JC Blog

Even today as Christians, it is easy to replace the true intent of scripture for something man made. We readily assign rituals and regulations to follow in the name of Christ in order to ignore the objective of our heart behind it. It is easy to look at the natural realm of religion and therefore separate ourselves from relationship with God. To avoid this, we have to keep our heart in check.

Today's passage of scripture is powerful. Paul is saying that the condition of the heart is what makes someone a Jew, or part of God's chosen people... "A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical." ( Romans 2:28 ) Paul is saying that circumcision is an outward sign of an inward reality. It is the condition of ones heart that makes them a child of God.

Circumcision dates back to Abraham, but Abraham received the mark of circumcision as a token or as evidence of the righteousness he had through faith before he was circumcised. That righteousness did not come by observing the Law because it was given before the Law was put into effect. His righteousness came from Faith, and his circumcision was a symbol of that faith. ( Romans 4:11-13 ) Therefore circumcision has always been a sign of the condition of the heart, but the Jews forsook the intent and focused all of their attention on the physical aspect of it.

Therefore Paul is clarifying that being a Jew is not because you were born into that nationality or religion. Being of God's chosen people comes through circumcision of the heart, which is spiritual rather than natural. This spiritual transformation comes about by being united with Christ and born again. It is by the Spirit that this happens not by the written code. Galatians 3:29 says, "If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." This leaves no doubt that the church is now God's chosen people on earth. Both Jews and Gentiles who have put their Faith in Jesus are part of the kingdom of God, our 'circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit'.

Today, by believing in Jesus and putting your faith alone in Him, you have the circumcision of Christ. "In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ..." ( Colossians 2:11 ) This is the true mark of a child of God. Amen and So Be it!

I heard a preacher recently say that for God's Word to manifest itself in your lives you need both the Word and the Spirit to be successful. The book of John starts out by saying, "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning." Now we understand the Word to be Jesus and we see this all through out the scriptures that Jesus is called the Word and that the Word was flesh - it was God living and interacting in the physical realm.

It is not surprising that Paul starts out the book of Romans telling us that Jesus was a descendant of David, and we have recently discussed the importance of this truth. But since we understand our Lord Jesus to be both physical in body and spiritual in mind and Spirit it is of the utmost importance to understand that Jesus' resurrection from the dead by the Spirit of holiness to be the pinnacle of history and the absolute proof that Jesus was who he claimed to be - The Son of God.

Going back to our account in the book of John, we see some important truths starting in vs. 10, "He was in the world and though the world was made through him the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who receive him to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. Children born not of natural descent nor human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only who came from the father full of grace and truth." ( John 1:10-14 )

So we have the Word, who was God and who is God and who created all things and who came in human form to break the curse of the law and to redeem that which the kingdom of darkness acquired during the fall of man... and he was in human form.

Now our Jesus was crucified and lay in the grave and at that point the penalty of sin had been paid for - Jesus shed his blood to atoned for the sins of the entire world once for all, past present and future. Hebrews talks about this in chapter 7, verse 27, "Unlike the other high priest, he (Jesus) does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins and then for the sins of the people. He sacrifices for their sins once for all when he offered himself." This is imperative to understand that Jesus paid the penalty for sin once for all - But it is only through his resurrection from the dead that he took the position of High Priest before God and entered into the heavenly tabernacle to present His blood on the mercy seat. Starting in verse 28 of Hebrews 7, it goes on to talk about this when it says, "For the law appoints as high priest men who are weak. But the oath which came after the law appointed the Son who has been made perfect forever. The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a High Priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven and who serves in the sanctuary; the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man" ( Hebrews 7:27 - Hebrews 8:2 ) this is why it is both the death of Jesus and the resurrection of Jesus that gives us assurance of Faith.

Now Paul is stressing this point in the beginning of Romans, when he said, it was through the Spirit of Holiness that Jesus was raised from the dead and this demonstration of power is the proof that he was the Son of God! It goes back to what that preacher said, you need both the Word and the Spirit to manifest the truth that is God's Word. The Word was prophesied and spoken over thousands of years until that which was spoken came to pass by the movement of the Spirit and to the obedience of those the Word was spoken to, thus fulfilling the Word. The Word fulfilled itself by the demonstration of Power by the Holy Spirit in that and of the person of Jesus Christ who is the Son of God both in the physical and in the spiritual realm.

Our belonging to the family of God is more than a feeling. God didn't leave confirmation for something this important based on the whims of emotions. If we had to rely on our natural feelings and sentiment to confirm that we belonged to Christ then we would live in constant fear and doubt. We would never be settled into a state of confidence before the Lord.

However, Paul stressed in Romans 8 that everyone who is led by the Spirit of God is a child of God ( Romans 8:14 ). Not only so, but today he reveals that the Holy Spirit is given to us to testify to our hearts this very fact ( Romans 8:16 ). This is amazing! He uses the fullness of the Godhead to show, confirm and preserve our status in his family. We belong to Christ period! It is not up for negation. It is not dependent upon how we feel. It is dependent upon who God is.

Isaiah prophesied that we would be given an everlasting name through Christ Jesus. "to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off" ( Isaiah 56:5 ). This promise was fulfilled through Jesus. The scriptures say that by believing in Jesus through faith we have been born into God's family. "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God" ( John 1:12-13 ). Being born of God, means that we have an everlasting name that will never be cut off from Him. We can rest assured in this promise because Jesus sent the Holy Spirit into our hearts to testify with our spirits that we belong to Him.

By belonging to God, we receive all the rights and privileges of being his children. It is so much more than looking forward to our future in heaven. We can enjoy life with Him today. We have been fully equipped for life right now on this earth. He has given us everything we need to live a godly life completely pleasing to him in every way. He has given us the power to live in victory through the rights that come with being of his seed. "For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God" ( I John 5:4-5 ). He has given us faith to overcome the anything and everything that world throws our way. I John 3 says the reason that Jesus came was to destroy the works of the devil ( I John 3:8 ). Since they are destroyed, he have given us the Holy Spirit to see those works destroyed in our lives as well. God has called us out of the kingdom of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son ( Colossians 1:13 ). He did this because of his great love for us. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" ( I John 3:1 ).

Aren't you glad that your rights as God's child wasn't left to emotions and feelings. He guaranteed it through the Holy Spirit which he sent into your heart to continually confirm that you are His child. He is speaking love over you. He is pouring grace upon you. He has given you world overcoming power to live a life of victory in this present time. May this revelation of your sonship bless you today and change your future ! Amen.

Isn't it amazing to know that you are a child of God? His Spirit inside testifies to this very thing. This truth is easy to take for granted especially if you grew up in a church because we hear this a lot. But stopping to reflect on this incredible reality will open your eyes to profound mysteries reveal in Christ Jesus.

Paul is teaching us to live by the Spirit of God in this entire passage of Romans 8. When we do this we will not gratify the desires of the flesh that we have been freed of. We will experience life and soul peace in the midst of trouble and hardship. This is an incredible lesson to learn, it is key to living free and victorious. However, just as important to understand is the truth found in today's verse. "...those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God" ( Romans 8:14 ).

Did you know that being a son or daughter of God makes you a heir in his kingdom? By bearing His spirit and His name we have all the rights and privileges associated with those things. Paul says later on in Romans 8 that we received a spirit of sonship that makes us heirs and co-heirs with Christ ( Romans 8:15, Romans 8:17 ). Ephesians tells us that we are no longer aliens and foreigners to the promises of God, but we are God's people, members of his own household built into a royal temple where God lives by His Spirit ( Ephesians 2:19-22 ). It is amazing to think that since we are his children and his heirs, He will withhold nothing from us. We have receive full the rights of sonship. We are no longer slaves, but God's very own children born out of love. ( Galatians 4:4-7 ).

In Luke's gospel he recorded the genealogy of Jesus in chapter 4. He traces Jesus' line clear back to Adam and in verse 37, he records that Adam was the son of God. Adam was born out of a desire to have a family. God was not lonely, he had all fullness living within himself and yet he desired to create life and mankind. Adam bore the name of God. After the fall, God still desired to have a family and to reconcile to himself all things. This is why he sent Jesus, his son to be the second Adam.

Now fast forward a little bit where Jesus was with John at the river Jordan. John baptized Jesus and look what happened. "As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased" ( Matthew 3:16-17 ).The Holy Spirit descended out of heaven in bodily form and landed on Jesus. But this amazing truth revealed to John two things, first that Jesus was the son of God. Second it revealed to him that God was extremely pleased in Jesus. The Holy Spirit living in Jesus showed both of these awesome truths, God loved him, was pleased with him and brought understanding that Jesus was the Son of God.

Adam was called the son of God and Jesus was called the son of God. Adam brought destruction and Jesus completely reverse everything that resulted in the fall. The Holy Spirit in Jesus was evident that he was the Son of God and that he came bearing of the good news that we can have peace with God. It was the Holy Spirit that revealed these things to the world. Since the Holy Spirit testified these things, we can rest assured that He will also testify the very same things to our spirits. God Loves us, God is please with us, God considers us his child. Jesus reminded the disciples of this very thing over and over while he was with them. "He [Holy Spirit] will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you" ( John 16:14-15 ). He is speaking to us on behalf of God the Father to reassure us of his great love for us.

This is an amazing truth. God loves you so much. Not only did he send Jesus to purchase your freedom and reconcile you to himself, but he also sent you the Holy Spirit to dwell continuously with you showing and revealing to you the love of the Father. That is why Paul, Peter and John wrote so many times that those who have the Spirit of God are children and heirs. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" ( I John 3:1 ).

Today, I pray that you will listen to what the Holy Spirit is telling you. He is expressing the amazing love of God. He is revealing to you your place in God's family. If you feel any condemnation today the John said in I John 3, "This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God" ( I John 3:19-21 ). This is what the Holy Spirit was sent into your heart to reveal to you. You have peace with God the Father through faith in Jesus Christ. He loves you, he calls you friend, he considers you his beloved child and he wants you to have confidence before him. May this revelation of love and sonship bless you today. Amen.

No matter what you are going through in life, you can be confident in the Lord because he has made you sweet and precious promises through his word. As Christians it is important to understand the spiritual truths of God. What he says about you, what he has provided you, how he loves you... so you can understand what is yours by birthright in God's family through Jesus Christ. Did you know that you are so much more than flesh and blood if the Spirit of the God lives inside of you? Your natural existence is secondary to your spiritual existence. Jesus said in John, "The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life" ( John 6:63 ).The spirit inside of you is life, understanding how this operates will give you the victory that Christ purchased for you.

The spiritual is far superior is every way. The spiritual side always trumps the natural realm, that is why Jesus provided everything for you in the spiritual realm. He wanted to make sure that His promises were eternal and everlasting. Once they exist in spiritual form, then by release they will overflow into the natural physical realm and you will see results. There is evidence of this truth throughout the entire scriptures, look at creation as an example of this. Jesus spoke the world into existence. The words he spoke were spiritual, they existed before the physical creation came into being and His words formed the world as we know it. In another example, Peter tells us that Jesus was the lamb slain before the foundation of the world ( I Peter 1:20 ). So our salvation and propitiation for sin was secure before the world was ever created, but the physical manifestation of this redemptive act happened when Jesus came into the world and die on the cross for us. The spiritual gives birth to the physical. Understanding this truth and acting accordingly will propel your life into victory.

In today's passage, Paul tells us that you have the very same spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead living inside of you as born again believers. This is an amazing revelation! Ephesians chapter 1 gives us more detail on this truth, "...and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come" ( Ephesians 1:19-21 ). Did you know that the grave could not hold Jesus? The darkness tried to keep hold him, but this power that raised him from the dead was so great that it could do nothing but release him. Up through the heavenly realm Jesus ascended triumphing over every power, authority and dominion that tried to hold him in darkness and was seated as first born from the dead at the right hand of the father in heaven. And you have also been seated in the heavenly realm with Christ Jesus. "And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus" ( Ephesians 2:6 ). Meaning that this has already happened in the spiritual realm, it is a done deal. And if it is done in the spirit then it can be done in the physical because we have learned that the spiritual side always trumps the physical side of things.

Paul wrote an encouraging word in today's passage, "And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you." ( Romans 8:11 ). Paul is stressing the incomparable victory that we have in Jesus. We are alive in everyway! If the Spirit of God raised Christ from the dead, then that very same spirit who lives inside of us will also give live to our mortal bodies. It is already done in the spiritual realm and we also experience this in the natural realm because our redemption was so complete and eternal through Christ Jesus. Paul was so convinced and assured of this that he wrote at the end of this chapter that he was convince that nothing was able to separate us from the love that was in Christ Jesus ( Romans 8:37-39 ). Why was he convince? Because he saw what had already been accomplished for us by Jesus. He knew that if it existed in the spiritual realm then it would exist in the natural as well. This is why we were given a new born again spirit at the time we were saved, because this became our guarantee of the sweet and precious promises of God. Jesus wanted to make sure we had everything that was promised and provided for us and that these things would never be taken away from us.

So today, no matter what you are going through in life, you can rest assured by faith that you have victory in Christ. These things have been provided for you. And if they've been provided for you, then they are yours for the taking. Paul said in II Corinthians 4, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal ( II Corinthians 4:16-18 ). This is the key, understanding that the troubles of this world are light and momentary, but by fixing our eyes on what we do not see then we will release this life giving, death raising power that lives on the inside of us. Today, it is my prayer that you understand that the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives inside of you and this spirit has been provide for you to operate in that very same power. Today, I pray that you start focusing on what is eternal and what is yours in Christ Jesus and let it overflow into the natural realm. Amen!

Guilt, shame and remorse are debilitating. These like a cancer will keep you motionless, defeated and unworthy of your calling. If you are unable to move pass what you have done in life, you will never fully grasp God's grace and loving kindness towards you. God loves you, He sent Jesus to die for you and He has completely forgiven you. So any condemning feelings you have toward yourself are not from God. His desire for you is that you free and moving forward in life fulfilling His destiny for you. Not only so, but He wants you to experience this freedom daily, fully and completely. That is why the Apostle Paul penned these words... "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" ( Romans 8:1 ).

What a glorious verse! Paul has just unequivocally given us the answer posed in Romans 7... Who will rescue us from the left over effects of the sin nature that trips us up in life? Praise be to God, it happens by Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit. When we live according to the Spirit of God, he gives us the power to escape all the condemnation and guilt that life throws our way. Because of Jesus, there is no condemnation unless we void this amazing gift by condemning ourselves. Understanding this grace is the key to living free, pursuing the life that the Lord has set you apart for.

This is one of the incredible foundations of Christianity. We are freed from the effects of guilt and shame because of the blood of Jesus, but sadly many do not know this wonderful truth. God does not, nor will not condemn us. We will never face judgment or punishment for our sins because Jesus has paid for each and every one of them upon the cross. God placed all judgment and all sin upon his Son once for all in order that we would never have to bear it. By faith in his blood, we are completely forgiven. He has reconciled us to God the father and brought us incredible peace in the process. We, as believers should experience this right here and right now and not let guilt or unworthiness hinder us. ( John 3:16-18, Romans 5:1, II Corinthians 5:21, Colossians 2:13-15, Hebrews 10:12, Hebrews 10:18, Hebrews 10:22, I John 2:2, I John 3:5, I John 3:16, I John 3:19-20 )

God provided everything with your redemption to enable you to live a life worthy of your calling. He wants you to live a victorious life by the Spirit of God. You are worthy on the basis of the value that Jesus assigns you. He died for you to bring you into fellowship with the Father, who are we to disagree with such a wonderful gift. Today, it is my prayer that you will drop whatever burdens you are carrying at the feet of Jesus. He has already bore them so you should not have to. May you understand this incredible grace to which you were called, sanctified and set apart. Amen!

What a marvelous notion that we can cloth ourselves with Christ in this present world. I John 4:17 says, "as he is, so are we in this world" ( I John 4:17 KJV ).  We were made like Him the moment we received our born again spirit. It is the part of us that is identical to Christ. So Paul reminds us in today's passage to clothe ourselves with Christ, making no provision to indulge in the cravings of our physical nature and gratify the lust of our flesh.

Many believe that to do this we must deny ourselves and die again to the sin nature whenever it rears its ugly head in our lives. However, the sin nature has already been defeated through Christ Jesus, we have been freed from this nature once for all ( Romans 6: 6-7 ). So when the nature that we have been set free from tries to regain ground in our lives by enticing our fleshly desires, the key to overcoming this is to clothe ourselves with Christ and make no provision for those desires.

Romans 8 gives us insight on how to accomplish this in our lives, "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace" ( Romans 8:5, Romans 8:6 ). By simply pursuing a life driven by the Spirit of God living on the inside of us, instead of succumbing to the physical soulish realm of our desires, we will look, live and be like Christ in this present world. Paul went on to say, "Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation-but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God" ( Romans 8:12, Romans 8:13, Romans 8:14 ). When we clothe ourselves with Christ Jesus it is evident that we belong to him.

So what does Christ look like? Galatians 5 gives us incredible insight on Christ's characteristics and living by the Spirit. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit" ( Galatians 5:22-25 ). These things are currently in existence in our born again spirit. By living in accordance with the Spirit of God we will release this fruit to operate in our lives. It is possible to experience all of these things merely by seeking and following God and the Holy Spirit living within us.

This is the evidence that we belong to Christ. Paul instructs us to clothe ourselves with Christ so we will not be overcome by the desires of our old nature. "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law" ( Galatians 5:16-18 ). If you want to be free then live by the Spirit of God.

What an amazing truth this is. In God's brilliance, He has made it possible to live as we are called to live, as Christ's ambassadors representing Him in this world. This does not come out of our own works or trying to be the best we can be, but by allowing the Holy Spirit to guide, direct and change us into the glorious creation that God desires. May you understand this incredible truth today and start living in step with the Spirit of God.

A key to serving the Lord all the days of your life is spiritual fervor. The King James Bible refers to it as "fervent in spirit" and the Amplified Bible records it as "being aglow and burning with the Spirit". This flow of living by the Spirit of God is what will keep you seeking and serving Him continually.

We have the Holy Spirit as our guide in life and God has promised us that he will never leave us ( John 14:16-18 ). This is why he gave us the Holy Spirit as our counselor, to help us navigate this life by showing us all things, revealing the truth of God's word to us. As born again believers, we all have the Holy Spirit living inside, however we can choose the degree to which we flow in Him. Without a close fellowship with the Lord, being guided by His Spirit, it is easy to get distracted along the way and wrapped up in what the world has to offer. But if we live by the Spirit we will not have any desire to gratify the things of the flesh ( Romans 8:5 ).

This is key, because if we are to serve the Lord all the days of our lives being zealous for Him, then this can only be accomplished supernaturally. If we try to do this in the natural realm, in our own efforts, we have set ourselves up for failure. It takes the focus off God and places it on us and what we can do for him. Ours lives then become a yo-yo between trying to live for God and being persuaded by the world around us.

However, if we solely seek the Lord and keep ourselves stirred up by reading the word, praying in the Holy Spirit and listening and fellowshipping with God all the time, then our service and worship is a lifestyle not something we do to please God. We are simply living as an extension of Him. Directed and guided by His spirit in all things. Our spiritual fervor is a byproduct of knowing God and walking with him. Nothing is this world can shake it. No temptation of the flesh can distract us, because we are flowing in the Holy Spirit in tune to God.

Today, it is my prayer that you allow the Holy Spirit to flow through you guiding and directing your steps. Let Him encourage and build you up so that your zeal will always be for the Lord. May you serve Him out of love not obligation all the days of your life, amen.

There is incredible freedom in operating in your strengths. We were all created with specific purposes, talents and aptitudes. Those things are gifts from the Lord. He designed us to complement the body of Christ by our membership in it. We all have different functions but we belong to the same body. The many members make up the church and the church is the body of Christ.

In today's passage Paul is encouraging us to play to our strengths. We all have different gifts and talents according to the grace given us. So it makes sense that if we have the gift of prophesy we should use it to bless the body of Christ. If we are talented at teaching, then we should be teaching the word to others. If we have been given a servant's heart, then we should be operating within that calling. There are many gifts and each one is very important to the body of Christ.

Paul listed several things in these verses that are easily overlooked as gifts from the Lord. We readily recognize the more visible gifts such as prophecy, teaching and leadership. However, just as important are gifts like encouragement, generosity and showing mercy to one another. If the entire body clamored for the pulpit but disregarded other gifts such as encouraging a struggling member or serving the needs of the body, then we would have chaos rather than unity. We were called by one spirit to one body. This is why each one of us should know and prove the will of God for our lives and set out to operate in it ( Romans 12:2 ). This is what brings us freedom as individuals and what blesses the collective body of Christ.

Paul talked more about this in I Corinthians 12. "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many" ( I Corinthians 12:12-14 ). Recognizing that we are one in Christ, we are called to make up one body and the body depends on us to function as we were designed is an amazing thing. This realization will free us from trying to be all things to all people. Instead we can focus on our strengths and the purpose to which we have been called. This is how God designed us to serve the body, by merely playing to the strengths for which he created us, and by using our natural talents and aptitudes to bring fullness to the many members. In doing this we will experience incredible joy, because we are living our lives in the way God designed us to live.

Today, I pray that you enjoy the gifting that the Lord created in you. May you serve His body with your strengths and talents out of a heart of gratitude for what he has done. May your joy be overflowing in the fullness of Him, amen.

"I will become more undignified than this...” II Samuel 6:22

While worshipping one Sunday morning in a unified fellowship of believers as the Lords presence fell on all assembled there, people began to dance and shout for joy to the Lord, praising the Lord for the freedom we experience in Christ. The Glory of the God and the presence of God filling the assembly and as it did people started worshipping in spirit and truth.

A word from the Lord came to me during this time, the Spirit of the Lord said to me, "become more undignified than this - " It was as if the Lord was giving me permission to worship him as he created me to worship Him, in Spirit and in truth and to worship as the Lord moved and directed me.

I am reminded of the story from II Samuel 6, which David is bringing back the ark of the Lord into Jerusalem. He and the people are singing and dancing before the Lord and as they are entering Jerusalem, David's own wife look upon him as he is singing and dancing before the Lord and the scripture says, "she despised him in her heart."

When David returned home to bless his household, Michal the daughter of Saul, David's wife came out to meet him and said, "How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would."

This happens to all of us, if we are following the Lord and walking in the plan that he has for us, then don't be surprised when criticism comes your way - and don't be surprised if it comes from your closet friends and family.

But I love David's response to thins criticism from his wife... he doesn't let it bother him and he doesn't stew over it, but look at his response to her, verse 21, 'David said to Michal, "It was before the Lord who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord's people Israel. I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this and I will be humiliated in my own eyes..."

David took the criticism and said, You haven't seen anything yet!.. Watch This! If you think I am acting crazy now, I will become more undignified than this!

Jesus said it this way in John 4:24, "God is a Spirit and his worshippers must worship in Spirit and truth"

Why does the world criticize you? Why doesn't the world understand you? Why does it come against you when you worship the Lord as His Spirit directs you to worship? Because it does not understand the way of the Spirit... But Jesus said that God is a Spirit and true worshippers Must Worship in spirit and in truth for those are the kinds of worshippers that the Father seeks ( John 4:23-24 )

Paul also adds clarity to this in I Corinthians, chapter 2, verse 12. "We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment. For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him! But we have the mind of Christ!" ( I Corinthians 2:12-16 )

The reason the world doesn't understand true worship is because it is foolishness to them - it is foolishness to them because they are spiritually discerned.

Even when other brothers and sisters criticize you, it is because they do not know how to worship as the Lord directs because they are not in tune with the Spirit of God!

I have personally taken a lot of criticism lately because I have left a church due to the lack of the Word being preached there. Being in a dominant leadership role, it upset a lot of apple carts by leaving as I did. Even the Pastor wouldn't recognize my departure as a call for change but told me I was walking away from the Lord -

I know a lot of false things had been said about me and even from the pulpit but I am choosing to response like David - if you think I am a fool before the masses, then watch this! "I will become more undignified than this!" That is why this word is so important to me because it gives me the freedom to worship the Lord and it gives me the freedom to not care what others may say about me! I would and do relish the chance to be in the presence of the Lord any day, rather than be subjected to the ranting and ravings of man...

There is a need for my mind to be aligned with the Lord Spirit within me... it groans on the inside of me... it has called me out of the darkness into light and continues to call me out of the ordinary and into the extraordinary! The Spirit within me has given me permission to be "more undignified than this!"