Citizenship in God’s Kingdom (Col 1:13) calls you to continually live your life in: Fellowship with Jesus, (1 Cor 1:9) Friendship with Jesus, (Jn 15:15) Close relationship with Jesus, (Jn 14:19-20) Discipleship with Jesus, (Jn 13:35) & Kinship with Jesus. (Eph 1:5) #poem #prayer

Church membership and/or attendance aren’t the same thing as citizenship in Christ’s kingdom. The gospel of the kingdom has the word “if” in it. Can you find the "if" in Colossians 1:21-23.

As a little boy I loved playing with toy ships and boats in the bathtub. I had several of them but as time went by, I lost them all. Far too many Christians have lost their “ships.” Don’t let your faith get shipwrecked!

I have chosen to continually savor and devour the Bible and to faithfully stick with what it says about Jesus. I strive to continually discern and to avoid all of the deceptions about Jesus that religion and society are prompting and throwing at us. #Bible #thechosen

Beware of the sand and deceptions that are all around you. I have chosen to adore, follow, and obey the risen Jesus Himself as described by the Bible, and not to watch or be influenced by a show called “The Chosen” that distorts and fictionalizes who Jesus is and what He did.

If you’re unwilling to forgive, (Matthew 6:15) to bless and pray for, (Luke 6:28) and to love your enemies (Luke 6:26-27) you’re building your life on sand. You don’t yet fully know what it means to love!

A sermon prepared by a mind might possibly reach a mind, but words shared from the heart as led by the Spirit can release God’s living water in people. Are you building your spiritual house on the sand or on the rock? (Matthew 7:24-27)

Christianity built on the sand of routine religion isn’t the same thing as Christianity that is built on the rock of direct, personal, ongoing revelation from (Matthew 16:17) and radical obedience to (John 14:15) the risen Jesus Christ.

To seek first the kingdom of God (Mat 6:33) allow Jesus to live inside of you (Col 1:27) and to be your absolute King, (John 18:37/Rev 19:16) your risen Lord, and your glorious God. (John 28:20) Let Him rule, govern, and direct you from within, moment-by-moment. (Rom 8:14)

Let Christ's presence & the leadings, (Gal 5:18) the gifts (1 Cor 12:1-11) & the fruit (Gal 5:22-23) of His Spirit, & His direct personal revelation to you, (1 Cor 2:9-10) & His wisdom written in the Bible, (Heb 4:12) be the foundation you are building your life on.

My mission, my goal, and my deepest desires are to build my life on the best pillars. I want to build my life — my thoughts, feelings, desires, words, and behaviors — on the firm foundation of solid rock, not on sand that shifts and sinks.

When someone tries to compassionately hold us accountable to obey God, that’s neither judging nor casting a stone. It’s obedience to what Jesus says in Matthew 18:15-17. When there’s no opportunity for open sharing, people can’t “tell it to the church.”

I believe that if churches would use the open-sharing format, they would be much more effective at helping people live free from the bondage of sin. Lecture alone isn’t very effective!

When people are lovingly holding each other accountable by sincerely listening to one another being open and honest with each other, they have more power to resist temptation than if they are just passively listening to religious lectures once a week.

Church needs to be a meeting where people are willing to lovingly and patiently listen to one another as individuals are prompted and led by the Spirit (Romans 8:14) to open up and humbly obey the 50+ New Testament “one another” commandments.

When will we see that it’s time to return to the body of Christ that Jesus, Himself, wants to build? It’s a gathering where Jesus is the literal Head (not the figurehead) and the Holy Spirit is free to prompt anybody present to speak up in the gathering. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Philip Yancey, has joined the crowd of pastors, priests, and leaders who have admitted to or been caught in blatant sexual sin. The pastor-focused religious tradition (Mark 7:13) where one person monopolizes Sunday morning services doesn't seem to be very effective. #philipyancey

Pastors and Christian leaders need the accountability of listening to one another in church instead of being the only person allowed to speak. Perhaps that lack of listening time is why so many fall into or live with sin.

Live your daily life attentively listening to and being faithfully obedient to God the Spirit. If you will refuse to stop or slow the flow of His inner voice, He will freely release His gifts and produce His fruit inside of you and around you.

It’s God’s nature to be supernatural. He supernaturally created the natural world with His words. (Genesis 1:1-31) Now God the Holy Spirit wants His presence and His words to supernaturally flow in and through you as vibrant rivers of living water. (John 7:38-39)