The New Free Thinkers

Recently I read an excerpt of T.D. Jakes’ sermon titled “Let It Go.” Curiosity spiked as I read on. Rev. Jakes claims he has the tenth spiritual gift, called the gift of goodbye. Naturally, I pondered this. How can saying goodbye to anything be a gift? When I think of gifts, I think of a blessing that is either given to me or to others around me. When I think of goodbyes, I think of that tiny bit of heartbreak inside of you: the total opposite of a gift.

How many of us go through our lives addicted to something that is unhealthy? How many struggle with bad attitudes, unhealthy relationships, grudges, wrong thoughts, anger, anxiety, or wrong mindsets? Maybe it’s even holding onto something that is not yours to hold. I can think of many times I’ve struggled all these things and it never dawned onto me that, hey, I’m not supposed to hold onto them! If I have a wrong mindset or if I’m holding a grudge, I’m not helping anyone or being effective in the Kingdom of God. I’m not even being effective in my own life! Holding onto people, attitudes, thoughts, or emotions can run us down and cause us to be weary. The gift of goodbye is three simple but powerful words: let it go.

Saying goodbye to things doesn’t make you a bad person. In fact, it releases you to become the person God wants you to be. Holding onto negative relationships can shift your eyes off of what really matters. Holding onto bad attitudes can make you a bitter and unpleasant person to be around. Holding onto past hurts and pains can hinder you from the healing that God wants to place in your life to make you whole. However, letting these things go can allow God to do a new work in your life.

The past is the past. And where God is leading us, he wants us to be free from the things that tie down our minds and emotions. He has bigger and better plans for us, and we can hinder our own selves more than anything by saying we’re not capable. By letting it go, our mindset changes. It can get broader by allowing God to fill the void inside of us, where we harbor pain, hurts, and addictions. He desires for us to let the heavy and unnecessary things go — and let Him come in so that He can take us to a new experience that we’ve never known before. You just have to let it go.

“If you are holding on to something that doesn’t belong to you and was never intended for your life, then you need to… let it go!
If you are holding on to past hurts and pains… let it go!
If someone can’t treat you right, love you back, and see your worth… let it go!
If someone has angered you… let it go!
If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge… let it go!
If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction… let it go!
If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents… let it go!
If you have a bad attitude… let it go!
If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better… let it go!
If you’re stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level in Him… let it go!
If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship… let it go!
If you keep trying to help someone who won’t even try to help themselves… let it go!
If you’re feeling depressed and stressed… let it go!
If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and God is saying “take your hands off of it,” then you need to… let it go!
Let the past be the past. Forget the former things. GOD is doing a new thing for you. Let it go!
Get Right or Get Left .. think about it, and then let it go!”  — T.D. Jakes

“Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.”  — Psalm 62:8

There is a place where you are always welcome. In that place you are completely safe. There you continually feel loved, no matter who walks into or out of your life. Even through dark times, that place is always able to give the fresh glow only the Son can give. To get there, all you need to do is get down on one knee and then the other, close your eyes, and tell God that you are giving him your all. Give him present or past relationships that you are hurting from. Tell Him your frustrations and anxieties. God wants to be the friend you talk to in the middle of the night, the one you greet when He wakes you, and the one you thank when you see a beautiful sunset.

But there’s a catch: in order to get there, you need a solid foundation of trust that only comes from a heart-to-heart between you and Him. It is only by testing and trying God that we are able to trust Him and trust for all the things He’s promised. Through our journey of testing we often feel disbelief at first, and when He comes through we are amazed and ready to give more of ourselves. In the end we  are no longer testing Him — it has beautifully bloomed into a reliance and trust.

When we establish this level of relationship with God, He gives us three gifts in our heart. These are peace, perfect joy, and complete protection. Like a rock, these three things cannot be moved or shaken from our lives. Once we enter into this level of intimacy and allow Him to move into our being, He will hold us up amidst all of our troubles. We can be at peace, because even at our most jaded state of being, there is a solid foundation of God grounded in our core.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”  — Proverbs 3: 5-6

Today we revisit our series on unity from earlier this year with a short lesson from history.

In the days when nomadic hordes ruled the steppes of Mongolia from horseback, ruling and being ruled by brute force, the shan-yu (or king) had much to fear. Building protective relationships was not an option, it was a necessity — and even one’s own family was not guaranteed to be loyal. David Christian relates the story of Mo-tun, son of a shan-yu, in A History of Russia, Central Asia, and Mongolia, Vol. 1:

Mo-tun had some arrows made that whistled in flight and used them to drill his troops in shooting from horseback. ‘Shoot wherever you see my arrow strike!’ he ordered, ‘and anyone who fails to shoot will be cut down!’ Then he went out hunting for birds and animals, and if any of his men failed to shoot at what he himself had shot at, he cut them down on the spot. After this, he shot a whistling arrow at one of his best horses. Some of his men hung back and did not dare shoot at the horse, whereupon Mo-tun at once executed them. A little later he took an arrow and shot at his favorite wife. Again some of his men shrank back in terror and failed to discharge their arrows, and again he executed them on the spot. Finally he went out hunting with his men and shot a whistling arrow at one of his father’s finest horses. All his followers promptly discharged their own arrows in the same direction, and Mo-tun knew that at last they could be trusted. Accompanying his father, the shan-yu T’ou-man, on a hunting expedition, he shot a whistling arrow at his father and every one of his followers aimed their arrows in the same direction and shot the shan-yu dead. Then Mo-tun executed his stepmother, his younger brother, and all the high officials of the nation who refused to take orders from him, and set himself up as the new shan-yu.

Grisly, isn’t it? Such was life in the Mongol expanse: the strong got stronger and the weak got nothing. You and I probably wouldn’t like to hang out with Mo-tun. He was ambitious, vengeful, and ruthless — usually not the qualities of a good friend. However, Mo-tun understood a principle of unity. He understood that shared direction and purpose without hesitation will multiply a person’s effectiveness.

Today we would call his technique “focused fire”, a barrage intended to completely obliterate a single target. The commander will pick the highest priority target on the battlefield and order his units to focus on removing that single threat. It doesn’t matter if a few soldiers miss the mark, because their fellows will not miss. When the number of units involved reaches a certain threshold, success is almost guaranteed.

In some ways our world is not much different from Mo-tun’s. Many forces vie for command of our lives, families, communities, and so on. If you do not have a solid base on which to build your life, it will be swept away by the strong currents of fashion, philosophy, or finances. The enemy of your soul is ruthless and insatiable. We need the power of God to change us daily, and we need the support of our fellows. When we agree together to accomplish His purpose, our efforts are multiplied. Through unity, God gives us the power to overcome.

Commitment: so many people take it for granted. Lately God has been dealing with me about this. When I think of commitment, I think of what one lover shows to another. I think of an undying bond that holds two people together. That’s true, but there is much more to it than that. If you have been in a relationship of any sort, you know what I mean. You want that special someone to hold and cherish you no matter what you go through. No matter what happens, you hope they will be right by your side “through thick or thin.” Sadly this is misconstrued nowadays. But God, our Lord and Savior, still wants us to be completely committed to Him. Just as one lover feels that way toward their significant other, Jesus the “lover of our souls” wants us to be completely committed to Him.

Being human, we pick up ways that we should act from the way other people act. It’s human nature. A little boy watches his dad as his dad treats his wife with compassion and love, and later he shows the same commitment to his own wife. The problem is that the world we are grabbing stuff from has tainted commitment. No longer does one man marry one woman and stay with her the rest of his life. He cheats on her, sleeps around and ends up divorcing her. Commitment only lasts a night. Jesus never intended this. Jesus doesn’t want us to have this kind of mindset. He wants us to be commited to other people, and more importantly, He wants us to be committed to Him.

Job is someone in the Bible who shows true commitment. He was committed to God even when the devil came along and took everything he had. He was committed to God even when his wife came and cursed him for not cursing God. He was committed to God in everything, and in the end he was rewarded for it. That’s the true meaning of commitment. That’s the kind of commitment I dream for. Not just with a lovely young lady someday but also with my heavenly father — the one who died on the cross to save me, the one that was whipped, beaten and bruised for me. He loved us so much and was so committed to us that he bled and died for us.

Just as I would gladly give my life for the person God gives me, I want to be so committed to God that even if I am threatened with death I’ll stand and say, “I am committed to Jesus and nothing you say can sway me from the love I have for him.” To some people this may seem impossible, but to me this is reality. It’s time to learn the true meaning of commitment. No more games. God is looking for true, loving, honest people to be completely one hundred percent sold out for him.

Lastly, God wants us to be committed to the harvest with the same mindset and the same exuberance as we would with that significant other. We need to be sold out for this. Because the harvest is large but the labourers are few. We need to stand up and be the men and women God has made us to be. We need to have the passion and drive to be committed to this no matter what.

Committed for life. That’s what I want.

Between the years of 1915 and 1920, Spokane, Washington, was the healthiest city on earth. According to U.S. Government statistics, the town was almost completely free from sickness during that period. This remarkable healthiness had nothing to do with the climate, water, or food. It had everything to do with God’s miraculous power. God led a man named John G. Lake to open what were known as “healing rooms” in the city of Spokane. It’s estimated that some one hundred thousand healings occurred in those rooms. This is just one highlight of God’s manifestation during the early 20th century. The stories from Spokane were so mind boggling that the Better Business Bureau decided to check out the authenticity of the healing claims. After investigations, two committee members privately told Lake, “You didn’t tell the half of it.”

Something about this story stirs a desire in me that to see the miraculous power of God take over my town. I’ve heard other stories about revivals that emptied and eventually shut down bars. Then there are the tales of entire factories full of workers falling to their knees, weeping in repentance, simply because an anointed man of God walked through the door. These stories are fascinating, but I don’t want to be merely a historian of others’ stories. I don’t want to settle for reading the books of other mighty men of God. I want to partner with God in writing some new history books.

Doubtless, these stories did not happen to just anyone, anywhere. It required sacrifice, submission, and faith. Yet it proves that God can do and desires to do amazing things in America. Am I willing to do my part?

I heard a story a few weeks ago about an old time pastor and his wife who went on a 30 day period of prayer and fasting. This pastor would start praying at 12 midnight and pray until 12 noon. His wife would sleep during this time as well as get the kids ready for school. She would then begin praying at noon while he would sleep and get ready for the evening service. She would sit in the back and pray during the service. Then at midnight he would resume his 12 hour vigil. This continued for the duration of the 30 days. When my astonished mind finally registered the magnitude of this couple’s sacrifice, I profoundly uttered one word. “Wow.” Their church began seeing the results of this intense prayer. As soon as people walked through the doors they would instantly feel the anointing and power of God. Revival swept many souls into the church.

While I’m not attempting to persuade you to embark on such a radical prayer mission, perhaps there is something God is looking for from you that will open the door to another spiritual awakening in your area. Pause and consider: why did God put me where I am? What purpose am I supposed to be fulfilling?

Is it crazy to ask God to give us an Azusa Street style spiritual experience? Is it extreme to ask God to give New England another great awakening? Is it ignorant to ask God for a demonstration of the miraculous, leading to a mass exodus of the hospitals and nursing homes? If so, then I will proudly announce that I am crazy, extreme, and ignorant, because those are exactly the sort of things I am asking and believing God for. The time for stories is past; the time for deeds is here.

Which is more important, getting more efficient at Call of Duty or getting familiar with the book of Romans? Which is more important to hit hard, the gym or the Bible? Which will take you further, a rock hard body and physical strength or walking in the spirit? Can leveling up on XBox Live take us deeper into God’s Presence? What wins souls, witnessing or gossiping? The need for God and His Spirit is high. People know that they need something but they don’t know what. Do they need bodies like Arnold Schwarzenegger or Halle Berry? Do they need to spend their money on worldly objects to gain temporary satisfaction? To look beautiful or socially attractive?

There is a hole to be filled. Like drug addicts, people do more and more to gain temporary satisfaction. Once that satisfaction runs out they look to a new place or spend more money. There is a hole inside that needs to be filled, but everything being put in is just seeping through. Nothing is a perfect match for what they need The conclusion naturally follows that this is just how life is, and the new mental norm is created. The gaping hole that is in need of being filled is called ‘normal.’ The constant  quest for temporary satisfaction is now normal and people are left with tons of worldly toys, junk, gadgets and memories but no happiness or lasting satisfaction.

But what if… what if we had what they need? What if we had what fills the hole, the missing piece to the puzzle? What if we had a million dollars that never ran out? Would we share it with anyone and everyone at any given chance or would we keep it for ourselves? Would we give into social pressure and contemplate what someone might think about us if we talk about it? What if they think that I’m weird or dumb? What if?

What if I reached out and touched someone, helped someone? What if I reached out and gave that person what they’ve desired for 20, 40, maybe even 60 years? What if I gave freely what has been freely given to me? What if a life was changed and then they changed a life and then more and more lives were changed? What if  5 minutes of wholehearted witnessing saved 5 million lives? What if I put the ‘re’s back in ‘prioritize’ and evaluated and refocused the lens of my life on what was important?

What if I hit the streets and a holy ghost fire was started? What if God spilled out of my words and conversations and people began getting tears in their eyes and that hole in their hearts began to take notice? What if I prayed for some and they began to cry and drop to their knees and speak in unknown tongues?  What if, instead of watching the waters  and analyzing them every day, I stepped out of the boat and began to walk on water with Jesus? What if God had his way in my life? What If?

Recent reading has brought me to a good book entitled “Strategies for Life for Singles and Young Adults.” While reading the book I came across a concept I’d like to share with you.

This concept can be applied to any person and any walk of life.  It deals with the source we derive our joy and happiness from.  It’s said in this book that there is “a profound difference between happiness and joy.  A person cannot be happy all the time, but he can always be joyful.  Happiness is derived and removed by external factors. Joy springs from within, and therefore cannot be lessened or increased by forces outside us. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit — an invisible power that transcends all volleys against it.” To restate this, don’t wait for the things outside your control to change so that you can live a joyful fulfilled life. Instead, realize that God wants you to be joyful and has given you the power to do so within you through His Holy Spirit.

So if joy is a Fruit of the Spirit, it will be developed in us as the Spirit of God does it work in us.  But then where do we derive this inner joy from? When we receive the Holy Spirit we find that we have been ‘endued with power from on high.’ This is the power to look beyond our present circumstances to the God who is greater than our problems. It gives us a chance to rise above every obstacle that can be put in our way.  We don’t have to be brought down by anything, because God is on our side and gives us the strength we need to carry on.  We can be excited because our joy needn’t come from our external circumstances, but it comes from the power of the Almighty God living in you!

It reminds me of someone I know who has found that recently they have been more overcome with joy, not only because of where their focus lies while in prayer, but also where their focus lies in life. For a while they weren’t focused on and studying the word and seeking in their daily life. They were on fire at church, but less than enthusiastic when they were outside its four walls or not in a special service.  Now that they have allowed their daily life to be filled with thoughts of God, the joy I have written about has been realized in their life.

So I challenge you this week to look beyond your circumstances to the God (Jesus) who is bigger than your problems. Focus your eyes on Him and watch as all else fades into the background. Go in joy, not because your external circumstances have improved, but because you have been empowered to live a joyful life through Jesus Christ. Again, joy is not some mystical object or idea that can’t be attained, but a Fruit of the Spirit that will develop in us as we stay in Christ and focus on Him.

It’s twelve forty-five in the morning. I lay in a sleeping bag on my living room floor, awake. Though I have every reason to be comatose, I can’t close my eyes. It’s prayer time. I roll over onto my stomach, and start to seek the Lord, trying not to wake my friend on the couch, though I’m sure not even World War III can wake her at this point. My flesh usually has a hard time praying so late, but I don’t feel any resistance. I drown my fears and failures with repentance and humbled praise, letting God wash me with his grace and mercy.

For the past month I’ve been pondering what to write about. Usually I know well in advance, and my thoughts have clear direction. However, this entire month I struggled with what God wanted me to say—what He was trying to teach me. I would land on a subject only to change my mind soon after. Spiritually, I felt pulled in a thousand different directions, which was probably because my heart has been heavy. It wasn’t until last night that I received my breakthrough.

One ten in the morning. I decide to take the emotional plunge and wade through what’s been ailing my heart—what’s been keeping me from the joy I find in Jesus everyday. I think about the last couple of weeks. Though I had been showered with amazing preaching, though I was fed the word of God and wrapped in praise and worship, I still ended up at the altar, crying my eyes out. And though I should have been rejoicing, I found myself heavy and couldn’t understand why. Ah, the ever-present question of why. Why? Why, God? But instead of asking why, I decide to think about what. What? The memories come flooding to me. Tears fill my eyes, as the weight in my heart grows.

I ask God, when I am able to speak, “Lord, what do I do? I realize now it’s been me all along carrying this weight. I’m letting it go. I’m giving it to you. I’m letting you take control again. But, Jesus, what do I do? What happens when I try and try, but no matter what I do, nothing changes? What do I do when I’ve tried to maintain relationships with people but they fall apart? What do I do when someone hurts me by hurting You? What do I do when differences can’t be reconciled? I know You’re in control, and I trust You. I won’t worry, but is there anything humanly possible that I can do? Search my heart, Lord, is there something that I missed? Is there something I need to say? Is there something I should do? What do I do?”

I feel the Lord’s arms wrap around me as He warmly tells me, “You love them.”

“That’s it?”

“You love them.”

“Really?”

“Really. Love each and every one like I do. And remember how much I love you. You might find the weight lighter. Never did I say that I expected you to be perfect. That’s My job.”

God’s Love. Could it really be that simple? I wipe the tears from my eyes. I think about every situation that weighs on me. I add God’s love to the equation. Suddenly, every issue fades to gray. My heart begins to feel lighter. 1 Corinthians 13:12 says “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity.”

If any of you are like me, we all go through times when everything in our lives seems to fall apart. We all go through rumble strips—periods where God will bring you through a trial to teach you. Note that I said bring you. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in all of our problems that we forget that God will bring us through. We get so busy that we forget that He is always with us; we are never alone. In the meantime, what can we do? We can love. Even when we feel that we’ve been wronged and that people should love us, we can still love others. In Matthew 7:12 Jesus clearly states, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” Similarly Luke 10:27 says, “And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.” And again this concept is stated in Luke 6:31.

Never should we find an excuse not to love our neighbors. It sounds so simple, but it’s something we forget to do sometimes. The important thing is, it’s not about us—it’s about Jesus. It’s about His sacrifice, His love, His commandments. God truly loves us, so what reason do we have not to love others? Do you have enemies? Love them. Do you have friends? Love them. Do you have co-workers? Love them. We are commanded by God to love. The more you let God take control, the more you love, and the more you do unto others as you would have them do unto you—the more true, God-given joy you will feel.

So it’s simple: how many people have you loved today?

Many people have a real fear of finding out that God is real. At first glance this is very strange, because ignorance of a real God is possibly the worst of all alternatives (if He were not real, it wouldn’t matter whether we knew or not).  Better to be informed.

But consider how God describes Himself: all-powerful, all-knowing, omnipresent, not bound by the laws of time or space, without equal or superior to limit Him. He is totally unrestrained except by His own character. Anything He wants to do will instantly become possible. If we anger Him, only His mercy can save us from destruction. If we please Him, it’s because He enabled us to do so.

God is completely beyond our control. He is consistent, though sometimes He is unpredictable and that can scare us. And in the minds of many, God is not safe. It calls to mind this exchange from Volume 1 of The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, where Lucy inquires about the great lion, Aslan:

“Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.
“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver. “Don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

Power is always dangerous. That’s practically the definition. If a thing doesn’t carry the danger of changing what’s around it, then it’s probably not very powerful. The more powerful something is, the more dangerous it is, and we must exercise more caution in using it. Think of tools as an example: if you’re not careful, you can cut yourself when using a hand saw. But if you’re careless with a power saw, you can do far more damage in a shorter amount of time. Alternatively, a power saw could help you build a house quicker. Greater power carries greater risk.

So when we consider God, who holds all power, it’s understandable that some people are frightened by the thought. “Then He isn’t safe?” they ask. “I thought God was loving and kind. What’s this talk about danger and risk?” And the answer is just as Mr. Beaver told Lucy: of course He isn’t safe. Maybe we can fool ourselves a good portion of the time, but the truth is that there is an inherent risk in involving yourself with the Almighty.

Doesn’t sound encouraging so far, does it? But there’s more to the answer! God is not safe – but He is good. You see, what we usually mean when we ask “is it safe?” is a different question entirely. What we really want to know is, “can I control what happens?” With God the only option is to give up control. His design is to change your life, and that wouldn’t happen if you were controlling it. But God is limited by His character. When we give up trying to control what He does, that doesn’t leave Him undirected: He already knew what He was doing! Maybe it’s uncomfortable sometimes, or even frightening, but based on His character we know that God can be trusted… even though He isn’t safe.

Listening to something smaller, deeper, and quieter than all the bustling noises around you is a distinct and a defined process. It enriches those around you by the lifestyle you begin to lead. Being “Spirit-led” can be different for each individual person. But it all comes down to one element: how you handle the whispers of God given to you each day. Those whispers, no matter how quiet, are influential in our minds and our own spirit. It’s personalized to us — God doesn’t speak to everyone the same way, because we’re different. We need to recognize and develop our inner listening skills, because we don’t want to miss out on the many blessings that come from learning to live and be led by the Spirit of God.

There are many different dimensions of being led by God, but to get to any of them you need one essential valuable substance in your life: a daily walk with God. This isn’t just for the “elite” — God isn’t a respecter of persons. It’s a process, and to begin, we need to learn to recognize God’s voice for ourselves. Indulging in reading and learning God’s Word helps us to do that. The Bible is God’s thoughts to us. It’s His love letter, it’s our history, it is His principles on how he expects things to be done. It shows us the meaning of true love, and it gives us new hope on a life that can be dreary.

Fellowshipping with God is also important. We can’t learn to listen to Him if we never stop and give Him attention. He inhabits our praise, and that’s how we can learn to feel the presence of God. Being aware of his presence in every situation will help us to perceive a greater amount of things.

When you start making time for God, don’t be surprised if He starts ‘whispering’ to you. A good friend of mine called the voice of God “the whispers of God.” He doesn’t speak in a booming announcer voice. Elijah saw this when he was hiding in the cave. He had to go past the fire and the rain to listen to the “still small voice,” that voice of assurance that sweeps into your mind and breathes into your soul. A strong foundation of being with Him daily will begin to let you recognize and hear His whispers in your every day life.

Spending time with God, falling in love with Him more, can’t help but affect your attitude. Maybe you are more fervent when you pray or praise. Maybe you are more outgoing when it comes to proclaiming your dedication to Jesus. A daily decision to listen those whispers will transform into something greater. You will start to notice that you have words to say — things that may sound silly to you but are meaningful when spoken into someone else’s life. Maybe you just go on a rant and when you are done you don’t even know how you said so much about a subject. Those whispers can grow stronger as you obey them. The more you seek, the more He’ll speak. Every step closer to God will be evident to those around you.

I’ve heard so many miraculous stories from men and women of God who listen to His voice. I’ve caught myself mistakenly believing that God only speaks to them. I’ve seen prophets speak into people’s lives not knowing anything about their situation. I’ve heard about preachers praying to know which restaurant to go to, and God answering them, and then they know specifically which waiter or waitress they would get. I’ve heard of prayers answered on the spot. It’s exciting to think that I can experience those things for myself, too! I can have such a strong relationship in God that I’ll be able to speak and act out exactly what he desires. It just takes one step at a time.