Condensed notes from a conference on Power and Love:
Don’t focus on the devil and sin (Have a “single eye”). Our problem is not with sin—we have an identity problem-- that through a lack of the Word-- we are destroyed. Our fight is with our identity (submitting to God in a fallen world with our feelings instead of faith; walking by faith and not by sight or circumstance). Don't APPLY the gospel(religious formulas)—You ARE the gospel in Christ.
You can pray your “best prayer” and nothing changes because you are “applying God” not allowing Him to flow through you. Don’t let your prayers be attempts to get help for life’s “issues” but let your prayers be about the power of the KingdomLife! The power of life and death are in our tongues and we are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. We have reduced Christ to a “ticket to Heaven” instead of manifesting His image of LOVE and being the "salt" and "light" in the world. We were created in the Maker’s image and He IS LOVE. We are hated by the enemy because we look like our Father and were made to Love and be LOVED--to reflect that image.
Photo credit: Azarius
You can pray your “best prayer” and nothing changes because you are “applying God” not allowing Him to flow through you. Don’t let your prayers be attempts to get help for life’s “issues” but let your prayers be about the power of the KingdomLife! The power of life and death are in our tongues and we are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. We have reduced Christ to a “ticket to Heaven” instead of manifesting His image of LOVE and being the "salt" and "light" in the world. We were created in the Maker’s image and He IS LOVE. We are hated by the enemy because we look like our Father and were made to Love and be LOVED--to reflect that image.
We were not created to think for ourselves independently of God—that was what Eve did. The serpent questioned her obedience to Father and think for herself. We were created to Love and obey the One that would keep us safe and blessed. He said if you love me, you will obey Me. “Sophisticated” has a definition that means: “Loss of innocence.” Not everyone wants to be LOVE/manifest their Creator/live their purpose. They want to try and retain their “rights” that sin temporarily provides.
The devil doesn’t think we love God—he thinks we only need him. Love not your own life to death—that's how we overcome the evil in the world around us and just look at Job. He knew that everything he needed or wanted was in the Great I AM. He would not trade his soul for the world.
The devil is a cut off withering branch—he is coming to nothing. He loves attention because he is nothing. He tries to get us to focus on ourselves and our past failures so we will be distracted from making waves for the Kingdom of God. That way you will “need” God instead of love Him. When horrible things happen to innocents they say “God allowed” it and accept it as final. That is very deceptive and damaging because it takes the fight out of our spirit and prayer life. If we are faithful in hiding His word in our heart when you don't need Him to help us out of a trial, when it comes; we are ready-- not reactive.
The devil is a cut off withering branch—he is coming to nothing. He loves attention because he is nothing. He tries to get us to focus on ourselves and our past failures so we will be distracted from making waves for the Kingdom of God. That way you will “need” God instead of love Him. When horrible things happen to innocents they say “God allowed” it and accept it as final. That is very deceptive and damaging because it takes the fight out of our spirit and prayer life. If we are faithful in hiding His word in our heart when you don't need Him to help us out of a trial, when it comes; we are ready-- not reactive.
Christians have put God in the position to “fail” them as we avoid spiritual response-ability (Like Adam tried to blame God for the woman He gave to him). We allow our losses to preach to us rather than the Truth and then blame God. We stop Love by “loving our own lives to death.” If you, as a follower of Christ, would just die to self—you wouldn’t hurt anymore. You wouldn’t be like the wicked that are offended by-and-by. You wouldn’t wear the T-shirt from Wal-Mart that says, “It’s all about me.” You wouldn’t see men at face value, you would see them in their God given WORTH. We don’t have sin problems~Jesus took care of that! It is identity problems! Which side will you be on? Yours? Or Gods?
Marriage and children are gifts—why do I want to run from it? (Lack of knowledge and love) Strife in the family is from a lack of LOVE.
Also, He never gave us these gifts at the cost of KNOWING HIM.
Notes from Dan Mohler
**Have you ever considered that the “pearl of great price” is YOU and the Merchant is Christ? Look it up.
Life is fair? If God were fair then we would all deserve to be incinerated in hell. We reap what Christ sowed with his body. Is that fair? Is it fair what He had to do for us? Are you finding God through Life’s issues or through the Truth of the gospel? Life isn’t bigger than Truth.
