Redemption of Identity

What Dads do. We all love a good story. Whether reading or seeing a movie, watching TV, or even listening to someone tell about an adventure they had.   An exceptional story can be captivating. Funny. Motivating. Moving. Heart pounding. Challenging. Kids especially love stories. Their imaginations are still young and wild, and they can be swept away by an adventure that is told to them. TV programs are made up of epic stories. With twists and turns and story arches. If you ever watched Lost or Heroes a few years ago, you experienced the twists and turns of stories.   They made use of these story arches.   " Lost" was good at this. You're on the island with a very intense sequence playing out before your eyes, and just as the scene shifts towards what will explain everything that is happening, they cut into a completely different scene.   A whole new storyline that is being added in for no apparent reason at the time! Agghhhh!.... But they know that they have ...

  1 John 1 The Passion Translation (TPT) The Living Expression 1  We saw him with our very own eyes. [ a     We gazed upon him and heard him speak.     Our hands actually touched him,     the one who was from the beginning,     the Living Expression of God. 2  This Life-Giver was made visible     and we have seen him.     We testify to this truth:     the eternal Life-Giver     lived face-to-face with the Father     and has now dawned upon us. 3  So we proclaim to you     what we have seen and heard      about this Life-Giver     so that we may share and enjoy     this life together.     For truly our fellowship [ f ]  is with the Father   ...

Within the space of three and a half weeks two very dear friends have died. Rusty, battled cancer that was stage four when it was discovered. For months he, his family, and friends prayed healing into his life. When I had my last conversation with him, he was only strong enough in body to whisper but he was battling to win back his life fully. He lived who he was to the last breath. He was a warrior and a man who loved deeply his family and friends. He honored me with his friendship and encouragement even though he knew my personal struggles.   He had compassion on all he met and was a great man of character. His legacy continues with his wife and children. His children are the best of both he and Diane, which is as it should be!   To me Rusty, you were a brother-warrior and you taught me by example and targeted words to never give up the fight! Greg is a dear friend who died yesterday. He battled a medical condition that would go into “remission” and then come back ag...

For Dreamers— I still dream big. There’s no limits to when I can go after a dream that Papagod energizes me for. I’ve learned over time that I need to Identify the source of my dreams. So many times in the past my dream was born from someone else’s desire and it almost destroyed me. My family wanted me to be a minister, a doctor, a musician. Someone with an advanced degree. I tried and tried but they wore me out. I wanted to please those I loved but I became a prisoner of their dreams. Also I rule out dreams that are born out of brokenness. Such as to prove to someone that you can do something. I can’t allow someone’s opinion to determine my dream. I rule out dreams that are born out of my own selfish desire. I ask myself “the naked truth” questions, “Why am I really doing this?” Just to look good to others? To be more successful than the guy next Door? To be noticed? To be in charge? Look at Abraham and Ishmael. It’s unprofitable. God is liberating me from everything that hold...

The Meal The Gathering I was seated with a number of people in a hall, in a church that was gothic in design. The hall was a place of fellowship and the interior felt old. This was a group of invited guests that were there to share in fellowship, and a meal. After the meal many would leave and there was to be a smaller group of us who would remain to discuss things of the church. Somehow, I had been invited to be a part of this group. These were recognized leaders of the corporate body of Christ in our region. Whether liturgical, charismatic or any style between we were there on common ground in Christ. The gathering allowed for many guests to mill around, talking, quipping to one another, but mostly having somber conversations. It was one of those days when “small talk” was difficult for me. I ate my meal in personal quiet as the muted conversations swirled around the room. Our meal was to be followed up with a simple cake dessert. Small oblong dessert dishes were brought and ...

How much "bad" behavior will God tolerate from me? Will he have anything to do with me when I am in a stage of acting out? Look at Acts 9- Saul is breathing out threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord... He was on his way to find, try, and kill Christians when Jesus-the-Christ encountered him. Saul was driven by blind passion. When my acts of selfish flesh driven passion continued unabated I had an encounter with Jesus-the-Christ. From my perspective I didn’t see the encounter I saw that I had a crisis! This Jesus that Saul encountered, and Jesus I encounter is the Completed Christ. He has walked the way of mankind, he has felt and lived through selfish passion without succumbing to sin, he is one who's mission is complete and yet still active as he encounters mankind on the road of misplaced passion. His active mission is now to deliver this message to mankind. Each message personally wrapped up and delivered to uniquely encounter a person w...