Crucified & Exchanged

Key to Wealth

Let’s affirm that 2011 will be the year that inpidually and as a nation, we will emerge from this economic miasma of lack, loss, and despair. In 2011 we will resolve to breathe, eat, drink, and revel in peace, hope, health, and prosperity.

God and Creator of all that is. There is no God but You. No other Power but You. You are the True Source: the Fount and Fountainhead.

As your child, I bask in the glow of Your blessing and Your love. I long to apprehend and absorb more and more of Your loving kindness. I am blessed and favored in ways far beyond my comprehension.

As You are a giver, I am a giver. As You bless me I will bless others as well. Expand the arena in which I might manifest the love and kindness of my God and Father. Increase my sphere of influence: place in my path the disheartened to encourage, the torn down to build up, those who mourn to comfort, the wounded to heal, and the rejected to love.

And I acknowlege that it is Your Spirit within by which I live move and have my being. You stir within me the will and the way to bless.

May the words I speak, the actions I perform, the things I create, and the impact I have on others be positive, of pure motive, non-judgmental, loving, and godly.

May the words, thoughts, and deeds honor You and uplift my fellow man. May I not bring shame on Your Name nor harm to my brethren.

Amen. And so it is.

(Read the full article by Allen here on examiner.com)

Open Your Gift NOw!

Some cults, Secret societies, Freemasonry etc. introduce you to truth by degrees. You have to prove your  worth before you advance in so-called illumination. In the true faith of God, you are given the Fullness of His Spirit. His Heart. His mind. You are given His word through the Scriptures. You are given His guidance, correction, encouragement, protection, and power.

You get the whole package at the new birth. Let me explain this by an analogy.Think of Christmas Day long ago. You went into the living room and saw the tree. You see your packages there. Some of the packages are labeled with your name. Under the tree are all the packages your parents intended for you to have. All you have to do is unwrap and begin to play.

It is likewise with the New and Living way we believers have. 2 Peter 1:3-4 says this:

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

Given this divine power within, lets start unwrapping our package today.

• Open our faith package
• Unravel goodness
• Pull the wrapping off knowledge
• Cut the anti-theft packaging of self control
• Loose the bow on your perseverance
• Show off your godliness to everyone you meet
• Share brotherly kindness to those in need
• Take the lid off the biggest, bestest gift of all, your love.

If you unwrap and unleash the divine power within you: If you seek and discover and use this power more and day by day, here is what will happen:

• You will be a productive and effective Christian.
• You will do the works of Jesus.
• You will be a blessing to a hurting world.
• You will be about doing good.
• You will be a healer all that were oppressed of the devil because God is with you, in you working through you.

You say, “what about those weak and ineffective Christians?” Why are they living lives devoid of peace, power, and passion? Is it because they don’t go to church regularly? They don’t tithe? They don’t submit to so Pastor, Apostle, Guru, Life Coach?

No. Perhaps they have lost their vision. The are short sited and their memory has failed. Though God has lifted them out of the miry pit of sin and depredation, forgiven their sins, they go back to living as those who do not know their sins are forgiven. They return to a works based, reward and punishment religion with is the antithesis of the Gospel.

But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog [is] turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. 2 Peter 2:22

Let’s end on a positive note. I can say it no better that Apostle Peter:

Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Believers a blessed to have not one but 4 authoritative accounts of the life
of Jesus. The four gospels each give us a unique view of who Jesus was, why he
came, and what he did.

Matthew seems to be directed towards a predominately Jewish audience. The
author presents quotes numerous Old Testament scriptures which Jesus
fulfilled.

The Gospel of Mark is an action-pack account of the doings of Jesus. Luke is
a careful documentary portrayal of Jesus and the early church. John seems to be
a book steeped in the Spirit. He speaks to the very heart of believers who long
for fellowship with God. John gives us a Jesus whose words are “Spirit
and Life.”

The four Gospels to tell us at least 3 things about who Jesus is in the
overall scheme of things.

1. Jesus is the fulfillment of prophecy
2. Jesus is Preeminent
3. Jesus shows us the Father

(continue reading…)



Face of Jesus

In the crucified and exchanged life, we die to ourselves live for Christ. We decrease that He might increase. We exchange ego (the great I) for for a total new identity in Christ. But just who is this Jesus? Who is He to us and in us?

There are 3 Phases in the life of Jesus

• Pre-incarnate Jesus
• Incarnate Jesus
• Post Resurrection Jesus

I won’t get into the pre-incarnate Jesus beyond stating what scripture states:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:15-17

We will talk more today about the incarnate Jesus:  son of Joseph, son of Mary.

Of his childhood we know very little though there is much speculation by those inside and outside the body of Christ. We know that he was the child of Mary who was betrothed to Joseph. The the marriage had not consummated. Mary was still a virgin. Luke 1:26-38 tells us of Gabriel announcement of the plan of God to bring the Savior into the world through her. (continue reading…)