You’re Called

“It's like we've reduced Christianity to just a label, as if this is all that God has intended for us—merely a name to carry around. Some say, "Well, we’re going to heaven one day, so that’s enough." But no, we were created for so much more. We're designed to witness everything around us transformed, everything shifted, and the standard elevated in every aspect of life. You're called for a reason. You have a divine purpose. We are meant to see desolate cities rebuilt and lives restored. Isaiah 65 speaks of living long and flourishing like oak trees, yet too often these are just promises on paper, promises that hasn’t borne fruit in our lives or communities. So can I encourage us to get to a place where we begin asking “why?” Because God is not afraid of us asking why, but are we truly ready to hear and embrace His answers? The reason why is often the weak link holding us back. The Lord’s arm is not too short to reach out and save, change, strengthen, and encourage us—it’s our own hesitation to confront the truth that limits the fullness of His work in and through us.” Pastor Tim

We’ve been reading in Judges concerning the Israelites disobedience to Yahweh and what it brought upon their lives. They cried out to Yahweh asking for help. The next part of the story takes us to Gideon. He is the son of Joash of the clan of Abiezer. We find Gideon hiding, secretly pressing wheat for his family. He’s in a humbling situation. A hard place trying to provide for his family. All of a sudden, the Angel of the Lord appears to Gideon in this secret place of hiding and speaks to him.

“Yahweh’s Angel suddenly appeared to Gideon and said, “Yahweh’s presence goes with you, man of fearless courage!” (Mighty Man of Valor). “Me?” Gideon replied. “But sir, if Yahweh is truly with us, why have all these troubles come to us? Where are all his miracle-wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, ‘Did not Yahweh deliver us out of Egypt?’ But now Yahweh has abandoned us and put us under the power of the Midianites.” Then Yahweh himself faced Gideon directly and said, “Am I not sending you? With my presence you have all you need. Go in the strength that you now have.”

Abba speaks to who we are and where we’re going. He doesn’t entertain the thoughts we have about ourselves in the humbling, frustrating situations we find ourselves in. The name Gideon means Warrior. Yahweh was speaking to who Gideon is made to be. He’s never fought in a battle. You may see yourself one way but it’s time to ask Abba who you really are. It’s important to be honest with the Lord about where you are right now.

When Gideon responded to the Angel with, who me? Are you kidding? I am in the wheat press secretly hiding because I am afraid. If Yahweh is really with us, then why are we having so many troubles? He has had enough of this situation they are in. Are you ready to be honest with the Lord about where you are and how you feel?

When Gideon was honest, Yahweh Himself showed up face to face with Gideon. He is ready to show up face to face with you in your situation. You are being sent in His presence and strength to change everything around you.

Requirement: Honesty. Abba is not afraid of your questions. Let’s not be afraid of the answers. It’s time to be who He’s called us to be. Love never lets us stay the same.

Hear and Obey

Have you ever found yourself in a perpetual cycle? Maybe you’ve seen the same cycle in your family. It could be a cycle of sickness, broken relationships, lack of finances, or family drama.

You do everything you know to do in an effort to get out of the situation, only to find yourself right back in it again. There’s no fruit to show for the seeds you’ve carefully planted and nurtured. It often feels like there is a thief in the night stealing your progress and hope. Oftentimes, this cycle can go on for so long that we become comfortable merely trying to make ends meet or comfortable in a broken relationship that has grown numb to the love that was once so vibrant. We begin to accept our situation as our permanent lot in life. We might even start to believe that the consequences we face are fixed and unchangeable, that nothing will ever shift in our favor. We try to do better with our health because we’re exhausted from feeling sick all the time, but when we fail, we quickly become discouraged and give up altogether. There are people and situations we are faithfully believing Abba for, yet it feels like a solid brick wall we just can’t break through, and out of frustration, we lash out or lose hope. How long has this exhausting cycle been going on for you?

For the Israelites in Judges 6, it was seven years. They disobeyed what Abba was calling them to and did their own thing, and it cost them. “Once again the Israelites did evil in the sight of Yahweh, so Yahweh handed them over to the Midianites for seven years. The crushing power of the Midianites overwhelmed Israel, forcing the Israelites to make hiding places for themselves in caves and mountain strongholds. Whenever the Israelites planted any crops, and before they could reap the harvest, the Midianites would come with the Amalekites and other desert tribes and invade the land. They would camp in their fields and destroy their crops as far as Gaza. They would seize all their sheep, cattle, and donkeys. They left nothing for the Israelites to live on. When they invaded the land with their livestock and camels and tents, they were as numerous as locusts, leaving the land desolate.”

They found themselves enslaved again. Every seed they planted the enemy would come and steal it. They would seem to gain some sort of ground in those seven years but then the enemy would take again. This cycle kept repeating over and over. The Israelites felt defeated. Have you ever felt defeated in life? We all have at some point.

We can learn from the Israelites. “Then the Israelites, with shattered hearts, cried out to Yahweh for mercy.” “When the Israelites, with shattered hearts, cried out to Yahweh because of the Midianite oppression, he sent them a prophet with this message: “Listen to the words of Yahweh, the God of Israel: ‘I delivered you from Egypt and from a life of slavery. I snatched you from the brutality of the Egyptians. I rescued you from the people who invaded this land and fought against you. I drove them out as you advanced, and I gave their land to you. I told you that I am Yahweh your God, and that you must not worship the false gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But you did not listen to my voice.”

Disobedience brought many problems. They forgot they were Yahweh’s children. We often focus on problems and forget who we are. Remember your Abba and stop looking at the obstacles ahead. Do we want to live as landowners or as slaves? The answer is simple but requires two things: hear and obey.

Today, let’s cry out to Abba for our lives, for our marriages, for our children, and our communities. Cry out for mercy. Ask Him to help you hear His voice. Ask Him to show you where you’ve been disobedient and then choose to obey what He speaking to you. Whatever He is asking you can trust Him to walk you through it.

We break the cycle today, in Jesus’ name!

Teach, Practice, Repeat

Sunday’s message started with every life has a calling and purpose. Each one of us has been specifically designed by Abba for a purpose. He’s called each one of you right now. Our prayer today, “Lord, awaken our hearts to your voice.”

Two words moving forward in our walk with Jesus are: teaching and practice.

Teaching is designed to deal with ideas in our minds that is opposite of Abba’s ideas. Teaching imparts knowledge, revelation and values to help us grow in our intimacy with Jesus, but what happens when you just listen to teaching and never put it into practice?

We must refuse to be people who profess a relationship with Jesus yet there is zero fruit in our lives to show union with Him. We must value, honor and grab hold of the words Abba is giving us through the teachings here at TWP on Sunday and Tuesday. Jesus is very clear in what this union looks like in John 15, “So you must remain in life-union with me, for I remain in life-union with you. For as a branch severed from the vine will not bear fruit, so your life will be fruitless unless you live your life intimately joined to mine.” “But if you live in life-union with me and if my words live powerfully within you—then you can ask whatever you desire, and it will be done. When your lives bear abundant fruit, you demonstrate that you are my mature disciples who glorify my Father!”

Bearing fruit is a result of practice. Jesus not only taught His disciples, but He put into practice everything He taught them. He’s inviting us to do the same with Him. We are coming to understand that Jesus is in every moment of our lives wanting to teach us and help us practice in these very moments, in real time. Each day we wake up we have the opportunity to turn our hearts to Him. We’re not waking up to just go to work to make money or raise kids on an ordinary day. Each day is about encountering Jesus. He promises if we make it all about Him, He’ll add everything else.

Right now, in this very moment, you are called. You have purpose. He has called you to grab hold of His voice. Let Him teach you and put into practice what He is saying to you today. Maybe there’s too many distractions in your life that is pulling you away from Him. Let Him show you one thing today you can do to not be distracted.

Maybe it’s a relationship, good or bad, that is consuming your thoughts and overwhelming your heart. It causes you not hear His voice and honor His presence above all others. Let Him show you today that union with Him is the most important relationship.

Maybe its finances. If there is lack, it consumes you with worry. If there’s an abundance you miss the opportunity for trusting Him with everything. Money is a sensitive subject especially in the church. Only because we haven’t let Him teach us about finances and properly put it into practice.

Regardless of where you are today, He’ll meet you there. Will you take the teachings He’s giving us this week and put them into practice?

The Sweet Spot

“As Jesus sat down, he looked out and saw the massive crowd of people scrambling up the hill, for they wanted to be near him. So, he turned to Philip and said, “Where will we buy enough food to feed all these people?” Now Jesus already knew what he was about to do, but he said this to stretch Philip’s faith. Philip answered, “Well, I suppose if we were to give everyone only a snack, it would cost thousands of dollars to buy enough food!” John 6

When you step into a situation where there seems to not be enough what is your first thought? Where does your heart turn? Let’s be real with Jesus today in the prompting of these questions. Let’s be real with ourselves because this is how we mature into having the perspective of Jesus. He wastes nothing in our lives. He’s always wanting to teach us in every moment if we let Him.

Philip’s answer was immediately turned to the amount of money it would cost to buy bread, but Jesus didn’t ask him about how much money they needed. He asked where they could buy enough food. Doesn’t this stretch how we think because in order to “buy” you need money. What is Jesus trying to teach Philip and us?

Philip was thinking small. Everyone could only have a snack but that would cost thousands so in his mind even a snack was not probable. Are you thinking too small about what Jesus wants to do in your life? The seeds you are putting in the ground- are they just enough for you and your family or the whole neighborhood? Jesus is stretching our faith as well.

If you want to see every situation like Jesus, He will always provide you with an opportunity to change your perspective. When these opportunities arise where there seems to be lack in finances or maybe a strained relationship. On the job, there’s real difficulties with people. How are you responding? A lot of people live in perpetual anxiety because of trials and troubles. Jesus is calling us to a place of rest at His feet.

“Have everyone sit down,” Jesus said to his disciples. So, on the vast grassy slope, more than five thousand hungry people sat down. Jesus then took the barley loaves and the fish and gave thanks to God. He then gave it to the disciples to distribute to the people. Miraculously, the food multiplied, with everyone eating as much as they wanted! When everyone was satisfied, Jesus told his disciples, “Now go back and gather up the pieces left over so that nothing will be wasted.”

Jesus has everyone sit down for a reason. When we sit down, we can come into a posture of rest a lot faster than if we are always trying to run around and fix our problems. Do you have a difficult time getting into a posture of rest when trials and troubles arise? There is a sweet spot at the feet of Jesus. We learn to trust Him there.

I want to end this walk with Jesus today by looking at the last part of this scripture. Jesus took the fish and bread, which was not enough, clearly, and He gave thanks to God. He gave thanks for what they had on hand and around them. He didn’t ask the Father for more. They were at rest and thankful. What happened from a posture of rest and a thankful heart? The miraculous happened. The food multiplied with everyone eating as much as they wanted. Think about how much that actually was. Estimated a total of 15,000 people eating as much as they wanted.

Then, with EVERYONE satisfied, Jesus instructed His disciples to gather up the pieces leftover so that nothing is wasted. He wastes nothing in your life. Every trial that seems to cause your life to fall to pieces He will gather up. They will not be wasted.

Find your sweet spot with Jesus today. Rest in His love. Let Him show you the things in your heart that keep you from seeing it like He does. He works all things together for our good, truly.

Putting Seed in the Ground

There’s a harvest that you want. There's an outcome that you want. You want something from God right now. Every person in this room probably prays about it. Can I tell you something? Until you put a seed in the ground, you're just talking to the dirt. A lot of us for the majority of our lives have just been talking to dirt. - Pastor Tim

We’re looking at dirt waiting for it to produce something, but we haven’t put any seed in the ground. As an apprentice of Jesus, we get to learn from Him in our day-to-day lives. Sometimes He teaches us through His spoken word but other times He teaches us through His written word. Have you ever asked Him how to handle a situation, but He didn’t say anything? Most of the time that is because the answer is in His written word. Sowing seed looks like reading the Bible to see what He has already said about the situation. Showing up to be with your Kingdom family is putting seed in the ground. Giving to others is putting seed in the ground. Praying every day is putting seed in the ground.

Our hearts desire is to be with Jesus. We want to develop the beautiful intimate relationship with Him we know is available, but intimacy works on reciprocation. If I haven’t sown seeds with the Lord, I cannot expect the level of intimacy that is available to just magically be there. We must value His presence, His love, His grace and the seeds He gives us to sow. Following Him so closely to the point of being covered in His dust requires us to be put into situations with the Lord so we can see how He sees things. We want His perspective, but this requires sowing seed in the encounters we have with Him.

"Jesus also told them this parable: “God’s kingdom realm is like someone spreading seed on the ground. He goes to bed and gets up, day after day, and the seed sprouts and grows tall, though he knows not how. All by itself it sprouts, and the soil produces a crop, first the green stem, then the head on the stalk, and then the fully developed grain in the head. Then, when the grain is ripe, he immediately puts the sickle to the grain, because harvest time has come.” Mark 4

Day after day as we sow seed in the ground, we will begin to see the process of the harvest we are seeking from the Lord. It takes time- seed, time, harvest. This doesn’t happen overnight. Keep sowing seeds with Jesus every day.

Let me leave you with this beautiful picture of sowing seed through your generosity. It’s all for His glory!

“This generous God who supplies abundant seed for the farmer, which becomes bread for our meals, is even more extravagant toward you. First he supplies every need, plus more. Then he multiplies the seed as you sow it, so that the harvest of your generosity will grow. You will be abundantly enriched in every way as you give generously on every occasion, for when we take your gifts to those in need, it causes many to give thanks to God.

The priestly ministry you are providing through your offering not only supplies what is lacking for God’s people, it inspires an outpouring of praises and thanksgiving to God himself. For as your extremely generous offering meets the approval of those in Jerusalem, it will cause them to give glory to God—all because of your loyal support and allegiance to the gospel of Christ, as well as your generous-hearted partnership with them toward those in need. Because of this extraordinary grace, which God has lavished on you, they will affectionately remember you in their prayers. Praise God for his astonishing gift, which is far too great for words!” 2 Corinthians 9

The Removal of the Scales

“Jesus also quoted these proverbs: “What happens when a blind man pretends to guide another blind man? They both stumble into a ditch! And how could the apprentice know more than his master, for only after he is fully qualified will he be at that level.” Luke 6:39-40

Do you think the man being guided knew the other man was blind until they both fell into the ditch? Probably not, people blindly follow others all the time. You don’t know what you don’t know. This is why we must ask Jesus to open the eyes of our hearts so we can see Him.

In this parable Jesus says the blind man pretends to guide the other one. Most people pretend because they fear what others think. The fruit of social media is pretending but also the church as taught people to pretend. This goes back to the government of fear.

Jesus asks, “how could the apprentice know more than his master? He can’t. Only after you have spent time tethering yourself to Jesus can you fully know Him. This may be the hardest part of tethering ourselves to Jesus because there are some areas of blindness we must be willing to remove in order to follow Him. In our willingness to yield to Jesus, He sets us in family. If you want a good marriage- tether yourself to people who have good marriages. You want to improve in your finances- tether yourself to someone who is good at finances. You want to be healthy- tether yourself to someone who can walk your through good health choices.

“To the fatherless he is a father. To the widow he is a champion friend. The lonely he makes part of a family. The prisoners he leads into prosperity until they sing for joy. This is our Holy God in his Holy Place! But for the rebels there is heartache and despair.” Psalm 68

One thing most people do not like about government is the authority it carries. When we yield our lives to the authority of love under Jesus there is an aspect of discipline. If you are willing to yield your life to Him, you have to be ready for correction. Love corrects and disciplines. We’ve all had our fair share of heartache and despair. Let’s yield to His government of love and tether ourselves to Jesus. He will remove the scales from our eyes so we may see.

Be with Me.

Think back to the very first time you heard about Jesus. For many of us, it was probably during Sunday School or perhaps through the stories told by grandparents or other family members. What exactly did they say about Him? They often shared that He came to die on the Cross for the sins of the world, and that if you prayed a prayer and accepted Him into your heart, you would go to heaven instead of hell when you died. When I consider this message still being taught in much the same way today, it makes me feel sad because Jesus came for so much more than just that. Think about this: if His purpose was only to go to the Cross, He wouldn’t have spent three years closely walking with His disciples, teaching and guiding them in faith and life.

We can find in Jesus’ own words His purpose was not just to die on the Cross. John 17:4

“I have glorified you on the earth by faithfully doing everything you’ve told me to do.” TPT

“I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” NLT

“I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” NKJV

“I glorified you on earth by completing down to the last detail what you assigned me to do.” MSG

This prayer to the Father is before He went to the Cross. If He had already completed the work the Father sent Him to do - what was it?

Jesus was here to teach us how to look like Him. In order for us to look like Jesus we must be with Him. He called His disciples to follow Him. His invitation to them meant they would be with Him 24/7. Think about that for a moment. Jesus approaches Peter and Andrew while they’re out fishing. He calls to them. When they look into the eyes of Jesus and He says, “follow Me” they leave everything behind to be with Him. They were not just His followers. They were Telmid, which means disciple or student. They were His apprentice. The only way to look like Him is to be with Him. We don’t wake up being lovers of Jesus and a true image of Christ on the earth. It’s a process we must commit to daily. Our life’s foundation is being with Him. To have a strong foundation, start with the basics. If you skip the basics, your home won't be stable. Our basic step is simply being with Him. In James 4, He promises: Draw near to Me, and I will draw near to you.

Our encounters with Jesus are designed to change our perspective. Being with Him causes us to walk through life seeing every moment the way He sees it. When we see with His eyes, we begin to talk like Him and walk like Him and love like Him.

He’s saying to you today: Be with Me.

Can You Follow Blindly?

“As Jesus left the house, two blind men began following him, shouting out over and over, “Son of David, show us mercy and heal us!” And they followed him right into the house where Jesus was staying.” Matthew 9:27

Jesus left a house where He healed a little girl to travel across the city to return to the place He was staying. These BLIND men follow Him all the way across the city, shouting out to Him over and over. Crying out to be healed. Crying out for mercy. Jesus never acknowledged them as they made their way across the city.

How many times do you think they stumbled or fell down? How many times did they make a wrong turn and get off track? We don’t get these details but I’m sure it was not easy following Jesus blindly through a city.

Have you ever followed Jesus blindly? Have you ever stumbled, fell down, or got off track? Of course, all of us have. Most people are only willing to follow Jesus blindly for a little while then our self-preservation kicks in and we take matters into our own hands. We stumble and fall down usually because of offense somewhere along the way, or things aren’t going the way I want, or someone didn’t respond how I thought they should. When we make excuses for getting off track we lose our way to the house of Jesus.

These men had the perfect excuse to not follow Jesus. In Bible days, being blind was seen as a curse and other people would not help you, so they really had the best excuse to stay in the same situation they had always been. They couldn’t see and there was no one to help. They didn’t let this stop them. They made their walk about one thing: getting to Jesus no matter what.

This is an uncomfortable question: What excuses or reasons do you give yourself for not following Jesus to His house? Why do you not show up to honor Him? If you are currently following Him blindly, how far will you go?

When I ponder the hunger and tenacity of these men following Jesus, it begs me to peer into my own heart. Am I as persistent in following His every move. Am I as hungry to engage with the Messiah as they were. The One who can heal every aspect of my life. Following Jesus blindly isn’t easy but there is grace if I really want to be like Him.

Do I really want to be covered in His dust? Do I really want to talk, walk and love like Him? Then I must ask myself, am I willing to live the lifestyle required to be covered in His dust? Are YOU?

“So, Jesus asked them, “Do you believe that I have the power to restore sight to your eyes?” They replied, “Yes Lord, we believe!” Then Jesus put his hands over their eyes and said, “You will have what your faith expects!” And instantly their eyes opened—they could see!”

YOU WILL HAVE WHAT YOUR FAITH EXPECTS!

Wherever you are applying faith- good or bad- it is what you will get. This is our free will. We get to choose the path we walk. Either the path following Jesus or our own. One of our foundational scriptures at TWP is Psalm 27.

“Here’s the one thing I crave from Yahweh, the one thing I seek above all else: I want to live with him every moment in his house, beholding the marvelous beauty of Yahweh, filled with awe, delighting in his glory and grace. I want to contemplate in his temple.”

We seek one thing and that is to be in His presence, in His house in awe of His incredible beauty, delighting in His grace and glory. He is our one thing above all else. This lifestyle doesn’t happen overnight, but it does happen over time with consistently making Jesus your priority above all else. Give Him full control over your life. Yes, it requires following Him blindly most of the time but what He will allow us to see will change the world for generations to come.

Does Jesus Know You?

How many decisions do you make daily? Statistics show that an average adult makes approximately 35,000 decisions per day. This includes conscious and subconscious choices from simple decisions like what to eat or wear to more complex decisions.

How many of those decisions are you asking Jesus what He wants for your life? We can’t say we have surrendered our lives to Jesus if He has no say in our day to day decisions. We are endeavoring to follow Jesus instead of Him following us. We want to be covered in His dust, not the other way around. Jesus gives us an example in scripture of a whole group of people who left Jesus in their dust because they made their own choices in life with His name on their T-shirts.

Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

This group of people were all about causes, gifts and action in the name of Jesus. They were faithful to church and reading their Bibles but they made all of these decisions based on their own desires. They wanted to be seen and heard. They wanted to make progress for their Kingdom. We can get so busy doing churchy things and never actually know Jesus. If we can be honest with ourselves, it’s really the American church today. People have become apprentices of American Christianity. Jesus tells us in this passage there will be people who stand before Him to declare all that they’ve done in His name, prophesy, cast out demons, miracles and yet they never knew Him.

When Jesus says, “I never knew you,” the word "knew" in Aramaic, Greek, and Hebrew conveys a deep, intimate understanding. The kind of intimacy Jesus is speaking about is the same profound knowing that brings forth life between a man and a woman. This connection goes far beyond surface-level acquaintance or mere association. We are called to choose intimacy with Jesus, not simply focusing on external causes, gifts, or actions. Building this relationship requires us to slow down and intentionally follow in His footsteps. It means walking closely with Him, working alongside Him, and attentively watching His every movement and word.

Are you ready to follow Jesus? He’s asking us to make our entire lives for Him, not just about Him. Will you let the voice of Jesus direct your every step?

The Father is Speaking

Are you following the real Jesus? A lot of people would read that question and think there’s only one Jesus. This is true except the one people have created to fit their lives. Let me explain.

In John 5:37-38, Jesus is talking to a group of people who’ve given their lives to the scriptures. They’ve memorized the first five books of the Torah. They spend hours in the temple praying and discussing the Torah. They pride themselves among others for knowing so much about Yahweh, yet when Jesus arrives on the scene they have no idea who He is. How do they not know?

“And My Father Himself, who gave Me this mission, has also testified that I Am His Son. But you have never heard His voice nor seen His form, nor does His Word truly live inside of you, for you refuse to believe in Me or to embrace Me as God’s messenger. “You are busy analyzing the Scriptures, poring over them hoping to gain eternal life. Everything you read points to Me, yet you still refuse to come to Me so I can give you the life you’re looking for—eternal life!”

Jesus makes a strong point here. We must prioritize hearing the voice of Abba and seeing His form in real time right now. Reading the scriptures is very important. It is something we should do every day but we must do it following Jesus. Talking to Him, listening to Him, watching Him. Having knowledge of something does not bring transformation to our lives or the lives of others. We must intimately know the One who brings eternal life. Believing that Jesus is the Word causes His word to truly live inside of us. The scriptures are a word of God but Jesus is the Word.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. John 1

There are people who believe the Father doesn’t speak and we only have the Bible to guide us. This is dangerous because searching the scriptures without the lens of Jesus will cause you to make the scriptures say what you want them to say. This is why we have so many different denominations.

As a follower, an apprentice of Jesus, you become so tethered to Him and your heart so connected to His the power of His resurrection begins to flow through your life. The last thing any of us want is to be delusional in our relationship with Jesus. The religious people (church people) didn’t recognize Jesus when He came on the scene. They had already decided how He would look so they left no room for Him when He came.

We will not be a people who have Jesus as an added blessing to the lives we want like a cherry on top. We are followers of Jesus. We will not stop tethering ourselves to Him, listening for His voice, watching His every move. We will see His resurrection power flow through our lives. We will see the real Jesus and live Him out for the world to see Him as He truly is.

Let’s Get Dusty!

One of the phrases you hear a lot at TWP is, “Jesus shows up to take a walk with you.” This is absolutely true but even this has to be seen in the right perspective. Yesterday one of our children made the statement concerning something they want to do when they are older. The question to them was, “what if Jesus has other plans? You have to follow where He leads.” The child responds, I will walk with Him holding His hand. Basically, I’ll lead. This was a great opportunity to talk about the motives of our hearts.

Motives matter. Why we do what we do. Last week we talked about what governs us, love or fear. The message this week flows right into this. Jesus is calling each one of us to follow Him. Love causes us to want to be with Him in every moment. Love draws us to study His ways and His words. To watch His every movement. We all long for freedom in Jesus but we must be willing to do what that freedom requires. FOLLOW HIM!

“Jesus said to all of his followers, “If you truly desire to be my disciple, you must disown your life completely, embrace my ‘cross’ as your own, and surrender to my ways. For if you choose self-sacrifice, giving up your lives for my glory, you will discover true life. But if you choose to keep your lives for yourselves, you will lose what you try to keep.” Luke 9

If you truly desire to be His disciple you must disown your life completely, embrace His cross as your own, surrender your life to His ways. Let’s sit with this statement from Jesus for a minute. Remember, your motives matter. Why you do what you do. Let’s look at the cross. What does it symbolize? How do you embrace His cross as your own? The cross represents sacrifice, redemption, and love. It offers victory and hope, grace and mercy. It is a call to discipleship. Jesus says, if you choose to give up your life for my glory you will discover true life. His cross as our own looks like sacrifice, redemption, love, hope, victory, grace and mercy. This should be the fruit represented in our lives if we are embracing His cross as our own.

Discipleship has lost its true meaning in the 21st century. Today people view discipleship as an opportunity to gain knowledge. Let’s go back to the meaning of disciple in the 1st century. When Jesus talked about us being a disciple He is referring to an apprentice. As an apprentice your number one goal was to be with your Rabbi. You attached your life to his. You followed him around watching and listening to every movement and word spoken.

Today, the church refers to disciple as a student or learner. A student comes to gain knowledge and get information for himself. An apprentice comes to attach his life to Jesus to become who Jesus is. In the first century, they had a blessing for those who followed closely behind their Rabbi. “May the dust of your master continually cover your entire body.”

How closely do you need to follow someone to have the dust from their sandals cover your body. To be honest, when Pastor Tim shared this blessing my first thought was, I have been “walking with the Lord” for over twenty years and I’m barely dusty. Like a white glove would remain white. In that moment, I could feel the fear of the Lord drawing me to His heart. We must be honest about our lives and where we are in this relationship with Jesus.

Are we following Him so closely that others can see His dust upon our lives. This isn’t a time for condemnation and shrinking back. It’s time to allow His love to draw us closer to Him.

The foundation of The Wilderness Place is One Thing: Jesus! We will tether ourselves to Him for a one thing lifestyle. Let’s Get Dusty.

Love is a Journey of Trust

This week we’ve been looking at our decisions and asking ourselves which government am I making this decision from? The government of love or fear. When we look at the story of Abram, we see he slipped out of the government of love where he was trusting Yahweh to lead him and his family to an unknown place right into the government of fear when the place didn’t look like he thought it should.

Abram took the easy way out when he left the wilderness to go to a place already established. How many of us run from the wilderness? We run from the hard places Abba is inviting us to. We circumvent faith when we refuse to surrender and trust in what He wants to build in us. The wilderness is an invitation to intimacy with Jesus. When we run from the wilderness we sacrifice closeness.

Abram sacrificed intimacy with his bride when he went to Egypt because he was afraid. In Genesis 12:13 he told Sarai, “Just tell them you are my sister so that they will treat me well for your sake and spare my life.” He’s making a transaction out of fear. When we are not operating under the government of love every decision is transactional. How many people are only making transactions on Sunday and forfeiting intimacy out of fear. Why would we settle for anything less than true love?

Truth, we have all made poor decisions even when we are walking intimately with the Lord. Pastor Tim shared this truth: in every moment of our lives the right decision and the wrong decision are in the same space. They exist at the same time, every time. Which one we choose determines which government we are making the decision from.

We do not have to live with regret, shame, or condemnation because we made a poor decision. All we have to do is yield to His love. Bring those decisions to Abba and surrender them to His love. He’s inviting us to live and remain under His government of love. Anytime we step out of His covering of love into a decision from fear just return and ask Him, “why did I respond that way?” He will help you grow in your trust with Him.

“LOVE IS A JOURNEY OF TRUST” - PASTOR TIM

Are You Planted in the Wilderness?

“Why is God sending Abram to a wilderness? It’s not the promise land. There are no beautiful places. Understand the wilderness is not something you go through. The wilderness is something you transform. You're not in your wilderness season. You're planted in a place that you possess the ingredients to see changed. Will you trust the government of love and believe you are just what this place needs.” - Pastor Tim

In Genesis 12, Abram journeyed to the land of Canaan (the wilderness) and Yahweh appeared to him with these words, “To your descendants I will give this land.” Abram built an altar to the Lord and journeyed a little past Bethel and pitched his tent. How long he was there with his tent we do not know. We do know he built another altar to worship and pray. While he was there between Bethel and AI, he had time to realize there was a severe famine in the land. He then decides to pack up everything and move to Egypt. Where did Yahweh tell him He would give the land to his descendants? Canaan or Egypt.

If Abba brings you to a place that is experiencing famine, don’t you think He believes you are capable of changing the famine? Are you looking at difficult situations in your life as changeable because you are there or do you want to do what Abram did and leave to find your own comfort? Abram stepped over into the government of fear.

If we pay attention to our thoughts and reactions, we can see ourselves step over into fear when situations arise. These situations can be financial, relational, or circumstantial. Regardless of the cause of the famine Abba desires for us to never leave the government of love regardless of what happens.

Truth is, He does allow things to shift so that we can see our response. This is not to bring shame. This is the government of love to move us closer to His heart to remove fear, self-doubt, mistrust. The person Abba wants to develop in each one of us is developed when there is a famine in the land. Integrity is built under the application of pressure.

Are you ready to pitch your tent in the wilderness and live under the government of love? This is the only way to transform the wilderness into the promise land. We are the beloved sons and beloved daughters who are planted and will not be moved by circumstances. There is a process in coming out of the government of fear. It starts with being honest before the Lord. Let love continually remind you of who you are.

“His passion is to remain true to the Word of “I AM,” meditating day and night on the true revelation of light. He will be standing firm like a flourishing tree planted by God’s design, deeply rooted by the brooks of bliss, bearing fruit in every season of life. He is never dry, never fainting, ever blessed, ever prosperous.” Psalm 1

This is the wilderness being transformed. You are being transformed into a flourishing tree planted by Abba and the fruit you produce will deal with the famine in the land.

Authentically You!

“Now Yahweh said to Abram, “Leave it all behind —your native land, your people, your father’s household, and go to the land that I will show you.” Genesis 12

Abram has not had any interaction with Yahweh before this moment. He had never worshipped in a temple, read scripture, there was no burning bush or pastor to encourage him. Suddenly without warning the voice of Yahweh speaks to Abram to leave it all behind. Everything he had ever known. The Hebrew play on the words “leave it all behind” is actually translated as “Go find yourself,” meaning this journey was about Abram finding his authentic self.

Many of us grew up becoming what others expected, choosing careers to fulfill our parents' dreams and shaped by our culture. To find our authentic self, we must let go of both our own and others' opinions. Leaving everything familiar took great faith and could only be done under the government of love.

“Follow me, and I will make you into a great nation. I will exceedingly bless and prosper you, and I will make you famous, so that you will be a tremendous source of blessing for others.”

Yahweh is very clear in His statement to Abram. Follow Me and I will make you into a great nation. As we follow Abba, our Father, He will make us into a great nation. He has already given each one of us everything we need on the inside to be who He designed. It’s just locked up until we truly surrender to His love and follow Him. In Matthew 5, Jesus tells you and me we are the light of the world. A city set on a hill that cannot be hidden. In each one of us there are cities being built. Statistics show that when ten generations come from one person they are then considered a city. Abba is always thinking generationally.

When He says I will make you famous He isn’t talking about social media famous. Other translations say, “make your name great.” Abba is saying your name will be remembered for eternity through making your generational legacy great. Truly following Abba under the government of love will cause your character to be highly esteemed among your children, grandchildren and so on but also among the community He has you planted in. Under the government of love everything points back to Jesus.

Why would He be so concerned with us finding our authentic self and our legacy? So we can be a tremendous source of blessing for others. When we choose to come out of the government of fear and live under His love our lives truly become a display of the authentic Jesus to those in our communities. We then have the opportunity to bless them tremendously.

Are you ready to go on a journey with Abba to find your authentic self? He’s ready to show you the way. It will require you to leave some things behind.

Overshadowed by His Love

In the government of love there are no seasons. Let me explain.

Sunday, Pastor Tim shared a story about a man who was interested in how the first pioneer people built their homesteads, so he took a trip to find the area where they settled. One thing that stood out to him was the difference in the state of the homes some 250 years later. He found some homes were still in really great condition while others were practically falling down. Why? They used the same materials from the same land. What made such a difference? He found the houses built in the Spring were the ones that was still in very good condition and the others in poor condition were built in the Fall. This matters because the one built in the Fall was built under the government of fear. They feared the winter that was quickly approaching so they cut corners to try to speed up the process of the build. The houses built in the Spring were built under the government of love. They took their time building it carefully. Every detail was thought out and executed precisely.

What are you trying to build under the government of fear? People build their businesses under fear, so they make poor financial decisions. Ultimately, the business fails, and it leaves devastation in its wake. Others try to build their marriage from fear and most fail. Raising children under the government of fear. What will happen to my children? Will they make the right decision? People marry the wrong person out of fear of the clock ticking. Others close themselves off to the people who love them out of fear. These are hard statements to ponder. What decisions are you making out of fear?

Living under the government of love slows our pace down. We can wait on the Lord when making decisions. We can trust the sound of His voice because we’ve turned off the noise of fear, anxiety and doubt. Under the government of love, we do not have to be in a hurry to make something happen. Winter is not coming under this government. Will you let His love overshadow your life? Each day being governed by His care.

“I am truly his rose, the very theme of his song. I’m overshadowed by his love, like a lily growing in the valley!”

“My beloved is to me the most fragrant apple tree— He stands above the sons of men. Sitting under His grace-shadow, I blossom in His shade, enjoying the sweet taste of His pleasant, delicious fruit, resting with delight where His glory never fades.”

This is our response under the shadow of His love. We can rest and eat the fruit of His delight in us. As you rest under His government of love, Jesus responds to you and me by saying:

“I hear the cooing of doves in our land, filling the air with songs to awaken you and guide you forth. Can you not discern this new day of destiny breaking forth around you? The early signs of my purposes and plans are bursting forth. The budding vines of new life are now blooming everywhere. The fragrance of their flowers whispers, “There is change in the air.” Arise, my love, my beautiful companion, and run with me to the higher place. For now is the time to arise and come away with me.” Song of Songs 2

Under this beautiful banner of love, we become who He has designed us to be and begin to live out our purpose in the earth. In order to become the budding vine, you must first rest in His Love.

Love’s Perfection

“By living in God, love has been brought to its full expression in us so that we may fearlessly face the day of judgment, because all that Jesus now is, so are we in this world. Love never brings fear, for fear is always related to punishment. But love’s perfection drives the fear of punishment far from our hearts. Whoever walks constantly afraid of punishment has not reached love’s perfection.” 1 John 4:17-18

The meaning of “by living in God,” is more than just being saved. This is abiding love. You are in Jesus, and Jesus is in you. An intimate love that is fully expressed in your day-to-day life. All that Jesus is right now so are you in this world. Jesus is righteous, holy, pure, seated in heavenly places with all authority, and because of His grace you too are righteous, holy, pure and seated in heavenly places with all authority.

When you hear Pastor Tim say you are as righteous as Jesus and truly believe, it shows love has been perfected in your heart. Love never brings fear. If you fear the day of judgement, you can know love has not had its work in you.

When we let His perfect love pour over us and love us perfectly, we can face each moment in peace and confidence because we are choosing to be governed by Perfect Love. In Christianity, we’ve been taught to view judgement as a far-off day when we stand before Jesus to be judged for all of the decisions we’ve ever made. Truth, we face judgement every day. In each day there can be some sort of crisis or maybe a conflict with someone that can feel like judgement. A wrong decision that can feel like judgement. How we respond to these moments indicates which government we are living under. Do you live under the government of love or the government of fear? This is a question we will be in all week.

When you live under the government of love there is no fear of punishment. We aren’t waiting on a big day to stand before Jesus. If you have the right perspective of this beautiful, intimate union with Jesus you understand that you stand before Him every day. He walks with you. He talks with you. He guides you in your decisions. Learning to live under His government of love is a process. It is a decision you make every day until love has had its perfect work in you.

The government you live under determines the style, type and quality of decisions you make each day. We’ve been walking with Jesus for a while now learning we are His beloved and in some areas of our lives we can see we’ve grown in His love. Our decisions in those areas we are confident about, but we know there are areas we are still operating under the government of fear. Jesus wants you whole in every way. This comes by way of His love. Learning to let Him love us in these areas takes trust. He wants to build trust between you and Him.

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end. Isaiah 9

He is trustworthy. He is Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace! His government of love will only ever increase! Will you let Him guide you today out of those decisions you are making out of fear and draw you into His perfect love?

The Footsteps of Jesus

There will be no daily walk sent this week. Please read and pray over the scriptures Pastor Tim shared on Sunday and follow Jesus’ example. This message is important for your growth in the Lord. Sometimes we lose sight of Jesus, but He always guides us back. We just need to listen and obey.

“Listen, my radiant one—if you ever lose sight of me, just follow in my footsteps where I lead my lovers. Come with your burdens and cares. Come to the place near the sanctuary of my shepherds.” Song of Songs 1:8

The footsteps of Jesus begins before His birth in Matthew when an Angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream to instruct him to take Mary as his wife. “don’t hesitate to take Mary into your home as your wife, because the power of the Holy Spirit has conceived a child in her womb. She will give birth to a Son, and you are to name him ‘Jesus,’ for he is destined to give his life to save his people.”

Joseph would have understood the meaning of the name Jesus which is actually Yeshua in Hebrew. Yeshua means Yahweh is salvation, restoration and deliverance. Abba specifically chose Joseph to be the spiritual father to Jesus on earth.

Matthew 2:13, “After they had gone, Joseph had another dream. An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph and said, “Get up now and flee to Egypt. Take Mary and the little child and stay there until I tell you to leave, for Herod intends to search for the child to kill him.”

Matthew 2:19-23, “After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared again to Joseph in a dream while he was still in Egypt, saying, “Go back to the land of Israel and take the child and his mother with you, for those who sought to kill the child are dead.” So, he awoke and took Jesus and Mary and returned to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus, Herod’s son, had succeeded him as ruler over all of the territory of Judah, he was afraid to go back. Then he had another dream from God, warning him to avoid that region and instructing him instead to go to the province of Galilee.”

The prophesy of Jesus being from Nazareth was fulfilled by Joseph’s obedience to take Jesus to that region.

Luke 2:41-52, “Every year Jesus’ parents went to worship at Jerusalem during the Passover festival. When Jesus turned twelve, his parents took him to Jerusalem to observe the Passover, as was their custom. A full day after they began their journey home, Joseph and Mary realized that Jesus was missing. They had assumed he was somewhere in their entourage, but he was nowhere to be found. After a frantic search among relatives and friends, Mary and Joseph returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After being separated from him for three days, they finally found him in the temple, sitting among the Jewish teachers, listening to them and asking probing questions. All who heard Jesus speak were awestruck at his intelligent understanding of all that was being discussed and at his wise answers to their questions. His parents were shocked to find him there, and Mary scolded him, saying, “Son, your father and I have searched for you everywhere! We have been worried sick over not finding you. Why would you do this to us?” Jesus said to them, “Why would you need to search for me? Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be here in my Father’s house, consumed with him?” Mary and Joseph didn’t fully understand what Jesus meant. Jesus went back home with them to Nazareth and was obedient to them. His mother treasured Jesus’ words deeply in her heart. As Jesus grew, so did his wisdom and maturity. The favor of men increased upon his life, for he was greatly loved by God.”

Proverbs 3:3, Let your life be shaped by integrity, with truth written upon your heart. That’s how you will find favor and understanding with both God and men—you will gain the reputation of living life well.

Shaped by integrity means you are always willing to listen to correction and instruction. Jesus was willing to listen to correction and instruction from Joseph and Mary.

As we follow the footsteps of Jesus through these scriptures, we see one common thread that is very important for us to grow in wisdom and maturity and that is the importance of a spiritual father. If it was necessary for Jesus how much more is it for us. Jesus submitted His authority to Joseph as a father. He learned the trade of carpentry from His father which meant He spent a lot of time with Joseph learning how to walk out the everyday human aspect of life.

Every single one of us want to grow in wisdom and maturity in the Lord, to increase in our favor with both Yahweh and man but we can see this comes by tethering ourselves to a spiritual father. At TWP, we are honored and so thankful for Pastor Tim’s heart as a spiritual father to each one of us who call this our home. He loves his kingdom family and cares deeply for each one uniquely.

This week the Holy Spirit is inviting you to yield to the footsteps of Jesus. Where are you in tethering your heart to a spiritual father? There is safety in this Kingdom family camped in the wilderness.

The Salvation of the Lord

“And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” Exodus 14

Stand still! Abba is calling you to camp by that which has plagued you for so long. He is giving us a front row seat so we can watch Him destroy it forever. It is not easy to stand still. We need His strength to stand in these moments when we just want to run. We must understand He gives us grace for what He calls us to do, and grace is needed to stand still.

See the salvation of the Lord. The salvation He is talking about is not yours and my journey to heaven. It is life and life more abundant. Jesus said, I came so you may have life and life more abundant. His salvation is displayed in how He shows up for us. He’s always on time. He never misses an opportunity to display His love for us. Even when we mess up because Love never fails, Love never gives up, and Love never loses hope.

Can you stand still and see the salvation of the Lord for you and your family? Even in moments you want to hide, run, give up or blow up because of shame, regret, embarrassment, hopelessness, anger, disappointment or just hurt there is grace to stand still and watch the Lord fight for you.

Everyday Love comes to tell you something different about itself. Are you ready to listen for His voice, lock eyes with Him as He sets you free from all the things that have harassed you. As you stand still and watch this happen you will see something incredible happen for generations to come. There is a generation born in the wilderness who will never know slavery.

May you ponder the ISNESS of GOD this weekend. God is Pure Light, God is Love, God is a Consuming Fire and God is Your Salvation.

Stand Still

“Egypt is not the representation of the world. Can't be. See, Egypt was salvation to God's people. And the people stayed there for 400 years being fed by Egypt until Egypt is no longer salvation. It became slavery because when you stop being dependent on the voice and become dependent on a form, a system, a denomination, a church, you have now become a slave.” - Pastor Tim

We, as beloved sons and daughters are developing senses to recognize Abba in every moment of our day. In order to do this, we must see and understand how He moves in our lives. It is not always the most convenient comfortable way. Honestly, it seems He always takes us on the path that seems most difficult. He is more concerned with your heart than your comfort. Jesus paid for your freedom, and He intends for you to be truly free in every way. Let’s look at the story of the children of Yahweh coming out of Egypt and what He had them do in Exodus 14.

“Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall camp before it by the sea.”

First thing Abba asked them to do when they leave Egypt is to camp in the wilderness by the sea. They have questions. They have been released from slavery by Pharaoh but now have been led to the wilderness to just camp. Why would Abba do this?

“Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them”

What? Now you’re causing our enemy to pursue us. This doesn’t seem like love. In this story, Pharaoh obviously represents the enemy. What is your enemy that seems to always be pursuing you? Fear, anxiety, shame, insecurity, uncertainty, difficulty. Maybe it’s the clock- do you feel like time is being wasted waiting for the desires of your heart to come to pass?

Maybe it’s your past mistakes that you keep thinking will catch up with you. Like Pastor Tim said Sunday, there was a mess made, you’ve distanced yourself from the mess but you’re always looking over your shoulder for it to show up. Maybe it’s a mess your parents made, and you distanced yourself from their mess but try to keep it in the dark, so no one knows where you came from.

Freedom is not putting boundaries up to avoid the encounters with what enslaves you. If Jesus said on the Cross- It is Finished, then why are we still enslaved to anything? Perfect Love- the Consuming Fire of His love will orchestrate moments of pursuit for one reason. To destroy anything and everything that has put its hand on your life. Everything that has caused damage to your heart, He is coming after with His consuming fire.

Abba’s idea of freedom is what Jesus did on the Cross. Tetelestai is the Greek word for It is finished. The root of this word is telew and it means to bring to an end, finish, or complete.

“And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

Today, ask the Lord where to camp so He can defeat the enemy chasing you. We belong to Christ and should not be controlled by anything. Let His consuming fire reveal and destroy what is after you.

God is a Consuming Fire

“For our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:29

This consuming fire comes after everything that has kept you from being your authentic self which is a passionate lover of Jesus. One who is ferocious about your relationship with Him. It consumes all things that cause fear and apprehension about who you are. It is important for us to develop in our daily lives what this consuming fire looks like day to day. I love how The Passion Translations tells us we are no longer a part of the old order, anything that causes the foundation of our faith in Abba to be shaken because we are of an unshakable Kingdom.

“Now this phrase “once and for all” clearly indicates the final removal of things that are shaking, that is, the old order, so only what is unshakable will remain. Since we are receiving our rights to an unshakable Kingdom, we should be extremely thankful and offer God the purest worship that delights his heart as we lay down our lives in absolute surrender, filled with awe. For our God is a holy, devouring fire!”

Once and for all Abba is removing, consuming all of the old things that caused us fear. How does He do this in our day to day? He speaks to us in every moment. So why are we not hearing Him in every moment? We aren’t paying attention. We aren’t listening for His voice. It’s hard for some to believe the Father is always speaking because we were taught something different about Him.

As you lay down your life in absolute surrender to our beautiful Father who is a holy, consuming, devouring fire you will realize with every breath you take He is there speaking to you. The light of His fire guiding you yet at the same time consuming anything that would hinder who you really are in Him. Any thoughts that tell you something other than what He says about you will be consumed in His fire of love. The words spoken over you from childhood no longer get to speak to you because they are consumed in His fire of love. The rejection. Consumed. The painful past. Consumed. The fear. Consumed. The anxiety. Consumed. The worry. Consumed. It will all be consumed by His love. He is jealous for your heart to be whole.

It doesn’t matter where you are in your relationship with the Father if you will let Him finish the work He has begun in you one day you will wake up with no concern of tomorrow. His consuming love will devour all those things that have hinder the authentic you that He created from the foundation of the world.