NOT WANTING TO "LET GO OF SELF," THIS IS PRIDE.

WANTING TO BE IN CONTROL, THIS IS 'PRIDE.'

THE CONSTANT QUESTIONING OF "AM I REALLY SAVED," THIS IS PRIDE.

LIVING IN THE PAST, AND ON PAST EXPERIENCES, RATHER THAN 'MOVING ON TO NEW ONES IN THE LORD, THIS TOO, IS PRIDE.

SOME OF PRIDES MANY FACES:

THE 'NEGLECT' OF THE WORD AND PRAYER, AND FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD, YET THE DESIRE TO 'HELP OTHERS,' AND THAT WITH AN "EMPTY CUP." A CUP, THAT IS A "HEART",  'NOT FILLED' WITH THE 'PURE WATER' OF LIFE FROM GOD'S SPIRIT, SO YOU "CAN HELP OTHERS, THIS TOO, IS PRIDE.." THE REASON, YOU ASK?  IT IS MOST SIMPLE.  BECAUSE YOU ARE TRYING TO 'HELP GOD OUT,' IN YOUR OWN POWER,   NO MATTER HOW GOOD YOUR INTENTIONS ARE, THIS IS PRIDE. ONLY GOD CAN BRING RESULTS, AND IF YOUR CUP IS EMPTY, FROM NEGLECT IN COMMUNION WITH THE LORD, OR THROUGH DISOBEDIENCE, GOD'S POWER IS NOT FLOWING THROUGH YOU TO BRING 'LIFE' IN THE PERSON YOU MINISTER TO. BESIDE THE FACT OF THE ARROGANCE, TO THINK WE MUST 'SERVE GOD, 'RATHER THAN' HAVE CLOSE COMMUNION WITH HIM.

WE MUST REMEMBER... ALL MINISTRY IS BIRTHED OUT OF COMMUNION WITH CHRIST FIRST!

PEOPLE CANNOT DRINK FROM AN EMPTY CUP. WHEN WE TRY THIS, THEN FRUSTRATION BUILDS IN US, AND WE FIND OURSELVES, ACTUALLY ANGRY AT GOD, AND DEMANDING UPON OTHERS! WE TRY AND 'FORCE THEM TO CONFORM', TO BE HOLY,  ( WE HAVE AN 'AGENDA' AT THIS POINT ), WHEN WE OURSELVES ARE NOT WALKING IN PURITY, AND NOT FULLY TRUSTING THE LORD TO BRING ABOUT THE RESULTS. WE MAY NOT SAY IT OUT LOUD, BUT WE ARE ANGRY WITH GOD. THE FRUIT OF OUR HEARTS REVEAL IT THROUGH OUR ACTIONS AND DEEDS, WE ARE WALKING IN A RELIGIOUS SPIRIT OF PRIDE!.  YOU ASK HOW DO YOU SAY, "I AM ANGRY WITH GOD?"

THIS IS SIMPLE, BELOVED.  BECAUSE ' IF YOU TRUSTED IN THE LORD, AND LOVED HIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND BELIEVED THAT HE WAS IN FULL CONTROL TO BRING ABOUT THE GIVEN RESULTS OF YOUR MINISTRY TO OTHERS, OR IN YOUR OWN LIFE', YOU WOULD NOT BE TRYING TO DO THE WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 'APART' FROM FELLOWSHIP IN CHRIST!   ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT COIN, WE DO NOT "SEE" THE LORD MOVING IN OUR OWN LIVES, AS WE THINK HE SHOULD, OR IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS IN THE CHURCH, SO WE STRIKE OUT TO LEND GOD A HAND. SO WE MANIPULATE SITUATIONS, AND PEOPLE, AND USE FALSE FLATTERY, AND USE PEOPLE TO GAIN AN ADVANTAGE FOR OURSELVES, ALL SO WE WILL LOOK GOOD, AND GET THE RESULTS OUR FLESH WANTS!  IT ALL COMES DOWN TO SELFISH AMBITION!  AND THEN WE CALL IT GOD!  BUT ACTUALLY, GOD CALLS IT PRIDE!

WE WILL MAKE THIS HAPPEN, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER WE SAY, GOD DOES NOT SEEM TO BE DOING ANYTHING, SO "I" WILL JUMP IN AND GET THINGS GOING!   PRIDE!  THIS IS THE 'ROOT,' ALL THESE 'ACTIONS' ARE THE 'FRUIT,' OF THE RELIGIOUS SPIRIT OF PRIDE! THIS IS THE CASE IN SO VERY MANY CHURCHES TODAY, WHERE THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST IS TRULY 'NOT PRESENT',  SO MAN MUST 'INVENT WAYS,' TO KEEP THE EXCITEMENT GOING, AND THE PEOPLE COMING, AND THE ATTENTION TO THEMSELVES IN ORDER TO LOOK GOOD.

SO, THE CYCLE GOES ON AND ON, AND ON, AND WE NEVER REALLY "SEE CLEARLY," BECAUSE WE HAVE BECOME OUR OWN GOD, AND RULE OUR OWN DESTINY/S. WE DO THIS, BUY OUR INTELLECT, AND THOUGHTS, INSTEAD OF "HAVING THE MIND OF CHRIST." (WANTING, AND DOING, ONLY 'HIS WILL').

NOW, SO MUCH FRUIT, OF AN UN-WANTED NATURE APPEARS IN US, WE BEGIN TO LOOK THROUGH SPIRITUAL GLASSES, AS THOUGH THEY WERE COVERED IN VASELINE! WE CANNOT SEE! AND WE BECOME DESPAIRED, THEN TIRED OF IT ALL, THEN OUR FAITH WEAKENS, AND WE LOSE HEART, THEN WE LOSE FAITH, AND THEN... "WE LOSE HOPE!"

WHEN WE LOSE THE HOPE, THEN WE ARE VICTIMS TO ALL THE DEVICES OF THE FLESH, THE WORLD, AND THE DEVIL HIMSELF. OUR WORLD BECOMES CONFUSED, AND DARK, AND BLACK. WE HAVE LOST SIGHT OF THE "DAY," AND WE CANNOT SEE CLEARLY THE "LOVE OF GOD," AND THE FORGIVING, MERCY OF HIS HEART. IT IS HARD TO SEE CLEARLY THE NEEDS OF THOSE AROUND US, AND MEET THOSE NEEDS, BECAUSE WE ARE CAUGHT UP IN OUR 'OWN KINGDOM', AND WE ARE THE KINGS! WE NEED TO BE SERVED, HELPED, MINISTERED TO, NOTICED!

NOW PANIC AND FEAR, BECOME OUR CONSTANT FRIENDS, AND WE SEEK TO FIND EVEN 'MORE COMFORT,' ( FOR 'OUR KINGDOM,' STILL HAS PLENTY OF ROOM FOR MORE OF 'US,' AND THE THINGS WE NEED ), AND WE DO THIS AGAIN, BUT IN A WORSE WAY THAN BEFORE, BY SPENDING OUR TIME, TELLING EVERYONE, HOW MESSED UP WE ARE, RUNNING HERE AND THERE,  ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, SEEKING THE ONE WHO WILL HAVE THE HELP, 'THE MAN WITH POWER', AND DELIVERANCE,   THE ONE WHO WILL GIVE US HOPE!   "THAT WE CAN ONLY GET IN CHRIST JESUS."   OR, BY SPENDING OUR EFFORTS ON OURSELVES, GLOATING ON OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND FLESHLY VICTORY'S, THAT HAVE NOT TRULY BEEN ORDAINED OF THE LORD, BUT IN ALL ACTUALITY, WE HAVE MANIPULATED THEM INTO OUR LITTLE KINGDOM, AND CALLED IT GOD!.

BUT, TO NO AVAIL!

GOD WILL NEVER LET US GET FREE THIS WAY! HE LETS US GET WORSE AND WORSE IN OUR LITTLE UNBELIEVING PRIDEFUL BOX. NOW WE FACE A REALITY LIKE WE HAVE NEVER FACED IN ALL OUR STRUGGLES. WILL I COMPLETELY GIVE UP ALL TOGETHER, AND SAY, "WELL, THIS IS JUST MY WALK, MY LOT IN THE CIRCLE OF THINGS," I HAVE BEEN DEALT A RAW HAND HERE. OR, WILL WE SAY, "MY GOD!" I HAVE BEEN SO FOOLISH, AND I HAVE BEEN SO AFRAID TO ALLOW "YOU, LORD," TO HAVE ALL THE CONTROL OF MY LIFE! WHAT I AM HOLDING ON TO WILL DESTROY ME, FOR IF I TRY AND SAVE "MY LIFE," I WILL LOSE IT! BUT, IF I "LOSE MY LIFE," (IN YOU JESUS, ALLOWING YOU FULL CONTROL, AND TRUSTING YOU, WHETHER I FEEL, SEE, OR TASTE IT), THEN I WILL HAVE FOUND THE KEY TO TRUE LIFE, AND FELLOWSHIP WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD. AND THAT FELLOWSHIP MUST "FIRST" BEGIN IN JESUS, AND WITH JESUS, BEFORE I CAN HAVE REAL, TRUE, FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHERS.

WE ARE A PEOPLE OF GREAT NEED/S, AND WE OFTEN TIMES SEEK TO HAVE THOSE NEEDS MET THROUGH OTHERS. AND WE OFTEN TIMES WILL TRY ANY AND ALL MEANS TO GET THOSE NEEDS MET, WHETHER THROUGH SELF PITY, AND , OR, TRYING TO GAIN ATTENTION FOR OURSELVES THROUGH OUR OWN FLESHLY ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

YOU SEE, ONE REASON WE TRY AND "GAIN ATTENTION" TO OURSELVES, IS "BECAUSE WE DO NOT TRULY BELIEVE THAT "GOD IS GIVING IT TO US," AND WE DESERVE IT WE SAY, BUT WHY DO WE NOT HAVE IT!?"

WELL, WE DO HAVE GODS ATTENTION, AND HIS LOVE, AND HIS EVER PRESENT HELP IN TIMES OF TROUBLE( OR NO TROUBLE). BUT, WE WANT IT TO FEEL THE WAY, OR BE MANIFESTED THE WAY, ' WE' HAVE DESIGNED IT TO, RATHER THAN WALKING BY FAITH, WITHOUT THE FEELINGS. WE ARE A FEELINGS ORIENTED PEOPLE. AND THIS WALK IN THE LORD, (ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SURELY FEELINGS INVOLVED), IT IS NOT "BASED ON FEELING," ... BUT RATHER ON "FAITH!" WHICH IS THE OPPOSITE OF "PRIDE!"

"TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEARTS, AND LEAN NOT UPON 'YOUR' OWN UNDERSTANDING..." THE WORD OF GOD TELLS US...

BUT, INSTEAD, UNTIL WE GET INTO A REAL MESS, AND ALLOW THE LORD TO HEAL US FROM "SELF," WE DO NOT TRUST IN THE LORD, AS WE "PRETEND TO DO," BEFORE THE CHURCH, AND OUR FRIENDS. WE TALK A GOOD TALK SOMETIMES, BUT OUR LIFE IS FILLED WITH EMPTINESS AND SORROW.

OH, WE LONG TO BE FREE, BUT WE HAVE BUILT, BY NOW, SUCH A DEEP PIT FOR OUR LIVES, AND CONVINCED OTHERS, AND OURSELVES AS WELL, THAT WE ARE SO "DOWN, AND MISERABLE," OR ,THAT WE "HAVE IT ALL UNDER CONTROL." THEN ONCE WE COME 'FACE TO FACE WITH JESUS', WITH THE TRUTH ABOUT OURSELVES, AND REALIZE THAT WE ACTUALLY ARE NOT WHAT WE THINK WE ARE, OR CONVINCED OTHERS WE ARE, OR THAT WE ARE REALLY CONDEMNING GOD, BY 'DOUBTING HIS PROMISES, AND NOT BELIEVING HIS WORD OF DELIVERANCE' FOR US, OR FULLY TRUSTING IN HIM IN ALL OUR WAYS. THEN WE THINK IT TO BE, "TO MUCH TROUBLE TO TRY AND GET RIGHT WITH GOD." IT WILL BE BEYOND ME," I CANNOT GAIN BACK WHAT I ONCE LOST," HE WILL NEVER TAKE ME BACK," I HAVE CROSSED THE LINE," I GUESS I'LL JUST STAY HERE IN THE DEPTHS OF DESPAIR, AND STRUGGLE, ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE, AND SOONER OR LATER, "PERHAPS," GOD WILL NOTICE ME, AND HELP ME!

I AM HERE TO TELL YOU BELOVED, THIS IS WHERE SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN SO VERY LONG, AND THIS IS WHERE SOME OF YOU ARE AT NOW, (TO A DEGREE), BUT AT LEAST, I PRAY, YOU ARE BEGINNING TO "SEE" SOME THINGS, AND I BELIEVE THAT ONCE YOU DO SEE THIS, AND JUST SIMPLY "YIELD TO GOD YOUR HEART, AND YOUR SELF," THAT YOU WILL BE QUICKENED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, TO SEE THROUGH GOD'S SPECTACLES, AND NOT THROUGH THE EYES OF 'SPECULATION, AND ANALYZING, AND TRYING TO 'FIGURE EVERY LITTLE THING OUT.'

THIS SIMPLY MEANS.... DEATH WORKS IN ME, THAT LIFE WILL WORK IN OTHERS... IT MEANS, "I" NO LONGER LIVE, BUT THE LIFE I LIVE I WILL LIVE BY FAITH IN GOD... IT MEANS, I WILL DENY 'MYSELF,' AND TAKE UP THOSE CROSS/ES, AND FOLLOW JESUS WITH MY WHOLE HEART.

IT DOES NOT MEAN HOURS OF PRAYER, AND HOURS OF BIBLE STUDY, ONLY "IN SOME SORT OF RELIGIOUS CEREMONY," TO BEAT YOURSELF INTO SUBMISSION, OR GET GOD'S ATTENTION, OR GET HOLY IN ONE OR TWO SESSIONS... EVEN THIS, IS THE WORKS OF THE FLESH AND PRIDE, TRYING TO HELP GOD OUT!

THE CHRISTIAN 'MUST' FAST, PRAY, AND STUDY THE WORD OF GOD, AND DO IT 'ALL YOU CAN, AND AS MUCH AS YOU CAN!' WE 'MUST' STAY IN THE WORD, AND PRAYER, AND PRAISE, BUT, WITH THE PROPER MOTIVES.. THIS MEANS, COMING TO THE LORD CONSISTENTLY, AND WITH A SINCERE HEART, AND BY FAITH. THAT BEING, "TO SIMPLY LOVE HIM, TO SEEK HIS FACE, NOT JUST HIS HAND, AND TO KNOW HIS HEART!"

I BELIEVE THAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD WILL SHOW YOU PLENTY THROUGH ALL THIS LETTER, AND THAT YOU WILL, AS YOU HEAR HIM SPEAK TO YOU, BEGIN TO SENSE HOPE RISE UP IN YOUR SPIRIT.... AND MOVE ON! DO NOT FOR A MOMENT LOOK BACK!

OUR YESTERDAYS, ARE JUST THAT.  YESTERDAY!

LET US HAVE A "NEW DAY" IN THE LORD, AND GO FORWARD, AND BELIEVE GOD BY FAITH, THAT "HE WHO STARTED A GOOD WORK IN YOU, WILL COMPLETE IT TILL THE DAY OF CHRIST JESUS!...."

IN THIS NEW DAY:

GOD IS REALLY DESIRES TO BRING HIS PEOPLE TO A PLACE OF FAITH. OH, I MEAN THE 'REAL BIBLICAL FAITH,' THAT COMES FROM THE COMMUNION WE HAVE IN OUR COVENANT WALK WITH HIM. IT IS A MOMENT BY MOMENT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND NOT ALLOWING ANYTHING TO CROWD OUT HIS VOICE, IN THIS VERY NOISY AND VOICE FILLED WORLD WE LIVE IN. THERE IS A PLACE IN THE TRUE BRIDE OF JESUS CHRIST, WHERE THE REMNANT OF GOD, WILL KNOW HIM IN FULLNESS, AND HE WILL HAVE HIS WAY IN HIS PEOPLE IN THE EARTH, TO WALK BY FAITH IN GOD IN SUCH A WAY AS TO 'SEE,' AND EXPERIENCE,  "HIS WILL BEING DONE IN THE EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN." THIS IS A FAITH IN HIM, THAT THE CHURCH, FOR THE MOST PART, HAS NOT YET UNDERSTOOD. WE READ ABOUT IT, AND WISH WE COULD WALK IN THIS KIND OF FAITH, (AND WE CAN, AND MUST), BUT WE ARE NOT YET COMING INTO THE REALITY OF THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD, "WHEN TIMES ARE REALLY BAD."  OH IT IS EASY TO PRAISE HIM, AND SAY HOW WONDERFUL HE IS WHEN WE ARE BEING BLESSED AND FEELING WELL AND GOOD, BUT WHEN THE ENEMY COMES IN LIKE A FLOOD, WE BUCKLE UNDER ONCE AGAIN TO DOUBT , FEAR, AND UNBELIEF,    (this is pride),  AND OUR 'HOPE,' BECOMES WATERED DOWN TO JUST THAT... "I HOPE HE WILL." INSTEAD OF, A REST IN HIM, THAT "KNOWS HE WILL," NO MATTER WHAT WE GO THROUGH.

HOW WE NEED TO BE PREPARED IN THIS FINAL HOUR, AND RECOGNIZE THAT THE ENEMY OF OUR SOULS LITERALLY HAS COME TO KILL, STEAL, AND DESTROY, THE WORKING/S OF FAITH IN US, AND CAUSE US TO "DRIFT."  (into pride,   self-reliance).

BUT JUST AS JESUS 'OVERTURNED' THE TABLES OF THOSE BUYING AND SELLING IN HIS FATHERS HOUSE, HE WILL STILL DO THAT WORK "IN US TODAY" AS WE TRUST HIM, AND STAND FIRM ON THE WORD OF GOD BY FAITH.

HE WILL COME TO HIS HOUSE,  (US),  AND OVER TURN THE WORKS OF THE ENEMY THAT IS TURNING HIS HOUSE, (US), INTO A DEN OF ROBBERS, (OR BEING ROBBED), OF ALL THE IMAGE, AND CHARACTER OF CHRIST. AND HE WILL OVERTHROW, ALL THAT IS DESTROYING OUR FAITH IN HIM, AS THE "ONLY SOURCE," OF HELP, WISDOM, AND SALVATION. ALL THAT SEEKS TO DRAW US FROM FULL OBEDIENCE, AND CHILD LIKE FAITH IN CHRIST, IS A 'ROBBER,' AND THE LORD WILL DRIVE OUT THE THIEF, AND BRING ABOUT IN US, HARMONY WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT IN HIS PEOPLE, AS WE TRULY TRUST HIM WITH ALL OUR HEART.

WE MUST USE THAT PORTION OF FAITH IN US, NO MATTER ITS SIZE, AND OFFER THAT TO THE LORD IN OUR WALK, AND WAIT ON HIM TO BRING ABOUT THE RESULT/S. AND HE WILL!  PRIDE DOES NOT WAIT!  IT TAKES CONTROL, AND MAKES THINGS HAPPEN. AND THOSE THINGS BIRTHED FROM PRIDE, HAVE "NO" ETERNAL VALUE, OR FRUIT!

I PRAY, THAT THE LORD MOVE IN YOUR HEART, AND IN YOUR SITUATION/S, IN SUCH A WAY, AS TO 'UN-FOLD' HIS GLORY, AND HIS PROMISE/S OF LIFE TO YOU, AND BRING LIGHT, AND WISDOM FROM ABOVE, TO YOUR SITUATION/S.

BE ENCOURAGED, AND START PLACING ONE SPIRITUAL FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER, AND THE LORD WILL TAKE YOU BY THE HAND, EVEN THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, YOU SHALL FEAR NO EVIL, FOR HE IS WITH YOU!

THROW YOUR SELF IN 'RECKLESS ABANDON' UPON HIM TODAY, BELOVED. WATCH HIM MOVE MOUNTAINS FOR YOU!

I BELIEVE THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS I HAVE WRITTEN TO YOU IN A WHILE NOW. TAKE IT TO HEART!

IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS CHRIST!