A man or woman who is fully in love will do anything for the one they love.  They will cross a blistering desert or lose their life.  The question is “Are you in LOVE, I mean absolute, whole-hearted LOVE for your creator?”  You were created to love and worship Him.  Anything else is a wasted life.  Nothing else matters.  Money comes and goes, but God remains faithful.  Fill your life with Him, so on the day of testing, you will be found faithful and full of oil. You do not want to be found with your heart like a lamp that’s gone out and not BURNING with the fire of Holy Love!

Today is the day to ask for a refilling of oil.  Today is the day to start the pursuit of the one you love.  You don’t want to wait until it starts raining and then say, “You know what?  Maybe Noah was right!” and then try to start a relationship with God.  Let God start to prove His faithfulness now, so that in 20 years you can look back and say, “God has been faithful thus far, and I trust He will remain that way.  I trust Him with my life.”  Start filling your life with God.  Spend time with Him and renew that love that you once had.  If you have lost it and if you’ve never had a relationship with Him, then He is willing and waiting.  Call out to Him and find the reason you were created. You will find hope, peace, joy, faith, love, kindness, mercy, faithfulness, truth, and Life in God.  He will fill your lamp if you just ask.  Keep watch on your heart and keep it burning with Holy Love.

“I can’t do this anymore. I don’t know how to change myself. I’ve tried and can’t. I need you to do it. Help me.”  

Have I ever come to the point in my life where I can say, “I indeed . . . but He . . .”?  Until that moment comes, I will never know what the baptism of the Holy Spirit means. I indeed am at the end, and I cannot do anything more— but He begins right there— He does the things that no one else can ever do.  Am I prepared for His coming?  Jesus cannot come and do His work in me as long as there is anything blocking the way, whether it is something good or bad. When He comes to me, am I prepared for Him to drag every wrong thing I have ever done into the light?  That is exactly where He comes. Wherever I know I am unclean is where He will put His feet and stand, and wherever I think I am clean is where He will remove His feet and walk away.

Repentance does not cause a sense of sin— it causes a sense of inexpressible unworthiness. When I repent, I realize that I am absolutely helpless, and I know that through and through, I am not worthy even to carry His sandals.  Have I repented like that, or do I have a lingering thought of possibly trying to defend my actions?  The reason God cannot come into my life is that I am not at the point of complete repentance.

“He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”  John is not speaking here of the baptism of the Holy Spirit as an experience, but as a work performed by Jesus Christ. “He will baptize you . . . .”  The only experience that those who are baptized with the Holy Spirit are ever conscious of is the experience of sensing their absolute unworthiness.

“I indeed” was this in the past, “but He” came and something miraculous happened. Get to the end of yourself where you can do nothing, but where He does everything.

I had a few friends who were saddened by her passing, friends that did know her. I looked her up on facebook because I wanted to learn of her. I don’t know why. I just wanted to see what she liked and who she was. Who was this woman who had the entire community broken hearted? I was only on her page for a few seconds when I realized all I needed to know about who she was. Not only was she a woman who was loved by so many, it was obvious to me that she loved everyone she knew passionately! She lived passionately and loved the same! Most of all, this woman had so much of God in her that I could see it through a computer screen!

Her favorite song, the sentiment she wanted to echo on the side of her facebook page was, “Oh How He Loves Us”. You could almost hear her laughing when you read the info page and saw how she liked to do silly things, had close girlfriends, was a mentor to other young women, and most of all loved the Lord! You could see how humble she was as she described how undeserving she was of all the love that surrounded her.  How do I know that the information was truly how she lived?  I can verify it in her pictures, in her eyes, and in all the things people have said about her. When someone truly lives for God, it isn’t hard to notice. Not even through a computer screen.

These are some of her favorite quotes:

-I always give God the Glory. I never question why things happen the way they do. God is in control of my life. And I know that nothing else, I’m standing on The Rock”
-Colt McCoy-Texas Quarterback

-”I asked Jesus, ‘How much do you love me?’ He answered, ‘This much.’ And He stretched out His arms and died.” -Unknown

-Ain’t no party like the Holy Ghost Party cuz the Holy Ghost Party Don’t Stop!!

-The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
~1 John 2:17

-Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets,
so love the people who treat you right,
forget about the ones who don’t,
and believe that everything happens for a reason.
If you get a chance, take it.
If it changes your life, let it.
Nobody said life would be easy,
They just promised it would be worth it.”

I have no doubt that this young woman has entered the Holy Ghost party and will be there to greet her friends when they arrive! My heart is sad for those who have lost this woman in their lives. That is because when someone loves as passionately as I can see this woman did, you become so intertwined with them, that when they go, a piece of you goes with them.

However, what I would like every young person to realize today is how brightly this young woman let the light of Jesus shine in her life! I think in person it would have been unmistakable. I have been thinking a lot about what we do with the time we have. Pastor Eric mentioned that we should not worry about when we die, but rather to “die finished”.  How can we be finished if we don’t approach everyday willing to accomplish as much as we can?  How many people did Ms. Hadley touch in her lifetime? It seems too many to count. How did she do it? I don’t know how many things Ms. Hadley did in her lifetime. I am sure she was a part of many missions, events,classes, etc. Yet, what seems to be her greatest accomplishment is simply loving the Lord and loving everyone else in the same way. We should all be so fortunate to accomplish that.

No, I didn’t know Ms. Hadley. But, I know God. And in Ms. Hadley, I saw God without question. For that reason alone, I can say I saw in her the most important thing you can see in anyone. I hope we can all approach life with God as our first impression. That’s the only thing I really know about her, and that alone has touched my heart. Even on her last day, she reached hearts by simply being God’s child.

No wonder the children in schools can no longer say the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.  To say “one nation under God” would be hypocritical when President Obama says that all religions should be equal.  So, we’re supposed to take certain parts of the constitution and adhere to them, while the other parts, with any reference to God, the one and only true God,  is now thrown by the wayside, or better known as “unconstitutional”.  Okay, so much for my political soapbox.

Let’s take a look at world news:  “Russia moving ahead with Iran reactor.”  Wars and rumors of wars.  “7.2 quake hits Mariana Islands”.  This is in the Pacific Ocean towards the Philippines.  The Pacific is quaking—will California be next?   ”Earthquakes in various (divers) places.”   “Emergency contraceptive OK’d by the FDA.”  This is a five-day morning after pill (ellaOne) already legal in Europe, and will soon be available in the U.S.  What’s constitutes an ‘emergency’?  Isn’t this a form of abortion?  “Innocent blood will be shed”.   Need I go on?

Matthew 24 refers to these as the “signs of the end of the age” or the “signs of the times”.  These will be just the beginning of birth pains.  Many will turn away from the faith.  God is trying to get our attention.  AWAKEN!!

^{Matthew 5:20} For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

I never understood what this verse meant as a child, or even as a new convert; yet, on it hangs the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It would seem that while the Pharisees can’t see Jesus for who He really is, they do observe the law very closely and even try to go further than the law requires (also observing the traditions and customs of the Jewish culture).  I had always confused this fact with the fact of their righteousness.  As a new convert, it would always seem to me that my own righteousness could never surpass the Jewish religious leader of that day.  Obviously, they will know the law better and do it better than me.  I would always look at the law and say, “There’s no way I can do all this stuff”.

Little did I know, that is the exact conclusion the law should bring you to.  In the law, it is required that you do all the commandments, yet it is impossible to do this flawlessly; therefore, you are condemned by your own sin.  That is what the law is intended for—to show you what’s wrong.  And, then the mere fact that you cannot fulfill the entirety of the law brings you to the fact that you are not righteous and are in need of God’s forgiveness.  Thus, it should always turn you to the fact that you do need God’s forgiveness.  Two thousand years ago, this forgiveness took place in the form of a cross.

Since you were born with the sinful nature of Adam, you will be born totally depraved and God-hating.  You will break every commandment of God; thus, your sins making you condemned. Your righteousness is as filthy rags to this Holy God.  How can you come before Him in your current state?  Who will save you from yourself, from your sin, from the wrath of Almighty God?  Thank God, it is his son, Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man. When Jesus came to the Earth and hung on the cross, He took on your sins. Then the Father unleashed his wrath, the wrath that you and I should have to feel, and hatred of sin onto His son.

^{2nd Corinthians 5:21} For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God

Jesus became the spotless lamb sacrificed, not just for the covering of my sins, but the removal of them.  We are condemned by the law, yet turning to the God-man, Christ Jesus, we receive forgiveness.  Therefore, not by the doing of the law or by our own works and ability, but by faith in the sacrifice of God’s own son alone are we saved.  It is a gift from God, not earned or deserved.  

By faith in this, we are clothed in the righteousness of God himself, returned back to the state of Adam in the Garden.  I have been returned to communion with my Father, the one I love and was made for.  The death of Jesus Christ means I get to live with him in freedom in this world and the next.  My sin caused His death.  Due to this fact, I will turn from my sin and to Him.  He gave his life for me, so I give my life to Him.  The trade of the life of God for my unrighteous sinful life is an unfair trade for Him, but it is the Divine Exchange set up from the foundation of the world.  Man restored back to God.

Give Him your life every day.  He is the only thing worth it, and His love for you was shown on that day.  The love of a Father for His child.

^{GALATIANS 3:10} All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” ¹¹Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” ¹²The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.” ¹³Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” ¹⁴He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

“The Cross did not happen to Jesus: He came on purpose for it.” ~ Oswald Chambers

Jesus did not go to the cross because of His own mistakes or sin; He went there because of ours.  He went closer to its reality every day.  The cross was Jesus’ purpose and assignment.  He knew it every day, yet He continued to walk.  It was His communion with God, not just daily, but with every thought that helped Him to endure the punishment of the wrath of God.

You see—it was God that put Him there.  It was not the Romans, Jews, and definitely not His sin, for He had none.  In our lives, we must bear crosses.  These are things that are brought on, not by our sin, but by God himself in order to grow, mature, and form us into the image of Christ.  In these moments, one thing will decide whether you will bear the cross or if it will crush you under its weight—“Have you been in constant communion with your Father?”  The answer to that question will determine your outcome. 

It is the One who puts you on the cross that will see you through it if you know Him and trust in Him.  Your communion with Him, or the lack thereof, will determine in what manner you carry the cross. Will you carry it with joy, or will you throw the cross down and refuse it?  The truth of the matter is that your cross is actually good for you and possibly could set some people around you free.  It may result in their eyes being opened to the love and strength of your Father.  It may result in you being like Jesus and showing them the way to the Father.

All your freedom, salvation, and hope was released that day on Golgotha when Jesus laid His life down, got on the cross, took on your sins, and God Himself poured His wrath of sin on his Son just for YOU.  Jesus became the spotless lamb that was slain to remove all your sins.  His death on the cross made a way for us to come before God and a way for God to live in us.  Why then are we so unwilling to follow Jesus in a spiritual death to ourselves and do as Jesus said in Mark 8:34?

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Let us follow Jesus. Let us deny ourselves, drink the cup, and bear the cross.  Communion with our Father will give us  the strength to do so.

Our Lord’s childhood was not immaturity waiting to grow into manhood— His childhood is an eternal fact. Am I a holy, innocent child of God as a result of my identification with my Lord and Savior? Do I look at my life as being in my Father’s house? Is the Son of God living in His Father’s house within me?

The only abiding reality is God Himself, and His order comes to me moment by moment. Am I continually in touch with the reality of God, or do I pray only when things have gone wrong— when there is some disturbance in my life? I must learn to identify myself closely with my Lord in ways of holy fellowship and oneness that some of us have not yet even begun to learn. “. . . I must be about My Father’s business”— and I must learn to live every moment of my life in my Father’s house.

Think about your own circumstances. Are you so closely identified with the Lord’s life that you are simply a child of God, continually talking to Him and realizing that everything comes from His hands? Is the eternal Child in you living in His Father’s house? Is the grace of His ministering life being worked out through you in your home, your business, and in your circle of friends? Have you been wondering why you are going through certain circumstances? In fact, it is not that you have to go through them. It is because of your relationship with the Son of God who comes, through the providential will of His Father, into your life. You must allow Him to have His way with you, staying in perfect oneness with Him.

The life of your Lord is to become your vital, simple life, and the way He worked and lived among people while here on earth must be the way He works and lives in you

^{John 15  1-4}   “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

In these verses, Jesus is calling himself the vine and the Father is the gardener.  He says the Father cuts away branches that do not bear fruit, and He prunes or cuts away at the branches that do bear fruit so they can produce more fruit.  I want you to look at your life like it’s a branch.  Does your life bear fruit?  What fruit does the Father expect you to bear?

^{Galations 5:22}  But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things.

I have been asking myself one question over everything I do in the last week, especially in the last couple days. “Does this grow fruit?” Every activity, thought, action, word and every other thing I do has this question lingering over it.  When I start to say something or go do something, I start to ask myself if it brings me closer to God or help someone else grow closer to Him.  I’ve been playing xbox and watching TV lately, when all the sudden I will think, “Does this produce good fruit?”  The answer is always “NO”.  I’m not saying it’s a sin, but I am saying that I could be praying for fruit such as self-control and the nature of God or reading the Word to draw closer to God.  I am saying it’s eternally useless.  I could be out mowing the grass for my grandmother to show her “kindness and love” (fruits of the spirit) instead of wasting my time on something that has no bearing on eternity.

Fruit is not for the branch.  It’s for the person passing by the branch.  People passing by your life should be able to see the fruit you possess, eat of your fruit, and then want to grow that fruit, too.  In order to do that, they must connect themselves to the Vine (Jesus).  In essence, it’s your witness.  It’s one way to lead people to Christ.  If the fruit of your life is rotten or absent, then who would want to connect to your vine?

Get in the place of prayer to find the heart of God.  Be in constant communion with the Holy Spirit.  Ask God to cause fruit to be birthed, and then water it with more prayer, fasting, and reading your Word.  Start to ask yourself in every situation if you are helping produce fruit.

There are times and seasons when your heart feels empty and Jesus feels distant from you. In Mark 2:20, Jesus says this is the time to fast. All throughout the Old Testament, you find people fasting in regards to mourning over a situation; whether it is the fact that their nation is far from God, or when David mourned and fasted over his sick child. When you are in these seasons, it’s a time to mourn, open your heart again, pray and fast.

I am in this season now. I am in a season in my life where I want more of the presence of God in my life. I want to do more than just go to church and live a half-hearted relationship with Jesus. I must know His heart, plans, thoughts, and His love over me. I want to rend my heart, pray, and fast to live in the heart of God. We were made for nothing less than whole-hearted love for our creator.  

I asked my grandma if she thought God talked more in some seasons than in others, and she said that is possible, but most of the time we are just not in a position to listen and hear His voice. I want my heart to be in a position to hear the voice of God, literally! God is alive, and He speaks into vessels that are open and ready to hear. My grandma also told me a story of a time she was in church listening to a sermon, when suddenly she saw a vision. She saw two vessels in the front of the church. God was pouring His spirit into one of the vessels until it was overflowing. The other vessel had a lid on it, and the spirit couldn’t get in. This showed her that some people are open to hear and receive what God has, and other people’s hearts have a lid on them and they are not in a position to receive. Their hearts are hardened or full of every other thing of this world.

I want my heart, eyes, and ears ready and willing to receive whatever it is God has for me. It’s a season to deny myself and get in the secret place of prayer so I can hear the voice of God, which in turn I can be a voice for Him. You have to hear His voice to be a voice. Look over your heart. Are you in a position to hear? Is the bridegroom with you or does He seem distant? If your heart seems to be like the closed vessel in the vision, then it may be time to fast in order to empty your heart of everything else but God. Empty yourself out, find the heart of God, and live in it. It’s what you were made for.