Day 91 - Fasting

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries                         LMCM

Nacogdoches, Texas                                                           Gal. 2:20  KJV

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 64     

Michael’s book is available through: 

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       almi@abidinglife.com

We just finished celebrating that annual holiday on most calendars: Thanksgiving.  This writing is a couple of days late due to holiday travels.  How many of us thought about the things Michael points out in Day 91’s writing…after we said, “No thanks, I can’t hold anything else” to those wonderful cooks who prepared the grand meal laid out before us?

Not too many Christians spend much time in fasting.  Interesting.  Could it be that man has tried to “drive” us there, instead of the Spirit?

Michael gives us a very interesting perspective of what it is like to have a full soul…enjoy!

Day 91

Fasting

You have made known to me the path of life: you will fill me with joy in your presence with eternal pleasures at your right hand. --Psalm 16:11

The Spirit drove Jesus to the wilderness, which, along with fasting, would prepare Him for the coming temptations. In the wilderness He was cut off from all outside support with only the Father on whom to lean. The soul--like a baby, with a need for mother's milk and constant feeding--can be fed from the outer life and world by choosing facts and emotional stirrings. However, being fed by the world is similar to giving water to a baby when it wants and needs milk. The baby will become fussy and testy. In the wilderness and in fasting, the soul has only one place it can feed, the Father! The soul (mind, will, and emotions) discovers the Father is the food that satisfies and chooses the wisdom of God over knowledge and His presence over feelings. "My soul is full," says the Psalmist. When full, no one can tempt a person with more food. When the soul is full of God, the world just cannot tempt with its offerings. Jesus said, “No,” to stones becoming bread. He was full without bread. He said, “No,” to kingdoms and the spectacular. He had what He needed and did not choose excess. He is holding all things with an open hand. Jesus stands at the door and invites us to eat with Him, to have our souls satisfied. 

I have experienced a bit of giving myself to prayer and fasting and want to do more in the future. I love having a full soul, never once wanting food, lacking curiosity about my surroundings, not giving even a casual glance to shops, and not needing anything. It is like Thanksgiving dinner when I finally say, "No, thanks! I cannot hold anything else.” No man can call another to a fast in the wilderness; the Spirit must drive him there! I would encourage prayer that He do just that, so we believers can get away from all the external supports, even if it is just one day sometime this year. He will fill our soul.

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point      Green – IT, Incredible Truth        

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches           Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

There are some wonderful things to make note of in this day’s writing.

First, look at what the Psalmist said: “You have made known to me the path of life.”  How wonderful is this!?!  And then he says, “you will fill me with joy in your presence with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”  Ever since the advent of personal credit, man has been longing after the happiness (not joy) so-called pleasures the world has to offer (and, with credit, man has been able to obtain these with “play-money”).  Too many Christians are seeking the world’s pleasures instead of the presence of the Lord, and the eternal pleasures at His right hand.

2^nd, it was the Spirit that drove Jesus to the wilderness.  How many Christians are in the wilderness by their own choosing…or from allowing the enemy to drive them?  Unbelieving Believers.

3^rd, that brings us to fasting.  It is the “lost art” of Christianity.  Add that too many Christians don’t realize or recognize that we are double-souled.  Can’t have the mind of Christ without being double-souled.  Holy Spirit-driven fasting allows us to experience, and focus with, the mind/will/emotions of Christ to “discover the Father is the food that satisfies” and choose “the wisdom of God over knowledge and His presence over feelings.”  The natural soul we were born with will not acknowledge this…living in the flesh (natural) chooses that which is in opposition to God.  And we, too, like Michael, can “love having a full soul, never once wanting food, lacking curiosity about my surroundings, not giving even a casual glance to shops, and not needing anything.”

4^th, when we choose to live in His soul (led by His Spirit living in us), we will ALWAYS be living with a soul full of God…and “the world just cannot tempt with its offerings.”  How stunning of a revelation is that?!?

Let all Christians pray fervently for a Holy Spirit-driven fasting, whether in the wilderness of life, or simply for a Soul Filling!  Great insights and revelations from God come in times like that.

If you have any desire to interact with me on something Michael has written, and/or any of my thoughts, please note the email address just below my name at the bottom of this.

To access ALL past weekly blogs, go to Living Life With a Capital “C” by logging onto www.leemccm.blogspot.com   Look to the top right hand side of the page, enter your email address in the box under “Follow,” then click on SUBMIT.  You will receive a “confirmation email,” and when you click on the link and “confirm,” you will receive all new posts via email.

NOTICE: beginning in January, 2014, a new blog on Michael Wells’ book, Sidetracked In The Wilderness.

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

P. O. Box 633244    Nacogdoches, Tx 75963                                          936-559-5696

Day 349 - Who Is The Legalist?

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries                         LMCM

Nacogdoches, Texas                                                           Gal. 2:20  KJV

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 63

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       almi@abidinglife.com

The legalists abound in Christianity today.  And in one way, it is easy to understand why…the New Testament is chock full of so many “do’s” that casual reading can lead an unsuspecting Believer to get out their List and add another to it!  Couple that with all the preaching and teaching that compels one to have a list in the first place, and what do you have…a certified legalist in no time!

Michael gives us a very insightful look into “insidious” failures, and then a precious description of God’s way of working in our lives through our failures.

Day 349

Who Is The Legalist?

For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, take care lest you be consumed by one another. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. --Galatians 5:14-17

Anyone who does not get up immediately after a failure is a legalist! Do we want to compound our sin by adding legalism to it? Okay, so we dabble in the flesh. No, I do not mean that we were drunk or involved in acts of adultery; those things do indeed cause tremendous damage, but I am referring to the insidious things that cause lifelong harm, like dabbling in pride, self-righteousness, unbelief, and independence. We could not see that the Lord would act on our behalf, and so we went our own way. We could not wait for God to move, so we took matters into our own hands. We obsessed on our condition, cast the blame on others, and now we are mad at all those around us. We could not find that missing object on which to explode, so we accused the first passerby. We verbally abused those around us. We were too busy to listen to the child or the mate and pushed past him. All day we have thought about the selfish and stupid people with whom we are surrounded. Past events, proving our assumption, whirl around with tornado-like force in our minds, and to make matters worse, we justify our condition. Someone might find himself reading this article in just such a condition.

Then comes the gentle whispering of the Holy Spirit, "It was I. I permitted it all! I am going to show you another hidden corner of your being where I can be your life." With the revelation that it was He comes the revelation of just what terrible Christians we are. Remember, with every revelation of Jesus must come an equal revelation of our flesh, for if not, we will spiral into an even deeper self-righteousness. Now what? How do we clean up the mess? First, what we do not do: We never allow a revelation of our flesh to drive us further from Jesus. This is the exact opposite of what the revelation was intended to accomplish. It is to show us what we are not and what He is. Do not compound it by running from Jesus. What could that accomplish? Only Jesus can heal us. Second, do not fall into self-hatred, which is another form of self-worship. Self-hatred leads to condemnation, another form of legalism. How can we be disappointed with self if we had not foolishly trusted in it? Third, get up and go again. We fall, but we fall forward if we are ready to move out of old behaviors and into Jesus. Always be ready to get up and go again. As a rock is a rock regardless of outside forces, so God is Love independently of man. Would we be persons of faith? Then get up and move toward Him. We will faintly begin to see that He is not fighting but using our failure.

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point      Green – IT, Incredible Truth        

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches           Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

Beautiful!  Only Jesus could not fight our failures, but use them!

And only Christians can fight some sins, that even though they can “cause tremendous damage” they are easily overcome by walking in the Light and by the Spirit, and ignore the “insidious” ones that cause lifelong harm.

We…cannot see that the Lord would act on our behalf, cannot wait for God to move, obsess on our condition…and on and on.  How sad.  For one who has Christ as their life, how pitiful.  Letting the dream-stealer, life-taker drag us down to the pit is the saddest life.

For some, the Holy Spirit is screaming:  “It was I.  I permitted it all!  I am going to show you another hidden corner of your being where I can be your life.”  LET THIS REVELATION drive us toward Jesus!  As Michael points out, “Only Jesus can heal us.”

So, what do we do?  Exactly as Michael points out…follow his simple 3-step plan.  It works.  I want to hear of the victories in Christ that come from moving out of old behaviors and into Jesus!  Let us exhort, encourage, and engage with those brothers and sisters in the Lord who are not moving into victory.  And may we see an incredible number of testimonies of Christians finding out just Who and What Jesus is in each child of God’s life.  Well, amen!

IF YOU HAVE ANY DESIRE TO INTERACT WITH ME ON SOMETHING MICHAEL HAS WRITTEN, AND/OR ANY OF MY THOUGHTS, PLEASE NOTE THE EMAIL ADDRESS JUST BELOW MY NAME AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS.

To access ALL past weekly blog posts, go to Living Life With a Capital “C” by logging onto www.leemccm.blogspot.com). To sign up to receive future posts (or help a friend sign up) look on the TOP RIGHT side of the page, “FOLLOW BY EMAIL”, and click on SUBMIT.  You will receive a “confirmation email,” and when you click on the link and “confirm,” you will receive all new posts.

NOTICE:  beginning in January, 2014, a new blog on Michael Wells’ book, Sidetracked In The Wilderness.

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

leemccm@gmail.com

P. O. Box 633244    Nacogdoches, Tx 75963                                     936-559-5696

Day 345 - When Life Is Not Working

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries                         LMCM

Nacogdoches, Texas                                                           Gal. 2:20  KJV

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 62

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       almi@abidinglife.com

Those of you who have known Michael for some time know his story about knowing the king of a village whose son was injured, and folks told the king:  “That is bad.”  The king said, “It might be bad, it might not.”  And the story goes on and on…every event leads to a corresponding, “It might be good, it might be bad.”

How are we, who know not the future…nor the total plan of God for our lives…to know whether something is “good” or “bad” if we are living in our natural mind we were born with?

But, thanks be to God, that He gave us the Mind of Christ when we were Born Again.  Now we can see how everything is “working out,” no matter whether our other mind considers it “good” or “bad.”

Michael hits the nail on the head when he draws our attention to our “judging” how things are going…this day’s writing should give much freedom to a lot of “judgers.”

Day 345

When Life Is Not Working

And after you have suffered for a little, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. --I Peter 5:10

I often hear someone say, “Nothing is working out!” That is never true for Christians, so they are only suffering from the lack of a doctrine that properly explains defeat, suffering, reversals, broken relationships, sickness, and disappointments. While it is obvious that many of the above are the result of sin, God is so big that He can use what we have done. I am not teaching that we sin so grace will abound, but neither am I saying that grace does not abound. When we bemoan how things are not working out, we have something we are judging those things against. Often we have judged them against what we believe would be “good things,” the opposite of which we call bad and “things not working out.” Let me illustrate. One thing we label “bad” and “things not working out” is seeing a child rebelling. It was bad that the Prodigal Son rebelled, took his inheritance money, and went away to squander it; however, the fact that he came to the end of himself and returned home, never to leave again, was actually “things working out.” We have a definition of the state comprising “things working out” and judge everyday life against it, but is our definition correct? Is it true that “things working out” never includes suffering, getting sick, having a conflict, being in want, or depression? If so, “things” certainly never “worked out” for Jesus! For me, “things” have worked out if at the end of the day I have lost my pride, my glory, my strength, my righteousness, and my kingdom, for those things hinder the free flow of the greatest treasure that is inside me: Christ in me, the hope of glory. I have found that as I have given the proper definition to “things working out,” nothing has gone wrong. When I judge what took place today against this model, things are working out perfectly. Can we yield to it? The proof that we have chosen God’s glory is that we shed ourselves of our own.

(underlining is my emphasis – Lee)

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point      Green – IT, Incredible Truth        

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches           Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

It is absolutely phenomenal that EVERYTHING is always “working out” for every Christian.  Hallelujah!  God in His infinite wisdom has designed life where “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).  Well, amen.

The great apostle Peter, a great preacher of suffering and grace, tells us that God has “begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”  He then goes on to tell us “that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried by fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”  Wow!  Oh, that we Saints could see all the events in our lives as simply a test of our faith.  And that all these tests are from God, and God never expects us to fail one test!

So, let us disciple the Saints so that none “lack of a doctrine that properly explains defeat, suffering, reversals, broken relationships, sickness, and disappointments.”  Until then, too many will live in the state of “judging.” 

There is great freedom, intense joy, and real peace in having the proper definition of things “working out” and truly experiencing that nothing has gone wrong.  Amen.

IF YOU HAVE ANY DESIRE TO INTERACT WITH ME ON SOMETHING MICHAEL HAS WRITTEN, AND/OR ANY OF MY THOUGHTS, PLEASE NOTE THE EMAIL ADDRESS JUST BELOW MY NAME AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS.

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

leemccm@gmail.com

P. O. Box 633244    Nacogdoches, Tx 75963                                          936-559-5696

Day 344 - What Is Your Address?

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries                         LMCM

Nacogdoches, Texas                                                           Gal. 2:20  KJV

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 61     

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       almi@abidinglife.com

I would venture to say after 30+ years in the ministry that perhaps as many as 90+% of Christians have never given any thought to having any kind of address other than the physical address they live at, and…a spiritual address of being a citizen of Heaven.  Not once have they ever considered they have an emotional address or any other type of spiritual address…all of which are critical to knowing, understanding, and experiencing abundant life in Christ.  Boy howdy, does Michael ever bring these out in the open in such a beautiful and comprehensive kind of way. 

DAY 344

What Is Your Address?       

Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. --I John 3:2

Our bodies reside at a physical address that generally gives us great comfort. There are many advantages to having this place of abiding, such as the enjoyment of coming back after a long trip. There really is no place quite like home. 

Just as we have a physical address for our bodies, we also have an emotional and spiritual address, a place we most often go to receive, ideally, comfort and refuge from the world. Unfortunately, many have an address on Abused Street, Racism Street, Alcoholic Street, Co-dependency Street, Women’s Rights Street, Denial Street, Thankless Husband Street, Anti-nuclear Power Street, Political Party Street, and more. Just as we would be at a loss to know what to do if our physical homes burned down, many would not know what to do in the absence of their emotional address if the hurt from the past, co-dependency, ten steps, or abuse were taken away. These are people who are not comfortable until something is said about the abuse of women in the church, the rejection of people because of race, those who misunderstand divorce, Christians that are too judgmental, or the failures of a mate. Isolating themselves from information that does not support their address, they wrap themselves around issues, wrap the issues around themselves, and desire to entice and wrap up others. They are not wrapped around the person of Christ. They have for so long felt at home at their assumed address that their minds and hearts effortlessly end up there. I am not saying that there is no truth in their particular emphases; I am saying that Truth is not found at those addresses. 

Because the believer has been crucified with Christ, was buried, and received a new life, the believer has also received a new address on "Child of God Street"! In each home on that street dwells a wonderful, loving Father, our Leader, Guide, Lord, and Savior, Jesus, and the great Comforter. All are invited to come on any day for a great meal. To be satisfied in life, each of us must give ourselves to something greater than ourselves. We cannot obsess on self. Obsession does more damage than any actual event. If life is reduced to what has happened to us, what we look like, the actions of others, or even our own sin, we will end the day depleted. We must go home to the proper address, where something bigger than ourselves awaits to greet and nurture us: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point      Green – IT, Incredible Truth        

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches           Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

There really is not one word, much less one sentence, in this day’s writing by Michael that couldn’t be underlined, put in bold print, and highlighted…what an incredible brief dissertation on a much-needed subject.

For over 20 years I have known about and worked with many Christians to see God heal their damaged emotions.  But Michael’s insights (remember, I call him the best Christian counselor/discipler I have ever known) have increased the amount that I can share with folks to whom I am preaching, teaching, or discipling.

Far too many Christians are living defeated lives because they don’t know anything about their emotional address.  It is on that street they are missing the “wonderful, loving Father, (their) Leader, Guide, Lord, and Savior, Jesus, and the great Comforter.”

IF YOU HAVE ANY DESIRE TO INTERACT WITH ME ON SOMETHING MICHAEL HAS WRITTEN, AND/OR ANY OF MY THOUGHTS, PLEASE NOTE THE EMAIL ADDRESS JUST BELOW MY NAME AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS.

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

leemccm@gmail.com

P. O. Box 633244    Nacogdoches, Tx 75963                                       936-559-5696