Advocate

I was worshipping this morning and looking at the names of God. Starting with A....Advocate. Well, that's easy! We all know what an advocate is right? Someone who comes alongside and pleads your cause, defends you to the court of judgement. I knew I needed a deeper understanding than traditional church teaching on this though. Raise your hand if you know that God is bigger than the church and the current level of maturity!! I decided to look up the meaning of the word advocate, for both modern and ancient definitions. Sometimes God really speaks through that for me. While it was all things I thought it was..one that pleads the cause of another before a tribunal or judicial court...one that defends....supports, promotes...what spoke louder than anything, was the antonyms. What an advocate is NOT. Adversary - Jesus is FOR you...even when your guilty. He paid the price for your freedom already. Antagonist - He doesn't speak to you about what you aren't....He speaks to you about what you are and your value to Him, drawing us with cords of kindness, mercy...love. Opponent - God may oppose your pride, but not you...you, He loves. He fights FOR you! Enemy, foe, rival, belittler, critic, fault finder....all antonyms/opposites of Advocate! SELAH (Put that in your pipe and smoke it awhile) Now if our Advocate is Holy Spirit, as is promised by Jesus in John 14, and He is none of these antonyms, then it stands to reason, that neither is Jesus, who is the perfect reflection of the Father, also...what? Oh...there is a day of judgement coming. But this window of grace and mercy has not closed yet. Hurry....call your lawyer, your voice, your advocate. 1-800-SAVEMEJESUS. Go back again and look at what He is NOT. There is a statute of limitations running out, called "mortal life". Wanna see what some synonyms of advocate are just for kicks? Look em' up for more fun! exponent, advocator, apostle, backer, booster, champion, expounder, espouser, friend, gospeler (or gospeller), herald, hierophant, high priest, paladin, promoter, proponent, protagonist, supporter, true believer, tub-thumper, white knight. Selah!

Wholiness

1 Corinthians 6:19+20 "You surely know that your body is a temple where the Holy Spirit lives. The Spirit is in you and it is a gift from God. You are no longer your own. So use your body to honor God." After going to my meeting with a new physician, I've been trying to articulate something that has been kind of brewing inside. I have been pursuing a "fasted" lifestyle for a few years now. What that means is, a life without excesses, but more, a life of generosity, as I free up resources God never intended me to build a lifestyle with but to share with others who had lack. The area I have struggled hardest in is diet and food. If there is anything America excels at, its excess in this area. But as I gathered new information about genetics and what my body was naturally adapted to, I started to see the Kingdom of God in this instead of the kingdom of my culture. Kingdom of my culture wants variety, new and more complex recipes and tastes. Exotic ingredients. Or maybe it wants junk food....that great fatty, salty and sweet bomb on the palate. Forget quality! The alter of convenience serves us things that taste great, but do not nourish us in any way. And because the damage is hidden away inside, we don't wake up until disease knocks on the door. Maybe not even then if we are really entrenched in our addiction. We are not only addicted to food however. There is another lie. We are addicted to choice. No....we think we are "entitled" to choice. And this is even more dangerous. Every time we step outside Gods loving boundaries, we curse ourselves. God created food to be good. To nourish our complex bodies. But our desires for more and different and new foods is not a new problem. The Israelites whined about miraculous manna also. It nourished them perfectly and tasted good in the bargain, but they wanted more. I am guilty of allowing food to become, both entertainment and comfort. Thus the increasing need as emptiness builds. And physiologically I have created an unhealthy dynamic that will be difficult to overcome. But none greater than changing my mind. And that is Holy Spirit work. So I turn to The Lord and cry out to Him alone. "Transform my mind! Change my desires! I want your Kingdom Jesus, not the kingdom of my culture." He has opened a door for me, some help to come alongside as I work out this aspect of my sanctification. If you read this, pray for God to strengthen me. I want to honor God with my body. If anyone wants to join me, email me. We will walk together! 'Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.' (Jeremiah 33:3 NASB)

Resurrection Power

You don't get resurrection power until there has been a death. Art Katz

Stickman Theology

I'm reposting this after reading the draft because its all about what I just wrote. I obviously need to get that book back out!! ok.....this is one of those 5 star reads. I think it's going to be one of those books that I tell everyone is at the top of my "must convince you to read it, no matter how obnoxious I seem." I hate the paradigm shift phrase....hate it. But can't think of what else to call it. It's 180 degree thinking. Which looks a lot like repentance. See the truth, agree with God, turn and go the other way.
Here are a few quotes...

The primary thesis of this study is this; Spiritual maturity is determined by our ability and willingness to depend upon Christ for our personal holiness.
Comparison;
Stickman and Strongman

The difference between the two is not in what they face but, rather, in how they face it.
The strongman will face his trials by applying the appropriate Biblical principles, expressing his committment and marshalling his will power. The stickman will immediately acknowledge his weaknesses and inabiltiy to meet his trials in the way he would like to and will call upon God's help and trust the consequences to Him.
Which of these characters represents your idea of spiritual maturity? (trick question!)
Strongman is a myth, and stickman is as good as it gets.
The armor of God; Ephesians 6:10-18
Who or what makes it possible for us to stand firm against the devil?

1)We make it possible by doing everything, (such as praying, studying, believing, etc)to put on the armor, or
2) The armor makes it possible and that is why we value the armor.
The premis of this study is based upon the second answer.
The first (we make it possible) focuses upon us and the hero or the villain in our sturggle with sin. The second answer focuses upon God, our true Hero , as we, the stick men run to him for help.

Do you know why we never feel safe in community with others?
People really think we are supposed to be the heroes of our own life stories, strong men whose personal weaknesses can and will be judged in a negative manner. Therefore, it is not safe to reveal who we really are or to admit to being wounded or weak.
However, if our goal is to develop a Christ centered fellowship, then we need to change our thinking. Christ must become the Hero of all our stories and we must become the damsels in distress, praising our Savior by telling the details of how we endangered ourselves and how He is rescueing us.

Stickman Theology by Terry Ewing Ok...enough said.

Holiness

So the word for the season is Holiness. Don't let it scare you. It's an intimidating word...HOLINESS. Conjures up visions of utter perfection and...I don't know....rightness. Righteousness. We all know we can't make a dent in that right? So why on earth, would He tell us to be holy, as He is holy? Holy...wholly....whole...whole ness? I believe, with the understanding I have at this time, God wants us on the path to whole ness, which would be described as being restored to Gods original plan for my personality, physicality, emotions, spirit and soul. A tall order. Now I have been on this path for years. I've had lots of counseling, read tons, and I do mean tons, of "Christian" self help books. Took classes on boundaries, marriage, addiction....studied the bible, and took classes in that too. I've been in small groups designed to help you grow. I've had accountability partners to keep me on my toes. And still...my growth has come at a snails pace for the most part. Not only that! I easily fall back into old behaviors at times if I'm not constantly on my toes. Honestly it's exhausting. I have seriously crashed and burned a couple times to where I questioned, do I even want to get up. God! You want too much! I can't do this! Well, let me give anyone who wants a word of advice, skip all the above and go straight to the "God, I can't do this" and start from there. He has answer for you. And it's "I know, let me help you." You were never meant to fix yourself. If you could do that, Jesus would not have to have died. The two trees in Eden were called, the Tree of Life, and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. It wasn't just a Tree of the knowledge of evil. I'm not saying all self help books, counseling and classes are bad. But there is a better way. Living in intimate connection with God, as you walk and talk with Him in the garden of your own soul, receiving nourishment to the heart, which is the root of mans issues. Knowledge is a bandaid at best, if used alone, the other is healing surgery. Permanent solution. Restoration of health and whole-ness. Holiness. I want to eat from the tree of Life. I am rejecting any book, class or teacher who's "step A" isn't intimacy with God through reading His word with prayer and worship and listening. I want the root. I want my heart to change. And His answer to that prayer is, "Yes!" Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. (Matthew 5:6 NKJV) because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” (I Peter 1:16 NKJV)