Father’s Heart Gadsden AL

Exploring Motivations of the Heart

September 1, 2016 By David Roberts Leave a Comment

Amidst all the struggles ‘life’ seems to present, there is a longing in every person to ‘solve’ present problems/situations. No matter the problem, our pre-programmed software package outputs the answer:

If drowning, if at all possible, we attempt to swim to the top
If we feel unsafe, we lock our doors
If we’re cold, we put on a sweater or turn up the heat
If we need money, we get a job (or rob a bank- hopefully not!)
If we’re caught in the rain, we seek shelter
If we’re lonely, we join a social group
If isolated, we seek intimacy
If we feel undervalued, we seek a pat on the back
If feeling unfulfilled we’ll get another degree and possibly move to a new neighborhood

The above list is simply representative of solving problems, as we move through life; there’s nothing dysfunctional about being human. There seems no end to examples like these, but the truth is, there is an end. ‘This end‘ is what’s on my mind most of the time. I’ve discovered that in order to help people find the beginning they are longing, they must be willing to experience the end. I don’t simply want to tell you about it. I deeply desire you experience it. He can be seen clearly in all creation and human psychology is part of ‘all creation‘.

I sat with a friend recently who is struggling with a lot of things. His marriage, according to him, is over. For several years he’s struggled emotionally. It’s difficult for anyone to really get to know him. I may be the only person he actually opens up with. He can tell me in great detail about dreams, where God visits him, telling him that he’s acceptable. But, when he describes his wife, his fear creates a disconnect, disabling him from seeing/accepting her the same way. I’m heartbroken at how close he is and yet rejoice that my job isn’t to fix him, it’s to love him. I guess I’m just different. I’m drawn to men like this. My wife once said I need more ‘normal‘ friends but I’m just looking for broken vessels, people who worldly logic discards as rejects. Besides, I once heard ‘normal’ was just a setting on a dryer. ‘Normal’ needs to be redefined into a powerful example of what living sons look like (that’s the kind of normal that moves me).

No one can know exactly how another feels or what others are going through. What you’re going through is unique to you, yet all struggle has within it a common thread, connection to taste death. Spirit teaches us by allowing us to ‘taste death’, not so we’re swallowed by it’s darkness. Tasting death is powerful and necessary because you discover you can eat it. You discover you’re not disconnected from God and have power over it, with Him. Death, where is your sting?

A few years ago I was moving into my new shop on our farm. While moving, I loaded my open trailer for the 25 minute journey, only to discover upon arrival my expensive, heavy mill, black plastic sheeting had bounced off during travel. I was sad. It felt odd being sad at this, so I turned my attention toward God. I was actually mourning a roll of plastic. I felt odd, almost ashamed, as I inquired. God spoke to me a great revelation about mourning. Mourning is critical for humanity to emote and it’s critical that we’re absolutely honest (transparent with our inner self). We can’t just pretend we’re okay if we’re not and we can’t just stick our finger in a Bible and quote scriptures. The world is full of people who tell you all about God but aren’t actually taking the medicine. Heck, for that matter, so are the pulpits. I’m looking for someone who’s bold enough to approach Him as they are. When it gets down to it, that’s the way you gotta come, just as you are. No amount of lipstick is gonna change a thing. It’s just you and God’s love for you. Out of this simple, ever-reproducing encounter, we know ourselves as we are known; and that’s why you should continue reading…

Protestants recently celebrated Easter, the time of The Resurrection and Life:

Resurrection? Churches are packed on Resurrection Sunday. We all wanna hear that because of Jesus we’re alive!!! Actually, control is what we (humanity) loves and wants to hear about. That’s why the masses only wanna hear about the goodies but never press in enough to actually experience them personally.
There is an underlying energy motivating flesh, even from birth. Whether to save self or not, all flesh comes pre-programmed, wired into connectivity with the earth. Flesh instinctively swims to the top of the water if drowning… so, we can conclude, flesh is only interested in saving self. What it’s actually interested in is calling the shots. When The Resurrection is presented in proper context, ascension cannot be done without descending. Making it to the top of the water for the drowning person is absolutely important but it’s never the main event.
For humans, our methods are ineffective at touching Eternity. We just never understood it (Eternity) was hidden in our hearts. It’s illogical to die to live, so we pass over this option; it appears unable to provide what we’re longing. The Resurrection must be presented in the proper pattern: Jesus could not rise until He first descended.
Life? Now, that will sell! Or, will it? We have lots of buyers wanting Life! But, once we shine the light on the fact we can’t have resurrection without being dead first, we lose our audience. Peddling death won’t make you popular. In fact, you may even be unrecognizable, marred and without reputation.
Some years ago, I obtained an 800 number and opened a suicide help line. I wasn’t there to talk people out of suicide. I desire people embrace ‘dying right’. If I can teach you how to ‘die right’, you’ll know how to live instinctively. You’ll discover Treasure hidden inside you. In this state you’ll no longer grasp for life, you’ll understand you’re one with The Life.

Are we asking others to walk in revelation they haven’t yet received? Do we get disappointed in the way they handle affairs because they handle issues differently? Now, that’s messed up!

The message of the gospel is not asking for forgiveness of your sins; it’s learning that your Sin WAS ALREADY forgiven (from human perspective). Accepting there is no offense between yourself and God is the only way to accept Truth. The Good News is NEWS! The only responses are: ‘to believe’ or ‘to not believe’. Believing causes those bound in fear to break free; instantly experiencing new life as citizens of heaven, even while on Earth.

I began writing by describing how our human programming is predictable in a hierarchy of needs. I began with foundational needs of life and death situations, and worked down the list. For years, I guess I believed being human was a sin, that being human was an enemy of Spirit; but, somewhere along the way I began to see things differently. It was looking through the eyes of Grace that allowed me to embrace my humanness was not God’s enemy. My humanness is the earthen vessel where the Treasure lives! My humanness is His humanness. And, so is your humanity.

Each of us have a deep desire to be accepted. Said another way, “we need love”. It just so happens that God is Love so that works out pretty well. Love has not, will not, and cannot fail. Love doesn’t mean you’ll get your way or guarantee you won’t be present in a terrorist attack. The Good News is only good news because it’s a done deal, even before you knew He existed. It’s news, not an invitation. You don’t have to ask God to forgive you; BELIEVE that you were forgiven, because you are.

Human motivations to our actions are born out of either; (a)climbing a ladder to become something, or (b)an understanding of what ‘is’ already. This isn’t to say that self-discovery of your identity will not continue as you’re transformed but honest motivation chooses because of who you are, not who you hope to be one day. (Example: A faithful husband doesn’t step out on his wife because he’s afraid of getting caught. He’s faithful because of who he is.)

Spiritual maturity comes through the daily process of accepting there is no separation between yourself and God. Offenses are used to identify areas of needed growth.

Finally, the struggles ‘life’ seems to present are not haphazard. They’re Spirit teaching you. What you’re really experiencing is THE LIFE, Him. We don’t have to move away from trouble every time it appears. Sit, study it, and meditate on what God may be saying through your everyday life.

I hope you’ll engage in conversation by commenting below. Share what Spirit speaks to you.

In Rest,
David

Operating in the Mind of Christ

August 5, 2016 By David Roberts Leave a Comment

Believing the Gospel changes your mind. Preaching the Gospel is primarily to change what you believe in (your mind), not your actions; so if your mind is changed to Christ’s mind, your actions will align to His actions.

Alternatively, if you change your actions, you may still be trusting in the old mind, possibly trying to create a new ‘habit’. Trusting the Grace of God is not a habit; it’s the power of God, which is foolishness to what is perishing.

Focusing on the end result is fine if it’s a goal we’re setting; to lose weight, plant a garden, study to know His Word, or study for a test, but the principles at play aren’t carnal, so our weapons aren’t carnal. This is so difficult for the prophetic to accept, because they ‘see’, but what they don’t see is how we get from ‘here’ to ‘there’.

The difference is as simple as Christ being presented as concealed (old Covenant- law) or Christ revealed (New Covenant- Grace through Faith). The end result happens as our mind is renewed, when we accept His Grace by Faith; Christ is being formed in us.

For the one who follows Jesus, nothing can be more important than believing in Him. Everything else is subordinate to this top priority.

For the one who considers himself a spiritual leader; do not instruct followers to ‘do right’, because the carnal mind will try to appropriate what we say, by using their effort to perform it, nullifying their experience in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. The leader attempting to ride the fence really struggles with this truth. They see the choice of the individual to ‘do right’ as the goal. When the mind surrenders to His rule, all the dominoes fall.

If we must communicate what the end result looks like, and you can’t just leave it as ‘Christ being formed in you’ and ‘Him fulfilling His purpose through you’, then do it with the understanding of ‘how’ ‘right is done’. Attack the source of the issue, which is sin consciousness, not the individual choices. Focus on where they are placing their trust. Better yet, let’s look in the mirror and do it in front of them, because that’s what leading is all about, going first. The mind of Christ or the mind of man? The choice is simply to believe in Jesus and the one who sent Him.

How Important is Your Reputation?

June 11, 2016 By David Roberts Leave a Comment

Everyone has a reputation but concerning yourself with it is not in the job description of the Christian leader.

To be a leader of anything we become what it is we are leading. To be ‘like’ Christ we become intimate with God, which gives us understanding of Father’s Heart. As we desire to walk in His purpose for our lives, we grow in His knowledge, becoming more and more mature, until we behold Him, seeing Him in the mirror.

When I was a child, we sang the song “What a Friend we have in Jesus”. It really is a beautiful song. In that song, Jesus is described as our friend, and that’s true, but it also says we take everything to God in prayer, which is true also. But as we grew to become men, our understanding grows. Now, I take God with me, to everything. When we first surrender to God we took everything to God in prayer, but as we mature, we take God to everything. Truth is, you are His temple, and wherever you go, He goes.

When it comes to spiritual leadership, the way Jesus did it was The Way. The specific works may be different since the ways God deals with His people constantly change, but what He did is the same yesterday, today and forever. We can look at His life to discover the thing that got Him crucified, which is what we were just speaking of. He came not only as a friend of God, but as His Son. That’s a different animal altogether. His ministry didn’t only announce, but He followed through with God coming to the world. Announcing it is one thing but when you’re a vehicle for Him to live, now we can see The Way, The Truth and The Life.

If you’re going through a dry time, it’s not because He’s mad at you. It’s a new day, so there are new dimensions for you to walk. Think of it like raising a child; you don’t do more for them as they get older- you do less. You teach them to build on what you’ve shown them, until they either operate as an adult or live in your basement (should you decide not release them). In the Christian’s development, it’s very similar. As we grow, we learn to walk in Him, with understanding He is in us. These are realities. Once we resort to ‘spinning’ reality to make us look better or worse, we’re no longer being honest. ‘Considering our reputation’ and ‘being honest’ are simply polar opposites.

If we try to protect or defend our reputation we are off-track. You don’t have to defend your honor or make sure everyone understands you. When we feel this need we’ve left the power that demonstrates our gospel is true. We are transformed when our minds are renewed, not the other way around. Being reputation driven causes us to filter our motivations through popular (or unpopular) opinion, in order to wield influence, resulting in something less than authentic. It’s a very worldly and prideful concept to be proud of your name, heritage or anything else. The American sayings we’ve grown fond are often less than wise counsel. No, you should not pull yourself up by your bootstraps. No, one mistake will not change who you are. No, your life doesn’t have to look just like your neighbors’. Yes, you were fearfully and wonderfully made, in His image.

Effective leadership begins with consistency with the message and the one delivering the message. The bullets must fit The Gun. The way God presents Christ to the world is The Gun; it’s members of His Body. Jesus made Himself of no reputation, made the decision to serve us righteousness, came in the likeness of men. He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. To exalt God, exalt Christ and He will exalt you. (Phil 2:7-9). Follow His pattern to bear with others (and yourself) as they discover His saving Grace.

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

[clear-line]

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.

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”.