God Thinking LXXXVII - Face To Face 7

"Unlike those without faith, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”   Philippians 4:13

Unlike the pious self-righteous, I know I can falter, therefore I go to God for revelation and purification.  “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.   9.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 10.  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

Unlike the uncommitted, I will guard my heart, my mind, my body and my spirit against the unnecessary consumption of ungodly elements. “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

  

God tells you to think on these things and there are two different responses - two different camps - two different worlds:

The one who hears the Word and does not respond, that is the carnal mind or the unregenerate heart and those who hear the Word and do respond, that is the spiritual mind, the regenerate heart/the saved/the born again.

Why would God call you up so high?

To prepare you for times like those ahead

To make you into a holy vessel

To work His miracles in you and through you

To make you like His Son

To familiarize you with the things in heaven

To prepare you for eternal life, in Christ

2 Timothy 1:7-9

 7.  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

 8.  Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

 9.  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

When wyouwill get this most important Word from God? - according to His purpose, not yours, not mine. 

Until you can say “according to His purpose”, you are still on the throne, wielding, not yielding.

God calls you up to rise above the fray.

God calls you up to reach out beyond yourself.

God calls you to put off some of the corruption of a worldly life and to put on the divine nature in a godly life - more and more as the day approaches. God calls you to go face to face with Him."

Excerpt from God thinking LXXXVII - Face To Face by Keith C. Powell                                                   Copyright 2015

God Thinking LXXXVII - Face To Face 6

"I have decided to live by faith and by doing so I have opened the door to my heart to the leading of the Holy Spirit and I have closed the door of my heart to sinful inclinations.

And I have decided to open the door of my mind to that which is from God and to close the door of my mind to that which is of the world.  I cannot of my own accomplish anything spiritual, but with God I not only can, but am able to do above and beyond what I thought I could. 

Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit I can set a precedence in my household and at my workplace and at Church, that honors God - not by my will - not by my power - but by His will working in me what is the good and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 12:1-2

1.  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

 2.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

God wants you to decide to live by faith - and by doing so you open the door of your heart to the leading of the Holy Spirit and close the door of your heart to sinful inclinations.

You open your mind to the things of God and to close your mind to that which is of the world.

You open your spiritual eyes to see God’s way more clearly and to close your spiritual eyes to anything that disarms your sense of purity and righteousness."

Excerpt from God thinking LXXXVII - Face To Face by Keith C. Powell                                                   Copyright 2015

God Thinking LXXXVII - Face To Face 5

" 

The Bible does not support faithless believers.

The Bible does not support so-called believers that have an anti-Church view.

The Bible does not support the tolerant world-view of (all paths lead to God).

The Bible does not support lukewarm faith.

The Bible does not support long-term evasion of God’s precepts .

The Bible does not support dirty jokes.

The Bible does not support saying you are a Christian and living like you are not.

The Bible does not support fellowship with those who live in darkness, those who actively practice ungodly behaviors.

The Bible does not support wasting your time.

The Bible does not support dead faith.

The Bible does not support living in sin under the pretense that God turns a blind eye to your sin until you decide to come around. 

God’s mercy and His love and His grace are not to be shamed by such an unworthy view of God.

To those who hold to the world’s acceptable view of God:

Grace allows disgrace

Freedom means lasciviousness

Liberty means license

         and Faith means religious affiliation.

How did you get so far from the truth? I think it is from watching others play the church game.  More than likely you are now following men and not Christ.

Who is purporting that God’s sacred grace should be looked on so frivolously?

Excerpt from God thinking LXXXVII - Face To Face by Keith C. Powell                                                   Copyright 2015

God Thinking LXXXVII - Face To Face 4

"In a world, so full of compromise - indecision - concession -

vacillation - inconsistency - indifference - ingratitude - apathy - disregard for the holy - disinterest in the things of God - a world full of vanity - There is still a call from God, “John 15:19

9.  “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

 2 Corinthians 6:17

 17.  “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.”

The enemy has spun a web of illusions to catch your attention and to keep you from the right way. 

When God saves a man and converts his soul and indwells his heart and apprehends his mind - It is to transform him:

from lost to found

From dead to alive

From a natural creature to a supernatural creature

The truly born again have a zeal for God that can only be measured by their love for the things of God.

You need to quit making excuses for people that call themselves Christians, but their love for the world is greater than their love for the things of God.

You need to quit enabling those who take lightly the grace of God and lead them in the sinners prayer.

When you speak of God - of Jesus - of the Holy Spirit you should speak upward and richly.

Ephesians 4:11-32

11.  And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

 12.  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

 14.  Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, (spiritually) and arise from the dead, (spiritually) and Christ shall give thee light.

 15.  See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

 16.  Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

 17.  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is."

Excerpt from God thinking LXXXVII - Face To Face by Keith C. Powell                                                   Copyright 2015

God Thinking LXXXVII - Face To Face 3

"When you approach God:

• Have you weighed your words and carefully considered your petitions or have you stepped into His marvelous light, not at all moved by His presence, loosely approaching God’s throne like a smart aleck eating chips and spilling soda while casually chatting about the weather.
• Have you understood His will for you?
• Are you seeking those things that draw you closer to God?
• Have you come before God stricken with remorse, because you saw His holiness and it shown so bright as to uncover even the hidden things?
• Have you sought out what God wants with the same diligence that you have sought out what you want?
• Have you gone before the throne in silence, withholding all your requests, awaiting the voice of God to fill you and steer you.
• Before you have gone to the throne of grace, have you made up your mind to do what God says, no matter what?
• Do you want God to touch you and open your eyes to your purpose in life?
• Have you thought about making changes in your lifestyle that would free up some time to bask in His glory?
• Are you ready for God to reveal you?
• Are you willing to allow God to reveal you to others?
• Can you come and sit at the feet of Christ without remark? 

Maybe you don't really want to see God face to face."

Excerpt from God thinking LXXXVII - Face To Face by Keith C. Powell                                                   Copyright 2015

God Thinking LXXXVII - Face To Face - 2

"When you approach God:

Have you consider how great God is?

Have you considered:

How Holy - How powerful - How just - How perfect?

People today approach God as if God were a basketball buddy or a co-worker at our workplace. 

Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with getting so close to God that God becomes your friend. And there’s nothing wrong with feeling like you can go to God with anything or that you can approach God in prayer, even when you are not living the way that you know you should, but, the overall lack of reverence for God and the lack of reverence for the things of God has fallen to an all time low.

You can enjoy this life and live it to the fullest - you can be happy and have fun - live a life of excitement and adventure and still reverence God.

You really need to have a right relationship with God and that right relationship starts and ends with how you view God.

When I came to God to see God’s face and God revealed His mercy, love and grace - God inspired me to write these words."

Excerpt from God thinking LXXXVII - Face To Face by Keith C. Powell                                                   Copyright 2015

God thinking LXXXVII - Face To Face - 1

God Thinking LXXXVII

To see His face, I thought today

Take from my eyes this earthly veil

That I could enter in Your presence

And live to see and story tell

A lesson I expected not

Blinded by the chance to tell

My ego was not checked before

I entered in behind the veil

I trod on the ground of God

As if God owed me some quick look

Upon His face, then I could tell

Or maybe write a book

I reached out to touch God’s hand

And look upon His face

Instead, a mirror did appear

And in it was my face

I saw who I really was

Standing, as if I were bare

Instead of seeing God face to face

God had me, meet me there

What I had come to see with eyes

God called upon my faith to see

I came to see God face to face

He showed me mercy, first

I said, Oh Lord, my God

How can I, now, come closer still

After I have foolishly

Presumed upon Your will

Deep calls to deep, and you shall see

What comes from above

Come closer still, abide in Me

And you will see My love

Again I stand in awe of Him

Who holds the whole world in His hands

Who declares His mercy and His love

To me, a simple man

Without a word I stand in silence

So great a gift I cannot bear

That God would share His mercy and love

With me, to humbly share

Again, God said, come closer still

And I stretched my faith as far

As I could see inside the veil

Bright shining as a star

What I had tried to do was wrong

These three times, sought I His face

But God, not willing that I should leave undone

Revealed to me, His grace

Ne’er again shall I presume

To see God face to face

Now, I go to God to see 

His mercy, love and grace 

Excerpt from God thinking LXXXVII - Face To Face by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2015

God Thinking LXXXVI - Are You Living In The Now? 8

"Faith is when you trust that God is working on your behalf without being privy to exactly what God is doing.

In due time, God will reveal whatever you need to know.

You do not need more revelation before you move forward with the revelation that you have.

Philippians 3:15-16

15.  “Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, (spiritually mature) be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

 16.  Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.”

If there seems to be disparity between what God says and your personal experience - it is in your thinking.

You already have exactly what it takes to follow Christ in every way.

If you start to believe that what you have (currently) is what you were given to work with, (nothing more, nothing less), you will be more likely to use your faith in doing things the way God has proclaimed in His Word, (Now) - proportioning, using and distributing what you do have, according to the Word of God.

The other method is to always be looking forward with false hope and false expectations, to what you will do, (later), with what you don’t have - doing nothing in service to God with what you do have, now.

The truth is, that if you think you need more than what you have in order to obey God, you will not use the faith that you do have to its greatest potential. 

This is true primarily because you really aren’t trusting God, if you are always having to look beyond for fulfillment.

You live in a society that is always in hot pursuit of something else. You are seldom satisfied with your current conditions and seldom satisfied with the outcomes of life.  

You are not revealing unconditional trust in a Holy God to a lost and dying world.  Quite often you will find yourself in pursuit of the same things that the world covets.

You have come a long way - and far too long a way to turn back now.  God gave you His Word to instill faith in you - not reason like the vain philosophers - but living faith, capable of moving mountains and feeding thousands.

And yet, God calls you to reason also, but not as those who dabble in mystic thought, but as one who made thought.

You need to live in the place where your faith rules the day. Are you living  in the NOW?"

Excerpt from God Thinking LXXXVI Are You Living In The Now by Keith                                       C. Powell Copyright 2015

God Thinking LXXXVI - Are You Living In The Now? 7

"Some people think they can break the laws of God, (right now) because they intend to be obedient to the laws of God later or when it is more convenient.

God isn’t concerned about what you intend to do when everything is just right and you have an excess to work with.

God is in the now and nothing can replace having a right relationship - right now.

In life, if you are to move forward and be in the will of God - there are some things that you need to see clearly. 

Some of these things (truths about yourself) can only be seen in the inner self.

  

I believe that you know what it is that God wants from you - maybe you didn’t always know - but you do now.

Knowing is part of your spiritual growth. 

Jesus reveals what you need to know at just the right time.  Happy is the man or woman who (seeks not early) what Jesus withholds til later.

John 13:1-8

 1.  Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

 2.  And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;

 3.  Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;

 4.  He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

 5.  After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

 6.  Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

 7.  Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

 8.  Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

you don’t need to know everything that God is doing. Some things are not for today. But what is for today is to be dealt with today and not put off until you are simply out of time."

Excerpt from God Thinking LXXXVI Are You Living In The Now by Keith                                       C. Powell Copyright 2015

God Thinking LXXXVI - Are You Living In The Now? 6

"Let’s don’t agree with the faithless anymore.  I believe that if you were to abort any and all doubt and negative thinking, that you would be ushered into a realm of God that you have only seen occasionally or from a distance up to now.

You must quit making excuses:

for who you are

why you do what we do

why you can’t do this and that

and start to become responsible for what you are a steward of - right now, at this very moment and from the this day forward.

Your relationship with God is not based on what you will have tomorrow - or next week - or when you get this or when you inherit that.  Your relationship with God is based on who you are at this very moment in time.

God doesn’t want a relationship with you, later, at the expense  of having that relationship, now. 

The end does not justify the means.

Excerpt from God Thinking LXXXVI Are You Living In The Now by Keith                                       C. Powell Copyright 2015

God Thinking LXXXVI - Are You Living In The Now? 5

"Some of you started out believing that God was a great God - that God was not only able, but willing to do more than you could ever ask or even dream - but over time you were conditioned to believe differently - you were conditioned by those with dead faith.  They could have been your pastors, your friends, your boss, your parents or even your spouse. 

People with dead faith, whittle away at your faith until you have been discouraged and beaten down.  Given enough time, (and without a strong foundation), those with dead faith can cause you to believe like they do:

People with dead faith:

• Believe the worst of everything.
• They make OK starters, but lousy finishers - because the first time they are up against something that requires faith - they falter, because they have dead faith
• They think that they own what they have, so they hold onto it so tightly that they take away all the fun out of having anything in the first place.
• They are the fault finders.
• They are naysayers.
• They are the I don’t believe it’s true because it didn’t happen to me and I deserve it more than you, so don’t tell me about it group.
• They are always robbing from those with alive faith - tearing down those with alive faith, but at the same time not gaining ground.  They take from the one that has faith, but what they take they don’t even use.  What a waste.

Everyone is influenced by someone, but you should be careful who you allow to influence you.

You will never be free of the naysayers, the negative, or the faithless, but as time goes on - whatever ground you lost under the negative influence of those with little faith or dead faith - you can gain back, by nurturing yourself with God Thinking and being around people that have faith that is alive and dynamic."

Excerpt from God Thinking LXXXVI Are You Living In The Now by Keith                                       C. Powell Copyright 2015

God Thinking LXXXVI - Are You Living In The Now? 4

"Many people are holding out - not using what they have to fulfill God’s will for their life - while waiting for what they don’t have to fulfill their own will. Like seeking success at the expense of the moment or the day. 

Remember true success is in the honorable pursuit of a thing  and not the apprehension of it. 

You will always have enough to be obedient to God with what you have, because it isn’t about how much you have, (that makes what you have the right amount), it’s about how you use/distribute what you do have (that makes it the right amount).

God has not placed false boundaries or unenforceable parameters around your calling - you did that.  You are the one who have said that, “when you get more, then...” or “If only.”

God says, you can, with what you have, be in perfect obedience to His will. 

Being obedient to God and following His plan for your life and serving as a good steward of God’s things does not require more of what you have or more of what you don’t have - it doesn’t require more of anything - it requires following God’s plan for use of what you do have.

Would you agree with me, that to some degree, what you believe - or at least what you once believed is the product of what others said? For some of you, you heard for so long that you couldn’t, that even if you could, because you believed that you couldn’t, you didn’t."

Excerpt from God Thinking LXXXVI Are You Living In The Now by Keith                                       C. Powell Copyright 2015

  

God Thinking LXXXVI - Are You Living In The Now? 3

" 19.  And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the

grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

 20.  And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of

the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

 21.  And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

Not only will God multiply what you have to be sufficient to meet the need, but according to the scriptures, when they had gathered up the left-overs, they actually had more left-over, than they had when they started.

I realize this kind of miracle requires faith. 

I realize this kind of faith requires believing.

I realize this kind of believing requires God.

Do you?

Why do you think that what you have is not the right amount?  And not just for yourself but enough to share with others also.  God says you do have enough, not only to meet your own needs, but to meet the needs of others also.

Why is it you think you need to have something else before you can be fulfilled with what you have or use what you already have to bless others?

You really don’t need anything that you don’t have to do what you were called to do.  God and anything is always the right amount.

  

The secret is - God.  You don’t and won’t ever have enough to do more than what God has called you to. Are you OK with that?" 

Excerpt from God Thinking LXXXVI Are You Living In The Now by Keith                                       C. Powell Copyright 2015

God Thinking LXXXVI - Are You Living In The Now? 2

"“If I knew more scripture I would witness.”

“If I had what so and so had I would...”

“If I just worked for someone else...”

God doesn’t want you looking for anything to change before you obey Him with what you have, right where you are at right now.

There is a distinct correlation between seeing what God is doing and participating, by obedience in what God is doing.  Really, all you need is what you have and God.

Note: Even if you were to stop right here and you believed this statement (all you need is what you have and God) you could move forward today with confidence, make the necessary changes in your life/lifestyle and start to see the presence of God in your current situations and notice that you are equipped to move forward with your dreams and aspirations. 

Even the disciples didn’t realize this most important principle.  They too thought that they needed something other than what they had in order to be in alignment with what God was doing. 

They thought they needed more than they had to take care

of the business of the day.

But the scriptures teach us that Christ is sufficient.  With Christ even a little is a lot.

Matthew 14:15-21

 15.  And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.

 16.  But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.

 17.  And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

note: After today, I hope you never again say that you cannot do what God says you can do. 

Stop looking for some other way or some new way or some alternative way of serving God than simply doing what God says to do. 

The disciples looked out over the crowd to assess their situation instead of listening to the voice of the Master to assess their situation. 

We do the same thing.  Quite often we are discouraged or we turn away from a challenge, because we think that it is what we have or what we can do in the natural that determines the outcome - and Oh how true it is without Christ - but with Christ when you look out on the crowd of five thousand with only a few fish:

• When you look at your desperate situation and you don’t have enough money.
• When you look at an obstacle at work and you cannot figure out a way to get over it.
• When you are faced with a decision that you know what you should do but it seems impossible.
• When your enemy seems to be winning over something in your life.
• When you are sure that you do not have enough time.
• When it looks like there is just no hope.

Jesus says, starting at verse 18

 18.  He said, Bring them hither to 

• Bring the fives loaves and two fishes to me.
• Bring me your checkbook
• Bring to me that obstacle
• Bring me that decision
• Bring me your fear

“Bring them hither to Me.”  Bring what you have to Me in the natural and I will multiply it in the supernatural.

Jesus didn’t ask them to bring to Him what they didn’t have.  Jesus asked them to bring to Him what they did have. 

Note: I hope you will make this your mantra for a season until you believe it. It happened to the disciples and it is happening for you right now in your life as well.

It is the same for you right now.  Bring to God what you do have.  Bring it and surrender it, before you distribute it and God will multiply it."

Excerpt from God Thinking LXXXVI Are You Living In The Now by Keith                                       C. Powell Copyright 2015

God Thinking LXXXVI - Are You Living In The Now? 1

"You need to live in the place where your faith rules the day.

Some people think that you have to have full revelation before you can receive from God.

Some of us think that you have to make more money or have your ship come in before you can give. 

“When I win the lottery or when I get my raise or when I start my own business, then I am going to give to X, Y & Z.”

Some of us think that you have to have something else happen to you before you can do the right thing or do the God thing. 

I have heard many people say, “If I had his money, I would...”  I have heard what people say, but what does God say?

Philippians 4:19

19.  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 9:8

 8.  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

                               

If you don’t feel like we have all sufficiency - it is due to:

A lack understanding in your inner man

A lack in your living in line with God’s will

A lack of understanding God’s provision

The truth is; you don’t have to have any more than you have right now, or get any more education than you have right now, or have more of this or that than you have right now, or have more time than you have right now, before you can see what God has for you right now and participate in what God has for you right now. 

Note: It is true that a right perspective of how God intervenes in the affairs of man is important if you are to ever actually know when God is working on your behalf. You could have a diamond mine in the back yard a be unaware or think you have a diamond mine in the back yard and be digging everyday and finding nothing because it is not there.  You have to be participating in what God is blessing NOW if you want to live a full and meaningful life and not waste your time chasing after ....

Excerpt from God Thinking LXXXVI Are You Living In The Now by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2015

God Thinking LXXXV - Pro-active perspective 10

"So you have a dream and you need to see God’s hand in it – trust Him to do it with you.

You want to seek God in a way that allows God control in your life for the first time – trust Him.  God has only blessings for you and not condemnation.

You might need to straighten up your relationship with God – God is waiting for your cooperation/co-creation. Whatever brings your reality into the presence of God – that’s what you need to be doing.

Join hands with God – give whatever it is to Him and let Him breathe His supernatural essence into it.  “Only believe.”

God is in control. 

The things of God are good, very, very good.

To be a child of God is good, very, very good.

To be alive is good, very, very good.

Today is a good day.

Tomorrow is full of God and to be enjoyed to it’s fullest.

And that is good news.

Jesus says in John 14:27

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Live in the liberty that you were blessed with and enjoy this enhanced season with God like never before. Be pro-active make me plans today that will alter your destiny tomorrow."

Excerpt from God Thinking LXXXV A Pro-active Perspective by Keith C.                                       Powell Copyright 2015