David Roberts — Page 2

The Power of the Cross; Pentecost

June 7, 2016 By David Roberts

You've gotta be a man before you can be a "Mr.",
You've gotta be a woman before you can be a "Ms.",
You've gotta believe before you can be called "a believer".

Above all else, this article is not intended to pigeon hole us further; but rather, explore where we are, especially as we remember the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Showing up at church or learning to parrot the right things doesn't mean we're anything, other than we've learned to wear a certain flavor of mask. Why would anyone wanna wear a mask? It's because we're afraid of not fitting in, so we manipulate our presentation to "fit in". With respect, we often fear people and the systems of this world more than Creator God. This could possibly be because many say "I believe" with our mouths yet fail to to it in our hearts.

Yesterday evening, I ran into Walmart for a few last minute items. The dog was getting hungry and my wife wanted that special creamer only they carry. As I raced to the sections of the store where my items were, my mind was opened to notice again, all the packaging and manipulation through presentation. Suddenly, I once again saw a glimpse of myself and the way we (humanity) view life. We live in a world where packaging is king! Let's face it. Most of us simply buy the package, and whatever is on the inside, then we deal with that later. Even though we say we care, we balance that against our love of money, and we say we're being good stewards. Well, maybe we are. Either way, this isn't really a problem until what we've purchased breaks (and it will!).

Neat and orderly is what our world demands. If you're out of place, you have no place, thus you don't fit in! The promise of making our lives easier, less stressful, pain free, is certainly appealing and I often take them up on what they're selling! I live in an air conditioned home, with running water, electricity and all the comforts that can be imagined. The problem many times is that we often buy promises from people who don't have 'the goods' to sell; although, with their packaging you'd never know it. They jockey for shelf space, brand recognition and popularity; all which are driven by alliances (that's just another way of saying, "branding"). All these alliances are to make you feel included (warm and fuzzy, to meet a need you may not even have). Honestly, I've got no problem with the world operating this way. It is the way of the world and I'm not afraid to operate within it.

What often alarms me is when I see so many "Christian" organizations function in the ways of the world, "wearing their clothes". I know: Why am I looking at their short comings? Well, I love them and want to help! We'll get to that in a minute. There is a way of peace. These organizations, captained by someone, market their daycare, children or youth programs; announcing "we've got what you need". They print ads promoting their latest "special" service and mention how good "their" praise team and/or choir is, while mentioning there's plenty of parking; and it's well lit! If that weren't enough, social media is blasted with campaigns to brand their church or movement, and their members are "requested" to "like" their post/page and share. You'll hear things like, "our preacher can really preach" and "oh boy, we had a great message today". There isn't anything wrong with any of these things, except it seems like they're always focusing on all the minor subjects. They invest all this energy in labor that won't produce an eternal harvest, all in the name of "who", I ask? I'm certain their zeal is usually on target and I'm not faulting or attempting to modify behavior. Behavior modification doesn't work anyway!

It's just that we've almost lost sight of the reason for having a gathering in the first place! If you're gonna gather, don't do it to cover the same base over and over. In baseball, you'd get to first base and never score a run. Let's gather to train the people, so they can be empowered to go into their world a blessing to others, demonstrating God's true compassion for the world!

Maybe it's coming across as bashing or being harsh. I'm sure some will think these subjects shouldn't be talked about in the open, but I can't imagine a better place for it. What I'd like to see is honesty about where we are. In my personal relationship with God, that's where I experienced Him so it seems reasonable to expect it corporately, in like manor. As I contrast (or survey) our present presentation of Jesus to the world, I just don't see Him being lifted up IN THE WAY HE DESIRES. How can I say I know His desires? Because my mind has been changed and I can see how His engine room operates in the world.

Let's look at what the Apostle Paul wrote just after he addresses hero worship; whether Paul or Apollos should be given credit (read 1 Cor 4 in it's entirety HERE or listen to it HERE but below are the verses we'll discuss)

I can't for the life of me understand how the modern church can say we have the same leadership as what we read in these verses. Honestly, I can say but you won't want to hear it. Well, that settles it; I'm gonna tell you for sure now. "Everything we call church isn't The Church". So much of what we call "Church" is really a supporting organization to facilitate a real move of God. We fell in love with the idea that we could lean on this system (instead of leaning on His understanding) to help, kinda like a crutch. Somehow, we've come to accept it's okay to help Him since being His flesh was too difficult. I'm not saying God hasn't allowed or even led at times, to have denominations (as some might say). I certainly don't think those are a complete expression of who He is, but everyone has ideas and opinions about what they believe, so in that light, there are as many denominations as there are people. Let's look at denominations as fractions. We know that all fractions are part of the whole. Somewhere along the course of studying basic mathematics, we began working with fractions. We learned that fractions are not the whole, but they were part of the whole. So, what did we do? We learned to find "THE COMMON DENOMINATOR"! What do we all have in common? We are all loved and accepted by God. We can start and end with this simple common denominator. With a common denominator we can find equivalent fractions, expressed other ways. Through the cross, we discover it doesn't matter what organization you or I belong to, or where our membership is. We discover that God really did love the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son. Now that He sits at the Father's side, we are His flesh, for Spirit to live. In light of being a unique individual, viewing the world through unique eyes, there is nothing wrong with being a slice; in fact, THAT'S THE PLAN! When I'm speaking of being a part of The Whole, I'm speaking of being a member of His Body; human flesh for Spirit to live and move and have His being.

The Nation is a many membered body; ONE body, which when we're in tune with Spirit, we produce ONEvoice (that's why we are aka ONEvoice or Restoration House Ministries). Well, now that we're back from that commercial break, let's read verses 9 thru 13 of 1 Corinthians 4:

4:9 If you really want to know, there is nothing glamorous about being an apostle! It seems to some that God has us on exhibition as it were, as clowns in the circus; the laughing stock of the religious world-system! We are the latest gossip in town. Even the angels frown upon us! And you want to idolize us, think again! We are not handing out autographs! Neither are we your latest brand of Christianity! We have a death-sentence hanging over our heads!
4:10 Because of Christ we are considered fools (in the eyes of the religious society!) Our foolishness serves only one purpose though: to prove to you that Christ is your wisdom. Our weakness serves to convince you of your source of strength in Christ; our ill repute in the eyes of popular opinion is to persuade you of your honored standing in Christ! (Do not allow what we are suffering for you to distract you from realizing how wise, and strong, and honored you really are in Christ.)
4:11 While writing this to you my life would seem such a contradiction! I mean here I am telling you how complete and without shortcoming you already are, and I can hardly remember when last I have had a decent meal! As I am writing this my mouth is dry with thirst, I’m stripped of my clothing; I have been beaten black and blue, and have nowhere to go.
4:12 I feel the fatigue from my physical labor. When people insult us we make sure that we speak well of them. We are harassed, but bear with it.
4:13 Hurtful rumors do the rounds but we find refuge and comfort in our true identity. We are reckoned as scapegoats, the scum of society. This is what we are faced with on a daily basis. (1 Cor. 4:9-13 Mirror)

To my human understanding it seems strange we have so many churches led by so called "apostles", "prophets", "evangelists", "pastors and teachers", who seem more interested in campaigning, strategizing, advertising, packaging, aligning, branding, and a whole host of other marketing angles rather than demonstration of power. I see so few leaders exhibit the reckless abandonment to Christ, as seen in the preceding few verses. It's a lack of fathers; I am convinced, but it's also our lack of submission to apostolic fathers in the Church. Looking on Facebook and other social media, you'll get a good idea of 'who is with who' by the posts we 'like' and by the people we ignore. No wonder the world thinks we're just a bunch of religious bigots. Often, WE ARE!

To anyone who does not believe the message of the gospel, it's to their own loss the message of the cross seems foolish; but to us who discover our salvation there, it is the dynamic of God. Isaiah wrote: I will confuse the wisdom of the "so-called" wise and prove their experts wrong! (1 Cor 1:18,19 Mirror)(Isa 29:14)

Too many times I've been surprised to discover I've been wrong about people and their approach to ministry and life. I think we often are a little quick to pronounce judgement when we're often saying, "they're not like me". Possibly, that's what I'm doing again right now. I hope so and am willing to learn, even if it's the hard way. There's a list of people I could tell you about, where my initial instinct was in error because they appeared to be of the world; they presented themselves in a way that I was not familiar with being abandoned in Christ, so I discerned incorrectly. In those times, I was wrong. We've got to give each other this grace. Grace to recognize God is bigger than our understanding. Hopefully, we can learn to recognize when our hearts burn from hearing truth, so much the Holy Spirit can interrupt our plans for His, ceasing our divisive ways. When I got to know the people I am thinking about, it was easy to hear their heart and passion to see God's children be led into the place of promise and it was then I could appreciate the amazing Gift in them. When I stopped looking at their package I began to see people as Christ sees them.

The main reason I didn't recognize them as being a gift from God was I didn't know their story. I hadn't gotten intimate with them, probably because of fear. I was caught up in my own circumstances and more than likely, marketing my own products, calling them "whatever". I've come to believe there is a small place of power, where He rests and we're invited to reign there with Him (in His Rest). This throne is a place in the perfect Love of God, where Love governs and fuels everything. It's not a worldly definition or an emotional love. It's through faith in Him, that we are Baptized by fire to see God is/as Love. This is the engine room of God and the power plant. The offense is foolish to the world. The power of Pentecost is available, and possibly more, so that we too have all things in common (common denominator). Once we find the common denominator, we can begin to make whole numbers out of the fractions (we can understand people and appreciate them as a gift).

Close Enough to Perfect to Me

June 5, 2016 By David Roberts Leave a Comment

Off and on, for some time now, a scripture has come to mind often: For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. It's Ps 84:10. In this scripture, where he says he'd rather be a 'doorkeeper' really jumps out. A doorkeeper? Yes. The longer I think about it, the more I realize being a doorkeeper is not a shabby gig. The keeper of the door can only be a trusted son, who can carry out his duties based on intimately knowing his Father's Heart. He must know who to let into His House.

The doorkeeper operates at the vestibule, at the threshold, where we enter. Not to be too explicit, but the vestibule is also the entrance tissue to a woman's vagina. To be a mature doorkeeper to God's House you must be incredibly intimate with God, which will renew your mind in order to properly know how to govern the door of His House.

There is a well known scripture in Ephesians 4:11. In it we read where God gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. Regardless how you read this verse there is a clear description on "why". He gave them for the perfecting of the saints.

Listening to a local country station the other day, an old song by the group Alabama came on, "Close Enough to Perfect". As I listened, my attention was arrested. God impressed to me a deeper appreciation and understanding of His love; and as leaders, our purpose.

"Don't you worry about my woman,
And what you think she aught to be!
She's close enough to perfect for me!" [full Lyrics below]

The perfecting of the saints has long been misunderstood. Perfecting does not mean robotic performance. It means you're coming into adulthood, understanding your entire sin debt was paid by Christ, and walking in this truth. No, people won't just go robbing banks or leaving to start their own church if they are told this. That may be what you did, but that's what happens to those who focus on sin nature; they became what we behold.

As we become more intimate with Christ, we discover we weren't saved only by His grace; His grace also keeps us. The song "Close Enough to Perfect" is about a man accepting his wife right where she is. That's perfect Love folks! It will unlock her heart. Christ loved His Church so much He gave His life for her. His Church, His rules. The Bride doesn't call the shots and Christ isn't abdicating His role to lead; He's just leading by becoming her servant, with His righteousness.

What happens when we focus on the goodness of God? It disarms us! We have no reason to sin since death has lost it's sting. When Christ speaks it's not with accusation. It may not always be with approval of our actions but it is always with Love (approval of our person). He leads Her (Christ's Church) by Love. She responds like a mirror to His love (glory of the moon- reflecting the Sun) as she receives His seed. She, operating in His name, plants the same Seed in others and He's reproduced as the glory of the Sun.

Men, it would radically change our homes if we'd simply love our wives as He loved His Church. By no means have I arrived in this (ask my wife, lol), but I'm determined the only thing that will make me leave is a higher court to rule, saying I must go. The only thing that could separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus would be for The Higher Court to reverse His decision to love the world so much He would give His only Begotten Son; that's not happening!

The only thing that could separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus would be for The Higher Court to reverse His decision to love the world so much He would give His only Begotten Son; that's not happening!

So, let's say you're the doorkeeper in God's House. Who do you suppose you'd open the door for? In light of Christ's amazing Gift, to give Himself for His Church, to show His Love to the world, I'd say the door needs to be propped open; for whosoever will, His Church. I'm speaking of course of His House and not an individual ministry or what most of us know as a church (contrasted with The Church). So often, leaders become overly focused on the 'work' they're doing to see Christ gently guiding them in another direction; sadly, many still see men as trees.

In my 18 years of ministry, I've seen all sorts of believers, coming from many different positions; most have a passionate heart to do the will of our Father.

We need to clear something up. In His House, we are all doorkeepers. The question isn't, "are you a doorkeeper?"; it's "are you hindering people from entering?" I don't think Saul knew he was persecuting the Church until he had his encounter with God. Much the same, The Church doesn't know by carrying His name we carry His authority to open the door for others, or hinder them from entering. We are all doorkeepers to the people around us, in our world. You are a doorkeeper if you're part of the family of faith in Jesus Christ. You and I are both doorkeepers into our Father's House. As we grow into perfection, we begin to understand that to God we're kings, but to others we're priests. You don't need a certificate or an ordination to be a priest for Him. You just need to be still in your earth suit.

The Church doesn't know by carrying His name we carry His authority to open the door for others, or hinder them from entering.

Of those of us that know we're doorkeepers, many act like 'bouncers' at a night club, waiting on you to step out of line, measuring and weighing individuals for flaws. No, I'm not picking on you to condemn you. I'm picking on all of us so we all hopefully lighten up. Even the ones who act this way, they're welcome in His House too. Christ covers their sin as well. We're perfect, but we're also growing into perfection. We're perfect because we're spotless in Him, as the Gift of Christ. We are growing into perfection by the gifts He gave; Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers. These gifts help us to appropriate Christ occupying us, as His flesh.

As doorkeepers, we have people around us often who are often grown up children. They need patience. Don't run off and leave them alone. Hold their hand, invite them to lunch and model what it means to no longer think and act like a child. The Higher Court has ruled to send His only begotten Son to pay the sin debt for the world. As doorkeepers you can't overthrow the Higher Court.

"Don't you worry about my woman, And what you think she aught to be! She's close enough to perfect for me!"

Read the lyrics to this song; watch and listen. It's really a spiritual song that reflects Christ's attitude for His Bride.

In Him, David

Lyrics:
"Close Enough To Perfect", by: Alabama

Sometimes the morning coffee's way too strong.
And Sometimes what she says she says all wrong.

Right or Wrong, she's there beside me,
Like only a friend would be!
And that's close enough to perfect for me.

Now, She's been known to wear her pants too tight.
And drinkin' puts her out just like a light.
Heaven knows she's not an angel,
But she'd really like to be.
And that's close enough to perfect for me.

She kisses me each mornin'
And smiles a sleepy smile!
She don't have to say it.
I can see it in her eyes!

Don't you worry about my woman,
And what you think she aught to be!
She's close enough to perfect for me!

Sometimes she gets down and starts to cry!
But then again a lady has a right.

She's everything I ever wanted!
She's all I'll ever need!
She's close enough to perfect for me!

She kisses me each mornin',
And smiles a sleepy smile!
She don't have to say it.
I can see it in her eyes!

Don't you worry about my woman,
And what you think she aught to be!
She's close enough to perfect for me!

Whooooa... She's close enough to perfect... for me

"Close Enough to Perfect" is a song written by Carl Chambers, and recorded by American country music band Alabama. It was released in August 1982, as the third single from Alabama's album Mountain Music.

Judicially Set Free by Grace

April 30, 2016 By David Roberts Leave a Comment

Humans believe sin can separate us from God but sin is actually the thing that drew Him near; it's where Grace abounds. Because of Grace, all evidence is not admissible in His court. Whatever you think keeps you from being reconciled to God has been dealt with by Him. Now, it's simply a matter of you believing it in your heart and confessing it with your mouth, so you can be free from it.

Despite the popularity to mix law with Grace in society, which denies God's legal justification to accept you, Love always wins. Don't get me wrong, for those who roll their eyes whenever they hear someone speak on grace. I love His law but won't use it to incarcerate others. There is a distinction in a boat and the wake it produces. The boat produces the wake, not the other way around, so if you knew who you were in Christ, you'd delight in His laws as you moved through life.

Not optional: Followers of The Way reckon ourselves and others as acceptable, placed in right relationship with God because His justification is a judicial reckoning in His court.

He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious loving kindness]. 2 Cor 5:21 AMP

Believing with the heart will change your mind. Speaking with your mouth creates the environment for change. Although simple and His yoke is easy, it's not easy to believe with your heart. Changing your mind into a Grace mindset IS the cross between our ears! It's illogical (to human calculation) that your neighbor could be equally accepted by God. Believing with your heart the Son of Man was raised from the dead by God requires you to identify what exactly Jesus did. Without the remission of Sin, then He was just another good man.

Forgiving others is counter-intuitive to what "seems" right. From human argument, we hold grudges, unable to flow in the kind of love that sets captives free. Without accepting His love is unconditional, we can't give it unconditionally, presenting ourselves to the world as His offspring.

Forgiveness doesn't come natural to flesh because it assumes natural consequences must be set aside. Someone out of sync with Spirit assumes they're the prosecutor; they lie in wait to introduce evidence because that's how they live, circumstantially.

Imagine a man jumping from a tall building; who'll fall to his death unless he supersedes the law of gravity with the higher law of aerodynamics. Unless he "grows wings" he will die naturally. Christ supersedes the law of gravity by carrying us up with Him to His equal. As gravity is to the law of gravity, Christ is wings to the law of aerodynamics. The law of sin and death no longer has it's sting.

God lowered Himself to become a man, then offered Himself as a permanent sacrifice to judicially become sin on our behalf; He was buried and raised from the dead by Creator God. The transformed mind accepts this love and gives it unconditionally because we are His offspring. The circumstantial mind fails to accept truth because it doesn't understand how Grace effects natural consequences. Since we're all living in earthen vessels, ALL our human natures think circumstantially. The cross reckons this old man as dead, as a judicial ruling. By faith, we accept the ruling of the Court.

The truth is that if it rains on the just and the unjust (those who are morally upright and those who oppose Him) then so is His love given to those who love Him and are unrepentant (Matt 5:45). If you love only those who love you what reward do you have? If He loved only those who loved Him, then He'd cease to be God.

David Roberts,
an ambassador sent by God

Who is the Body of Christ and What is Our Purpose?

April 22, 2016 By David Roberts

Love CAME (past tense) in form: Creator God lowered Himself to come in the form of man, Jesus.

Most leaders who identify as leadership in His Church agree that God came in the form of man to take away the Sin of the world (His coming is in the third person), but fail to understand His appearing is now THROUGH us (in the first person). As His bride, we are His body.

Love CAME (past tense) in form (Jesus) but Love also COMES (present and future tense) in form (through His Church). As His Bride He comes THROUGH us, not just TO us.

It's not difficult to accept Jesus as being one with God. We accept and preach with great vigor that He could say, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, 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, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord".

All true; we know His purpose but why aren't we able to discover and embrace OUR purpose as His Body? What if I told you we have the same purpose as Jesus? Of course, it's not our blood shed for the remission of sin, but as kings to God, we are priests to others. As such, we offer sacrifices and we preach the gospel to the poor. If we're in relationship with proper authority, we're sent to heal and deliver captives, as well as opening blind eyes and opening the gates of heaven for those who are hurting, as we preach they are acceptable to God in this age.

If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. John 13:8

You've probably heard your mind should be transformed into His mind, and you've probably heard you and I are His Body but do you know how necessary these are to the realization of His Dream? We are His Body but He loves the whole world. What a dilemma. Let's see now, who should God send to tell the world of His great Love for the world? When He (Jesus) went away, He sent The Comforter; it was to empower us to do even greater works than Him but it was also to operate AS HIM as a legally binding contract to operate IN HIS NAME. If there are two of us operating IN HIS NAME (counting you and me), that's not nothing!

Spiritual leaders should teach a message that operates in the same Grace God has offered. In other words, teach and preach a message where you're people have the same mind as Christ Jesus- "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (II Philippians 2:5-8)

The reason you probably haven't heard this is most leaders are more comfortable with setting things up where the leader is on top rather than underneath. The government of love seeks out that which is lost so that it can restore and open blind eyes. Boy-leaders prematurely operate as set ministers and hold others in bondage rather than setting them free. They've searched the scriptures and thought they'd found life but did they? Paul described them as denying the power, even though they seem to be crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i'. Your life will tell the answer. What captives are you setting free? Don't experience condemnation if this is you. Simply own it. Confess it and start again; connect with someone in Biblical authority and be transparent.

You are loved as you are. When that lands, you'll be changed; aware of the fear based human hierarchy we humans are built with. There is nothing God is holding against you except His Love. Humans are His crowning achievement in all His creation. He is not mad at you.

Mature leaders have grown up into Christ as our head, and operate fully in the government of love. They allow the coming of Christ to happen in the present tense, not just the past and/or future. The way they do this is they understand they are part of the God-head and not separated from Him. They never try to steal the honor but they also understand who they are and why.

Please contact us if you need help in these areas.

Why Does God Have a Body?

April 17, 2016 By David Roberts Leave a Comment

Although we become accustomed to recognizing each other by the way we look, our physical appearance is a house for the real you. It's your spirit and your soul that people get to know when they think of you. Your personality, your mind, your unique way of seeing life and others all make up 'YOU'. You live in your body just like God's Spirit lives in His. Think about how exiting that is, but also think about the heavy responsibility to take His name. If you're married, chances are that one of you took the others' name. Similarly, taking God's name, as part of His family takes on the responsibility that you'll be a truthful ambassador, revealing God's true self. This is done without effort simply by having faith in Him. The miraculous manifestation is a body of world-wide believers who demonstrate who God is. Just like your neighbors know you when you step outside, the same is true when His body steps into the world.

The purpose of God's Spirit living in one person or a group of people isn't to make them prideful, but so He can express His nature to all the nations of His world. Unless you're an identical twin, or a doppelganger, your body is one of a kind. Even with identical twins there are differences, which are unique, based on the individual's life. As an example, if one twin is in a terrible accident and loses an ear, the other twin will still have their ear, so recognizing someone is based on more than genetics; it's also about scars from life experiences. The bottom line is that people know you when they "see" YOU and they know God when we show HIM to them. Being known by our love one for another isn't just a side effect; it's the blue-print.

On the television show "Cheers", we all remember Norm entering the bar with a joke. Everyone knew him, or did they? When people get to know you, they recognize you, and also begin to recognize your voice and sense your ways. The very same truth is with God's body, His Church. The purpose of God having a Church is to make Himself known. The question begs an answer, "To whom does He need to reveal Himself?" I would argue that we've preached to the choir enough. Maybe we should take the same meetings we're having on Sunday, and use them like a university, where we mature people rather than trying to be a hospital. Leaders, if we did our jobs correctly, we'd send the hospital to the sick.

God's body has the same function as your body; it carries you where you want to go. His "called out" are called to reveal God; so the world can "see" Him, and understand His ways. Without purpose "the church" would be just another group of people, who compare ourselves by ourselves. Our purpose is to show the world God, as He really is [He really does love you]. Local church government not founded with this foundational truth will always find itself in competition with God instead of in cooperation with Him.

If you think you're part of His church, it really boils down to one thing; have you taken His name in vain? If you're a leader in His church this topic is an apostolic truth that does not waiver.

Submission to Authority

September 22, 2015 By David Roberts

Part of our ineffectiveness in today's Church (intended to bring attention so we can fix it, not to bash) is so many of us are out of position. People lead themselves, believing it's okay to merrily bounce from one place to the next, taste-testing wine from every table. We do all this without being sent, usually because the church down the street has a better "you fill in the blank". We all know there is nothing wrong with paving our parking lots, having a nursery or having the best youth department in town, but I think we could all agree those things are added conveniences.

The Alzheimer's Foundation of America defines dementia this way: Dementia is a general term that describes a group of symptoms-such as loss of memory, judgment, language, complex motor skills, and other intellectual function-caused by the permanent damage or death of the brain's nerve cells, or neurons. -In the past, I've described our human condition as having an identity crisis. We haven't had our identity stolen, that would be impossible. You are who you are, even if you don't know it. Either building on or drilling deeper, I do not know, it is most likely our disconnect from our spiritual head that could be diagnosed as spiritual dementia.

Fueling "our" dementia is a belief rooted in the assumption God was created in our image rather than we in His. We transfer that to assuming our spiritual authority should appear in our image. We say with our mouths "we submit" but in our hearts it's only to the point that we're familiar. Some insist spiritual authority on Earth must have a meeting on Sunday. Some say, "no building at all". And some say, "no meeting at all". Whatever your flavor, we've created a Jesus that can meet the perception of your need. I realize this sounds a little cynical but if we're ever to receive healing and then wholeness, we need to know "from what" we're being healed. Your greatest enemy may be your failure to rest in God. In your defense, you can't do it before He leads but it's the disconnect from the Head that I'm addressing, not the action of "faith" or "lack of faith". What we often call "faith" is really our present "trusting God", which we treat as if it's the standard. In reality, the standard is really to eat from the Tree of Life so we start out deceived making it impossible to "hit the mark".

Drinking from many fountains causes our purpose to become confused and diluted. Our hearing becomes dull when we search everything we can find, to make what we call our gift manifest in the Earth. When we see ourselves as our gift, we are lost; maybe we have salvation for a future heaven but we're unable to bring the reality of heaven into our world. We're caught in the in between. It's in this state we exhibit symptoms of spiritual dementia (loss of memory, judgment, language, complex motor skills, and other intellectual function-caused by the permanent damage or death of the brain's nerve cells, or neurons). Of course, we know nothing is wrong with The Head. It's just that the body is disconnected from Him, simply by trying to find Him. He was right there, but many leave in search of an already present God. He takes us to a situation to teach us, but our itching ears and sweet tooth lead instead. It's in this mindset that we are seeking to discover who we are. We are drawn to support those who give us purpose in the natural, which isn't all bad. It's when we seek this for validation and identity that we eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. As long as this is our mindset we'll never be able to experience real circumcision. We give others what we are drinking; it's the same convoluted mixture we drink and we think we're doing well.

Occasionally, I'm misunderstood so I should clarify that I see diversity as our strength. I'm not saying we shouldn't connect with others, or learn from each other. God reveals Himself anyway He chooses. I'm just sharing from an apostle's viewpoint where that is. What's important to understand in each of us, we carry light (lamp or lamp-stand). Just like you, we are each responsible for tending that light. I use a lower case "l" when spelling light because as long as we're tending it, we aren't there yet. Where's there? You'll have to read further to learn a little about the third dimension or seventh day, but when we're in alignment with His Kingdom in Heaven, we'll mirror it on Earth. In short, "there", is walking behind the veil, where He provides the Light.

His Kingdom has come but our body is learning what this looks like on Earth. I don't suppose to tell you what your specific ministry should look like. I can only say that you were fearfully and wonderfully made in His image. Borrowing a little light from many takes their revelation and treats it with dishonor. It also makes your life a mess because you don't have the authority to speak their revelation, as if you carried their light. What happens is that you quote them and place it in the context of your life, but they were given that light for an entirely different purpose; one that's very personal between God and them. They lost more than we can possibly imagine to have their revelation trampled on. The bottom line is that tending everyone's lamp-stand will wear you out. Let's talk about spiritual authority and submission, for a moment. As it concerns leadership in His body; someone speaks and your baby leaps because they carry the same light. That's how you know where you are being joined into His body. If this happens to you, then God may be showing you who you should be submitting. No baby has three fathers so this connection is very important to discern where God has placed you in the body. Many are sick because they don't allow their afraid to have their hearts circumcised. I understand what you may be thinking; it's scary. When we buy into having more than one father, we set ourselves up for a harder road than is really required.

You have a lamp-stand, and in one sense, you are that lamp-stand. Just like Jesus went to sit at the right hand of the Father and is preparing a place for you, maybe we should consider that the place He is preparing, "is you". In His House there are many mansions. The things you are going through is your mansion being restored. You shouldn't hear any negativity in this article because you are one of His mansions and His desire is to take residence and live in you; not just in you but through you. If you submit to spiritual authority, it is in the context of helping guide you to trust Him. You should never allow anyone to control your life, except if someone steals your coat, then maybe you can give them your sweater too. If God's called you, His Word is in you, so simply by falling to the ground in surrender His authority, you will "grow" just like any other seed. Jesus taught that the children of God are His seed. As you desire to sow His Word in others you were designed to manifest His Word and be sown in the Earth. The idea that God is distant is a world view and not anything like reality. God didn't touch you so that you could save your life by what makes human sense. He touched you so you could become a son and receive your inheritance.

It's a super-natural resurrection that happens. Jesus said He came to make war and not peace. There is nothing nice or pleasant about taking authority over your own flesh, but only you can do it as He leads. The ways that 'seem' right are to take in as much information as needed to reach a logical conclusion, but God was already perfect Logic. He makes perfect sense if you have eyes to see. He connected you to Him and has connected you in His body. The pain of much of life's struggles are Him uncovering what was done in the open. That's right; it was done in the open, not in a corner. Our salvation is plain to see and He desires much more that you go along with Him than you could ever chase after Him. Since we are so use to hiding and doing things in secret, we're a little slow on this, but never to worry, He's been on our side the whole time and demands we not glory in our own flesh and this is one of the primary reasons He places spiritual authority in your life. We travail in pain to see Christ be formed in you.

It does no good to bare burdens He already bore and He receives no honor or glory when we fail to receive what He died and resurrected to give. When we feed others with this same cup, Jesus said you're making them twice a son of hell as you. The act of submission is not only necessary to learn; it's fundamental to how authority functions on Earth and in Heaven. So many have a great desire to teach and that's wonderful, but if no one is asking questions of you, or bowing at the anointing in you (2Kings2:15), they aren't ready to hear. What you probably need is to wait until you are sent. But, if you're bound and determined to plow ahead, if they aren't buying what you're selling, stop talking and listen. Listen until their heart softens so they can receive. In that environment, it's impossible to learn unless Someone has to submit to your authority or your wasting your time trying to teach. It's much more wise trying to love them to repentance until their hearts are soft and pliable enough to teach, than to take authority over someone other than own life. That's just wrong.

As it stands now, those carrying the label of Christian look like drunk fools to the world. Out of our mouths come a message of forgiveness but many of our homes are a wreck. The church's divorce rate is higher than the world and hotels bid for denominational leadership conventions so they can sell more porn. Humans love to worship "form" so it's not an easy path to follow Christ.

I want to leave you with one final thought about what it looks like dancing from table to table drinking any wine that's served. This is more that a thought; it's a reality of not submitting to the authority God places in your life. There was a chief priest in Acts 9 that tried to do miracles in the name of the Jesus that Paul preaches. The demon replied that Jesus he knew and Paul he knew but who are you? I don't see it as conferring with flesh and blood but wouldn't the best baseball players submit to their coach for training and game day? Even Paul went and submitted his gospel to Peter, James and John. He wrote that he submitted to them in private because he was fearful that he might be running, or had run, in vain. Arrogance and pride are not compatible with teaching; and submitting to spiritual authority is very different than submitting one to another in brotherly love.

In Him, David

What is this thing called “Life”? Acceptance of Death, by Alan Watts

June 19, 2015 By David Roberts Leave a Comment

"Life is found when the end of effort is found (not by means -of- effort)."

The other day, I watched the following 4 minute video. It struck a chord in me because it reflects my current reality of Life, Death everything in between, before and after. Your comments are welcome but I'm not looking for validation or "high fives", or to rally the troupes in an effort to get everyone (anyone) to agree with me. My reason for the few words I'll share, along with this video, is a deep desire for what is in me, to live longer and louder than my Earth suit.

If you view the below video, I hope you'll read the following few words and allow them to really challenge you: "To behold God, you become like Him. If you believe God to be the place where your heart is satisfied, where you're able to 'fly', where He's all you need; then, you will become those things to your world." It is possible that you are having difficulty understanding how all this could be. If you're struggling with this mindset, it may be that you've fixed your affections on "this world" and your identity is anchored in Earth.

All my love,
David

THE FOLLOWING IS A TRANSCRIPT OF THE ABOVE VIDEO:

Now there really isn’t anything radically wrong with being sick or with dying. Who said you’re supposed to survive? Who gave you the idea that it’s a gas to go on and on and on?

And we can’t say that it’s a good thing for everything to go on living. In very simple demonstration that if we enable everybody to go on living, we overcrowd ourselves and we’re like an unpruned tree.

And, so therefore, one person who dies in a way is honorable because he’s making room for others… Although each one of us, individually, will naturally appreciate it when anybody saves our life, if we apply that case all around we can see that it’s not workable.

We can also look further into and see that if our death could be indefinitely postponed, we would not actually go on postponing it indefinitely because after a certain point we would realize that isn’t the way in which we wanted to survive.

Why else would we have children? Because children arrange for us to survive in another way by, as it were, passing on a torch so that you don’t have to carry it all the time. There comes a point where you can give it up and say now you work.

It’s a far more amusing arrangement for nature to continue the process of life through different individuals then it is always with the same individual, because as each new individual approaches life is renewed. And one remembers how fascinating the most ordinary everyday things are to a child, because they see them all as marvelous – because they see them all in a way that is not related to survival and profit.

When we get to thinking of everything in terms of survival and profit value, as we do, then the shapes of scratches on the floor cease to have magic. And most things, in fact, cease to have magic.

So therefore, in the course of nature, once we have ceased to see magic in the world anymore, were no longer fulfilling nature’s game being aware of itself.

There’s no point in it any longer. And so we die. And, so something else comes to birth, which gets an entirely new view.

It is not, therefore, natural for us to wish to prolong life indefinitely. But we live in a culture where it has been rubbed into us in every conceivable way that to die is a terrible thing. And that is a tremendous disease from which our culture, in particular, suffers.

By Alan Watts

Can the Unseen God be Seen?

February 13, 2015 By David Roberts

I'm controversial. So what? Man didn't change me but His faithful, steadfast Love did.:

What most accept to be the "church community" generally places a lot of emphasis on the seen (gay marriages, etc.), while saying with our mouths, "We trust the Unseen God."

Don't get worked up over societies' woes unless it's your being honest to communicate that by changing society, you believe we will be closer to God. If you believe this, you believe a lie. This line of thinking is not how God thinks; it's not the mind of Christ.

He does not place all the emphasis on the seen. He sets sign posts to reveal Himself in the Earth, not to be worshiped and enforced on others, but to point toward Him, for those who seek Him. For all our talk about trusting an Unseen God, maybe we should start trusting this Unseen God. To trust Him for specific outcomes is trusting the seen, not God. Trusting Him by offering up your promise (Abraham offers up Isaac).

Don't get me wrong. I'm not condoning anything, but what's the greater abomination: A man lays with a man, or His Church laying with His Church (If His Love doesn't meet it's intended target, we are the greater abomination- His Love was never intended be left inside the walls of the church building)? Be emptied of your own ideas about "Tomorrow". He will not build on your ideas. Instead of trying to change the seen, trust the unseen. God is not judging America near as much as "The Church" is being tested in fiery trials. Our motives are on trial. He's searching for His Bride, Himself in the Earth. This test is not open book but I hope you're ready to take it, because it's here.

"...when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” Jn 21:18 esv

To answer the question about seeing the Unseen God; I believe the answer is "yes". If we surrender to His Grace, we become an open portal of God. With our veil removed, the unseen in us will flow like Living Water.

How Does God Choose His Elders that “Mother” His Glory?

February 7, 2015 By David Roberts

God chooses some in the Earth who "Mother" the glory of God. He chooses whom He pleases without consulting human flesh (read Matthew 12:50, Luke 8:21, Mark 3:35). These "Mothers" are vessels of honor, with no cracks (they are sincere). They have illumination that 'doing' the will of God is not in human effort, as does the old wine skin. They do not reject the resurrection because they remain in awe of Him. They depend upon Him for every breath.

There are others, who love systems, their lives and human logic more than Spirit. They have not died, but this does mean they are disqualified. By purging themselves from the mind centered in the cares of the world, they shall be a vessel of honor, sanctified and in agreement for the Master's use. Then, they may be prepared to do every good work (II Tim 2:20,21).

In the world, vessels of dishonor love man's failed systems, typically considered to be "church", defined solely with human intellect, without preparing others to abide in The Kingdom. Held hostage in a school only those like itself can graduate, the cycle repeats. Not all, but many of the "shepherds" of these institutions have already received their reward. They have argued with God about who is in charge of "the body". This morning, my mind began to think of one of the decisions Solomon made. Recorded in I Kings 3, two women had a disagreement about who was the mother of a child. One mother, said not to split the baby and walked away, while the other demanded the baby be split in half and they would each have half. In Solomon's wisdom, he determined the true mother was the one willing to give up the child. She loved her baby so much, she was willing to die for him to live. Her instinctive role was not to demand her rights to be the mother. Her instinctive role revealed in salvation to the child. As painful as it was, she denied her own desire and was willing to lose the role of mother to her child and that is how she gained the right to care for him.

By attempting to abort the Child coming in the Earth, vessels of dishonor reveal themselves as shepherds for hire, who will dance any song you sing, as long as the price is right. Ruling by force and by show is what seems right to the carnal mind but to those who have allowed their minds to be renewed, by the washing of the Word, they see the Kingdom of God in everyone. To those who have ears to hear, the Bride of Christ is not many different parts, but it's One Bride of many members.

Are you His mother? It doesn't matter what position you have or how many boards you sit. It doesn't matter how many certificates wallpaper your wall. And it doesn't matter if you're like the little kid in school that never got chosen. The Gift in you will make it's own way no matter how painful the birthing pains. What matters is, are you willing to lay it all down, right now, just at the idea it may save what God is doing in the Earth? If so, you are His "Mother".

Understanding Eternal Thinking

February 6, 2015 By David Roberts

Often, it seems we don't seemingly find understanding about; life and death, soulish and spiritual, temporary and eternal. They are all difficult to face. The following is a short poem of a conversation between leaves. The story comes from the novel Bambi, wtitten by Felix Salten. I find it very enlightening and hopefully you will as well.

The leaves were falling from the great oak at the meadow's edge. They were falling from all the trees.

One branch of the oak reached high above the others and stretched far out over the meadow. Two leaves clung to it's very tip. "It isn't the way it used to be." said one leaf to the other.

"No,"the other leaf answered. "So many of us have fallen off tonight we're almost the only ones left on the branch."

"You never know who's going to go next, "said the first leaf. "Even when it was warm and the sun shone, a storm or a cloudburst would come sometimes, and many leaves were torn off, though they were still very young. You never know who's going to go next."

"The sun hardly shines now," sighed the second leaf, "and when it does, it gives no warmth. We must have warmth again."

"Can it be true," said the first leaf, "can it really be true, that others come to take our places when we're gone and after them still others, and more and more?"

"It really is true," whispered the second leaf. "We can't even begin to imagine it, it's beyond our powers."

"It makes me very sad," added the first leaf. They were very silent a while. Then the first leaf said quietly to itself, "Why must we fall?"

The second leaf asked, "What happens to us when we have fallen?"

"We sink down......." "What is under us?" The first leaf answered, "I don't know. Some say one thing, some another, but nobody knows."

The second leaf asked, "Do we feel anything, do we know anything about ourselves when we're down there?"

The first leaf answered, "Who knows? Not one of all those down there has ever come back to tell us about it."

They were silent again. Then the first leaf said tenderly to the other, "Don't worry so much about it. You're trembling."

"That's nothing," the second leaf answered, I tremble at the least thing now. I don't feel so sure of my hold as I used to."

"Let's not talk any more about such things," said the first leaf.

The other replied, "No, we'll let it be. But-what else shall we talk about?"

It was silent, but went on after a little while, "Which of us will go first?" "There's still plenty of time to worry about that," the other leaf said reassuringly.

"Lets remember how beautiful it was, how wonderful, when the sun came out and shone so warmly that we thought we'd burst with life. Do you remember? And the morning dew and the mild and splendid nights.........?

"Now the nights are dreadful," the second leaf complained, "and there is no end to them."

"We shouldn't complain," said the first leaf gently. "We've outlived many, many others."

"Have I changed much?" asked the second leaf shyly.

"Not in the least," the first leaf said. "You think so only because I've gotten to be so yellow and ugly. But it's different in your case."

"You're fooling me," the second leaf said.

"No, really," the first leaf answered eagerly, "believe me, you're as lovely as the day you were born. Here and there may be a little yellow spot. But it's hardly noticeable and makes you only more beautiful, believe me."

"Thanks," whispered the second leaf, quite touched. I don't believe you, not altogether, but I thank you because you're so kind. You've always been so kind to me. I'm just beginning to understand how kind you are."

"Hush," said the other leaf, and kept silent itself, for it was too troubled to talk any more.

Then they were both silent. Hours passed. A moist wind blew, cold and hostile, through the treetops. "Ah, now," said the second leaf, "I...."

Then it's voice broke off. It was torn from it's place and spun down. Winter had come.

Passages from Bambi... by Felix Salten written in 1928