DECIDE!!!

by john roy bohlen and John 5:30

DO!!!   OBEY!!!   DECIDE!!!   CHOOSE!!!

Dear Heavenly Father, Precious Papa Yahweh, Daddy God of All:

Lovely Holy Spirit, Ruach HaKodesh:

The Power of Choosing God's Will

Glorious Yahshua Jesus, Creator King of Everything: Please, speak Your Word, at this time, in this writing.  Amen.

BODY, SOUL AND SPIRIT

A fleshly person is a person who does what their body wants them to do.

A soulish person does what their emotions and feeling want them to do.  This kind of person becomes a slave to one’s own feelings and emotions.

A spiritual person does what God tells them to do!!!

A fleshly, carnal person, a person who walks in the flesh, allows one's self to become a slave to what his or her body tells them to do.  If the body does not feel like getting out of bed, the person meekly submits to the Body’s demand.  If their body does not feel like exercising, the person does not exercise.  If their body wants to eat certain foods, like sugar, candy, chocolate, ice cream, pop, alcohol, drugs, carbohydrates, cakes, starches, etc., and that person KNOWS that what their body is telling them to do or be is unhealthy, and unwise, and is poor body stewardship, then a fleshly or carnal person does what their body wants them to do.  This kind of person easily becomes an addict.  This situation exists with food addiction, sexual addiction, drug addiction, alcohol addiction, crime addiction, gambling addiction, spending addiction, laziness addiction, sloppiness addiction, television addiction, etc.

Let’s understand the Bible use of the word “flesh”.  Of the 149 times the word flesh is used in the King James New Testament, 95 of the mentions, have to do with the human body, and are not used in a negative context.  In fact, there are only a few times with the rest of the selections that are used to depict negativity.

A soulish person does what emotions and feelings tell him or her to do.  If one’s emotions or feelings tells them to be discouraged, depressed, resentful, bitter, angry, unforgiving, sad, morose, negative, complaining, victim-like, unbelieving, etc., then, that’s what they allow themselves to do and to be and to become!

Every command of God, every leading of the Holy Spirit, speaks to the choice of our will.  A spiritual person will do the will of God, no matter what the circumstances, conditions, feelings, or emotions say to the contrary.  A spiritual person will forgive, even when he or she does not feel like forgiving.  The same is true of anger, discouragement, laziness, temptations, or resentment, etc.  A spiritual person will rejoice and give thanks, at any time, or under any circumstance, simply because, that is what God commands and expects.  Phil 4:4  "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, 'Rejoice!'."  A spiritual person will obey this command, in spite of feelings and emotions and conditions to the contrary, simply because it is the right and proper thing to do, simply because it is the will of God, simply because the New Testament commands it.  The same thing is true for the Scriptural commands to "love each other fervently from a pure heart", to "Give thanks, at all times, in (and for) everything!!!"   1 Peter 1:22, 1 Thes. 5:16-18, and Eph.5:20

THE DEAD MOUSE AND THE PRANSOME HINCE

We have a friend that was horribly abused as a child.  Normally such a person grows up feeling like a victim.  In the process of giving advice, an astounding revelation came to me when I made this statement:

“EVERY PROMISE AND COMMANDMENT FROM GOD, PUTS YOU IN CONTROL!”

Suddenly, the light dawned upon some areas of my thinking that I really needed.  I realized that, to a large extent, I had been acting like a VICTIM in my relationship with God.

Let me give some examples:

I had pictured God as this great big God, Who could treat me any way He wants, because, even at my best, I was at His mercy.  He could give me money if and as He wants, reprintings, open doors, healings, miracles.  Though I blessed Him, I also saw God as the person Who has kept me from success, kept my dreams from being realized, kept my prayers from being answered, kept me from financial abundance.  Every time I thought of the promises of God, I would feel helpless.  Every time I was called upon to heal the sick, I would feel like I am God's Victim.  Like Job.  It was my main concept of God.  A Big capricious whimsical game-playing, dice throwing, crap shooting God, Who could jerk us around, play dirty tricks on us, deny us, lie to us, or at least play some pretty serious cosmic jokes on us.

I realize that I have been thinking of myself as a poor abused and mistreated but right-spirited wife or child, huddled in a corner, waiting for God to play another trick on me.  All this time, I saw myself as God's punching bag for His pleasure, and for my good.  I saw myself as being more fair than God Himself, more righteous than God Himself, in the sense that He could break His promises to me, but I could not break mine to Him.  He could make me a promise and not fulfill it, but not me.  He could fill my heart with keen and earnest expectations, and not fulfill them.  He could promise to take me to Disney Land, and then, delay or change His Mind.  He could promise me healing, and not heal.  God could promise to supply and not supply.  God could promise to answer prayer, and not answer.  God could fill my mind with dreams and visions, goals and aspirations - and not fulfill them.  And, all the while, I am to “be content in whatsoever state I am, even if -”,  “keep a right spirit, even though I am God's victim”, “keep on serving Jesus, even when the healings don't come”, “in everything give thanks, even though prayers aren't answered”, “keep on being faithful, even though the money is minimal”, “keep on working hard, even though the results are limited”,  “keep on trying to believe God, even when He disappoints me”.

“RELIGIOUS MASOCHISM”

One of the worst sexual perversions in the world today, is sadism/masochism.  Sadism is when one gets a kick out of hurting others.  Masochism is the enjoyment of being hurt.  As sick as this gets in the sexual realm, it is even more sick in the religious realm where people get a kick out of mistreating others.  But there are many, many people who get a sick thrill from being mistreated, perhaps, because they believe that they deserve it.  Many sexual masochists have a background of sexual abuse, and their pain helps them to feel less guilty.  In the religious area, many people have been made to feel that they are miserable, bad, naughty sinners who deserve to be punished, so they are drawn to ministers who scold and berate them.  Some people don't feel good until they feel bad.

I don't think that was my problem, but, it may have given me a sense of religious pride to see myself as being more fair than God, more righteous than God, more faithful than God.

DEAD MOUSE - We picked up a mouse hand puppet at a garage sale, that looked like it was dead when not activated by the hand.  We will speak more about this later, but some people have what we call a "dead mouse" victim's mentality.

                           GRATITUDE!

                   by John Roy Bohlen, May 31, 1997

What is the very best attitude? 

          Attitude of Gratitude!

                   Jesus stands every day with His Arms outstretched.

Or are you angry with the Father,

          'Cause He doesn't give what you’d rather,

                   You want God to be your slave that carried and fetched.

 

It's up to you to praise the Lord, 

          Or by you, He'll be ignored.

                   Like a grumpy, ungrateful child who should be spanked.

You can thank God, or you don't,

          But, if not, well then, you won't.

                   Then God Himself will wait and not be thanked.

 

The ten lepers all received     

          Healing, almost unbelieved!

                   Then Jesus calmly waited for result.

One came back and thanked Him sweetly,

          But God pondered this one deeply

                   Ingratitude in spoiled children, but - adult?

 

Time, trouble, effort, energy -

          Look at all that Jesus does for thee,

                   If you praise from dawn till dusk, you've just begun

I have decided to be most grateful,

          And not to be so hateful,

                   But be thankful to the Father, Who sent His Son.

 

My hands I'll raise, with heart ablaze,

          Others amaze, "He's a craze!"

                   It doesn't faze, on You I'll gaze.

                             I will praise You all my days, all my ways.   Amen

CO-CREATORS WITH GOD!

The Bible says that we are called to be co-labourers with God.  Virtually every positive cause and effect relationship we have with God causes us to be co-creators with Him.  Every miracle where Yahweh used a person as the channel of the miracle, caused that person to be involved in a co-labouring, co-creating with God.

There is even a sense in which, when God created us, and then commanded and invited us to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue and exercise dominion over it, causes us to be involved with Him in the development of His creation.

The ultimate co-creating that we can be involved with is when we discover and live "The King's Greatest Secret".

Think about it:  God comes to live inside of us.  Shouldn’t that make a difference?!   I was thinking about demon possession.  In Africa, we hear stories about soul travel, body travel, flying on brooms, healings, curses, etc.  Instead of demon possession or devil possession, what about "God possession"???  Instead of having an evil spirit, how about having the Holy Spirit?!  In literature, fiction or otherwise, and in movies, we have stories of what happens when people turn into vampires, wolves, strong people, heroes, evil people, etc.  What would happen if we had people change into God possessed, Holy Spirit possessed, Christ possessed people?!!

Remember what happened when the Holy Spirit came upon people in the past?! 

Exod 31:3  “And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,  4  To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,  5  And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.”  (KJV)

Num 11:25  “And Yahweh came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.”  (KJV)

Deut 34:9  “And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the Spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as Yahweh commanded Moses.  10  And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom Yahweh knew face to face,  11  In all the signs and the wonders, which Yahweh sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land,  12  And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel.”  (KJV)

Judg 6:34  “But the Spirit of Yahweh came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abi-ezer was gathered after him.”  (KJV)

Judg 14:5  “ - behold, a young lion roared against him.  6  And the Spirit of Yahweh came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.”  (KJV)

Spiritual warfare is the exercise of our spiritual weapons and gifts and abilities in God in a co-creating way.

SCRIPTURAL EXAMPLES OF CO-CREATION WITH GOD

Not demon-possessed, but God possessed!

In the movie, "Instant Recall", this super guy had another slimy but brilliant person inside him, but they got shot, but they were heroes while it lasted.  How much more, if Christ lives in us!

The story of “The Incredible Hulk”, is a story about a person who, when stressed, changes in to a kind of terrible, but good monster, with superhuman strength, etc.  The beast roars and contorts, with torn clothes, and gigantic muscles. 

But look at the truth about God coming to live on the inside of us!  It is Yahshua Jesus Yahweh, Creator King of Everything, Who comes to live within!!

Can you see how the enemy comes to distort this process, by bringing destructive pride, man (or woman) worship, sexual side tracking.  By sexual side-tracking, I am talking about how the Presence of God in a person’s life, begins to make that person so beautiful, so graceful, so lovely, so wonderful, so talented, so fruit of the Spirit - kind and loving, that someone else will “fall in love” or be attracted to that person.  Often the person getting "side-tracked" dwells, has had a dysfunctional background, or may not realize what is happening, and become victimized by the enemy’s design, because they do not recognize that the thing that is really attractive about the other person is the Lord Jesus.  Some people are so dysfunctional that when another person is kind to them, or is respectful of them, it is the first time they have ever met anyone like this, and may mistake this love, kindness, gentleness, interest, compassion, patience, and the fruit of the Spirit, etc., as being special, personal interest, instead of attributes that are coming from Jesus.

BODY STEWARDSHIP

Another area of side-tracking is in the area of the physical body.  If the enemy can keep us ignorant of how the Presence of God in our lives is to impact and affect our body, or if we remain ignorant, then a great waste has taken place.

Tell me, shouldn’t the Presence of God in our bodies make us more healthy?  If the Creator King of Everything is living in our bodies, shouldn’t His Presence make us more healthy, and strong, and vibrant, and effervescent, and energetic and happy and whole?  Shouldn’t the Presence of a perfect God, a Perfect Christ, an all powerful Holy Spirit in our bodies, make us more healthy???

We’ve got to get the idea of the Presence of God being, not only in a cathedral, temple, a mountain-top, a closet, a dream, a mystical place, etc., but INTO OUR BODIES!!!

Yes, Christ is coming some Day, but in the meanwhile, HE wants to come and live on the inside of our bodies, our feet, our hands, our scalp, our skin, our eyes, our feet, our legs, our loins, our belly, our chest, our liver, our kidneys, our pancreas, our arms, our hands, our face, our nose, our cells, our brain, etc.  HE wants to change those organs and bones and brain and body parts!!!  Amen.  That’s one reason HE took all of these things with Him to the Cross and allowed such abuse of HIS physical body: SO WE COULD BE HEALTHY!!!  By HIS stripes we are healed!!!  HE HIMSELF bore our sicknesses in HIS BODY, so that we would not have to be sick or unhealthy.

OUR SOUL:

OUR WILL, OUR EMOTIONS, OUR MIND,

OUR SUB-CONSCIOUS MIND, OUR MEMORIES

There is what is known in Christendom a phenomenon called “inner healing” or “healing of the emotions”.  The problem with many who are practitioners in these areas is that they often lack a revelation of “THE KING’S GREATEST SECRET!”!!  There is much good that they do, but here, I believe that their ministry and approach can be improved.  Consequently, there is often no lasting healing, or, it can be wrongly based.

Let's look at some Scriptural examples of co-creation with Yahweh.

SPEAKING THINGS INTO EXISTENCE

There are many examples from the Bible where men of God "spoke things into existence”.

God told Moses to speak to the Rock.  God told Ezekiel to speak to the dry bones. 

Jesus Yahshua said that it was the Father in Him that did the following works:

Jesus Yahshua instructed the maid to arise.

Jesus Yahshua declared the sins were forgiven.

Jesus Yahshua spoke to the storm to still.

Jesus Yahshua told Lazurus to come forth.

Jesus Yahshua commanded the demons to go out.

Jesus Yahshua demanded the fig tree to be cursed.

Jesus Yahshua commended His Spirit to the Father.

Jesus Yahshua layed hands on, multiplying the loaves and fishes.

Jesus Yahshua promised Peter that the gold would be in the fish's mouth.

Jesus Yahshua directed the disciples to put nets on the other side of the boat.

Jesus Yahshua announced to the disciples that He would make them fishers of men.

Jesus Yahshua said that “The Father in Me, does the works!”

Is "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven." a request, or a declaration of faith?  We may miss the point if we always see it as a plaintive plea.

WAYS TO PRAY

Father, Yahweh, In the Mighty Name of Yahshua, Son of Yahweh, by the Holy Spirit, I declare and prophesy “open doors of utterance that the Gospel of the Kingdom may spread unhindered."

I declare in the Name of Yahshua that the needed finances come in, and more besides so that we may give abundantly to others.

In the Mighty Name of Yahshua, Son of Yahweh, by the Holy Spirit, I bind, cast out and away from us and this place, and curse to Hell, every hindrance to our lives and ministry in the mighty Name of Yahshua.  I bind every spirit, principality and power, every ruler of darkness of the air, spiritual wickedness in high places,

We speak that the needed finances come in from every point on the compass - that God raise up the needed help.  That the books be printed, that the funds needed for their printing would come forth, that there would be a market for them, and a desire, that the doors of utterance be opened to other lands, other countries.

Prophesy that recordings be made of singing and that people will want to see them.

In short, use your mouth as an instrument with which to declare and prophesy what ever you believe to be the perfect will of God.

You see, if you really have a revelation of “the King's Greatest Secret!”, then you will believe for, and allow God to create still, in and through you!!!"

New songs.   We  prophesy and agree and declare that we will be all that God wants it to be.

The importance of tongues:  The Spirit of God is given a voice through whom to pray, to create, to worship, to judge.

Active ministry from now on

Dance, march, sing, worship,

This is a time of inventions, creativity, art, dance, plays, new songs, poems, music, prophesies, breakthroughs.

From now on, we must pray as though the promises are true, as though prayer accomplishes something good, as though prayer changes things.

Do you remember when the man of God raises his hands and extends them toward the people, as though he is actually blessing them?  Sometimes he or she will say, "The Lord bless thee!  The Lord keep thee.  May the Lord lift up the light of His countenance upon thee.  The Lord make His face to shine upon thee, and give thee peace.  Amen!"  God wants an actual impartation of blessing to take place during this time.  He wants something lovely and blessed and positive and creative to take place.

By that same token, God leads us to bind and lose, to agree together.

God created the world by this means, by faith, yes, but the means by which this faith was expressed was the spoken word of faith declaration, "Let there be ---!!!"  and there was.

BY FAITH, DOING THINGS TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN

In Luke, chapter 15, Jesus tells of the Prodigal Son, who wasted his inheritance, then came back and received another, but the Older Son was disgruntled.  The story has an unhappy ending.  "Son, all that I have is yours.  You could have had the fatted calf, any time you would have wanted it!"  The story is told of a person who was being shown around Heaven by St. Peter.  When they came to warehouses full of gifts, stacked to the roof, the question was asked, "What are all these presents?"  Peter answered, "Why, these are all the gifts and blessings that God wanted you to enjoy when you were on the Earth, so here they are for you now."

“Pretend” and “Pretend”

I use the word 'pretend' in two different ways:  1)  In the standard sense of acting like something is true when it is not true.  But I also use the word 'pretend'  2)  when we are to act like something is true, because it IS True!!!  Every time the Bible, or God, asks us to act like something is true because it is true, is, for example when God wants us to exercise faith for something.  "We have the Mind of Christ"  "For we are dead, and our life is hidden with Christ in God."  Romans 6:11  "Reckon yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive innnn Christ!"  Here, 'reckon' means, 'act like this is true, because it IS true!'

Christ invites you to be the kind of person who memorizes, pays attention to, and does the promises of God, such as, "Matt 18:19

"If two of you shall agree on Earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father Which is in Heaven."  KJV  and, Matt 21:22   "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."  KJV and, Matt 18:18  "Whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven."  KJV  and, Ps. 149:3-9  "Let them praise His Name in the dance: let them sing praises unto Him with the timbrel and harp.

4 For the LORD Yahweh taketh pleasure in His people: He will beautify the meek with salvation.  5  Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.  6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two edged sword in their hand;

7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;  8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;  9 To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all His saints!  Praise ye the LORD Yahweh."

“For me to live, = Christ!”

I declare that I am well, in Yahshua’s Name!  Amen!  By Christ’s stripes, I AM healed!!!

Dear Heavenly Father: I come to Thee with an earnest and sincere heart. 

I come in the mighty Name of Yahshua, and by the Holy Spirit, to You, Dear Darling Daddy Yahweh, Papa God.

I do not come in my own merit or name or worthiness, but, by Your, blood and mercy and love and kindness, the mercy of Yahshua.

I bring with me today, that which I believe to be the most sincere kind of heart.  My heart is to please You.  I long for You.  I yearn to please You, to do Your sweet will, to say Your words, to sing Your praise, to think Your thoughts, to do Your will, to be what You want, do what You want, to go where You want, to see what You want, to be all that You want - in every, Every, EVERY regard!!!!!!!

O, please help me be pleasing to Thee, in everything, always, all the time, everywhere - to the supernatural maximum.

Thank You for every pain-free moment, for each coherent thought, for every breath of air, every heart-beat, every moment of life and peace and joy and sweet tranquility

Yesterday, when looking at my circumstances, finances and limitations, it seemed that I could see myself all doubled up in a corner, in a fetus position, sucking my thumb, cowering and shivering, shutting my eyes tight against the bright light of reality, wishing the day would pass, and hoping that it wouldn't.  The core issue for me was, again, the unfulfilled prophecies, the unactualized potential, the promises in Scripture, that remain dormant, theoretical, potential, undeveloped, unrealized, unfulfilled.

Should I rise to my feet, take my thumb out of my mouth, lay down my security blanket, throw away my pacifier, discard my baby bottle, straighten my shoulders, open my mouth, and shout against the wind, the circumstances, the limitations, the status quo, the poverty, weakness, the lassitude. the insipidity, the stupor, the languidity,  the passivity, the inactivity, the unfruitfulness. the fruitlessness, the hopelessness, the helplessness, the poverty, the weakness, the limitations, the closed doors, and prophesy the greater works???????

By the power of prayer, and the authority of the spoken word, should we bind the former, and loose the latter?  We pray and boldly prophesy the victory, the strength, the provision, the vision, the money, the open doors, the break-throughs, the miracles, the signs and wonders, the power, the purity, the acceptance, the fruitfulness, the adventures of our God!  In the Mighty All Powerful Matchless Name of Yahshua Jesus, we pray.  Amen.

DEAD MOUSE MENTALITY

As I said earlier, at a garage sale in Portland area, a couple of years ago, I purchased a hand puppet that was a grey mouse.  God used this limp and lifeless puppet to illustrate to me and to us, that we are not to be a dead mouse victim, in our walk and relationship with Him, the Lord Yahweh.  In contrast, I remember putting a live mouse that I had caught, into the bath tub where he couldn't get out, and then putting our mouse killer cat, into the tub with the mouse..  I vividly remember that mouse, literally standing up on its hind feet and facing the big cat bravely, ready to fight to the death, something a hundred times bigger than itself.

There is so very much about our lives and our Christianity, that SEEMS good and proper and decent and successful, if we are only dead mice.  A dead mouse does not sin, but it does not do any good, either.  God has not called you or me to be a dead mouse.  Nor has He called us to be dead to our limitations, our status quo, our lack of finances, our lack of productivity, our helplessness, or circumstances, or our worship.

God wants us to repent for having self-pity, for being passive and for having a helpless victim mentality.  God does not want us to be helpless victims, cowering or sleeping in a corner.  Sometimes sleep can be a blessing.  But sometimes, sleep can be used as an escape.  Weakness can sometimes be an excuse.  Even sickness can be an excuse.  We can allow our old age to be an excuse.  The parable of the talent is an example.  The one talent person was passive and defensive, while the others, were aggressive risk-takers.

The Church is like a fully equipped army, fully armed - whose soldiers go to sleep, curled up in the corner, sucking its thumb, with its eyes tightly shut, hoping the enemy will die of old age, or slink away on his own.  Many are using the concept of an escapist rapture to solve all of their problems, instead of standing on their hind feet, and defeating the enemy in the Name of Jesus!.  Too often, we are like dead, limp and lifeless puppets, who are waiting for God's hand to activate us, when we are God's hand, who must decide to obey what it has already been told to do.

A dead, lifeless hand puppet, does not lie, steal, cheat or kill.  A dead mouse does not cuss, swear, smoke or chew.  But neither does it worship and praise, and neither does it do any good.  Too often we have had a passive mentality that waits for God to do through us what He is waiting for us to do through Him.  Too often, we have been waiting for God to do what He has been waiting for us to do.

Take speaking in tongues:  The reason that most people do not speak in tongues, is because the person is waiting for God to do all of the work.  The same is true with all of the gifts of the Spirit.  It is especially true of worship and praise, dance and shouting and clapping and the raising of our hands.

God does not want you to be this kind of husband or wife or single person, a dead mouse.  He does not want you to be this kind of employee, child or student.

Look at your lifeless hand, lying limp and languid.  Mentally or verbally, tell it what to do, while allowing it to lie limp.  While we don't want our hand to spastically do what we don't want it to, neither do we want it to fail to exercise its will when it is told to do something positive.  In our Christian lives, we have sometimes thought it better to be disobediently but religiously passive, than to be disobediently or fanatically spastic.  Both are wrong.  Both are disobedient.  God wants us to move in Him, AS His representatives, as His hands, by His leading.  We must come to see that it is as disobediently spastic for us to be religiously passive, as it is for us to be fanatically spastic.

Let's study on the extent to which this passive kind of mentality has negatively influenced us:

We have thought that as long as we are dead mice that we are safe.

A dead mouse doesn't cuss, drink, commit immorality, doesn't steal, murder, or even think bad thoughts.  But, neither does it praise, shout, bind, loose, sing, witness, or exercise faith.

GOD'S VICTIM

It is really sad to see people who see themselves as victims, who have a “victim mentality”.  Perhaps they have been victims, or still are being victimized, and have never been delivered or set free or healed.  But there are many more who see themselves as God's victim.  They asked Him to do something for them, that God, in many cases had placed within their grasp.  For example, let's say that I am sitting at your table, having potatoes that need salt.  So, I ask you for the salt.  But it is sitting in front of my nose.  This happened to me at the table last night.  Only it was pepper.  They wouldn't pass it to me because it was within my reach.

The Bible says that “The time came when the saints took the Kingdom by force!”  Mt.11:12

We will continue without salt on our food, no matter how long we beg God for it.  He already purchased it with His Own Son's Blood, and has put it within our grasp.  But something about God makes Him reluctant to put into our mouth, our stomachs, or even on our plate, what is easily within our grasp.  Jesus said that The Kingdom of God is AT HAND!!! Mt.4:17 & 10:7

How can this be true of the Kingdom, of that which IS His will?

In this 5:10 A.M. dream, I was just ready to go on stage of a large church as the evening speaker, to teach about the questions that would be asked before graduation would be allowed in our School of Ministries.

One of the questions was: “Would we be allowed to prophesy things to our own advantage - name it - claim it, blab it - grab it, etc.?”  The answer, of course, is, only by the leading of the Holy Spirit, since we must always be under God's Lordship.

Our son Joshua once asked me a real classic question: “What is right: to exercise bold initiative, or to passively wait for God to do it through us?”  I laughed with glee at the brilliance of the question, as both elements, though seemingly contradictory, are necessary.  I pointed out that I have both chapters in our book, How To Rule the World, “Kingdom Initiative”, and “Waiting On God”, and that a balance by God's leading, are necessary, and that even zeal and initiative must come by the leading of God, His inspiration, and His grace.

ACTIVITIES AND PROOFS THAT I AM NOT A DEAD MOUSE

Awake thou that sleepest, arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.”

SHOUTING:  Ps 47:1-2  "O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.  2  For the LORD Yahweh most high is terrible (awesome); He is a great King over all the Earth."  KJV  Here, it does NOT say, "Clap your hands, all you sanguines", or, "all you black people", or, "all you Pentecostals", or, "all you acid rock people", or, "all you bi-polar people", or, "all you people with an effervescent personality".  It does not say, "Shout unto God with a voice of triumph", "if you feel like it", or, "if your day is going right", or, "if you are rich", or "healthy".  It says "all you people", and "all you people" includes "YOU!!!!!!!"  "All you people" includes: the sad, the troubled, the anxious, the poor, the sick, the Germans, the Scandinavians, the Methodists, the Episcopalians, the Lutherans, the English, etc.

CLAPPING:  See above.

PROPHESYING:  1 Cor 14:39  "Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues."  You can exercise your will to prophesy!  1 Cor 14:31  "For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged."  NKJV

WARRING DECLARATIONS:  2 Cor 10:4  "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;  5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."  KJV

Each and all of these following, can be done by a gut level choice of our will:

FAITH CLAIMS:

TONGUES:

PRAISE:

DANCING:

QUOTING SCRIPTURE:

MARCHING:

BINDING AND LOOSING:

USE THE POWER OF AGREEMENT!

DECISIONS!

               THE PROMISES 

              by John Roy Bohlen & John 5:30

I met God in the bloom of youth,

          When all the world seemed bright,

His promises all seemed within my sight.

          Before the coming of night.

 

But then the days grew long

          Fulfillment seemed far away.

I fasted and hoped and cried and waited.

          ‘Till I no longer knew how to pray.

 

I huddled in a corner,

          I hunkered and sucked my thumb,

I felt sorry for myself 'till the cows came home,

          I despaired of even a crumb.

 

The Heavenly Father suddenly came to me,

          He reached down His long loving strong arms.

He filled me full of the Life of Christ,

          He sheltered me from all of life's harms.

 

But the promises still delayed,

          I was tempted to be dismayed.

I wanted God's glory to be displayed,

          Yahweh told me to not be afraid.

 

So I stayed in His loving arms,

          I remained seated upon His lap.

He kept holding me next to His chest,

          When I worried, He told me to rest.

 

 

I kept believing the promises were true.

          I kept hoping all the long night through.

I didn't know what else to do.

          "Papa Yahweh, I kept believing in You."

 

These signs follow those who will believe!"

          "Keep believing and you will receive!"

Bright youth turned into middle age.

          I said, "Lord, I know that You wouldn't deceive."

 

God showed me how easy it would be

          For Him to give much power and money.

But difficult to find, someone who will stay kind,

          To have fame and power, yet walk very humbly.

 

Passage of time is part of the test.

          Believing still strong is really the best.

Aggressively press in, yet staying in rest,

          Those who live by faith, will be the most blest.

 

Don't be bitter at God, nor sad

          Or you'll regret what you could have had.

Keep believing, and you will be glad.

          Keep trusting your Heavenly Dad.

 

God will pour blessings you cannot contain,

          On His lap, in His Throne-Room  remain.

'Neath His feathers, His presence sustain.

          All His blessings, His glories obtain.

 

I go forth valiantly, I venture onward confidently,

          I persevere faithfully, gratefully, joyfully,

I love You, trust You completely, unreservedly,

          Continually, increasingly, worshipfully.   AMEN!

GOD’S COMMANDS ARE GOD’S ENABLEMENTS!

EVERY COMMAND GOD MAKES IS A PROMISE.

EVERY CHOICE OF OUR WILL, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR.

GOD HAS PUT US IN CONTROL OF OUR DECISIONS.

TRUE SINCERETY IS NOT REFLECTED IN OUR FEELINGS, BUT IN THE CHOICES WE MAKE, FROM DEEP INSIDE, WHERE WE REALLY LIVE.

LOOK AT ALL OF THE PHILOSOPHIES, AND PSYCHOLOGIES AND THEORIES, THAT PROVIDE FOR US EXCUSES FOR OUR BEING IRRESPONSIBLE:

ASTROLOGY:  Astrology is a stupid encyclopedia of excuses for not measuring up to God's standard for our lives.

TEMPERAMENTS:  Though disguised as "christian", the basic premise is flawed.  It goes something like this:  "Jesus is a balanced combination of all of the positive qualities of the four temperaments, cleric, melancholic, sanguine and spastic, but YOUUUUUUU!!!! - - - "  In other words, the cleric is excused for being confrontational and abrasive, the melancholic for being depressed and passive, the sanguine for not being really committed, etc., but Jesus is perfect.  God commands us to also "Be perfect, even as our Father in Heaven is perfect."  Matthew 5:48.  When Jesus commanded this, was He kidding???????

No, we are not excused for being less that God expects.

NATIONALITY:  "I was born a stubborn _______, or a hard headed _______, or a hot tempered _______, or a short tempered _____, or a disadvantaged _______." 

So, what is YOUR excuse for not measuring up to God's standard.

TIME OF THE MONTH - FULL MOON

TIME OF LIFE - The excuse, "I'm too young:" or, "I'm too young." 

JUST A BABY.

TERRIBLE TWO's  Not an excuse for a wrong attitude. TEEN-AGE rebellion;  Not an excuse for a wrong attitude.

MID-LIFE CRISES:  "Well I am excused for not measuring up, because - - - "

OLD AGE

RELIGIOUS GIFTS:  Sometimes a person can say, "I am called to be a prophet, so I can allow myself to be critical and judgemental, and unloving and confrontational and controlling.  No!  A Kingdom prophet must be gentle, loving, sweet, teachable, patient, and loving, and loving.

INNER HEALING/ABUSE, NEGLECT, BACKGROUND, PAST HURTS, DAMAGE, INJURIES, DISFUNCTIONAL BACKGROUND:  "My mother dropped me on my head." Or, "Diabetics are irritated.", or, "This is just the way I am!"

FEELINGS.  I DON’T FEEEEEEEL LIKE - or "I just don't want to."  God commands and enables us, by a gut-level choice of our will, to DO what we do not "feel like" doing.

IN LOVE:  The idea of "falling in love" is a lie and a myth out of Babylon and Hollywood.  God commands, "Husband, love your wife!  And, be NOT bitter against her."!!  God expects us to obey.  The basis of true love is a commitment of the will, and is not to be based on fickle feelings or vacillating emotions.

EVERY COMMAND IN THE BIBLE, EACH LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, EVERY PROMISE GOD MAKES, EVERY TRUE PROPHESY GIVEN, PUTS US IN CONTROL, along with God!   If we fail to exercise our rights, responsibilities, callings, privileges, and commissionings, can we blame God for not being in control?

GOD WOULD BE UNFAIR AND UNRIGHTEOUS, TO THE EXTENT THAT HE HOLD US RESPONSIBLE, JUDGES US, OR PUNISHES US FOR THINGS WE CANNOT HELP, OR FOR WHICH WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE.

SOME OF US HAVE EVEN COME TO THINK OF OURSELVES AS GOD’S VICTIM.

GIVEN OUR RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES, AND INHERITANCE IN GOD, WE ARE NO LONGER A VICTIM, NOT EVEN GOD’S VICTIM.

WE CAN DECIDE TO BE HAPPY, TO NO LONGER FEAR OR WORRY. WE CAN DECIDE TO KEEP A RIGHT HEART ATTITUDE. WE CAN DECIDE TO HAVE FAITH. WE DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO FORGIVE OR HOLD A GRUDGE. WE DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT WE WILL BE HAPPY, JOYFUL OR DEPRESSED.

VICTIMS OF OUR CIRCUMSTANCES?  OUR CIRCUMSTANCES ARE OFTEN THE RESULT OF OUR DECISIONS.

DELIGHT THYSELF IN YAHWEH, AND HE WILL GIVE THE THE DESIRES OF THY HEART

SEEK FIRST GOD’S KINGDOM AND ALL THESE THINGS (FAVORABLE CIRCUMSTANCES) WILL BE ADDED UNTO YOU. Mat.6:33

TRUST IN YAHWEH, AND DO GOOD, AND TRULY, YOU SHALL DWELL (SECURELY) IN THE LAND.

SQUATTER:  The story is told of a king who gave to his son, the prince, a distant castle, with its surrounding land, with orchards and vineyards.  But when the son went to occupy the castle, he found that it was occupied by a giant who was a squatter, and who would not allow the prince entrance.  When the prince asked the father, the father said, "Oh, I forgot to mention that, in order to enjoy your palace, orchards and vineyards, that you must dispossess and kill the giant.  That was precisely what God did when He gave the Promised Land to the Israelites.  Many of them failed to possess their possessions, and suffered because of it.  But it was not God's fault, but their own fault, for not possessing and captured and seizing what already belonged to them.

THE SPIRIT OF THE PROPHETS IS SUBJECT TO THE PROPHETS.  Prophets are not to be victims of their own spasticity.  Prophets are not to allow themselves to "zone out", or irresponsibly go into some kind of trance that renders them irresponsible.  No: they are to remain in control of their faculties, being, all the while, responsible for what they say, think and do.

DETERMINE WHAT IS THE WILL OF GOD:  Bible says, "If we ask anything according to His (God's) will, we know that He hears us, and that we (therefore) HAVE the petition we have asked of Him." 1 John 5:14  Many times, we do not receive, because we either have the wrong motivation, or, we are asking amiss.

"IF WE ASK ANY THING ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, - - WE HAVE THE PETITIONS THAT WE HAVE ASKED OF HIM."

When Jesus was confronted with the need to feed the 5000, plus women and children, He said, “YOU GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO EAT.”  They were asking and expecting Jesus to do what He was asking them to do.

"SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE THAT THEY GO FORWARD":  In Exodus 14:15, God's people were in an impossible situation.  When Moses asked God what to do, God said, "Why are you crying to Me?  This is not a time for you to ask Me, beg Me, cry to Me.  This is one of those times when you, yourself are to do something.  And the something you are to do, is SPEAK to, command the people that they go forward!!! 

SPEAK TO THE WIND AND WAVES!  Instead of speaking to the wind and the waves themselves, they awakened Jesus from His much needed sleep.  Mark 4:39

WALK ON THE WATER:  "LORD IF THIS IS YOU -"

CASTING OUT DEMONS:  Often, Jesus did not pray to the Father to cast out demons, He spoke the word, commanded the demons, Himself, and cast them out.  He did not ask the Father to do what the Father had commanded Jesus to do.

2 Cor 10:4 says  "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds."  Question:  If we do not use the weapons of warfare that God has given to us, can we blame God if the strongholds are not pulled down?

PRAYER - Heb 4:16  "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."  What if we do not come boldly?  Will we obtain mercy and find grace?

FATHER, I BOLDLY COME, NOT IN MY OWN WORTHINESS, BUT BECAUSE, YOU HAVE DECLARED THAT I AM YOUR SON, YOUR FRIEND, YOUR BROTHER, YOUR TEMPLE, AND YOUR INHERITANCE.  YOU HAVE DECLARED THAT I AM A PARTAKER OF Your DIVINE NATURE, THAT ALL THINGS ARE MINE AND THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN ME ALL THINGS RICHLY TO ENJOY.  YOU HAVE SAID THAT YOU HAVE BLESSED ME WITH ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS, AND THAT I AM TO HAVE THE ABUNDANT LIFE.  YOU HAVE PROMISED TO SUPPLY MY EVERY NEED, AND I NEED TO LET MY LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN THAT THEY MAY SEE MY GOOD WORKS AND GLORIFY YOU.  YOU HAVE PROMISED ME THAT I WOULD DO THE GREATER WORKS. 

THUS, AS THE PRODIGAL SON, I COME TO CLAIM MY INHERITANCE OF MONEY, THE 100-FOLD RETURN, AND THE POWER AND FAVOUR OF GOD. 

IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF HIM WHO IS MY LIFE, YAHSHUA  JESUS, I CLAIM ALL OF MY INHERITANCE RIGHTS AS A MANIFESTED AND GLORIFIED SON, IN ORDER TO BRING RADICAL GLORY TO YOUR NAME.

BUT NOT AS THE SON, WHO CONSUMED IT ALL ON HIMSELF, I CLAIM THESE RIGHTS OF INHERITANCE SO THAT I MAY ACCOMPLISH ALL THE WILL OF GOD FOR ME. 

FROM NOW ON, I REFUSE TO BE AS THE OLDER SON, IN THAT HE FAILED TO 'ENJOY HIS ENJOYS', AS MY EARTHLY DAD USED TO SAY.  I WILL BE FAITHFUL AS THE OLDER SON WAS, BUT I WILL APPROPRIATE, AS THE PRODIGAL SON DID, YET FOR THE PURPOSE OF DOING DADDY YAHWEH'S WILL!

WILL YOU GIVE ME A STONE WHEN I ASK YOU FOR THE CHILDREN'S BREAD OF HEALING?   No.

WILL YOU FAIL TO ANSWER ME WHEN I DEMAND MONEY BY MY GOD-GIVEN RIGHT OF INHERITANCE?

I HAVE BOLDLY ASKED, AND NOW I BOLDLY RECEIVE!

IF I ASK ANYTHING ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL, I KNOW THAT I  H-A-V-E  WHAT  I  HAVE ASKED FOR.”

SO, BY AGGRESIVE AND ACTIVE AND BOLD FAITH, I ASK FOR, DEMAND, RECEIVE AND THANK YOU FOR THE FOLLOWING THINGS:

THANK YOU FOR IT, IN JESUS' NAME.  AMEN

DEAR HEAVENLY DADDY PAPA YAHWEH:

YOU do not REQUIRE A SOLDIER TO GO TO WAR AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. 1 Cor 9:7  "Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense?" NAS

GOOD MORNING FATHER, DADDY YAHWEH, PRECIOUS HOLY SPIRIT, LOVELY YAHSHUA JESUS: 

IN KEEPING WITH THIS NEW REVELATION ABOUT AGGRESSIVE APPROPRIATION FOR YOUR GLORY, I AM CLAIMING FOR MYSELF, MY LIFE, MY FAMILY, MY MINISTRY, FOR YOUR GLORY, YOUR SAKE, YOUR KINGDOM, AND FOR YOU, EVERYTHING THAT IS IN LINE OF YOUR WILL FOR ME AS TO WHAT I AM ENTITLED TO AND RESPONSIBLE FOR, RIGHT NOW, IN JESUS' YAHSHUA'S NAME!  AMEN.

I BELIEVE THAT I AM ENTITLED TO, HAVE BEEN PROMISED AS MINE, IN THE HERE AND NOW, AND HENCE, AM RESPONSIBLE TO WALK IN, NOW, THE FOLLOWING THINGS, AND THUS DO NOW, RESPECTFULLY DEMAND AND CLAIM THE PRIVILEGE OF WALKING IN, THESE FOLLOWING THINGS:

IMMEDIATE DIVINE HEALTH AND LIFE - COMPLETE HEALTH IN BODY, HEART, MIND, SOUL, MEMORY BANKS, SPIRIT, SUBCONSCIOUS MIND, ETC.

TO NEVER SIN AGAIN, NEVER BE OUT OF YOUR WILL AGAIN, NEVER GET A WRONG REACTION, OR A WRONG ATTITUDE, OR A WRONG SPIRIT AGAIN, AT ANY TIME OR CIRCUMSTANCE.

IMMEDIATE AND CONTINUAL GLORIFICATION AND IMMORTALITY, NOW AND HERE, WHILE IN THE BODY, AND THE RENEWING OF MY YOUTH, LIKE THE EAGLE.  THAT MY FACE SHINE LIKE THAT OF JESUS, IN REV. 1.

A CONSTANT FLOW TO ME OF THE WEALTH AND RICHES OF GOD, A BANK ACCOUNT THAT WILL NEVER RUN DRY, AN UNENDING SUPPLY OF THE MATERIAL BOUNTY OF GOD. (2 COR.9:8, ETC.)

TO ALWAYS EXPERIENCE YOUR PERFECT WILL, TO NEVER BE OUT OF YOUR PERFECT WILL IN PURPOSE, THOUGHT, ACTION, DEED, AWARENESS, WORD, APPROPRIATION, OR ACCOMPLISHMENT.

THAT ALL OF MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS ENJOY ALL OF THESE SAME THINGS, AND THAT I SYNERGYSTICALLY BE USED TO MULTIPLY THE APPROPRIATION OF ALL THESE THINGS, IN AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, IN AS MANY PLACES AS IS POSSIBLE, AS QUICKLY AS IS SUPERNATURALLY POSSIBLE, BY AS MANY MEANS AS IS SUPERNATURALLY POSSIBLE.  I WANT TO LITTERALLY FULFILL THE GREAT COMMISSION, IN THE SENSE OF GOING INTO ALL THE WORLD - THAT IS, TO LITERALLY MINISTER, WITH SUPERNATURAL EFFECTIVENESS, IN EVERY COUNTRY OF THE WORLD THAT YOU WANT ME TO.

I CLAIM, FOR MYSELF, AND FOR OURSELVES, THE ABILITY AND THE DOING OF THE CREATIVE SUPERNATURAL MIRACLES OF GOD, THE HEALING OF THE SICK, RAISING THE DEAD, WALKING ON WATER, TRAVELING THROUGH THE AIR, BEING INVISIBLE, PASSING THROUGH DOORS WITHOUT THEM BEING OPEN, TURNING WASTEPAPER INTO MONEY, PUTTING NEW ARMS BACK ON MISSING LIMBS, EYES IN EMPTY SOCKETS, TEETH IN PEOPLE'S HEADS, RESTORE YOUTH, HEALTH, VITALITY, SEE MIRACLE JUDGEMENTS, MIRACLE PROTECTION AND VINDICATION.

HERE ARE SOME SCRIPTURES THAT I AM CLAIMING FOR ALL OF THIS.

ACTIVITIES AND PROOFS THAT I AM NOT A DEAD MOUSE

"Awake thou that sleepest, arise from the dead, and

Christ shall give you light.”

SHOUTING

PROPHESYING

WARRING DECLARATIONS

FAITH CLAIMS

TONGUES

PRAISE

CLAPPING

DANCING

QUOTING SCRIPTURE

MARCHING

 

                   FORGE FORWARD VALIANTLY!!!

                                By John Roy Bohlen & John 5:30   14 Nov. ‘98

          Forge forward valiantly!  Rise up in God’s power.

                   Get out of boat boldly.  Know that now is the hour.

          Go, dance on the water, shouts of praise lift on high.

                   Face the storm with loud laughter, raise strong victory cry.

          Tempted to whine, tempted to worry?

                   There is not enough time, There’s a firestorm fury.

          God’s will must be done!  The harvest we reap.

                   Many souls must be won, saints awakened from sleep.

          Repent from depression, here’s fullness of peace!

                   We must tell every nation, from darkness release.

          Right now is the time, there must be no delay.

                   Don’t worry or whine.  Boldly enter the fray!

          Forge forward valiantly.  Be encouraged instead.

                   March onward courageously!  Let us always be led.

          When things look bleak, “Rejoice ever more!”

                   God’s perfect will seek, there’s glory in store.

          Or, will you hang back, turn away from the plow?

                   It is time to attack, God’s time is now.

          Perfect promise of victory, God’s presence brings bliss.

                   We shall fulfill our destiny, from God get a kiss.

          Forge forward valiantly, God is waiting for you.

                   Reside with Him pleasantly, all eternity through.

          We never need strife.  Have God’s point of view!

                   His Life can be your life, in all that you do.

                             Forge forward valiantly!

 

GOD IS AT YOUR MERCY!!!

by john roy Bohlen & John 5:30

Did you know that in many, many respects, God is at your mercy?

Picture God, standing at the door of your life, knocking.  He wants to come in to your life.  But He will not come in if you do not invite Him to come in.  God will not come into your life, unless you open the door.  Rev.3:20

Picture God, standing all day long with His hands out-stretched, waiting for you to run into His arms.  But, what if you do not run to Him?  Then, God waits for you.  Isa.65:2

Picture Jesus, saying, as He did, "Ohhhhhh, many times I would have gathered you, as a mother chicken gathers her little baby chicks under her wings, but you would not!"  Mt.23:37 & Lk.13:34

Picture Jesus, Creator King of Everything, kneeling at Peter's feet, waiting for Peter to allow Jesus to wash his feet, while Peter makes up his mind to give Christ permission.

Jesus invites you to follow Him, then He waits.

Jesus invites you to pray to Him, then He waits.

You DECIDE if and when and how much you will pray.

Not God.

You DECIDE if and when and how much you will praise.

Not God.

You DECIDE if and when and how much you will sing.

Not God.

You DECIDE if and when and how much you will rejoice.

You DECIDE if and when and how much you will dance.

You DECIDE if and when and how much you will smile.

You DECIDE if and when and how much you will laugh.

You DECIDE if and when and how much you will shout.

You DECIDE if and when and how much you will clap.

You DECIDE if and when and how much you will give.

You DECIDE if and when and how much you will serve.

You DECIDE if and when and how much you will obey.

You DECIDE if and when and how much you will read.

You DECIDE if and when and how much you will witness.

Not God.

I was thinking about my weight:  The thought came to me, "John:  You weigh just as much as you want to weigh.  Your waist-line is exactly as big as you want it to be." 

God does not decide these things for you.  You decide.  God is at YOUR mercy with regard to every one of these things, and more.

It is like your spouse, if you are married.  You are at the mercy of your spouse, as to love.

If your spouse decides to not take the initiative to touch you, kiss you, tell you that you are loved, hold your hand, be with you, make love to you, express affection, appreciation, respect, willingness, fellowship, communication, assistance, conversation, friendship, co-operation, right responses, or a right heart attitude, there is really nothing that you can do.  You are totally at the mercy of your spouse with regard to these things.  Yes, you can show kindness, give gifts, be responsible, do all that would be desired, but if your friend, your spouse is stubbornly unwilling to positively respond, you are as helpless as God Himself is helpless, when you are unresponsive to all that He does for you.

You are helpless to force any one to love you, to be your friend, to fellowship with you.  We are at each other's mercy.  Even God is at our mercy with regard to all of these areas.  If you do not love or serve or praise or obey or worship or give to God, then God is at your mercy in all these and many other areas.

LOVE PRESUPPOSES NEED FOR CHOICE

God could have created you to be His slave, His robot, His machine.  But, He wanted to create a Universe, a World in which He could have someone who would love Him.  But love presupposes the necessity of choice.  Love cannot be forced or coerced.  If a man puts a knife to a woman's throat, and says, "Give me some love, Baby.", that man might possibly receive many things from that woman, but one thing that man will NOT receive, is love.  God cannot, is not, able to force any to love Him.  As great and as almighty as God is, He cannot force you to love or respect or appreciate or adore Him.  You see, as Almighty as God is, as all-powerful as God is, He is not able, does not have the ability, is powerless to force you to love Him.  It is impossible to create a machine, a robot that will freely give you love.

All of the sin and suffering in the world is either the direct or the indirect result of people not choosing to love God.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF HER?

I have a friend who is a perfect husband.  He is loving, servant-hearted, helpful, patient, strong, provides finances and home, does needed repairs and up-keep to house and car, cooks meals, does dishes, shows love, cares for the children, does errands, speaks words of affection, appreciation and love; and walks humbly with his God.  But he is NOT loved or respected or fellowshipped with, or shown ANY affection by his wife.  My friend has a good physique, a great sense of humor, is quite intelligent, is friendly and outgoing, is skilled.  But, his wife refuses to show him any affection, and, for years, has refused to have sex with him.  He is totally at her mercy in this regard.  There is nothing that he can do.  She simply does not care.  She claims to be a good Christian.  She will go with him to church and worship.  But she refuses to love her husband, refuses to show him respect or kindness or affection or appreciation.  He is at her mercy - totally.

What do you recommend that this man, my friend should do?  Should he divorce her?  She deserves it.  Should he yell at her, refuse to help her, stop being with her? 

What should God do if you do not show love to Him.  Should He give you a disease?  Should He take away your heart-beats or breathing?  God Himself is helpless to force you to love Him.

God is at your mercy.  What are you going to do about it?

I heard a prophecy one time.  Here it is, word for word:

" 'Busy.'  'Busy.'  'Busy.', says the one whom My Soul loves."  Here, God was telling us that He longs for our attention, our obedience, our fellowship, our communing with Him, but that we are simply too busy with other important things, to take time to fellowship with Him.

Let's say that a man would like for his wife to be more affectionate, or that a woman would like for her husband to be more affectionate, or more appreciative, more caring, more loving, more respectful.  Please pay attention: 

We are at each other's mercy!

We know of one spouse who takes the initiative to express affection, 99 + % of the time.  The other spouse almost NEVER takes the initiative.  That spouse is totally at the mercy of the other.  If he or she waited for the other to reach out to hold a hand, or to embrace, hug or touch, it simply would not happen.  Ever.

"I MISS MY TIME WITH YOU"

Our son Joshua used to do a dance pantomime to a song called, "I Miss My Time With You."   In this song, God is telling us that He misses those precious times that He wants to be with us, because we are toooooo preoccupied, too busy with things more important, more pressing.

GOOD MORNING, LORD!

I love to awaken early in the morning, often, sometimes at 5 or 6 A.M., when the sun is coming up, the birds are singing, it is cool, and the day is fresh.  But one problem with all of this is that it can be lonely if the other people are sleeping.  We will have hundreds of people stay overnight at our ministry center, here in the northwest Wisconsin wilderness.  Often, I wait for many minutes, maybe hours for others to awaken, so that I can share the sights and sounds and fellowship items.  A deer comes into the yard and gently grazes.  Beautiful birds are flitting around, singing and feeding their young.  The sun smiles in dappled beauty across the lawns and flowers, following a spectacular display in dawning.  My wife, Karen works on call as an x-ray tech and sometimes has worked all night.  Should I awaken the others to enjoy this glory with me?  No, they have worked hard, and they need their sleep.

Then, the question came to me:  Does God love to fellowship with us soooooo much that He Himself waits excitedly, expectantly for us to awaken, so He can have fellowship with us?!  He cares for us sooooo much, that He even concerns Himself about the very number of hairs we have left.  The purpose of the Bible sharing this information with us is not to convince us of God's all-knowing, so much as it is to convince us that He lovingly cares and in interested in every, evvvvvvvvvvery intricate detail of your precious life!!!!!!

God is at your mercy.

See: "Kingdom Initiative", from our book,

 How To Rule The World

Johnroy Bohlen and John 5:30

 

              DO YOU WAIT?

           by johnroy bohlen & John 5:30

Lord, Do You wait, every morning

          For me to awaken from sleep?

Are You eager for my fellowship,

          While You, my soul does keep?

While the stars roll past,

          While it's overcast,

While I'm sleeping fast,

          I know Your love for me is vast.

                   Do You wait 'til I awake at last?

Are You sitting on the edge of my bed?

          Until the darkness all has fled?

Looking down into my face?

          So our adventures can take place?

Waiting, till my day has begun?

          So, together we can have fun.?

Till more souls and lives have been won?

          Until all that You've planned has been done?

I know that You love me so much.

          You're close enough that we can touch.

We can adventure, play and work and such.

          On Your lap, each other, we closely cluch.

"Arise and come away.

Come on!  Wake up so we can play!

Be glorious in all we do and say,

                             Let's not another moment delay!

                                 Let us sally forth into another day!"

 

                      MAD AT GOD

        by John Roy Bohlen & John 5:30 - 1999

Father, why should I be mad at You,

        When You’ve done so much for me?

Why should I be so blue,

        When You saved me eternally?

 

You saved me, ransomed Me

        At the cost of Your Own Blood.

You gave me seeing eyes to see,

        Raised me from a swamp of mud.

 

Why should I be petulant?

        Why should I be other than expectant?

What in self-pity holds enticement?

        Or in praise time be reluctant?

 

Or why should I be arrogant,

        Stand and give You argument?

You were stripped of every garment

        To clothe me with Your armament.

 

You failed to meet my expectation

        Which led to sore vexation

A greatly swelled frustration

        I ran away from God on vacation.

 

But You stood with Your arms spread wide,

        From Your love I could no longer hide.

You filled me with love inside.

        Invited me on Your lap to reside.

 

Beckoned me on Your Throne to abide

        In an anguish of depression I cried’

In my anger at You, hope died,

        Deeper toward hell I did slide.

 

I’d punish God and all with my suicide

        I’d refused to be edified

I’d refuse Thy Blood to be applied

        Resist the Holy Spirit as guide.

 

Yet, You loved me from the start.

        You made room in Your great heart,

Would I give up my moaning and groaning?

        Maintaining a sustaining complaining?

           

I refuse to be discouraged or depressed,

  My stupid raging at God is confessed

       I choose to be evermore blessed

         In Your arms, caressed, pressed to Your chest.

            In Your righteousness dressed

                Beneath Your feathers to nest,

                    Never more to be oppressed,

                Pleasing Thee, my quest,

            In Your love to rest.

                Passing every test.

                    By Your love obsessed.

                By Your Life  possessed.  

 

              Amen.

WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO

 

When you don't know what to do, rejoice!

When you are feeling blue - give voice!

Give thanks, and dance and sing.

      Run and hide beneath God's wing.

Choose to let the joy bells ring - rejoice.

 

When you are confused or sad - rejoice.

      When things are going bad - make a choice!

Choose to jump and laugh and shout.

      Decide that you will never doubt.

Make up your mind that you won't pout - rejoice!

 

Do you want to take a pill?

    Worry, anxiety can kill.

        You can choose with your own will.

            Don't fall down like Jack and Jill.

                Let your heart and soul be still.

                   Think how God Himself does fill.

                       With His fullness, He does thrill.

                           Rejoice!

 

            John Roy Bohlen and John 5:30

 

                GRUMBLE

            by johnroy bohlen & John 5:30

I started   to grumble,

        I began   to mumble,

In this   to stumble,

But, then   I became humble?

Isn't that good?!

Did you think I should?

Do you believe I could?

Can you believe I would?

I deserve only Hell.

Have earned brimstone's smell.

Merited the devil's spell.

But I've better news to tell!

Were you taught to mumble by another?

Prodigal Son's Older Brother?

                Were you taught to grumble by your mother?

                        Can we place blame on any other?

Will I gripe or will I praise?

        Shake my fist, or hands to raise?

                Nights of rage or thanks amaze?

                        Eyes clenched tight or on glory gaze?

Murmuring is oppressing.

     Attitudes can be messing.

         Self pity - - obsessing

            Demons of resentment - possessing.

                 It's me I'm addressing.

   Count every blessing!

       Begin confessing.

   Don't be second guessing.

Agree with God, be 'Yes-ing'.

    Count  every  blessing.

Count  every  blessing.

   Couuunt - - evvvery  blessss-ing.

               FIRE IN MY GUTS

                  john roy bohlen & John 5:30

There is a fire in my belly.

My knees are not jelly.

I have great zeal in my heart.

I don't know where to start.

 

To be pleasing to God is a great desire.

It is raging in me like a raging fire.

I want to please God with a deep yearning.

To actualize my potential - is a great burning.

 

To fulfill my destiny, to do all God's will for me

My works and words prepared by Thee

From the foundation of the Earth,

The purpose You designed before my birth.

 

I want to do all that God has planned

It is a fire in my guts, a flame God has fanned

It is a fervent desire my entire life has spanned

With a faith that's very strong, I make my demand

 

Time flees with screaming speed,

The years stream quickly - I have great need

To do alllllllllll God has for me.

To God's will before eternity.

 

There's a flaming, raging fire in my guts.

The intensity of urgency almost drives me nuts.

How do I express the zeal inside of me.

How to deal with this utmost urgency

 

Here I am Lord, think Your thoughts through me.

Do all those things in me, all Your plans You see.

I want to do Your will completely.

I want to do it swiftly, sweetly.

 

Some think this is a phase.

But I would not waste my days.

On Thee I want to gaze.

But I do not want to laze.

Others think this is a craze.

I want God's army to raise.

Angles, I want to amaze.

My guts are all ablaze.

 

    I WILL PRAISE YOU!

         john roy bohlen & John 5:30   28 February 2008

I will praise You, Papa Yahweh,

          All my days.

All my ways,

          My hands I'll raise.

 

Oh, let the joy bells ring,

          To Thy bosom I will cling.

I will dance and shout and sing.

          I have given You everything.

 

Will I doubt or will I shout?

          Will I shout or will I pout?

With God bout, or devils rout.

Go on strike or go all out.

           

I distain to complain,

          I will praise Thee, might and main.

I will think right with my brain,

          I will sing a pure refrain.

 

I'll count my blessings, but not all,

          Each multitudinous can't recall.

I'll praise God I did not fall,

          There's no blessing that is small.

 

Or do you think that I should gripe.

          Go give up and smoke a pipe?

Blow my nose and fear drops wipe.

          Or thank my God, His every stripe.

 

I could choose to be discouraged,

          Or I could choose to be encouraged.

To praise or whine, the choice is mine.

          Sing praise sublime, praise all the time.

==============================

CONTACT INFORMATION

You may contact us at:

Great Commission Ministries

9473 County Road D

Webster, WI  54893

Phone:  715-866-4060  email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website:  www.Great-Commission-Ministries.org

Other books and articles we have written:

How To Rule The World, or Seek 1st the Kingdom of God

The Cult of Cannibals, or, How To Rightly Relate

The Sexual Ministry, or, How To Live Happily Ever After

How To Raise 'Purfect' Kids

The King's Greatest Secret!

FGM, or Female Circumcision

Poetry

Law, Grace and Law

Body Stewardship

The Glorious Church

Apostles: Who, How, What, When and Where

True African Adventure Stories

How To Save Time

What is God's Name?

Dancing On The Water - An Family Autobiography

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