Why LOVE?

“I’m Going To Let You Have It!”

Have ever you been driving down the road and you’ve come upon a car with Ohio tags driving 25 mph in the left lane?  Maybe you've experienced the feelings that surge through you when you’ve run to Publix to pick up 1 or 2 items and you're in the 20 items or less lane and there's a guy with 40 items!  Or maybe you have the neighbor that seems to prefer his dog uses your yard rather than his lush, green paradise that he spends 50 hours a week working on? 

Every day there are opportunities to lose it!  Opportunities to get mad.  Those moments when you want to "let them have it"!  Well, you can't.  It's just not worth it when it comes to your walk with God and I’m going to tell you why!

Faith Works By Love

In the book of Galatians it tells us that “faith works by love” (Gal. 5:6).  Knowing that faith is that which brings you the things of God, we must understand that love is the highway on which it travels.  If there is no road for faith to travel, faith will not work.  

God Is Love

Now you may be asking ‘why’?  How can this be?  To answer this question we have to understand what or who love is.  In 1 John 4:8 we find “God is Love”.  God doesn’t just give off love, He doesn’t simply speak love, GOD IS LOVE.  He’s the source of Love!  

With this new revelation you will now understand why “Love cast out fear” in 1 John 4:18 and why 1 Corinthians 13 refers of those that don’t love others as “making meaningless noise or clanging cymbals”.  Paul goes on to say it’s doesn’t matter what I’ve done, if “I have not love (God's love in me), I gain nothing.” Of course, because God is Love!  No Love, no God!

Love vs. Hate

So many Christians are defeated because they don’t realize the absence of Love is hate and the absence of hate is Love.  We like to think that hate is when I want to take baseball bat and hit someone over the head with it!  Yes, that’s hate!  But hate is also anything less than Love.  If you want to know the truth, here it is.  When we allow ourselves to lose compassion, genuine Love for another individual we’ve stepped into hate.  There is no middle ground when Love vs. hate!  Once you step out of Love you enter hate and once you step out of hate you enter Love.

Have you ever heard someone say, “I don’t hate them, I just don’t like them”?  Or maybe you’ve even said, “that person bugs me.  They’re not my type!”  Your type?  Are we God’s type as we speak of others in this way? No.  Both of these statements come out of hatred!  Don’t believe me?  You certainly wouldn’t think these were Love statements, would you?  Remember, Biblically there is no middle ground.

It’s Dangerous Out There!

As Christians, we must understand the reality of true Love and walking in Love with those around us.  When we allow ourselves to get outside of Love we put ourselves in a very dangerous place...a place where our faith won’t work!  And faith is the only way we will ever receive from God! 

So start today walking in Love.  Repent for those times where you’ve allow hate to creep in.  Choose to Love people, even your enemies!  Decide today that you are going to live, speak and walk in God’s Love no matter what happens!  And don’t be surprised when you begin seeing your prayers answered and things beginning to work out for your best...because faith works by LOVE!

I love you all... I really do!

Charles

Christian//Take Your Seat!

You're Fired!

Can you imagine if the police officer said, "I don't want to stop traffic?" or "Do I really have to arrest that criminal?"  Our response would be, "Do your job!"  It wouldn't take long for that police officer to lose his job and to be honest, I hope he does!  Well, what if, as christians, we could be fired?  I can almost hear Donald Trump delivering those words as he glares into the eyes of that weak, powerless, prayer-less saint, "You're fired!"  Can you imagine that?  Well, again there are some I would like to fire, but thank God I'm not in charge...or am I?

Let's read what Paul has to say...

"I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. 21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. 22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church."  Ephesians 1:19-22 NLT

Notice Paul begins in verse 19 praying that we understand what God has done and then he begins to explain it!  The right hand of God is the place of authority and notice that Christ has authority over everything!   Did he say everything? Get ready Paul is setting us up for something!  Now notice where we have been seated!!

Take Your Seat

"But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!) 6 For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:5-7 NLT

What?  I'm seated with Christ?  As my good friend Rick Zigler says, "Yup!"  Did you get that?  God in His rich mercy raised us from the dead with Christ and seated us with Christ at His right hand...the highest place of authority!  This means that the real Christian has Jesus' authority on this earth and heaven's power backing them!  Authority and power!

Notice the word grace in verse 7, which means we were given something we didn't deserve.  Meaning God gave us this place of authority we didn't deserve, but because of Jesus and what He did for us, we got it!  This points to the greatness that God gave to us from Ephesians 1:20.

You Are His Son/Daughter...act like it!

Have you ever said those words to your kids? I have...many times!  Just the other day I was with my 4 year old son Chris at Target and he wanted another toy!   Never mind that his birthday was last week, he wanted another toy.   After a few moments of trying to reason with a 4 year old (I have no idea what I was thinking!), I sternly whispered into his ear, "You are my son and my son does not act this way!"   Well, he lowered his adorable little head and I felt like a big meanie!   But the truth was he wasn't acting like my son.  We've never allowed our children to act out in public throwing fits on the toy isle and I wasn't about to start now.  Chris is the youngest of four and there are certain expectations that Cathy and I have for our children to ensure their happiness and allowing him to act otherwise would have only hurt him in the long run.

Do you remember the many times in scripture where Jesus said to His disciples, "Where is your faith?" or "How much longer am I going to have to do this for you (paraphrasing)?"  Jesus was always trying to get His disciples to act like His disciples!  He knew they could.  He knew they had the authority.  He knew God would back them with his power, but the problem was for a long time they didn't know.  

"And because you [really] are [His] sons, God has sent the [Holy] Spirit of His Son (1 Cor. 2:11-12) into our hearts, crying, Abba (Father)! Father! 7  Therefore, you are no longer a slave (bond servant) but a son; and if a son, then [it follows that you are] an heir by the aid of God, through Christ." Galatians 4:6-7 AMP

"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, "Abba, Father." 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering." Romans 8:14-17**

Let's recap, if you've accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you are a son/daughter of God, right?  Right!  This means that everything that belongs to God belongs to you...your His heir with Jesus, right?  Right!  Ok, good so far!  Now, this also means that you are seated with Christ in that place of authority, right?  Right!  Perfect!  So my charge for you today, the real Christian, is to act like it!   

Think of all the scriptures that tell the real Christian what they should be doing...resist the devil and he must flee (James 4:8), stand firm with His armor own...hold that shield of faith...those darts can't touch you (Ephesians 6), lay hands on the sick and they will recover (Mark 16) and what about greater is He that is in you (1 John 4:4) and no weapon formed against you shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17)!  All of these take authority and YOU HAVE IT!  

Just think about this: if you step out and use your authority in faith, God will back you with His power!  Start living and acting today like the son/daughter of God you are!

By the way, I went back to Target later and bought the toy!  I know, I know what you're thinking, but he's just so cute!

I love you all, 

Charles

**Romans 8:17 Sufferings: the existence of the Church in a fallen world. The friction of good existing when evil is so prevalent. Does not refer to sickness, poverty or defeat by demonic attack. (2 Cor. 4:17)

The Real Consciousness of the Real Christian

The Consciousness of a Christian
There is one single word that expresses what God is trying to develop in all our lives.   The word is consciousness.   I really enjoy this word; it’s an amazing word. Consciousness means that which the soul knows.  It’s not what you believe, it’s not what you have existent faith for, it’s not what you hope, but that which the soul knows...it’s the very thing that has become concrete in your life.

Knowing vs. Believing
Let me explain myself when I said, “it’s not what you believe.” There is a find line between believing and knowing.  Let me show you...I believe that my car runs vs. I know that my car runs.  Knowing goes further with experience, the why and how’s of the experience. Understand?

Shoes & Clothing
Do you remember in Deuteronomy 8:4? When the Israelites were in the desert for 40 years their shoes and clothing never wore out! For 40 years! God stopped the process of decay in their shoes and clothing which they wore everyday...40 years! (and some wonder if God is against the decay of our bodies from sickness and disease!)
You see they KNEW of God’s power!

Ax Head
Think again of the story in 2 Kings 6:4-7 of the floating ax head! But you might saying, “ax heads don’t float!” I know one man that would argue with you! He knows they can float!  Are you getting git now?

Jairus
Ask Jairus in Mark chapter 5 if God can raise the dead!  Ask the women with the issue of blood for 12 years if their’s healing power in Jesus Christ...all the time, every time!  Oh yea, you're starting to get the idea!

Disciples In The Storm, Cripple man at the Pool of Bethsada, The Woman caught in Adultery...ask them if they believe and they will tell you...they KNOW!

So you must understand that it’s God’s purpose and should be the purpose of every real christian to create a nature within themselves of a consciousness of God.  A concrete knowing...


At the last World’s Fair they featured a Congress of Religions.  All the religions of the world were invited to send representatives and present their particular religion for the good of all.
Many opposed this but, I’ve always felt that if Christianity could not demonstrate its superiority over every other religion, then our Christianity has not the place and the power that Jesus said Christianity had in this world!  Now I know God’s Word to be true and we do possess that level of power...so the question is why hasn’t the Church grown deeper in her consciousness of God for it to be seen?

The Real Secret of Christianity The real secret of Christianity is a real consciousness of God. This alone will bring each of us into a place that we might live as kings and priest and demonstrate the superiority of the Son of God...beyond any one or anything in the whole earth!

I Peter 2:9
...for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

Now taking a step further... the real secret of a real consciousness of God is through acting upon our faith.  Taking that which we have chosen to believe and acting on it!  Jairus going to find Jesus.  Woman crawling to touch Jesus. Both acting on faith!

You Always Receive Through Someone Who KNOWS
Now many have received from God without knowing, but it’s always been through someone who KNOWS! I want you to be that someone!  I’m not simply trying to get you saved, healed, wealthy, protected...I’m trying to disciple you to GO OUT IN THIS WORLD AND BE JESUS!
Think about it....Why does Paul tell us in James 2:17 tells us that “faith without works is dead” Of course it is! I want each of you to make a decision, to step onto that which you believe, take whatever faith you have, in whatever area that God has taught you and GO! STEP OUT! TO KNOW HIM AND MAKE HIM KNOWN!  Today, I pray that every person reading this to receive the gift of faith! That today you will begin stepping out further with your faith than ever before and begin to enter that place of a real CONSCIOUSNESS!  You can do it!


Love you all, 
Charles

Common Sense // It's God's way of thinking!

Think People

Common sense goes along way in the Christian faith.  Many have shrugged off the concept of "using common sense" due to the misunderstanding of 1 Corinthians 2:9 "no eye has seen, nor ear has heard and no mind has imaged what God has prepared for those who love Him." The thought is, "We can't even imagine what God is doing!" or "He's going to do what ever He wants to do so I guess I'll just wait and see!" 

Read On

The problem is we haven't continued to read verses 10-16! "But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. ¹¹ No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. ¹² And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. ¹³ When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. ¹⁴ But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. ¹⁵ Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. ¹⁶ For, “Who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ." 

This portion of scripture tells us that we have "the mind of Christ" which means we can know the things of God! Now I know that the revelations we receive from God are always through the spirit, but it has to be filtered through our minds!  And that my friend, for those who have accepted Jesus and have received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, is our common sense! 

Make Up Your Mind

Think back to James 1:5-8 "If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.  ⁶Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind. ⁷For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord, ⁸[For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides]." (AMP) 

If you ask for wisdom, believe you have it. If you believe you have it, you'll start using it!  That my friends is common sense!  If you ask me for $100.00 and I give it to you, then spend it bless God! You wouldn't have asked me for it if you didn't need it! This is were the Church has to start waking up! This portion of scripture is dealing with wisdom, but this principle, of believing you have it already (faith), applies to everything God has given us through Christ Jesus.

Let Me Show You
When you find something, in God's Word, that Jesus has given us, it's our place to ask, believe and then receive by faith!
Salvation..."all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved" Romans 10:13
Healing..."by His (Jesus Christ) strips we have been healed" 1 Peter 2:21-25
Protection..."If you trust me (God)...I will give my angels charge over you..." Psalm 91
Prosperity..."I given you the ability to get wealth and to become successful..." Deut. 8:18
These are promises to ALL of those who have accepted Jesus as Lord! God wouldn't deny salvation to any person...Jesus died so man could be saved (John 3:16)!  God wants ALL His children to walk in perfect health!  Sickness & disease comes from the curse (Deut. 28) and we have been freed from the curse (Gal. 3:13).  God's heart is to keep His children safe from all harm!  The devil has come to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10) and God would never have the same agenda as the devil!  And yes, God wants you rich!  If His children don't have money how will they be able to do what He has called them to do!  Have you ever noticed how the religious people believe it's ok to beg the world for money, but they don't believe they should have it to begin with? That's crazy!  You are His son/daughter!
Use What God Gave You
I want to encourage you today to use your God-given common sense!  If you've found your answer in God's Word, ask God for it and settle it once and for all that it's yours!  That my friends is faith! 


Hebrews 11:1 "NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]."


If I have proof, then common sense says, "I have it!"
Love you all, 
Charles

Take Your Place

We Are To Reign As Kings

“For if because of one man's trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God's] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).”

Romans 5:17

This means everyone of US that has accepted Jesus Christ, as our Lord & Savior, comes into a kingly/queenly state (from God’s perspective) to reign in this life.

But The Sad Truth

We have reigned as SERVANTS, too long, in the realm of spiritual death. Man was never made to be a slave. Man was never made for slavery. Man was made to reign as kings under God. Think with me: We were created in His image. We were created in His likeness. We were created in equality with God...pure, holy...able to stand in His presence without any consciousness of inferiority. Did Adam ever pull back from God's presence? Did he ever blink when he looked into God's eyes? No, Adam walked with God. Talked with God. Fellowshipped with God. How could a created man do this? Because he was created just as pure, just as holy...He was created to be a God-man!

Realize That Adam Was Made A God-Man

Adam had such intellect that he named every animal. Every vegetable. Every fruit and each one fit and described their characteristics. He had such a vitality in his body that even after he sinned and became mortal, he lived nearly 1000 years. It took sin & death 930 years to put him on his death bed! And he didn’t even have redemption! Methuselah was 969!

Life was so abundant in their minds. These men understood their relationship with God and who they were in His eyes. Many think our life span is set due to our eating, lifestyles, etc...but we find in God's Word that it's more based on how we think, what we know or don't know. Their understanding of life, the life that God gave them, was so tremendous that it conquered century after century! When God can do this with man...then you have to believe this man belongs in the realm of God!

Life Abundantly

The key is we have to comes to a real conscious grip, a full understanding of what John 10:10 says, “I have come that You might have life and have that life more abundantly!”

What was lost in the garden has been returned...for you to take! God has given you dominion over His works!

God has made you His understudy! His king to rule over everything! Look back at Romans 5:17 “For if because of one man's trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God's] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).”

Take Your Place

Friends, if you believe what I’m teaching you, it’s going to end of your impotence and weakness, and you will swing out into a power such as you have never known in your life. Jesus did not come to produce a weak race, but ones of power, authority...kings and queens on the earth to rule over everything! Take your dominion back! Over sickness, over poverty, over fear, over your life.....It’s your right!

Listen to me....

This thing I’m teaching you about our union with God is not known is the larger body of Christians! All they have is forgiveness of sin. Their is no actual union with God. (many teach it is blasphemy to teach this union) They do not know or understand that the New Birth through Jesus is a real incarnation with God. They do not know or understand they are as much sons and daughters of God as Jesus is!

They larger body of Christ is weak and powerless not knowing of their rightful dominion that God has given them! They have the most distorted and befogged concept of what God has done, what God is to them and who they are to God!

God help us to throw off our human reasoning that has led us into all fears and doubts and to throw ourselves into your hands and dare to believe what you’ve done and who we are in Christ Jesus!

I dare you....“Kings don’t care what people think of them – it matters only what God thinks."

Love you all...

Pastor Charles

Law of Expectations

The Law of Expectations says that, basically, we get what we expect out of life. We tend to see what we expect to see, we tend to feel what we expect to feel, we tend to act the way we expect to act, and eventually, we tend to achieve what we expect to achieve. Your expectations influence your happiness, they influence your health. Your expectations influence your relationships.



TWO APPROACHES TO LIFE

..Choose! There are two approaches to life and you get the choice. You can choose to life by fear, or you can choose to live by faith. You can be an optimist, or you can be a pessimist.

Deut. 30:19-20 "This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."

By faith or by fear.

 You choose…

Job was sometimes a pessimist, and in Job 3:25, he says, "Everything I fear and dread comes true." You know anybody like that? They focus on what they don’t want, not what they do want.



Paul on the other hand, was an optimist. And in Phil. 1:20, he says, "I live in eager expectation while I’m going through all these trials." He was an optimist. He could be cheerful even when life couldn’t be perfect.



When you expect the best, you’re honoring God. It also increases your ability when you’re expecting the best. Athletes know that the winning edge is attitude, not ability. It’s how you see it.

Do you know that Mohammed Ali only lost two fights in his lifetime? And both of these fights had one thing in common different from all the other fights: in a press conference prior to the fight, he said, "Now, if I lose this fight..." It’s the only time he ever said those words, and he lost both.
 fights!

David went out to fight Goliath and he took stones with him. Super confidence! Everybody else was saying, "He’s too big! We can’t kill him." David was saying, "He’s too big. I can’t miss!" Expecting the best. Knowing the best is coming!

Today you have a choice...expect God's best and trust Him for it or continue to live in fear! If I were you I'd choose life/God's best!

Pastor Charles

Going from Believing to Knowing!

Having a God Consciousness

There is one single word that expresses what God is trying to develop in all our lives. The word is consciousness. I really enjoy this word; it’s an amazing word. Consciousness means that which the soul knows. It’s not what you believe, it’s not what you have existent faith for, it’s not what you hope, but that which the soul knows...it’s the very thing that has become concrete in your life.

Knowing vs. Believing

Let me explain myself when I said, “it’s not what you believe.” There is a find line between believing and knowing. Let me show you...I believe that my car runs vs. I know that my car runs. Knowing goes further with experience, the why and how’s of the experience. Do you remember in Deuteronomy 8:4? When the Israelites were in the desert for 40 years their shoes and clothing never wore out! For 40 years! God stopped the process of decay in their shoes and clothing which they wore everyday...40 years! They KNEW of God’s power!

Ax Head

Think again of the story in 2 Kings 6:4-7 of the floating ax head! But you might saying, “ax heads don’t float!” I know one man that would argue with you! He knows they can float!

Jairus

Ask Jairus in Mark chapter 5 if God can raise the dead! Ask the women with the issue of blood for 12 years if their’s healing power in Jesus Christ...all the time, every time!

Disciples In The Storm, Cripple man at the Pool of Bethsada, The Woman caught in Adultery...ask them if they believe and they will tell you...they KNOW! So you must understand that it’s God’s purpose and should be the purpose of every real christian to create a nature within themselves of a consciousness of God. A concrete knowing God's Word, His Promises & His Power!

The Real Secret of Christianity

The real secret of Christianity is a real consciousness of God. This alone will bring each of us into a place that we might live as kings and priest and demonstrate the superiority of the Son of God...beyond any one or anything in the whole earth! Now taking a step further... the real secret of a real consciousness of God is through acting upon our faith. Taking that which we have chosen to believe and acting on it!

Jairus going to find Jesus.

Woman crawling to touch Jesus.

Acting on faith.

Now many have received from God without knowing, but it’s always been through someone who KNOWS! I want you to be that someone!

Also, remember James 2:17 that states, "faith without works is dead" Meaning, as real christians, our goal isn't simply to obtain or strengthen our faith, but to use what we have! So start today looking for areas in your life you can begin to use your faith and then start planting those seeds! Step out in faith and watch....God will always come through!!

Be blessed and know His Word never fails!