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God wants us – You and me. Just us. That’s it.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
1 John 4:18

To be made perfect in love. This is His goal for each of us. It can seem like a dream, right?

I didn’t know Jesus. So much seemed wrong in my life. I couldn’t make a lot of life work. I felt piled on, jinxed and cursed. Some even told me I may have demons. I (Annie, too) was sure Satan was more powerful than God. And, I thought for certain that God was against me. As a result, I tried so hard to find my way back to Him. I was striving so hard to make Him and my parents happy. But, it didn’t appear to be working.

Finally, God began to help me understand what was going on – He was working His ways in me. There was purpose. My life would bring Him glory – And, way beyond my current belief, at that time, He was going to make me fall madly in love with Him.

Somehow, in the way only He can, little by little, He started telling me all of life was working together for my good. What an incredible thing. How could that possibly be? He told me to trust Him…

The most amazing and wonderful thing is happening in me. I’m no longer afraid of Jesus. No longer do I need to allow my fears to deny His power because His power is setting me free from all fear, from all confusion and misunderstanding. That’s what Love does. His Love perfects our relationship with Him, with The One Who is Love. And when this begins to happen in our hearts, Life becomes so rich – and free.

You’re Loved by Him, dear one. By Jesus. By God. And His Spirit is flashing His light all around in you and drawing you into His matchless higher realm where all around is Him – Love. Perfect Love is removing all – yes, all – fear.

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
2 Timothy 3:5

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:16

I needed Him. I needed Love. He was calling me to come boldly to Him, to my Father of infinite Love.

Why does anyone want to stay away from Him?

We can “be of good cheer.”

We no longer have to deny His wonderful, healing, secure, beautiful power. All He wants for us is His Love…Him.

And then, you find yourself falling madly in Love with Him – Forever.

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

 

I thought I knew the Father. But, if that was true, why did so much of my life not line up with the Word? Why did I still have religious pride? Why was there so much fear, bitterness, shame, strife, and unrest in me?

Jesus saith unto him (Mark, Annie, anyone else), I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 14:6

No one can come to the Father for me. Even if I have many cheering me on to do it, I must do it alone. Ultimately, the choice to do so is mine.

I thought I knew what that verse meant and I was glad I had come to the Father through Jesus. But, what I’ve discovered is that I was living a shallow, superficial, counterfeit Christian life – Satan will do all he can to keep us in that position. I didn’t truly know the Father. I was still very much alive to the flesh, to self.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me (Jesus), because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luke 4:18

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 14:6

Most will not make the journey of dying to self. As a result, they will never know the New Life in Christ. They will never know how free they could be in Him now, in this life.

Fear will make you try and strive to preserve the flesh, to preserve “self.” I did this myself. I was scared to death to lose “self.” Self was all I really knew. But, self is exactly what needs to die in order to have Christ’s New Life.

The two – Christ’s resurrected Life and the flesh, or “self” – cannot occupy the same space no matter how much we think to the contrary. Jesus died to set us free from the bondage the flesh and self live in and are “at home” in. He died to give us New Life in Him, to set at liberty those captive to self, to the flesh.

Jesus was in the back part of the boat sleeping on a pillow. They woke Him up, crying out, “Teacher, do You not care that we are about to die?”
Mark 4:38

During the thorough transformation into Christ’s New Life, “care” and the impact of circumstances is replaced by being able to always trust Jesus – with everything; to now know that all things are working together for good; to a new peace you never had before, and so much more because His New Life is infinite. Now, trying to save face, to preserve the flesh and self,  broken hearts, the past (and that’s huge), striving and all the other awful deeds of the flesh are replaced with a “knowing” that Jesus is at work in all things and knowing that His work in you is all that matters because you now recognize how supernatural and beautiful His work is in you.

Now, His New Life in you is at work and you see and even feel (His New kind of knowing operating in you) the utter comfort, deliverance, beauty, wonder and amazement found in the words of verses like these:

for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
1 Peter 5:5b-7

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 4:11-13

Be still, and know that I am God:
Psalm 46:10a

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Psalm 23:2-3

Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
Philippians 4:4

Dying to self, letting Jesus bring His resurrected Life into me is the most transforming and healing experience He’s allowing me to live out. And, I know, even at 69 years of age, that this is just the beginning…

And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Galatians 5:24

“They that are Christ’s.” Wow, what beautiful, life-altering words. What transformation takes place in those words.

And let the peace of God rule in your heart (Colossians 3:15a). Mmmm.

Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might (fear, self), nor by power (pride, strife), but by my spirit (care is gone and all is at rest trusting in Jesus – This is where He’s taking us), saith the LORD of hosts.
Zechariah 4:6

But By My Spirit – What loving words of Life. What a promise.

Jesus…The Way, The Truth and The Life.  Boy, what loaded, New Life words.  

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Galatians 6:9

Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.
Zechariah 4:6

Circumstances and the devil can make us feel like giving up. But, we live by the Word of God, not by feelings. This is why it is critical that we know and “do” the Word of God. The Word supersedes and has power over everything. This is why God tells us to only be strong and very courageous in the book of Joshua and that we can depend on the Spirit to work behind the scenes on our behalf to bring us the victory in Jesus Who is Romans 8:28.

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

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
1 Corinthians 10:13

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Philippians 1:6

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 12:2

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7

But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
2 Thessalonians 3:3

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 4:11-13

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

It’s such a huge blessing to stop and count all the people and things you’re thankful for. I’m so thankful for God’s Word, my family, and everything God’s given us to live this life. I have clean clothes and dishes and enough food to eat each day. I have a car to drive, and good neighbors. Thank You, God.

The Lord bless you and keep you
The Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious unto you
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace
And I put the Name of the God of the children of Israel on you and bless you in Jesus’ Name, the Name that is ABOVE every other name.

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

Isn’t it wonderful that we’re getting to know Jesus better each moment of the day? When I think of Who He is, it just amazes me. And He loves you and me so much. So much.

The Lord bless you and keep you
The Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious unto you
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace
And I put the Name (that peaceful Presence) of the God of the children of Israel on you and bless you in Jesus’ Name, the Name that is ABOVE every other name.

Nothing and no one can give us the peace, rest, assurance and joy that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords can give us. Jesus.

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

Wherever you are right now, look around. Jesus is with you right where you are. Really. He never leaves us nor forsakes us. Never. That means He’s always with us. Yipee!

Don’t let yourself get bogged down with this life. Rejoice in what’s ahead for us each day – and into eternity – just because we’re His children. Doing so adds so much joy to today and every day…

13 But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.” 14 We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. 15 All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.

16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
2 Corinthians 4:13-18

Praise God. Soon, we’re going to be physically with Jesus – Forever. Keep your eyes on the prize.

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14

Keep looking up, dear friends.

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

“The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; The Lord has clothed and girded Himself with strength; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.”
Psalm 93:1

The Lord bless you and keep you
The Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious unto you
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace
And I put the Name of the God of the children of Israel on you and bless you in Jesus’ Name, the Name that is ABOVE every other name.

What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.
Matthew 10:29

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

The Lord bless you and keep you
The Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious unto you
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace
And I put the Name of the God of the children of Israel on you and bless you in Jesus’ Name, the Name that is ABOVE every other name.

Dying to self is giving me the Life that’s ABOVE. What a difference Life makes. That’s our Jesus. True Life that is freedom we cannot have any other way.

Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Romans 6:11

Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Galatians 5:24

And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.
Luke 9:23-24

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

I’ve never been comfortable around Christians who weren’t dying to self. Too much flesh and not enough Jesus makes me uncomfortable.

If God sees even a glimmer of a chance that someone wants Him, wants the new Life He can give anyone, He will move mountains in that person to make sure they take on His Life.

There is grace on/in God’s Word. God’s Word is all powerful and so is His grace. So if I’m not doing His Word, will I have His all-powerful grace operating in my life?

What keeps me from doing His Word? Why would I not want all of God’s grace operating in my life?

I’m finding that the more I line up with God’s Word – the more I “do” it, and not just hear it – the more of His wonderful grace, favor, covering, peace, rest, security and joy is operating in me. I can sense and feel it doing so. The old “Mark” is dying and giving way to God’s ways. It’s the most incredible Life I’ve known.

And it makes sense. The more I become like Jesus, the more of His Life I’ll have working in my life. It’s a miraculous exchange – I die to self, to Mark, and I get more of Him, more of Jesus. As a result, I get more free indeed. I love His freedom. What a blessing it is to put off the old man (the old Mark) and to put on Christ. Wow. Amazing.

And God knows the more I die to self, the more I want of Him and since He’s infinite, He keeps giving me more of Him. I like more of Him. ☺

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, Hallelujah!

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Galatians 2:20

that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
Ephesians 4:22-24

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

So much could be said about sudden fear and how we must not let it impact our lives. I love how God teaches us to stand against sudden fear and how He leads us onto victory through and right in the midst of it. What a God we have.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me (Oh, thank You, God): and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20

God can even use fear to motivate us to overcome fear and to live by faith in the Son of God.

Back in the 80s, one of our Oregon pastors, Gordon, told Annie and me to not make major decisions when we were getting hit with fear and enemy attacks. He told us that most of these kinds of attacks lasted for a day or two and to wait until the attack or fear subsided before making decisions. Gordon’s wisdom has always helped us and kept us from making many unwise and hasty decisions the devil’s sudden fear tried to scare us into making.

Sudden fear is everywhere today. The media is full of it. Left unchecked, fear will attempt to control your life. Fear can make you forget God’s Word and think and do things you would never do as a Christian and child of the Most High Who has set you free.

Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
Proverbs 3:25-26

We never need to give in to lying sudden fear. Never. Let God’s liberating faith (Truth) lead you, not suffocating and confusing fear.

Hallelujah! Thank You, Jesus, for Your Word that sets and keeps us free.

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On earth, there are two kingdoms operating. There is man’s kingdom or domain and there is God’s Kingdom. As Christians, we move in and out of both and then more and more into God’s domain abiding under the shadow of the Most High. We can see how beautiful Life is when we spend more and more of it in Him.

I don’t know many people who like to wait, who like patience. I hated those two words for so many years. They seemed to stand in the way of everything in my life. I’m only beginning to see how valuable they are to true Life.

Let the Lord bless you and keep you
Let the Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious unto you
Let Jesus lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace (His peace is so important and valuable today. Really, it always has been.)
Let Jesus put His Name on you and bless you in His mighty Name, the Name that is ABOVE (it can heal my weak, impatient flesh) every other name.

Thank You, Jesus, for being so consistent and faithful to bring me Your True Life.

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

When I think of beautiful things, I don’t often include patience in the list.

How beautiful and full of glory is patience?  I don’t know yet.  But, when I listen to God regarding patience, patience begins to come into focus and it’s more lovely the longer I look at it from all the angles God presents it to me.

There is a tendency to think not much is being accomplished when we wait and exercise patience.  But, in the Spirit world, so much is happening when we choose God’s lead to be patient.  So much is working on our behalf behind the scenes.

It is so important to learn how to wait. There is so much fruit in that little word. It can change our lives if we’ll let it.

“For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”
Hebrews 10:36

“For ye have need of patience.” Wow, what beautiful words of Life. I was thinking about writing something else this morning when the Holy Spirit began telling me about patience and how absolutely wonderful this precious gift from the Holy Spirit is.

He’s still speaking to me about it…☺

We love you all.

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

 

Caleb didn’t side with the 10 spies who brought back an evil, fear-inducing report about the land God wanted to give the Israelites when He led them out of Egypt. Caleb and Joshua were the minority, but that didn’t stop them from believing God. They didn’t let the fear of man in. Caleb didn’t go along to get along. I love that.

Most of us don’t go looking for giants to overcome. We feel like we’ve got enough to deal with. But not Caleb. He was full of faith. He believed God. Believing God – taking Him at His Word – is what gave Caleb the courage and strength he still had at 80 years of age. Caleb wanted the hill country and giants. That’s right! He knew they were nothing in God’s sight.

Let the Lord bless you and keep you
Let the Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious unto you
Let the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace
And I put the Name of the God of the children of Israel on you and bless you in Jesus’ Name, the Name that is ABOVE every other name.

Live by faith in God. Believe God. Even if you die believing, you’ll be much better off.

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

 

 

 

8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly (when we seek Him with all our heart) followed the Lord my God.

9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children’s for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the Lord my God.

10 And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.

11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.

12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims (giants) were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said.

13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.

14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel.

15 And the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba; which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.
Joshua 14:8-15

13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.

17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?

19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Hebrews 3:13-19

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Like I’ve written about so many times before, I had learned to believe so many lies and they were killing me. I didn’t really know how to believe God.

What we believe makes all the difference in our world, in our lives.

When the land is at rest, the lies have been silenced. They’ve been replaced by God’s Word and promises. You learn the Word so that you’ll be ready the next time lies test God’s Word in you (the land He’s given you), the next time your faith in Him is tested and provides you with the victory.

When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He resisted the devil with the Word and Satan departed until a more opportune time. We have to keep our shield up and sword drawn which is the Word and faith to take off the heads of the lies whenever they come back – and they will come back.

Don’t continue in a thought life or lifestyle that keeps you vulnerable to Satan’s tactics and lies. Repent. Stay away from anything that would make you compromise including fearful thoughts and the works of the flesh like anger, impatience, etc. Get in the Word and learn how to resist the enemy – how to use The Word as the weapon it is – so he’ll flee from you.

Any attack the Lord permits is to strengthen, prove and improve you.

God gave us specific verses (His promises) in Oregon in the mid 80s. He is what we asked for in our La Crescenta apartment in 1979. He moved us to Oregon to give us Him. He was going to put His Word, His promises, in our lives so that we could enter His rest. We had to learn to believe Him so we could enter His rest (His love – perfect love casts out fear) – His rest is the eradication of enemy lies that produce fear (torment), doubt, confusion and unbelief. And the journey continues to this very day.

When you are in His rest, you’re the strongest.

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark 

Note: While we may not agree with everything a particular church or Christian group teaches or believes, there are times when we can be blessed by something outside the realm of our current understanding of God.