Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Let God Do His Work

Think you've arrived? Fancy yourself a spiritual dynamo? Jesus has done so much for you and in you?

Trust me. I don't care how far you've come, there is more to do in you. You have the rest of your life.

Philippians 2:13 (AMP) -  "[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight."

You can't do it. You really can't "work on it". I know it's popular to believe that, and it sells a lot of books, but really...you don't have the capacity to fix what's wrong, nor to know when you have peaked.

The truth is: 1). You never "peak". There is always another level, another plane to ascend to. 2). You can't get there on your own strength and determination. It's great to read your bible every day, it's great to attend church, it's great to pray "without ceasing". These are all things that are good and beneficial to the believer. However, not one of those things will create or sustain the work Jesus needs to do in you. 3). It is the Father. It is Jesus. It is the Holy Spirit. The effectual work (work that actually has an effect upon you) is done by them completely. 4). Your role is to recognize number one, resign yourself to number two, submit to number three.

Paul follows with Philippians 2:14 (AMP) - "Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding andcomplaining [against God] and questioning and doubting [among yourselves]."

There's the "God will show you" part. You don't have to do a thing. You just being you in need of a further Jesus work in you is enough. 

Just back off a little and see how fast you start to go backward. Take your eyes off Jesus for a moment. Lay your cross down for a rest for a New York minute and see the result. Funny thing. You don't just stagnate or go static. You start to freefall into the downward spiral.  

Watch a blazing bonfire as it dies down and begins to cool. Brightness and Heat become darkness and cold. As long as there is one sparkling ember it can be brought back to a roaring blaze. But even that one lonely ember will eventually turn completely cold. The cold dark place is a frightening prospect.

God will show you there is more work to do in you.

You can continuously have to paddle back upstream just to get where you were with Him last week, or you can get in His boat and ride with Him.  It's always a chore to have to hitch a ride to catch up with Him. There's that nasty little personal embarrassment you have to get past. The eating of some crow. The nagging sheepishness of knowing you have lost ground. It's having to look Jesus square in the eye as He pats the seat next to Him and says "Well...c'mon, get back in."

Blame it on a blind hit by the devil, obstinately hold onto you thinking you were right, or simply back off the spiritual carnage a moment and acknowledge, "Methinks God has more work to do here."

No shame in that, but don't use that as an excuse.

Get on your face for your sake. This is not optional. There's more work and God's the only One who can do it. It's all about His pleasure, satisfaction, and delight in you.


Keepin' it Real,
Pastor Kevin <><

~SoZo~

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

What Do You Need In Your Life Right Now?

Just name it.

The Lord has led me here today just for you.

What are your shackles today? What is your bondage today? What has you by your throat and is choking the life and spirit out of you?

Today is your emancipation day!

Can you believe that today? Will you?

2 Corinthians 3:17 (AMP) - "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom)."

He is here for you right this moment. His supernatural quality is of such magnitude that regardless of when you read this it will be as if it is the moment it was declared.

"Where the Spirit of the Lord is...".

It's freedom and liberty for addictions, sins of all nature, pornography, homosexuality, adultery...you know, the "biggies".

Your sick body. Or mind. Or emotions. Or spirit.

But also for your unteachable spirit, your obstinate refusal to yield, your refusal to forgive...or to be forgiven. Your know-it-all attutude, your conceitedness...you know, the "lesser" but no less destructive chains that are not letting you be what God has called you into.

Your walls. Your prison. Your bars. Your chains. YOU know exactly who you are and what has got you hogtied like a roped calf.

Saved.

Healed.

Delivered.

Are you going to do something about it? 

Now is the time. Jesus awaits. The end of your suffering is right in front of you.

Where He is, is where your freedom lies.

I am speaking healing and peace and joy over you right now.

Say yes Lord.


Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

~SoZo~

Monday, July 29, 2013

Stay Hungry

You see it happen all of the time. Athletes on their way up and being recongized as superstars. They continuously put up big statistics for two or three years trying to work their way into the big money of superstardom. Finally, when they "arrive" at the multi-year, multi-million dollar contract they were striving for, their numbers start to decline. The reason? Sometimes it's injury related, but often it is just a loss of "the hunger". In boxing a fighter is said to sometimes lose the hunger once he wins a championship. When the goal is reached a driving force is reduced.

I see an analogy in Christianity. Complacency. Laziness. Loss of drive and fervor. People who once were fired up for Jesus and moving and shaking the Church suddenly run out of gas. Their joy wanes. They become, for lack of a better term, "blah" in their faith. Someone looking at them would never associate them with being a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 5:6 (AMP) - "Blessed and fortunate and happy and spiritually prosperous (in that state in which the born-again child of God enjoys His favor and salvation) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God), for they shall be completely satisfied!"

The "hunger and thirst" for righteousness. It feeds the soul and spirit. It satisfies. It brings joy and blessedness.

It prospers our soul. Vibrant living. The picture of believers truly enjoying the salvation God has provided.

How's the state of your soul today? Have you peaked? Are you on the downside of your mountaintop experience? Is your vibrant and joyful life with Jesus only a memory you reflect upon from time to time? Is church boring? Prayer life and bible study sporadic? Are you doing things you know you shouldn't be involved with? Is your life one of disobedience? Have you left your first love?

Or are you one of the ones that need to be settled down? I mean are you so exhuberant that you have to try to tone it down a bit? Do you find yourself excited about every opportunity that presents itself for the sharing of the gospel? Do you enjoy telling everyone you see about Jesus? Do you sleep through the night because your mind is peaceful and settled? Do you awaken refreshed and eager to begin a new day with Him?

Stark differences, huh?  It's literally night and day.

If you are in the former group it doesn't have to be that way. You can join the ranks of the excited and joyful once again.

Keep up your spiritual appetite. Don't let the world fill you with empty calories and make you "fat" with useless and meaningless endeavors. Run lean and stay a little hungry for the righteous life in Christ. Stay hungry and know where to get fed and what to "eat".

There is no joy like the joy of Jesus!

I am praying for your ecstacy in Him today!

How desperate the Church is today for people to fall in love with Him all over again.


Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><
~SoZo~

Friday, July 26, 2013

Be More Chill When It Comes To The Will

Seems to me that there is a a lot of confusion as to what the "will of God" is for an individual. There can even be an unhealthy obsession to find out. If that obsession is not satisfied, it can lead to a person driving themselves from the presence of God and ending up disappointed and shipwrecked in their faith.

Just chill out a little. Loosen up. It's a lot simpler if you take a less manic and stressed out approach.

Here is my definition of what it means for a believer to be in the "will of God".

The will of God for you is that you would advance the Kingdom of Heaven. 

Do what a believer does. Proclaim the gospel, heal the sick, advance forcefully against the gates of hell. This is what Jesus said we should be doing (Mark 16:17-18).

When you do this Jesus will confirm it.

Mark 16:20 (AMP) - "And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept working with them and confirming the message by the attesting signs and miracles that closely accompanied [it]. Amen (so be it)."

Do you know what the most important part of that verse is?  "And they went out...".

Understand that these are the signs "following" the believer. These are not signs that make one a believer. Or signs that qualify a believer. They are signs that naturally reflect the believer being in the will of God.

Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is not a perfomance based endeavor. You are never who you are because you do.

You do because of who you are (O Lord, allow the Church to see this clearly).

Too many of us get hung up on micro-managing our own faith life. Some worry where God wants them to work, live, buy, vote, etc. He doesn't legislate these things to our lives. That would be like living under the Law and not the freedom of the gospel.

Let's simplify this and let off some stress about it.

The truly born-again, Spirit-filled believer will do the will of God. Whether you decide to work for McDonald's or Burger King, if you are doing so as a disciple of Jesus and operating in the gifts the Holy Spirit has given you, and you are manifesting the signs which reflect who you are, then you my friend are doing the will of God. 

If you live in New York and are spreading the gospel, healing the sick, casting out demons, God is happy with that. He would also be happy if you did that in Minnesota.

The parameters of joyful and freedom filled living in Christ are much wider than the more religious of our family of God might be comfortable with.  We are always going to find those in our midst who are uncomfortable with "cutting loose" in total abandon to the joy and happiness some of us might enjoy. 

It is a stretch for some to just "enter in" unfettered and turned loose by the Holy Spirit. Some need a more structured agenda.  I'm not sure that is the path to find the "will of God" to your complete satisfaction.

Don't forget that it's HIS will your looking for. This might mean you have to impose less of your own will to find it.

Mull that one over a bit and see how clear it becomes.


Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <>< 
~SoZo~

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Go Tactical

This is a message God gave me sometime back about "The Veil".

Smoke, mirrors, projected images, lies, deceit, false promises, violence, hatred, shiny objects.

The enemy does not want you to know anything about "The Veil".

Satan lives behind that Veil.

2 Corinthians 3:14 (AMP) - "In fact, their minds were grown hard and calloused [they had become dull and had lost the power of understanding]; for until this present day, when the Old Testament (the old covenant) is being read, that same veil still lies [on their hearts], not being lifted [to reveal] that in Christ it is made void and done away."

The Veil. It takes many forms. In the verse we see it is religion. The devil will use even the truth of the scriptures to twist and turn a person and to keep them from finding Christ. As Paul says, even "until this present day".
Understand that the greatest usefullness of "The Veil" is to deceive people to feel that they are really decent people apart from Jesus.

2 Corinthians 4:4 (AMP) - "For the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers' minds [that they should not discern the truth], preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God."

Here the greatest weapon in Satan's arsenal is revealed. It has been an almost completely ignored truth in our battle against the dark forces of evil.

It has become overshadowed by Ephesians 6:12, where Paul also explains that we are battling against strong evil forces and principalities in the higher supernatural spheres.

So here we are speaking to people who are deaf to what we are saying, and blind to the truth of the gospel.

The battle must first contain measures to come against the forces who utilize The Veil.

We as believers must act against The Veil. We must come against Satan in the power and authority that Christ has given us. The Veil is "preventing them from seeing". We as believers already have authority over purveyors of The Veil, therefore that should be the first focus of our attack.

Before we start trying to teach a pig to sing, which wastes your time and annoys the pig (to use and old colloquialism), we need to get The Veil out of the way. We do that by commanding the dark forces to cease and desist its operation against those we are trying to bring to Jesus.

Once the evil force has been placed on the run Jesus can be presented and when the person receives Him The Veil is dissolved.

2 Corinthians 3:16 (AMP) - "But whenever a person turns [in repentance] to the Lord, the veil is stripped off and taken away."

Minions from hell are formidible opponents to the teaching of the gospel. They provide noise and chatter. Static interference which distorts the truth. When they are dismissed The Veil becomes easier to lift away because the pure message can now be heard.

Let's remember that the only true power in the universe is that of God and Jesus Christ. The devil has usurped power by artificial means. He essentially only has power because of the sinners ignorance and the Church's laziness.

If this was "rock, paper, scissors", Jesus destroys The Veil.


Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><
~SoZo~

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Ignore This And You Will Die Forever

The title is not meant for shock value. It is the truth.



You can't purchase it.

Religion doesn't guarantee it.

You are born without it.

You MUST have it.

You will die without it.

John 3:3 (AMP)  - Jesus answered him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.

"Unless" and "Cannot". These are two words we must become acquainted with in order to make sure we do not miss the Truth in what Jesus is saying here.

The major Truth in this verse is that "You must be Born Again".

There it is.

YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN.

Do not think for a moment that you can escape this. You cannot. MUST means MUST.

Do not think for a moment that your personal religion will circumvent this. It will not.

Let me make this plain.

Every Buddhist. Every Muslim. Every Jew. Every Hindu. Every athiest. Every agnostic. Every new ager. Every craftsman and partaker of whatever strange belief that has ever come down the pike.

ALL MUST be born again in order to see the Kingdom of God.

ALL. Them. Me. You. Us. ALL.

Yet...there is a great faltering.

The world is surprised.

"I have been a good person all of my life."  Not good enough!

"I give to charity and volunteer my time to a soup kitchen."  Not good enough!

"I have been going to the same church my parents did since I was born."  Not good enough!

"I have read the Bible cover to cover ten times."  Not good enough!

"I sing in the choir...give to the poor...coach baseball...love animals...blah...blah...blah...yadda...yadda...yadda..."

NOT GOOD ENOUGH!

You will die forever unless you wrap your heart around Jesus.

You will.  I wouldn't lie to you. 

The forever death. Not merely the dirt nap some folks think is it. There is the long and forever SPIRITUAL death that lasts...well...FOREVER!  The concious, suffering in hell eternal death. The dirt nap would be inviting and pleasant compared to that.  Forever nothingless?  Silly rabbit...there is no plan C.

So...in this all pervasive astonishment the world suffers from, which is the counterforce to faith and believing, Jesus speaks LOUDLY.

John 3:7 (AMP)  - Marvel not [do not be surprised, astonished] at My telling you, You must all be born anew (from above).

Marvel not that You Must Be Born Again.

We have been guilty at times of not making this sound like the major priority it is.

Jesus thinks it IS the MAIN THING we must do in our life. The absolute MAIN thing. He bled out and died to complete His part.

It is something YOU MUST DO.

I wish I could make it sound a bit more appealing, as no one knows better than me how hearing we must do something can make a person bristle and refuse to cooperate.

I apologize that I cannot. So...Marvel. Bristle. Stomp your feet. Refuse. Rebel. Throw a tantrum. Tell God what your parents, priest, pope, church, teacher, neighbor, friend, pastor, imam, guiding light, monk, taught you. Try to convince Him why you don't need to be Born Again.

At the end of the day?  You were either that or not. Not doesn't end well. It doesn't.  All those folks were wrong as well meaning as they might have been. They were wrong.  Jesus was right. He is ALWAYS right.

You must be born again, which simply means leaving this present way of doing things apart from Jesus and opening your spirit and soul to Him and allowing the Holy Spirit to come in and create a new spirit in you.

Born again. You were born once. Now you must be born again in Jesus. Quite simple actually.

Talk to Him. Tell Him you believe in Him and you want Him in your life as your Lord and Savior. Tell Him you want to live forever. Tell Him you are sorry for ignoring Him and going your own way all of these years Turn from the past and turn toward Jesus.

Turn toward Jesus. Don't sweat the details. They will unravel as you walk the journey.

Jesus never fails.

Pass it on if you know someone who needs Him today.


Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

~SoZo~

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Jesus Is Enough

Even if we are not the type to set goals and target how we hope to live out our lives, we all generally have some sort of hope or dream as to how we will "finish" the life we have lived.

I can't think of a greater goal as expressed by Paul in this passage:

Acts 20:24 (AMP) - "But none of these things move me; neither do I esteem my life dear to myself, if only I may finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have obtained from [which was entrusted to me by] the Lord Jesus, faithfully to attest to the good news (Gospel) of God's grace (His unmerited favor, spiritual blessing, and mercy)."

Paul lived well and he finished well. Some may marvel over that because we know he lived the last few years of his life imprisoned, and even died by the executioner's sword.

That was OK by Paul. It wasn't a deal breaker. His own life meant nothing to him, but only as to how he lived and finished that life. 

Paul knew what Jesus meant and he strived to live his life accordingly.

Matthew 16:25 (AMP) - "For whoever is bent on saving his [temporal] life [his comfort and security here] shall lose it [eternal life]; and whoever loses his life [his comfort and security here] for My sake shall find it [life everlasting]."

Only pleasing Jesus mattered. He didn't allow his flesh to get in the way. 

All that matters is to live well and finish well. It's not wealth, health, or status. It's not earthly comforts or carnal pleasures.

Even in a jail cell facing execution one can look brightly at the future because it is contained in Jesus.

Few of us will finish that drastically, but we should finish with the same attitude.

It's Jesus. He has absorbed our past, fills our present, and is our hope for the future. Whatever else is contained in that for our joy and pleasure is a bonus, but all in all, Jesus is enough.


Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><
~SoZo~

Monday, July 22, 2013

Explosive Power

What a dynamic. God's explosive "dunamis" working outward from Himself toward the world, especially those who trust Him and confidently surrender to Him.

You'd think we would see more evidence of that. Not that we aren't seeing any, but certainly not the outpouring of signs, miracles, and wonders that the early church experienced.

I think Paul's opening words in that verse is a tell.

"I am not ashamed."

As if to counter those who were/are ashamed.

Are you ashamed?

I think there are many who are. I know some personally. More than I care to. They are embarrassed, shamed, by the outbreak of God's power in their midst. 

Imagine that? How far have we slipped? 

Romans 1:16 (AMP) - "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God's power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."

I can understand ignorance. Even fear.  I don't understand shame. Not over the gospel.

The gospel is far more inclusive than just a story of what Jesus did for our salvation. The gospel also includes practical application which can be attested to by the Word.

The Word isn't for the purpose of showing us how it used to be, but what it is supposed to be.

Where did we lose that?

The personal view of scripture must change from dead letter, to living supernatural organism.

Do you shy away from the dynamic application the Word clearly shows us? Or do you plunge headlong into it without abandon OR shame?

"Personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance".

How far are you willing to go with God? 

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><
~SoZo~

Friday, July 19, 2013

Seize The Kingdom

Sounds like a '60's TV drama. "The Violent Men".

I'm a violent man. I know lot's of violent men. And women too.

I've been involved in violent activity for the last 25 years. I am surrounded by violence. I am ensconced in violence. I am immersed and submerged in, and utterly consumed by violence.

It's good. It's very, very good.

Matthew 11:12 (AMP) - "And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time, the kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize—a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion]."

Note that it's the Kingdom of Heaven we are speaking about here.

Never more than ever before have I seized most violently the prize of my NOW and PRESENT share of Heaven.

Measure that up against the popular thought of simply sitting back and waiting to die to get it.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz..........

Is it any wonder why so many folks just endure church?

From the days of John the Baptist until now.

There's the backward telescope again. Then was then and now is now.

Wrong. Then is now as well.

Let me explain.

The Greek word for "now" is "arti". "Arti" means the present now, but it also means the future now. It's a curious word for sure.

The Eternal Now is the best way I can describe it. Heaven is avaliable now and forever for those who SEIZE it.

People will commit violence to obtain far less than Heaven. They will commit murder for sneakers, gold chains, and drugs. All which will deteriorate and disintegrate within short time.

Violence is violence, good or bad, it's taking something you want desperately by force.

You could hurt others by being violent, or hurt yourself by not being violent enough.

How much more violent should we be to obtain the eternal Kingdom which Jesus has established as the here and now and forever for the children of God?

In other words, it's the ONE most precious thing above all other things that we should not allow anyone or anything to interfere with or prevent us from obtaining.

Your violence should be against the spiritual forces in high places that have waged war against you since birth.

Your violence should be against poor theology and the anti-gospel thinking that keeps people sedated with fancy words and blinded by stacks of thick books.

Your violence should be the rejection of self-proclaimed watchers who point the finger at everyone as heretics...except themselves.

Listen to the Word of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They are simple and unfailing. Don't overthink it. Don't analyze it.

Study it. Absorb it. 

Seize it!

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><
~SOZO