Lesson 2 Feelings-The Seat Of Unrest

     Throughout the body of Christ, we haven't been taught as much about who we are as who we were.  For so long a time, we have been taught to be more aware of our old sin and less aware of old things that are passed away.  We've become a church full of unbelieving believers.  We declare that we believe what the Word has to say and at the same time we find ways to exempt the supernatural from our walk with the Father. 
     In many circles yet in the church, to declare that we are a son of God sounds like blasphemy.  Yet, we will stand and declare The Lord's Prayer to our Father Who art in heaven.  We keep hearing the age old statement of being an "old sinner saved by grace."  The truth is that you were an old sinner who was saved by grace.  But, now you are no longer a sinner, by grace you were saved and you are a child of God and a joint heir with Christ.
     We've walked and are still walking most of our Christian walk by our senses and not by the Word or spirit.  When Jesus walked as a man on this earth, He dealt with those who weren't born again people.  No one was born again until after His resurrection.  The disciples were just natural men without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  All they knew about Jesus was what they could see, what they could hear and what they could feel.  They saw the miracles and felt the love that radiated from Jesus.  They didn't understand the things that He told them unless He spoke in parables using things their minds could grasp.
     Even Nicodemus, who was in the hierarchy of the covenant, couldn't understand when Jesus told him he must be born again.  He related this statement with only his sense knowledge of birth and said how asked Jesus "How can a man go back into his mother's womb?"
     Jesus was always telling them about faith, asking where was their faith, referring to their little faith and addressing them as "ye of little faith."  In Paul's epistles you never hear Paul these statements at all.  The reason is because Paul is writing to the Church of the Lord Jesus and without faith to believe in Him you can't be part of the Church.  If you're born again, then you already have faith.  It's not about having faith; it's about what we do with the faith that we have.  We have done almost the same thing as the disciples did by walking only in the sense realm and not the spirit realm.  Mostly, we know God is in our midst by how we feel or we know it was a healing service by what we see.  We allow our emotions to dictate whether Jesus showed up or not.  We travel all over to see and hear people who walk in the gifts because when we see the miracles, then we can believe.  Jesus told Thomas, "You believe because you see me, blessed are those who believe without seeing."
     In other words, your senses have now affirmed my presence, but those who by the spirit believe, "beyond what their senses tell them:"  these people are blessed.
     In Hebrews 5:11 (Amplified),the apostle Paul had this to say to the church, "this we have much to say which is hard to explain, since you have become dull in you (spiritual) hearing and sluggish (even slothful) in your spiritual insight."  Verse 12 continues, "for even tho by this time you ought to be teaching others, you actually need someone to teach you over again the very first principles of God's word.  You have come to need milk, not solid food."  Verse 13 says, "for everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought and action) for he is a mere infant (not able to talk yet)."  Verse 14 continues, "But solid food is for full grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law."
     This was written 2,000 years ago, and we find that most of the Church is still in this infant stage of Christianity.  In Hebrews 6:1 (Amplified) the apostle Paul goes on with his discourse in this way, "Therefore, let us go on past this elementary stage in teachings and doctrines of Christ (the Messiah) advancing steadily toward the completeness and perfection that belong to spiritual maturity.  Let us not again be laying the foundation of dead works (dead formalism) and of the faith (by which you turned) to God."  Verse 2 goes on, "with teachings about purifying, the laying on of hands, the resurrection from the dead, and eternal judgement and punishment.  (These are all matters of which you should have been fully aware of long, long ago)."  Verse 3 says, "If indeed God permits, we will (now) proceed (to advance teaching)."
     I wonder sometimes how the Church will take this to "advanced teaching."  It seems that every time we step into the spiritual teachings of Jesus, the flesh and senses want to rise up in opposition to this truth. It's almost like when Jesus talked to the scribes and Pharisees about the kingdom of God and they became indignant because it interfered with their doctrine.
     Throughout the centuries, the enemy has tried to keep the Church in bondage of some sort or another.  He has fought the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the speaking of new tongues, the healing of the body, the authority of the believer, the power of prayer and even the truth of righteousness and redemption.  It is hard to tell some people that they are "now" the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.  Some still want to act as though sometimes you are and sometimes you're not the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.  We need to learn to walk by the Word and the Spirit instead of by the senses that lie about God.

Feeling: The Seat Of Unrest

     We, as Christian people, have relied more on feelings of the flesh than on the reading of the Spirit.  We exclude God from our services because we didn't feel His presence.  The Word says that "God will never leave us or forsake us" and that He will always be with us.  Yet, because we didn't feel Him, we assumed He wasn't there.  We've tried to walk our walk based on what we feel instead faith in what He said.
     God is a spirit.  Jesus said that those who worship Him, must worship in spirit and truth.  Jesus also said that "Thy Word is truth."  This is the most important thing in the life of a Christian.  God contacts us by His Spirit and leads us by His Word.  He doesn't move us by our flesh and our feelings because they're unreliable.  That is the purpose of being born again by the Spirit of God.
     Maybe the most often used word in the Christian vocabulary when it comes to our relationship with the Father is a word hardly used at all in His relationship with us.  This word is "feelings" or "feel."  This word has only contact with the soul or flesh of the person.
     When I began this search in the Word, it was because I was allowing certain feelings to enter into my life.  The more I began to notice these feelings, the less I began to notice the Word or the voice of the Spirit of God.  As the feelings grew stronger, the voice of the Spirit grew weaker and more quiet.  After a few weeks it seemed like the feelings were running my life and were becoming stronger by the day.  It seemed like even though I knew what the Word of God said, I was helpless to obey it.  I fully began to understand what Paul meant when he said we needed to "crucify the flesh."  It had to be put to death and the only way to do so was to "by the Word" crucify it with Him as in Galatians 3:20.
     Any other means of death would have been my own feeble attempts at stopping the feelings of the flesh and would have been to no avail.  Feelings, as the Christian world has so fondly adapted to, have no place in our relationship with the Father.  We aren't saved because we feel saved.  We are saved by faith in what Jesus did on our behalf.  We aren't righteous because we feel righteous, but "because He has made us to be the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus."  2 Corinthians 5:17-21.  
     It has nothing to do with the feelings of the flesh, but the faith in the works of Jesus.  If we accept our right standing with God by feelings, then we are "most of the time" not in right standing with Him at all.  God isn't in our midst because of what we feel.  He is there because He said that He would be, whether we feel Him or not.
     The unrest, discontent, futility and pride, searching for new horizons and even the discontentment that cause us to find fault in our pastors, fellowship and worship and even in our brethren is brought about by feelings that know nothing about God.
     Is it any wonder that Jesus said that if we love Him, then we must keep His commandments?  Keeping His commandments is an act of faith, outside our feelings.  It's obedience motivated by love for God is far greater than emotion and feeling of the flesh.
      When feelings do come, they're not some emotion that we conjure up as an act of shouting, or dancing or something we hyped up until we felt something.  But, they will be brought about from the inside (the Spirit) by the moving of our spirit towards Him in faith.  By knowing He is in our midst and simply allowing God to minister and allowing our spirit to just accept His presence by faith.  By simply letting ourselves meditate on this truth will cause the manifestation of His presence that will now affect the flesh.  The action that we take toward God isn't only when we feel His presence, but at all times.  Feelings have nothing at all to do with whether God is near or far, true or untrue, Love or no love.
     If we respond to what God said in His Word by faith instead of feelings, then the Word works exactly the same way every time.
     If the only way we can believe God is when we feel His presence, then we have a very large gap in our faith and our trust in His Word.  All laws work on the very principle that they are laws.  The way we feel about the law doesn't change it.  Too many times we move as we "feel"  the Lord is leading us.  God doesn't lead by feelings.  Jesus said in John 14  and John 16 that " the Holy Spirit would lead and guide us."
     We too often base our destiny on the unstable hands of feelings and then we don't understand why things aren't right in our lives.
     We leave an anointed service and are encouraged and on fire from God's presence.  Then, two days later we're back in depression because the "feelings" have faded.  If God can only lead us by feelings, then we're so open to deception that our lives would be disasters because we could only rely on our flesh and senses instead of God's Spirit.  Satan rules the realm of the senses and the flesh.  That's why we must be born again.  He who isn't born again cannot see the kingdon of God.

Lesson 14 Rooted Deep In Love

     Since I've been in fellowship with my Father about love, I've begun to see things in a different light.  I used to be almost angry about Adam's transgressions in the Garden of Eden.  I wondered how someone set in the midst of all this glory could do such a foolish thing.  But, then the Father began to reveal some things to me about this first Adam.  In 1 Timothy 2:14 (Amplified), we find out that it wasn't Adam who was deceived but the woman who was deceived and deluded and fell into transgression.  Here the Word speaks of this first Adam as having entered into transgression almost knowingly.
     This man Adam was a sinless son of the Most High.  Until this time he was as sinless as the last Adam (Jesus).  Why would this man do such a thing?  Then, I began to see.  He was created to be just like his Father, and his Father is Love.  When he was created first, it was in the Spirit.  Genesis 1:27 (Amplified) says, "So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them."  Only later did God form him a body to contact the sense realm.  Genesis 2:7 (Amplified) says "Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath or Spirit of life, and man became a living being."
     Until this time Adam only knew how to walk in the spirit.  He had never encountered the appetites of a flesh and blood body.  He had never dealt with the carnal mind of a man, but only the mind of God.  Now he had to deal with things he could see, touch, smell, hear and feel.  He had never know emotions on this kind of scale and was trying out a brand new set of skills in his life.  Adam must have been like a new baby as he began to make sense of the things that flooded his mind.  Now the trick was to determine which of these new skills were reliable for him to trust.
     I remember when I first got born again.  I had walked all my life in the senses and didn't know what part of my spirit I could trust as reliable (I'm still finding out).  Here was a man (Adam) in the very same boat, only backwards.
     Remember that this man was just like God.  He had the same capacity to love as the One who created him.  When satan tempted them in the Garden, the Word said she was deceived; he was not.  I don't know what kind of transformation took place when this happened, but it must have been one that Adam could either see or feel when it happened. There must have been a sense of loss like we feel at the death of a loved one.  At any rate, they were now separated from God and things were different.
     If Adam wasn't deceived, then he must have done this thing willingly.  Here was the object of his love and companionship that had now been taken from him.  His great love for his wife was too much for Adam to bear and he had to find a way to get her back.  Had he gone to the Father with this problem, God would have found a way to make things right.  But, Adam had been given authority over all the earth and everything in it.
     Either he didn't know "what was now been made known to us," like the Word says in Hebrews 9:22(Amplified) that "without the shedding of blood there is no release from sin and it's guilt nor the remission of the due and merited punishment for sin," or Adam had tried to become the redeemer of his beloved wife on his own.  He knew that he had lost her and must have her back.  I'm certain that if he known about the blood, then he would have died in her place, but Adam didn't.  All he knew was he must not lose Eve.
     Here was a love so great that even after Adam had thought it over, he was still willing to forfeit everything the Father had given him for this woman.  Now that the transgression was finally complete, now that he had given up everything for her, now they became the same again.  They were  united in death and separation from God and united in their love that would give up everything.
     This great love was what caused the man to transgress.  Adam wasn't deceived into believing the lie.  He just loved his wife so much that he transgressed too.  Unlike the last Adam (Jesus) who would pay the ultimate price with His blood, Adam paid for unity with his wife with the lives of all humanity.
     I don't know how this man must have felt when he saw the change come over Eve, but the one thing I know is that his love must have been great for him to do what he did.  I wonder how many times over the past millenium we have made such compromises in our lives.  How many times have we given up the things of God for a wife, or for a husband of for someone we were afraid of losing.
     When I think of what Adam was faced with and how all of the new found emotions played on his mind, I have much more compassion for him than I ever did before.
     It was God's love in Adam that made the decision, but it wasn't God wisdom. " Wisdom is the principal thing therefore, get wisdom, and with all your getting, get understanding," Proverbs 4:8.

Lesson 13 Rooted Deep In Love

     We were studying about the creativity of Love.  Because 1 John 4 has declared that "God is love," then according to the scripture, Love created the heavens and the earth.  It was always the Father's intent to have family before He set the the earth in motion, thus Ephesians 1:4-5 (Amplified) says that "even as (in His Love) He chose (actually picked it out for Himself as His own) in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in Love."  Verse 5 continues, "for He forever ordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ , in accordance with the purpose of His will (because it pleased Him and was His kind intent)."
     Some have determined in these two scriptures that some are predestined to be saved and some are to be lost.  But, this isn't according to the Word of God.  In 2 Peter 3:9 (Amplified) we read that "The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people's conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance."  Also, john 3:16 (Amplified) indicates that God's plan was for all the world to be saved.
     We forget sometimes that we have a lot to say about whether we will be saved or lost.  The truth of salvation was offered up by the blood of Jesus for all who will believe.  It's a difficult thing to think that some will not accept the price that was paid and will perish.  This was never God's intention.
     In Ephesians 1:4 (Amplified), the Word says that before He created the heavens and the earth, we (God's children, His family) were the reason that He created them.  People have struggled for centuries to determine what the reason for creation was.  Those who know their Heavenly Father know why.  If you will note, man was the last thing put on earth.  Love created all of the things we see and determined they were very good.  Then, only after Love had given it's stamp of approval on the nursery for Love's children, God sat His man and woman, His son and daughter, in the midst of His glory.
     This Love (God, if you will), this God in His love for family, did all of these things for His children.  There was so much love that it had to be shared, had to be in a position to be able to reach beyond Itself and bless all who received it. 
     This is the kind of God (Love) the Word points us to.  We have never had a clear view of God as love, but He is.  If we could ever realize this truth, then it would expel all fear of everything else.  1 John 4:18 (Amplified) says that "there is no fear in love (dread doesn't exist) but full grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror!  For fear brings with it the thought of punishment and (so) he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love (is not yet grown into love's complete perfection)."
     Most of us have never really in our hearts, realized how this love has so carefully prepared things for His children.  Mostly, we still associated with harsh discipline and hard laws.  We still set ourselves up for a hard God to chastise us every time we do something wrong.  It was because we were doing wrong that God sent Jesus.  That's how love dealt with wrong.  Jesus dies in our place so that wrong could be erased.  1 John 2 :20 (Amplified)  says we should remember, "Whenever our hearts in (tormenting) self accusation make us feel guilty and condemn us.  (For we are in God's hands) for He is above and greater than our conscience (our hearts) and He knows (perceives and understands) everything (nothing is hidden from Him)."
     This Love (God) knew from the very beginning that it could fail, but Love was determined to win out even at the cost of ransoming us with His own blood should we fail.  When everything was against Him, Love found a way because Love Never Fails!
     We watched as Love died in our place and this Love (being so great), rose from the dead and brought victory to all who would believe.  Jesus was Love (God) clothed in the flesh.  If you ever are to know your Heavenly Father, then you have to know and watch Jeus in His ministry.
     Love created all things and finally, Love created a new creature to inhabit His creation.  2 Corinthians 5:17 (Amplified) says "You are a new creation (a new creature altogether)."  This new creature is called the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.  This love child was born out of a heart of love so great, that even dearth can't stop it.  Love created a shield of it's own blood to bring His family home.  Now, that we are back in our Father's house, we need to learn to rest in the power of this love.  If what you need doesn't exist, then Love will create it for you.  This Love (God, the Father) will stop at nothing to see His children whole and free.
     Never be afraid of God.  Just remember that this Love, this Father, this Love that was so great as to create this entire universe for you, is still on your side.

Lesson 12 Rooted Deep In Love

     The power of God (which is the love of God) is a creative force that will change your life when we understand it. The Word declares in 1 John 4:8 (Amplified) that God is love.  And, it was love that created everything that we see and everything that we don't see.
     If God is love, then it wouldn't be any stretch of the Word to declare in Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning love created the heavens and the earth."  This creative power worked in the life of Jesus on a regular basis.  It multiplied the loaves and the fishes, took money from a fish's mouth,created sight to a blind man, and many other such things as these with it's creative powers.
     In many foreign lands that serve other gods, we see no creative things in their lives.  No industry, no prosperity and very little in the field of medicine and other things.  Most of all, the industry they have was a direct result of Christian people bringing it in to them.  They live in darkness and death.  Riots, revolts and many other things indicate the absence of love (God's love).  It's not that God doesn't love them, but they have never reached out to that love and so the creative ability isn't at work there.
     This love which is God gave the best of Himself when He sent Jesus.  This creative love was the very thing that brought forth a new creature unto all who would receive it.
     When love created the heavens and the earth, it was the nursery formed to receive God's family.  Just as you would do if you were expecting a new baby.  You would set up a nursery with all the things that would delight your new child like painting the room and putting up bright curtains.  You might bring in some stuffed animals, a mobile and a little music box along with anything you might think would delight the little one.  That's exactly what our Father did when He created this earth for us to inhabit.
     All of the bright colored birds we see, all of the beautiful flowers that grow are for us.  Flowers have no purpose at all as far as man is concerned.  You don't eat them nor can you build houses from them.  They only serve to bless you with all the beauty that love could bring.  God, Love was building a nursery.  So many different trees along with so many kinds of terrain.  God put the domestic animals, dogs, cats, and all the animals on earth just to delight His children.
     He could have made all things the same, but He didn't because He realized we would need a variety of things to please all the different delights of His children.  Some would like different climates and some would like different terrains and the things that grow in different places.  He made so many different kinds of fruit trees to insure that no one was left out.  Love created so many different kinds of fish with bright colors to amaze His children and bring forth the laughter of His family.
     This love, this God is now a Father; a proud Father.  Even sin in the Garden couldn't stop this love from having a family to inhabit this nursery of His love.  This creative power of His love wouldn't be stopped by the lies of an enemy.  Just as no loving father would believe the worst about his children, so too this loving Father would go all out to bring His children home.
     Love found a way when there was no way by laying down His own life in the body of His Son.  He made and became the door back to His place of joy.  When Love set out to have a family, nothing could stop it from becoming Love's own creation. 
     This same creative power has now become our own spirit.  We were made in His Image and Likeness.  Now by this love miracle of the new birth, He has now become one with us in truth by His Spirit.  Now, with this Holy Spirit of God Himself, He has so perfectly cleansed us of our old sin nature by love.  So clean are you now, that God Himself (by and through the Holy Spirit), can now actually come an abide in us.  Love's dream is coming home.
     Just like any loving parent plans for his children, this loving Father has set before us all things to enjoy.  Now, love has a face, the face of Jesus.  Now, love has a name.  Now, we can actually watch this creative power of love as He in human form walks the streets of Jerusalem.  Now, we can hear love speak as He sets the captives free.  Now we can see the gentle hands of the one who created this nursery called earth lay hands on a pitiful leper and new flesh is created by this love.
     This love that is now in us and a part of us, has a mission and a calling.  We were to take His name, His Spirit, His Word, and most of all, His love and created the miracle of love for the captives.  It's no wonder that love never fails.  God is love.
    
     

Lesson 11 Rooted Deep In Deep

     When we think of the love of God, we often confuse it with what we think love is.  We connect it with flowers and candy, pretty cards and candle light.  God's lover is a whole different kind of love though. This love sent Jesus to the cross for us.  This love (through the Holy Spirit), raised Jesus up from the dead.
     What kind of power does love have that it can actually raise a man from death and the realm of the enemy?  It was love that watched Jesus suffer and die.  Can you imagine a love like that in our lives?  If this love would go that far for us, then how much will it keep us now?
     In Psalms 136:1-10 (Amplified), the Word speaks about how this mercy and loving kindness created all the heavens and the earth.  In Verse 10 it talks about how He "smote Egypt in their firstborn."  This love that we read about was the instrument of destruction on Egypt and an instrument of deliverance for Israel.
     We don't understand what this love is capable of doing on behalf of His people.  Hebrews 10:31 (Amplified) talks about those who have heard about and rejected Jesus, the Son of His love.  Verse 31 says that "It is a fearful (formidable and terrible) thing to incur the divine penalties and be cast into the hands of the living God."
     It almost sounds like a contradiction of the Word to think about John 3:16 and Hebrews 10:27 (Amplified) tells us,(There is nothing left for us then) but a kind of awful and fearful prospect and expectation of divine judgement and the fury of burning wrath and indignation which will consume those who put themselves in opposition (to God.)"  Verse 30 continues, "for we know Him Who said, 'Vengeance is Mine (retribution and the meeting out of full justice rest with me) I will repay  I will exact the compensation)' says the Lord.  And again the Lord will judge and determine and solve and settle the cause and the cases of His people."
     On the one hand, love will die for us, and on the other hand this love will destroy the enemies of His beloved.  This love, which is actually God Himself, is an awful thing to come against God's people.  When I said before about God's love being a terrifying thing if you are one who is trying to do harm to His Children. 
     This love that I speak of is a whole lot more than just being nice.  When we learn to believe in this love, we begin to understand what John said in his epistle 1 John 4:4 (Amplified) "Little Children, you are of God (you belong to Him) and have (already) defeated and overcome them (the agents of the anti-Christ) because He Who lives in you if greater and (mightier) than he who is in the world."
     When Jesus said to pray for your enemies, it was a prayer to intercede for them to divert the judgement of God on those who oppose you.  When we understand the power of this love for us, and now in us, it becomes a thing in us that makes us bold and fearless.  2 Timothy 1:17 (Amplified) tells us "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear) but (He has given us a spirit) of power and of love and of calm and well balanced mind and discipline and self-control."
     We misunderstood this love to the point that we would just be nice to people (and we should be nice to people), but more than that we should use this love to move the enemy out of their lives and allow the Light to shine in their hearts.   We read in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (Amplified), "But even if our Gospel (the glad tidings) also be hidden (obscured and covered up with a veil that hinders the knowledge of God).  It is hidden (only) to those who are perishing and obscured (only) to those who are lost."  Verse 4 says that "for the god of this world has blinded the unbeliever's minds (that they should not discern the truth) preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the gosepl of the glory of Christ (the Messiah) Who is the image and likeness of God."
     The power of this love that we posses (or rather) that possess us, is to speak light against the darkness that blinds them, to become born again.  This love can set free those who the enemy has blinded to make the choice to love Jesus or not.
     Remember when you were also blinded by the world?  Someone, somewhere was praying for you.  They may not have even known you, but they were praying in the Holy Spirit.  Romans 8:26 (Amplified) tells us that , "So too the (Holy) Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought; But the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads on our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance."
     Love Himself will pray and speak light into their hearts if we will believe and move by faith in this love.  This love that we now have in our hearts is the most powerful thing in the entire universe.  The power of this love is both gentle and terrible simultaneously.  The wrath of this love expels the enemy at the same time that the gentleness of this love heals and forgives.
     Do not sell short this love that will fight for you even when you are in the wrong.
    

Lesson 10 Rooted Deep In Love

     1 John 4:8-12 (Amplified) tells us, "He who does not love has not become acquainted with God (does not and never did know Him) for God is love." Verse 9 says, "In this the love of God was made manifest (displayed) where we are concerned; in that God sent His Son, the only begotten of unique (Son), into the world so that we might live through Him."  Verse 10 continues, "This love; Not that we love God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins."  Verse 11 ,"Beloved, if God loved us so (very much) we also ought to love one another."  Verse 12,  "No man has at any time (yet) seen God.  But if we love one another, God abides (lives and remains) in us and His love (that love which is essentially His) is brought to completion (to it's full maturity, runs it's full course, is perfected) in us."
     We talked about the love of God being the power of God.  We saw in Acts 1:8 (Amplified) where we were to receive this power when the Holy Spirit came.  We saw in Romans 5:5 (Amplified) where the Holy Spirit (the love of God Himself) has now been placed in us (by God's own presence) in our spirit (or heart).  We have also seen in 1 John 4:8-12 (Amplified) where those who don't walk in this love, really don't know the God who saved them.  We say that we do, but when one of them crosses us, we turn on them just like the world does. 
     When the Word says in Hebrews 11:6 (Amplified) that "without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him.  For whoever would come near God must (necessarily) believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him (out)."  If the only way to please God is by faith, then His commandment to love must be kept and you must learn to love by faith.  This means that you, by faith, treat your friends, enemies, and the unsaved persons with the same God kind of love. 
     Even under the old covenant, this was a cardinal rule.  Leviticus 19:18 (Amplified) commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves.  These weren't even born again men, yet they were commanded to love.  It was by faith that they put their emotions under control to His commandment and walk in love.  We as born again people, have been filled with His love and been renewed in our spirit by His Spirit to love as He loved.
     James 3:8-11 (Amplified) says "But the human tongue can be tamed by no man.  It is a restless (undisciplined, irreconcilable) evil, full of deadly poison."  Verse 9 goes on, "With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who were made in God's likeness."  Verse 10 says, Out of the same mouth comes forth blessing and cursing.  These things, my brethren, ought not to be so."  Verse 11 "Does a fountain send forth (simultaneously) from the same opening fresh water and bitter?"
     Until we allow God's love to live in us by faith, we are simply baby Christians without understanding and walking in religious pride.  This love of God that we are walking in, is the landmark of Christianity.  1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (Amplified) is the road map that leads us to Christian life. 
     In the King James version of the above scripture, the word "love" is translated into the word "clarity."  This is a giving kind of love that does things without regard to ones self.  Many times over the years, I've witnessed the carnal kind of love through born again people and it's something that is heart breaking.  When you see people turn their hearts because of something that someone said, you wonder where this love has actually gone.  1 Corinthians 13:6 says "Love thinks no evil."
     We as the Church, in these end times, are going to have to decide to walk in love at all costs.  If someone in your family gets mad at you, you don't run away from home or disown them.  Only the human kind of love would do that.  So, if someone in your family of God makes you mad, then you don't disown them or run (from Church to Church) and not speak to each other anymore.
      Church; we have a job to do that is going to have to be based on love.  It's time for the power of God to be restored to the Children of God.  I don't mean to just start another little church, but to take the church into the world where it really belongs.  We have a world full of people who are almost lost in wandering from one thing to another.  We're a people who are looking for direction like never before.  We, as the Church, have become more of a referral station than a filling station.  We've ignored the supernatural power of the love of God and begun to just refer the people elsewhere.  We refer them to Alcoholic's Anonymous, to rehab, and to mental institutions for help.  We need to begin looking to Jesus to set the captives free as He said He would.
     The only way is to become rooted and grounded in the truth and knowledge of the love of God (and the God Himself) Who is in us.  This isn't some far out expression of someone who is "far out."  This is what we were created to do by our Father.  This is what we were made for.
     This kind of Christianity is maybe further than some people dare to go, but is nonetheless where we were called to go.  Only by understanding His love and walking in His love for other, can we ever re-establish the power of God back to the Church.
     Church;  we are still the light on the hill and the salt of the earth.  The power hasn't left us, we have left it.  Return to love and loose the glory of God again.

Lesson 9 Rooted Deep In Love

     In 1 John 4:7 (Amplified) we read, "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is (springs) from God; and he who loves (his fellowmen) is begotten (born) of God and is coming (progressively) to know and understand God (to perceive and recognize and get a better and clearer knowledge of Him)."
     According to this scripture, when we understand the love of God has for the brethren and we honor them as we honor Him, our understanding of Him is strengthened.   Romans 5:5 (Amplified) says that "such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given us."
     It's not as though the Holy Spirit poured love in us, but rather when the Holy Spirit was poured out from on high, He was (is) the love of God.  The Holy Spirit and the love of God are one and the same according to Romans 5:8 (Amplified) where we read, "But God shows and clearly proves His (own) love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us."
     The truth of carnal Christianity is that we still operated more in just human love than the God kind of love.  For centuries we fought against everyone who didn't believe like us.  These are the same ones who Jesus died for.
     The only two commandments that were given to the Church are found in Matthew 22:37-40 (Amplified) "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect)."  Verse 38 says, "This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment," Verse 39 continues, "and the second is like it; you shall love your neighbor as (you do) yourself."  Verse 40, "These two commandments sum up and upon them depend all the law and the prophets."
     Also in 1 John 4:19-21 (Amplified) we see that these were the only two commandments that were given to the Church.  These weren't suggestions; they were commandments.  We as the Church sometimes wonder why things don't work the way they should.  Maybe it's because we block the blessings of God by not being where we should be when it comes to love.  This love is the channel through which the power of God has to flow.  When we read John 3:16 (Amplified) , we see that the whole reason for sending Jesus was because of the love God had for all peoples.  It's when we respond to the people that love actually has a funnel to flow into.
     We read in Romans 5:5 (Amplified) that this love had been poured in our hearts by the coming of the Holy Spirit.  God and the Holy Spirit are one and the same.  So, when this Holy Spirit came into our lives, it activated the very love of God Himself.  Acts 1:8 (Amplified) says "But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth."  Well, the Holy Spirit has come, the love has been released and we, as the Church, have been filled with this love.  This love of God that we have received, must be released by faith (not by sight or feelings).  If we try to walk in this love by just mere human feelings, then it will always fail.  Emotional feelings are simply not enough to allow the love of God to work.  Feelings are so unstable that you simply cannot trust them.  One time feelings will put you in front of a preacher pledging your love for each other.  The next minute, feelings will have you in a divorce court trying to destroy one another.  Christians don't walk by feelings, they walk by faith.  When Jesus told us to "love your enemies," it was a faith statement.  The very fact that they are your enemies shows that feelings aren't working very good.  In order to love them, you must, by faith, overlook how you feel and follow the command to love, by faith.
     After two thousand years of being the Church, you would think that by now we would know better.  Mostly, the Church, has been it's own worst enemy when it comes to love.  I've never found anyplace in God's Word where it says everyone should love me.  I have, however, found in God's Word that I am to love them.
     Some people make it very hard to love them, but I'm sure I'm not always to love either.  I'm certain that only God's love was strong enough to overlook all of our faults and love us.  If it took God's love to overlook all of our faults then, it still takes God's love to overlook them now.
     We sometimes act like once we're saved, we've arrived.  As far as going to heaven, this is true, but as far as walking down here, we still have plenty of learning and growing to do.  God didn't say we were to tolerate one another, He said to love one another.  This can only be done as we yield our lives to the Holy Spirit.  Our Church doctrine will allow us to get along with those of our own doctrine, but how about those of a different denomination?  Tolerance is not love.  Just putting up with someone is not love.
     We, as the Church, have been very disobedience to the commandment of love.  Really, we have no defense when it comes to this failure except we don't want to be obedient.  We talk about what we're to wear and not wear, we talk about different denominations believe and don't believe, but there's no reason for not loving in the Holy Spirit.

Lesson 8 Rooted Deep In Love

     Romans 5:5 (Amplified) reads that "Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us for love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us."
     This love is actually in a sense, the very presence of God Himself because God is love according to 1 John 4:8 (Amplified).  If God is love (and we know that He is), then this love of God that lives in us should be something that we should know and strive to understand.  Because of His great love for us, we were able to be born again and become new creatures in Him.  This love is not just for the Church, but for the whole world according to John 3:16.  Now that we have received this love, we are required by God to extend this invitation to the whole world by the preaching of the good news of His grace and His love.  When we teach His love, we must teach it in truth so that those who receive it are not only free from sin, but free from the condemnation of this sin as well.
     For the most part, we have taught about, "now that you're saved you can't drink, smoke, cuss or do any of the things that you used to do."  All of this is true, but if we teach them that the Word, the Love, the Holy Spirit will clean them up (just like He did for us), then they'll be free from the sin conscience that continues to plague most of the Church today.
     Hebrews 9:9 (Amplified) tells us "seeing that the first (outer portion of) tabernacle was a parable (a visible symbol or type, or picture of the present age).  In it gifts and sacrifices are offered , and yet are incapable of perfecting the conscience or of cleansing and renewing the inner man of the worshiper."  According to this scripture, the blood of Jesus was to cleanse the conscience of the believer to where he was no longer even conscious of ever being a sinner.  His mind and conscience were to be directed to what the Word made him to be and not what he used to be.  Romans 12:2 (Amplified)  says "Do not be conformed (fashioned after and adapted to it's external superficial customs) to this world (this age) but be transformed (changed) by the (entire) renewal of your mind (by it's new ideals and attitudes)."
     Sometimes we (as we preach the Word) center more of who we were before than on who we are now.  By doing this,we keep the people's mind more on their sin than their Deliverer.  As long as they think that way, they'll never understand the power of the love that set them free.  This love is so great that it didn't leave (not one trace) of who you used to be, but has already set you so free that it still makes people fearful to try and obtain it.  We almost feel that we are being boastful if we dare to confess that "I'm not a sinner."
     I was a sinner, but now I'm the righteousness of God because I am in Christ Jesus.  My title is no longer sinner.  2 Corinthians 5:17 (Amplified) says "Therefore if any person is (in-grafted) in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether), the old (previous, moral and spiritual condition) has passed away.  Behold, the fresh and new has come."
     This love is so powerful that not one stain of who you used to be doesn't even exist.  If the conscience of the old man is still being fed, then it keeps the believer from operating in the boldness before God to expect results because of our previous failures.  For this cause, a good share of the Body of Christ has never dared to step out into the call that we were sent to do.
     We've been successful in getting people born again, but not so in raising these new babies into adulthood by the teaching of the Word.  Most Christians never lay hands on the sick, cast out demons or take authority over principalities in their home or their town.  They never experience the power of the Holy Spirit because they still don't understand their liberty.
     I recall a true story about a new zoo being built in Germany.  They sent a man to bring them a giant Kodiak bear from Alaska.  They worked to build a place for the bear as the man went off to capture one.  The bear's habitat was beautiful with a large park and a stream winding through it.  There were trees and grass and everything to make living there wonderful.  They trapper caught and brought back the bear before the park was finished so, the bear was kept in a 20'x16' cage temporarily.  Every day the bear (who was of great size) would walk ten paces one way, turn and walk ten paces back.  All day and all night, the bear would walk ten paces, turn, and walk ten paces back.
     He walked until the pads of his feet were bloody and raw.  Finally, though, the park was done and the bear was to be released from his small cage.  When they opened the door to his cage, the bear looked around, shook his head and began walking ten paces one way, turn and walk ten paces back.
     They finally had to take a cattle prod and drive him from his cage.  He stood there in his beautiful park and looked around, then  put his head down and began to walk ten paces, turn, and walk ten paces back.  The end of this tragic tale was that they had to put the bear down (killed him with chemicals). 
     Even though the bear was now free, the cage was now in his mind.  He couldn't forget his bondage to enjoy his new liberty.  Many Christians are still in this cage and bondage of their past life because of a sin conscience instead of a righteousness conscience.  Without a renewed mind about the truth of the love of God's total forgiveness, they're still in the prison of remembrance of their sin.  Although they stand in the beauty of the new life, they still walk the same walk of bondage.  They walk ten paces, turn, and walk ten paces back.  Romans 12:2 (Amplified) says that "They are still conformed to this world (or age) (fashioned after and adapted to it's external, superficial customs)."
     The prison of the unrenewed mind is an awful place to dwell especially when the liberty is already yours.  We never grow beyond where the light of truth is shed abroad in your heart, through love and the Holy Spirit.  That's why when I speak of understanding the power of this love, I always speak of power, authority and freedom from condemnation.  Without this revelation, you'll always remain a baby unable to minister to others and always need someone to minister to you.
     When my mind is always on me, I can't think of thee.  When my mind is on thee, the devil can't keep my mind accusing me.  Get you off of your mind.
     You are free and your liberty is in Christ Jesus the Lord.  Romans 8:34 (Amplified) asks us, "Who is there to condemn us?  Will Christ Jesus (the Messiah) Who died, or rather Who was raised from the dead?  Who is at the right hand of God actually pleading as He intercedes for us?"

Lesson 7 Rooted Deep In Love

     These scriptures in the Book of Ephesians are some of the most powerful in all the New Testament about understanding the wholeness of God's love.
     In Ephesians 3:16-19 (Amplified) we have gone through these before, but I want to reiterate them one more time.  In Verse 16 we read "May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the (Holy Spirit Himself dwelling your innermost being and personality)," Verse 17 continues, "May Christ through your faith (actually) dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts!  May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love," Verse 18 says, "that you may have the power and be strong  to apprehend and grasp with all the saints (God's devoted people, the experience of that love) what is the breadth and length and height and depth (of it)." Verse 19 says, "that you may really come to know (practically through experience for yourselves) the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge (without experience) that you may be filled (through all your being) unto all the fullness of God (may have the richest measure of the divine presence and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself)."
     Until we understand these scriptures in our hearts, we will never learn to trust in our own ability in Him.  Ephesians 3:16 says that we would be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in your inner man.  The power of God is in the love of God.  Until we (experience) the love of God in our own lives and not just the knowledge of this love, we will never understand the power of that love.  We can read and have knowledge of His love through John 3:16 and other scriptures, but never come to the place of actually knowing by experience this love for ourselves.  We are still fearful because of mistakes we make, we are still unsure our prayer lives and we are still unsure of our authority in Him because we don't understand the fullness and depth of this love.
     When we experience this love for ourselves, it brings a whole new meaning to being born again.  This love that saved us did more than just forgive our sins.  It was so powerful in it's cleansing that now even God Himself could move into this vessel of flesh and actually live in it.  In essence, you became the "ark of the covenant."  The same power, Holiness, Glory and Majesty that dwelt in the ark of the covenant  now lives in you.  This love completely eradicated all the old nature and restored it in His own righteousness.  All of the power of the ark of the covenant now lives in you.  Only by grace, can an unbeliever touch you and not be destroyed by that power in you.
     It's in the experience of this love (knowing this love as God Himself) that allows the power of this love (or God) to move on behalf of other people.  We have forgotten somehow that God doesn't just love the Church, but the entire world.  We who are now actually the love of God manifest, must use the power of this love (like Jesus did) to loose those who are still bound.
     This love is still much more than just good bumps on occasion or a warm feeling once in awhile.  This love is actually the very thing that makes God God.  That's why when we begin to trust in this love we are invincible because Love Never Fails.  Love can't fail because God Is Love.
     The power of this love is far more than knowing He loves me.  It's also knowing how much He loves others.  This love is what Jesus walked in.  Mark 6:34 (Amplified) says "this love (even at a time of personal grief because of the death of John the Baptist) saw the needs of the people and put aside His own needs to teach the people."  We also read in Matthew 14:14 (Amplified) that "When He went ashore and saw a great throng of people, He had compassion (pity and deep sympathy) for them and cured their sick."  This love (compassion) was what moved Jesus at all times.  As He knew (by experience) the love of the Father, He was invincible in the presence of the enemy.
     This love not only is indwelling you, but encompasses you.  This love is found in Ephesians 6 called the armor of God.  It's the presence of God that envelopes us like a coat of armor.  In Psalms 91:8 (Amplified) we read, "only a spectator shall you be (yourself inaccessible in the secret place of the Most High) as you witness the reward of the wicked."
     Jesus is the secret place, "a mystery hidden in God from the foundation of the world." As we abide in Him (who is the manifestation of the love of God) we are inaccessible.  As you read Psalm 91, you are to understand that this is not some story or poem.  It's an actual place that has now been made available to the believer by faith.  All believers are in Christ Jesus and Jesus abides in all believers, but the degree of faith in this indwelling love determines how far God can work through you.  Remember how the Word read in Ephesians 3:17-18 (Amplified) "by experiencing this love (beyone just knowledge) you will have the power and be strong." Verse 16 says "strengthened and be reinforced with mighty power."
     When we really know the fullness of His love, we will be able to walk in a whole new light of who He has made us to be.  This love that set us free is now to work through us to set others free.  The power to do this is in understanding His love in us.

Lesson 6 Rooted Deep In Love

     By not having a full understanding of the Love of God, we have allowed the enemy an opportunity to have a hold on our lives that was never intended.  This love that we have from the Father has already "been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit."  It's not a matter of God loving us, but it is more a matter of our understanding this unconditional love.
     We read in 1 John 4:18 (Amplified) that "there is no fear in love (dread does not exist) but full grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror!  for fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and (so) he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love (is not yet grown into love's complete perfection)."
     In 1 John 2:13 (Amplified) we read "I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know (recognize, be aware of, and understand) Him who (has existed) from the beginning."
     When you think of people who walk in the anointing of God, you think that they just got lucky and somehow these gifts were placed on them.  In some cases that's true, but not in every case.  We find in 1Corinthians 12:31 (Amplified), "But earnestly desire and zealously cultivate the greatest and best gifts and graces (the higher gifts and choicest graces).  And yet I will show you a still more excellent way (one that is better by far and the highest of them all-love)."
     When Paul wrote this about us desiring the gifts of the Spirit, it's obvious that God wants us to have these gifts.  When you have a gift, it's not for you, but for someone else.  When I go to do my Christmas shopping, I'm not looking for gifts for myself, but for someone else.  When these gifts are dispensed by the Holy Spirit, he said the best way to obtain these gifts is through love.  As you receive the gift of healing, it's the love of God taking this gift (through you) to someone who is sick.  You are love's messenger by delivering the love of God to someone else.  That's why he said that love was a better way to get these gifts than just desiring them.
     When you understand the full measure of God's love, you become a conduit for Him to flow through you, to the one that needs the gift.  Jesus said, "that it was not Him, but the Father in Him that was doing the works."  Jesus just allowed the love of God to guide Him in His walk.  He said that "when you seen Me. then you've seen the Father."
     We sometimes confuse our new covenant with the old covenant and don't know who this God of Love really is.  We get mixed messages from ministers and preconceived ideas about God that we've heard over the years.  When you see Jesus, you have actually watched love Himself walk and talk.  Jesus didn't have love, He Is Love.  Everything He did, He did out of love.  Miracles aren't God's method of operation, it's the love of God putting things back into the order that He had always intended them to be.  He never intended people to be sick, so He had to supernaturally intervene and set things right.
     When you or I understand this love (and stop being afraid God won't answer or doesn't want them well, or is getting some kind of perverse joy or glory from sick people), then we'll begin to walk in His power.  Love is His power.
     Mark 16:17-18 (Amplified) says that miraculous signs and wonders were to follow the ones who believed in His name.  We as believers have been following the signs instead of the signs following us.  The "fathers" that we spoke of in 1John 2:17 (Amplified) are the ones who are not afraid of God (because they understand the instruments of this love).  Like a scalpel in the hands of a surgeon, the scalpel is only a n instrument for an instrument for a great surgeon.  All the glory of a masterful operation goes to the surgeon and not the scalpel.

Lesson 5 Rooted Deep In Love

     When we understand the love that the Father has for us, it changes everything that we ever knew about Him.  In Ephesians 3:17 (Amplified) , we read,"May Christ through your faith (actually) dwell (settle down, abide, make Hi permanent home) in your hearts!  May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love."  This scripture is one that only faith can make possible to the believer.  God has already she His love in our hearts by the Holy Spirit according to Romans 5:5 (Amplified) Even though that love has already been poured out in our hearts, like everything else God has done, it must be received by faith.  This love that He has for us is so great and so powerful that only faith in Him can reveal it to your spirit in it's fullness.
     We have been taught over the years that God so loved us that He sent Jesus to die for our sins according to John 3:16 (Amplified).  This is such a truth in the Word that your senses can have a hard time with it.  The truth is that when this love set us free, it continued on throughout eternity.  It wasn't just to take care of our sins, but was to express the fullness of this love after the sin was taken care of.  Once that love had eradicated all of the obstacles that stood in it's way, then it was free to express itself in all of it's power in a way that had only been on the outside before. Now this very love (or God Himself) could now not only deal with the flesh and blood man, but could now live in you all the time.  In times past (under the old covenant) only if you obeyed the fullness of the law could God actually extend the tenderness of this love because sin blocked His presence.  Now, with the sin problem out of the way (by the cross), this tenderness of the Father was coupled with the power of an Almighty God.  Now, He was no longer just our God, but out Father.
     This love (or God Himself) now is poured out into our spirit because the Holy Spirit (who is God) will actually live in us.  Your faith in the truth of His Word will determine how much of this love will actually be received in our lives.
     Those who are still in the bondage of dreading punishment every they fail, don't understand the fullness of this love.  There is a scripture in 1 John 3:20-23 (Amplified) that explains this love more than anything else, because this is the place where most of us fail at.  Verse 20 says, "whenever our hearts in (tormenting) self accusations make us feel guilty and condemn us.  (For we are in God's hands) For He is above and greater than our consciences (our hearts) and He knows (perceives and understands) everything (nothing is hidden from Him)."  Verse 21 goes on, "And, beloved, if our consciences (our hearts) do not accuse us (if they do not make us feel guilty and condemn us) we have confidence (complete assurance and boldness) before God."  Verse 22 says "and we receive from Him whatever we ask, because we (watchfully) obey His orders (observe His suggestions and injunctions, follow His plan for us) and (habitually) practice what is pleasing to Him."
     What is pleasing unto Him?  That even if our hearts accuse us, then He is greater than our hearts.  His love goes farther in our lives than the accusations of the lying devil who tells us that God won't hear us now.
     This lack of faith in His love, has held more Christians in bondage and fear than any other thing in Christianity.  We have an argument on our way to Church on Sunday morning and because we know better than to argue with our loved ones, our consciences condemn us and we can't enter into worship.  We lose confidence in our prayer and become despondent in our walk with Him.  Anytime you or I fail, we must remember that if He loved us enough to forgive us when we were sinners, then how much more does this love work on our behalf for forgiveness now that we are His? 
     This cleansing of our consciences is a very important part of our understanding of the love of God in our lives.  Under the old covenant, the blood of bulls and goats would cover our sins.  Under our new covenant, the blood of Jesus has completely don away with them.  Hebrews 9:14 (Amplified) says "How much more surely shall the blood of Christ, who by virtue of (His) eternal Spirit (His own pre-existent divine personality) has offered Himself as an unblemished sacrifice to God.  Purify our consciences from dead works and lifeless observances to serve the (ever) living God."
     This cleansing of the conscience by His blood is one of the most important things that our faith can produce (or accept) in our walk with Jesus.  This is the most effective weapon the enemy has to stop and render ineffective the power of Christ in our lives.  Our prayer life, our ability to receive blessings, our ability to receive healing or worse,and our ability to receive our own forgiveness is based on this act of faith to "understand  and be rooted deep in His love."
     Hebrews 10:14 (Amplified) says that, "for by a single offering He has forever completely cleansed and perfected those who are consecrated and made Holy."

Lesson 4 Rooted Deep In Love

     We have looked at some of the stages of growth in the body of Christ and the different aspects of maturity.  According to the Word of God in 1 John 4:18 (Amplified) "There is no fear in love (dread does not exist) but full grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror!  For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, an (so) he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love (is not yet grown into love's complete perfection)."
     When we learn to completely trust in God's love for us, we can walk in a bold state of faith without fear without fear of failure or disappointment.  Our lack of trust in what the Father told us to do, shows our lack of understanding about His love.  Jesus was so sure of this love that He walked into places that everyone marvels at.  He knew that "Love never fails."
     This last portion of Christian people, or children of the household of faith, is what John called in 1 John 4:14 (Amplified), "I write to you, fathers, because you have come to know (recognize, be conscious of, and understand) Him who (has existed) from the beginning."
     This stage of spiritual maturity can be reached by anyone and everyone, but few every make it.  This stage of fatherhood "or elders" isn't a thing that has anything to do with being old in years.  Really, it has little to do with how long you've been saved.  I've known many Christian people who have been saved for many years, who are actually still in the baby stage of growth.  They have never reached into the power and the truth of the "Joshua" people to have courage enough to take the land.  They are content with a maintenance anointing.  They have just enough to maintain and live as far from the responsibility of the call as possible.
      These "fathers" that John writes to in this passage of scripture, are those who have walked the walk and talked the talk and led others into the place of the overcomer.  They have been the Moses who inspired the Joshuas.  They're those who dared to go beyond where others would go.  They're those who would take the ridicule of the other people and press on in spite of all else.
     The "spiritual father" has peace with God.  Romans 5:1 (Amplified) tells us "Therefore, since we are justified (acquitted,declared righteous and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us (grasp the fact) that we have (the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy) peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)."  He knows the peace of God.  Philippians 4:7 (Amplified) says that "and God's peace shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of it's salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with it's earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
     This man is just walking in what he is in Christ and really has very little thought to most other things.  He is content to continue to raise up leaders in battle and to bring other "little children" into at least "young men who overcome."
      These "fathers" rejoice in their spiritual children and the ability to excel in Christ.  1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 (Amplified) says "For what is our hope or happiness or our victor's wreath of excellent triumph when we stand in His coming?  Is it not you?"  Verse 20 says, "For you are (indeed) our glory and our joy!"  1 Timothy 1:2 (Amplified) tells us "To Timothy, my true son in the faith; grace (spiritual blessing and favor) mercy and (heart) ,peace (be yours) from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord, he has learned contentment under all things." Philippians 4:11 (Amplified) reads, "Not that I am implying that I was in any personal want, for I have learned how to be content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am."
     The father Christian has found that by understanding this love of God, he knows his only source of true love.  Philippians 4:13 (Amplified) says, "I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency."
     This "father" or mature Christian stage doesn't brood over his past and look back, but put old things under the blood and looks to the future.  Philippians 3:13-14 (Amplified) reads that, "I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own yet, but one thing I do (it is my one aspiration) forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead."  Verse 14 continues, "I press on toward the goal to win the (supreme and heavenly) prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward."
     This mature, "father" man in the body, has walked and experienced on his own truth and power of his walk with God.  Not just what others have taught and stopped, but what the Holy Spirit has taught and led him into.  It is a place where he is safe, because he has proved it on his own.  He enjoys abundant life now and that which is to come.  Ephesians 2:7 (Amplified) says that "He (God) did this that He might clearly demonstrated through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless,surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favor) in (His) kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus."
      "He teaches by experience what he has walked and will not give up his place in the Word and fellowship for the old traditions of others.  He holds fast to the faith and moves on from faith to faith and glory to glory, though misunderstood by some, he also is an inspiration to others.  But above all, he walks to be pleasing to God and walk in the will, wisdom and understanding with the Father of Spirits."  Colossians 1:9-12 (Amplified).
    

Lesson 3 Rooted Deep In Love

     Because the love of God is the central focus of everything that works by our faith, it's the one thing that must be understood wholly.  Hebrews 11:1 (Amplified) says that "faith is the substance of things hoped for."  What we hope for is what faith has to acquire for us.  It can't be acquired by works, tears, nagging or any other means except by faith.  Since faith has to be the means of trust, then love has to be the means by which faith works.  It's hard to have faith in something (God's promises) that you aren't sure you can trust in the promises.  You can't have trust in any one thing unless you know how much the love of God backs the promise.
     We have spent much time and much attention to find ways to dismiss the promises of God without saying we don't believe they're true.  We use terms like "passed away," "not for everyone," and such things as "when we get to heaven" to dismiss our lack of trust.  Only understanding of the depth of His love can cure this crisis in the Church today.
     We discussed the four stages of growth in the Church.  We have the baby stage seen in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3.  We have the "little child" from 1 John 2:12.  And, now we come to what I call "the young man" stage.
     1 John 2:13(Amplified) reads, "I am writing to you, young men, because you have been victorious over the wicked one."
     Not many Christians reach even this stage. 1 Corinthians 13:11 reads, " He is strong and virile, and well able to overcome the enemy.  He has a vision for the future and has the faith and courage to tackle it.  He is preparing for the productive years by putting childish things behind him."
     This young man stage of growth is a place that Joshua stood in when Moses was no longer there to lead.  In the book of Joshua 1:6-9 (Amplified) we read, "Be strong (confident) and of good courage, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them."  Verse 7 continues, "Only you be strong and very courageous, that you may do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded you.  Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go."  Verse 8 "this book of the law (the truth of our new covenant) shall meditate on it day and night (Romans 12:2 Amplified) that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it."  Verse 9 says, "Have not I commanded you?  Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous.  Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
     John 14:24-27 (Amplified) says that "Anyone who does not (really) love Me does not observe and obey My teaching.  And the teaching which you hear and heed is not Mine, but (comes) from the Father who sent Me."  Verse 25 continues, "I have told you these things while I am still with you."  Verse 26 reads "But the Comforter (counselor, helper, intercessor,advocate,strengthener, stand by) the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name (in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf), He will teach you all things.  And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you."  Jesus finishes in Verse 27 , "Peace I leave you; My (own) peace I now give and bequeath to you.  Do not let your hearts be afraid (Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled)."
     Sounds like what He told Joshua, doesn't it?  We forget sometimes that Jesus was in the likeness of David (or David was a pattern of Jesus).  He was a warrior king.  Jesus came to conquer the enemy, and we are called to take the land that He has given us.There were still giants in the land that God had given the children of Israel, but He promised to be with Joshua at all times.  God would not have told Joshua to be courageous if there wasn't some things in the land that could cause him to be afraid.  There are many times in the land now that will test your courage, but "Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world."  Too many times we forget that just because the enemy has been defeated doesn't mean he has stopped fighting.
     God told Joshua in Joshua 1:6 (Amplified) that he would cause the people to inherit the land.  Our Joshua (Jesus) went before us to take the land and now we must enter in and possess it.  Many strongholds were still in place that had to be brought down.  We still have strongholds now to be brought down in order to receive what Jesus claimed by right for us.  Most of the battle (really all of the battle), is for us to follow into what He gave us by renewing our minds (our way of thinking) for the holding of our inheritance for others.
     2 Corinthians 10_3-5 (Amplified) tells us "for though walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons."  Verse 4 continues, "for the weapons of our warfare are not physical (weapons of flesh and blood) but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds."  Verse 5 says "(in as much as we ) refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the (true) knowledge of God, and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)."
     When those who won't enter in because of fear or unbelief, then the "young men" with the Joshua spirit, will prevail to the taking of the land.  These "young men" are those who have received and believed that they have through Jesus Christ, the authority, ability, and the command to tread on scorpions and serpents and all the power and ability of the enemy.  These are the people who look beyond their own comfort to the security and the good of others who the enemy still holds in bondage.  They do what our Commander and Chief has declared; to set the captives free.
     The name of Jesus and the power of His love, are the weapons that propel these young men into battle.  Because they love as He loves, they refuse to leave anyone behind.

     

Lesson 2 Rooted Deep In Love

     When we speak of love, we are mostly talking about the way we treat other people.  The reality of love is that Jesus said we are to love others as He has loved us.  Until we begin to understand the totally unconditional love of the Father for us, we can't love in this very unconditional love for others.  We still have a struggle with the carnal side of our old nature with our own walk.  We often mistake being saved a long time as being mature Christians.  The truth about our own maturity is found in 2 Peter 3:18 (Amplified)  which says, "But grow in grace ( undeserved favor, spiritual strength) and recognition and knowledge and understanding of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (the Messiah) to Him (be glory, majesty and splendor) both now and to the day of eternity, Amen (so be it)."
     Until we come to the knowledge and understanding of Him, we really have no idea how to love one another.  This love is the true sign of maturity in Christianity.  What we usually call love is tolerance of one another.  We tolerate one another as long as we agree with one another.  The differences in our own denominations prove this to be true.  We have come to the same faith as far as our new birth is concerned, but we differ from there on out.  Our love for each other is measured by how we understand His love for us.
     Spiritual growth comes in four stages with stage 1 being the infant or baby stage.  1 Corinthians 3:1-3 (Amplified) says that "However brethren, I could not talk to you as spiritual (men) but as to non-spiritual men of the flesh;  in whom the carnal nature predominates as to mere infants (in the new life) in Christ (unable to talk yet)."  Verse 2 continues, "I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not yet strong enough (to be ready for it), Verse 3  "for you are still (unspiritual, having the nature) of the flesh (under the control of ordinary impulses) for as long as (there are) envying and jealousy and wrangling and factions among you, are you not unspiritual and of the flesh, behaving yourselves after a human standard and like mere (unchanged) men."
     Also, in 1 Peter 2:1-2 (Amplified) we read, "So be done with every trace of unwickedness (depravity, malignity) and all deceit and insincerity (pretense, hypocrisy) and grudges (envy, jealousy) and slander and evil speaking of every kind." Verse 2 says, "Like newborn babies you should crave (thirst after, earnestly desire) the pure (unadulterated) spiritual milk, that by it you may be nurtured and grow into (complete) salvation."
     A baby thinks only of itself and if denied the things it desires, it will throw a tantrum.  It seeks it's own.  It's feelings are easily hurt and it's so often jealous.  A baby lives to be served.  It drinks milk and cannot eat  strong meat.  It cries, but never sings.  It tries to talk, but never makes much sense.  Like many Christians who have failed to grow, they are babies, carnal Christians.
     The little child stage is next.  We read in 1 John 2:12 (Amplified)
I am writing to you little children, because for His name's sake your sins are forgiven (pardoned through His name and on account of confessing His name)."
     Some Christians grow to be little children and stop there.  They are oftentimes untruthful, envious and cruel.  If spanked, then they are martyred.  If crossed, then they're resentful and make a scene.  They are tale bearers who repeat everything they hear (gossip).  They're often given to emotional outbursts and are easily puffed up.  They love praise and will accept if from any source.  They seek only the things that appeal to self.
     This seems to be the most prevalent kind of Christian today.  We seem to be walking in an adolescent stage and not maturity.  We as "teenagers" feel like we're grown up, but we're still not ready to be adults.  We feel like we no longer need (or want) advice or counsel, but already know all we need to know.  We wish to be treated as adults, but still be supported by our parents.  We want to make our own decisions, but don't want to be responsible for the results of those decisions.
     Like teenagers, they have the body of an adult, but are not yet mature enough for the pressures and responsibilities of adulthood.
     As in the day of Joshua, the land truly is flowing with milk and honey, but you still have to conquer the land.  When we speak of healing, power, ability, prosperity, authority and the strength of the Spirit, it sounds so good to the teenage Christian until they find out that there are giants in the land (just like in Joshua's day).
     When we grow in the understanding of the love the Father has for us, we become bold enough to take the giants and take the land.  But, we must be sure of the promise by being sure of His love.

Lesson 1 Rooted Deep In Love

     I believe we have a limited understanding concerning the Love the Father has for us.  Because we don't understand His love, we don't understand our Father.  This love He has, so far exceeds our understanding that we still have an uncertainty about how He deals with us.
     Ephesians 3:16-21 (Amplified) says "May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the Holy Spirit (Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality)."  Verse 17 says "May Christ through your faith (actually) dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts!  May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely in love"  Verse 18 continues, " that you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints (God's devoted people), the experience of that love what is the breadth and length and height and depth (of it)" verse 19 says "that you may really come to know (practically, through experience for yourselves) the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge (without experience) that you may be filled (through all your being) unto all the fullness of God, may have the richest measure of the Divine presence and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself."  Verse 20 "Now to Him who by (in consequence of) the (action of His) power that is at work within us is able to carry out His purpose and do superabundantly, far over and above all that we dare to ask or think (infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams)."  verse 21  "To Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus through out all generations forever and ever, Amen (so be it)."
     These scriptures indicate that the more we understand this love, the more God can work through us.  As we come to actually experience His love, we open the power and ability for Him to work through us.
     It's hard to trust someone if you don't understand their love for you.  Because we fail to understand His love, it's hard to trust in the fullness of His grace.  We cling to the old habits of what religion has long since taught us, and we fear reprisal from God every time we fail.  Because we know our own shortcomings, we always feel that somehow we disappoint Him all the time.  We set ourselves up for failure by not trusting in His love.  For years we have tried to live in forgiveness and still work by law.  Under law, mistakes were met with punishment.  So, by walking under law we expect punishment at every failure.  We struggle to get approval from Him, not realizing that He has already given His approval in Jesus.  When God raised Jesus, He raised us.  When God approved Jesus, He approved us as well.
     This love went way beyond our flesh and lack of strength, to give us His faith and strength.  1 John 4:16-18 (Amplified)  tells us "and we know (understand, recognize, are conscious of, by observation and experience) and believe (adhere to and put faith in and rely on) the love God cherishes for us.  God is love, and he who dwells and continues in love dwells and continues in God, and God dwells and continues in him."  verse 17 continues, "in this (union and communion with Him) love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgement (with assurance and boldness to face Him) because as He is, so are we in this world."  verse 18 says "There is no fear in love (dread does not exist) but full grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! for fear brings with it the thought of punishment and (so) he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love (is not yet grown into love's complete perfection)."
     This love is not measured on our works, but on the works of Jesus.  If God wanted to judge or punish us for our failures, He had the perfect chance before we received Jesus.  If He didn't punish us when we were at our worst, then why would He beat you up now that you are learning to walk in righteousness.  This love of God goes way beyond our own limits.  How can we ever walk in love with one another until we learn to walk in His love?  We continue to see everyone's faults because we don't understand a love that looks beyond that.  When Jesus said to "love as He loves,"  He meant to look at one another the way He looks at people.  We still have problems with our prayer lives because we feel we aren't living up to our own expectations.  Forget your expectations and center in on a total love that "remembers no more" our sins and our failures.  When He said that "He remembers no more," He meant never again and not until the next time we did something wrong.  No more means no more; forever; for eternity.
     We feel like there are still things in our lives that keep Him from hearing prayer, healing our bodies or blessing our lives.  What we haven't learned yet is that love has already done all these things.  Our future isn't based on how good we are, but on how good He is.
     Once we get rooted in how much He loves us, we become confident to pray for the sick, walk in power, stand against accusations of people and stand against lying spirits.  We stop looking at other people with a critical spirit and see them as He does.