Wounded Time, Is Wasted Time

by Natalie Fortunato

Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." 

"If you're going through hell, don't stop!".  Heard this line in a country song while I was waiting at the car dealership for my oil change.  Loved it!  Totally got my attention.  Such great advice, right?  

When we really mess up, totally miss God, sometimes the guilt and shame is paralyzing.  It's almost unbearable.  But the worse thing we can do is stay there. All wounded and condemned, kicking ourselves.  What a waste of time.  

The enemy loves to rehearse the incident over and over again in our minds.  How we failed.  But the Holy Spirit is the exact opposite.  When we miss it, He loves to remind us of who we are in Christ.  He reminds us that we are loved, accepted, forgiven and righteous.  He reminds us of our calling and our assignment.  

If you've messed up big time, change your mind and change your direction.  Admit where you got off track, take responsibility for your actions, take dominion and authority over the enemy, and allow the Holy Spirit to get you back on track…and move on!  

"Deerly" Beloved

Philippians 4:1  “Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved." 

I recently read an article Deerly Beloved: Deer crash wedding, leaving newlyweds with fairytale photos about a couple in Stockton, NJ who had a herd of deer show up at their wedding.  I quote, "Outdoor weddings can be risky, but when weather and insects cooperate they can be great. And when a curious group of deer turn the photos into a scene out of Snow White they can be downright magical."  

On another note, the phrase dearly beloved shows up nine times in the New Testament.  It's from the Hebrew words meaning to breathe or long for, to prefer .The word dearly or dear in front of beloved is significant.  It means that HIS love for you is breathing life into you every day.  He is longing to be with you in fellowship.  He is preferring you in every situation you encounter throughout your day! 

Just like that herd of deer showing up in the wedding photo, God is showing up when you least expect it and most of all when you least deserve it.  You, beloved, are so dear to your Heavenly Daddy!  

Think Responsibly

Romans 12:2 (Amplified Bible) - "Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs] but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude]."

Especially around the holidays, you hear the phrase "Drink Responsibly" or "Don't Drink and Drive".  It's an effort to convince people to stay off the road when drinking.  I can't tell you how many stories I've heard lately about car accidents caused by drunk drivers, it's so selfish and beyond dangerous. 

However, to "Think Responsibly" is the most important principle of our lives.  Why?  Proverbs 23:7 tells us that our whole life, and how we perceive other people and ourselves, is summed up in "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he".  Your life is a product of your thinking.

Just like an alcoholic is addicted to alcohol, the "negaholic" is addicted to negative thinking.  Positive thinking is a principle of the Word of God.  It's thinking the best, the Word, in negative situations, it's a confident expectation of good. 

"Negaholism" is something that can only be combated with one thing, the Word of God.  We must be in a constant, and I repeat, constant state of renewing our minds.  Here are four types of Negaholics...

Attitudinal Negaholics:  they are successful people who are drivenVerbal
Negaholics:  they are hopeless, helpless and unable to change their negative statements about themselves, others, situations, and just about everything.
Behavioral Negaholics:  they try so hard that you don't want to fault them, but self-sabotage is written all over them.
The Perfectionist: they have high and unreasonable standards, anything short of perfection is unacceptable. 

Let's make a commitment to be transformed in our minds by the Word of God.  Let's get rid of any negative thinking patterns and replace them with positive expectations of good, which is the Word of God. 

Forward

Exodus 14:15 “And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:”

In the above verse, God is speaking to Moses, His commander in chief on the earth and asks him, “Why are you crying to me?”, I have already told you to go forward!  In verses 10-12, the children of Israel began to complain because they were uncomfortable.  Their minds even conjured up stories of their fondness for Egypt, challenging Moses and asking him, “Why did you bring us here?  We want to go back to Egypt, back to the way it was!”  The devil is real good at making the things that you couldn’t wait to get out of, become something that you want to go back to, when you face challenging times. 

Sometimes we can get stuck in a certain place, sometimes for weeks, or sometimes for even years.  Because the misery of the known can seem safer than the need to trust in the unknown.  I’m sure when Peter stepped out of that ship to walk on the water, it was a “forward” moment in his life.  He wasn’t just walking on water, he was walking on the water to go to Jesus, he was going someplace, he was going to Jesus. 

That’s the perfect will and purpose for every person, to go to Jesus.  He is the only One who has the fulfillment and contentment we desire in life.  Things don’t, hobbies don’t, even other people can’t fulfill us.  Don’t get me wrong, those things are good, but if you want meaning in your life, you’ve got to get out of the “ship” and “walk on the water”, walk on the Word. What word?  The word “come”. 

That’s what Jesus is saying to us today, “Come, I have new things for you, I have a destiny and a plan waiting for you, come to Me”.  It’s time to move forward!

Kismet?

James 4:7 " Submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you" 

Much of religion today believes in a fatalistic mentality that everything that happens in life, whether good or bad, must be God's will.  They say things like, "bad things happen to good people".  I know what people mean by it, but what's behind it is a doctrine of the extreme sovereignty of God, that says no matter what happens in your life, it's from God. 

The term "kismet" is an old Turkish word that simply means "fate".  In other words, if someone dies of cancer, or a terrible accident happens to a family member, or a woman is raped, well, it must have been God's will, or at the very least, it couldn’t have happened unless God allowed it!   

In James 4:7, we are told to submit to God and resist the devil.  But why resist if everything is from God?  Because it's not!!  Sickness is not from God.  Acts 10:38 says "How God anointed Jesus Christ of Nazareth who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil".  

It also says, "and he will flee from you", the keyword here is you (and me).  God will allow what we allow.  So don't just accept that you have to live below the standards of God's covenant of blessing, health, favor, and the good life!  To resist means to actively fight against.  Don't just accept depression as the norm, lack as a way of life, sickness as something to just endure, but instead, use your authority, speak the Word, and say NO!  It's your choice…resist or kismet?

My Pillow

Mark 4:38 "And He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master carest thou not that we perish?" 

Have you heard the pillow commercial on TV and Radio with a catchy jingle that says, "For the best night's sleep in the whole wide world, mypillow.com".  Now, I’m not endorsing "My Pillow", but I love the concept. You probably didn’t know that My Pillow is the official pillow of the National Sleep Foundation.  Founder, Mike Lindell, tells the purpose behind the pillow, "When I invented My Pillow, my dream was to help as many people get a good night's sleep as possible". 

In Mark 4:38, it says that Jesus was in the back of a ship sleeping on a pillow in the middle of a storm. I think most of us would be busy bailing water out of the ship, or screaming for help!  Not Jesus, He's asleep on a pillow in the middle of the storm.  It was the peace that was already on the inside of Him, that allowed Him to sleep through a storm.  It was that same peace that was spoken out of His mouth, "Peace, be still", that calmed the storm.  Jesus shows us a picture of restful increase.  His sleep was evidence of his trust, faith and rest that "all is well".  

We have that same peace, the fruit of the Holy Spirit, on the inside of our born again spirit, that is to be exhibited in our actions and our words. When we rest He works, but when we work He rests.  More happens when we rest, than when we don't rest.  So grab your grace pillow, lay your head down, and rest on the promises of God.  

Blank Slate Baby by Natalie Fortunato

Colossians 2:14 (The Message) "Think of it!  All sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ’s cross".  

In 2014, Taylor Swift wrote a song called Blank Space, poking fun at all her multiple failed romances and the casualties she's left behind.  Though her relationships were at a loss, her song won a Grammy for Song of the Year..crazy! 

I'd like to put a little twist to her song title, to help you remember this very helpful principle when dealing with your close relationships.  Here it is: Blank Slate!  If God has wiped the slate clean with all our sin, how about if we wipe the slate clean at the close of every day with other's sins against us?  

Ephesians 4:26-27 says to “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil."  In other words, wipe the slate clean every night and wake up the next day with a clean slate, totally empty, no records of wrongdoing against anyone.  Don't mess up today with your wife, or husband, or best friend, or boss, or neighbor's mess ups (intentional or unintentional) from yesterday.  

Paul said there is one thing that he does…forget those things that are behind and reach forward to those things ahead (Phil. 3:13). If you need to confront something, do it in a godly way, then regardless of the outcome, move on!  Forgive!  Let it go!  Start each day with a blank slate baby! 

I Know God Loves Me, But...

Romans 5:8 "God commended His love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners Christ died for us" 

A few years ago, our puppy Benny (who just turned 16 by the way), went outside for a little while.  Then there he was at the back door asking to back come in.  I opened the door, and the smell was so strong it almost knocked me over. Benny had a close encounter with a skunk.  Well, he started running around the whole house and the smell of the skunk got on everything.  Our couch, the carpet, everything, yuck!  I searched every possible remedy to get rid of the smell. I used vinegar, baking soda, Lysol, you name it, I did it, in an effort to "neutralize" the smell, I did it all! 

If we really understood how much God loves us it would change everything.  If we understood that God loved us, worry, stress, and panic would no longer be an everyday occurrence.  When we say "I know God loves me, but…", we basically neutralize everything about His love for us. Neutralize means to render something ineffective by applying an opposite force or effect. That’s what "but" does, it renders God's love ineffective in our life!  

Think about this, when you were born again, how much had you been fasting, praying, going to church, paying your tithes, living holy, and doing everything just right?  Romans 5:8 means that Christ did the ultimate when you deserved it the least.  You may have been in adultery, doing drugs, at your very worst, whatever, and yet Christ died for you!  It was completely independent of what you could do. It was a gift, and it was presented to you. So, don’t neutralize God's love for you…no more buts.  

Recipe for a Tender Heart

Ephesians 4:32 "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you". 

I recently grilled some thin pieces of beef on skewers, marinated in a teriyaki sauce with sesames, delicious...uh, no.  Even though I only cooked them for five minutes on each side, they became a "burnt offering", really tough, dry and chewy.  Then next time, I definitely decreased the time on both sides and they came out perfect, really tender, and…delicious! 

The word tender means having a soft or yielded texture, to soften. Similarly, the word tenderhearted means easily moved with love and compassion.  And the word tenderize means to make tender or soft by applying a process or substance that breaks down the hardness. 

In Ephesians 4:32, Paul says for our hearts to be tender towards ourselves and other people, to "be kind" one to another. That simply means to be nice or to be easy with one to another.  But he goes on to say that a tender heart comes from one thing and one thing alone - forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you!  In other words, know that you are forgiven of past present and future sins, and forgive one another, as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you.  

So, here's a recipe for a tender heart!  "Cook it" the right amount of time in God's presence, listen for His voice and follow His instructions, be nice to each other and forgive one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you.  Have a kind day.  Voila!

Say Goodbye to Guilt

Gal 4:17 (The Message Bible)  "Those heretical teachers go to great lengths to flatter you, but their motives are rotten. They want to shut you out of the free world of God's grace so that you will always depend on them for approval and direction, making themselves important." 

The biggest curse in the body of Christ today is the enormous amount of guilt, condemnation, shame, and fear.  These destructive behaviors are totally disarming and paralyzing the people of God. Sadly, statistics have shown that Pentecostals, Charismatic's and full gospel people suffer with guilt and guilt related disorders more than any other religious group in the world. 

The dictionary defines guilt as, the feeling of responsibility or remorse for some offense, or crime, whether real or imagined.  The reason why is we get hooked on what I call a toxic mixture of old testament law and new testament grace.  Once you mix the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life, it will poison every area of your Christian life. 

For the majority of believers in the church today, guilt is their drug of choice.  For many, if they don't feel guilty, they wonder how they be motivated to serve God!  Some actually think guilt is a Christian emotion. IT"S NOT! Paul calls this mixture "another gospel".  Any time a person tries to earn the love, acceptance, forgiveness and favor of God, it is going to result in guilt, condemnation, shame and fear. God's unmerited favor is the answer that will deliver God's people from this addiction.  God loves, accepts, and forgives every one of us unconditionally.  It's time to kick the habit!

The Accepting Church

Romans 15 :7 NIV "Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God" 

For too long the church has been known as a place of rejection, judgment, and condemnation.  This is the consequence of mixing grace with law, which makes people fearful of their heavenly Father.  Under the law, they prayed for the day when the LORD would "make his face shine on you and be gracious to you" (Numbers 6:25). The good news is, you and I are living in that day.  He is looking at us and smiling from ear to ear.  We are the accepted and a member of "the accepting church".

 I recently read this and thought it would be a perfect way to open a Sunday morning church service… 

We extend a special welcome to those who are single, married, divorced, widowed, gay, rich, poor, yo no hablo ingles.  We love crying newborns, people who are skinny as a rail, or those who could afford to lose a few pounds. You're welcome here if you are just browsing, just woke up, or just got out of jail.  If you can sing like a rock star or can’t carry a note in a bucket.  We don’t care if you’re in church every Sunday, or haven’t been in church since little Joey’s baptism. 

If you blew all your offering money at the casino, you’re welcome here. We offer a special welcome to those who think the earth is flat, work too hard, don’t work, can’t spell or came because Grandma is in town and wanted to go to church. We welcome soccer moms, football dads, starving artists, tree-huggers, latte-sippers, vegetarians, and junk-food eaters. We welcome those who are in recovery or still addicted. We welcome you if you’re having problems or you’re down in the dumps or if you don’t like “organized religion.” We’ve been there too. 

We welcome those who are inked, pierced or both. We’re glad you’re here if you could use a prayer right now, had religion shoved down your throat as a kid, or got lost and wound up here by mistake. We welcome visitors, seekers, doubters, bleeding hearts … and you!  Welcome home!  We accept you just as Christ accepted us!

Unzip Your New Self

Ephesians 4:24 NIV "And put on your new self created after God in righteousness and true holiness" 

The other day I needed to make a copy of a document, so I placed it on the copy machine, pressed the button, and boom there was an exact copy of the document.  It didn’t change any of the words, everything was exactly, perfectly the same as the original, absolutely no difference at all. 

Similarly, if I wanted to see exactly what my born again Spirit-filled spirit was like, I know what I could do.  I could place the pages of my Bible on the copy machine and that's exactly what my spirit would look like. My born again spirit is an exact copy of what the Word says.  You have a new you! 

Ephesians 4:24 says that your new self was created in righteousness and true holiness.  That's awesome.  I often think, if I could zipper open my body and see into my spirit, I would see righteousness and holiness.  You and I are an exact grace copy of the Word of grace and favor.  Inside of you and me is health, abundance, purpose and victory.  John 6:63 says, "The Words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life".  The life of God Himself is on the inside of you!  You're a grace copy!  Time to unzip your new self!

The Happy God

1 Timothy 1:11 (Rotherham's Emphasized Bible) "…the glad-message of the glory of the happy God…" 

The other day I was laughing and talking with someone about the Lord, and how good He is.  We were having such a fun time.  When I walked away, someone I had never seen before, was listening to our conversation, and glared at me, then quietly cursed at me and said that I had no idea what I was talking about.  If eyes were guns and looks were bullets, I would’ve been target practice! This was not a happy person. 

I love this translation for 1Timothy 1:11 that says "It’s the glad message of THE HAPPY GOD".  This is such great news.  I can assure you today that God's definitely not glaring at you.  In fact, whenever He thinks about you, which is all the time, He's grinning from ear to ear!  To glare means to frown, to scowl, to glower, to make a nasty face (love that one), to look with daggers (like that one too) to give someone a look of disgust. 

Well, there's nothing you can do to make God glare at you.  The gospel of Grace declares that God loves you with a love you cannot measure.  To quote Philip Yancey, "Grace means there is nothing I can do to make God love me more, and nothing I can do to make God love me less".  Another definition is " the good, glad, merry news that makes you want to jump and leap for joy". 

God is a happy God and has a glad message, so smile!  God's not frowning at you, He's not mad at you, and He's not even in a bad mood.  You put a big smile on His face! 

No More Religious Do Do

Romans 4:6 "Just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:" 

Because of the finished work of Jesus on the cross, as Christians, we no longer live a life of do, do, do.  Under grace, we live a life of done, done, done!  Everything promise in the Word of God is already ours through Christ.  

Do, do (aka: doo-doo).  Sound familiar?  It's that little "present" that your dog leaves for you when you're out of the house for an extended period of time.  

Similarly, a "performance based" Christianity, or trying to do good so that we will get good is what I call, "religious do, do".  Trying to pray long enough, or read the Bible long enough, or fast long enough, just to get good, is religious do, do.  Trying to earn God's goodness, or living in fear of something bad happening if you don't do enough, is a total "waste" of time.  Religious do,do. 

Don't get me wrong, praying and reading the Bible and fasting are all good when you are living a life of grace, and enjoying the freedom and victory you already have in Christ.  In Romans 4:6, Paul says the man who God imputes righteousness without doing anything to earn or deserve it, is blessed.  That’s powerful and liberating!   You were made righteous, it was a gift, you can't do anything to earn it.  So, no more religious do, do.  At the cross it became done, done, done! 

High Octane Grace: Love

Ephesians 3:19 "To know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God" 

So, you're at a gas station, filling up your car, and you have a choice of three buttons, but only one fuel nozzle.  Regular is 87 octane, mid-grade is 89 octane and premium is 93 octane. Premium gas, which has the higher octane rating, leads to more power from the same amount of gas. When I looked up octane rating, the definition gripped me, especially as a grace preacher. Octane rating is a measure of grace under pressure: how evenly a gasoline will burn under difficult conditions, like hard acceleration.  That’s really cool! 

We would all like to experience more health, abundance, and success in our lives.  God, being God, possesses all of these things, won't you agree?  So to be full of God is to be full of health, abundance, and success.  But how are we to be full of God?  In the past, I was told "to be filled with all the fullness of God", I had to fast a certain number of days, pray a certain number of hours, and do all kinds of things. 

But to be filled with all the fullness of God is not about what you do, it's not even about your love for Christ!  It's about knowing His love for you.  When God made you, He designed you to run at optimal level when you are filled with His love. Like a car that runs at its best when it is filled with the best premium gasoline.  When you feed on His love for you, you'll run so much better, and with more efficiency, and effortlessly. How?  On high octane = His love for you. So press "premium 93" daily, and fill up on high octane grace!  You'll live much better. 

It's Worth the Wait

Acts 1:4-5 - "And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 

Jesus didn't recommend or suggest that the disciples not depart from Jerusalem until the "Promise of the Father" had come, He commanded them. After His resurrection, they had spent many amazing days together, He taught them kingdom principles, and He knew the disciples were eager to share the good news all over the world.  But He commanded them not to get started until they had been clothed with the Spirit's power (Luke 24:49).  

In 1 Corinthians it says that He gave this command to about 500 people, yet in Acts 1:15 it says there were only 120 men and women in the upper room filled with the Holy Spirit.  What happened to the other 380?  Perhaps they didn't want to wait.  They wanted to get started doing the work of the ministry…without the power of the Holy Spirit!

When God calls us to do something, we need to make sure that we don't get so excited about the task, that we move out ahead of Him.  Moving out in our own power and timing will actually interfere with what He wants to do in our lives, and interrupt the process.  Our decisions greatly affect the lives of those around us, and the people that God has called us to reach.  Slow down!  Don't worry, you'll know when the Holy Spirit says to move, and He will empower you for the task at hand.  It's worth the wait.

Loose Lips Sink Ships

Ecclesiastes 10:20 "No, don't even make fun of the king, even in your bedroom. For a little bird might deliver your message and tell them what you said" 

Have you ever heard someone say, "loose lips sink ships".  Did you know that this phrase was coined as a slogan during World War II, as an attempt to limit the possibility of people inadvertently giving useful information to enemy spies. This was one of several similar slogans as part of the campaign's basic message - "careless talk costs lives". 

So what does this mean to you and me? It means that unguarded talk may give useful information to the enemy!   In other words, victory in our public life really begins with what we say in our private conversations at work, at home, and with our friends and family.  

We need to make sure that what we pray lines up with what we say.  We can't pray in agreement with God's Word in one area, and then try to be politically correct and speak contrary to the Word as we go about our day, it won't work. Our words need to work for us and not against us or what we're praying for.  

Who is the Holy Spirit? by Natalie Fortunato

John 14:16-17  "And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, so that He may be with you forever, the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him nor know Him. But you know Him, for He dwells with you and shall be in you."

Many want to understand the gifts, fruit, voice, power and workings of the Holy Spirit without first coming to know Him as a Person.  Yes, a Person, not a human, but a divine Person, the third Person of the Godhead.  He is not an "it", or a mystical power that flows from God, He is God.  

I encourage you to take a minute and think about what place you give Him in your personal day to day life.  Ask yourself, "Do I honor and reverence Him as a Person?  Am I aware that He knows me best, and loves me most.  Or that He has made His home in my heart and wants to be actively involved in my life?  Do I long to spend time with Him, getting to know Him through the Word, and developing an intimate relationship with Him?"  

If you can honestly say that you have pretty much ignored Him, or give Him little room in your life, let me re-introduce you to the most amazing, wonderful, kind, tender, sensitive, mighty Person on the face of the earth. He is all-knowing and all-powerful.  He is a lifelong and permanent companion who is willing and able to teach, help, protect, counsel and guide you.  He is infinite in majesty, glory, splendor, wisdom, knowledge, and holiness.  He is God. 

Honk Lessons From Geese - Part III

Ecclesiastes 4:10 "For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!" 

Geese care for one another!  I still remember where I was and how I felt, when I received very timely and caring messages from two friends.  It was one of the toughest times in my whole life, just after my first wife passed.  After the funeral I spent a week in Florida with my Pastor and his family.  When I arrived home, the message light was flashing on my answering machine.  I pressed the button, I and there were two messages from young pastor friends of mine, who shared their love and concern for me.  I still remember their words, almost twenty years later.  It truly made an impact on me. 

When a goose gets sick, wounded, or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again.  Then they launch out into formation with another flock or catch up with their flock.  If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as the good times!  Here's a great bumper sticker, "Honk if you love Jesus and people".

Honk Lessons From Geese

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 "Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor. If one person falls , the other can reach out and help. But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble" 

Last Saturday night it was kind of cloudy but warm outside, so I took my dog for a walk.  Then the strangest thing happened.  We were walking along, and I couldn’t see anythingin the sky but I could hear geese honking directly over my head.  

As a goose flaps its wings it creates an "uplift" for the birds that follow.  I learned that by flying a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range then if each bird on its own.  When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and the resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it. 

If we have as much sense as a goose, we would stay in formation with those headed where we want to go.  Are we willing to accept their help and give our help to others?  Two are always so much better than one.  HONK if you're willing to work with others!  You'll accomplish so much more.  It's called " synergy", where two or more people work together to produce a result not obtainable by any one independently.  Two are better than one.  Stay tuned next week for Part Two of "Honk Lessons From Geese".