You see me, now you dont.

Luke 17:10

So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.

Before I knew Christ, I must say, I got everything done that I wanted to do and I got it done well.  I wanted to do the things that I knew no one else would want to do.  And when I did them with a smile on my face and in a close to perfect way, I was all ready for the big thank you from everyone who had seen what I just performed oh so well.

But I read this and it is telling me I am an unworthy servant and that I was suppose to do whatever it was in front of me as best I could with a smile on my face no anyway. Unworthy? Not valuable, not praiseworthy, undeserving, and worthless? I guess this figure God in the sky knows something I don’t…Hello? Did you not see what I just had to go through and I did it with a smile. I did it so well. I made them so happy and thankful.  I wanted to do this for them. I put them way before myself and never thought twice of how it would make me feel.  You know what, it was gross.  Come one, who would want to do something like that. It wasn’t for fun. It was for them! You try doing that. You get down on your knees and do something that makes you so bellow everyone else. I don’t see anyone else doing what I did with a smile on their face, they look disgusted. (oh how wrong I was)  And now you are calling me unworthy?  Do you know how long it took for me to make these thoughts I have and how big my heart needed to be…boom. He said now you stop right there.

He let me know right there that the thoughts, the good intensions, the heart that was made to love these people and be selfless enough to do this act for them, has nothing to do with Jordan Cole, but has everything to do with that figure you were talking about, yes, God who is not just in the sky but everywhere, just to clear things up.

Wow, so you mean, it has nothing to do with me why I wanted to help those people.  And that the duty I did wasn’t so I could show how precious and needed I am? But should be grateful that you have allowed me to be able to help.  And say I am an unworthy servant; I got to do something for this body of Charts even though I could have been tossed into the lake of fire for being the sinner I am.  I get to do all these things even though I am not grateful and unworthy to, but my Master gave me the chance to give back to Him, by doing His work here on earth.  Its not about me. Or I. or myself. I am not even worthy to be doing this work, but I get to so I will complete the duty that I was told to do.

Now that I am a Christian, I need to let God show me that I am unworthy and its not about how needed I am, but how needed He is to even allow me to do things for Him.

Application:

Today I will look for opportunities to serve Him unnoticed.

  

Its not about the Thank Ya's.

Luke 17:9

Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do?

As a servant of Jesus Christ, I don’t believe that He says thank you after I do a task He sets before me.  For one its really not me who did it anyway, yea I allowed Him to work through me, but He doesn’t need to be thankful. If anything I should be thanking Him for giving me the opportunity to do the task.  How about the task now life as a Christian?  He gave me the opportunity to accept that job, who am I to no say thank you to Him? Truly all I want to hear that the end of whatever it is I got to do for my King is, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”

Application:

Today as I serve I will not do it looking for a thank you, but for a good job in all tasks set before me.  Not doing it for man or God, but God for.

No MO COFF

Luke 17:8

Would he not rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’?

How far as servants in finishing the job do we need to go until we can then look on to our own needs. What is great about the master we serve, our Lord Jesus Christ is that we don’t need to worry about when or what we eat and drink.  As long as we suit up in the armor of God, ready for duty, do as He leads you to do, He will make sure you are being blessed with everything your heart needs along the way.  Seek first His kingdom and righteousness and all else will be added on.  Strive to complete the tasks our God sets before us and worry not about your needs for they are already being taken care of.

Application:

Today and for the rest of the week I will fast from coffee, allowing myself to not drink something I want.  And when I think I need it, know that it is Him I am putting first to serve and not worrying about what I think I need.

Again and Again but No MORE!

Luke 17:7

Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’?

If I had a servant, that would make me his master and I would assume he loved to serve me, he would get the things done assigned to him, putting me first out of respect for that is his place.

Jesus Christ came on to this earth as a man, and being God, or Master, He to show us what we are actually suppose to do, humbled Himself to the possession of the lowest servant.

Here we have our God who has all above us and is all above us, take the place to serve us, to show us how it is done.  How to be a child of God.  Usually we have the master talk through directions for the servant to follow, but Jesus didn’t just talked, he walked, healed, washed feet, and then actually died for us.

What kind of master are we serving? A master that dies for us, for we messed up so badly and got so off track as servants He picked us up, set us to the side and finished the job for us.  Not only did He have us eat before Him, He finished the job and more some to show us how to do it.

So now Im saved and I have this bible in front of me to show me how to do it, how to live and serve God.  I now have the manual to walk talk you name it whatever I need to do, is listed out how its done right in front of me. I can now be the best servant. Yet I’m not.  In fact I do the opposite. I call on my master to finish the jobs I have before me and have Him serve me before I serve Him, and rarely do I thank Him for doing so.  The best master hands down. He does the work that He has assigned for me because I get all caught up in myself and say I cant do it and that I need help. And He is right there, never took His eyes off me as I went to work for Him out in His back yard. Never even went outside because He wants to make sure I am okay. And when there is a weed that wont come up in His garden, I give up after a few tries, getting dirty and hating it.  I sit down and pout, and not seconds later He lifts me up brushes me off. Puts my hand the weed with His and we pull it up together. My master I love because He loves me so much more. I should not have Him have me eat first, I want to serve Him until all jobs are done.

Application:

Today already a familiar trial has come up, and I have given up once again, even though He is standing over me trying to get me to stand without pulling me up completely, knowing I have knowledge and strength to get back up by myself. Well I want to for the rest of today and this week, not give up and turn to the old lie I once believed, but to have the truth He has given me and have Him watch me get through it with what He has told me and not have Him do the work and pull me up.

Havin Faith Brotha

Luke 17:6

He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

What can God not do though you, if you think that He can do it, even if it is the tiniest belief?  If you have any faith, and it may even may the smallest of faith, but if you have any what so ever, God is going to jump up and down, shaking the universe, ready to do work through you because of it.

Jesus is saying here if you have the faith of a mustard see, a tree will uproot itself and plant itself in the ocean, what happens after that, I don’t know, but come on, a tree will obey you if you believe that God can uproot itself and re plant in the sea.  Doesn’t that sound insane to believe? Not to God. In fact, if you truly believe that He can do that, and I am talking without a doubt He can do it, and it is for some reason a part of His will, well watch out because a mountain of mulberry trees might start a small island somewhere in the pacific.

Just the smallest bit of faith in God and He will do something you wouldn’t ever think possible with it.

I knew He was going to find me a place to live in Mass for the 4 months I had before coming to potters field.  I needed to stay close to the Calvary Chapel Boston, but had no place to live. I also needed to live somewhere for free. I knew He was going to, it was going to glorify Him if I stayed, and it was a part of His will. I got a call from a guy from the church saying I could stay at His sisters house that just moved and was trying to sell it, needed someone to live there till it was sold to have it occupied.  Yup, God. Had faith. He did serious work with it. Be watchin out for that new island of mulberry trees.

Application:

I have faith that I will have the money to finish out pfr..Tomorrow I will call my dad, knowing that God has a good amount of money coming back from taxes for me going towards tuition.

Kids in Kenya

Proverbs 31:7

Let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.

Well this brings a closing to the last blog that I posted.  Ending verse 6 that reads, give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish; leading to verse 7 let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.  After hearing how God spoke to everyone else’s heart about verse 6 and how He is implying that the one who are in anguish can be healed of their problems physical problems with a little taste of alcohol, but now their poverty and misery can be even be forgotten.  He is now leaning on how kings and have the poor and needy can have their emotional problems being solved.

            Our King of all Kings I know never needed alcohol to lift up His spirits or need it to excuse Him out of physical, which is so inspiring.  I have countless times have used substances and abused substances to bring me out of darker moments.  Now that I am on a path set out before me by this same King, I will strive to do the same.  I want to be able to never have to use any substances to bring me out of misery other than His own everlasting water.

             Heading to Kenya where I know there is misery that wants to be forgotten and they aren’t as lucky to have drugs to get them though. I hope to bring the same everlasting water that has so much love in and through it, into their lives that has been brought into mine.

Application:

Today and for the rest of the time before I leave for Kenya, I will pray that God starts setting up hearts there to hear the truth and love we have to share and that their lives will not need substances to bring them out of misery, but have God to turn to.

Cutting Deep

Proverbs 31:6

Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish,

Go ahead and give it to them, let them be healed like you so are. Ha, what a joke, but how I did it so often. Rough day smoke a blunt, got things on the mind, clear it by smoking a joint, have to go do something like work, that’s not important, get high my friend.  What about, your dad not loving you the way you want, get high and go to lunch with him. Feel and do as I do. How it works for me so good. I would pass the J like Bob Marley no problem, solved all my worries heartaches headaches and lifeaches.

But wait. The high is gone and I’m coming down. Reality boom struck me right in the face. And my face feels it.  All my worries back, and even more so, cause time has dragged on and I’m still in these tangles.  And what? All the people I got high are wanting more, cause it only lasted for a short time. Ok yea…here…get high. Now that the grass is gone, what to do?  How miserable.  It didn’t help me…its not helping you…but I don’t want to accept that it’s losing its power, or realize it never had power, so come on you still can get high. A victim I was to this plant.

God knows He is the only one who is an everlasting drug. You take Him in you will always have Him there. He never leaves better yet He never left. Stop giving non-sobering substances to those who are looking for answers, the truth. Give them Jesus. Now that I have Jesus how great He is to share. I’m now a slave to the answer to the problem and not just a victim to the potential solution to the symptom.

God used someone to show me the answer, now its my turn to offer what people are truly looking for to solve the questions of their lives.

Application:

Take time to thank God and be great full He had someone show me the cure to the problem and not just offer a for second solution to the symptoms. 

For the kids

Proverbs 31:5

Lest they drink and forget what the law decrees, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights. 

When I got wasted from whatever substance the night brought, and lost my sense of what was truly right from wrong, and had others who were searching for the right, the truth, trying to fit in, trying to do what was cool, even if it was wrong, to do what I did cause I made it seem like it was the thing to be doing.  It happened. More than once.  I can remember countless times when people who were looking up to what I was doing, male, female, older or younger, followed me cause they thought I knew what I was doing and where I was taking them.

I said it was ok to do.  I helped them go down the wrong path.  But why? Because I didn’t necessarily think what I was doing was bad, I just knew it wasn’t good.  Going against what society told me to do.  Going against what my parents warned me of.  Going against Gods way.  Someone had to show me this way to be this way.  There must be a pattern.  Someone at some point had to start it cause I just didn’t out of the blue want to go against what was right. It was already right cause its what I knew to do and be true.

In the beginning of my life where I was searching for answers, who to be.  I wasn’t getting drunk, but I didn’t know the law, the real right way to do things.  So I looked to see what it was, what was taking place in front of me. Searching for truth and running into a group of people who were doing things that just weren’t correct. In fact it was the opposite and I didn’t know to question it. I just did it.

We as Christians need to teach younger people to learn to test what is said and shown, even if it is from their own parents. Not to question whether or not they are wrong, but to see if what they know and were taught is right.  If something deep down inside is saying, “woah this just doesn’t seem right.” That could be God trying to protect them from a lie.  I need to start by training myself to test all spirits.

Application: I need to go through out this week testing things that are said to me, even questionable thoughts, and bring them back to the bible to test them to see if they line up with what God says is the way.

Closer To The Truth

Proverbs 31:4

It is not for kings, O Lemuel- not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to drink beer,

When I first became a Christian, I continued the habits I had from the world, drinking and smoking pot, nothing changed as far as not being sober minded.  I thought I didn’t have to, or didn’t need to, but mainly I didn’t want to.  I wasn’t ready to start new.  But one day I did. It took around three months of having the Holy Spirit in me to finally have me stop putting substances into my body making me not sober. He needed me sober to have me do His work.  And it wasn’t hard.  In fact, I loved it. I was finally pulled out of the fog I put myself in and was able to think in a clear manner.  I could understand how the fog made me not see the path Jesus was laying before me, but once He did His great work of making me sober, I started to see where I was going and I wanted to go fast.

            You cant go fast when your not sober. I tried for so many years to say it didn’t affect my capability to function at my best potential.  How ignorant I was.  Once I was sober I everything about me functioning in the world started to pick up, my cognitive, emotions, and physical life were all so different. It made me want to cry, cause I felt like I held myself back for so long now.  I didn’t need to cry, God was there telling me I had time now to do things right and it was bright clear stable path ahead.

Great kings and rulers need to be sobered minded. And my Great King and Ruler is sober and was and always will be. You wont find a scripture in the bible saying Jesus drank or did anything to make Him not sober.  And like most peopling who have Kings you want to be just like them and following their example. So now that’s what I am doing. Being sober, like my King, Jesus Christ.

I feel as if God wants us to also see that wine and beer made both of man, things of this world can make you not sober, corrupt and brought to think not straight of the Spirit.

Application:

Today I will write down all my thoughts that aren’t sobering to the Spirit and shut them down with scripture to bring me closer minded to Christ.

Anotha rap.

1 Corinthians 13:7

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

What love. Doesn’t let anything shove. You can wear it and know it fits like a God knitted glove.  Reaches out for eternity flight, a wind soarin dove.  Its continues stead fast lookin down from above.

Know that its here, and you can hear it speak if you just open ya ears. Open your eyes cause it wants to take ya beyond the skies, beyond the limits no holdin back no quitin.  Gods love never fails and it will lead you to your prince and He unfolds the veil.

To see His bride the church, to see you.

So you can walk not needin to hide cause He’s nearch er in that’s the truth.

Don’t fret cause if you reach out He never lets go.  Not if its sunshinin thunderin lightning or heavy snow.

Hes wants you and will give you His all.

He just wants you to know and believe that He will never let you fall.

But hold on tight cause its quite the ride

He’s patient, but quick to bring you to the finish line.

His love, Always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres.

Sin, No more regrets, lusts, chokes, it disappears.

Turn it all over to Him, Let Him come in and take over cause this is the love He is and has for you to conquer evil and get back to Him. Its not easy as He says, but it’s the true love we all want and need.

Application:

Today I will write out how His love is protecting, trust worthy, hopeful, and is keeping on in what He has been putting on my heart and having me walk through to get closer to Him.  

Evil no. Truth yes.

1 Corinthians 13:6

Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.

Love does not take pleasure in evil, in the wrong, in lies. But it does find gladness and celebrates with the truth.  When I think about this verse, I like to say to myself well of course Love doesn’t take pleasure or delight in evil.  Love is God. And evil has nothing to do with love, not one bit of love will you find in evil, not one.  God creates everything you find and see on this earth, it comes from Love, it is made with love, however evil is not. And because evil doesn’t come from Love and has nothing to do with it and is down right bad, why would love want to take pleasure in it, be glad along side it? It wouldn’t.

            The evil lies and wrong doing that I still have within me; the Holy Spirit does not find pleasure in. In fact He detest them and I hate them. I want them gone.  They just aren’t apart of the true me.  As I further my walk with the Lord I see how they aren’t apart of me because I am beginning to know Him more which allows me to know me more and now I’m realizing that these lies in me that I still walk in, aren’t suppose to be there.  And I can rejoice, find gladness with the fact that the truth will see me free from those lies, allowing God to finish the good work He started in me.  I know He finds no pleasure with the lies and evil ways within me either, so He takes every moment with me to work out all the kinks. And then We both can celebrate together finding great cheer in the Loving truth.

Application:

There is something I have done where no gladness can be found, so I am praying that a letter will we cheer by letting the truth be known.

Not easy to not hold

1 Corinthians 13:5

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Yeeeha, now what in tar nation do we have here?  Is only polite, only does good work and lives for others, stays calm, and will only remember what you do right. Who are we even talking about? Anyone of this world? Anyone? Please raise your hand if this is you cause I wanna shake it.  Nah, no one. Only one man has ever walked this earth who has had all these qualities about Himself, and if you have been rolling with me on these blogs I am sure you could guess it’d be only Jesus Christ.  But other than that you cant tell me that you only are these words that are being used to describe love.

The LOVE. TRUE LOVE. Ladies and gents this here is what true love is. Now a show of hands who wants this? Who wants this to be shown and expressed to them on a day to day process?  Everyone does. Even if you don’t have your hand up maybe cause you think you don’t deserve this kind of love, you should put it up anyway because you gotta know none of us truly deserve it.  Not a single person should feel like they deserve this love. Cause the One person who has wanted to give you this love your whole life, you’ve walked away from.  And because you have turned away a looked else where, why then do you think you still ought to have it.  If you are seeking love from this world, whether it be money, sex, drugs, music, you name it, if you are seriously trying to find love like this through the world, your not going to get it.

After trying to find love through all these worldly pleasures, I finally broke.  I needed this love, but I had no idea where to get it.  Someone told me that God is love and that He is ready to have me experience, be held by, and share this love.  We all were made to feel this love even though this love doesn’t even seem like it’d exist. Seems like it’s not of this world. Well that’s because its not. True love made the world it doesn’t come from it. Is only polite, only does good work and lives for others, stays calm, and will only remember what you do right. The Man to know where to find this, Jesus Christ and He wants you to know this love and share it.

Application:

Today I need to at least be one of these, so I will meditate in prayer that I at no point today bring into mind of keeping records of wrong.

Let me share

1 Corinthians 13:4

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up.

The love from God is the most beautiful thing.  For those who don’t know the love God is and has, your truly missing out.  Most that think they have and give love I have a feeling it’s not the love God is, in fact I’m sure it’s not everything Gods love is. God’s love is forever patient and it wants nothing more than what it is.  It thinks nothing of itself but cares all for others.  Its perfect, its what everyone needs.  It will make you feel so whole and so wanted and so needed.  We don’t know true love unless we know Jesus Christ.  Love, I’m sorry, as much as Valentines Day is cute, pink, and cuddly, and where some wait for an entire year to have all fake love be thrown up on the world, that’s just not what it is.  Its really not even Christmas, Christmas has too been turned into a day where it’s all about what we get and not what we give.  It’s turned from true love to “I want” and “hurry up”.  Weddings even, have been made from a moment where two who are truly in love and are being joined together to face the world for the rest of their days on earth are now happening for all the wrong reasons.  Where has true love gone, and when did it leave?  Or has it ever been here? Has Gods love been the only love that has ever been present without all the lies and fake love attached? Im thinking in the garden before the big tumble was the only time where true love its true self, patient and wanting nothing but to be for others and didn’t care of itself, truly kind hearted.  I want to not only have Gods love, but also be able to give it.  I feel like I am full of love, but I’m so far from it.

Application:

Today I pray that God shows me His love to the point of where I can understand it so well, I will use it to help someone who needs to feel Gods true love. Have Him be able to use me to share it.

Wanna be Home

John 8:35

Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.

Being a slave to this world, to sin.  You feel like you are a part of it, as if it is your home to be safe and sound, but after time it will shut you down, turn you out and put you back out into the cold once again.  It will never be for you a constant home.  Its not very nice.  Quite rotten actually. It will look real good on the outside and even when you get in its pretty cool, but it will come to an end. And when you start to realize its ending, and that’s one of the most uncomfortable, not welcoming, cold, confusing, feeling that could ever pass through the mind and heart. And you feel like your not a part of anything anymore, lost once again, looking for somewhere to go, someone to take you in and give you a permanent home.

I was a slave to MDMA. Ecstasy some call it.  The love drug for others. And man oh man, this drug was just like the world.  Real nice on the outside, comes in a few different forms. Attractive, what people say it is you cant say no.  So you do it, you enter into its home.  Nothing really happens at first kinda like, why am I here again, maybe I should do something else, this just doest seem right.  Then in a weird way its like it knows your feeling that way so all of a sudden BOOM with a capital B.  It takes you in. What feelings, something like you’ve never felt before and I’m saying never. Its like being put into a nice fitting silk foamy suit and rolled back and forth back and forth. And when people are around you want to reach out to them, hold on to them and never let them go. These people especially the ones who have been doing it longer than you, invite you in like they want to be your brother or sister.  So your rolling around with these people that you believe you love to death and that love you back and it can last for hoursssss. But then something starts to change.  The silk starts turning into cotton and this cotton is soaked and starts to feel cold.  And the foam that gave you this protective comfort is turning into like an itchy feeling that wont go away. And these people you loved and thought loved you back are now strangers making you feel like you’ve never known them and you don’t know why.

Why is this? It was all so good, felt so good, looked so good. The love was so good. But wasn’t real.  It was caused by something a human made, it was never meant to be everlasting.  It didn’t want you to feel like this forever, you had to keep taking it to get back, but even then you never felt that first initial love.

This is how the world makes you a slave, never truly permanent belonging to something.  So to become a part of the family that will take you in and give you comfort forever and ever, and make you not of this world but in it as a family member who is so loved that the Father would have his Son die for you to invite you in, to set you free from your slavery. Well the Father willingly had His Son die for you, and you have to accept that He did that for you. He was willing to give up His own Son to have you be adopted in, cause He doesn’t want you to be of this world anymore. Jesus Christ the Son of God will have you be a son in His family and it will be permanent and the love is everlasting.

Application:

I will write a letter to a kid back home who I showed ecstasy to and explain to him that it isn’t anything compared to how great and everlasting Jesus Christ’s love is.

I sin so ISA slave

John 8:34

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

I was born a slave.  Owned, didn’t have a say.  Beaten sometimes, raped even, for I was nothing, but dirt.  I didn’t matter. I had no purpose for what had me captive. For what kept me in chains.  I didn’t have a chance; it was truly over before I started.  And I could do nothing, pay nothing, trade anything, do great things, nothing could I do to release my bonds from my master.  Now who was this master?  This master is powerful, convincing, sneaky, dirty, and sick.  Selfish, thinks of no one but itself.  It wants you to believe that you can only win if you do what it says.  This master doesn’t care about your well being but your well desires.  This master name is sin.  And as soon as I was born, it was in me. Passed down from many generations, well all generations, passed from the first right on down to august 18^th 1989 Jordan Cole was born.  A flesh that burned to praise and worship but chose to not have it be our creator.  It wanted to be the creator, it wanted to be the right. But as we all know it was the wrong.  And like I said I am a slave to this and there is nothing I can do to have it release me.  But my Creator, the one who not only knows the truth, that being the flesh can neither be the right or the wrong just a creation to love God and live for Him with all and all that he is, but is truth.  He can do something to make this right, to make things fall back into their place.  It was His call to have us be forgiven.  And He did. He set us free from being a slave to sin.  From being not able to say no to what we thought was right, but to listen and do all from that Who made us.  He paid the price that we couldn’t.  We couldn’t even die to be released, but He could, and He did.  He wanted us free so bad from all the evil that was now in us, He loved us so much to see us live in love, He died for us.  He tells us the truth. We are a slave to sin because we sin, but we can be set free by accepting His gift and His gift alone. Jesus Christ who dies for us all to be free.

Application:

Today I will ask Him to reveal a sin I am still enslave to. 

I think I am not.

John 8:33

They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

Before  I came to know Christ, I wouldn’t have thought I was a slave to anything or anyone.  I had no idea how bound I was to all the lies drugs made my mind believe and how the world told me lies about how to fit in and be a man.  If you had sex with a lot of different girls and got in fights and played sports and were good at it all, you’d be doing good in the worlds standards.  What a messed up lie, makes me sick to even think that’s what went through my head at one point in my life. And not only did I believe and do half those things, but I also encouraged others to do the same.  Also drugs.  The wacked out crazy thinker ones and that one that makes you believe you understand true love.  What a lie, what a slave you become to this false not natural was of living and thinking and feeling. Such a slave, so captive, and so scary.  The truth did set me free. It made me realize that I didn’t need to take the hearts of Gods precious fragile princesses and make them feel worthless and we do make them feel worthless. However, they all need to know they are loved by a love far greater than what man can show them especially through anything physical. And I didn’t need to prove my manhood by making other guys faces bleed. And sports, I am sorry to those who idolize them but they are a joke and not worth one aggressive thought or any negative emotion.  Jesus Christ made me understand that this world lies, and that He could lead me to be a great man of Himself and be able to feel, emote, and think in ways that would lead to righteousness and truth.  Thank you Lord for taking me out of the dark heavy gloomy chains and handing me a rope that leads to You that I can always put down and walk away from, ha but who would want to do that.

Application:  

Today I am going to share the truth with someone who doesn’t know it, and pray God sets them free.

Rap 4 Matt

John 8:32

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

Im sorry that I lead you astray, made you think it was right for your mind to be a slave.  A slave to a lie, where it was cool to wanna die.  Die to this world thinking that there was a dreamers more. Creating a world where the ceiling is the floor.  I helped you make believe that we were our own gods, and that we would someday be living in the thickness of fog, fog from the smoke that alphabet called L’s. but really we would soon be living in that dark placed called hell.  The lies held us captive not able to see straight.  lies that seemed so good that maybe wed take flight. Actually able to fly, we thought as we pondered. Colliding dreams and reality we started growing found of.  But it wasn’t real, it was a sick trick, an acid trip.  Or two,  a few too far, but not enough to not remove the scar.  Not too long gone for the One who gave us the words for the song. The song to bring cheer, cheer for an eternity not just a year.  A man with the answers that we were trying to find. Something so twisted but straight itd blow Einstein’s mind. The truth that was in front of us but we chose to be blind.

Youd stayed blind while I can now see. I found what always was missing from under my feet. Over my head and that tucked me in at night in the morning making my bed.  Love was it and we looked all wrong.  It was God, but not us, not me not you.  God is the Truth and will set you free from what we buried ourselves in.  it was never to deep to be dug out.  He wants to help us all out. Jesus Christ is truth, and He will set you free from your minds wicked insane wacked out thoughts for free. Im sorry but the God you were looking to follow for truth, it wasn’t and never will be you or me.

Application: 

Today I will write this rap out on paper and send it to my old best friend who got held up by lies with a sealed prayer that God uses this to show him that Jesus is the only truth and will set him free.   

No lies.

John 8:31

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.

The ones He was speaking to believed Him.  They had to have a trust in Him that He was telling the truth.  That what He was saying was a part of reality and not something that could be but wasn’t.  What He was saying what truth not a lie.

            The next statement He makes is saying if they follow His teaching, His way, His path, His righteousness, they will be true disciples, true followers of Himself.  I love this.  I love that He is saying teaching, not teachings. He is saying way, not ways.  There is only one.  How awesome! If there is only one teaching, one way, then it must be the best and most real, and will make you so less confused when you take on life, for it will be clear and you can understand it and eventually find an answer because its present, its real, its truth, and there is only one.

            The next part, you are really my disciples, He is saying in other translations, you are truly my disciples. In other words you are true followers of Jesus. Not a phony but true.  You know the truth, so you can follow it.  The verse is a circle stating the word truth.  Jesus wants us to know He is truth.

Application:

Today I will stay in Truth, I will pray that The Holy Spirit keeps me away from old lies and new, but if I do lie, I be convicted and on the spot confess and ask for forgiveness.

Can you see what happened to him

Acts 3:10

They recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 

Wonder and amazement is the feeling they had rush through them. Ha. Who wouldn’t?  could you seriously imagine? Seeing a man who has never been able to walk, be able to spring up like a daisy by what it looks like two men just had a conversation with him.  It was no ordinary conversation. If fact it wasn’t the conversation that made it happen.  It was the power of our wonderful God. Nothing else could make something completely be healed without looking back to see if it actually is gone.

I know friends who used drugs day and night, then stopped using and now say they are clean. But they aren’t, they may not be using the drug daily, but they still are looking back not letting go and not letting the healing completely be real. Releasing them from their bondage.

I recently met a young man who use to use drugs and once the power of God and only the power of God was used to heal him of  what use to control his life brings such amazement and awe to my heart.  It can be done. A healing that allows you to never look back, to be completely released of all the pain and suffering.  Only God can bring and apply such power to change a life for good.

Application:

Today I will pray for my friend and others who cant let go completely of what holds their lives in bondage that they will experience Gods healing touch and be completely turned from what will make all be in awe and wonder. 

I am becoming someone new.

Acts 3:7

And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.  

How many times has God lifted us up by His mighty right hand when parts of us are broken and need to be given strength and made whole though Him. 

When you don’t know Christ as I did, you usually turn to the things of this world to help in time of need.  Sometimes drugs, sometimes music, yourself  a lot of the times and when I personally  was so brought down either emotionally, mentally, and even sometimes physically, I would go to my mom. 

But none of these could truly repair any damage that was done.  Whatever it may be. I have learned since my walk in Christ Jesus, that He is the only true healer that can make anything that is broken, whole. And He wants too.  He wants you to reach out to Him, in faith, believing that there is something different about this, and to act on it as the man who couldn’t walk did by knowing that Peter had something different to offer, so He can bring you to the healing and wholeness you need.

Application:

Today Ill pray throughout the day that out of  the jealousy I have will be restored with something knew, and strong, with faith.

What do we need?

Acts 3:6

Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you.  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.

But what I have I give you. I love this.  Most people in this world would have loved silver or gold, thinking that it can solve all problems.  It cant, and that’s good because that’s not what Peter had to offer.  What he had to offer can do much more than get you the things you need, even if it is money to find the best cure for cancer.  What he had and what I love most about this is what we have if we have the faith can straight up take cancer out of the body and have it never return.  What Peter had and what we have now is the Holy Spirit being dwelling inside of us.  And if we able to let Him flow knowing its power like Peter not only could we tell a man who has never been able to use his legs to walk, we could tell him to run. Silver and gold just isn’t the answer. Jesus is. What he gives us to be able to walk in we have never been able to use our legs is faith. Believe the Holy Spirit can do all because He is all.

Application:

Today I will ask the Spirit have me do something or get something I would have never thought I could do or need. And ill use it to glorify His Kingdom.

Do a jig when yous up n about

Acts 3:8

He jumped to his feet and began to walk.  Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.

This verse to me explains perfectly what a born again believer acts and lives like in the very beginning of his journey with Christ, especially one who was just taken out of the worldly ways.  So on fire, wanting to run before they can even crawl.  Most likely if the one or ones who brought them to Christ they are more than likely to follow at first.  Once in the church all you can do is reach out to others telling them your story praising God for what He has done.  But that’s only the beginning.  My next thought is the parable of the sower as Matthew 13: 18-23.  You can fall into different soils as a new seed ready to be planted.  Some stay on great soil for you to grow and produce fruit, become an great follower of Jesus, others get snatched back into the world, some don’t grow roots so if troubles come they have no support to hold them down so it wont last very long. Others just don’t understand it and get tied up by lies of the evil one and are drawn back into the darkness.

            I pray that all new believers are dropped on great soil to really dig in and start a great relationship with the Lord and find themselves grown into big beautiful fruit filled trees.  Hopefully the ones they followed into the church and the church itself will continue to stoke their fire so it doesn’t go out.

Application:

Today I will pray for all my friends and family members who are quite new in Christ to stay on fire for the Lord and that God does amazing things in their lives.

Its a Rap.

Act 3:9

When all the people saw him walking and praising God.

When all the people saw him….Check it..When all my friends and family saw me…

Jordan? Yes. Wait what? I know. How? God. Who? God. Wait what? Believe me I know, but I know you don’t.  Do you still love me? Of course I sill love you. But Im not like you, I once was not like me, theres hope for you. Why do you come home? Do you not want me to come home? Im sorry. Don’t be. J dog want a hit of this joint? Nah man, Im good. Your good? IM good. You’ve never been good. I am now. What happened? Jesus. Who? Jesus. That’s wack man, but I guess its what it is. Its what it is.

You see me now, walking and talking like ive never before. Thinking I was cool and a leader but now face on the floor. Crying out to the one who’s ready to bring me home, its been time enough for the world whos on the line, to now get off the phone.  You don’t understand and that’s ok neither did I.  scales over thine eyes so scared ready to die.  Lost in darkness trying to find my way to hell. But then I found the answer, Jesus, class over theres the bell.

When people saw me walking and praising God, questions came up. Some fell away but others stood up. Watching me closely knowing something’s not right. But after I shared the Word of God they then saw the light.  Praise God always. People are watching for all that you do. Waiting to see a mess up maybe say your through. Hold on tight and know how right it is. Praise God always cause you’ve always been His.

Application:

I pray today for the ones who have been watching especially my mom, in hope that they have seen such a difference they knew it couldn’t be just me doing the change. 

For Him and only Him

1 Corinthians 12:11

All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

Everything is done through the one Holy Spirit.  He is what takes the good works that He has made come alive and bring them through all of the body of Christ.  Before anything was actually made and created, it was already laid out and complete.  He made the Body of Christ, knowing exactly what He needed for the questions what how why and when.  God made us each play a specific role and He equips us by the Spirit to be able to fulfill the parts of the body we need to be and perform to make all be one and have Him be shown and glorified.  We are all given everything we need through Him to complete the good and perfect will as He has always had planned.

I need to remember its not me or my plan that makes me who I am, but Gods so everything I do today that is good and glorifies His kingdom, I will give Him praise and press on to complete the next challenge He gives me even if it wont matter to anyone but Him if I do it.

1 Corinthians 12:7

1 Corinthians 12:7

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

Given. The Spirit, The good and wonderful Holy Spirit who is only good was given to all.  He was made into the flesh, embodied if you will…to be made known to all of us to have for only good.  We were able to see what He does everyday, through things like knowledge and wisdom flowing through us making Him alive and able to be made known.

Today I will see where the Spirit in made live in the little things and make a list of them.

His Him He, will be done.

1 Corinthians 12:11

All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

Everything is done through the one Holy Spirit.  He is what takes the good works that He has made come alive and bring them through all of the body of Christ.  Before anything was actually made and created, it was already laid out and complete.  He made the Body of Christ, knowing exactly what He needed for the questions what how why and when.  God made us each play a specific role and He equips us by the Spirit to be able to fulfill the parts of the body we need to be and perform to make all be one and have Him be shown and glorified.  We are all given everything we need through Him to complete the good and perfect will as He has always had planned.

Application:

I need to remember its not me or my plan that makes me who I am, but Gods so everything I do today that is good and glorifies His kingdom, I will give Him praise and press on to complete the next challenge He gives me even if it wont matter to anyone but Him if I do it.

Just good.

1 Corinthians 12:7

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

Given. The Spirit, The good and wonderful Holy Spirit who is only good was given to all.  He was made into the flesh, embodied if you will…to be made known to all of us to have for only good.  We were able to see what He does everyday, through things like knowledge and wisdom flowing through us making Him alive and able to be made known.

Application:

Today I will see where the Spirit in made live in the little things and make a list of them.

Presents on Christmas

1 Corinthians 12:4

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same spirit.

Christmas time roles around the corner once a year.  And when you buy presents for lets say your family. you can go in any sort of direction when it comes to what you get them.  A couple things to take not is your probably not going to give them all the same gift. They are all going to different and unique depending on the family member.  And these gifts are going to put a smile on their face and allow them to us it for what you believe they would need to mesh with the kind of person they are and what is happening in their lives.
     So same idea with the Holy Spirit.  He gives you gifts, real good gifts mind you for you to use to help glorify Gods kingdom.  And according to who you are, what you do and where you heart is at and who you affect daily, the body of Christ will all have different gifts.

Application:
I will pray that God will reveal me true gifts He has blessed me with and hopefully soon take a spiritual gift test within the next two weeks to see if they lines up.

Galioth vs me.

1 Corinthians 12:3
Therefore i tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.

God is the only one who can bring us to God.  Through all that God does, he glorifies and betters His Kingdom. He does all the work and gets all the praise.  Nothing we do can make Him love us more or love us less.  If Jesus is within us, He will show us His love, making us not able to ever hate him, for we will understand that He is love, truth, and peace.  he allows us to know good and be able to follow His example.  But it wasn't until He died and rose again, having His spirit lay upon us, if we except that He did just that.  Romans 8:15 says, For yo did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the spirit of sonship, And by Hum we cry, Abba, Father.  he is the one who allows us to know Jesus is God.  Letting go of the flesh and allowing the power of the Holy Spirit to do and complete the challenge, not even Galioth can stand in the our way.

Application:
Today I will pray that the Holy Spirit has me allow Him to do his job calling out to my Heavenly Father and knowing He will give me the strength for and challenge for He is putting me through it to better His Kingdom.

Its not only me here I should know.

1 Corinthians 12:1
Now about spiritual gifts brothers, I don't want you to be ignorant.

The kind, the brave, the gentle, the angry, the violent, the loving, the giving, the destroyer, the jealous, the one who cant sleep, the ones who are great at speaking, the one to start and the one to finish. The one who dream up their lives and then there are the ones who live out their dreams.  There are so many different kinds of people in this world. For the life of Jesus all people are made for good works so you will see God using different people to play certain roles to better His Kingdom.
        A part that I play can be the role of a leader. This role I am battling with this very day.  I am battling because in being a great leader you have to be a great follower.  I cant always do that. Sometimes I feel I need to throw everyone on my back and bring us all to the finish.
        God has been working on me to give up being an ignorant leader.  I cant do it all. Along with having spiritual gifts.  I cant have them all just because sometimes I want to be the whole body of Christ, thinking that I am helping by having people not have to play their role. I cant be and do it all.
      
Application:
Today I will pray to God that He allows me to have opportunities to play my rile in the family and not over due it or become ignorant and want to do it all.  

Going Home soon.

Mark 8:38
For whoever is ashamed of Me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of hum the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the Holy angels.

Ashamed in Websters dictionary means feeling shame.  Shame means a painful feeling of having lost the respect of others because of improper behavior, also dishonor or disgrace.
   Knowing this, this scripture is saying Anyone who is feeling a lack of respect because of My improper behavior or dishonor and disgrace of Me and My Word. Well hold up, let me stop right there. If you are feeling a lack of respect of Jesus, go home.  Go home and keep to yourself, puck up the Bible and read.  After you have read any of the Word of God and are still having the feeling, lack of respect towards Jesus, it is probably because it convicts you of sin and you cant except the truth.  But please know that all have sun and Jesus came to let us be free of that, He came and showed love, true love, and truth spoken with love, and if you missed that message, it may be your caught up in the world and cant let go. You cant let go of what haunts you and be released from the evil one's bondage.  It truly doesn't even make sense that you are ashamed of God and His word, yet I understand because I not too long ago felt this way.  But realize He loves you more than anyone ever can and if you put all your trust in Him, He will turn things around for you and make life a life to follow Christ where you will find yourself doing good and surrounded by good.

Application:
Today I will pray and ask God to convict me of a sin that I am unaware of and thank Him for He is bring me that much closer to Him.  I will then ask for forgiveness and repent.

Lights on please

Mark 8:37
Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

This is a tricky question and to know the answer to this is understand that maybe you shouldn't answer it.
Well understand this... If your at the point to answer this question you have probably come to the end of yourself living in this worldly adventure without Christ.  You are at the point where you understand that you don't have a soul.. You understand that your soul needs to be in the light.  it need to be in the Truth.  It needs to be given to God, to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.  And when you realize that you don't have your soul in the light and your in complete darkness, your going to do and give whatever you can to find that light switch so you can finally see the truth.  And you can't just give it all...everything you are and have away and then think your right at the switch to turn it on. No way my brothers and sisters, you need to call out to the Man who is always standing at the switch waiting for you to know that if you keep walking around in the dark, everything you have won't be anything real because in the darkness you can't see it what it truly is. This is the Man is Jesus.  Know Him and love Him because he wants you to know your soul was given to you by God and what is actually important by seeing it in the light.  Leave the darkness, call out to the Man next to the switch.

Application:
Today I will call out on my face if I start to wander from being under the light, the truth, the love from Jesus Christ.

play n monopoly

Mark 8:36
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

This is a great question. And if you had asked me this question a year ago, I'd probably tell you that I'd sell my soul to the devil if I could have the whole world.  Man oh man son, I'd have everything any man could ever want. have the world for sure, be running it, sitting at the top.  Then I would find myself someday looking up at the great White Thrown being told my name wasn't in the book of life. Sigh...big sigh. Shouldn't have sold my soul to the devil because now I'll be sent down to the pit of fire with him along with the material world I gained from the trade of my soul which could have been given to God to be in perfect peace, love, and truth for eternity.  Bottom line, I wouldn't and anyone else would profit anything from gaining the world and losing there soul, but torment day and night for eternity.  I am going to give my soul back to God and not worry about anything of this world.

Application:
Today I will pray and focus on serving others and put then before me so I am not distracted by the things I have been thinking about of this world.

The Law of Attraction may work for sum

Mark 8:35
For whoever desires to save his his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospels will save it.

The first part of this verse, for whoever desires to save his life will lose it brings me right back to the life i lived prior to knowing the Lord.  It reminds me of how I was trying to live my life based off of the law of attraction.  For those of you who don't know what this is, it is pretty much you are your own god.  You are directly connected to the universe by your feelings and thoughts making you able to draw and push away anything you want by just thinking or feeling about having it, whatever that may be.
      Ridiculous most would say, but for a out of this world drug taker it was right up my ally.  I started in right away trying to attract the most worldly things into my life.  Anything and everything I wanted, I believed I could have for this theory told me I could.  I was trying to create my life, thinking I might be able to make it better.  Thinking I could hold on to the things that everyone thought they wanted.  I personally believing I was my own god, trying to save my life by not being real to myself or a part of reality by creating my own destiny.  It didn't work. I not only never gained anything I was trying to obtain, but I lost my mind in the process. I now am day to day submitting to Christ, laying my life down at the front of the cross, making Jesus and His word first and foremost in my life.

Application:
Today every time I catch myself trying to hold on to being prideful, I will pray to God to have me give it up and find a verse in His word to replace it.

A time and not a time to be what I be

Acts 2:46
So continuing daily in one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, They ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart.

As believers we remember day in and day out that there is one agreement within the church and that we all agree upon, is knowing that our Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God and our deliverer from our sin.  As a church we seek to remember and acknowledge together what Jesus did for us on the cross. He had to come to this world and die for us because there was not one person who was clean and not of sin. Not one. There was now no one God could put on a boat and have the rest destroyed, so how thankful are we! We had the one who was blameless and perfect come down from heaven, not to just forgive one person by who knows how, but die for all of us, so we could spend the rest of eternity in perfect love and peace. He was the sacrificial lamb and all who believe this will be saved.  When we think of what Jesus did for us on the cross we need to feel complete joy! Not sad, mad, or any negative feeling, but have a smile on our face every day knowing the simple fact that God loves us so much He'd die for us and that is exactly what He did. Come together all and rejoice!

Application:
Today, I need to make sure I hear exactly what God has to say to me through Paster G. I know I am trying to play a part that I am not necessarily suppose to be, only play when God calls me to that role through hearing His still, small voice. I will be seeking Him in prayer about this the whole day.

need neeed neeed neeeeed. no. want.

Acts 2:45
And sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

Need. What do I need? Before Jesus was the Lord of my life I thought I needed many of things.  And I made sure I had them because I was told of I didn't have them I  would...Somone would think....People would say...I would... honestly i don't know why I needed them I just did.  I believed almost everyone needed them (well except dem Jesus freaks) and if they had them, I wanted what they had.  I needed money; that was the biggest because if I had money, I could buy the clothes that I needed, the car that I needed, the drugs I needed, the food of course I needed, and if I had all these cool awesome ill sick wicked coool things that I needed, I would get the girls that I needed, so I could have sex which was most important of the things that I needed.
         Then after I had all these things that I needed, I still felt completely empty. How could this be?  Well one night a Jesus freak, yes, a girl who loved Jesus told me in a nut shell that there was only one thing I've only ever needed. (In my head "sex with you?") She said it. The word and name that changed my life.  The word and name that made me realize that everything that I've ever thought I needed was a lie because it was everything that I wanted and what I wanted wasn't going to save me from eternity in hell.  This word and name showed me truth. It showed e that all I ever needed was love and that I could give up all these awesome sick ill wicked cool things for a love that will never leave.  Jesus. Jesus Christ made me realize I could give away everything I once thought I needed, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally too.  Now what I have and truly need, I'm able to to share it and bring others to know the truth, so they too can live a new life in Jesus Christ and not in this world where they believe they need it.

Application:
Today when I think I need something, I am going to pray and seek the Lord to see if it is something of Him and no just something that I want.

My new puppy.

Acts 2:44
All the believers were together and had everything in common.

Feeling trapped, suffocated. All doors locked around you, wanting out but no escape.  Heart pounding so hard and fast, the person sitting next to me I'm sure can count the beats.  So many known ideas to put out on the table for comfort, but realizing at this moment it is only comfort for myself.  The others... All in relation, sharing a love that i just cannot make real. A love for this world. How distant I've become. How I once was able to join in this broken circle, but now old things have completely, well almost completely passed away. My hands are now on the plow and there is no chance of turning into a pile of salt from looking back.  In this scripture, all these believers were together. In situations I've encountered like the one I just described, I longed for just one or two believers making our Lord present among us.  Then the ground we stood on would be a common structure making it solid.  Solid for it is the only truth.  Truth. Everything then would be common if only truth were its base.  All would be held together by reality, Gods truth, Jesus Christ.

Application:
I need to fast to be thankful for the believers I'm becoming a family with at PFR and how we all stand on common TRUTH.

Don't ask...Just know.

Acts 2:43
Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.

All jaws drop... no words come out. Silence sweeps over, eyes peeled wide open, not ready to close so they miss nothing. some in shock, not understanding what just took place.  Some even scared because there is no way this could ever happen. Yes, like as if you saw a ghost. Awe struck wonder.  Questions ask what? Did that just happen? No, there is no way! Wanting to see it again for proof.  almost angry that its over.  Angry at what though? That they need to see it again to get back to that feeling. Or how are they ever going to get someone to believe this has happened?  Does it matter? They wont believe you or maybe they saw it, but it was too unreal to be real, not possible or natural. Almost super natural, something not of this world.  But wait what happened!? Interested are we not? One word, one answer, one name. Jesus. Yes Jesus Christ, died on the cross after being almost beaten to a state no one would want to imagine. This man died, but because He wasn't just a man, He was God. He rose again, performing a miracle that nothing of this earth could try, do, or compare to. Jaws dropped... People in awe and unbelief. How? Why? No how, no why. God. Have faith for He does, sees, and is all.

Application:
I need to have faith that there is nothing God cant do, even if it seems impossible for any man. I will have the finances to finish out Potters Field Ministry Ranch.

Not just one...

Acts 2:42

They devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching and to the fellowship to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

When i first came to know the Lord, I found that all four of these weren't becoming a part of my life. I knew they were needed; prayer, fellowship, the word, remembrance and acknowledgment of what Jesus did, but I believe i was trying and focussing in on one at a time to grasp and do. As some time past and wisdm was gained I started to realize how these things weren't so separate in fact they are all so closely related, I was finding in the Word, I needed to pray and I began to pray for fellowship and for my prayers being answered. I was able to praise the Lord and thank Him for everything He does with my new brothers and sisters.

Application:

I need to be open to all ways of God; prayer, fellowship, His Word, remembrance, and fasting , to be directed and shown love rather than give all my attention on do any one thing.