Author: Andrew Baldwin

..And the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain… Isa 40:4

And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.  Ex 3:14.

This morning as I was on my morning ride I was praying about something and looking for answers as I often do.   

I said, “ Lord, I know you will take care of it”.  God replied…  I AM taking care of it.  God is the God of now, not the God of I will be.  HE always meets us where we are, not where we will be and is making provision for us, though we can’t see it yet.  

HE is the Great I AM.

My next question was, how will I know the path You want me to take?  HIS answer:  “I will make it PLAIN to you”.  

God always makes the rough places plain.

Set Your Mind on Things Above.

There is so much going on in the world these days.  So much unrest, terrorism, mass shootings, constant upheaval in the Middle East, Afghanistan, an unsettled economy, etc.  And now, as if all that wasn’t enough, is the constant bombardment of anything and everything having to do with the presidential primaries and elections.  He said, she said, who did what to whom, scandal, mud flinging, the whole sophomoric kit and caboodle.

All these things are WORDLY and a DISTRACTION.  A distraction from paying attention to the things that really matter: namely the things of God.

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. Col 3:1,2  

Even though I like my TV watching as much as anyone, I have gone more and more to turning off the TV, tuning out the radio and avoiding political discussions as much as possible.  Less TV means more time to think about Jesus and the things of God.  More time to pray, more time to seek His will for me in things big and small.  More time to spend with my family, More time to remind myself that only Love (God is Love) really matters.

When it comes right down to it, we either exist in fear or in love.  To get caught up in worldly things is to be caught up in the fear that goes with it.  Certainly, with so much unrest in the world, it is VERY easy to become fear based.  Most people I know (me included) have a tendency to make decisions based on fear.

When we decide to abide in Love (in God), then fear loses its hold/power over us.

Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.  And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.  1 John 4:15-18

I don’t know about you, but when I spend too much time thinking about what’s going on the in the world fear takes hold, my anxiety goes crazy, depression creeps in and I’m left with a general feeling of unrest

It really is true: Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee. Is 26:3

So, the next time the world tries to distract you from Jesus, remember this:

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. Phil 3:20

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Mark 8:36

So many times, the temptation arrives to go for success in the way that the world defines it, money, status, power, fame, etc. The simple things of life are overlooking in favor of more money or a better position at work.

But what is the cost? Stress? High blood pressure? Always striving to have more at the loss of contentment? In the end, time has a value that money can’t buy.

To love and be loved is a great treasure. And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Eph 3:19 is the greatest treasure of all. 

That Jesus loves us is easy to see that He died for us on the cross. May we show we love God by dying to our own desires and living a life of service to all those that God places in our path. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Phil 1:21  

From John 15…. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.  Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another.

And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Eccl 4:12.

It is a powerful thing to understand who you are and whose you are when salvation comes and the Spirit of the Living God comes to reside within you by faith, all made possible by our Lord and Savior, Jesus, the Christ.  It is written that *two shall withstand him*.  So who are these two witnesses?

Jesus said, “I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.” (John 8:18)

The same is true of us, we bear witness of ourselves and the Spirit of Jesus that is within us bears witness.  This is the “two (that) shall withstand him”.

Further more, “a threefold cord is not quickly broken”.  Who is the third man?  When we stand together, at least two of us, there is a threefold cord; two believers and Jesus.  Even better is when there are three believers which brings to mind the forth man in the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. (Dan 3:24-26).    And who is that Forth Man?  Please watch this video by Brother Oral Roberts to answer that question.

Why do you seek the living among the dead? 

The two angels asked this of the women as they went to the tomb of Jesus on the third day (Luke 24:5, 23).  It is a very simple question that is actually a statement.  After all, why would anyone look for life in the middle of a graveyard?

Indeed, the question posed by the angels at the tomb was more of a rebuke than anything else, just as Jesus rebuked the scribes and pharasees:

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. (Matt 23:27)

Two tombs. No life.

There was a time when the presence of the Lord was in a box, the ark of the covenant.   The presence of the Lord now resides within us.

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?   If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him.  For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. (1 Corinthians 3:16,17)

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19)

Beloved, it is time for us all to stop looking for the living among the dead.  God’s presence no longer resides in a box and never did reside in a church building.  The tombs of religions and churches have no life.

Jesus is the way, the truth and the LIFE. (John 14:6)    The truth of Jesus is the only way to life we will ever find.  Without Jesus living in us through HIS Spirit by faith, we also are little more than lifeless tombs.  Only as HIS presence, HIS Spirit continually fills us are we being born again into everlasting life.  Jesus is our prize, our pearl of great price. (Matt 13:45-46)

In Malachi 3:1 we are told that Lord will suddenly come to HIS temple, which is us if we believe in HIM:

And the Lord, whom you seek,
Will suddenly come to His temple,
Even the Messenger of the covenant,
In whom you delight.
Behold, He is coming,”
Says the Lord of hosts.

God bless you beyond what you can think or imagine,

Brother Andrew

 

From the book of Malachi Chapter 3 and verse 1

The Word came to the prophet, saying, the Lord whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple..  Soon and very soon that day will be upon us all.

and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. 2But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: 3And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

And the last 3 verses of Malachi 3.

16Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. 17And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. 18Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

This is the promise of the God, the Word of the Lord…. and what a wonderful promise this is.  Fear God,  speak of HIM often with others, think upon HIS name (Jesus) and HE will spare us as sons.  Amen and Amen.

GOD’S PLAN (written in 1989)

Dear Beloved in Christ,

The Lord spoke to me about 9 months ago that my wife, Lisa, and I would have a baby.  In the weeks that followed, the Lord also promised us a son, what we should name him and when he would be born, May 7^th.

There were many skeptics as Lisa and I shared our faith in these promises that God had given us concerning the baby.  Sad to say that Christians doubted as much as unbelievers.  Certainly we had a 50/50 chance on guessing the sex of the baby, but the sex AND the date of birth?

We rested in faith knowing that, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise…” (2 Peter 3:9) and, “…He is faithful that promised.”  (Heb 10:2)

Praise God!  On May 7^th, Lisa gave birth to a son we named Aaron as directed by the Almighty.  Aaron was born exactly 40 weeks from conception.

What does mom go through during this 40 week period?

• First, a time of going through a wilderness experience, wandering lost and without direction in a barren desert. Time slows down and drags on endlessly; a time of waiting and wondering, pondering about things to come.  Only the hope of what lies ahead helps moms to be patient and endure the waiting.
• Next is labor. Before there can be any birth there is always a time of labor.  Labor before the delivery of a baby can be a long and difficult struggle.  Contractions are painful and seem to never end.  Only the hope of giving birth gives moms the strength to get through the pain.
• Finally a new baby is born! All of the time spent in waiting, filled with anxiety and feeling alone is worth it.  The struggle and the pain of labor is forgotten.  The realization of mom’s hope is all that matters.  When a mother beholds her baby there is nothing but joy!

It is no coincidence that GOD made it 40 weeks for the new birth of a baby.  There are many 40 day, week and year periods in the Bible before new births.

Noah was 40 days in the ark.  He was delivered through water and birthed into a new life and newborn earth.  The Isrealites labored 40 years in the desert before crossing the Jordan River and being delivered into the promised land.  They were birthed into a new life in a new land.  After Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, He labored 40 days in the wilderness before being birthed into His ministry upon the earth.  Jesus was birthed into a new life in the Spirit.

Before a new birth, whether it be natural or spiritual, there is waiting, labor and delivery.

This is the cycle even for us as we are…..

“BEiNG born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.”  (I Peter 1:23, capitals mine)

Most Christians believe that to be born again is a one time thing as if to say that once you believe in Jesus you have all there is.  Surely it is a lie from satan, telling us we have arrived to stop us from seeking God  and entering into all that He has for us.

It is certain that there is at least two births that take place as outlined by JESUS!

“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  Nicodemus saith unto Him, How can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?  Jesus answered, verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except that a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3-5)

First Jesus said, “Except a man be born again, he cannot SEE the kingdom of God.”  There is a “seeing” that takes place after believing in Jesus.  The Bible starts to make sense and there is an understanding of the things of God.  Only after believing can the kingdom of God be SEEN.

Jesus then said, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”  When you believe and are water baptized (born of water) you can SEE the kingdom of GOD.  There is also an ENTERING INTO the kingdom that takes place after you are born of water AND of the Spirit.

Paul said, “My little children of whom I travail in birth AGAIN until Christ be formed in you.” (Gal. 4:19, caps. Mine)  I am sure that we all believed Paul to be born again, yet he said, “I travail in birth AGAIN.”

Giving birth to Christ is an on-going process within all Christians.  Only the hope of Christ being fully formed in us drives us on.  This is our hope of glory and the mystery of the gospel.  Not only did Jesus die to save us from a devil’s hell, but also that we may be where He is.

“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that WHERE I AM, THERE YE MAY BE ALSO.”  (John 14:2,3 caps. Mine)

This is the gospel (good news)!

When a man knows his wife there is a union formed between them and they become one flesh.  This close face to face contact results in the seed of the man being placed in the woman.  The seed will grow in her during her pregnancy until she goes into labor and a child is born.

The verses in Ephesians chapter 5 are used often for sermons about husbands and wives.  What Paul was really talking about is in verse 32, “This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.”  Paul was comparing husbands and wives to the mystery of Christ and His bride.

God’s purpose is not only to save or fill with His Spirit, but God longs to know us as a man knows his bride.  When God comes unto us by His Spirit and loves us, He places His seed within us.  The result of this is:

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.”  (Isa 9:6)

The result is sons.  So what does is mean to be a son of God?

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”  (Romans 8:14)

If we are led by the Spirit, then we are the sons of God.  This is the point where most people jump up and say, “Blasphemer! Heretic! There is only one Son!  You are claiming to be God!”  No I am not.  I am hoping to know what Paul meant when wrote,

“And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.”  (Eph 3:19)

My hope is to comprehend the love of God, for God is love.  (I John 4:8)

“BEHOLD, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God; therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”  (I John 3:1,2)

It is written of Jesus,

“Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.”  (Heb 1:15)

To be a son is to be the image or expression of the invisible God.  If God (God is a Spirit, John 4:24) were to possess a human body and express Himself though that body, He would act just like Jesus.  In truth, Jesus is the Son of God, or God in the flesh.  Not only does God possess a body in the case of Jesus, but God’s Spirit possesses us when we believe in Jesus.  God is still taking flesh, yours and mine.  Anyone that does not believe that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of the spirit of antichrist.

“Hereby know ye the Spirit of God:  Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist wherof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.”  (I John 4:2,3)

These verses say IS COME in the flesh, not DID COME.  Jesus Christ is still coming in the flesh, though He is seldom recognized.

“He came unto his own, and his own received him not.  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”  (John 1:11-13)

“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”  (Romans 8:29)

Jesus is referred to as the, “firstborn among many brethren.”  If He is the firstborn, then there must be more!

When God comes unto us and knows us by His Spirit the seed of Christ is placed in us and we become spiritually pregnant.  As this seed grows in us, we become more and more lead by His Spirit.

With labor comes the struggle to completely submit ourselves unto the will of the Father.  We will go through our own Gethsemene where we must say to the Father, “…nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.”  (Luke 22:42)  We can’t even do this on our own as it is contrary to our nature to die to our own will.  Yet if we choose to be fully possessed and lead by the Spirit, then we must, “…press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”  (Phil 3:14); and thus, we too are the sons of God.

Jesus was TOTALLY led by the Father which is what it takes to be a son.  If we are led by the Spirit, then we are the sons of God!

Only when God opens our eyes by His Spirit, can we say as the songwriter, “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the LORD…” and, “In the beauty of the lilies, Christ was born across the sea, with a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me….”

Jesus was a manifested son of God on the mount of Transfiguration.  The voice of the Father even called from heaven, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”  (Matt 17:5)

This seeing or understanding of the mystery of the gospel cannot be learned or taught.  It is given by God just like salvation.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the GIFT of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”  (Eph 2:8, 9  capitals mine)

There are many that the Bible says are, “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”  (2 Tim 3:7)  Only when God GIVES us the understanding of the mystery of the gospel, can we comprehend the hope of glory which is CHRIST IN YOU.  (Col 1:27)

So for what purpose is all this sons of God stuff for?  The answer lies in Romans 8:18, 19 and 22;

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.”

In that day all creation will be set free.  All of creation is still groaning and travailing; laboring and waiting for a new birth.  Even now we feel the groaning of the Spirit within us as we wait for the manifestation of the sons of God.  In that day, not only will Jesus Christ bodily appear from heaven, but He will also be revealed in His saints.  In that day the glory of God will shine out from the Christ, the Spirit of God that is even now forming within us.  This will be the Son of God being birthed out from us.  In that day we shall, “say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!”  (Isa 40:9)

In that day we will fully understand what it means to be born of the Spirit, born from above, and born again!

God Bless and keep you in His eternal love.

I don’t write often, but when sharing with a dear friend recently, I was inspired to see some things in the Bible in a new way. So let’s start out with a very well know section of the Bible, the Gospel of John, chapter 1, verse 1:

In the beggining was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

So that we know for sure exatly who the Word of God is, we need look no farther than verse 14:

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father).

It is Jesus Christ, the Word of God, that took flesh and dwelt among us. This same Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the only begotten son of the Father…at that time.

The interesting thing here is that the Word of God is still taking flesh and walking among us to this day, and we are that flesh to the extent that we are willing to allow the Spirit of Christ to possess us. My daily prayer is to know Ephesians 3:19, to know the love of God that passes understanding, that I might be filled with all the fullness of God. Can you imagine…to be filled/possesed with all the fulness of God?

Certainly the demons and evil spirits recognize the Spirit of God, the same Spirit that took flesh and dwelt amoung us in the form of Jesus Christ. If we take a look at Acts 19:13, there is a story about the seven sons of Sceva, (who was a high priest of the Jews). The seven sons of Sceva were casting out demons, performing excorcisms in the name of “Jesus whom Paul preaches”. The evil spirit that they were trying to cast out declared, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?
This is important because demons and evil spirits can see clearly spiritual things. IN this case the evil spirit said, ” hey I recognize the Spirit of Jesus, and the Spirit of Paul which, by the way, is the SAME Spirit that filled Jesus. To the evil sprit, there WAS NO DIFFERENCE.

My prayer for myself and all those that believe in Jesus Christ is that evil spirits would look at us and say, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know and I KNOW YOU TOO”, because when they look at us in the spirit, they will see no difference.

Isn’t it also interesting that the seven sons of Sceva had a natural father that had a form of godliness as he was a high priest, but there was no authority of God ? It seems that things are no different now as they were then. There are many that have titles and positions but in the spirit are void of the oneness that comes from knowing Jesus Christ in a real and intimate way. You can’t fake it folks, you can’t get it by getting a degree, through natural parents or because you are friends with some well recognized religious figure. God annoints and appoints who HE wills, for His Glory alone.

So let’s go on, verses 12 and 13:
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
To be a son God, to walk as Jesus walked, to be “born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God”.

Even now, as the Spirit of God is coming to His temple (know ye not, that ye are the temple of the Holy Ghost?), it is again no different now than it was 2000 years ago when the Jews crucified Jesus. Now, as it was then, the Word is coming to His own, and HIs own don’t know HIM. People are looking to the sky, looking to the news, everywhere except where Jesus lives, in our hearts through faith made possible by the blood that the Lamb of God shed on the cross.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

These eighteen verses in John chapter one are not some nice oration about some fuzzy spiritual truth that is a mystery and not to be know. As believers, we need to take these verses literally, and understand that we are the flesh that the Holy Spirit walks around in, right now, you and me.

As Paul did long ago, as recorded in Ephesians 2:16, “I cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you YOU the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of HIM

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, they you may know what is the hope of HIS calling, and what the riches of the glory of HIS inheritnace in the saints”.

I pray that God grants you also this spirit, the spirit of wisdom and revelation, to know what is the hope of your calling. I also pray that you too will ask of God, who gives liberally and upbraids not….

Our Lord Jesus Christ bless you and keep you.

Many times in life I’ve been faced with situations where I had waited long enough and wanted to give up. Recently I was chatting with my dear brother in faith Jerry Turk. After what seemed like a very long pause, he said only one thing…”Cast your net on the other side of the boat”. Now, me being me, I just had to jump on the Internet and find that verse so I could read it exactly and in context. The verse says on “on the right side of ship”, and there is where I got hung up…so I prayed. For 2 days. And the answer came.