Five Porches

I started this blog because I wanted to have a place to just be myself. Twitter is great but it's microblogging at 140 characters or less and if you are anything like me, I'm barely starting to form a thought at 140 characters, let alone a string of thoughts. 

Instagram is great for images but not really a place to share deeply as most there scroll and glance, very few dig deep and read.  Facebook is it's own world. So many have such radically different opinions of what you should put on Facebook and that political nature and pulling of public opinion has found me caught in it's grip more than once over the years. 

My personal blog is a place where I can be as free as I can be while still not weirding out the general public too much. I know I talk about a lot of different things at different times but that is because I have a lot of different opinions about a lot of different things. The way I see it, if you have made your way here, you must be curious enough about what I say, believe or think to have sought me out, and for doing that, I am grateful. I do hope you find what you are looking for.

One constant in my life has been the modern Church. I was raised in the denominational church and committed the unpardonable sin at the age of 17 by attending a Charismatic church. (pauses here to see if anyone gets my sarcastic joke there...) Needless to say, my worldview was challenged a bit.

Long story short, I have ended up with what i feel to be a pretty solid and balanced approach to the undeniable power of God. I have seen healings of others, of my own kids and of course of myself. The Spirit of God regrew brain matter in my head to the dismay of doctors and healed my paralysis and nerve issues entirely. I could not number the hearts and perceptions that God has used me to touch and change over the years. I've just seen a lot of real and verified manifestations of God's presence and power.

My embrace of God's power to heal and touch people today in real time puts me at odds with a lot of denominational leaders.  At the same time, I stand against much of the foolishness and false doctrines that much of the Charismatic church teaches, practices and believes in. This puts me at odds with a lot of modern leaders in that camp so I can easily find myself in seasons where I take my share of "friendly fire" from both sides. 

Do I believe in "Kingdom Now" Theology? It all depends on what YOU believe "Kingdom now" means. I believe the Kingdom of God is anywhere you have Jesus presence manifesting. God's Kingdom is God's government or God's order or God's arrangement of things.  When things are set in proper, godly order, that is the Kingdom.  John's disciples for example ultimately weren't supposed to be following John. It wasn't until John declared Jesus to be the Lamb Of God that his (John's) disciples left John and went to following Jesus. Proper order had been established for their lives, this was a direct result of the authority of Jesus presence manifesting and correcting them into their proper place.

Do I believe in the rapture?  I absolutely believe in the glorious second coming of Jesus in real, bodily form back to the earth.  I also believe that the Spirit of Jesus is alive and well currently within me and within anyone else who places their Faith in Him exclusively. This creates a beautiful duality that confuses some. The SPIRIT of Jesus is anywhere that I am, not too unlike an internal organ in my body. If I walk into a room, the SPIRIT of Jesus walks in with me.  The BODY of Jesus however is seated at the right hand of the Father currently and one day will absolutely come back riding a glorious white horse with a name written on his leg and with a sword coming out of His mouth. It's gonna be something stunning to say the least.

What about the tithe? I have blogged in detail about the tithe previously. The bottom line is that God is trying to get you to see that He wants 100% of your HEART, not 10% of your cash. Anytime Christians make money more important than hearts we have missed the entire point. Again, the Kingdom of God manifesting will bring correction to this.  What if I told you that Jesus owns 100% of everything, not just 10%?  

In recent weeks and months I have blogged a lot about the modern church and what that is supposed to look like.  I firmly believe we should be ambulance drivers and medics to the hearts of others in this world. We should speed to the scene of trouble and treat people's wounds to the best of our ability. I don't care how they got hurt, what I care about is that they get proper care and help.

I personally consider myself a "spiritual heart surgeon".  My x-ray machine is discernment. My Scalpel is deliverance. The Holy Spirit is my anesthesiologist who also counsels me as to what to do while someone is lying there chest wide open.

Now, in keeping with the example, I don't walk into a room, meet someone for the first time and try to cut their chest open. Instead they have to come to a place where they see their need for a procedure. Can I help most people I meet?  Absolutely I can... but like any other doctor, until a person sees their need for me to help, I am at best untapped potential in their lives.  

I would suggest to you readers today that god has placed some very wise and powerful spiritual "doctors" around you. While you pray for this and that to be different, God has likely put key people around you to answer those very prayers... but you will need to humble yourself, reach out and form some relationships. Eventually you are going to need to ASK for someone else's help.  You will need to submit to the procedure and that is going to include your consent to let go of control and let someone else have access to you like no one before ever has.

One last point today...

In John 5 there is a man who was lame for 38 years. Jesus asked the guy for permission to treat him. He in essence put a release form in front of him and handed him a pen.  The man had to chose to sign off on the paper. Of course He did and Jesus healed him.  At the follow up visit Jesus gave the man a professional heads up that something even worse was coming for him.. but if the man would refocus and not sin any longer, he would dodge that bullet and enjoy his healing.  The bible doesn't say that they hugged each other, but they likely did and the man who was healed was SO happy and thankful He had to tell the first group of people he came to.

Jesus is putting a release form in front of you today. He is handing you the pen of your free will. What will you do? Will you be made whole, or will you again take a pass and stay with your friends who have the same struggles?  There were five porches around that pool where the lame men were.  It was a nice layout and people brought the lame man everything he ever needed. They gave him money, food, clothes, etc.  Jesus was saying to him.. Hey, if I heal you, no one is gonna bring you all the free stuff anymore.  You will need to take some personal responsibility for your own life. Are you sure that's what you really want?

That warm day in Galilee all those years ago a lame man choose personal responsibility by submitting his will to Jesus. His reward was a life changing healing. Today is your chance to choose personal responsibility by submitting your will to Jesus. Will you be made whole?

More soon,

M-

---