Greetings,
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28: 18-20
Jesus said, “You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24: 48-49
Recently while reading my bible ( Yes I do this often regardless of anything others might think) and these two passages really spoke to me. Please notice that ALL AUTHORITY has been given to Jesus. If this is true, which it is, the bible has absolutely NO authority of its own. This is funny (funny SAD, not funny ha ha) because most Christians and “churches” out there say that the bible is their Sole Authority in life and in matters of faith and practice. Most look to the book to find their answers, when they really should be looking directly to Jesus for any and all guidance and answers. To look to the book first and foremost denies Jesus of His rightful place as our sole Authority, Guide and Lord.
Now having said that I will also fully acknowledge that Jesus and His Spirit will often times lead us to the bible for guidance and answers. But the book itself without the illumination of Jesus and the Holy Spirit has absolutely no value or authority in anyone’s life; other than value as a piece of historical literature. If you want to speak with authority speak only with the words that Jesus gives you at any given moment in life. Quoting scriptures at people devoid of Christ and Spirit does no one any good at any moment.
Jesus is the SOLE AUTHORITY in the life of a Christ follower and He uses the Holy Spirit to empower us to live a life worthy of the calling we have received. Jesus via the Spirit can grant us all the power, authority and influence we need to live life to its fullest while serving Him and others along the way. The true great treasure is found within us, not between the pages of some Holy book.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the bible and HE leads me to read it almost every day. But I do so understanding that true Life and Light come only from Him and no other source. We are truly not to go anywhere or do anything unless we do so with the Spirit’s leading and empowerment. We should do absolutely nothing in our own strength, power or leading. Jesus is The Word of God and we should seek to serve and follow only Him. I follow a Person, not a book. However, He may speak to me in any manner He desires…including from the well worn pages.
Love and……
Kirk Out !
Greetings,
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Galatians 5: 1-6
Jesus said: “Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, and the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” Matthew 9: 17
It seems that there will always be people living under the law and trying to place others under it too. To do so denies the message of grace and the entire New Covenant. In Jesus we are set free from the law of sin and death and reborn into His wonderful Kingdom of love, grace and light. To choose law instead of grace places one under a yoke of slavery and bondage to the written code that brings only death in this life.
Furthermore, if we follow any portion of the law we are obligated to obey the whole law and Christ becomes worthless to us. Those who seek to be justified by observing the law are separated from Christ’s grace. Jesus still loves them, but the law places a barrier wall between them and Christ that cannot be scaled by mere human endeavor or obedience to the law. The only way to grace, truth, and life is through a relationship with Jesus, and one cannot serve both Christ and the law simultaneously. Once again the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
However, a simple turning away from the law and towards Christ again will restore our relationship with Him and place us firmly within His hands of Grace and mercy once more. It is all about faith and never observance of the law. Jesus waits patiently for us to turn His way and never gives up on us. No matter what we do, His face is continually turned towards us and He is quick to forgive.
In the end the only thing that really matters is faith expressing itself through love. The Lord has faith in us and He expressed His love by going to the cross. The big question is….will we deny ourselves, take up our very own cross and follow Him daily? You say you have faith? Prove it by extending love and grace to others along the way. Purposely walk away from the law and the judgment it places on everyone, and instead open your heart to Him and allow His great love and grace to flow forth through you to both the washed and unwashed masses. Jesus has filled our lives, our new wineskins, with the priceless new wine of His Spirit. Drink deeply from His fountain of life and allow Him to pour you out for the sake of others each and every day.
Love and……
Kirk Out !
P.s. “The ONLY thing that really matters is faith expressing itself through love.” Think about that!
Greetings,
“Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.” Psalm 126: 5-6
Wow, that describes much of my life. The Lord is very familiar with my tears. In the wake of brutal childhood sexual abuse I have shed many tears. Having a 30 year marriage die due to my illness was extremely difficult. Yet Jesus was always there to embrace and comfort me in my distress. In doing so He taught me about empathy and the need to comfort others who desperately need His touch in their lives.
I am a very emotional person. Always have been, plus It comes with the roller coaster ride that is PTSD. Even as an adult I cry often. Sometimes with tears of sorrow. Other times with tears of joy, and quite often with tears of eager expectation. Many times I cry while I am praying for those I will encounter in the future that do not yet know Christ in His fullness. Jesus will often lead me to pray and cry for those just needing a touch of His comfort and joy. Yes, the Lord has me pray for strangers that I have never met. To some this may seem odd, but since childhood it has been part of my everyday life.
Jesus has shown me so much love and kindness over the years and I feel the need to repay Him in part by reaching out and touching others with His grace, love, mercy and truth. The fruit of simply allowing Him to abide in me and then flow forth out from my heart to others is undeniable. Jesus has given me so much comfort and love that it has no choice, but to overflow from my life and touch the lives of others. I am just a weak and simple vessel, as are you, but when we choose to allow Him to fill us beyond our human measure; His blessings will abound to those we encounter in our everyday lives. This is not rocket science. If we merely surrender our hearts to Him, He will do a good work in us to the great benefit of others and ourselves.
When was the last time you sowed in tears for the sake of others? Do you allow Jesus to move within you in such a manner? Perhaps it is time to sit down with Jesus and just allow His compassion to flow forth from within you? Sometimes life is very hard and it is difficult to let down our barriers and allow ourselves to be overcome with Godly sorrow for the sake of both ourselves and others. The world teaches us to be hard and calloused as a defense mechanism, but God wants our hearts to be soft and empathetic. If you want true joy in your life you will allow yourself to sow in tears. Because it is only when those healing waters flow that we can truly experience His all surpassing comfort and Joy. If we sow in tears we will reap songs of joy. Allow His compassion to flood your very being. Jesus wept and so should we.
Love and …..
Kirk Out !
Greetings,
“Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.” 2 Peter 3: 15
So the “Lord’s patience means salvation”? That sounds perfectly right and true to me. Because after all God is Love and according to 1 Corinthians 13 the very first thing love is….is patient. And since “Love never fails”… I imagine that neither does His patience. As a human father sometimes I have lost my patience with my children because of their disobedience, and when that happened I gave them a time out or other Temporary punishment. Father God is perfect and infinite so I believe that His patience is also infinite with us. More and more I am finding it difficult to grasp or believe that a patient and loving, Almighty God would ever sentence any of His children to an eternal punishment or torment. I am not a follower of Universal reconciliation, but I am coming to believe more and more in a extreme perfect grace that is deeper and wider than the human mind can ever conceive or begin to fully contemplate. A Grace that religion will most certainly reject.
“The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3: 9
Now the big question is does God always get what He wants and desires according to His own perfect will? His patience means salvation and He is ultimately patient with each and every one of us. He does not desire that anyone of us would perish. He wants us all to repent and follow Him. Just how many chances do we get at this? No human knows the answer to that question. Does total repentance need to occur in our short time here on earth? I know that eventually, that “every knee shall bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” Is it ever going to be too late for us to embrace, receive and follow Jesus? And if it does not happen in this age, is it possible to occur in the age to come? I sure have a lot of questions, but I certainly don’t know many answers at this point in my life.
In times past I used to have God, heaven and hell all figured out and placed in a nice tidy comfortable box that I could manage. However, my journey of faith has imploded that box and now I am content just to know Christ and allow Him to manage all the details. I have come to believe that all Jesus requires of me is a simple and sincere faith that leads to absolutely nothing else than love for God and all others. I don’t understand the timeline of salvation and I no longer desire to. Life in Christ is all about the journey and not any particular destination. I no longer worry about heaven or hell. Today I embrace that journey and am all about loving Him and others along the way. LOVE IS THE ANSWER!
Recently Jesus has been using me often in evangelism. In the last six months more than a dozen folks have come to believe in Jesus via simple conversations with me. Not once was hell ever mentioned in any of those conversations. God is a God of supreme opportunities and never about threats of hell and punishment. Over the last 50 years I have had many of these simple conversations with folks coming to believe and I honestly can’t remember one single time that I used hell to leverage a single person into choosing Jesus Christ. To me that would mean manipulation. The simple message of freedom, grace, truth and love is all I ever share and it most certainly is more than enough. In the end it all boils down to LOVE and LOVE NEVER FAILS.
Love and…..
Kirk Out !
Greetings,
“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus The Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4: 14-16
The following took place about ten years ago. I felt The Holy Spirit’s leading to revisit it again here today after an excellent lengthy conversation I had with a dear friend and brother a few nights ago.
I am just now home from an afternoon of excellent fellowship. Jesus definitely met us exactly where we needed Him. We were few in number because two families had to cancel at the last moment because of vehicle breakdowns, but the flow of the Holy Spirit was very sweet and we were all blessed to our very core during our simple time of gathering together in His Name. We sang, prayed, read some scripture, shared and broke bread together with glad and sincere hearts.
Today the Lord had us focus upon how Jesus completely understands our weaknesses and struggles in this life. Because Jesus was born a fully mortal human and lived 33 years here as one of us. Philippians 2 makes it totally clear that Jesus became a mere man while here on earth and He emptied Himself of any Godlike powers or advantage in order to walk among us here as a humble servant of all. Jesus understands being human and He faced trials and temptations just as we do every single day. The example Jesus set for us was how to properly respond to any given situation in the Spirit instead of the flesh. Jesus did not heal people or perform miracles as God, He did so as a normal human being with the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through Him. I feel that we always need to be reminded that God can and will work miracles through us also, if we would only surrender and respond to the Spirit’s leading and walk as Jesus did. I know this is true because I have witnessed and experienced it in my own life and travels.
We closed our time together by going boldly before the throne of grace together seeking His mercy and grace to help us with our current needs and afflictions. Some needed healing, others needed God’s intervention concerning health insurance and medication issues. We also prayed for loved ones in need of Jesus. I just love totally free and open, Spirit led fellowship and in over 50 years of meeting this way I can honestly say I have never once been disappointed. The Holy Spirit is fully able to lead, teach and inspire us without the need of any recognized or official human Leadership. What can I say? God is simply good enough to lead and inspire us without our help or best laid plans.
Love and….
Kirk Out !
P.s. To be totally clear… I believe in the Deity of Christ, but that He set that aside for the time He was here on earth. In doing so He became our supreme example of how to lead a Spirit led and empowered life as a mere human being.
Greetings,
“In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.” Romans 6: 11-14
Grace always empowers and motivates us to make better choices in life. Our day to day choices are what make up the very fabric of our lives. Every day we have the option of being dead to sin or allowing sin to control and distort our lives. When we choose to reckon ourselves dead to sin…that is when we are most alive in Christ. As we become more and more mature in our faith making the best right choices should get easier, but sometimes we all still get greatly tempted to enter into wrongdoing or sin. Even a mature Jesus was tempted by satan. So never make the mistake of thinking you are somehow beyond being tempted to stray from Christ’s straight and narrow way.
If we truly walk fully in the grace provided for us by the Lord… sin will not be our master. This is accomplished by continually being led by the Holy Spirit and not giving into our flesh or carnal reasoning. Some try to be bible led in their walk and many times this leads to having some sense of the Law being able to keep us from sin. This is a HUGE mistake! Confidence in our own knowledge, interpretation skills and understanding of what is written often only leads to pride and that pride can lead to destruction. However, if we instead live and walk fully in the Spirit we will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Sure use the bible as the Spirit leads you, but avoid using it according to your own intellect, understanding and flesh.
If the Church would only respect and recognize that we are totally under grace and not the Law anymore, She would indeed be glorious and a safe haven to all. Mixing the Law with Grace leads to much confusion and destruction in the lives of those seeking justification via the written code. Trying to live under any component of the Law denies Christ and the work He completed and accomplished on the cross. It is ONLY by grace that we have been saved. The only way to walk in such amazing grace is under the Headship of Lord Jesus via the leading of the Holy Spirit. For any part or portion of the Letter kills, but only the Spirit gives life and complete Spiritual nourishment that benefits not only us, but also those we are in fellowship with along the way.
Love and…..
Kirk Out !
Greetings,
“So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1: 27
God is THE Creator and He created us in His image. I feel that being made in His image means that we will be like Him. To me that means that we are also meant to be creators like Him. That He will work through us and inspire us to create and be creative in many ways. I feel that we all have a creative spark, His mark within us. That is why the whole concept of spectator Christianity goes directly against God’s will for His people. Instead of always sitting and watching “church Leaders” showcase and use their creativity when the church gathers…the whole Body of Christ should be about sharing their creative gifts with one another and others.
This whole idea of us all being creators goes far beyond the Sunday morning shows. Our entire lives should be filled with His creative spark and His creativity within us should flow forth in everyday life for all to taste and see that He is Good. EVERYONE has gifts from God that they should be using every day. The gift of creativity can manifest in a great number of ways and I do not even pretend to know them all. Many times His spark within us can create various kinds of art including, painting, drawing, singing, dancing or playing a musical instrument. Others are gifted in sharing the written word in poems, stories and songs. Songs and poems can often be written with help from other members of the Body. Our gift may just be sharing a single line of prose, a single idea, or a simple tune that can be built upon by others unto completion as Jesus directs. Our fellowship here has written many songs together with each member sharing a small piece of the puzzle.
Cooking is also an art through which our creativity can flow. Developing recipes that others can share is a great gift. Our fellowship takes great care in creating meals that we can share when we gather together. Hospitality is a fantastic gift through which our personal creativity can shine. Others are gifted and create by knitting, sewing and crocheting. The possibilities are endless. Some are great at wood working and building different things. Finally, others are very creative at sharing the Gospel and teaching, even through blogs and non-traditional means.
The point is that EVERYONE is born with His creative spark within them, and that spark can and should be used to glorify Jesus and bless the Body of Christ and others. When the Body gathers to worship their Creator and break bread… everyone should have the opportunity to use their gifts and share their creativity. In 99% of Sunday morning “church” services across the world only 1% of the people get to share their creativity, portion and gift with God and the rest of the Body. Instead of freedom and opportunity to share, most receive oppression and bondage to a system that serves only itself and NOT God. The Body of Christ is meant to have the opportunity to build itself up in Love as EACH PART does its work in Him. If your “church” experience is dominated by a few “men” called Clergy and a precious few others ever get to share there…It might just be time to run away, far and fast!
Love and….
Kirk Out !
P.s. April 16th is my birthday. The Big 62! Never thought I would live this long.
Greetings,
“Now I commit you to God and to the word of His grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus Himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20: 32-35
Seriously, I do not understand at all how anyone can read these words of Paul and still support a “church” system in which ministers get paid for sharing their gifts with the rest of the Body of Christ. Clearly Paul’s example was to work a regular secular job in order to provide for one’s needs and living expenses. In the New Testament there is no such thing as a professional Minister. The Levitical Priesthood has been done away with by Jesus and now every single follower of Christ is a priest before both God and “men”.
Ministry was never meant to be a full time occupation. The Lord wants us all to work hard in the communities we live in and serve, so that we can develop relationships with others and be good examples to all who view our lives. In the true Body of Christ there is no Clergy/Laity system or division and everyone is a minister, not just a select few.
A true follower of Jesus is a servant to all and is not a seeker of position or power over others in the church. Jesus is the only true Head of His Body and the only Leader we should be following in this life and in the church. Every other member of His Body serves and functions under His Headship in order that we may grow and build up the Body in love, as EACH PART does its work.
Paul lived and worked among the Ephesians for three years, sharing the gospel free of charge and taking no money or support from the church whatsoever. He held a full time job during this time and was never a burden to those he served. In fact taking money for loving others has a name…it is called prostitution. If Paul, who was an apostle, did things that simple way then why can’t the modern “church” do the same? If we took the money that we pay Clergy and gave it all to the poor and needy, boy what a difference the church could make in numerous lives. Add that to the money spent on “church” buildings and I bet we could easily feed the world. I know some are now saying to themselves, “What no Clergy, no buildings…what else does this crazy guy want to do away with?” My short answer would be sermons, traditions and programs! You want a strong church? Go with simple every member ministry and totally free and open Spirit led gatherings….and I am just getting started! Am I stark raving mad or just totally in love with Jesus and His bride?
Love and …..
Kirk Out !
P.s. I have been holding back posting this one because I was worried about hurting the feelings of a Pastor friend. But that was wrong. I am yielding to the Spirit’s leading now and posting this because HE told me to. Sorry that it is several days later than the Spirit led. So now I am speaking the Truth in Love as HE requires. Hope you understand?
Greetings,
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.” 2 Corinthians 1: 3-7
This passage makes it extremely clear and confirms unto me that any real ministry or comfort only take place when our lives are subject to the very same sufferings as those that we are attempting to serve must endure on a daily basis. In other words if we want to be effective ministers we must be totally submerged in the culture and pain that others live in continually. To be brutally honest I think that most short term missions trips are pretty bogus. In fact our whole lives are supposed to be an ongoing missions trip. If you want to reach someone with the Gospel then you must live where they live, eat what they eat, work like they work, suffer what they suffer, and celebrate what they celebrate. The only real way to serve is from WITHIN a group of people, and NEVER from above or outside of them. That is why the whole Clergy/Laity thing is bullshit. The most effective way to make disciples is eye to eye, shoulder to shoulder, heart to heart, hip to hip and knee to knee, and NEVER from the top down.
True ministry involves a total devotion to those that we serve; starting with Jesus. When we serve like this we meet others needs out of the overflow of comfort and grace from our very own lives. We can extend grace and healing because we have experienced it first hand and not because we read it in any book, including the bible. We can minister salvation to others because we have lived it in the very same environment as those who we would have receive it. Sermons are nothing more than fancy and useless words unless we live lives that back up those words to the utmost extent.
True fellowship and koinonia come from a shared life experience and not from any mission statement or strategic plan. If we would only be totally upfront, open, honest and real about our own struggles and shortcomings… CHRIST would put on display our overcoming of such obstacles to the benefit of all those we share life with each and every day. You want others to receive His grace and mercy? Then just receive them yourself and then tell others just what it is like to know Him in His sufferings and His power. The only way to make a difference in the lives of others is to allow Him to make such a difference in your life and then put you on simple display within their community. I realize my words have been forceful today, but I am passionate about these things.
Love and….
Kirk Out !
Greetings,
Jesus said:
“To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge and you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and “sinners.”‘ But wisdom is proved right by her actions.” Matthew 11: 16-19
Does anyone else find it odd that Jesus loved and was a friend of tax collectors and sinners, but the vast majority of traditional/institutional “church” members avoid folks like that like the plague? Many seem to preach and follow the doctrine of separation. Which calls for “saints” to totally avoid sinners at just about all cost. Jesus certainly did not live that way and neither should we.
Jesus lived, loved, and walked among every type of person in the communities He served, lived in and visited. Not even the lepers were unclean to Him. In fact the people He had the most difficulties with were the Pharisees who valued Law and separation over and above relationship. Seems to me that there are a great number of modern day Pharisees in the “Church” today. They are people who lift doctrine, Law and “right” teaching over and above relationship, grace, mercy and love.
In true community everyone is accepted and loved, even sinners. Which raises this huge question…. are there any sinners in your life? Or is your circle of community drawn so small and tight that it only includes members of your “church”? Seems to me that Jesus was saying that we all need to play, dance, sing, eat, drink and mourn together with people from all walks of life. If your “Christian” life is so narrow that no “sinner” can be a part of it at any time… I think you miss the true message of Jesus and have settled for something far less than Christ.
Of course this whole conversation begs the question of… who is not a sinner in the first place? Jesus emptied Himself, left heaven and His Father to come to earth as a mortal child and then as a mortal man loved us so much that He freely gave His life for all of us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5: 8) Jesus is the friend of sinners and if you can fully grasp that in your heart and mind, you would have no problem whatsoever welcoming sinners into your life too. We are all called to love and serve whoever comes into our lives. To actually lay down our lives for our friends, and if your definition of “friend” is too narrow… I am most certain that Jesus weeps.
Love and….
Kirk Out !
notesfromthebridge 