April 2021 – Past the Surface

I Could Have Been

“I Could Have Been” are thoughts of the past comparing things in the present. A looking back at what you could be still doing today and the same thinking from your past locked in a rut. I heard a “rut” is like a grave with both ends knocked out. You could be locked into a circle, a routine, or a tradition and not realize it until something comes along to point it out. Time should bring us wisdom, changes for the better, and enlightenments of truth.

THE JEEP – DEATH

Late one night, I was riding home with some friends in a Jeep sitting in the back passenger side. The driver ran a four way stop sign at a high rate of speed and was clipped on the back bumper by another vehicle. The Jeep went into a spin circling around several times going down the city street. The world was spinning the black cloth roof and the red interior into a circling blur before my eyes inside the Jeep. The Jeep finally hit something abruptly to make it stop spinning going to a rocking motion back and forth not knowing if it was going to turn over and it should have.

As we, all four of us, sat in total silence the realization began to sink in and the thoughts of “I Could Have Been” was appearing upon everyone’s faces. One girl started crying in disbelief of what just happened. “I Could Have Been” killed was not an acceptable thought for I thought I was young and invincible. The driver and the other person said nothing while the driver slowly and silently started driving again.

“I Could Have Been” dead from a Jeep rolling out of control, but I am alive today. How many of us can say looking back towards events that could have taken our lives saying, “I Could Have Been“…? This was a great time to look at life with a new perspective examining what you value the most in this life. The “I Could Have Been” you not here today reading these words nor myself expressing these words. You and I are blessed.

OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS – JAIL

On a Friday night heading home from running around with four guys cruising, yelling, and playing loud music we were suddenly surrounded by four city police vehicles boxed against the curb. Officers started surrounding the car ordering everyone out. I was in the front passenger side exiting to the sidewalk with everyone else. The officers briefly questioned us, but stayed primarily focused on the driver of the vehicle. The officers had a suspicion of drugs and alcohol in the vehicle due to his driving.

I had no clue as to whom had some illegal drugs in the car and if no one claims the illegal drugs everyone in the vehicle goes to jail. After hearing about the drugs and the officers wanting to know more about them. I was in a state of shock thinking “What?!” I was oblivious of the drugs presence and was watching in slow motion the demands of the police about them.

The stress and the pressure of the owner to the drugs was pushing the “I can’t believe this is happening“. The fun and good times of the night disappeared into the horror of being taken to jail mixed in with other drug users, felons, and other types of offenders. The sudden impact of “what will I tell my parents” comes crashing down. In the midst of the turmoil one confessed to the drugs and to our great relief that is all the officers wanted to know. The officer warned us that next time we would be taken to jail and he will let us off with a warning.

The “we” and “us” was a piercing sobering thought of “I had nothing to do with it” and “I was just along for the ride“. Also, I was trying to fit in with these guys. My thoughts were reeling with “I Could Have Been” jailed. The others were relieved and the one who had the drugs was happy he got away with it. If I kept trying to fit into this group “I Could Have Been” jailed and started a drug addicting life with a criminal record following me wherever I go.

RESTAURANT BAR – ALCOHOLIC

I was invited to go out with a school staff member and another student. We went to a restaurant in a city close by. All the way down there the conversation was complaining about things and being upset about how things are run. A “sick and tired” of other people’s attitudes and opinions rant. We sat down at the table with the mad and upset faces.

We all ordered some alcohol. The conversation was continuing with the negative rants while drinking at the table. The buzz of the alcohol affected the staff member quicker than me and I noticed a calm and a sigh of relief with each gulp of the alcohol. I slowed down to watch the affects. I had never paid attention to what alcohol did. I just enjoyed the moment. The evening went on as the changes continued from the alcohol bringing them comfort, relief from stress, and an escape from life.

Drinking had never occurred to me as a savoir to life, but I was seeing it temporarily do its job on the staff member and student. The realization of the staff member and the student were running away inside their bottles from troubles and stress wishing to stay in this buzz state for the answer to life. I was hearing no real solutions to their complaining and bitterness. It was like I was an observer in slow motion seeing all the facts happening before my eyes. Looking into my glass I was seeing a liquid with no knowledge to be given and no cures to be achieved, but only a band aid to wear fall off later with a possibility of feeling worse.

Seeing the controlled addiction gripping the staff member and the student from the mindless liquid of alcohol made me realize I was being deceived by a false sense of relief and not a true solution to life. Watching them and at other times the thoughts “I Could Have Been” so dependent on the liquid I could have become an alcoholic like others I have witnessed.

THE LIST

The list is long on the “I Could Have Been” thoughts. What are some of the things you could have been if it were not a moment of mercy, grace, or an epiphany thought, an awakening if you will? When you are exposed to different lives the “I Could Have Been” turns into a possible jail time, becoming a criminal, a dope head, alcoholic, a seductive player, habitual liar, a thief to everyone you know, and many other potential things. The list of negative things will be long for some and short for others, but the “I Could Have Been” remains.

What would be on your list of “I Could Have Been” on the positive side? In school were you gifted to become an artist, a musician, a poet, an athlete, a carpenter, an inventor, a teacher, a coach, a missionary, well off financially, own a business, a singer, and many other probable things. The “I Could Have Been” can go either way in making you feel glad of your present day or sad to what you have become.

I COULD HAVE BEEN – MISSED OUT

I can look back to the days my brother and I were in the boat grabbing ahold of the fishing net and tossing it into the deep dark water as we balanced ourselves with the rocking waves against the boat anticipating the unseen catch of fish for the day. We had been doing it so long we were a natural team when it came to fishing. This was our daily job to make a living and to feed those in our care. Just another day in the sea of Galilee with bright blue skies, soft white clouds, and the lapping sound of the water against our boat. It was hard work, but Andrew and I were good at it.

I can remember watching people pass by on the shores that were highly educated or well dressed looking at us like ignorant and unlearned fishermen, but I did not care and kept on working. They lived in their world and we lived in ours. They did not talk to us and we did not talk to them. We were beneath their status quo as ignorant and unlearned fishermen. Andrew and I would head gesture one to another when we saw someone in their fancy robes with their nose in the air laughing at them.

“I Could Have Been” an old fisherman still today in that boat on the sea of Galilee fishing with my brother Andrew, but here I am looking back to what I was and now what I have become. One man, just one man changed the whole course of my life. This one man walking on the shore of our sea in Galilee calls out to Andrew and myself. We both looked up to the voice listening and he said, “…Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Andrew and I were curious and wanted to see what he was talking about and started to following him and listening to what he had to say.

Looking back I stood on a boat over the sea throwing a net into the deep with the unseen catch of fish. I, Peter, had the knowledge of the boat, sea, and fish. Walking with this man, Jesus, I realized I was being filled with the knowledge of eternal life. When he asked me if I would leave him I knew there was no where else to go to hear these words of eternal life. He changed my life’s course and gave me the keys, the words, to the kingdom of heaven – “I Could Have Been“.

I am standing on land looking over the sea of people speaking the words of salvation into the whomsoever will hear to the unseen catch of men. I, Peter, have been given the knowledge of eternal words of the born again of the water and of the spirit. I am telling people the key to unlock heaven’s door by repenting of their sins, being baptized in Jesus name for the purpose of washing away their sins (born again of water), and then receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost (born of the Spirit) speaking in a language God gives them as a sign.

“I Could Have Been” a retired fisherman, today. I am now casting the net of words of truth to pull all those away from sin and death hoping for those who will listen to the calling of the voice of God. I am preaching a message that even the gates of hell cannot prevail against it. I am guiding a boat for all those lost and drowning souls to climb into this gospel ship for heaven. I am now speaking to Kings, High Priests, Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes concerning the eternal words of life, me a humble fisherman – “I Could Have Been“.

I COULD HAVE BEEN – WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE

We are all born into different types of environments of which we have no control over. Our environment can try to dictate and brainwash us into their patterns of life. We can repeat the cycle of our environment with the same endings we have seen happen to them. We can check out our environment with asking questions, seeking answers from all around, and knocking on doors for more opportunities breaking out some scales of reality and truth. We can take control of our lives to help the “I Could Have Been” for the better.

Andrew and Peter were born into the Old Testament Jewish faith working as fishermen. James and John were also of the Old Testament Jewish faith working in the fishing industry. Matthew was of the Old Testament Jewish faith working as a tax collector with an educational mind set for the job. The apostles of Jesus were men of the Old Testament Jewish faith. Some of you were born into a Catholic atmosphere, a Baptist, a Methodist, a Lutheran, a Presbyterian, a Protestant, a Pentecostal, Episcopalian, a Mormon, a Church of Christ, Jehovah’s Witness, Assemblies of God, Orthodox, and for some no religion at all, but still an influencing environment.

“Why“, you may ask did I mention all the different religious groups? The Bible is the central joining factor to all these groups and there is something hidden from them just like the Jewish people of Peter’s day. The disciples of Jesus were all born into the the Old Testament Jewish faith. They were apart of a very old traditional religious requirements concerning attending church, sacrificing a lamb to push their sins forward for another year, and strict guidelines of daily behaviors for being a Jew. We today have churches with similar guidelines and order.

The “I Could Have Been” for the disciples was living and dying an Old Testament Jewish faith fishermen or tax collector, but they were privileged to encounter Jesus, the Lamb of God, inside their religious walls. The “I Could Have Been” to them was the blessing to see the hidden treasure of God fulfilling their Bible teachings.

Jesus was the ‘hidden in plain sight‘ fulfillment of the Old Testament Jewish faith. The disciples walked with Jesus inside the Jewish faith everyday. The disciples heard and saw the miracles of God that no book could contain it all. Inside the walls of the Jewish faith was God manifested in the flesh of Jesus, died for our sins, and resurrected unto eternal life for our sake. A parallel of a lamb going to the temple to be sacrificed to move sins forward a year, but for Jesus to remove sins completely and forever forgotten.

Peter could say, “I Could Have Been” an Old Testament Jewish faith believer to this day if it were not hearing the words of eternal life from Jesus and now I am a Christian, which is a fulfillment of the Old Testament Jewish faith. Peter and all the disciples could have been left in their Jewish religion without accepting the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies in Jesus, but they chose to follow Jesus. There is a hidden truth in plain sight today with the Jews and in the Christian churches. Inside the Christian walls is a truth that is overlooked just like some of the Jewish people overlooked Jesus walking among them being the Messiah and the fulfiller of the law.

INSIDE THE CHRISTIAN WALLS

There is a truth in the middle of the New Testament among the walls of the gospels and the epistles that has a rare calling like Peter and Andrew had on that day fishing from Jesus. It is a ‘hidden in plain sight‘ truth, but only seen by a few. The “I Could Have Been” happens from either overlooking something, just doing what is traditionally done, or a refusal to change. Jesus was life and death to those he walked among. If they followed him it would be life and if they reject him it would be a continuance onto eternal death. It scares me to think of people ignoring inside their New Testament walls like the Jewish people did inside their Old Testament walls about Jesus and this unchanging truth.

I feel like Peter being privileged to truly see inside my four walled New Testament knowledge to follow Jesus directly inside all the religious walls today. “I Could Have Been” a Baptist all my life inside the Bible walls of the Baptist teachings and never knew this truth. Apollos was like a Baptist. He was “man instructed in the way of the Lord…taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.” Acts 18:25. Apollos was inside the Old Testament walls and the New Testament walls knowing only what John the Baptist preached.

The “I Could Have Been” for Apollos would be still knowing only the teachings of John the Baptist inside the walls of the New Testament with something much greater and more perfect all around him. You can read about Apollos in more detail in Acts 18:24-28; 19:1-12. This will reveal what is in the middle of our Christian walls of teachings that is totally missed today by the majority. This is a life and death truth the devil does not want anyone to leave their boats, tax collecting tables, or traditions to follow Jesus in a more perfect way.

Here comes the shocking facts: Did you know none of these Christian faiths: Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Protestant, Episcopalian, Mormon, Church of Christ, Jehovah’s Witness, Assemblies of God, Orthodox, and many others do NOT preach and live by what the disciples preached inside their church walls? They, myself, and you are like Apollos this is all we know and have not heard until now about these things. The shocking fact is this truth is inside our New Testament walls and we have not seen it nor have we obeyed it and it has the power of life and death in it. It is that serious.

You can be all these Christian type religions all your life inside these walls just like the Jews and never know this truth. You can be whatever you are inside the walls of New Testament Bible teachings and NEVER know this truth. It is a scary thing to realize a forgotten truth inside God’s word that has never changed, but mankind has changed it to fit their own religious beliefs. This is not a question of interpretation, but a greater question of whose authority.

Who in this world has the authority to say in God’s living word what is alive or dead in the New Testament? It is not a matter of interpretation, but a matter of authority. There is an entire New Testament book that presents factual evidence the other books only support. The gospels are the biographies about Jesus and the epistles are letters to already born again people. One side is the life of Jesus and the other side of this particular book is the life of the churches.

Did you know NONE of these Christian faiths: Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Protestant, Episcopalian, Mormon, Church of Christ, Jehovah’s Witness, Assemblies of God, Orthodox, and many others follow the original plan of salvation the disciples preached in the Bible? They have formed their own man made paths for people to be saved. They all have the Bible, but inside their walls of Bible teachings they do not see or possibly ignore the one book that set the unchangeable plan of salvation in motion. Just like the Jews missing who Jesus was inside their walls of the Old Testament Jewish faith.

Does it not blow your mind that this scripture is a comparison to Jesus being among us in this world that was made by him and not knowing him with even going to the point of not receiving him (Jn. 1:10, 11)? This one scripture on which all of the plan of salvation hangs and is not received today as much just like Jesus. This one scripture, if it is obeyed it is EQUAL to receiving Jesus with him giving us power fulfilling the right to become the sons of God born of the water and of the Spirit by the will of God and flesh.

Rejecting this book and this scripture is rejecting Jesus himself. Deeming this book as a dead history book inside the New Testament is not up to interpretation, but on whose authority makes it dead? Would you want to be that person who stands in front of God telling Him all the people of the earth the book of Acts only a history book of the Apostles and nothing else? To mentally take a pair of scissors to cut out this book is to cut out your faith in God leaving a division inside your soul. The “I Could Have Been” absolutely one with God’s word in a more perfect way like Apollos or I will live inside the New Testament walls of man’s traditions.

The plan of salvation first started in Acts 2:38 “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” None of the churches above follow this plan of salvation. In this one scripture is all the God required Bible steps to the plan of salvation. It fulfills the “…Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Jn. 3:5. Did this plan of salvation stop? “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” Acts 2:38. Does this scripture say it has stopped? Did the disciples continue with this plan throughout the entire book of Acts?

The evidence throughout the book of Acts about Repentance, baptism in Jesus name, and receiving the Holy Ghost speaking in a language God gives you the utterance as a sign as the plan of salvation out weighs the ‘matter of interpretation‘ and moves it over into the question of whose authority denies this plan of salvation. Jesus inside the walls of the Jewish faith and this scripture inside the walls of the Christian faith has in question for you and I the “I Could Have Been” born again according to the book of Acts or the put together of other scriptures from other areas of the New Testament forming a plan.

Salvation is not in the gospels for they are the biographies and stories of Jesus. Salvation is not in the letters to the churches and individuals after the book of Acts for they are already saved Christians who need teachings, instructions, and corrections. Yet, inside the walls of the above churches the book of Acts is a dead history book inside God’s living word. We can be left inside our religion and missing this truth exactly like the Jews missed who Jesus was when he walked this earth or we can be like Apollos and many others with simply obeying the scriptures removing the “I Could Have Been” to be only a look back at being a sinner and now saved by the grace of God through repentance, baptism in Jesus name applying his blood washing away our sins, and receiving the power of the Holy Ghost to lead and guide us.

I fell in love with God’s word directly and His Spirit directly. “I Could Have Been” a Baptist all my life and never knew this truth. Absolutely, nothing against any religion, but more about a golden the truth ‘hidden in plain sight‘ inside our walls of the New Testament. The book of Acts is God’s living word and who has the authority to write it off as dead? I thank God for sending someone my way to read through the book Acts as God’s living word to this day with the original plan of salvation that has never changed.

All of us can be left inside the walls of our religion or we can read our Bibles directly and fellowship with God’s Spirit directly. Several Jews were privileged to be exposed to this truth and they finished their life without accepting this truth. We Christians can be privileged to be exposed to this truth and finish our lives without obeying this truth. How much truth do you want in your life?

“I Could Have Been” many things, but the best thing is to be a pure seeker of the Lord Jesus and His word to salvage and balance your life before leaving this world. Are you ready to leave your fishing nets to follow Jesus?

I Can’t See Without You

It is amazing when you are talking/praying with God and while you are speaking words to Him and listening for anything from Him some words come out of your mouth that your ears hear and you suddenly stop. This wonderful feeling comes over you while you repeat the words you just said knowing God has stamped a special meaning for you to understand.

Your mind and heart start racing after those words of thought looking for the complete understanding God wants you to see. This is exactly what happened to me. The words came out of my mouth unto the Lord with “My spirit cannot see without you, L:ord“. It was like the Lord held out His hand in the form of stop and listen to what you just said to Me.

I focused on those words “My spirit cannot see without you, L:ord” and the first word to connect to my understanding was the word “see“. When I am reading God’s word or talking with Him I immediately associate the word “see” with the scripture Jesus quoting the prophecy of Esaias, “ By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:” (Mtt. 13:14).

I have always believed this was a dislike of God in having ears to hear and eyes to see, but no understanding and no perception. It is also my life goal to hear God as much as I can with understanding and to see God with as much perception. On the other side, the devil loves for us to hear and be deaf to understanding. The devil loves for us to see and be blind to perceiving. Just live in this world and do what you want.

OLD AS TIME TACTICS

When the devil talked with Eve he sent words into her ears to cloud her true understanding and to get her to see the forbidden fruit as good blinding her perception. “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat… ” (Gen. 3:6). It is beautiful to study God’s word gleaming understandings and perceptions of what He thinks and believes.

I believe we are in a crises today with people’s understandings and perceptions being so clouded and blind to physical facts. People are hearing with their ears and not understanding. People are seeing with their eyes and not perceiving. The devil, who has transformed himself into the appearance of an angel of light and false goodness. He has unleashed his transformed false ministers as representatives of false righteousness sending words into the people’s ears clouding their understandings and to get them to see violence as good blinding them to their perception. v13 “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.” v14 “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” v15 “Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” 2 Cor. 11:13-15

Jesus quoted Esaias and I quote what is happening right now today when he said, v29 “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” The after effects of going down this path like Eve and Adam brought sin upon all the world people today people can be caught up within themselves so much their understanding and perceptions has been tremendously dulled affecting an entire nation and world. v21 “Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” This next verse talks about rewarding or bribing evil people and taking away the rights of the ones who are in the right. The ones who see facts and perceive them to be true and hear things understanding them to be true as they are and not be deceived. v23 “Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!” (Is. 5:20,21, 23).

WE ARE IN DANGER

“My spirit cannot see without you, L:ord“. Eve and Adam jeopardized their eternal souls listening to the devil and his smooth talking words. I realized very deeply when I spoke these words to the Lord, “My spirit cannot see without you, L:ord“, how much in danger I am if I do not seek the Lord for wisdom and understanding. My spirit relies upon my fleshly eyes to see physical things in this world and my fleshly ears to hear the physical sounds and words spoken in this world, but my spirit cannot see or hear the truth unless the Lord mercifully translate the truth behind them.

You will find wherever you go mankind has his opinions, which is fine, but what is not fine is for you to not ask, seek, and knock on doors for clear understandings and perceptions. Our spirits cannot see past the surface without some help and it has to be the right help for it to be truth. People today are leaping on things and reacting before the full truth comes out. If it is a scriptural thing place it in the scales of the Bible and study it out for yourself before accepting it. If it is news research as much information as you can before locking your decision into place. Whatever it may be the key to understanding is asking, seeking, and knock on doors for truth (Luke 11:9). If it is truth there is nothing to be afraid of, but if it is not truth? People will hate you for your asking, seeking, and knocking methods because you may find what is hidden.

The devil and his ministers want you to keep on seeing and hearing as long as your perception and understanding does not see the light shining upon the truth and even if you do see they want you to close your eyes or look the other way. Jesus said, “ For the heart of this people has become dull, With their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes, Otherwise they would see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return, And I would heal them.” (Mtt. 13:15).

I CAN’T SEE WITHOUT YOU

“My spirit cannot see without you, L:ord“. My spirit has no eyes of perception and no ears of understanding without You, Lord translating what is working behind the scenes. I am where am I today because you have shared Your truth with me. I would be blind and deaf in my spirit if it were not for You. I am astonished at the people today who have eyes and ears that physically function, but behind them their spirit does not perceive or understand. I cannot thank You enough Lord for Your mercy and grace You shown me.

Think about it, how does your spirit see? How does your spirit hear? What things have you believed to be true only to find out it was a lie? How do you discern the Light of God from the transformed light of the devil? How can you see and hear past a person talking to you as to what they are saying to be true or false? The things we take into our minds, hearts, and soul become the eternal decision makers for us when we leave this world. There are things under our own noses we do not see. A temper, jealousy, bitterness, unforgiveness, and many others things can hide before our eyes and ears until our spirit comes to the understanding.

Those moments that are like a light bulb being turned on inside our heads is when our spirit sees something it had not seen before. Our spirit has got to see and hear to have a conscience. When our spirit does not see or hear and the flesh is doing all the work for us the emotional and deceptiveness is in control because our flesh will always want things selfishly. We live in a “me me” society looking inward for self and not outward for truth.

The gravity of it all causes my heart to desire with all my being to open to God to give my spirit eyes for true perception and ears for my spirit to understand. My spirit cannot see without You. My spirit cannot hear without You, Lord. I love You, Lord. I am more of a balanced person today in my spirit than I ever could be on my own battling the things of this world.

DO YOU WANT TO SEE

The beauty of God giving sight and hearing directly to your spirit is a wisdom that is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to listen, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy (James 3:17). Making God your roommate inside your body with your spirit is the greatest thing anyone could ever do. It is not just the saving of your soul and going to heaven. It is having the greatest friend right inside you guiding you to all truth (Jn. 16:13).

What comes with God being your roommate inside your body is the fellowship of His thoughts speaking to your thoughts, His desire to those around and through you, and generally His revelations to your understandings. Your spirit can see and hear Him doing things everyday if you look for it. It is amazing what you see and hear when God opens it up to your spirit. It is a euphoria of joyfulness that words cannot explain and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8).

I would not have known the things in the past nor the things in the present if it were not for God helping my spirit to see. I would still be in the same condition or worse if it were not for God revealing myself and surroundings to my spirit. If you want your spirit to see dare to ask questions, seek with the intent to find answers, and knock on doors of opportunity to discover the truth.

MAKE GOD YOUR ROOMMATE

It is easy to make God your roommate because He wants to help you more than you want to help yourself. He does not like any of us having cloudy understandings and blind perceptions. He is not the author of confusion because that is what the devil does. God wants us to have His Spirit of truth. Receiving God’s Spirit is a powerful experience that you will never forget or ever be the same.

One of the things that is misunderstood and not grasped is God said He would “pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh” (Joel 2:28, Acts 2:17). God has not stopped His salvation for mankind, but a continuance until all things be fulfilled. Receiving God’s Spirit is more than just believing in Him. There is more of a personal interaction with you and God when you receive His Spirit because He said you will “receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:” (Acts 1:8). How could it be anything less when you receive the power of God’s Spirit inside your body with your spirit?

It is more than just believing because your believing meets the power of God and they become one with an experience that will change your life and fellowship with God forever. Phillip was preaching in a town called Samaria. The people believed Phillip’s preaching about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus. They believed and were baptized. This sounds complete and finished with no need of anything else, but something happened.

The apostles heard back in Jerusalem that the people in Samaria received the word of God. This is the believing part and were baptized in Jesus name. How many perceive and understand today that is all that is needed to be saved and in a relationship with God? Well, the apostles did not see that as enough or complete because they sent Peter and John to Samaria. The believing and baptism in Jesus name needed the infilling of God’s Holy Ghost, which had yet to fall upon any of them. Peter and John went to pray for them and lay hands on them that they might receive the Holy Ghost (Acts 8:14-17).

The infilling of God’s Spirit was only acceptable when a person allowed God to fall on them in a powerful way that they went from praising God in their native language to praising God in another language as God gave them the utterance. This was a sign to them they received God’s Spirit. Simon from Samaria saw how “ through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money“. Simon saw something come upon those people in a powerful way and wanted to buy that power to be able to keep performing his tricks in Samaria (Acts 8:18).

There are several scriptures in Acts about receiving the infilling power of God’s Holy Spirit. The gospels are biographies of Jesus and the books after Acts are letters to already save people and churches. The book of Acts is the only place that lays out salvation and the results of salvation completely.

You can receive the powerful infilling of the Holy Ghost because it is a promise to all generations and to all that are afar off (Acts 2:39) with a non stop continuance of pouring His Spirit upon all flesh. You can make God your roommate by repenting, being baptized in Jesus name for the remission of sins, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38) with the powerful sign of the intimate speaking as God gives you the utterance (Acts 10). God is not dead and neither is the book of Acts.

I, “My spirit cannot see without you, L:ord“

Contract Against Death

All of us are born into this world with death inside of us. Our flesh has a count down clock in it. There is no age in which death cannot touch. We have seen from babies, teenagers, young adults, middle age, and the elderly fall to the touch of death. Some have entertained the thoughts of death at one time or another in their life. Death is upon all of us and the different methods death uses upon people is hardly ever a pretty sight. The saddest part people are under the belief there is no escape from death. I want to share with you about a contract, a covenant, that will separate you from death. I hope this will fill you up with hope and happiness in the days and the tomorrows you face.

A testament, will, or covenant is a set-agreement of complete terms by the initiating party. Basically, it is a set of rules between two parties making them to agree as one. I know the previous sentence was some technical jargon, but the basic point is a binding agreement that will satisfy both parties. This is viewing from our level of thinking, but with God it is different and more powerful.

God does not need anyone’s signature to make His contract/covenant valid. God did not need the signature’s of the angels in heaven for His word to be validated or certified. God’s word stood alone within itself totally vindicated, substantiated, confirmed and authenticated as the All Powerful, All Knowing, and All Present God. There is no equal party with God to sign God’s word contract/covenant to confirm its legitimacy (Is. 44:8). The law of heaven had the final authority of God and angel’s signature was necessary. Pretty cool thoughts, right?

NO COVENANT IN HEAVEN

There was no covenant in existence in heaven with God and His angels because they were all one eternal family under the knowledge of good. This was God’s choice of wanting only good to be active. There were no other parities in existence of a different group – no evil beings. God was the only one who had the knowledge of evil and He was the only one who could keep it separate, contained, and controlled within Himself. Everyone in heaven were all eternal beings. There was no time limit on their existence. They were all equal as far as eternally existing. It is cool to try to imagine heaven with a golden light shining and all were made of light moving about freely and doing their special jobs.

When the devil and the angels that followed him accepted evil inside themselves it separated them from the family of God creating a second eternal group of evil. We now have the good eternal family of God and the evil eternal dysfunctional demons of the devil. God made no creation with the intent to try to house within themselves both the knowledge of good and the knowledge of evil. I do not enjoy having the knowledge of horrible deaths, rapes, murders, disease, and decapitations in this life. God’s hopes were all creation would choose His good side of knowledge over the evil knowledge because He knew what evil would do. The angels who became devils could not separate, contain, and control the knowledge of evil. It actually became the reverse evil taking them over.

No covenant could be created between the eternal good and the eternal evil because the terms required death as restitution/payment to return everyone back to one family. Eternal beings cannot die to be changed from what they are eternally for. Their eternal punishment would be an eternal separation in a fire of torment (“…Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” Mtt. 25:41). Death could not solve the problem or the answer for eternal beings. This explains why the angels are so curious about us being able to receive the Holy Ghost returning to God’s family and how we can be saved from the overpowering knowledge of evil (“…the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.“1 Peter 1:12). This is also very cool and awesome we can be changed in God’s power.

GOD WANTED

This is a good time to stop and look at what God wanted and still wants today. God wanted a family of physical existence, free will choice, and made of good only. God was the only one who had the knowledge of good and the knowledge of evil. He was the only one who could keep them separate, contained, and under control. God did not want anything created in its original form in the knowledge of evil. He created the heavens and the earth originally in the knowledge of good only just like He did the heavens and the angels. God knew the knowledge of evil will take you farther than you want to go and take from you more than you wanted to give.

This is really cool to see if your mind can open up to it. Instead of solid eternal beings like the angels God wanted an eternal creation within something else like He would be if His All Present eternal Spirit were to be in solid form, His children if you will. God created the form in the image and likeness He would have for Himself from the dust of the earth. Adam created in God’s likeness and image was just laying there as an empty shell, a vessel of clay, and a sculpture of God if He were of solid form (Gen. 1:26). It is an amazing and humbling thought we are made in His image and likeness, even though today we are scarred with the inherited sin and evil.

MANKIND IS DIFFERENT

I can see God’s All Present, All Knowing, and All Powerful Spirit focusing Himself into a centralized spiritual form without diminishing being everywhere in the image and likeness of Jesus (Ghost like form), a spirit blueprint of Himself as a man template if He were to be solid and if He were to have children. This is what I would look like if I were of solid form, God may have thought. Adam was created from the dust of the earth as if God were sculpting Himself from a mirror. Adam was the image and likeness of God, but was not complete because he did not have life inside himself. So, Adam needed the eternal part inside him for him to be truly in the image and likeness of God.

God breathed His Spirit through the nostrils of Adam creating the wind and air of life in the lungs of the body and creating the eternal spirit of a living soul at the same time (Gen. 2:7). The solid body received the ability to live and move while the eternal living soul came into existence (Acts 17:28) with some level of God’s intelligence and creative power, half eternal and half earthly substance. This means your spirit is what is driving your fleshly eyes to read these words into the storage area of your soul. Your spirit is the driver of your fleshly body. Your spirit will live forever somewhere and your body will return to the dust of the earth (“Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” Eccl. 12:7). Sorry, a side note: this is why Jesus knew Lazarus was dead because his spirit returned to God and God was inside of Jesus (Col. 2:9)). Cool, right?

COVENANT OF EARTH

In the beginning on earth God had one rule – don’t eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and the knowledge of evil or you will die. Everything and I mean everything else is free to eat. Death for the angels was not a cease to exist, but an eternal separation of torment in a place of fire from God. The devil deceived Eve with twisting God’s word of not eating of ANY of the trees, lies of she would not die by eating this forbidden tree causing doubt, and she would be like God all the while persuading Adam. Eve and Adam went against God’s one rule invoking and setting into motion the sentence of death and the practice of the knowledge of evil. I said, “practice” because we have seen throughout history and today the different practiced methods and applications of the knowledge of evil.

This is where a covenant/will/testament could be created because we are half earth and half eternal beings. A separation, containment, and control could be put in place for us to be separated from our flesh and spirit, but it would take a certain kind of flesh (the Lamb of God, Jesus) to absorb all the sins of the world and freeing our spirits. You and I can have a happiness of deliverance from evil through Jesus. Isn’t that awesome.

What is tremendously beautiful is that God did not need the devil’s signature for this contract to be valid. God’s word was the deciding contract of what happens when you eat the fruit of this one tree. God’s contract about the knowledge of evil was sin, death, and hell. The angels that decided on the knowledge of evil received the actions of God’s word. Mankind received the contract of sin, death, and hell to all generations of mankind, but another contract/covenant could be put in place for mankind different from the angels situation. A “Contract Against Death” releasing us to life eternal and the exploration of all the knowledge of good.

There could be a sentence of death covenant with Adam and Eve because they were not solid eternal beings like the angels. Adam and Eve had two sides to them that the angels did not. Before Adam and Eve fell to sin there was no need of covenant with God because they were one eternal family in the good side of knowledge with God. After the falling into sin Adam and Eve were separated into the death side of the practice of the knowledge of evil. This is where the covenant came into existence for mankind.

The devil had to convince Adam and Eve to believe his contract of lies to pull them in, which was us and all of mankind, out of God’s contract of good. Adam and Eve were created under God’s contract of the knowledge of good. We could be saved if God wanted to step in and save us from the eternal death of separation, punishment and torment. Those are terrible thoughts of eternal death, but yet again it is contract that no signature of others is required for it to be validated.

CONTRACT SET IN MOTION

God clothed Adam and Eve with skins of an animal, which could be assumed an innocent animal died the death temporarily in their place for their shame of sin. (Ge. 3:21 “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.“) God started the covenant to temporarily put death off with the blood of innocent animals for a day God would send the promise seed of mankind to permanently pay the sin debt of death. I know all of this sounds cruel to sacrifice innocent animals to pay our sin debt of death temporarily, but death has an unstoppable law placed on us all. Death will continue until all is fulfilled.

Remember, there is no equal party with God to sign God’s word of creation contracted and confirmed to function as He chooses for confirmation of legitimacy. God spoke His contracted word for the sun to shine and it will do so until He decides otherwise because He has the full and final authority. When God put into place His spoken word of contract to Adam and Eve Gen. 2:16“…Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:“ v17 “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” it was an ordered process of action like the sun shining unto all.

God did not need Adam and Eve’s signature to validate His spoken word because no one was equal to God (Is. 45:5). God cannot go against His Word because it is Himself one and the same. He cannot go against Himself because He cannot be divided being an All Present, All Knowing, and All Powerful God. It is simple you cannot be divided if you are All Present. God’s contract/covenant is so solid and powerful that it has a final completion within itself (Is. 55:11) that can be only answered by itself. God is the only One that can answer the God level contracts and anything below that. I hope you are being inspired for many other thoughts as you read these. I know I do because I am listening to God for more things to see from Him.

GOOD NEWS

The importance of a covenant/will/testament fulfills the terms required for the actions of sins. “For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it.” (Heb. 9:16). This is really the cool part. God stepped in and created the covenant to die Himself “… necessity be the death of the one who made it“, but the thing was God in His Spirit form could not die. God put into motion from the beginning with Adam and Eve that He Himself (the One who made the covenant) would enter into a body of flesh (the promise seed of redemption) just like Adam and Eve were made of flesh that one day He would remove all sins by the death of His fleshly vessel (“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 2 Cor. 5:21).

This is really awesome and actually a mind blowing thing to see. God on that day looking at Adam and Eve under the bondage of death had in His mind my “…children are partakers of flesh and blood…” I will also “…likewise” take “part of the same; that through death” I “might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;” (Heb. 2:14). As God was talking to Adam and Eve He had formed a covenant to take our place in death as one of us providing a way of escape through this body fulfilling the “Contract Against Death” and salvation to others.

There is no greater contract or covenant stronger than the one true Almighty God. When God puts forth His word it shall go forth and not return to Him empty, but it shall fulfill what He intended and prosper in the thing He sent it (Is. 55:11). This explains why Jesus the man side was the way he was walking, talking and reacting to things in the gospels because he had the fulness of the Godhead inside of him bodily (Col. 2:9) going forth among mankind showing the example of how to live, handle, and be as a true son of God.

The “Contract Against Death” was sealed inside the flesh of Jesus by the Almighty God. God pointed out to Adam and Eve in this fight between the devil and Jesus, the promise seed, that death will strike with it’s poison of death into his fleshly heel while Jesus will strike the head with a spiritual blow of eternal death for the separation of mankind (Ge. 3:15) while containing sin in his fleshly body. A side not: the devil has never been higher than God’s feet let alone near His head. The contract will be fulfilled in that Jesus will die in the flesh sealing the deal/contract in his blood trapping sin in his fleshly body and death will be defeated in breaking it’s hold on mankind through Jesus.

The body of Jesus and the Spirit of Jesus divided sin by the dual nature of Jesus Christ. He was man and He was God. He was the Word (blueprint to all creation) and He was God. The fleshly man side trapped sin under the blood of the body of Jesus and the Spirit side renewed our spirit to be guided into all knowledge of good with a pass into heaven over hell and the grave returning to our Father who loves us.

FINAL COVENANT/CONTRACT

God does not need a signature from anyone to validate His Word. God did not need a signature from Jesus the man because God was inside the man Jesus (“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” Col. 2:9). Jesus the man was the contract himself because he was the Word, God Himself, walking in flesh (“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…” Jn. 1:1, 14). The man side of Jesus always honored God and God always honored the man.

God was inside Jesus the man of flesh fulfilling the Old Testament contract/covenant of death replacing it with redemption a second contract/covenant of eternal life through the name and body of Jesus Christ (“To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” 2 Cor. 5:19). Isn’t it fantastic how God Himself sealed the “Contract Against Death” for us? This is why the power of Jesus name is not liked by the world because it applies the dual natures of God to us. His name applies the blood of forgiveness and His Spirit provides us eternal life.

God, Himself, sealed His Word contract in Jesus Christ to pay off the old contract of death to mankind AND adding a redemption package of eternal life for those who choose to accept His new covenant in place. Death was paid and rebirth package was put into place through Jesus. God felt like His contract/covenant should be for us, His children and He said, “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;” Heb. 2:14. Man, what a deal to accept the powerful “Contract Against Death” of God to set us free from the nastiness of sin and to combat the knowledge of evil that tries to tare us down.

BORN AGAIN COVENANT

Getting inside of God’s new contract/covenant is going through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus paid all three of these phases in God’s new covenant. Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant for us so that we may receive the promise of eternal inheritance because this covenant required the death of the one who made this new covenant – Jesus (v15 “For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.” v16 “For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it.” Heb. 9:15, 16).

How to die, be buried, and resurrect in Jesus is the question to fulfill the born of the water and of the Spirit contract/covenant Jesus told Nicodemus or you cannot enter into the kingdom of God (“…Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Jn 3:5). Three easy required phases in God’s new covenant for people to enter into freely by choice.

After Jesus ascended to heaven with a glorified body He sent back to earth the born again covenant terms in Acts chapter two. The gospels do not, very important to understand, have the details of the contract because they are autobiographies of what Jesus did and said like the Old Testament told of what to expect when the Messiah comes. The books after the book of Acts do not, very important to understand, have the details of the contract because they are written to already saved Christians who needed encouragement, corrections, and general explanations. The details of the born again covenant terms and “Contract Against Death” was explained in Acts chapter 2 setting into motion that contract for all generations to come including us today.

Peter revealed the three steps of dying, be buried, and resurrected in Jesus. The three part terms of God’s new covenant was only completed revealed in Acts chapter two verse thirty-eight. This contract was to be followed strictly and not to be altered like the devil did to Adam and Eve with God’s one law back then. No other gospel contract was suppose to be preached or they would be accursed (“As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” Gal. 1:9). Wow, this is a scary scripture, but none the less we are talking about a contract from God with no one equal enough the sign a signature validating the legitimacy of God’s word except God Himself.

CONTRACT DETAILS AND STEPS

Phase 1 Death: Peter said, “…Repent…“, which is a type of dying out, turning your back and walking away from sin contract with the devil and the practicing knowledge of evil. Repenting on our part is fulfilling the dying part with Jesus. REPENTENCE. I was tired and I am tired of the sin in my life controlling me and giving me false hopes of satisfaction only to find out it was a lie making thigs worse.

Phase 2 Burial: Peter said, “…be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…“, fulfills the “…born of the water…” part doing two things at once. We are buried with Jesus (“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death…” Ro. 6:4, “Buried with him in baptism…” Col. 2:12) in water submerged like a liquid grave with the name of Jesus spoken over us applying the blood that is in that name to remove and forgive sins. Buried and forgiven in Jesus name applies the fleshly side of the contract requirements from one of the dual sides of Jesus, the man. WATER BIRTH. Coming up out of that water having the name of Jesus spoken over you really makes you feel forgiveness and the deal has been sealed with the “Contract Against Death” locked into place by God.

Phase 3 Resurrection: Peter said, “…and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.“, which fulfills the “…born…of the Spirit…” part filling us with the power of the Holy Spirit (“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you…” Acts 1:8) and sealing us with the earnest, like a down payment, of the Spirit (“Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” 2 Cor.1:22) because we believed and “…were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,” (Eph. 1:13), which this seal is to keep us until “…the day of redemption” Eph. 4:30.

This third phase is where people waver a little. In God’s new contract/covenant He wants to give us the power of His Spirit. The key word is “…power of the Holy Spirit“. The devil does not want anyone to receive the power of the Holy Spirit because that is what defeated him everyday Jesus walked this earth from the desert temptation all the way to the death, burial, resurrection, and afterwards through us. We can be like Jesus because He supplies all our needs through His Spirit. If it be understandings or actions the power of the Spirit of God will change us internally and externally with mankind and the devil.

The devil would like you to just believe you automatically received the Holy Ghost with only a good feeling coming over you. How would you compare the power of a good feeling to God coming down upon you so strongly that as you were speaking your native words and God started speaking with your voice in the power of another language? His Spirit springing up from within you like a powerful pure flow of living water. How would you feel then? This is what happened on the day God released the new terms to His new covenant/contract with mankind. Which do you think the devil fears the good feeling or the sign/evidence of speaking in the language God guides your voice to speak?

This birth of the Holy Spirit has never stopped since this day in Acts chapter two. There are no scriptures that support God stop powering out His Spirit in this same powerful way. You can have this born again Spirit experience. God’s contract does not change and any other gospel preached is under a curse by God’s word (“As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” Gal. 1:9). Which one do you think the devil prefers a complete fulfilled contract with God or an incomplete contract?

These three components in God’s new covenant complete the necessary requirements of repentance, water baptism, and the infilling of the Holy Spirit for all of us to live life more abundantly with forgiveness and the power of the Holy Spirit guiding us into all truth everyday until we die in this world or when He comes. I hope you free yourself in God with this truly liberating “Contract Against Death” by the body of Jesus Christ in Jesus name water baptism and the Spirit of Jesus Christ in the powerful infilling of His Holy Spirit.

God’s blessings and fellowship is my prayer for a changed life words cannot adequately describe.