So I'll start with what I've been working on for the last month, building a family tree. Oh, I've worked on it several times, in fact many years ago I did a lot of work on it and even found a few leads, but each time it had to wait while the rest of life went on. Looking back on it, all our lives are a journey of seeking peace and to know God even more, and this is really just family tree stuff! Taking who and what I am, which is a result of all the ones before me and the years I've added in, and then putting all that into God's hands to be shaped and formed into what He created me to be. And guess what, that releases His promises into my children's lives and into their children's lives.

There was a time that I wanted my children to be so free, that I told God that I would stay sick, I would stay in bondage, and so on, if only He would free them! Boy, was I wrong! God has shown me that if I want my children free, then I have to become free myself! Even in the secular world, they know that to free someone, you need to first free yourself. In an airplane, they tell you to put the oxygen mask on yourself first. Not even on a child first. What good are you if you're dead? First, give yourself the breath of life so that you can have strength to give someone else life.

We learn about God's love for us, but how many of us actually know how to live that out? How many of us are bombarded with the thoughts of failures and arguments of not being good enough? How can we really receive God's love for us into our hearts and not just into our heads?[@more@]

In January of this year, I had a dream of being in my office at work. I was standing behind my desk when just then, a man stepped into the doorway of the office. As I glanced up, I recognized Jesus. "Oh, no," I cried, "Is it you? Not yet, I'm not ready, I don't have all my work done!" Fear struck me, and I started repenting and objecting all the more, "There is too much here unfinished! It can't be you, yet! Is it you?" The feeling was overwhelming of all the work meant to be done, and the despair of not being ready–of never being ready.

As I started around the desk, still objecting to him being there, he quietly stepped back out the doorway and into the darkened room behind him. I was aware of him there in the darkness but immediately an overpowering panic hit me, the fear of being left alone. I hurried to the door, but it was like bars covered the doorway. The repenting quickly changed to, "please don't leave me, don't leave!" The second I cried out "don't leave me", he was there holding me in his arms saying that he didn't mean to scare me, and to not be afraid, and that he wasn't the one I thought he was. Then I woke up.

All that day, the reality of this dream stayed with me as I questioned Jesus, was this really you? I saw it was you and then you said it wasn't?

His answer? No, it wasn't the Jesus that I was making him to be. I had a wrong idea of what he looked like. One to be feared and one to have to appease. A hard master, looking for some way to slam you if you didn't measure up. Kind of how the man in the parable of the talents thought of his master. He didn't take the time to really know the master's heart. He hid the money entrusted to him, and said, oh, but I knew you were a harsh master and I was afraid! This man ended up imprisoned and tormented.

God is not like that at all, he wants you to really know his heart toward you. The Bible says that God is long-suffering and full of mercy and kindness. This is what it says in the Old Testament, and that he is a God who forgives and heals your diseases (dis-ease)! He is a God who says that he would that no one would perish! He is a God who says, "I put before you death or life – choose life!

How much more is ours now that Christ has died on the cross and paid the sacrifice and defeated the enemy and has risen and now with all authority given him, sits on the right hand of the Father!

Is not the New Testament a greater fulfillment of the Old, and if all those promises were under an incompleted covenant, aren't they even greater and more binding now under the completion of this covenant?

The Gospels are full of stories of the compassion and authority of Jesus, of his love for all the people, and a love for his friends. He said, "If you have seen me, then you have seen the Father!" What did he look like?

He went around doing good, encouraging people, healing the sick, casting out devils and freeing those oppressed by tormenting spirits! Not being a wimp, but courageously standing up against religious injustice and mistreatment that misrepresented God to the people.

He gave himself willingly to torture and death with the vision of our freedom in front of him. That was his compassion! Here was the heart of the Father being seen! "For God so loved the world that he gave his only son!"

Now today in the Christian community, we don't all wrestle with doing the laws of Moses' Covenant, or following Jewish laws, but we have replaced it with our own religious responsibilities and jobs and works of building the church, with the feelings of not ever doing enough, not ever reading enough in the Bible, not formally praying long enough or good enough. Or helping enough people, or cleaning enough, or being spiritual enough, and the list goes on and on. These are our laws…traditions and responsibilities.

Paul says in Galatians, starting with 2:16, "Now we know that a person is not justified (accepted or deemed "good enough") be the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we (former Jews under the law) have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because no one will be justified by ever observing the law…I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside (or frustrate) the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, then Christ died for nothing!"

"O you foolish people (Galatians)! Who has bewitched you? Before your eyes, Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn one thing from you — Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law? or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human efforts?"

"…It is with freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery (or bondage)…You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated (or separated) from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. But by faith, we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope…The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you."

The very thing that will make us righteous (accepting the grace of Christ) is the very thing that we keep avoiding! We set up the bars of our own bondage and separate ourselves from Jesus, and keep ourselves in torment, by seeing him as a God who wants us to make ourselves perfect and just right for him! That will never happen! He is literally standing in the shadows waiting for you to let it all go; waiting with forgiveness and acceptance. He is waiting for you to want him more than you want to be perfect or righteous.

So what are we suppose to be doing? Ephesians 5:8-10 says, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of the light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord."

That's all my job is…spending enough time, just loving and worshipping and finding out the heart of God! Finding out what pleases him! My works should be works of love coming from that time spent with him. What I see him do and what I hear him say! My job is to know him more, to be formed and shaped by him into his love. Perfect love gets rid of fear!

Someone once said to quit worrying about helping everyone in the world that you can't reach, and just love the one right in front of you that you can reach!

Father God, Thank you for your love and the sacrifice that Jesus gave for us. Help me to see with your eyes! Help me to learn and know more about your love and the love of Jesus, and how you really see and long for your children. Keep working this love in me and through me. Forgive me for wanting a good feeling from doing something right more than wanting to know you. Forgive me for wanting to fix what I've messed up, and get it right first, before coming to you. The only way to make anything right is found in you!

I stand before the cross where forgiveness flows — In your hands, I release my spirit, my will in yours, my desire to control.

Your mercy draws me to the cross, your grace covers me — Your Spirit gives me new life, the power to live free.

Yep, this is what it's all about, folks, "encouraging" each other to continue in the faith.

Encourage meaning to instill courage into, give courage, inspire, increase hope, build confidence in and otherwise keep each other energized and standing to face the enemy without fainting. Courage doesn't mean you don't have fear — ah contraire! — (that's Texas French for "you bet I'm scared!") Courage means that right smack in the middle of your fear the wind of the Holy Spirit blows through you instilling you with strength to stand in belief that God is who He says He is and He will not fail![@more@]

The word courage comes from a word that means "wind" as in "wind of the Spirit". It is life and energy poured into you at the last moment enabling you to not cave in entirely. Acts 4 tells us of a time officials in a city picked up Peter and John and commanded and threatened them and the other Christians to stop spreading anything about Jesus and to stop speaking in his name. When they were all together and heard the threat, they lifted up their voices in prayer! Verse 31 tells us what happened, "After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken! And they were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly." The Spirit is what filled them and "en-couraged" them, and put boldness in them!

David even "encouraged" himself in the Lord (I Sam 30), here David had been anointed king and yet for years he had been running from Saul, forced to live as an enemy to the very state he was to rule. And then the ones he had aligned himself with told him to leave because they didn't trust him, and now he and his men return home and find that a different enemy has come and wiped out their homes and stolen everything and every family member. "And David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for their sons and daughters, but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God."

So, are you distressed? Greatly distressed? Grieved? Burdened down and being bombarded with the stones, of not the enemy even, but seemingly the very ones who should be standing with you? The enemy has carried off and robbed you of your mate-your sustenance-your support-your home and ministry; your children-your fruit-the product of your exsistence-your labor and your future hope? Has fear gripped you and made sport of you time and again?

Will you faint? Will you lose heart? Will you give up?

Have you been believing for a long, long time and haven't seen an answer yet? We know Galatians 6:9 says, "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." This is talking about planting seeds. The verses above speak of learning to live with each other peacefully and giving to those who you are learning from. Then it says "do not be deceived, God is not mocked" whatever you sow, you will reap. Are you agreeing with the enemy and planting seeds of "doubt, unbelief, fear and dis-couragement", even to yourself? Are you planting seeds to please your old sinful, unbelieving nature which brings destruction or are you continuing to plant seeds to please the Spirit, from which will bring eternal life?

These verses are saying that if you have been giving of yourself and your sustenance, to please the Spirit, meaning "in faith believing" that God is who He says He is, then "in due season or at the proper time" you will reap a harvest of blessing! If you don't give up, but as it says in the next verse, "therefore (or continuing to) as you have opportunity, do good to all people, especially those of the faith."

Now, yes, we use many of these scriptures to speak about money, but money is an exchange or extension of yourself. You work and exchange yourself for pay, which in our society is usually money. That's why it says "where your treasure is, that is where your heart is". So where is your heart? Where is your treasure? What part of yourself are you giving and planting into the cause of Christ? Faith speaks of attitude and belief. Do you have the attitude that well, this stuff just doesn't work. It's all stupid anyway. I can't ever get ahead. I never see any good come out of it! Or does your attitude say, "Hey, God, I don't see any answers and I am getting worn and tired. And it seems like everything is coming against me again and again, and I don't seem to be able to get it right…but…I know you are who you say you are! Give me courage to stand and to keep on believing. Help me to stay in you, Lord, because there isn't anything else as real as you!"

In II Corinthians 9 it says to let every one give as they purpose in their heart and that "God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you will have all sufficiency in all things abounding to every good work." And that He gives seed to the sower! Enough for you, yourself, and enough to keep sowing and to increase your fruit!

God is so cool! He gave all for you, and asks you to give all for Him, but then gives you the all that you can give! Get that? He says, keep planting — but wait, here's the seed! He says, plant in faith — but wait, here's a portion of faith for every one of you! He says, don't give up and grow weary — but wait, come to Me and I will give you rest!

Wow, what a deal! But wait, there really is rest!

It's not talking about work-work-work-work! Remember it's talking about giving out of what He gives you! The apostles said, "We don't have any of that, but here is some of what we do have!" Jesus said, "I do what I see the Father do and say what I hear the Father say." He didn't just run around doing everything, every moment, for everybody, He spent time getting to know his Father and receiving from Him so that he would have something to give. Too many of us spend more time wearing ourselves out trying to do and say and fix everything for everybody instead of getting with God to know His heart and His mind for that moment, for that situation! A little bit we receive from God's heart, given out a little at a time can do so much more and reap so much more than all the busy-ness we throw out from ourselves every day! Jesus said, "What do you have? A little bread, a little fish, a little oil? A little seed–what a tiny, tiny seed? That's great! Plant it!"

He spoke of seeds being the Word of God, are you saying and believing the words you hear Father God say to you?

"You are worth something, I gave my only son out of love for you! Before the very foundation of the world, I knew you and chose you in Christ to be made holy and blameless! Not by anything you could ever do, but it is my gift to you! I Am your peace! I Am giving and creating peace in you! You are not of the darkness any more but now you are light in me! Live — as my child — a child of the Light, the Light whose fruit is in all goodness, and truth! And find out what pleases me! That's right, just get to know me and what pleases me! It pleases me to give you every good thing! It pleases me that you choose life! It pleases me for you to not act in your fear, but to be of good courage and put your trust in me and do not be afraid! Keep your mind stayed on me and I will keep you in peace! Rely on my righteousness and the fruit will be assurance, not fear! Assurance and peace. You have a peace the world cannot take away! Don't give it away! I will never leave you, I will never forsake you. You are mine. I have invested and deposited myself in you, I will not let you go! I LOVE YOU! and LOVE CANNOT FAIL!

Plant seeds of Courage!

Plant them in yourself and in others when you can. Plant them in times of prayer and worship. Even just one small seed — "When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you, God!" Psalm 56, "Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up! his daily fighting oppresses me!…What time I am afraid, I will trust in you! In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust, I will not fear what man can do to me!"

All of us have had our lives filled with the seeds of fear and doubt planted into us from the moment we were born on this earth. Many of us have been blessed to have seeds of God's word and love added to this as well. But sometimes, as the life hits us over and over, day after day, those weeds that were planted and taken root deep within us begin to grow and produce fruit — fear, intimidation, words of unbelief and doubt in ourselves, our abilities, our provision, our God. Words meant to choke out the words of life. Words to keep us from speaking out and believing God's word. "Don't say that, don't believe that, you're a fool, no one cares, who are you?, what do you know?, that was stupid! you're not good enough, you blew it! " But Jesus says that every plant that Father God did not plant will be pulled up by the roots! (Matthew 15:13) And that whatever comes out of your heart is what makes you unclean, not what you put in. In other words, it is not your works (what you eat) that makes you clean, but whether the confession of Christ is coming out of your heart. His righteousness! His mercy! His courage!

"Take courage all you who hope in the Lord!"

"But you don't get! This is personal!" Sure it is, the devil makes it personal! Everyday he makes it personal to you. Your lifetime of fears, anxieties and threats in your mind have all been personal!

But guess what, Jesus came to make God personal to us, because of the sacrifice of his own blood and life (and believe me, that was personel to him!) now we can come boldly to the throne of God and bring our request knowing that He will answer! Jesus said if we believe and receive him, he and his Father will come and abide (dwell, live personally) in us!

Now, get personal with the words God has given you!

Here, make this word from God in Psalm 52, a personal word and declare it, seeing it happen and believe it, faithfully, every day…

"Alright, you devil! Why boast yourself in mischief and brag about wearing me out! You, a mighty one? Ha! The goodness of my God endures continually!

Your tongue constantly plots distruction against me, like a sharp razor against my mind! But I have a double-edged sword! The Word of my God in my mouth! You are a liar trying to deceive me! You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking truth!

You love every harmful, devouring word, you, you lying, deceitful voice in my head!

God will destroy you! For ever! He will pull you out of your dwelling place in me and cast you away! He will uproot you from my life! He will uproot you from the land of the living! I am living! I am living! All else is before, is gone!

I am the righteousness of God in Christ and I will see what God has done and put my fear, my trust, my awe in Him!

I will laugh at your destruction! You are nothing, you would not trust God and now all your riches of boasting and bragging and threatening, and wickedness have only destroyed yourself! Go!

I am an olive tree growing strong and fruitful in the house of my God!

I trust only in God's unfailing mercies and love!

I praise you, Father God for ever! For you have done great things and delivered me! I will wait in your presence, worship and adore you, and learn of your heart and trust in your name, because you are a good God to all who believe in you! Amen and Amen — It is done, It is done!