BTZ Blog

There are those on my friends list who seem to think that the LOVE and GRACE of God negates the JUDGMENT and WRATH of God! I wonder if that stems from a lack of understanding of what took place on the cross. The Old Testament law was like a judge passing sentence upon sin. Jesus became our substitute, bearing "our sins in his own body on the tree" (1 Pet. 2:24). Jesus didn't reject or do away with God's judgment against sin; He bore it, all of it (2 Cor. 5:21). Therefore, He was able to extend the Grace, MERCY and LOVE of God to those who would have been condemned under the law of Moses (Acts 13:38-39). Jesus didn't nulify God's judgment or wrath; He fulfilled it in Himself, so that we could be set free from the trying, and the failing to uphold it. What happend on the cross through Jesus forever changed God's dealings with sinful man. In light of what Jesus has provided in the New Covenant, we would be amiss in trying to release God's wrath upon oth...

Those whom Jesus has set  FREE are to share the gospel of FREEDOM in Jesus to set people FREE from the bondage of sin, self and religion. FREE people have the desire to see others live FREE indeed to the need of religion's creed!

QUALIFICATION from some seminary is not the JUSTIFICATION for SPIRITUALIZATION or REVELATION! IDENTIFICATION with the REVELATION of who Jesus really is, then ACTION on the REVELATION is the JUSTIFICATION for deeper SPIRITUALIZATION and INSPIRATION on the REVELATION! That is what will bring RESTORATION and UNIFICATION to the "Church," His body!!

You will not know how to TRULY WORSHIP until you know how to TRULY LOVE. God isn't so much interested in how or what we do to worship, as in if we love to worship. If you are filled with LOVE you are filled with God, therefore the greatest possession for a person to have is LOVE! It is not possible to worship God without LOVE!

You are not defined by the mistakes or failures you make, you are defined by the failure to get up, put the pass failure behind you and the failure to try again. I It is not FAILURE that makes you a FAILURE, it is FAILURE to try again that makes you a FAILURE!

Some people are so schooled in bible learning by their brand of Bible College they are considered theologians in their sphere of influence. Yet their theology thus, their intrepretation is so slanted to their brand of religion it hinders people from knowing the real Jesus of the Bible whom the very scripture they studied points to.

A TRUTH BREAKER, A TRUST BREAKER or a PROMISE BREAKER are not qualites of a person whom you should choose as a good FRIEND, these are the qualities of a DECEIVER! DECEIVERS are not BEFRIENDERS, DECEIVERS are PRETENDERS!

A true friend loves you from their heart for who you are not for what you do for them. A true friend may go long periods of time without communicating to you, but your friendship is never questioned. When reunion takes place true friends pick up from where they left off as if they never left off. True friends are loved in each others heart forever!

The tests and trials we go through are not necessary for God to know what is in our hearts, but rather reveal to us what we are made of and reveal to us where our trust lies. If there are problems in our attitudes, they will come out when we are going through the storms of life. If our trust is in God we will be at peace while sailing to peaceful harbors.

When we emphasize personal salvation as an experience through a denomination, we are asking people to put their trust in a religious experience rather than in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Is the Bible still true? Is it still God's will that there is only "one body (His Church), one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God" (Eph. 4: 4-6)? Is it still Jesus who is "bulilding His Church"? IS IT NOT PRESUMPTUOUS FOR MEN TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN WALLS OF DENOMINATIONALISM WHICH SEGREATES THE PEOPLE OF GOD BY SEPARATING THEM PHYSICALLY, SPIRITUALLY, EMOTIONALLY and RELATIONALLY?

Religion is very different than having a Relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Religions are man-made, and are based on trying to get to God through rule regulated constitutions and acceptance through works. Man-made religions all are based on people's efforts at reaching God and being made right with Him through their own efforts. God's plan is not based on people's efforts and good works, but is based on His amazing Love and amazing Grace for us; His plan involved His precious Son Jesus paying the price and cost for our sins on the cross.  But your trust in Jesus not religion!

Religion elevates the head-knowledge of the word (letter of the law) to a place usurping relational experiential heart knowledge of the living Word (Jesus). Jesus' words to the Pharisees (religious people) ring as true today as ever, "You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me. Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life" (John 5:39-40).

Religion cries out, "where is the Lord God of Elijah?" All the while God's call, "Where are the Elijah's of the Lord God, falls on deaf ears!" Do we have ears that cannot hear the cry of God because we are deceived by man-made religion, cursed with man-ordained control, and doomed with man-made doctrine! Are we blinded to God's work because of religious blinders?

Have you ever heard the statement; "There is no perfet church." Does not this thinking negate a rapture? Jesus said that He was coming for a "Church without spot or wrinkle", a church without blemish, doesn't that indicate perfection? Does that mean, because there is no perfect religion, no religion is the true "Church"? Is it possible that the Church is something other than religion?

If you intend to go all the way with Christ, you must be prepared to bare His sufferings. Who reproached Jesus, heaped shame upon His head and vilified His name as filthy? It was the religious people whose traditions He questioned and lambasted. The religious people persecuted and reproached Jesus, today religious people will do the same to all who will die to self and religiosity for His sake.

If we as people believe we can possess the inward reality of a love relationship with God without it having a profound effect on our outward reality and how we live and treat people, we live in deception. To attempt to live an outward life that flows from an inward relationship with God without the inward reality of the life of Christ, leads to religious legalism!

Understand, that believers are built from within, not without. Religion wants to mold us into its image and adhere to its forms. That causes conflict between our spirit and the carnal nature. Once full surrender is given to the Christ life within, religiosity begins to cease and our carnal nature dies as more of Christ is revealed. But know, it is easier to get people out of religion than it is to get religion out of people!

Happy Father's Day, My Father's legacy to his family. F - Faithfulness to his family A - Acceptance of his family T - Tenderness toward his family H - Honor given to his family E - Eternal love for his family R - Respect given to his family Fathering children does not make you the man, being a father to the children you father makes you the man! As a man my father stood tall....Thanks Dad, always missing you.

The reality of faith is not found in ritual traditions or programs. Faith is a river of life that flows from within the believer because of Christ's life within. and is too powerful to be contained in the weak external structures men have constructed. The true Church is a power source of life that no Sunday-go-meeting building or institution could be nor contain!

A nobler calling has no man than that of being a father, within him God plants the ability to give life. He is the greatest of sculptures, for he molds the life of his offspring. The greatest music to a father's ears is, "I love you" from the mouth of his children as it expresses what is in their heart.  The love of a father transcends time and space and lodges in the heart of his kids. How do I know this? Because of my father. Although it has been a long time since he passed, he forever resides in my heart. There are family members today that have never known him, but from my memory he will never depart. The passing of time cannot erase the look of joy I saw on his face, as he bounced my siblings on his knees. Even today I feel his presence on the wings of the gentle breeze as it swirls among the leaves of the trees. To see my dads face and give him a hug I cannot do. If you are blessed to have your dad, you...

Christ’s prayer for unity is not attained by agreeing with a certain philosophy, adherence to a certain belief system or conformance to forms and practices. Christ is the unifying factor of true unity. Unity dose not stem from, attending the same “church”, agreement on doctrine, or looking alike, but by an intimate relationship with Christ, and through Him relating to each other. One Head (Jesus), one Body (His Church) made up of united parts with many expressions (believers).

Love relationships are never about position or power, love relationships are about one-another-serving. If the church is built on relationships because of love there would be no seeking positions, there would be no power struggles, no backbiting, no gossiping, and no favouritism, there would only be service to one another.

If you believe in a gospel of Self-Salvation with a little sprinkling of Jesus and the Holy Spirit to cover up your Self-Righteousness you are believing a False Gospel and not the Gospel of Grace which is entirely Jesus’ doing and nothing of SELF is involved. GRACE plus SELF is not the  gospel of GRACE, it is another gospel, a FALSE GOSPEL!

Presenting the gospel is not so much about preaching or teaching, it is about LIVING!  If we live as a loved child of God in our living, there would be no shortage of people to share the gospel with. Teaching and preaching the gospel before living it will end in the preaching and teaching being the substitute for living it. In order to be effective as a believer, we must find freedom from the overestimation of our own capabilities and not only verbalize that God is the source of or ability buy also live that fact.

As a member of a religious institution, you have the obligation to protect it and its assets in order to be known as a good steward, you also have to support its confused confusions in order to remain a loyal member. The thing about it is; the institution confuses the simplicities of the gospel. Love gets confused as that which protects the institution and loveless to that which does not. If you desire what they want, they reward you. If not they punish you. Institutionalized institutions are not about compassion and love. The people give their affection and time only to those who serve the institutional interests and withhold it from those who do not. The event-driven, work-driven, programmed-driven religious institution devours the very love it seeks to sustain, producing a loveless relationship with God and with people by providing something viewed as more important than simply loving each other in the same way God loves

Listening to the conclusions of some theologians, one rightly concludes that religion is an institution of confusion because of the infusion of distortion brought on by the institution believing they have a monopoly on  interpretation because it is interpreted by the theologian, who really is in confusion himself!

What you believe you know as truth may not be what is known truth! Therefore, your belief in what you may know to be truth may not be truth, you may be believing falsehood to be truth. Be careful of what you accept to be truth!

Did God send Jesus to start a religion called Christianity or is it a product of man's doing? Is it possible that Jesus came to end ALL religions, not by condemnation or lashing out at them, but by filling the human spirit with what religion promises to fill but never can? Religion manipulates human effort to earn God's approval, even though such approval can never be earned.

Clearly there is a problem in Christendom that cannot be blamed on the secularization of our culture. Within religion God's kingdom is not portrayed as the "pearl of great price", nor is the visible fruit of religious activities indicative of an intimate love relationship with Jesus. People within religion who are brave enough to express themselves regarding this, are often marginalized as rebellious or unsubmitted and in fact may be disciplined, and all for simply desiring a deeper relationship with Jesus. Even the people outside of religion are seeing through the facade and selfishness of such religiosity. Many people who have rejected local religious institutions are not doing so because they've rejected Jesus, but recognize that the culture of religion is actually diminishing their relationship with Jesus, not enhancing it. Some leaders are frustrated because, in trying to help people follow Jesus, they have come to the realization that their own office may be a...

Seeking the approval of people blinds you to the fact that you already have God’s approval. Gaining the approval of people may mean that you are loosing the approval of God because you may have to put on a show and portray something you are not in order to gain people’s approval. To be approved by God, all you have to do is be your honest self!

If we saw people who irritate us on times as diamonds in the rough, and we became the stone of understanding, compassion, kindness and love, in rubbing against us they could become a beautiful jewel of sparkling diamond because of your attitude toward them!

Because you listen does not mean you understand what you hear. Because you look does not mean you see what you think you are seeing! Because you feel does not mean you feel what you think you are feeling! Because you believe in something does not mean your belief system is right! Search for Because you listen does not mean you understand what you hea ... Search for a map Translate Source: Attribution goes here About Bing Highlights Bing Highlights Version 1.0.0 (12) Copyright © 2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Support Source: Attribution goes here About Bing Highlights

God will not excuse pride, especially religious pride that puts traditions, constitutions, and denominational beliefs above the Word of God. It is this religious characteristic of pride...by which the religious are boastful of their achievements, puffed up with their knowledge or judgmental in their attitude towards others...that has the living God standing in opposition to the Sunday-Go-Event-Driven-Meeting, programmed oriented churches, because it hinders relationship with Him. A RELATIONSHIP with RELIGION is not the same as a RELATIONSHIP with GOD, neither is a RELATIONSHIP with RELIGION the way to GOD!

Being Spirit led brings spiritual freedom and victorious living no matter the circumstances you may find yourself in. Because, to be Spirit led is to TRUST in GOD, to TRUST in God is to be VICTORIOUS, to be VICTORIOUS is LIVING therefore, TRUSTING in God is the essence of LIVING VICTORIOUSLY!

Correct and balanced doctrinal understanding is fundamental to our spiritual well being. But, when our energies are absorbed more with doctrines and trying to promote, maintain and defend those doctrines than it is with attaining the character of Christ, we are being misled and subject to self deception. When love for our preconceived doctrine takes priority over love for people we are self-deceived, and there is no GREATER DECEPTION than SELF-DECEPTION!

Progress is impossible without change. This includes progress spiritually as well as physically. If you are stuck in a spiritual rut, is it because you need a change of mind about preconceived conclusions regarding your belief system? Is it possible that our conclusions have been formed before having the evidence for its truth? Break free from strongholds that are imprisoning you!

When people truly love each other they become intentionally blind to certain things! They are blind to each others physical imperfections! It is not wise to share your physical imperfections with those you love because they will never see flaws in you unless you point them out. True LOVE sees PERFECTION and does not major on IMPERFECTION! True Love is a COVER-UPPER not a UN-COVERER!

The veil of religiosity obscures truth! If falsehoods are promoted as truth clothed in religiosity and we do not know TRUTH, we will not know truth! It is not religion that is the WAY, TRUTH and LIFE. JESUS is the WAY, the TRUTH and LIFE!

How you begin your life is not what matters most, what matters most is how your life ends! So between the beginning and ending of your life, ensure you live life so that your ending will be better than your beginning!

Believers, refuse to let the public perception you present to others on Sundays at Event-Driven-Meetings, exceed your seven-day-a-week life living in your community!

One of the greatest enemies to God’s working through us is SELF, because it indicates we do not need Him and we try to Do the Do, Do, Do!  To be self-righteous and judgmental are qualities that are not kingdom principles. We are in denial of the fact that were it not for the grace of God there goes us. No matter how righteous we think we are, if we get in touch with our humanity, we will understand that we are just as fallen as everyone else and just as undeserving of God’s mercy and love as those we condemn.  Such a revelation should remove any self-righteous, judgmental and condemning fiber in our body.

In spite of the difficulties, trials, tribulations, sickness, pain, sufferings, heartaches, headaches and the of cost living associated with living, living is still very popular compared to the alternative!

Are you sailing through deep troubled waters in the ocean of life today?  Are the waves beating against your bow trying to sweep you off your feet? Do you feel you have been washed overboard? Allow the deep waters to cleanse you, not drown you! Like Peter realize that because you are sinking doesn’t mean you are sunk! Reach out and hold unto His hand, as long as you do you will never sink!

If the focus of our fellowship is with others, our sight is out of focus because we are bypassing the Head and trying to have fellowship on some ground other than Christ. The Bible clearly teaches that "what we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that you may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ…if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another…" (I John 1:3,7). The trap of religiosity and self-righteousness is; it causes us to be blind to the truth of our spiritual condition. The picture presented to us in Revelation 3 is one of Christ standing on the outside, knocking at the door, and waiting for someone to open the door to Him. Since this is written to the saints it cannot be construed as an invitation to sinners to "invite Jesus into their heart"; instead, it is the Lord calling upon His church to make Him the center again. The issue was, a...

Bible School learning teaches you lessons about religion and then gives you a test to determine what you have learned. Life learning presents you with a test from which you can learn lessons. What I have gleaned from life lessons has help m e understand people more than what I have gleaned from Bible School learning. Life learning has fitted me to understand and appreciate all people, whereas Bible School learning fitted me to understand and appreciate people who agreed with my religious view point.

Why is GRACE only, so offensive to the religious mind? Is it because it disagrees emphatically with the possibility that man can improve himself by climbing the religious ladder while adhering to rules and regulations of the organization to become more acceptable to God. GRACE minus LOVE is GRACELESS!

Everything God has done, is doing, and will do is aimed at bringing us deeper into relationship with Him through Christ. God is the One Who brings us through the Gate, and God is the One Who leads us along the Path. Everything God has done, is doing, and will do is to fulfill His purpose, even to everything you have been through, everything you are going through, and everything you will go through.

Every present believer in Christ was a past sinner, and every present sinner can be a future believer!

Worship should not be essentially something relegated to participate in at arranged times in a Sunday-go-meeting. Rather it is to be participated in living life seven-days-a-week by a mind-set which acknowledges that God is positively invol ved in our everyday living. Going to Sunday-go meetings does not make you a worshiper, even though it may give you opportunities to worship! Nor does not going to-Sunday-go-meetings make you a non-worshiper. MINDSET not MEETINGS is what makes you a WORSHIPER!