Seed for April 30

"Be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..."

When we were children we had clay. We could mold and shape that clay into any shape we wanted. We even had molds that you put the clay in and press real hard on the handle and bingo, your clay looked like what ever it was forced into. That is being conformed. Being conformed is being pressed into shape by an outside force. i.e. (Forced into shape by your Preacher, religion, parents, peers, world, friends, family, and or temptation) But the Bible says do not be conformed to this world. Do not be shaped by the pressures of the world, as to be shaped by an outside force like the world is.

The other side of the coin is being “transformed”. A caterpillar is transformed into a butterfly. It is not outward pressure that changes the worm into something beautiful, but a transforming power within that causes it to change. One day a worm, the next a beautiful flying butterfly. How? By a transforming power at work within.

Have we taken on the shape of our “religion” by being pressed (conformed) into that shape? Are we just conforming to the traditions of our “denomination”? Or has something really happened within that changed this worm into something beautiful? I was a son of Adam, by natural birth. Just a worm! But when God’s seed was planted into me, I became a Son of God by transforming power. I am being truly changed into His image. I am not conforming to mere rules of my religion. No! I am truly a New Creation! Be blessed.

Seed for April 29

Heb 2:14-1514 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death-- that is, the devil-- 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.(NIV)Here we see verse that Jesus ascended with victory over "captivity". Men, the Bible says, were all their lives held captive (slaves) by the fear of their death. What great fear men have always experience in facing their own mortality? What will happen after I die? Will I really live again? Is there hope beyond the grave? No matter what anyone said, it there really any proof? Has anyone come forth from the grave to live and never died again? All our lives we have been held in fear, actually held captive, by the fear of death. But when Jesus came forth from the grave alive, to never die again, He proved He had power over "captivity" and He lead "fear of death" into captivity. He actually took the fear of death from the minds of believers and set us free from that which has held all men everywhere captive. Oh glorious day, when Jesus by His resurrection proved He had power over death! There is an old saying, "born once, die twice and born twice die once". If you have not been born again of the power of Eternal Life then your death will be only the first of two you will experience. If you have been born again by the power of Eternal Life, then you will come forth from the grave in Victory!

Seed for April 24

Have you ever prayed to be made stronger to conquer some temptation or sin? If so, then we are praying opposite to the will of the Spirit of God. Salvation does not come from making me stronger! Quite the opposite is true. We get victory by being made weak. "My Strength is made perfect in weakness". What is the ultimate weakness? Death is the ultimate weakness, the result of us becoming weaker and weaker until we finally die. If His strength is made perfect in our weakness, and the ultimate weakness is death, then we get a true picture of how God delivers us out of all our troubles. We die. He lives in us and He has no sin problem. Next time you struggle, you need to pray, "Lord, I see myself as dead and you alive in me owning the victory!"Be Blessed from a recovering Pharisee,

Seed for April 23

Isa 5:1-2CHAPTER 5

1 Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.(KJV)

This is our story and His expectation in us: To bring forth sweet juice and not bitter juice. It is easy to see what kind of juice we produce when pressure is applied. We are that grape and when the pressures of life are applied to our lives what comes out? Is it sweetness or bitterness? I learned something along time ago. Pressure comes to our lives to show us what is inside, as it is no surprise to God, seeing He already knows. What is inside will come forth when pressure is put on the grape. You must ask yourself, "Does the sweetness of the Life within come out, or is it the bitterness of me?" "Have I really died, and does He really live in me?"

Seed for April 22

Ps 122:1
1 I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.
(KJV)

David, a man after God’s own heart, desired sweet fellowship with the Lord and longed to be in His presence. The Lord has always desired to be in sweet fellowship with man. The Lord walked with Adam in the garden, and they had sweet fellowship. But sin broke that fellowship. Then, the Lord’s plan was to allow Israel to live on all sides of the Tabernacle (His presence), because of the blood of the sacrificed lamb. 12 tribes of Israel camped 3 on each of the 4 side of the Tabernacle (His presence). This signifying, God’s presence dwells in the middle of His people. Then the plan further evolved to, the Spirit of the Lord making Himself a body and dwelling with mankind, and He was called Emmanuel, God with us. But the ultimate plan was for God to not just to be with us, but dwell in us. After Calvary, sin debt paid, the way was made for God to dwell inside His people, and now we have become the “house” of the Lord. No longer do we have to go somewhere to be in His presence. He does not live in houses made by men’s hands. He does not dwell in church building, but in His people. Thus, where ever 2-3 or gathered in His name, there He is. Not only is He in me, but when I join with more of His body, there He is in the midst. So, let me ask….is it a joy for you to live in the presence of the Lord? Do you long for sweet fellowship with Him in His body? Be blessed.

Seed for April 21

We are joined to Christ that we might bring fruit unto God. It is that union that produces the good fruit. IT is called the "fruit" of the Spirit opposed to the "works" of the flesh. Does a tree struggle to produce fruit? No, it is a natural process of the life within. Should we struggle to bear fruit to God...absolutely not...it is the natural process of the Life of Christ within us. It is Him in me and not me!
Living for God is not a struggle, but a walk. Jesus lives out His life in us, and His life is always well pleasing to God.
Origin determines destiny. What is of the flesh is flesh, and what is of the Spirit is Spirit. We should stop trying to please God from the "ground" of the Old Man, and let the New Spirit inside us live to please God. It is the Walk in the Spirit, not the Work in the Spirit. Be blessed.

Seed for April 19

Gal 5:1
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
(KJV)

This is Paul’s strong admonition to the Church, who after starting out in faith, were now going to be made perfect by keeping “the Law”. Let’s examine this in terms perhaps we can better understand. As great as the “Law of God” was, it could not save man! (No man shall be “declared not guilty” by the keeping of the Law.) The Lord promised a day when it would no longer be an “outside” law that would govern, but the law of God written on our hearts. In other words, the day would come when it would not be a law “without” that governs, but a “law within” our minds that would govern us. The law in my heart sets me free from the bondage of the “law without”. But I can’t have it both ways, Paul said. It is either faith, and the law of God in my heart, or falling from grace with legalism and a law without which attempts to govern. For some reason we have no confidence in the Spirit’s ability to lead us from within our hearts. And that is exactly what God wants, is a people that are free and governed by His Spirit within.

When I add this or that as a “standard” of what holiness looks like, I put God’s people under the bondage of “law without” that cannot save, but it causes them to fall from the liberty and grace of God. They fall into the trap of trying to be made perfect, by keeping man’s religious laws. Now they have fallen from grace, and no longer enjoy the liberty of Spirit-life.

Presenting your body a living sacrifice and keeping your conscience clean of all offense, is enjoying the liberty and freedom of the Spirit. Stand there, Paul said. Be blessed.

Seed for April 18

There was a woman that came to Jesus who was bowed over for 18 years. She sought remedy from many physicians but was unable to be healed. That woman is an example of the Church, who is bowed over from the heavy burden of law and legalism place upon her by "religion." She sought out many physicians (Pharisees/teachers) who were not able to lift her up, the more she went to church the more she was put under bondage, but then she heard about Jesus. Every one of us has tried to live up to the "standards" place upon us by the religious. Well-meaning standards, rules, holiness, but all miss placed. Being taught to keep our eyes on ourselves and our actions, and being given the 10 commandments to obey, we have constantly found ourselves under the heavy burden of religion, bowed over. But if we, like that woman, come to Jesus we find Him the great healer, the burden barer, the lifter up of our head. We will not find remedy in religion, or well meaning religious teachers, but only in Jesus. When we find ourselves in Him and put our eyes upon Him, we find out we are complete in Him, and He becomes our health and healing. Be blessed.

Seed for April 17

How do we know He is real? Since this is a life of faith, He will not just come out and just show Himself. But what He will do is, day by day manifest His realness in our lives. He challenges us to prove Him. He said keep on asking and we would keep on receiving, keep on knocking and it would be continually opened to us, keep on seeking and we would keep on finding. (This is not a one time action!) So, then by faith we allow Him to show (reveal) Himself to us, little by little each day. Day by day, step by step we see Him working in our lives. We see how He has moved us in our lives to bring us to Him. We see Him protecting us and providing for us and guiding us. Then we are able to say, "My faith has entered behind the veil (out of sight) and grabbed a hold of the promises of my God!" "I make His promises, my promises!" Be blessed.

Seed for April 16

Oh taste and see that the Lord is good! He is sweeter than the honey and sweeter yet than the honeycomb. Love the Lord with all your heart and trust in Him. He is able and well able to perform all that He has promised. The World only has death to look forward to. The automatic consequence to Adam's sin. But we have Life to look forward to, the consequence of Jesus’ righteousness. The Bible says to choose life, for why will you die oh house of Israel. There is not doubt the Word of God being true. He promised, because of Adam's sin all would die. Not one has escaped. But God also promised because of the Life of Jesus all can live. The way of the Lord is right and fair. Choose life and live. Jesus is that Tree of Life in the midst of the Garden of Eden. Eat Him and live. Be blessed

Seed for April 15

All the religion, sacrifice, rituals will not make me one bit better than the Lord Jesus has made me. I am a new creation by His own power, by His own will. The good work He has begun in me, He is well able to complete! My boasting is in Him, in what is has done and what He continues to do in my life. I use to be religious (of the strictest sect) but found religion to be a hard taskmaster. Religion was trying to make me into a better person, from the outside, when all along only the power of God can change a man from the inside out. Religion looks on the outside things trying to change us, but God sees the heart. Once you change the heart, the whole man is changed. Thank God for His power living in me, that changed the whole man from the inside out. Let Jesus live in you and present your body a living sacrifice to do His will in this "little piece of clay" as it is done in heaven.

Seed for April 14

The Lord as always put a distinction between His people and all the others. The World is trying to get the Church to be like the world, and God is trying to get the Church to manifest Him! There is a verse in the Bible that says when the Sons of God married the daughters of men and then giants were born. That speaks volumes in the spirit to us. Sons of God, are His and there was an "unholy" marriage/alliance of the daughters of men with the Sons of God, and it created giants and the tower of Babel. We are commanded to be distinct and separated from the World, and not to be unequally yoked. God wants us to have a distinct flavor and shine as lights. The World wants us to be just like them. In their same shade of darkness so their evil deeds would not be made evident. So now it has become harder and harder to distinguish God's Church from the World's church. Remember if the salt has lost it flavor then it is good for nothing. We are the salt of the earth, the thing (preservative) that keeps the world from rotting. Be separate and distinct, and shine as a light in a dark world. If the lost are ever to see Jesus, then they must see Him in us.

Seed for April 13

John 3:14-15
14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
(NIV)

So the comparison is just as Moses lifted up the brass serpent in the wilderness…what did people have to do to be delivered / saved? They only had to look to the brass serpent. Nothing more and nothing less and that is the comparison Jesus made.

Then Jesus went on to describe how we would know His followers: By their fruit. Not by their teachings, not by their church brand, not by their formulas, not by their “tongues”, but by their fruit. You shall know a tree by his fruit. There is no denying our source. Do we produce fruit from the Spirit of God? Is it His life source springing up in us that is made manifest? Have we really looked to Him as Saviour, and Lord? Have we only mouthed the words “my Lord” or do we bow as Thomas and declare “My Lord and My God!”?

Seed for April 11

"As many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God." The Word is quite specific as to who is and who is not a Son of God. It seems it is not enough just to be born again, but Spirit leadership is the determining factor. That goes along with "not my will" and "presenting your bodies a living sacrifice." It is important for us to put all the teachings of Christ together to get a clear picture of what He is saying to us. When we are born again, that Seed of God in planted in us, but the plan is for it to grow and produce fruit which has new Seed in it. His Seed being planted in us, is but the first step. As we grow in grace and knowledge of Him, we are transformed by changing and renewing our minds. The things of God become more important to us than the things in this world. Loving not the world, or the things in the world, we confess ourselves to be strangers in this present land, and look to the New Earth where righteousness reigns. We are the New Creation, the New Race which will inherit the New Earth…isn’t that amazing?

Seed for April 10

We all constantly get email saying "send to 10 people and get luck, fail to do so and get bad luck" etc. Lying spirits! The Bible says nothing about luck or good fortune, but it says that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. I have found long ago, that it is the Lord and our faith and trust in Him that determines our lives. Not the "stars," our astrology, nor birth sign, our luck horseshoe, or rabbits foot. It is not the "saints" we pray to or look for any kind of good fortune from. Israel was warned to not look to the stars, or idols, or false gods, but only to the Lord God of Israel. Fortunate for us we know His name, "Jesus". The unknown God has been made manifest! Others pray and look to things they do not know or understand for guidance in life, and good fortune. But I know in whom I have believed and am convinced that He is able and well able to carry me thru in victory for His name and Word sake. Be blessed.

Seed for April 9

I am a free man! Free to serve the Lord in Spirit and Truth. Free to have Him lead and guide my life. Freed from the dictates of religious people who believe "will" worship will justify a man, and make God happy. Free from the power of sin. Free from confusion and worry. Set free from doubt and fear. He has taken me as His son and promised to lead me, guide me, protect me, inspire me, heal me, cleanse me, strengthen me, empower me, and has translated me into the Kingdom of God. With the Creator of Heaven and Earth watching over me with the love of a mother hen...what do I have to fear or dread. No weapon formed against me shall prosper and all I put my hands to do He will bless. He is the lifter up of my head, the restorer of my soul, my guiding light, my solid rock, my healer and my God. Rejoice in the Lord and in the power of His might. Be blessed.
See below short video about being set free
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s-sXZLmB24&feature=related

Seed for April 8

There are 4 books that have meant the most to me in my Christian walk:
1. The Late and Great Planet Earth by Hal Lindsey (taught me the Word of God was true. Who else can predict the future accurately?)2. The Bible (set me free from sin)3. The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee (set me free from religion.)4. Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey (set me free from debt.)
You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free. There is one beautiful thing about truth...it is liberating. If what you know doesn't set you free, then it is not Truth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s-sXZLmB24&feature=related

Seed for April 7

Give us this day our daily bread...There is a danger in not relying upon the Lord daily for our supply. The Psalmist put it like this, "feed me with convenient food. Don't give me too little that I steal and dishonor your Name, nor too much that I get fat and forget You." That should be our prayer, Lord give me just enough today to meet my needs. The Bible warns us about laboring to be rich, for there are many hurtful lusts that come upon the rich. We should desire to have enough and enough to share. The Lord is our daily source, He is the Tree of Life. We are to live of Him, and do his will daily in this world. Many people striving to do great things in the Lord, when more can be done when many do His will daily, compared to just one great person. The Lord said to bring the high places down (those things that are lifted up) and the low places up (the lowly in heart and spirit) and make straight (even) the path for our God. There are many high places in the Church, where we elevate men, Popes, preachers, priest, and put down many common ordinary people as insignificant or so called “laity”. Is there a caste system in the Church of “Clergy” and “Laity”? God forbid! But God's way is strikingly different from ours. There is no big "I" and little "you" in the Kingdom of God. Before the coming of the Lord we have to bring the “high places” down and the low places up, and stop the doctrine of the Nicolaitans (Rev 2:15) in the Church. Be blessed.

Seed for April 6

Walking in the Spirit takes practice. Our tendency is to let the old man live. But according to the Word of God, we must declare (reckon) ourselves dead, and Him alive in us. When our faith matches His Word, then it becomes real in us. Like a small child learning to walk, the first experiences are not without setbacks. Fall we will and fall we do, when first learning to walk. But once we have mastered walking, how long has it been since you fell? So is walking in the Spirit. We learn to deny the flesh and say "yes" to the still small voice within. We learn to let Him shine thru us, thus we show the World a living God. Does He really live? Is He really alive in you? Then let the Light shine. Become a transparent vessel and reflect the glory of God. Allow the world see Him thru you. Be blessed.

Seed for April 5

"Your Kingdom come, your will be done." This is what we were taught to pray. We are to pray Kingdom prayers and to become aware of Kingdom things. We have only one life here to live and influence this world for the Kingdom of God. We need to examine ourselves and our motives. Are we moving things along in our lives toward the Kingdom of God? Is our influence in life toward the "positive" and toward the things of God? Let your conversation always be seasoned with "salt" that it might minister grace to the hearers. We need to speak grace (God's good favor) into this dark world. We need to be on the side of grace speakers and not "negative" propagators. We are children of Light and Life. So let our lights shine to manifest the glory of God. You don't have to go far in the world to find and hear "negative." But where in the world will we find Him? In the face of His people. Be blessed.

Seed for April 4

"Am I my brother's keeper?" Cain replied to God's question of where was his brother. The obvious answer to that is "YES!" We are responsible to other beyond ourselves. For no man lives or dies to himself, but whether we live or die we are the Lord's. With that in mind it brings me to the responsibility every Christian has to live for the conscience of his brother. Paul said that he would do nothing to cause offense or to cause his brother to stumble. What does all that mean? In simple terms, we are responsible how we live and what we manifest to others. We represent Jesus. We are His ambassadors. We tell the World, by my life, you can see Jesus. For that reason we should never do anything to make someone weak or cause them to stumble, for what we do in our lives. I never want it said, "I can't live for God or believe in God, because Billy said one thing and lived another." I want people to see my life, my speech, my actions in business, my relations with people and my attitude, and say God is real, because Billy lives what he believes. How could you trust God if I said one thing and lived another? You would deny God because of my hypocrisy. The Grace of God teaches us (not commands or demands) but teaches us to live godly, soberly in this present world and to give none offense in our liberty. Be blessed.

Seed for April 3

We are to praise Him for His excellent works. All we need to is to look around us and marvel at how great our God is. Everything in creation speaks to His glory! We see the way that the Universe perfectly fits together, and how God's language is DNA, we can't help but to worship Him. He always speaks peace to His people. There is fear in the world, but He overcame the world. There is dread in death, but He came forth from the grave in victory. There is uncertainty in life, but He is the Way! There is gross darkness over the minds of men, but He is our light. Rejoice in the Lord and again I say rejoice. O Magnify the Lord for His excellent greatness!

Seed for April 2

You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free. That is our promise and Jesus is that Truth. By knowing Him we are set free. I have had many give me this or that doctrine and I always measure "doctrine/teaching" by whether or not it liberates me. Some doctrine only binds you up and put a heavy burden upon you, and that is not Truth! When you find Truth, it will not be this or that teacher, or this or that denomination, but it will be Jesus. He said I am the Truth the Way and the Life. Be careful to always measure what you are taught, by deciding is it liberating or binding. Jesus came to set the captive free. All my BC (before Jesus) days I was bound by sin. But Jesus came and set me free. Then "religion" moved in and tried to bind me up again, but Jesus shown His light upon men's doctrines and set me free again. I was freed from sin in 1973, and freed from religion in 1979! Glory to King Jesus for the truth that sets men free! Be blessed

Seed for April 1

To be spiritually minded is life and peace. We as Christians are to experience the peace of God that passes all understanding. In other words, the world would wonder, "How do you experience peace in this or that circumstance???" "No one in their right mind would have peace in what you are going thru!" We have that peace of God because we are spiritually minded. We compare spiritual things to spiritual things. What is it that bothers you and steals your peace? Have you not been treated fairly? Do you not have what you want? Has some injustice befallen you? Were you let down by someone? On and on go the questions, but the real question is this. "What are you bothered about, what has stolen your peace?" Haven’t you lost your peace because you are not viewing life's situations in faith and in the Spirit. What is God working out in you? Remember, what happens to us, comes as no surprise to God. We are going thru what God saw coming long ago. He wants us to walk in faith, trusting and believing that He will work things out for our good! He knows best, so walk in the spirit and experience peace. Walk in the flesh (your own understanding) and lose that peace! Be blessed.