James

"Our Lord never enforces obedience; He does not take means to make me do
what He wants. At certain times I wish God would master me and make me do
the thing, but He will not; in other moods I wish He would leave me alone,
but He does not. "   ~OSWALD CHAMBERS~

Email Me-  jameshcoates@yahoo.com

We hear a lot to talk today about "The Kingdom" or "The Kingdom of God."  After serving Christ for 20 years, I think I'm just now starting to understand a little of what it is...I must be a "Johnny Come Lately."  Alot of 'meetings' now are 'KINGDOM' focused.  You hear phrases like, "Kingdom Meetings at such and such church."  Or, "Kingdom Celebrations at this or that church."  It's really ashame that most Christians KNOW NOTHING of LIVING in the Kingdom and turn everything to some 'meeting.'   Can you hear the Apostle Paul or any other Apostle in the NT saying, "Kingdom Meetings will be held at such and such church?"  No and you will never find crazy talk like this in the NT.  We like bragging on how 'NT' we are, when in reality, we are FAR from what we read about in Acts.  I may not understand much about the Kingdom yet, but I can promise you it looks nothing like we see today and it sure isn't 'meeting' structured.  Jesus never promoted 'meetings' while He was here.  He never talked about 'pastors' or 'classes' or MOST of what we see today.  Yet we claim to be NT??  May the dear Lord help us to understand these things.  Well meaning people have no clue what Christ really came to do or what NT Christianity looks like.  It's more than meetings!  It's more than a worship time in some building.  It's bigger that all that stuff we call 'church'.  It's so much bigger that it turned the world upside down.  Is the 'church' turning the world upside down today??  ha ha  They are turning US upside down for the most part...Send me your thoughts on the KINGDOM and what you have come to understand that IT IS....I feel like I know more about what it IS NOT than what it is. 

Thinking...James

This is my 20th year walking with Jesus....Yahshua.  In 1988 I experienced Him and haven't been the same since.  He totally changed me!   From night to day!   My desires changed!  I praise Him for His power and for changing lives.   He filled my heart with such love I would weap for others to know Him.  He is so good!  I want to love Him more.  That's not to say I haven't had a rough road or two along the way...I HAVE!  As as many of you know, life and theology have been 'flipped' upside down and He has de-churched my thinking for the last 2 years (PRAISE GOD).

In my heart, I want to please Him and serve Him and let many others see Him in my everyday life.  1988 was good, but I need His reality more now than ever!   

You can read some of my posts to see how He is still changing me....

James

Well, here it is...Sunday morning.  This morning I am thinking about lots of things.  Mainly, the First church of Acts.  Can you imagine the total fear that came upon Jerusalem?  Can you imagine seeing entire families getting rid of everything that had in order to become ONE with each other?  Can you imagine the LIFE of God that came out of that?  Can you imagine what this kind of living did to the chidren of that day?  This was truly the Kingdom of God on earth.  Anyone who wanted to become a part of it, had to do the same...get rid of your stuff...and lay down your life.  No wonder they operated in the divine power of God.  They turned the whole world upside down, not by preaching, singing, conferences, good meetings, sermons, door to door soul winning, BUT THROUGH LIVING.  Living the life of Christ and letting others see THAT life is what they did.  This was the true body of Christ doing exactly what Jesus did while He was here.

When we read things like... "Put on the whole armour of God"..."The Fruit of the Spirit"..."He that has begun a good work in you will perform it till the day of Jesus Christ"...and many other powerful verses, we somehow think they are refering to an individual person or something.  Folks, they were written to 'GROUPS OF PEOPLE' not 'INDIVIDUALS.'  it's so easy to grab verses like these and claim them in Jesus name when in reality they were written to A BODY OF PEOPLE.  Paul's letter were written to CHURCHES (groups) not a single person here or a single person there.  Maybe this is why they never seem to work fully like the way we have been told they will....hhmmmm. 

The first church of the book of Acts was a mighty thing that turned the world upside down.  Perfect?  Probably not...in many ways.  Notice, it never really says, 'they had church all the time...'  Not a word is said about meetings or any type thing we do today.  Yet they had such love and sacrifice that they brought great fear upon all who saw it... 

It's a fearful thing to fall into the hands (church) of a living God....

Food For Thought...

James

Well...this is the first post in a while.  I've been very busy and really don't have a lot to say.  Just watching and listening a lot.  My Dad was a man of few words.  He listened a lot and observed.  The older I get, the more I see how important this really is.  I will say this, my heart is grieved over the the condition of our country and the condition of the church.  I am greater grieved over the condition of me.  What if everyone in 'the church' was just like you and me?  What would the Lord have to work with?  What could He accomplish?  The church is still chasing classes, meetings, sermons, and programs.  If this kind of Christianity was going to bring what we need, don't you think by now it would have??   I know people who have been looking for revival for over 20 years.   They keep pressing in and pressing in....they keep fasing and praying and doing all the 'right things'.  They keep asking God to do WHAT HE HAS ALREADY DONE.   They beg for FIRE...He already sent it 2000 years ago....We need to learn to walk and live IN HIM each and every day....we need to learn to do what the Lord places before us each day....We don't even know how to LOVE fully yet and we want God to 'pour out revival?'  Oh God!!!!     What's wrong with people?  Where is the true church in America??  May God heal our eyes to see the TRUE GOSPEL of Christ. 

James

I was thinking today about a man I met about two years ago.  This man was in his 60's and was in 'top' shape.  He was a Karate expert and traveled the world over teaching his gift.  Karate was his passion from his childhood.  He read books on the subject.  He watched vidoes.  He watched others perform at local and national competitions.  And soon, he was able to break the boards, blocks, and bricks.  He had reached the top... 'BLACK BELT!!"  He felt great about himself.  He held many degrees even in Black Belt. 

Once his dream came true!  He had the oppertunity to take a trip to Japan and compete.  When he got there, he began to understand that something was terribly WRONG!  The more he observed the Japanese way of doing Karate, the more he realized that he had learned ALL WRONG and didn't stand a chance!  When he demonstated his teahniques, they all laughed at him.  It was very humiliating for the man.  He had been taught an AMERICAN KARATE that was SO FAR from the orginal!  Once he saw the orginal, his way of doing Karate was over.

The days ahead were very hard for this man.  He had to totally be stripped of everything he had learned and had practiced for years.  This was a very very hard process.  He had to lay down his 'black belt' and all his degrees.  At times he wanted to quit and go back to the way he had always performed.  But something in him knew even as hard as it was, he was on the right track.  Well, as time went on, he finally mastered the REAL FORM OF KARATE.   He also said HOW EASY it was to revert BACK to the OLD WAY of doing Karate.  He told us that he has to really be careful or he will use the 'old techniques' again without even thinking about it.    The old way of doing Karate LOOKS good IF THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE KNOWN, but in reality, it can lead to death when put to the real test!  It would have been so easy for this man to have returned back to America and kept right own as he was.  After all, who would know??    Well, HE WOULD KNOW and that would have made him totally miserable.  But something inside him knew HE HAD SEEN THE REAL THING...THE REAL STUFF.   

THIS FRIENDS, THIS BEST DESCRIBES MY LIFE OVER THE LAST 24 MONTHS!

'he that hath an ear, let him hear..."

Have I ever come to a place in my experience where I can say - "I indeed -
but He"? Until that moment does come, I will never know what the baptism
of the Holy Ghost means. I indeed am at an end, I cannot do a thing: but
He begins just there - He does the things no one else can ever do. Am I
prepared for His coming? Jesus cannot come as long as there is anything in
the way either of goodness or badness. When He comes am I prepared for Him
to drag into the light every wrong thing I have done? It is just there
that He comes. Wherever I know I am unclean, He will put His feet;
wherever I think I am clean, He will withdraw them.

Repentance does not bring a sense of sin, but a sense of unutterable
unworthiness. When I repent, I realize that I am utterly helpless; I know
all through me that I am not worthy even to bear His shoes. Have I
repented like that? Or is there a lingering suggestion of standing up for
myself? The reason God cannot come into my life is because I am not
through into repentance.

"He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire." John does not speak
of the baptism of the Holy Ghost as an experience, but as a work performed
by Jesus Christ. "He shall baptize you." The only conscious experience
those who are baptized with the Holy Ghost ever have is a sense of
absolute unworthiness.

I indeed was this and that; but He came, and a marvellous thing happened.
Get to the margin where He does everything. 

Oswald Chambers- 1935

 Here is a great quote from Steven Foster....what do you think??

 You may wonder, 'How can I leave it all behind if I am just coming back to it? How can I make a new beginning if I simply return to the old?' The answer lies in the return. You will not come back to the 'same old thing.' What you return to has changed because you have changed. Your perceptions will be altered. You will not incorporate into the same body, status, or world you left behind. The river has been flowing while you were gone. Now it does not look like the same river.

Yesterday I had one of the most trying days!  I can't remember when I've had a more trying day.  Computers locking up...(don't you love them)  Bad news in the mail...and a list of other things...I looked to up the heavens and said, "Lord if you don't help me, I don't know what's going to happen!!"  I got up early that morning (4:30) and worked hard all day and later I told my wife that I didn't accomplish a thing!!   "It would have been better if I had stayed in bed...it would have been better for me and for the world!!"  Usually when I'm upset I just lay in bed and think...Not this time...Since we homeschool our kids, they were home when I got home.  They knew something was wrong with Daddy.  I heard them asking Joy, "What's wrong with Daddy?  Is he OK.?  Well, I wasn't ok at all.  I did go to the bed for a little while, but I came out and asked my little Cameron (6) if he wanted to play frisbee.  We had a great time!  We played only for a half hour, but that was just what I needed!  I felt healed inside if that makes since.  I felt so much better that soon, I was back to my old self...Praise Him! 

This morning on my way to town, I was thinking about YESTERDAY and how bad I felt.  I said OUTLOUD "I didn't accomplish one thing..."  I then felt the nudge of the Holy Spirit and a thought came to my mind..."You spent time with your little boy...and YOU ACCOMPLISHED NOTHING??"  WOW!  I thought..how could I be so stupid!   I DID ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING....time with Cameron.  Not only did the Lord show me this, but He also showed that, that's what Cameron needed too.

The Lord helped me through my bad day through healing from my son...He can do the same for you.  The healing I needed came not from a 'preacher' 'minister' and no one 'laid hands on me.'  God used a 6 (soon to be 7) year old to bring healing to my bad mood. 

 The next time your having a bad day...look for the little things around you... Usually it will come from a non-likely source. 

James

Joy and I are adding more and more people to receive our New Friendship's Newsletter....God bless each of you! 

Today I am reminded of what Christ really came to do...and that is to KILL US all.  That's right...KILL with a Capital "K."  Most of us are so 'religious' that we can't really see or understand God for who he really is.  I realize this kind of talk may sound strange to most 'Christians.'  In John 12, Jesus said that the corn of wheat has to fall to the ground and DIE..."  We LIVE through DEATH.  I use to think that this verse was talking about doing things that I didn't want to do like; praying more, going to church when I didn't feel good, fasting, reading the Bible, Bible study and THOSE kind of things.  THIS IS NOT THE DEATH THE SCRIPTURES SPEAK OF....The life of Christ Himself KILLS people!  Jesus totally destroyed everyone He came in contact with.  When people saw what GOD was REALLY LIKE...IT KILLED THEM.  They were NO GOOD for anything at this point.  Then God lovingly raises people up to His image and likeness.  (Paul in Acts 9 is a good example of this...totally ruined for God's glory!)   I said recently while speaking to a good size group of people that "I am more and more convienced that Christ want's to destroy you!"   He wants to destroy YOU...The way you think...the way you preceive God...Our views of God....Our theology....  Until these blankets of illusions are DESTORYED in our hearts..we will never see CHRIST...we will keep on seeing WHAT WE THINK IS CHRIST....Be not deceived my friend...God KILL US!    Ps 116:15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

Have you ever noticed in the Bible men are often referred to as 'trees?"  In Ps. 92:12, we read about two trees that are likened to the righteous; the Palm Tree and the Cedars of Lebanon.  The Paln tree has no branches...(no crooks) and is one of the slowest growing trees in the world.  It has very deep roots and is flexable in the wind.  The Palm tree can also live in a desert place.  The Cedars of Lebanon are known all over the world for their strength.  Their pitch was used in ancient times for the healing of tooth aches.  The wood was also used for the preservation of the dead in Egypt.  The saw dust from these trees is so rough and jagged that not even a snake could lay on it which provided a safe place to be.   The Cedars of Lebanon were used in the building of the Temple of the Lord.  Today, we are THE TEMPLE of the Lord.  Ps. 92 also says that wicked spring up like grass.  Grass is used for the feeding of oxen BUT the trees were used in the building of the Temple of the Lord!  Everything that I just underlined should be evident in our lives as the people of God.   Think about it!

James

  Truly, God is the ‘season-changer’ in all our lives.  I have often said that life is like going to school.  We move from one level to another and from one stage to another.  Only our Father changes the times and seasons in our lives.  He is the only One who knows exactly where we really are, in spite of where we or anyone else thinks we are.  

  Out of the four seasons we are blessed to enjoy each year, I prefer ‘fall’ the best.  Fall time carries a special place in my heart and always will.  It was during this season that I surrendered my will to the Lordship of Christ.  Things have truly never been the same since that wonderful day!  Each year, at this time, I have so many memories of the early days in 1988.  Moving from summer time to fall time is very exciting.  Even without looking at the calendar I can tell by the feel in the air that something has changed.  Maybe it’s the slight coolness of the air.  Or maybe it’s the blueness of the sky.   Just the feeling of knowing that something has changed- even though by looking, nothing seems to be different.  That invisible knowing that something has definitely, without anyone making it happen, changed.  I suppose one could look at the calendar to confirm the season.  After all, the calendar seems to be the final authority on these things.  But without even looking at the calendar, you can tell that the season has changed.   

This is the way it is in God.   The calendar is like the Bible that confirms our feelings if the feeling is right.  But without even knowing the book, chapter, or verse we can know that God is up to something.  We can know beyond the shadow of any doubt that God has changed the season in our life.    We can know by the people that He’s is placing within our lives.  We can know by the total inward peace.  We can know by the electricity that flows through our veins.  We can know by the seemly new/fresh level of faith that lifts our spirit to the ‘all things are possible’ realm.  We may even use verses of scripture to try to describe what we are feeling and knowing inside, but usually to no avail.  Unless a person knows, by the experiences of God, it’s hard to understanding what you are saying.  

  This friends, is what Joy and I have recently experienced.  God has brought us to another season of life.  Does this mean that we are more spiritual than others?  NO!  It means that God, after a very long and trying experience, has changed the season for us.  We are so excited and so full of expectancy that each day is a school.  To see the Father move in our lives, even in the small things, and to teach us His heart is so awesome!  Christ is simple!  Yes, He is God in the flesh, but He is very simple in His teachings.  What He teaches us is so simple that we usually don’t see it. The disciples’ were looking and desiring a King to deliver them from the Roman bondage of their day.  God himself came to them… THE KING OF ALL KINGS, and because He was simply a humble man, MOST MISSED HIM!  Friends, I may sound like a broken record, but we need to stop looking for the big explosions in the heavens and look at the person that’s in front of us.  The Kingdom of God is in PEOPLE… right in front of us.  Unless God, really God, lifts a person’s spirit up (like I have just described) we need to stop trying to float around in some heavenly realm and ask the question, what is God showing me today?   This may not seem to be so ‘spiritual’ to many but I assure you that God is all around you IN PEOPLE.  We spend our time asking God to come down and pour out His Spirit and do all this stuff that He has done already.  Christ is already here, IN PEOPLE look for Him. 

Well, it is so good to be back!  For the past several days, my family and I have been on a pretty-good little road trip.  We visited Maggie Valley North Carolina and it was great!  Joy, my wife, loves Maggie Valley because of all its simpleness.  Cabins in the woods, family owned and operated shops are just a few of the attractions there.  The Great Smokey Mountains are totally breath taking!  We stayed at the Microtel hotel in Maggie Valley.  We spent most of our time playing in the pool with our children.  We were also able to strike up some great conversations around the pool with folks from different states.  We talked to people from SC, MI, and Joy had a great conversation with a lady from Maryland.   We had some rain in the mountains, however even that was beautiful.  I couldn’t help but sing a portion of the old country song, “Smokey Mountain Rain” as it was falling.  With the cost of gas, we hoped that we could drive there and back without having to kick on the air conditioning; and we did it!  We almost turned it on though on our way back.  As we left the Knoxville area the temperature rose to a hot 97 degrees.  I was about to cool things down when apparently we drove through a cold front.  The temperature dropped almost 20 degrees in a matter of minutes.  Our Father is so good!   We had a great time and we appreciate the prayers.  

James

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY EVERYONE!!

 This blog is from a friend from Rose Creek Village in Selmer TN.  www.rosecreekvillage.com

It's a little long, but VERY GOOD!

James

I am sitting in a hotel room in Kenya. Why am I here? I am here to preach the Gospel to the longing masses of Kenya. Just yesterday I heard a woman announce loudly with great zeal and joy, “Until these brothers came from the USA, I was in darkness. I was depressed and saddened by what I was seeing in the church around me. I was without hope. But now they have brought the light, and I am ready to shine.”

Keep that in mind. Do I believe in evangelism? You bet I do, and that’s why I’m over here in Kenya, some eight thousand miles away from my six children, crying out of missing them, but also crying because I’m going to miss my new brothers and sisters here in Nakuru when I leave tomorrow. I have been laid out flat in a European airport with my back thrown out, trying to be out of pain enough to get on an overnight flight to Nairobi and out of the way enough not to have airport security carry me off on a stretcher. I have kissed and hugged children with dirty noses and open sores, shared a 10×10 room with five other men, and bounced my way across 120 kilometers of a dirt road we nicknamed “The Eternal Road” for the vigorous shaking it gave us.

Okay, with that out of the way, I want to complain about the American emphasis on evangelism. It is destroying Christians, it has already completely destroyed the church, and it is working on destroying the world.

Twenty years ago, I was in a group called the Navigators. They are ministry mainly to college students and young military. They emphasize discipline, service to others, Scripture memory, and discipling others. What they do is generally good, and their founder, Dawson Trotman, was an exceptional and wonderful man.

They have a publishing company called NavPress that has now, apparently, spawned another called NavPress Deliberate. NavPress puts out some of the best books in the Christian market. _The End of Religion_, by Bruxy Cavey, is the first book I’ve read from NavPress Deliberate. It is excellent.

However…

I read the introduction or preface or something that describes NavPress Deliberate. It says Navpress Deliberate “encourages readers to embrace this holistic…Christian faith.” What holistic Christian faith? The one that includes “caring for  the poor, widow, prisoner, and foreigner…and redeeming the world.”

That’s it? That’s the holistic Christian faith? What about the Church? You know, the thing that’s called the fullness of God (Eph. 1:23), the body and bride of Christ, and in which God receives glory forever. Nothing too important, just the very purpose that he died, at least according to Eph. 5:25-27 and Tit. 2:14.

Today we taught the newborn church in Nakuru to look inward and not outward; to focus on ministering to one another rather than on ministering to the world. That is heresy to evangelical Christianity. On the other hand, evangelical Christianity is a horrendous failure (re: _The Scandal of Evangelical Christianity_ by Ronald Sider), so they’d better start looking at the things that are heresy to them to find out what they’re doing wrong.

Galatians 6:10 says that we’re to do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. Why? Because the only way we are going to reach the world is to show them Christ. And Christ has said that the way we will show them Christ is to be perfectly united in love (Jn. 13:34,35; 17:20-23). This is what the Thessalonians did, and it was so powerful that Paul no longer needed to preach in the area of their influence! (1 Thess. 1:7-9).

Paul preached. He did it to start churches, which would then be the light of the world. They are the city set on a hill that cannot be hidden. It’s not your little light that must shine, believer. The good works God wants us to show are to be done by the church together, so that  the great light of the city of God will shine (Matt. 5:13-16). When that happens, my friend, the nations will gather, and they will bring the children of the kingdom on their shoulders (Isaiah 60:1ff).

This is not theory, we are seeing it happen, even in the deadness, greed, and unbelief of American society. It is now beginning to happen in a place much less closed to the Gospel than America is.

Search somewhere for a command in any letter to any church for believers to evangelize. You will find not even one! The closest you will find is Peter’s exhortation to be prepared to answer those who ask you about your hope in Christ. When was the last time you were asked about your hope in Christ? Chances are, that’s exceptionally rare. People do not want to be corralled by a member of the Christian sales force that Evangelicals have mobilized to hide the fact that their Christianity has lost all its power.

I get asked about my hope regularly. At least every week or two. Really. That’s the product of living in the kind of environment that the Thessalonian church lived in, where brothers dwell together in unity. There God has commanded the blessing of eternal life (Ps. 133:3).

Paul knew that words were useless. He wasn’t interested in the being the kind of peddler of wise words and arguments that we evangelicals are (2 Cor. 2:17, where the Greek word means “retail” or “peddle”). He said, “Don’t preach unless your sent” (Rom. 10:15). He said, “Mind your own business!” (1 Thess. 4:11). He knew that it was important that the Gospel be preached only by ministers who adorned it with good works, and who relied on the power of God and not on words (1 Cor. 4:20).

The church is important. Today I heard children singing, “Read your Bible, pray every day,” and then some words that basically said, “This is the way you grow.” It is not the way you grow! That is the lie, my friends, that has allowed wonderful people like those who created NavPress Deliberate to completely ignore the church, the fullness of him that fills all in all, while declaring that they have a holistic Gospel.

Read Ephesians 4:11-16. Really read it. The way we grow is together, speaking the truth in love to one another. You will not grow sitting in your room reading your Bible and praying. You will grow, together with other saints, as every part does its share, as you are trained by your leaders to build the body of Christ by speaking the truth to one another in love. This is the only way you’ll grow. We should teach those children to sing, “Exhort your brother, don’t miss a day,” in accordance with what the Bible actually says (Heb. 3:13).

It is a saying here that African Christianity is a mile wide but only an inch deep. I heard it both in Kenya and in Uganda. Of course that’s so. It’s not just the children who think that we will grow by reading our Bible and praying every day. We need to read our Bibles enough to find out that’s not so.

God is restoring his people, binding them together under his rule so that they can grow like they’re supposed to. Please join the revolution. As a dear Kenyan brother here likes to say, “It is powerful, my brother; powerful!”

Shammah

 I was going through some old files the other day and found this one that I had written in 2006.  This was writted during my 40 day fast as I was being questioned by the Holy Spirit about the church system.    James 

What is the church?  What is our true calling?  Why are we here?  Simple, but deep questions like these have troubled my mind for many years.  One reason why they have troubled me so, is because of what I see in the church of America.  We boast of our 80% Christian converts to Christ.  We see our ‘mega churches’ bursting at the seams.  We have Christian TV and radio producing hundreds of messages and sermons each day.  Printing presses are running twenty-four seven, publishing Christian books and Gospel tracks.  We brag on our Christian labels as we strut in our pulpits.   We exercise our Spiritual gifts and feel good about ourselves.  We organize our meetings and expect God to bless them.  In spite of all our efforts, something is terribly wrong!     We look at our buildings and actually think we have accomplished things for God.  Probably, not one preacher in a thousand would lay it all down and follow the voice of God if He asked them to.  Jesus Christ stated emphatically that the work of God is IN YOU.  John 6:29 “Jesus answered and said unto them, this is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”  As I look deep inside my own heart, I have to ask myself the hard question, “Where is the real fruit of Christ?”   We talk a good talk, however the world is left wondering, where is our God?”  Let’s face it; we aren’t seeing the book of Acts kind of power!  We think of power in the form of gifts and not fruit.   We wonder why the nation is in such darkness.  It is not the fault of the people of God?  Sinners are the only people in the world doing what they should be; and that’s sinning!  It’s the church that’s not being Jesus to the world!  In fact, the sinners are influencing the people of God.  It doesn’t’ take a strong discernment to realize this, as we listen to most of our modern praise and Christian music.  Something is terribly wrong!  Where is the fruit of Christ in our hearts and homes?   Has Christ turned into some crutch when we need Him?  Have we made Him as some cool-dude that will chill out with us on Sunday for an hour?    Where is the reality of Christ?  Where is His life?  We have over emphasized the outward; like gifts, and have lost the inward; fruit!   Only fruit can reproduce fruit.  Only the fruit carries the seed necessary to bring forth after its kind.  God gives the super-natural gifts severally as he will (1 Cor. 12:11).   However the fruit of the Spirit should be the focus of the believer.  God is more concerned how I treat my little boy, than He is how often I speak with tongues or prophecy!  How did we ever leave this Bible emphasis?  We somehow think we can slide in these areas, and still obtain God’s true power and anointing.  While we cry out for another deep revelation from God, we haven’t passed the first requirement of Christ; “love your neighbor as thyself” (Luke 10:27).  Our hateful, arrogant, self-righteous attitude has grieved the heart of the Father and caused many to turn from our Christ.   Spiritual gifts were given to the church, not to show how Spiritual we are, rather to display the power of a Godly life.  Who do we think we are fooling?  Dear God, let the fruit of our Lord be evident in our daily lives!  Purity and power truly is inseparable.    September 2006

In this blog, I want to talk to you about being ‘ordained.’ The word "ordained" is in the KJV Bible 37 times. In today’s Christianity, we hear this word usually in a ‘church’ setting. Usually a man, (or woman, depending on church rules) feels the call to ministry, the ordination comes shortly after. Usually after a ‘trial period’ the Pastor and/or elders will ‘ordain’ the person by laying hands on them while offering up a prayer to God. (This isn’t to under mind the laying on of hands nor ordination found in scripture). This places the person in a leadership realm or at least someone that the congregation looks up to; a place of respect or elevation. Certainly, in a traditional, pyramid church structure this is true. In the pyramid church structure of our day, the pastor sits on top; leadership is next, then the congregation and so on. Those who have been ordained and are in leadership are over the others. Ladies and gentleman, this method is SO engrained in our minds that we can’t possibly see any other way. When this is all we have seen and been taught and practiced, this is all we know and we somehow think this is the way God set it up. Nowhere in the New Testament do we see this being practiced. This may come as a shock to you but I challenge you to look at the verses again. When we see/hear words like: church, leaders, leadership, elders, pastors, deacons, and altars, we think certain ways based on our background. The word leadership isn’t mentioned in the Bible nor is leader mentioned in the New Testament. There are three verses in the book of Hebrews, which contain the words ‘over you’ (Heb. 13:7, 13:17, 13:24). To many, these are grounds for a dictatorship in the body or to rule or control the congregation. The Bible says to "remember, obey, and salute" those who are over you. Viewed from the pyramid system of today, this could be dangerous for many. Why is it we never hear REMEMBER and SALUTE emphasized; rather the one that says, OBEY? Many pastors today will grab a hold of this and use it to control and manage those that they want to conform to a certain image. Many truehearted Christians (who have only seen the pyramid system) come to the pastor or leaders, wanting to excel in their calling. They want a leader to hold them accountable in their prayer life and other things and watch over them. True, a lot of good can come from this IF the motives (with both persons) are right in the sight of God. Dear soul, we must never forget or lay aside the relational side of the Gospel. I don’t think we truly see how important this is in the scriptures. Jesus came to build relations with us, and us with others. We are to love God first, then each other (Luke 10:27). Godly relationships are the heartbeat of God the Father. The word ‘obey’ in Heb. 13:7 means, ‘to make friends with.’ The word ‘remember’ in verse 7 means, ‘to be mindful of.’ And the word ‘salute’ means, ‘to take into your arms and embrace.’ These are all relational terms not terms to control one with. The writer is saying honor those who you look to as Spiritual in your life. Those who have a voice in your life…. those who help guide you in the way of the Lord…remember them, be friends with them and always honor them…keep it relational. But what about accountability you may be thinking. The body of Christ and close relations holds us accountable, in love (…for they watch for your souls…Heb. 13:17). In our opening verse in John 15:16 it’s easy to see that we are all ordained by Christ to bring forth fruit. Not lifted up to a place of great leadership, but a lowly place of service. The word ‘ordained’ in this verse means, ‘to sink down or to lay prostrate and to knell.’ This was truly the life of Jesus and the service He has called us to; the lowly position. How many today want to be called to this kind of ministry? Some Christians don’t care to DO humbling things if certain people know they are doing them. This friends, is false humility. Some are truly proud of how humble they are. I mean, what if you knew Jesus had called you to a place of never being seen…a place to lay prostrate. Well, He has! These are the poor in spirit Jesus spoke of in Matt. 5:3 who are blessed and demonstrate the true Kingdom. You might be thinking, what about the pastor or teacher who gets up before the people?? How can their calling be a lowly place? There are times in scripture (such as Acts 2:14) when the Spirit of God caused someone to stand up and speak the voice of God. We know that Paul did this some and of course Jesus taught publicly. The pastor and teacher are two of the gifts (Eph.4: 8,11) given to the church that may or may not require public speaking. Without sounding critical, please understand that nowhere in scripture do we find a PASTOR OVER A GROUP OF PEOPLE, only the pyramid structure teaches this. (This practice came about in AD 300). Pastor, (mentioned only once in the New Testament) is a GIFT that flows many ways in and through the body. I work with people who I feel has this gift. But because they chose a life of their own and not HIS LIFE the gift isn’t used properly to edify the body of Christ. However, the gift is clearly seen in their work and the way they work with people. God places His gifts inside each of us. Gifts are for daily life not only when we meet together. (I highly recommend John Fenns’ book, ‘Leaving the Church to Find God’ for more insights about gifts verses offices).

Jesus was warning His men NOT be like the gentiles. The gentiles ruled and managed and took pride in what they were doing. Jesus says, let this not be named among you RATHER SERVE each other. This is the place of the lowly and the place of the Church of Jesus. The true ministry of Jesus is on the BOTTOM (the foundation) putting all ahead of himself. Totally flipped from the ways of the gentiles and the way American Christianity.

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Discover how the church has drifted from what we read in the book at Acts to the 'set up' we have today....Ever wonder why the Bible never speaks of:  Worship Services, Worship Leaders, Sunday School, Spiritual Growth Classes, Programs, Pews, Altars, Altar Calls, Children's Church, Pastors over congregations, and even the church building itself... plus many other things?  Read Pagan Christianity...it's an eye-opener!!

John 18:38 “Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?”   So many times over the last 24 months I have asked the same question.  One would say, “JESUS OF COURSE, HE IS TRUTH.”  Certainly He is (John 14:6).   Last week I wrote about what it means to be filled with the Spirit.  I believe TRUTH is one sure sign that we have and are being led of the Spirit.  Are we AFTER TRUTH?  Do we really want to know the truth ABOUT US?  Do we really want to know the truth about how God feels about our life?  Do we really want to know the truth about what God thinks about our church?  Are we after the truth of God?  Most of us would say, SURE I DO…and really deep down we don’t want to face certain things about ourselves.  Jesus said that when HE, the Spirit was come, HE WILL GUIDE YOU TO ALL TRUTH.    We often like to tag PROOFS or EVIDENCES on whether I have the Spirit or not.  Did I speak with tongues or did I prophesy?  What about TRUTH as a proof?  Do I really want to know the TRUTH even if it costs me everything?  Do I have a hunger for it?  This is what the Spirit filled life is…a hunger for Christ, a hunger for real truth.  I think so many times we grow up being taught things in the church and we totally assume they are true.  After all, when you hear the same teachings or doctrine over and over, year after year, we assume we know the truth in certain areas.  In John chapter eight, we read about Jesus having a heated debate with a group of religious Jews who really thought they were right in the sight of God.  They said, “Abraham is our father” (John 8:39).  Jesus said, “ If God were your Father, ye would love me: (v.42) Why do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye cannot hear my word (v.43).  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do (v.44).   Religious? YES!  Understanding TRUTH?  NO!  I think this describes a lot of people in our nation.  They had NO HUNGER for truth; they thought they already had it!  You will never hunger for what you already think you have.  This is why it takes the Holy Spirit to shake us up to the point that we don’t even know what is true anymore.  You might say, “That’s a bad thing!”  Certainly, it isn’t fun at all.  But, in the end we will thank YAH for the shaking.  Somehow we think we know the truth because we know what the Bible says and we can quote the verses.  Those religious Jews could also quote the verses; and so can the devil.  When the Bible refers to speaking THE WORD it’s not necessarily talking about the Bible.  Because there were no Bibles at that time.  When the Bible talks about THE WORD it’s referring to CHRIST (John 1:1).    We can KNOW THE BIBLE and NOT KNOW CHRIST OR WHAT HE IS REALLY SAYING.  Just because we can quote hundreds of verses of scripture DOES NOT mean we know the TRUTH.  Truth isn’t just knowledge or the ability to use the Bible.   More and more I hear people say that they are being ‘shaken up by the Lord’.  As a matter of fact, in the last 12-15 months, I have meet several people who have gone through a shaking in their lives.  I have met several on the Internet too.  Heb. 12:26 “Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.”   Hag. 2:7 “ I will shake all nations…”   He is doing just that.  Those that really want to know THE TRUTH will experience a questioning and a shaking from God.  Those who aren’t seeking the truth will go on as they are and will wonder about those who are being shaken.  Those with religious minds and those after Christ will never mix.  I used to think that only certain dominations were traditional in their thinking.  Maybe the ‘Baptist’ or ‘Methodist’ BUT NOT US PENECOSTALS.  NOT US FULL GOSPEL FOLK WHO WANT MORE FIRE.  The truth is WE ARE ALL in desperate need to know what GOD came to do and to establish in the earth.   Jesus brought TRUTH to the earth and it totally wrecked it!  He said, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword”  (Matt. 10:34).   Jesus openly spoke against THEIR TEMPLE...THEIR WORSHIP...AND THEIR RELIGION AS A WHOLE.  He brought truth from the Father and they hated Him for it.  May we also prepare for the days ahead.  The persecution that’s coming will be from the religious, traditional mind-sets of our generation who really have no clue as to what God is doing!

James

Today I was reading a friend's blog....this was posted... 

“Two thousand years ago God started a revolt against the religion He started. So don’t ever put it past God to cause a groundswell movement against churches and Christian institutions that bear His name. If He was willing to turn Judaism upside down, don’t think for a moment our institutions are safe from a divine revolt. I am convinced that even now there are multitudes of followers of Jesus Christ who are sick and tired of the church playing games and playing down the call of God. My travels only confirm that the murmurings of revolution are everywhere. I am convinced that there is an uprising in the works and that no one less than God is behind it.”

Erwin McManus