Freed from Complaining!!

I recently read a encouraging word that talked about Psalm 100:4, which says we "Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name." In this word the person shared that to enter into God's prescence we give thanks. It ushers us into His presence when we give thanksgiving. Did you know the United States is the only country that has a holiday of thanksgiving, do you think this could have something to do with the Bible. We as a family took a drive and listened to the Thanksgiving story of the Pilgrams and their faith. What an inspiring story of faith, endurance, and hope. I know see why my flesh always wants to complain and grumble. As soon as I begin to speak these kind of words out, faith is erroded and can end up in discouragement. I have learned the pattern of complaining and God has had to renew my mind and transform to be a person who is thankful. It makes sense that thanksgiving ushers into His presence, then complaining and being ungrateful must usher me into the presence of darkness which is the Enemy's territory. What do we as people who have a new life in Christ have to be thankful for? We have been saved from death, had all our sins forgiven past and present, have been indwelled with the Holy Spirit, have had our old life cruified and done away with, we have been given a new identity, we have been given every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm, we have been seated "in Christ" in heavenly places, we have been given a position of restored authority over the Enemy, we have been given an inheritance in Christ, we have been made sons and daughters, we have been brought near to God through the blood of Christ, we have been declared righteous, we are led by His Spirit, and etc... ( I can give you Scripture references for all of these). We can be the most thankful people on this earth because we have so much to be thankful for. Why I am I pulled towards complaining, discontentment, self-pity, and ungratefulness? I believe our flesh likes this because it meets our needs and gets our focus on ourselves rather than Jesus. I remember when we travelled to Kazakhstan to adopt my son for 2 months, I was amazed at how hospitable and thankful the people were. The American families that were with us by contrast, never seemed to be grateful because they were always missing something. It strikes me that if we look to our circumstances to be thankful, then we are only thankful in good times. Yet the Word of God in Ephesians 5:20 says to be thankful in all things and for all things. Somehow my flesh loves the pseudo love and attention that it gets by the woe-is-me attitude. I declare that thanksgiving will come through my spirit by the Holy Spirit and that my soul and body need to line up with Christ in me!!! Lord I also repent for my ungratefulness, complaining, grumbling, and woe-is-me view of the world. Thank you Lord for being my life, my source, my joy, my salavation, and the lover of my soul. He is truly good all the time (especially when He doesn't seem good). I believe if we will yield to the Holy Spirit and let the song of thanksgiving come forth in our life that we will walk more and more in New Life. There are new ways in this New Life and I am learning them.

Thank you Jesus,
Bret Rutland

A Funny Story!!!

I had asked the Lord to reveal to me more about sin and defilement. Since I grew up in a non-believing home, where pluralism and tolerance were the main ideologies understanding sin can be confusing. Asking the Lord to reveal this was so I could not participate in sin such as worry, unforgiveness, unbelief, or any such sin. Recently the Lord has been showing me more about forgiveness and how to walk in forgiveness. So as I set out to take our dog Shilo for a walk I bundled up because it was right at freezing and just spitting snow. We walked for a ways with my nose running a little because of the cold, Shilo was content on the leash until we got to an open space. She loves to be off leash if there is no one else around, so unlactched her and she took off with a smile on her face (it does look like a smile). She decided she needed to do some business and went pee then she decided to go poop. Since we were at the end of the open space I used a plastic bag to scoop the poop and put Shilo back on leash. We continue on our walk for a ways on the sidewalk, then out of the blue I hit a patch of ice. I was quickly on my rear end and the poop bag I was holding exploded at the fall smearing on the ice but also my glove and coat. To make matters even better someone stopped to ask if I was okay. I laughed and decided to finish my walk coming back to clean up the poop on the sidewalk. As I walked on I sense the Lord speak to me about what just happened. He reminded me of my prayer and said that the poop is like the sin that is visited on us when someone hurts us. We quickly pick up the poop to contain it through a judgement, judging the person seems to make the hurt a little less painful. Then like I was we carry the poop (judgement from the sin) in a bag, believing we are just fine. It is only when we hit a patch of ice (something or someone triggers the unforgiveness), that the sin/judgement spills out and brings defilement (the poop on my coat and glove). Dog poop stinks by the way, this defilement wasn't me (I showered in the morning) but now I was affected by it. In the same way when our unforgiveness comes out towards another person it stinks (from defilement) but this is an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to free us from the judgment and the defilement. Often the judgement/defilement affects the people we love the most (our family, close friends, or extended family). To be free of both forgive and release the original judgment you held against a person when they hurt you and then ask the Lord to see them through His eyes. If possible go to the person and tell them you forgive them (be specific). According to the Word of God you then release them from prison and yourself. The Enemy will often use unforgiveness as a way to torment believers, don't give him this ground.

In His Grace,
Bret Rutland

A New Heart!

As I again heard the depth of discouragement flow from a friend's mouth, it would be easy to join in the darkness. If I saw only from this friend's perspective, it would be easy to join the pity party. Yet the Word of God does not just bring a change but total change in the reality of our living. Ephesians 4:22-25 tells us to put off the old man (which is everything we are connected with sin), not the behavior but the image (which is a deception) of us in sin. As I shared this with my friend, he looked at me like I came from a strange planet. His whole reality had included discouragement, dispair, loneliness, and darkness for many years. When people met Jesus there wasn't a small change in their life but a whole new reality created by a whole new relationship with God. As I shared the reality of the command in Ephesians 4:22-25, commands in the New Covenant are not given for us to accomplish in our own power but by the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit. As the Holy Spirit reveals the Word of God, something deep in us stirs with a new realm of possiblity for living. It was clear that he wanted to believe he could be free but there was fear of disappointment. This is why I am so grateful that faith comes from hearing and hearing by the Word of God. The Word of God is a solid foundation because this is God speaking to His people through divinely inspired writing. As he finally decided to agree with the Word of God my friend took off what he had been wearing for years, he was not the darkness but the darkness was on him. It was more secure to continue to live in this darkness than move into a new realm of living where he didn't know who he was or what his purpose was. As he painfully took off what had met his needs for years, the Lord gave him a picture of a shower which was the Lord cleansing him from all the defilement of years of living in darkness. We continued in our prayer to ask the Lord what my friend could put on in the place of the image of the old man. All of the sudden he said his heart dropped out of his chest, he was shocked. But then the Lord did the most amazing thing, the Lord gave him a new heart (Jesus heart). There was surprise across his face and unbelief. We so think we have to earn, deserve, and sweat for what we get in life. Grace is offensive, beautiful, and a gift. For those skeptical or doubting, the Holy Spirit was simply making real the promise of the New Covenant from Ezekial 36:25-27.


"Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances."

It is still truly amazing that the New Covenant is unilateral (God giving to us) but entering into the world of grace is not an easy journey. We are so used to believing "there are no free lunches" that we are skeptical of God's amazing offer of grace. My continual prayer is that God would teach me how to receive from Him. Moving from an approach of life of "getting" to receiving and then giving is a work only the Holy Spirit can do in and through us.

In His Amazing Grace,
Bret

Friend or Servant

As I look back on my old posts I am shocked that time has gone by so quickly since I have written. We have been in the midst of a move and I was on vacation. I was recently reflecting on the passage where Jesus said I no longer call you servant for a servant doesn't know what his master is doing but I call you friend (John 15:15). The Lord spoke to my heart and showed me that when I approach Him as a servant that I will not know what He is up to. A servant or a slave is only expecting to be given direction for the task at hand, not to understand and know the heart of the Father. The word "friend" used in this context is a covenant word and marks a fundamental change in our relationship to God through the New Covenant in Jesus Christ. Under the Old Covenant, a system of Laws given by God, your main focus is obedience to a written law. The New Covenant in Christ ushers in a whole new relationship to God but so many times were attempt to relate to God through rules, traditions, and institutional expectations rather than through the Holy Spirit who is within us (if you have been born again). I realize my mind has been programmed with ways of seeing God through this former relationship dictated by rules or internal rules that don't produce real relationship. To actually experience a friendship with Jesus is unique and fresh. I have had many experiences with the Lord but also have had counterfeits, it may have just been my own mind convincing me that the Christian platitude is really God's voice. I have more and more hunger for Him, not for platitudes, traditions, or Law. Clearly God's word to us personally does not violate His written Word and many times He speaks to us through the written Word. Will you join me on this adventure of entering into friendship (covenant) with Jesus where we will not only learn new language, a new way of seeing things, but a new way of living that produces joy and freedom. As I look at New Testament scripture I see a God who has done everything to come to us where we were and is longing for us to really know Him (not just knowing about Him). I long to know His heart and have caught many glimpses but I journey to consistently commune with Him on a daily basis, living in the reality of His love and grace. I invite you to join me on this journey, I say journey because it is an adventure instead of a perfectly scripted path. Father is always drawing His people, are we willing to hear and respond the gently touch of His Spirit.

In His Love,
Bret Rutland

Husbands and the Word !

As we have been going through a difficult situation in our lives the Lord has been revealing some things "in the midst" of this situation. The Lord was reminding me of the center stage which His Word took in Creation, everything obeyed God's Word. Human beings were the ones given free will to choose to agree with God's Word or agree with another voice. In our culture we have so many voices: politics, Oprah, friends, church, our family, the news media, our own mind and bodies, our work, and many others. My point in all this is that we are going to believe some voice and it is out of this agreement that our life is guided then these seeds of belief come to fruition. We were designed to hear an outside voice to guide our life, give us truth, and communicate our value and purpose. God set this in place when in Genesis 1:28 He blessed Adam and Eve giving them their purpose, direction, and mission. The Lord began to speak to me about the importance of listening to His Word (both His spoken Word by the Spirit and written Word) as a husband. God's spoken Word (Rhema in the Greek) will never violate His written Word (Logos in the Greek) or it is not His Word. Adam did not stand in the truth of the Word of God but listened to another voice (Satan through Eve), I am also tempted to question or doubt the Word of God instead of stand. This was the first event of defilement where Eve was defiled/used by Satan to hurt another human being (Adam). Specifically in Genesis 3:17, Adam is told that there will come a curse as a result of listening to the voice of his wife over the Word of God. It is very important for me to listen to my wife in showing Christ's love (Ephesians 5:25-26) but is her voice to dictate my view of all of life? The Lord has been revealing the foundational role of His Word (John 1:14 - Jesus is the Word became flesh) for me as a husband. How do I discern what is happening in our marriage, our family, our ministry, our church, and the world? Looking through the lens of God's revealed Word, life begins to come into focus and then I can be led by His Spirit as to the direction to walk. We all have our opinions about the world, government, family, etc.. The revealed (John 16:13) Word of God is a solid foundation for life, Jesus being the Word became flesh talked about a house built on sand versus on Rock (Christ). As I have been asking the Lord for revelation into family, He has led me to put my focus on His Word instead of people's schooled wisdom. Too often the Christian life is viewed as a list of do's and don'ts rather than agreeing with God's view in all areas of life. God's revealed Word often clashes with culture, trends, religious ideas, and our own ideas about how life ought to work. But when the storms of life blow, the Word of God is a solid foundation (in the love of Christ) for whatever comes.

In His Grace,
Bret

Decisions for a Lifetime

The Holy Spirit spoke through me to a client, He said "The most important decisions of your life are made in the depths of darkness and on the highest of highs." As I was recently walking through a "Great Sadness" I realized that the decisions I make when my heart is hurting have a big impact on how I will live the rest of my life. If in the midst of hurt I decide to close my heart to protect myself from being hurt again, my ability to love and be loved will be impacted. In counseling I often see people in the darkest places in their life but in the midst of the darkness the Light shines brightest. God is light. It is at these difficult times which come in everyone's life where we can turn our face towards God, towards something to distract, or come up with our own internal solution. I love that God's promises are not only solid and true but He invites us to experience these for ourselves. Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted and so many others. In the highest of highs when you feel on top of life, you also make important decisions. You may praise the Lord or you may praise yourself. These decisions have a big impact on your direction in life. In these moments who do we look to? I said who because there is a part of us (our spirit) that is designed for relationship with God. To look towards God is built into us, in pre-believers they don't know what to do with this deep desire. They often turn to lower ways to try to satisfy this desire. One of the definitions for sin is to "miss the mark". When you are feeling deeply lonely and you turn towards alcohol you have definitely "missed the mark". Alcohol then becomes an addiction, an addiction is simply something that becomes a god that is not God. In other words we are to be addicted to knowing and experiencing God, this brings continual experiencing of life (He who has the Son has life - 1 John 5:12) in our spirit. Some would say since you have God living in you through the Holy Spirit you don't need to keep receiving but this makes no Biblical sense. We have a choice to continue to receive from God or from other sources. A big part of receiving from the Lord is receiving His revealed Word, Jesus is the Word became flesh. In Isaiah 61:1-4 it talks about the Anointed One and what the anointing will do for people. Anointing is the empowerment or grace to do something you can not do without God. Many believe it is relegated to charasmatics or pentecostals but the Word is for all believers. Jesus is often went into the synagogues and shared this scripture and then demonstrated setting captives free, healing the brokenhearted, etc...(Luke 4:15-36). Jesus is the Anointed One, which is what Christ means (Cristos in the Greek) and it also means the anointing which was on Jesus to do what He did. Then throughout Paul's writings we are said to be "in Christ" which is covenant language meaning everything He has is given to us. Anointing also means the manifest presence of God (Holy Spirit). Why do I talk about this? I believe according to the Word of God that the anointing of the Spirit is what brings us freedom, revelation of who God is, strengthening, and healing to our hearts. It is not something you earn or only for special people. In 1 John 2:20 & 27 tells us that believers have received the anointing of the Spirit when you received Christ. I will lay more of a foundation around the anointing, please don't judge until you have more understanding.

In His Amazing Grace,
Bret

Turning Hearts of Fathers

As I read in Malachi 4:5-6 it talks about Elijah the prophet being sent to turn the hearts of the fathers towards their children and the hearts of children towards their fathers. Then in Luke 1:17 it talks about John the Baptist will be man that will come in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and also turn many in the nation of Israel back to God. I am asking the Lord many questions to understand these passages and the context of what God was doing in this time period and also today. One thing the Lord did point out was that the hearts of the fathers were not turned toward their children. I have noticed in many mature and godly men this heart that has an amazing depth of the Father's love for their children. If I am honest with myself and you, I adore and love my children but the depth of love I see in their eyes is different. Their hearts have truly been turned toward their children, they are genuinely remorseful for the ways they have hurt their children and have steadfast belief in them no matter how tough life gets. It is humbling to share my heart with you in this way but I am maturing in the Father's love for me and that love being poured out to my own family and beyond. I am believing there is a mystery that the Holy Spirit is revealing about family because I know that father's are critical in the restoration and freedom of families. As I have said in the past I am not looking for what I think is a healty picture of family, I am seeking see the schemes of the Enemy that have bound families and what God has done through Christ to set them free. I see that it is a move of God to turn the hearts of fathers to their children. I believe because of the curse that came upon the ground in Genesis 3 that men often seek to cultivate success in their lives with or without God's help but still function under the curse. Christ has freed us from the curse of the Law but we must appropriate this by faith. I see many men in my office who have attempted to be successful in life and thus have turned their heart away from God and thier children. Family just kind of becomes part of life, rather than the primary place where God's love and Kingdom are manifest in their lives. I do not judge men because I found myself in this same place and I am seeking the Lord to transform my way of seeing life to match the truth He reveals through His Word. There is something so deeply moving to see a father investing his very life into his kids, not just appeasing them until he can get to work or his other activities. I believe too many father's don't realize the depth of wisdom and revelation that God has given them, so they tend to devalue themselves and their impact on their children. Many who have talked about revival have talked about raising up spiritual fathers and mothers to invest in spiritual sons and daughters. I do believe the Body of Christ is a family but we often are a picture of the dysfunctional family. I believe it is only through the finished work of Jesus Christ and the revelation of His Word through the Holy Spirit that we will truly become the pure and spotless bride that Jesus will be returning for. Our efforts to clean ourselves up (perform and look together) are a thin veil over our brokenness and need for the transforming love of our Savior. I am so grateful that I have only begun to see the breadth, heighth, length, and depth of the love of God in Christ (Ephesians 3:17-18). Since God is the creator of all family in Heaven and on earth I believe He knows how to restore our broken lives, families, and even institutions. As the elections come closer I put my faith in the King that He will manifest the Kingdom of God which is above every government on the earth.

In His Grace,
Bret

A Man's Divided Heart

As I just finished a marathon conference this weekend on Healing, Deliverance, and Disbelief. One of the speakers said you should get a T-Shirt that says, "I survived Randy's Conference." It was indeed a marathon with many of the days lasting 14+ hours a day. I got a ton out of the conference but also found myself with a heavy heart, as I had once again sacraficed my family on this altar. No guilt or condemnation but I am realizing that Julie and I have a call on our lives together in ministry, this has not been fully realized. Going to the conference had been in some ways a step towards us being in seperate directions, her the kids and me in ministry. To be quite honest we are not sure what this call is but know that it is something deep in our spirits that we are asking God to reveal, confirm, and empower us to walk. We have found that we struggle with "balance" and looking at this call from "practical eyes" instead of trusting the Lord to also take care of the details. This led me to explore the struggle that tears at many families, which is the curse that came on the ground in Genesis 3:17-19. As a result of the Fall and sin's entry into humanity which not only brought death and a curse, we see that Adam's attempts to work the ground to produce for his family is under a curse. Clearly the Word does not say that Adam is cursed but that the ground is under a curse. I recall what the Spirit had shown me, believing The LIE (self-sufficiency) leads men to try to attempt to get their life, identity, and value from their success at their chosen profession. Remember though that curse doesn't necessarily mean immediate death but instead moving in that direction. What does all this mean for families? I believe it means that when men turn to work as a source of identity, value, and worth then they are following The LIE and thus it is cursed. This just means that men are led to spend increasing effort, hours, energy, and other resource towards working which then takes away from family. The only true balance comes from Christ's headship in our lives through the revelation and leadership of the Holy Spirit. Under the headship of Christ in 3 John 1:2 we see a different way. John under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit tells us: "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may keep well, even [as I know] your soul keeps well and prospers." I heard this weekend that us prospering is tied to our soul prospering (according to Bill Johnson). And since Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13-14), so that "in Christ" we might receive the blessing promised through Abraham then we are freed to prosper in all ways (see Deutoronomy 28). Often curse simply means getting what everyone else in the world system gets, rather than supernaturally prospering. Prosperity has gotten a "bad rap" but this is not a prosperity gospel but instead life abundantly in all areas as Jesus talked about in John 10:10. After all this wonderful news it takes the revelation of the Holy Spirit to make this personal. I am still seeking the Lord to show me where I maybe believing lies and thus not walking in the Spirit. As one of God sons I don't want to be torn between the Kingdom of God and family; I believe the Kingdom of God is to be in evident in my family, my ministry, my friendships, and all of life. I also once heard it said that there are areas of work that we have grace for or are anointed by God. In these areas the passion of God through the Spirit empowers us.

In His Grace,
Bret Rutland

Ownership a blessing or curse?

The Lord often speaks to me in subtle ways, through thoughts, impressions, and directions. It is easy for me to ignore these because He is the "still small voice" and yet listening to His voice is so vital for relationship. It is amazing to me that so many Born Again Christians do not believe God speaks to His children today but as you look at John 10 you clearly see His sheep hear His voice. That is off the subject but an important "bunny trail". The "still small voice" was pointing me towards this idea of ownership that we take as a given in nation where Capitalism dominates. Capitalism has given us the freedom to own many things, to buy and sell material goods, and to own property. I am not here to question Capitalism, I enjoy many of the benefits of living in the world's wealthiest nation and I am blessed. We are examining the Kingdom of God to understand His ways and to live according to the freedom of Him being King in life. God began to challenge my possession of many things: my children, my house, my own spiritual walk, among others. As I looked at Psalm 24:1-2 which says "The earth is the Lord's, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it. For He founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers." I was remembering that the Lord owns it all. Even from the very beginning in Genesis, God gives stewardship over the earth and it's resources but He alone retains ownership. We see this theme carried into the New Testament down to God owning us as believers (We are His Workmanship and we belong to the Lord - Ephesians 2:10 & 1 Corinthians 3:23). I realized that for many years I was quietly offended by the statements of believers saying "God owns it all". See the mind of my flesh (carnal) still felt I had a right to myself, my money, my life, my stuff, and my etc... What the Holy Spirit began to reveal to me is that stewardship is a blessing, because you are not responsible for the end result. If I look at all the things I own materially and believe it is all up to me to maintain it, fix it, replace it, and buy new stuff then it quickly becomes a burden. In the Kingdom of God (where Christ is worshiped as King) I am set free of constantly trying to possess because it is the King who cares for His children. Another example is that if I believe as my children's father that I am totally responsible to raise them up and make them godly children then I have a tremendous task. I may start off well and with good intentions on disciplining them, teaching them, loving on them and even instructing them in the Word but I quickly burn out recognizing my limitations and weaknesses. Now on the otherhand if I believe that God has entrusted them to me as a parent but ultimately they are His, then parenting becomes cooperating/yielding to the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit as God raises His children through me. We live in a culture obsessed with possessing more and more, Jesus points to this when He talks about "For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need these things." (referring to food and clothing) - Matthew 6:32. Jesus is contrasting how children of God live in His Kingdom versus how people who don't know God live. I believe that our culture's focus on possessing, owning, and controlling is really the world system which is under the direction of the Enemy. Being a steward of what God has given or entrusted to us frees us from constantly striving after things, we understand that God owns it all regardless of man's claims of things. Since God owns it all He can transfer property, wealth, and other things to people He decides. I have not taken this revelation any farther than this but I believe there are many implications in our life and areas of influence. Let's begin by agreeing with the Word "...the world has been cruicified to me, and I to the world." -Galatians 6:14. In other words I don't operate by the beliefs of the world system, even the religious world, but according to the Word of God revealing the finished work of Christ. I believe there is much freedom for you if you will go on this journey with the Holy Spirit.



In His Amazing Grace,

Bret

Healing for Families

If you have been in a family you have been disappointed, hurt, rejected, or misunderstood. If not in your current family than the family you came from. It seems to experience these things is as human as breathing. No where in Scripture do I see a promise of an easy life, a life that is blessed does not necessarily mean easy. In my own journey with the Lord I have found that I have, at times, carried many of these painful experiences of family. I believe the reason we carry these things is because we are looking for some validation that the hurt, sadness, or disappointment is real. Self-comfort is deceptive because it keeps us stuck and can lead to self-pity and dispair. The Lord recently pointed me to a passage in Isaiah 53:4 in which it says that Jesus has borne our griefs, carried our sorrows, and pains but the error that's pointed out in this passage is that we thought He was afflicted by God instead of that He did this for us. If my image of Jesus is one of a Savior that floated through life seemingly unscathed by the difficulties of the world because He was God I will miss His humanity. If Jesus was not fully human than how can He understand what I have been through. I must have my mind renewed to the truth of His humanity and His total identification with the sin infested, pain-filled, and troubled humanity that you and I live in. When I see that Jesus experienced what I have experienced than I receive the validation my heart has been looking for then I can give Him my griefs, sorrows, and pains. The amazing thing is that God will allow us to try to comfort ourselves unsuccessfully. What does all this have to do with family? We are most likely hurt in our intimate relationships, as well as blessed, so families are a place where we can heal. I recently challenged someone to see their family from the perspective of Heaven, since according to Ephesians 2:6 we are seated with Him in heavenly places in Christ. Also Jesus encourages us to release Heaven into earth in the Lord's prayer. My friend began to see his family restored, reconciled, and healed. He just sent me an email that he is seeing miraculous changes in his family. Looking at our families from the world's perspective can lead us to believe the barriers and walls will never be overcome but this is a perspective without the finished work of Christ. I pray you will get Heaven's perspective because this is where the Will of God is done perfectly.

In His Grace,
Bret

You have Divine Favor

There are always so many challenges in life, it seems that they are unending yet the finished work of Christ is enough for our victory. As we were praying over potential buildings to move ELM into in the future the Lord began to open my eyes about some verses in Scripture. I realized that we need favor, favor opens doors that men can't open and it is supernatural. I remember when we adopted my son Joshua how the Lord had revealed the power of His Favor. We were amazed as barrier after barrier were overcome by the power of the Lord's favor released through faith-filled prayers (at times mustard seed size). So as the Lord quickened to my spirit the verses in Proverbs 3:4-6, "So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." This is a wonderful few verses that had been prayed over me many years back, yet I struggled with a inner ache of was I really trusting in the Lord with all my heart because this was the condition to receiving Divine Favor. It seemed if I was totally honest with myself and God that I didn't trust Him with all my heart even though I had the desire. This is what I saw if I was to look at these verses through the Old Covenant (Law) but through the New Covenant (finished work of Christ) it comes alive. Jesus did trust in the Lord with all His heart and thus fulfilled the condition to receive Divine Favor, as our representantive (human being) in the New Covenant with God we were then given the result by God putting us "in Christ". In other words in a Covenant relationship you share with another party everything you have, God has not withheld from us so we are fellow heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). This means that through Christ God has given me Divine Favor and faith in what Christ has done for me unlocks this promise in my life. Praise God! This makes sense when almost a year ago I was asking the Lord for favor, He stopped me and said "Why do you pray for what I have already given you?". The definition for Grace is unmerited favor, if it was merited I would have had to earn it but the Divine Favor by being "in Christ" is Grace. This is all wonderful but I can put pressure on myself to "have faith", yet Galatians 2:20 tells us that we live by the faith "of the Son of God". It isn't even my faith but faith given to me as a gift from Jesus. Wow! I now see that I have a right to Divine Favor, not because I am special in my own ability or estimation but because of the Grace of God. I pray that you would agree that God has given you favor and walk in it. Favor can open amazing doors, put you before important people, and give solutions that no one else has. It is the right of every believer, yet the Enemy has done a good job of deceiving us into believing we have to earn it through our right and holy living (Old Covenant-Law).

In His Grace,
Bret

God's Desire

I am not leaving the subject of God's redemption of the family, this is just a look into what God has put on my heart lately. Our church recently entered a season of 40 days of consecration (originally centered on a form of Nazirite vow) and a day of waiting on the Lord as part of this season. As I sat and listened to worship music and just enjoyed the presence of the Lord I was directed by the Spirit to look at the John's vision of the returning Jesus in Revelation 1. Instead of an attempt to increase my desire for God, the Spirit was directing me to look at God's desire for me through the eyes of our returning King (Jesus). The picture in Revelation 1 is not one of a stern, judgmental, or disappointed Jesus but one of eyes aflame with desire for His Bride. I thought how can Jesus have this desire for His bride (me included), when we the Body are such a mess. The Spirit directed me to Ephesians 2 where Paul recounts our state of death, hopelessness, and total disobedience (following Satan rather than God). Right in the middle of the chapter God's desire explodes onto the scene, But God so rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us.... (Ephesians 2:4). In the next verse Paul again restates our condition of death (without life-giving desire). This began a journey of understanding why did God want me to focus on His desire for me, rather than what I want to do for Him. I know see that any desire that originates with me and not with God is desire that ends in death (unfulfilled and misdirected). One author said (Bill Johnson) "Probing your heart to see if you love God enough is always a dead end." It was God who brought us back to life, gave us a desire for Him, caused us to hear His voice, put His Spirit within us, and leads us to know Him. I believe the radical announcement of the New Covenant is that we bring nothing to the table and God brings everything "in Christ". As I see God's passionate desire for me then I respond (come to life), trying to create a desire for God to follow Him, know Him better, or even give more of my life to Him only ends in defeat and failure. Also none of my efforts at vigorous self-improvement or spiritual discipline make me attractive to God, He desires me because of who He is (God is love). Also in Ephesians 2:10 I am told that I am God's workmanship, I have told God that He has a big project on His hands. I have believed the lie from childhood that I needed to make myself acceptable and thus somehow worthy of love. It is such freedom to not have to work on myself or make myself pure. It is only through the finished work of Christ that Paul says about me "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." (2 Corinthians 5:17) If I agree with the Word of God I am a New Creature already changed, not my own project to be tweaked, ridiculed, chastised, then I can give up on endless thoughts and efforts to try to change me. I heard one person say we don't need a change, we need a transformation. Transformation is when our very nature is made new, only God could do that through the finished work of Jesus Christ. In our society we are very image-focused, I believe the desire to transform our image is from God but Satan offers the external counterfeit to the authentic (who we are "in Christ"). It is so amazing that a God that knows everything about me, absolutely declares His love for me and welcomes me home as a son. I pray Holy Spirit you would lead me into the truth of this every day of my life, may I live as His beloved child. Join me in soaring with Our Father.

In Christ,
Bret Rutland

Forgiveness and Family

As I look to see that I have not written in a while I must apologize. We have recently had 8 students involved in our 4 week Advanced Training, I found myself overwhelmed with clients and needing a rest. On Tuesday as I sat in discussion about compassion, forgiveness, and judgements I was reminded by the Lord of the importance of forgiveness. As I met with several clients the Spirit immediately showed me the importance of them letting go of judgments to find freedom. We are told throughout our Christian lives that we are forgiven and then to forgive but we are often not shown how to walk this road. Especially if I have been in a legalistic church the expectation is that of course I would just forgive and who should be taught. The truth I find is that while many know they need to forgive somewhere deep inside they have not had a revelation by the Spirit of God on how to forgive so they stay trapped in a prison of emotional pain. First we must get a revelation of how much we have been forgiven, in Colossians 2:14 it says record of our sins was nailed to the cross and taken away. In Jesus' parable of the king taking an account He describes one slave owing 10,000 talents (which if you do the math comes out to be $120 billion in today's dollars). Something that is rather confusing about forgiveness is that it is not forgiving a person as it is "sending away" (the original greek word) the debt that was incurred. In other words when someone hurts us (sinnning against us) we hold a debt against them because our sense of justice has been violated. If I attempt to forgive them but do not release them of the debt then I just remain in bondage to the debt. When the king in the parable took an account, Jesus was showing us in order to forgive we must see what the debt is (what we believe the person owes us for hurting us). We are commanded under the New Covenant of Grace to forgive in many places in the Word but we must understand that any command given in the New Covenant can only be followed through by the power of the Holy Spirit working within us. In other words if we have not received a revelation of how to walk New Covenant forgiveness we will appeal to our fleshly resources which won't work. If I have tried to forgive someone unsuccessfully (meaning I still feel anger or hurt when I think of them) then I have not had New Covenant forgiveness revealed to me. A collegue in ministry had a revelation of Matthew 7:1-2 on Judgements and why Jesus would say "Do not judge...". This revelation was that when we are hurt by another person we naturally judge them for how they have hurt us, which then produces anger and this keeps us connected to the person in a damaging way through sin/judgement. Since judgements are a legal perspective, we in escense set the person up as guilty in our court of law (with us as the judge). I have walked many clients through the courtroom in their mind (just picturing a courtroom) to have them see the judgements they have made in their hearts and then release them. It is the fact that we are forgiven that empowers us to forgive and there are many scriptures tying our forgiveness of others to receiving God's forgiveness of us. How does this relate to the family? We are hurt most deeply in intimate relationships, so thus there is a great need to have a working model of forgiveness in our families. Denying the hurts that have occurred in a family is what leads to continued broken relationships in the future. As my colleague shared that 60% of his one on one ministry is dealing with forgiveness I began to sense the Lord nudging me to make this more functional in my own life and family. The Lord then helped me walk through some self-judgements and other judgements that had been hidden. I am now seeking the Lord on how to teach my kids and family a working model of New Covenant forgiveness. Forgiveness is a powerful part of walking in freedom under the New Covenant. I pray the Lord would lead you in forgiving those debts/judgements that have hindered your freedom.

In His Peace,
Bret Rutland

The Freedom to Love

I was struck as I watched people who were freely worshipping Jesus, that in the world's eyes our love for Him doesn't make sense. To many Christians it doesn't make sense to be radically in love with Jesus because religion (performance) has so invaded the Church. To truly love someone is to be willing to be made a fool because this love overpowers fear. This is a radical, scarey, and passionate love that only comes as we understand God through the New Covenant. We can't imagine a God who would not only love us in our most selfish, embarrassing, and foolish moments but would even desire to bless us when we have blown it so bad. Being one of His children has nothing to do with how good our last attempt at obeying Him was, He is not after the slavish obedience under the Old Covenant or Law but to walk in newness of life (Romans 8:2). Does God being love by nature (see 1 John 4:8) have the ability because of who He is, to give to me when I am not perfected, put together, and still frail. These words of light are difficult to believe in a world that focuses so much on a person's appearance, performance, ability, and resources. I can now see why to love God you must hate the world (the system of beliefs contrary to the Word). I am seeing that a big part of being free to love others where they are, is being able to love and accept myself. Jesus said, love your neighbor as yourself. How many people truly love themselves? I have found many that secretly hold a disdain for themselves and their choices. I have to honestly say I have been there, Paul shares my experience in Romans 7 but he moves into victory in Romans 8. Worldly self-acceptance is looking at all I have accomplished, built, fashioned, created, and in pride pronouncing it as good like I was God (God did this after His Creation). Biblical self-acceptance and love is in total contrast to this, Paul in Romans 5 points to Jesus sacrafice for us while we were in a wretched sin condition as the foundation for self-love. We can love and accept ourselves because God did totally through the finished work of Christ. Religion cannot deal with the radical love of the Father that Jesus portrays in the story of the Prodigal son (Luke 15). Could it be that your Abba and mine is not tolerant about you but passionately and radically delighted with you? Abba doesn't wake us up with the line from the movie Parenthood, "Get up scumbag". Many of us living in this daily reality as we awake to a new day, believing that God somehow carries yesterdays disappointments into today. I believe this is partly why the Word tells us, His mercies are new every morning. There is a freshness in God's love that brings us to life each day. So who is the author of these accusations, is it just as Psychology diagnosis it as poor self-esteem or do we have an Enemy who is deceptive, hidden, and dark? I believe the Word when it says in Revelation that the Enemy is constantly accusing the brethern (you and me). What would happen if we awoke each day acknowledging the truth that we are Christ's beloved bride? As one speaker even said, he congratulated God on His workmanship of this man (Ephesians 2:10). With Christ in you, you are amazing, astonishing, a whole new human race (sons and daughters of God).

In His Amazing Grace,
Bret Rutland

Family Under Attack!! (part 2)

As the prophet Isaiah says the gospel truly is good news but do we understand all that has been given to us in the New Covenant? As someone who has walked with the Lord for 21 years, I can only confess that I have been ignorant. In my ingnorance I turned to my own failed resources (an orphan heart/flesh) but I am now seeing His Amazing grace in new ways (not truly new but simply being revealed). In the last blog we saw the way of Adam but also we see the way of Eve to lead her husband towards death by offering him the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. I had to wonder before the Lord if she might have said something to Adam to encourage him to eat of the tree. I don't know but Satan used Eve as an instrument to bring death to Adam. As both were deceived through the Lie their eyes were open to see that utter lack without the life of God sustaining them. The results of the Fall are recorded in Genesis 3, God states that their is a curse on the serpent, a curse over childrearing/birth that Eve and decendents would have great pain, that Eve's desire will be for her husband and he will rule over her, and a curse on the ground that Adam would toil over it. As I asked the Holy Spirit about this I sensed that God did not bring the curse but simply carried out His Word (if you eat of the tree you will die). As I looked in Genesis 3:17 it was through Adam listening to Eve's voice that he was deceived. The Lord revealed to me that it was out of the loving heart of God that the ways Adam and Eve would seek life apart from Him were under a curse. For many men who turn to success in their career or profession to give them a sense of identity, worth, and significance they are left with a sense of emptiness. For women that seek relationships for their value, worth, love, and identity they often find great pain and disappointment. Even childrearing/childbirth is under a curse (in the Old Covenant) as well as romantic relationships because her desire will be for her husband and he will rule or reign over her. I have often seen women who are desperately holding onto their husbands trying to make him be the father they never had only to be deeply disappointed and hurt. This disappointment and hurt left unchecked turns into bitterness, unforgiveness, and even eventual dispair. I also see many mothers who are in great pain as they have held onto their children, trying to have them come out like they hoped. Fastforward to Ephesians 5 and the New Covenant of grace to see God's redemptive plan for families. Through the finished work of Christ He is placed as the Head and under him husbands are lifted up into head of the wife. As I saw this through the grace of God I realized that all men have followed Adam's lead of being passive and abdicating their original given authority with damaging results to their families. In otherwords we men don't deserve (haven't earned) being head of the wife, this is totally an act of God's redemptive grace. It was through Adam that Satan got into the Garden and it is through the last Adam Christ that through our given authority "in Christ" we will crush Satan under our feet (Romans 16:20). Husbands have the opporunity through Christ's work on the cross and His life in them to lead their families in freedom and victory. Many husbands, relying on their fleshly power, have lead their family into defeat, frustration, and loss. Wives are to be subject or submissive to their husbands (Ephesians 5) but this really is a redemptive role of building her husband up. Remember that it was through Eve that Satan deceived Adam, now wives have a crucial role through the finished work of Christ in building up their husband and restoring what was lost in the Garden. Thus a wife's words over her husband have power to bring blessing and restoration through the New Covenant (guided by the Holy Spirit) or they have the power to tear down (Power of death and life is in the tongue). I have seen many a frustrated wife who in an attempt to motivate their husbands to take up their authority tear down their husbands through harh and critical words. This has the opposite affect intended and leads to more frustration and failure. I pray that the Holy Spirit would show you the greatness of what has been done in Christ and lead you into the freedom purchased for you.

In His Grace,
Bret

Family Under Attack!!!

As I sit with the precious people that come in seeking the Lord, I am amazed to see the damage in so many families. As I look in Ephesians 3:14-15 I see that family was God's idea from the very beginning and one of the main ways His covenant love is imparted. Yet as I came face to face with my own inadequacy to know how family works (much to the stress of my wife), I began to see some things that the Lord was revealing. First, after the fall family was affected by sin and the Lie in a very profound way. Second, through the finished work of Christ God has given us a roadmap for family restoration and true freedom. We have a saying in our church that it is important to go back to the beginning. As I reflected on the verses in Genesis I was struck with first the magnitude of the Heavenly Father's blessing to give Adam and Eve authority over the whole earth to fill it with His glory. It was not God's job, He gave that to us. This also helped explain a question, How did Satan get into the Garden of Eden? Well according to Genesis 2:15 it was Adam's job to cultivate, tend, and guard the Garden. Where God gives authority I believe He also gives the power necessary to carry it out. It was Adam's failure to take his authority to stop Satan from coming in the Garden that was an integral part of the march towards the Fall. The Holy Spirit was showing me that having pure evil (Satan) in the Garden which was a place of God's holiness began to bring division between Adam and Eve, which allowed Satan to come in the back door. Adam stood with Eve as she reasoned with the serpent (Satan) which ultimately led to her being deceived to believe the Lie that she could be as God and have independence and self-sufficiency. The Lie was directly contradictory to the Word of God and I believe Adam knew this and yet was silent again. As Eve ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil she was plunged into death (seperation from God who is life). Adam I believe was then faced with losing Eve or trusting the life that came from God through His Word. We know that Adam chose to follow his wife and not lose her but be plunged into death with her. It was through Eve that Adam was deceived. I believe it is crucial to see the way of Adam that we would not follow them but follow the last Adam (Christ) who is the Way, the truth, and the Life. After eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (never ate of the Tree of Life) God sought out Adam, I don't believe for condemnation but for relationship. A loving father asks his children what many parents have asked their own children, What have you done? Adam immediately passes the blame to his wife and also hurles blame in God's direction (Genesis 3:12). But as we see it was Adam's lack of taking his authority that led to Satan being in the garden and also to Eve being in a vulnerable place to be deceived. I pray that as you read this the Holy Spirit will work in your heart, His role is to lead us into all truth. I see like the first man Adam I have abdicated my authority, been passive, and allowed Satan into the garden of my life (my family). I say this not as condemnation on myself or any man because I look to Christ for the restoration and freedom not to myself. In the next blog we will explore God's healing and restoration of the family through the finished work of Christ. My desire is to expose the lies of the Enemy that you would experience the truth, you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free (John 8:32). While the magnitude of the Fall and the Lie is great, God's plan of redemption and restoration through the New Covenant in Christ far surpasses the devastation.
In His Love,
Bret

Is He enough?

It has been a little while since I put a post but I am still here. As Holy Week has come and gone the Lord gave me some reflections on this amazing time. As I came to Good Friday the Lord led me to watch "Passion of the Christ". It is a movie you cannot watch without being deeply affected. The Lord spoke to me about the scene of Jesus being flogged and beaten. The brutality of this scene far surpasses even other violent movies I have seen. It is painful to watch and some questioned Mel Gibson for this, yet he said he was attempting to be accurate according to what really happened. As Jesus' flesh was literally torn from his body, the Lord brought to mind the prophesy from Isaiah 53:5 "...And by His scourging we are healed." and the parallel New Testament verse 1 Peter 2:24 "...for by His wounds you were healed." (both past tense) His question to me was this, was this enough? As I looked up the Greek word for "healed" (Iaoma) it is a complete healing including free from sin, to make whole, and cure or heal. I sensed the Holy Spirit challenging me to say that my wholeness, healing, and freedom do not come from my own effort but through the fininshed work of Christ. To totally restore us to whole human beings as originally designed to live in the Garden of Eden seems like a monumental task. We are always striving to get back to the Garden, not have our kids go astray, overcome personal hangups and issues, have an enjoyable family vacation, be loved by family and friends, complete the tasks of the day, etc... We have a sense of how things ought to be but when we attempt to bring this about in our own power we end up in frustration and often exhaustion. The Holy Spirit was challenging my unbelief, see the Holy Spirit is always pointing us back to what Jesus accomplished on the cross. Contrary to what some believe, the Holy Spirit (according to John 16:13) does not point to all the things I need to do to make things right. At one point in the movie Jesus says, "See I make all things new". Do we believe that He through His work made ALL things new. Does this mean that if I am irritated with my kids, my spouse, our dog, and our living situation that Jesus has given me new kids, a new spouse, a new dog, and a new living situation? I know this seems silly but the Word of God has to be practical or it's just a nice book. No I don't think it means that I trade our dog in but it does mean that I see our dog not simply with my 5 senses and stop there but that I see her from His perspective (which is new). It is rather humorous that the Lord gave us the name Shilo (His gift) because there are times in her puppydom where she feels like anything but a gift. In her short little 6 1/2 month life she has consumed 8 whole children's socks and doesn't show any sign of slowing down. Again I am a practical chap, so I need to see His "all things new" in this situation as well. Could it be that the Enemy wants me to believe the original lie (Genesis 3:4-5), which says that basically all life comes from being independent of God and determining good from evil according to my own perspecitve. Why does the Enemy still want me to believe that all life derives from myself? If I am constantly looking at myself, my own view, my own feelings, and my own thoughts then I will not look towards Christ. I believe according to the Word that God makes much more of the cross of Christ and His finished work then we do. Everything changed at the cross and it is to be our reference for all of life. I challenge you as I challenge myself when you face something difficult (no matter how big or small) that you look towards what God has done for you out of His grace on the cross. Don't fall for the Lie of Satan again and think it's all up to me. We tend to worship that which we focus on and get our needs from. If my strength comes from flesh (seeing myself apart from Christ) then I will tend to fall into idolatry (self-worship). I choose to walk by faith and receive all the promises that are mine "in Christ Jesus", though not one of them am I deserving of by my own self-effort or earning.
Receiving the fullness of Grace,
Bret

Perspective

I am so thankful to the Lord that He is steadfast, faithful, paitent, and slow to anger. Why you may ask because I need all these characteristics as I walk through life. As I journey along the road of life and walk ever more in the new life I have been given in Christ, I realize that having the right perspective is essential. So many times in our life and childhood, it is the words of a loving parent or friend that say "this too shall pass" that remind us that our current difficulty is not permanent. These words of a comforting person bring perspective but now if we look at the words of Our Abba Father we see a whole new realm. I am convinced that to experience victory on earth, we must have a Heavenly perspective. Some would say that the old quote "To Heavenly minded to be of any earthly good" I have found this to be a lie. The more that I walk by faith in the Word of God that I am seated with Him in Christ (Ephesians 2:6) then the words and choices I bring are valued on earth because they bring His life into a situation. It is when I get stuck on assuming that my earthly perspective is total truth that my words and actions bring death (not manifesting His life through me). We are continually making assumptions about people, situations, problems, challenges, and our own issues. These assumptions are based on what we see but I believe what we see is the problem. If we see simply with earthly or carnal eyes, then I resulting assumptions will not bring life (His Life). Paul in Ephesians 1 talks about the opening of the eyes of our hearts, clearly Paul is not saying we are physically blind but spiritually. To be spiritually blind means to not see what God sees, for God sees the whole truth and through the Holy Spirit (who leads us into all truth - John 16:13) we also can have our spiritual eyes open. I was struck as I studied 2 Corinthians 2:9-16 how trained our senses are to this earth and not to the spiritual realm of Heaven. Since we have looked for life on earth, then it would it is reasonable that our senses would be trained to perceiving on earth. How do we actually experience being seated with Him in Christ in the heavenly places, it must come through believing the revealed Word of God. So training our senses to be directed by our spirit through the Holy Spirit comes as our mind is renewed by the Word of God. The Holy Spirit has been given to take the written Word of God and make it a reality in our lives. In other words the Holy Spirit takes of the things of Jesus and makes them personal for us. Forgiveness of all our sins is a wonderful truth but does not have power to free a person from guilt and condemnation til they appropriate the truth in the Word by faith. The Holy Spirit shows a person how specifically they have been forgiven and how the guilt and condemnation have been washed away. Forgiveness is a finished work in Heaven, it is not something I see materially in front of me so I must put faith in the Word of God that it is an accomplished work through Christ. Throughout the New Testament their are many references to Heaven as a present reality that will endure forever, rather than a place we are waiting to go when we die. This doctrine or tradition of the "sweet by and by" is a distortion of truth and something I believe the Devil has used to keep Christians from experiencing Abundant Life now. It is easy to put off "life" waiting for something to happen, change, or come about. Faith does involve waiting upon God, but the Life (Zoe=God's Life) is offered present tense. In 1 John 5:12 it says that if you have God's Son you have the life (Zoe-Eternal Life of God). All of this is in Heaven which is present tense, Jesus prayed in Matthew in the Lord's pray "Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven". Showing us that God's perfect will is in heaven but that He wants Heaven to be made manifest on earth. All this high and lofty talk, back to practical. Instead of looking at my latest tiff with my wife and drawing the conclusion that we will never totally have the partnership that I dream of I can look in Heaven for His perspective. The Lord gave me a picture of my wife and I in a dance where we move in partnership and union, as I see this picture as reality the occassional stepping on of each other's toes fit into the dance. If I go down the road of carnal assumptions about the latest tiff it brings me into discouragement. I really do have a choice to set my mind on things above (Colossians 3:1-4). Also as I have this wonderful picture of the dance, I can see that the empowerment comes from God. I see that we are both listening to the same music and moving in harmony with the music. The good news is I don't produce the music, this is His music. The music is captivating and beautiful, with the music comes the desire to dance and be in harmony. Another situation where I have an opportunity to see into Heaven and see that become a reality on earth is our current transition at ELM. As the ministry is working on wrapping up the sale of our current building our attentions go to finding a smaller more suitable location that is closer to the homes of the staff. It is easy to go down the road of anxiety, worry, frantic looking, or passivity. The Lord has shown me another road and that is to see He already has an ideal place for us, it is a matter of receiving the revelation of it in Heaven and then believing by faith that He will lead us to it. This takes out striving and self-effort but also shows us that we have a part and that is to be willing to see in Heaven and walk by faith for it to be manifested. I believe that God primarily works through His people (His Body in Christ) and one of the main ways that His power is released on the earth is through our prayers. Jesus gives us this template of how to pray in Lord's prayer, He wouldn't instruct us in meaningless and haphazzard ways to pray. I believe that prayer is one of the most powerful spiritual weapons we possess (along with the sword of the revealed Word of God), yet our view of prayer has been too shaped by worldly influences, our own upbringing, traditions, and cliches. I believe that to pray as Jesus showed us to pray is to release the resources of Heaven into earth, now that is a different way to view prayer. I do not believe that perceiving the spiritual realm is for those "special" or particularly "gifted" believers, as I look at the Word of God looking into the heaven is "normal" for believers. I am not saying that what you perceive in heaven will ever violate the written Word of God but only having it revealed by the Holy Spirit. I encourage you to look at some of the Scriptures I have discussed and ask the Holy Spirit to show you what is in heaven. I believe that as I look to God's perspective (will) in heaven that I will be able to pray for children more effectively. Instead of starting with my fears, I can begin with God's plan and will to see that come about in their lives.

In Christ's Finished work of Grace,
Bret

Unashamed

Why does it seem that there are moments when we are open, unashamed, and are walking in the light only to skulk in the darkness another moment. I am convinced that all of our deepest fear is really be known and seen without any protection. As I had been reading in 1 John 1:6-7 I began to see that walking in the Light (God) means that we don't choose to dive for the darkness. As I searhed my own heart for the reason I dive for the darkness, it was revealed that self-protection (living as a spiritual orphan) is the reason. When I or others perceive possible rejection, hurt, or abandonment we use self-protection to stop this from happening but then the Word says when I walk this way I lie. I must lie at some level to protect myself, like I am "fine" when I really have had a rough day or simply don't share the latest storm going on inside. The lie I believe like "I am inadequate" protects me from having other people see me fail. If I believe the truth, "I can do all things through Christ who strenghtens me" then I could fall flat on my face. I am amazed that I have such a deep desire to be loved and yet protecting myself and walking in inner darkness seems to be so tempting. This is hard stuff and yet when I dare to believe that God is as good as He really is and loves me I experience glorious freedom. It is learning to abide in this love and be unashamed. For it is His love that washes away our shame as we come to Him just as we are and receive His grace. The more I see of His grace the more my mind is convinced of His love but it takes the nudge of the Holy Spirit to invite the little boy inside to walk in this love. God is not mad just sad that we won't trust the depth of His love. He has already bestowed on His acceptance in Christ (Romans 5), His blessing (Ephesians 1), and called us His beloved. We do have an Enemy otherwise this inner turmoil makes no sense, his plan is our destruction, death, and to rob us of life. He brings thoughts that lead us to choose the folly of self-protection and life in the darkness (which is really a form of soul death). The Enemy knows if we truly discover the love of God that we will be bold and begin to invite others into this same freedom. As I look at the life of Jesus in His humanity I am shocked by His open display of weakness, emotion, love, joy, heartbreak, disappointment, betrayal, and even agony. He is truly our model for humanity, yet I find in myself and others both a deep desire to live this way and a very real terror. I see that grace is an invitation to abandon ourselves not to serving God but to an exquisite and bold love. I have learned so well the ways of self-protection and darkness that I am still learning a whole new way to live. I pray that this may encourage you on your journey and that we will choose together to walk in His love.

In His Amazing Grace,
Bret

Learning to Soar

I realize that for me to come to God as one of His sons is bold and yet the Word says this is how we are to come. As a son I come expecting my Abba to share His will, perspective, and purpose with me. I don't come on my own merits but only on the finished work of Christ, which has transformed me out of the kingdom of darkness and into the Kingdom of His marvelous Light. As I walk through life I either feel "under" or "over". What I mean by this is either I experience life as the circumstances, problems, difficulties, and challenges are pushing me down to the point of weariness. I have found lack of sleep can contribute to this, as our new puppy (Shilo - His gift) had girardia and diarhea for 5 nights in a row (she would go out 5-6 times a night). As I would at times drag through my days, I realized in the past I would go to discouragement and being downtrodden. Instead I was able to see that His strength was truly made perfect in my weakness, I brought my part which is weakness. I said at times I experience life "over" which really means I see and experience God's love and purpose in the midst of where I am (soaring). In this way I experience being seated with Him in Christ in the heavenly places. As I talked abou the last time, the Lord has revealed that speaking out His Word over my situation, life, and family will bear fruit. In our microwave society we are all seem to want instant solutions but sowing good seed often means we wait on the Lord to do the watering and growing then we get to reap. Sowing and reaping is a spiritual principal that our Loving Abba wants us to understand that we can walk in His Grace and Favor. When things are tough is when we are most likely to use the power of our tongue to speak death (loss, destruction, failure, frustration, and discouragement) over ourselves and our situations. The Enemy knows if he can get my mind set on myself, my situation, the lack, and then can put a nail in the coffin (analogy) by getting us to use the power of our tongue to speak death then he can keep us in discouragement and bondage. I encourage you to let God speak His Word through your tongue by asking Him what He wants to speak through you. Jesus spoke the Holy Spirit quickened words of the Old Testament to refute the temptations of the Enemy. We approach life as victors because of the Victorious Life of Jesus Christ we have been given and now dwells within us but I have the choice to surrender myself to this life or live out the doomed self-life (flesh). I see that the battle for our mind is intense but the battle for the tongue is next because the Enemy knows that the Word says "Death and Life are in the power of the tongue...." - Proverbs 18:21 . As we follow Jesus lead in prayer, "Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven." -Matthew 6:10. I believe as we ask the Holy Spirit to show us God's will being done perfectly (Heaven) in a situation we face, we then are able to pray His will be done on earth. I believe we will see this come about (not always instant), faith in the Word is something that builds (God is not in a hurry). Jesus often referred to "Ye of little faith" or "faith like a mustard seed", I don't believe He was putting people down but showing them that faith (believing His revealed Word) can increase. Please share your ideas, encouragements, questions, or thoughts. I pray that together "in Christ" we would soar, seeing God's will done in our lives and on the earth.

Purpose for Soaring son

I sensed the Lord leading me to start a blog, though I know little to nothing about blogging. Abba was stirring me to seek a way to connect with those who support us in ministry and friends who want to share life with us. I was led to choose the title because I have been on this journey from Romans 8:14-17 of discovering what it means to walk in being one of the sons (not gender specific but either son or daughter). Amazing that through the astounding grace of our God, we are no longer need to experience life as slaves of God but enter into the intimacy of being His sons and daughters. It is also my hope that we will go on the journey that God has called us into and learn to soar as an Eagle in the heavenly places as sons and daughters (Ephesians 2:6). This is not just a slight change in the way we see life but a whole renewal of the mind that the Holy Spirit does in our innermost being, starting with entering into being forgiven of our unbelief in the saving work of Jesus Christ. It is too easy to focus on forgiveness of sins as the central point of the Gospel but as we study the Word we find that entering into a new relationship with God where we are truly set free occupies a greater place in His Word. This new relationship is the basis for the New Covenant of grace. A Covenant is a binding relationship built on unconditional love and sealed by an oath. I will talk more about Covenant as we go on because understanding the New Covenant through the revelation of the Holy Spirit I believe is the key to experiencing freedom in our lives. Jesus is the New Covenant.

My heart is that through this blog I will be able to share God's work in my heart, life-giving stories of His grace in ministry, and that we can share the life of Christ together. I hope this will be two-way dialogue but I trust the Holy Spirit to work through this medium to build community. My prayer is that each person who comes to this blog will be touched and transformed by the love of God in Christ. I would love to hear your prayer requests that I may agree with you to see God's Will revealed and accomplished on earth as it is in Heaven. Please know there are limitations to the confidentiality to a blog, so if you don't want to share a request with everyone you can email me directly at: bret@elmcolo.org. The more I experience of God's grace and love in my life, the more I want to share. I pray that you would be blessed by this blog and even share it with your friends. These are lofty goals but I walk with the Almighty and He delights to reveal Himself.

The first thing the Holy Spirit began to stir in my spirit was at the end of 2007 as I looked to 2008. As I sought the Lord for what He had for me in 2008 I was impressed in my spirit, that the power of life and death is in the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). This has led me on a journey with the Lord to see how my words over myself, my family, and others can either build up in love and be His words or can tear down. It is so easy to speak death over yourself without even knowing. We seem to point out the discouraging things, or what's not going well in our lives, and progressively we become more negative. This can lead us to lapsing into depression. Are we just to be speak positively like some in the world have suggest or does God give us His words to speak over our lives. I believe as "New Creations" we are giving new language, it is God's way of speaking through us. Our usual speech that has been patterned by the world system and Satan's lie that all life comes from being self-sufficient and independent of God must be broken that we would started to speak God's words. It is amazing to me that James says that our tongues can turn our whole bodies (the direction of our lives), so this is no small matter. So also what a tremendous opportunity we have to speak words that come from His Life (Christ in us - He dwells in those who receive Him by faith). Going back to Proverbs we see that life and death are in the power of the tongue, not necessarily right and wrong. Do we want our tongue to be an expression of His Life in and through us or do we want to try to control our own tongue? James tells us flatly, no one can control the tongue. If you have tried to control your tongue you have seen the frustration. We have a 5 month old puppy and it has been hard to not let loose the frustration or worries of the day on this unsuspecting bundle of energy. We joke saying to each other, "Speak Life" when you just want to be negative that this puppy will never be fully trained and obedient. Words of life must be filled with faith, love, truth, and most importantly the Lord's initiation.

I have so much to share but my prayer is that we will share, encourage, and be challenged together. Signing off for 2/4/08.

IN HIS Grace and Love,
Bret Rutland