Should we be at war?

I recently posted a quote on face book as a joke about Obama and I was bombarded with many different mind sets on war. In addition their seemed to be a common question about whether we should be at war right now. The following is my response to those people who disagree with War. Something to think about:

"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike him as hard as you can, and keep moving."- Ulysses S. Grant

"To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace."- George Washington

"But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately.” (Luke 21:9 NKJV)

"And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Revelation 13:5-8 NKJV)

So check it out, war is absolutely necessary to achieve Gods purpose, which is not subject to the democrats, and/or the republicans agenda, it is according to His agenda. If anyone thinks that the Lord does not have His hand in this war against terror and Iraq, you are sadly mistaken and very foolish. For example, it is to this day that before we were in Iraq, we (Christians) were not allowed to freely preach the gospel in Iraq, but now, because we went to war with Iraq, many people have been saved and doors have been opened up so that missionary's could go into that nation, and now that nation is changing by allowing Christians to go in and preach the gospel. Those that disagree with war, are trapped in their own little worlds, thinking that only within their thinking and their brain, if it does not make sense, war should not happen. But that is because you are thinking from a human and fleshly and selfish way, and not Gods way. Gods plan for your life doesn't always agree with your plan. Submit to God, and He will change your life, not for your good, but for Gods good, because you are not God, Jesus is God. But I assure you that God is good, in the end is for your Good (at least for your spirit, if you are have given your life to Him).

In addition in reference to my last scripture I posted, we must understand that God will have His way, reguardless of how we think, and what we want. The Bible says every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess. If this means people die in the process, then so be it. Many people (not all) in these nations which and where we have declared war and/or are fighting do not worship Jesus. In fact some of them hate Christians and even kill Christians. This is not ok to God, and that is why I believe that we are at war. To understand this you must understand that all authority has been established by God (Romans 13:1). Meaning that the authorities of the United States, who have been placed by God, have decided to go to war, and therefore God is all about that decision because God allows people to be in authority, whether you want that or not.

...and I leave you with this, Obama is not a Christian, and that is one strong reason why our country is in the mess that it is. Stop blaming everything on the war. Recession, financial struggles, yes, they will come because of war, but, remember, everything is spiritual, and when a Muslim president has been placed in authority over a nation that is and was founded on the gospel of Jesus Christ, the spirit of darkness will come and try to take over. But their is hope, because we can pray, and we can have faith for a better tomorrow and a better president to get this great nation back to how God wants it, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12 NKJV)The thing to do is not to complain about it, and the real question you should be asking yourself is this: "what are you doing about it' about the crisis? Are you complaining about it and doing nothing? Do you vote? Do you pray, are you saved? Do you have a relationship with Jesus? Do you participate in the great commission?

"But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me." (Acts 26:16-18 NKJV)

The beginning of my testimony

I want to say that I have left my old man at the cross today. I left that wretched sinner at the cross today. I have decided today that I will live the rest of my days while here on earth for Jesus. The very nature of not living for God today, confuses the hell out of me. The very fact that when people know Jesus, and then decide to leave him, makes no sense in my mind, only to come to the conclusion that they want what they want, and not what Jesus wants.

Time is inevitable, it keeps on passing by, minute by minute. We run and keep going, and every minute passed is a minute closer to our death.

And without life here on earth, without life for our souls, for our spirits, it is a long disgusting miserable life, trying to make excuses to do what we do not really want to do, but we do them anyway because we think we are getting away with it.

Pay day is coming though, when we Face Jesus after we die. The bible says that all will meet Jesus face to face and will have to account for all of our actions, and why we did or didn't decide to live for Him. These words are true that I speak of not because of my great vast knowledge or facts i may have picked up from some college, or some lame college that teaches about seminary, but because of the Bible, and my relationship with Christ.

My relationship with Christ has grown close and not distant. When someone asks me if I know Jesus, their isn't this doubt within me that wants to just say yes because I am afraid of facing my lifestyle or admitting that I have been living in a manner that may have been against the very nature that I used to live by. No one can hold onto values and truly live by them alone, only Jesus can help that person live by values that they believe in, that is, to truly live by them all of the time. Try holding onto values alone, and you will end up breaking every value you believe in. This is why some people say one thing in how they live but then we find them doing the complete opposite. Because their is no foundation, their is no continual guidance, except from what they were taught when they were a Kid, and now they do not even want to live according to that because it is to difficult by themselves.

The true foundation is found on Jesus whether one believes it or not, it doesn't matter what people think or how many man made religions exist or will be invented. And only those who have a relationship with Christ can testify to the truth of that statement. If one does not know Jesus, then they have no idea what they are talking about when it comes to Jesus. Not because of my opinion, but because i have strived and purposed in my heart to make it my motive to live by the Bible, and since then, that is since June of 2003, when I gave my life to Jesus and started reading the Bible, I have never been able to say that what the Bible says is not true, because everything that I have read in the bible has been proven in my life or proven to be true in someone else's life.

So I start off by saying these things to give you an understanding of who I have become, not because of anything I have done, but because of everything Jesus has done in my life. Everything who i am is because of God, because without Him, I could never of decided to hold onto and truly live by the values that my Mom and Dad once taught me, or the values I learned from other organizations or the values that I already knew within my spirit were right.

And so now it is time to write my testimony, of who I have become In Christ. My testimony will include many verses to help you understand what and why I am saying what I am saying, but also in hoping that those who read this either give their lives to Jesus and are never the same after, or those who already know Jesus and are living for Him will be encouraged to write their own testimony so that the name of Jesus could be glorified. And that is the purpose of writing my testimony, to give God all of the glory, but to share with those who are interested in understanding why I live the way I do, and why I no longer live a "normal " lifestyle. May my testimony encourage you to be open with who you used to be, so that those who are going thru the same thing you went thru, would have hope once again, or once for the first time, and could be inspired to realize that they are not alone anymore. And let that hope be all in Jesus!

The beginning to be continued at a later date soon to come.

Truly trusting in Him!

Jeramiah 29
Proverbs 29

If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed. (Proverbs 29:18 MSG)

I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out-plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. "When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. "When you come looking for me, you'll find me. I'll make sure you won't be disappointed." God's Decree. "I'll turn things around for you. I'll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you"-God's Decree-"bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it. (Jeremiah 29:11-14 MSG)

Message:

Exile means the following according to Websters dictionary, "The state or period of forced absence
Many times in my life, I sometimes feel that I am in a place that I do not want to be. It is almost a place that I describe as wanting to be further along in certain areas of my life than where I am. So not just my physical location, but rather my spiritual condition of each area of my life. My marriage, my ministry, my finances, my career, even my relationship with God. But i must remembeer that where i am is only a season! It is simply a season within my life where i maybe experiencing doubt, or fear, or lonliness, or the unknowing of an outcome that is about to happen within my life that I may not know the answer to yet.

Promise

When I attend to what God reveals, then I am most blessed. In other words that i would stop focusing on what I think I know, or even what I think I feel or understand, or even see, but that I would focus on what God is revealing. This way I won't be so focused on what I am thinking, or even believe, but I would focus on what God is thinking, feeling, seeing, believing for my life. (ref proverbs 29:18)

God knows exactly what he is doing! That is What the bible says. And although I have read this verse and heard this verse over and over (Jeremiah 29:11), I must continue reading further in these verses, because it says after that, that when I come looking for Him I will find Him.
that is key, when i come looking for Him, in other words, that when I stop focusng on my self, and what I want, and what I feel, or even what I think I see both spiritually and/or physically, then I will be able to see what God sees, and know what God knows about my life and my future. And although He may not reveal everything immediately, at least I have aimed my thoughts, feelings in the correct direction!

God then says later in the verses above in Jeremiah 29:11-14, that I will not be disappointed. So when I trust and place my trust in Him, regardless of how I feel, i will not be disappointed and he will turn things Around for me.

Command:

So what is God telling me to do in these verses? He is telling me to stop trusting in myself,and stop focusing on what I see and what I want or what I think, but instead to turn my thoughts, my feelings, my desires to what He wants and what He is doing, so that He could bless me!

Warning

If I cannot see what God is doing in my life, then I will stumble in my life. This is why people never can seem to figure out a plan or be satisfied, because they haven't seen what God is revealing and what God is trying to do. (ref proverbs 29:18)

Life application

This was my Prayer today during my time with Him:
"Lord allow me to change into the person that you want me to be and not into the person that I think I am!"
This is such a vital prayer that is so revolutionary if one really desires that within the depth of their being. This changes everything and how I see my life in every area of my life.
Recently a job oppurtunity came up within my life, and I found myself at the cross just moments before I took the entry level exam for US Customs. He said to me, when I went to the cross and was in His presence, after asking Him if I was supposed to be there, He said this "Jeff, I want you to be here, it is ok, my hand is upon your life!". This changed many wanders and worries for me that day. Whether I know if I am going to get the job eventually or not is irrelevlant at this point, but because i humbled myself before Him and asked Him, what did He want me to do. I always want to do what God wants me to do within my heart, even after I do something wrong. And so, I am waiting for a response. But whether I pass this the entry level exam or not, it doesn't matter because He told me I was where He wanted to be, and that is all that matters. The rest of the story will un vail itself as I continue to trust in Him!

My testimony

I am in the process of writing my testimony and will be posting soon, stay tuned for my testimony! God has put it on my heart to share it, but be aware, because it will give you hope, and faith for your own life!;)

It is time for a new beginning!

As I spend time in the presence of God, the one who created me, I realize as He shows me that their has been too much noise in my life. Even as I am a soul winner and a disciple maker, within that lifestyle, their has been too much noise. This noise I am referring to isn't necessarily bad "noise". It is best described in my own words as noise that needs to be put aside for a moment or two, noise that needs to be brought to Jesus' feet. All my worries, all my desires for the people who I minister to, all my ideas, all my work, all my love, all of my false identity, everything, must be set aside at Jesus' feet and left their so that Jesus can take it from me, so that I can live that life that Jesus talks about, about taking His yoke upon Him, and He will give you rest. Their is no peace like the peace that Jesus gives and allows us to experience. Their is no joy like Jesus and being at Jesus' feet and allowing Him to hold me, allowing Him to caresse me and let me know everything is going to be ok. That I do not need to be afraid anymore. That everything that seems out of control is actually under control of the one who created me. Stop, listen and lay these things at the feet of Jesus, and allow God to speak to you right now. Take five minutes to shut the TV off, get off Facebook, stop talking, put some piano music on, or some soft spiritual music on and allow Jesus to come face to face with you so that you can finally experience that peace and joy in Him. He wants you, He loves you, and He longs to be with you just as you long to be with Him!

A new beginning by Sarah

Sarah Castellanos

The following are my notes from when I had the opportunity to listen to her preach to youth leaders and Pastors kids. The title of her sermon was "New Beginnings". I was inspired from her teaching, and have began to implement this concept of having a new beginning in every area of my life.

Notes:

You must realize that you are always an example to everyone, because eyes are on you.

It is a new beginning. It is a new beginning for your lives. I believe that God has changed your life to the point that you are ready to do something new. It is never to late to serve God!

2 kings 5

This man was extremely successful, and he had seen many many victories, but he had leprosy, and leprosy stops everything. "I would rather have a disease that is eating my flesh, than a disease that is eating my soul" DL Moody.

Sin is what keeps us from growing as a leader! It is what keeps us from our cells growing. We must not have sin in our life.

1. The first thing he had to do is to take off his mask.

Verse 5; Naaman thought he could buy this new beginning. It is unbelievable that so many people that are like Naaman today, that they go to cell, church, and that they are achieving great successes. God does not want our successes, but he wants us to come to him as we are. And then as we do this, we will be able to experience the grace of God on our lives.

Of you who are here, you need a brand new chance.

God wants to use this new Generation, to start something fresh. It begins by presenting itself just as you are, stop pretending who you are. Sometimes we get used to this "Sunday" face.

A lot of times we get used to pretending. God is speaking to us all of the time. A lot of times we pretend, we pretend we are the most holy out of everything, and that we are holy. The only way we will be able to get a brand new start is if we stop pretending.

Verse 10
God does not think the way we think, God speaks to us in the weird ways, When God speaks, do not think, obey! Just obey

This man had a bit of an ego.
When God speaks we must die to our ego, if you want to know the dream of God, you must leave your ego at the cross, pride is something very strong.
We must give up that pride!

Pride will take you out of purpose for God.

Sometimes we are so close to experience that new beginning. God will always ask of us to give up something. When God speaks to you, do not think, obey!

God sees the bigger picture! The G12 spreading thru out the world, was the result of obedience. It wasn't until Pastor Claudia was told by God to start a new church in Miami that really started spreading the G12 vision thru out the world!

Imagine the result of your obedience and how it can allow you to do great things for him. Remember, you do not see the big picture.

Take that leap of faith that God has asking you to do. The fruit will come when you obey! When you stop playing with sin and contamination, you will be allowed to grow!

If you are spiritually dead, then you will not want to do what God wants you to do but when you have a relationship with God and you are obedient, then the ideas will come and you will find a place in the church.

Are you listening?

It was so clear, and it was so easy, it just demanded that he humble himself.
God does speak to you. A lot of times their are so many distractions, that you do not hear God you must truly take some time to connect to his spirit. Are you listening to the words that God is speaking to you?

Allow him to give you that fresh message to your life, but how can we hear the message if we aren't listening to the message?

Above all, when Naaman obeyed, he experienced the miracle.

Identify the distractions in your life. Make time to read the word, pray to God, to study the word.

And further more I just want to say to the audience who is reading this,
That today is a new beginning, that this week is a new beginning, that this year is a new beginning, that this week does not have to be the same as last week, nor this year need to be the same as last year. I speak new beginnings over my life and lives of those reading this, that things are changing, because God is a God of new beginnings!

2011 G12 conference "Dream"

I had the priviledge of attending the 2011 G12 conference entitled "Dream" in Ontario, CA this weekend, and there were so many things God was showing me. The power of a dream was the theme. While at this conference, I was really expecting God to really allow me to have a more intimate relationship with Him, my wife, and I was also asking God for specific dreams for my family and ministry.
Before I came to this conference, it seemed that many trials had come into my life. The circumstances were so thick in my life, that it had caused a blockage of me being able to see my dreams clearly. I had begun to loose sight and hope for my dreams. However, as I entered into the conference with an open heart, God began to immediately set me free from the weight of these circumstances and trials in which I was facing. My heart began to weep, and I could not stop crying as the worship and presence of God was so thick during ministry time.
Some of my favorite times at this conference was; when Sarah Casteanos preached, when my wife and I gave an offering in faith, and listening to Martin Smith worship.
When Sarah preaches at any conference, I am always amazed at what God does and how powerful He speaks to me thru her messages. I thank God for Sarah, and I love her because her heart is for the youth of the next Generation. Every time she preaches, my life is wrecked and I find myself weeping at Jesus' feet in humbleness and repenting before my Jesus. This year, she was preaching on being the salt of the earth from Matthew chapter 5. That morning, my devotional was actually from this chapter, and about me being the salt of the earth. It was incredible.
The significance of my wife and I giving a great offering of faith this year was because my wife had had her hours recently cut at work. We are literally missing about 1/3 of our income now. However, by faith we were able to gather enough money to not only go to this conference, but to also give a faith offering of $100 as a covenant offering. We gave in faith that God would take care of us and provide for us in that time of need when we would need it the most. Very similar to the time Abraham came before God ready to give his one and only son in whom he loved. God sent an angel at the last minute and told Abraham to not sacrifice his son. And because Abraham came before God prepared and ready with a willing heart, because he gave his best, God made him the father of the multitudes. A pastor told me once that their will be a time when God takes everything from your life, because he wants to test your life, to test your faith. Today God has taken everything from my wife and I and we are learning to depend on Him and not our finances.
Listening to Martin Smith (formally known as the lead singer of Dilerious?) was a joy and an experience like I have never experienced before. I noticed something different in the way he lead worship as opposed to other great artists or worship leaders, in that he really connected to the crowd and lead the crowd into worship. He wasn't just simply up on stage performing, but he would look at the faces of those in the crowd, and smile. He seemed to be amazed at what God was doing in the United States thru the G12 vision, and excited that he was with these sons and daughters of the living God. He was with us, and the presence of God was so thick that it was as if we were in Heaven singing to Jesus! Their was such a peace about Martin Smith that blew my mind, the way he carried himself and smiled genuinely with peace and joy. He said one thing that really changed my life, he said "ya know, with people all in here, we are all going thru different circumstances, but the great thing is that we are all here worshipping God, and this is what we were called to do, we were called to be at peace and worship God. Sometimes in life we just need to stop and spend time worshipping Jesus, because that is what we were created to do.". That is so true!

Martin Smith captivated the heart of worship, so dynamic, refusing nothing but excellence within the team that plays with him. I believe all worship leaders should learn the dynamic of worship from this man. He truly know how to capture the heart of worship like I have never seen before from any other artist.