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Thursday, May 24, 2018

Love Broke the Scale

     An audio version of this message will soon be available at the link below:



First Peter Chapter Five

6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

Matthew Chapter Eleven

25 At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike.
26 Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way!
27 “My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”



     I woke up this morning with these verses in my heart. I love waking up that way. Father is so kind. What a great love he has for us that he put his only begotten Son in charge of all things we could ever need. Our caretaker came and joined in our suffering and partook of the same day to day problems we all have. He knows what it's like to have money problems and family problems and he bore all our sickness and disease and distress in his own body on the tree. He truly is a high priest who understands our sufferings. I am so delighted that he loves us this much.


     So as I began to read these verses today and give thanks, Jesus spoke to me the following words that I would like to share with you.

He said:



Carefree! Yes that is what I want you to be. I want you to give me all your worries and cares and concerns. I purchased your problems with my blood. I knew you wouldn't just give them to me so I bought them. I paid in full for every detail. Nothing was left out.


     When I counted the cost for you I considered your sins, your problems, your debts, your faults, your condition and your lack. I put all these things on one side of my scale. On the other side I put the great love I have for you. My love broke the scale. It wasn't even close. Your misdeeds were no match for my love. You must know I didn't shed my blood for you because I had to. I did it because I love you and I couldn't even imagine eternity without you.


     Your enemy had you trapped. You were born into captivity and didn't even know it. You were born in prison and had no hope. This broke my heart. I paid the highest price for your freedom because I knew that with what I paid no one could outbid me and take you from me. I have always loved you. Your value to me is immeasurable.


     Those of you with children understand this. You know what you are willing to pay for them. What would you give to buy your children back from hell? This is who love is and this is what love does. So now that you understand your value to me where do you value each other? The person you are angry with is the person I am in love with. The person you despise the the apple of my eye. So my beloved. No more division. No more us and them, for we are one.


     Now about your worries and cares. Do you really think I would pour out my blood for you and not care if you are in need? Would I care about your eternity and not care about your Tuesday? Would I build you a mansion in heaven and not care about your house on earth? Would I have treasures of gold and sliver and jewels put into your crown in heaven and not care that you are poor on earth? Of course not. Even the hairs of your head are numbered. Not just numbered but each one is numbered and put into a grid on your head in it's correct place.


     This is the reason my children suffer. You try to make things work in your own power and by your own might and not by faith in my love for you. You work and labor and all these things are honorable but you must remember that you do these things because you are loved and blessed; no so that you will be loved and blessed.


     Consider the birds. They don't build big barns. They don't worry about tomorrow. They just worship and eat, and in their joy they don't realize they are planting seeds by scattering them and the don't realize that while taking a cool drink of water they collect fish eggs on their feet and carry them from water to water and replenish the earth. They are just worshiping and living and they accomplish great things without effort.


     This is where many have gone wrong. They believe gain is godliness so they use my scriptures and try to obtain wealth to prove their faith. But the truth is gain is not the thing. Worship is the thing and while at worship gain will be added to you. Not by striving and sweating but by seeking my kingdom through worship. 


     My scriptures tell you that you enter my gates with thanksgiving and my courts with praise. You seek the kingdom by seeking the king. I am always with you but you are not always conscious of me. But when you worship, suddenly you realize I am with you. You come to me in worship and I give you rest by taking your burdens and cares and giving you my peace. If you find the face of the King you must have found the kingdom. I AM the king and the kingdom. Seek me. I'm not hard to find. I'm right here in your heart.


     Have you ever noticed that your daily chores are much easier when you do them while singing than they are if you do them while complaining? We created the heavens and earth in six days. It wasn't hard work. We stretched it out as long as we could because we were having such fun creating a place that we could come dwell with you. We rested on the seventh not because we were weary but because the earth was complete.


     It is the same with the cross. I said "it is finished" because by my sacrifice I once and for all completed all things that were needed to bring you into resurrection life. The house was built but not all move into the house and live in it. Some think they are not worthy so they try to build their own and they struggle. I am your promised land but not all choose to live in me.  Some choose to live the life of the world in the wilderness of sin and do not come into the house of holiness and rest that is finished.


     My loved ones. I have provided all things that you could ever need. I prepared a place for you in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. There is room for you all to live in me. You can live and move and have your glorious life in me. You don't have to live like the world and by the world. You can live by staying connected to me so that my life flows through you. You don't have to live as orphans. The table is set. Come and dine.


     Give me your cares. Give me each moment of your life. Don't live by labor. Live by worship. Let labor be the thing you accomplish while in worship. Let my song be in your heart at all times and you will find the rest that you are looking for. Instead of worrying over your bills how about singing over them? Instead of saying “How are we going to pay this?” How about singing a song instead and give thanks that I have already given you all things that pertain to life and godliness?


     Those who believe have entered into my rest. This is simple faith. Prayer is not asking for what you need but real faith filled prayer is knowing that your needs are already met. Give me thanks while watching to see which way your provision is coming from. Faith is not “believing” that I will. Faith is knowing that I already have because I love you and for no other reason. 


     I looked at every day in your life and already put all things you could ever need where they would appear when you need them. This is why I said to make your requests with thanksgiving. You don't ask by asking. You ask by thanking me. Just as when I stood at Lazarus' tomb. I didn't cry out to my Father to raise him from the dead. I knew my Father heard the desires of my heart. I gave thanks that he heard my heart's desire and I called Lazarus out. I AM the resurrection and no one who lives in me ever dies.


     You must learn to live in the completed realm. Most of my children live as if the cross wasn't my final answer. My cross screams “I Love You!” Don't you hear it? What more needs to be said or done to prove how much I love you. I have always been in love with you and will always be in love with you. Your mistakes and blunders don't change that. You can try to run but my love will find you. As David said “even if I make my bed in hell you are with me.” He understood that no matter what he was going through he would never be alone. He understood that my love will march into hell to deliver my loved ones.


     So my precious ones, you are not alone. You are not cast away. You are not orphans. I came to live inside you so that you would never be alone. The only time you even experience loneliness is because you lose focus that I am in you. The only time you experience lack is because you look at your circumstances and not at my table. 


     I prepare a table for you in the midst of your fight. I make your enemies watch us break bread together before I destroy them. It's so funny. Imagine your enemies gathered around you for war but you say “hey, wait a minute. I'm going to break bread with my friend and have a nice drink, maybe some dessert and then we will remove your heads.”


     Beloved ones, no more fear, no more anxiety. I want to trade you my peace for your worries. I want to give you my rest for your weariness. I'll trade you. You give me your doubt and I will give you my faith. You give my your disease and I will give you my health. You give me your sin and I will give you my holiness. You give me today and I will give you eternity. Oh how I love you my precious ones. If only I could make you understand just how much all of heaven adores you. Meditate on my love until fear has no place left in you to hide.


     Remember, Take my yoke upon you. I won't force it on you. You must put it on. No more heavy burdens. No more stress. See all your problems on one side of my scale and my love on the other. Never forget. Love broke the scale and it always will.


     This is the end of the words he spoke to me at that moment.
I hope you are encouraged by these words.
Until next time,
Grow Rich in His Grace,
I love you all,
michael 


     For more information please click on the links below:






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Monday, May 21, 2018

Surrender


     An audio version of this message will soon be available at the link below:



     Recently while praying for a dear friend of mine I asked Father for an encouraging word to give him. As I began to listen to what Father spoke to me I wondered if this word was for my friend or me? I think that it probably applies to many of us. I asked my friend if I could share it with each of you and he said that I could. So thank you my friend for allowing me to share and thanks to God for his wonderful grace.
So here are the words from our Father.


     My son, why do you doubt? Haven't you seen me come through for you time and time again? Why do you think this time is different? I know your deadlines and due dates. I will not fail you. Learn to put aside any negativity. All negativity is unbelief. Every thought that is negative must be destroyed. Believe in me and in my love for you. Look only at the cross as proof.


     I love you with everlasting love and you are my great joy and you are my delight. Think nothing else. All things will change when you accept my love fully and joyfully. Don't think you are worse than some others. Don't exclude yourself. I didn't exclude you. I told you through Paul that I put everyone into sin so I could count everyone in my grace. No one is left out.


     Believe me and take hold of the promises. It has to be your choice. When someone gives you a gift it's your choice to keep it and use it or return it our put in on a shelf. Once the giver gives it then he has no more control over it. Meditate on the fact that I gave you all things freely. A good man brings forth good treasures from his heart. Feed your heart with my love for you. Consider what price I paid for you and you will know your value to me.


     You must mix love with your prayers. You must bask in my love while you pray. While praying for your needs think about my love for you. While praying for others think about my love for them. This will drive doubt away.


     All things you desire must be based on my love for you. I don't need any other reason to give you anything. You don't even have to need it. You just have to know that I long to give you more than you could ever imagine, but it is only accessible through surrender to my grace. It's not by fighting or scratching, or digging or effort of any kind. It's just a sweet surrender to my grace flowing through your life. Abandon yourself and your worries and let my river of grace take you to places you could never reach on your own. I do these things because I love you, but they are only accessible through confidence in my love.



     As long as you think I need any other reason then you are double minded. Your must never think that I ever think badly of you. I understand that you are still learning. I don't see failure and defeat. I see sons and daughters in training to reign with me. 


     Think of it as target practice. The more you shoot the better you get, but you miss a few shots until you get your aim perfected. If you shoot and miss don't waste time cursing the last shot or yourself for missing it. Reload and fire again.


     No more wavering. Just trust that I am always in love with you. Put your roots down deep into my love and don't be blown over by the wind. This storm will pass and you will still be standing. I have given you many promises that you have planted in your heart. Don't let your enemy dig up the word by scaring you into thinking that I will not provide. I am your provider. It's not what I do, it's who I am.


     So rest in my grace and let me be who I am. I'll be the loving provider that is in love with you and all the ones you love. You be my child and trust me and learn to lean into me when the wind blows hard. I will not let you fail. I am with you. Always with you. I am with you because it is my desire. I chose you and I selected you by my love. You are mine even though you don't know that I am yours also. Think on these things and don't worry.


     This was the end of the words He spoke to me at that moment.
I hope you are encouraged by these words.
Until next time,
Grow Rich in His Grace,
I love you all,
michael 


     For more information please click the links below:





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Thursday, May 3, 2018

Heaven on Hold

     An audio version of this message will be available soon at the link below:

michaelottministries.podomatic.com

     I have shared this story with a few people over the years and have put off sharing it publicly for quite some time. It is because the mission that was given to me was to share love with all who will hear. Back in 2010 Jesus sat on my bed and told me to go share his love for people with everyone I meet. That has been my mission so I have stuck to that message. I have had many people ask me to share about my time in heaven and I have put it off time and time again. I did not want that to become the focus of my ministry and I didn't want to lose track of my assignment and go off on a different trail than the one I was assigned to.


     Lately I have sought the Lord to see if now was the time to share this part of my story and I was given the green light to do so. I will  share the story to demonstrate the love that God has for each of you. There is so much more that I can't share at this time but I will tell my story and stick to my assignment at the same time. I decided to call this message “Heaven on Hold”


   I'll begin by saying that I have had many encounters with heaven in my life. I don't remember a day in my life when I didn't pray and talk to Jesus as if he were my best friend because he is. Even before I was born again I knew him and he knew me and we loved each other. Then I had my first life changing encounter.


     When I was a child I didn't just walk down the aisle at my church and then get baptized. I was radically changed. I can take you back to the little Baptist Church and to the very pew I was sitting in when I was born again. I remember the song they were singing and can still smell the perfume of the elderly lady who sat in front of me. It was if the very love of God surrounded me and engulfed me. His presence was so strong that I couldn't sit still. I was trying to be tough like all little boys do. I resisted and resisted but I couldn't help myself. I found myself standing in front of that preacher begging to understand what was happening to me. I think they were shocked. Even though they were holding what they call a “revival” I don't think they really expected anyone to be revived.


     I remember for days after that encounter my Dad pulling me aside and talking to me. I had such peace and such love and my life and my personality totally changed. I was overflowing with great joy. He even took me back to the church and spoke to our pastor who had no answers. He asked the pastor why I had changed so drastically and the pastor told him not to worry it would probably wear off in a few days and I would be normal again. Well it's been forty five years and I am still not normal. Sometimes when I go back to my childhood home I go to that church and sit in the parking lot and worship and weep. I'll never forget that day. Not ever.


     I could tell you many stories of other encounters I have had in my life but for the sake of time I will try to get on to the encounter everyone asks me about. It was my first trip to heaven. I've had a few since but they are for another time. It was a time in my life when I was struggling. I was working too much and too far in debt. I was under great stress and was fighting the call of God on my life. Holy Spirit was leading me to go into ministry but I had too many bills to pay and at that time didn't have the faith to trust him to make a way for me.


     I had a job in an automobile dealership. It was very stressful. I was working the wholesale parts counter where I had several phone lines that rang constantly. I could never catch up. There was always more to do than I could get to but I had to keep working to make a living. The commission we got paid was very low so if I didn't sell, sell, sell I wouldn't make a bonus check. I became very ill and began having high blood pressure. My doctor told me my job was killing me so I decided to change jobs. I went to work in a body shop but it was no better. The stress was just as bad.


     So one day I found myself at my doctor's office and couldn't remember how I got there. They gave me medicine in the waiting room because they thought I was about to have a stroke. The nurse said she couldn't believe my blood pressure was that high and I didn't die. When I finally got back outside I found my truck in the parking lot running and the driver's door was open. I had no recollection of how I got there. By the grace of God my truck was still there and no one stole it. I guess they thought it was one of those bait cars the police put out just to see if someone steals it.


     So I went and got the prescriptions filled that the doctor gave me. His instructions were to take one pill in the morning and another when I got home at night. So the next morning I did as I was instructed and I took the first pill. I struggled all day and was so tired. It seemed as if my heart was not getting me enough blood to keep moving. It felt like I was walking through deep water. My legs felt so heavy and I struggled to keep moving. I called the doctor's office and they said that was normal until I got adjusted to the medicine. I struggled through the day and finally got home around seven o'clock that evening and was totally exhausted. I decided to take the pill right before bedtime.


     As I was getting ready for bed I took the second pill and crawled into my bed and within a few moments I knew something was wrong. I felt my heartbeat getting weaker and weaker and it started slowing down and the beats got fewer and fewer. My heart was skipping and missing beats. Beat, beat skip, beat, skip, skip, beat skip.  It only took a few more minutes and I knew I was in bad trouble. I lived out in the country miles from town. I knew calling for help was not the answer. They would never get there in time.


     I felt this strange peace come over me and I really thought it was over and I was right. I started timing my pulse rate by holding my wrist and looking at my watch. Finally I could not hold my arm up to look at my watch because my arm became so tired and weak. My heart got slower and slower and then this great pain hit me. It felt like someone stabbing me in the chest. I grabbed my chest and cried “Jesus” and it was over.


     One thing I would like to say to all believers is to never fear death. You will find it to be the most pleasurable event ever. As soon as the lights went out in my eyes my true eyes came on. Suddenly I was in this tunnel of light. I could see glory at the other end. I as not walking but was being carried by the light to the light. It seemed like just an instant and yet it seemed like eternity. It would not have mattered to me because even though I wasn't fully in heaven yet this place sure seemed like heaven to me.


The music. The glorious music.

     I was born into a musical family. We played music out our house for as long as I can remember. My Dad played guitar as well as my brother and I, and our sisters play and sing also. Many of our relatives and friends would play music on the front porch of the house we grew up in. So I always loved playing and singing and writing songs. I had heard many talented musicians but there was nothing that prepared me for what I heard while in that tunnel of light.


     I will try to describe what music is in heaven or at least how I experienced it. In heaven music is liquid and it is light and it is sound and it is smell and it is color. It has taste and it has warmth. When you hear a song you can hear each note of each instrument individually and together. You can hear a million instruments at once or you can hear a single note on one instrument. While in the tunnel I heard the most beautiful orchestras playing the prettiest song I ever heard. It sounded like millions of instruments all in perfect tune and perfect rhythm. I heard two orchestras playing that were separated by a distance. Finally true stereo. Yay! One orchestra would play the notes and the other would echo those notes as if to answer. It was if the songs were talking to each other. As the first song ended the last note of the song lingered in my ear a moment and I watched it fall out of my ear towards the bottom of the tunnel. The note was like a tiny crystal or diamond. It was so bright. When it hit the bottom it made a sound like a splash cymbal that a drummer plays.


     As the next song started a wave of beautiful light came with the sound as well as the most beautiful aroma. I could see the notes and hear the notes and taste them and smell them. Suddenly I began to vibrate all over and my being became an instrument. I began to create a sound that came from me that added sound to the song. I was not playing the song. The song was playing me. For the first time ever I wasn't playing music. I was music. I could have stayed here forever and been full of joy for eternity but the light was drawing me closer and I was getting close to the end of the tunnel.


     I always expected that when I went to heaven I would find a city that the scripture talks about. Maybe he didn't let me see it or the throne because I may not have come back. As soon as I was out of the tunnel I found myself in heaven's countryside. Being a country boy this was heaven to me already. I was standing under a beautiful tree by a river and along a walkway. There were flowers everywhere and to my surprise they were singing and dancing on their stems. I couldn't help myself. I reached down and picked a flower and I said “you are beautiful.” The flower said “thanks for picking me.” Suddenly it hit me that maybe I didn't have the right to pick flowers since they don't belong to me. I said “what do I do?” the flower said “just put me back on my stem. So I did and the flower went back to singing and dancing. I was amazed that the flower could speak to me in my mind and the flower told me that all things there communicate. It was once that way here in the garden of Eden.


     Suddenly the tree that I was under started moving. It reached it's branches towards the sky and proclaimed in a loud voice “He's coming! Somehow I didn't have to ask who. I knew who was coming. The tree said that it loved being planted by the stream and the walkway because Jesus walks this way often and it's an honor to get to worship him as he walks by. I was amazed. I looked to see which way that Jesus was coming but before I could find him he appeared in front of me. I was so amazed. I have never felt so much love in my life.


     I can't begin to describe what it feels like to be completely swallowed by his love. He looked me right in the eyes and I felt like I was melting. He asked me a question. He said “are you staying or going back?” I stuttered as I spoke. It doesn't matter if you are on earth or in heaven, Jesus is glorious and stuttering while speaking to him is very common. I said “I, I, I, I have a choice?” He said “yes, it's not your time to be here but all my children are welcome in my home. If you come to me I will in no wise cast you out.” I asked if I could look around just a while before I decided. He said that I only had a short time and he would be back for my answer.


     Suddenly he disappeared and I was once again talking to the flowers and the trees as I listened to the water and the rocks sing in the river. Everything in heaven sings. Everything there is alive and you can communicate freely there. Not really with words but spirit to spirit. I looked down the path to my left and it went over a hill and I knew this path led to the city and to the throne. I don't know how I knew but I knew. It's like I had lived there forever.


     In heaven your senses are so much greater and I sensed family and friends that have already passed on. They were there waiting over the hill to see if I was staying or not. I guess they were told not to greet me yet. I could sense them and I knew who they were even the ones who passed on before I was born. I knew them. As the scripture says "we will know as we are known". It was one of the most wonderful things he did for me. One of my best childhood friends who passed away very young was there. I was so relieved. I had witnessed to him often in high school but he would never tell me if he had given his heart to Jesus. I had always hoped that he made it home safe.


     There are so many things that happened in the short time that I stood there that if I wrote them down it would take years. In heaven you can put a million years into a second or you can stretch a second into a million years. The doctors told me later that the damage on my heart appeared that it had stopped for about three minutes but it seemed like I was there for ages.


     Suddenly Jesus appeared to me one more time and asked if I had decided yet. I asked if I could please have just another moment to decide. He said that would be fine and told me he had something to teach me. I asked him to please teach me and he said “we don't use words here to transfer lots of information. We have a better way.” He reached into his heart and then put his hand on my chest and it seemed like he downloaded millions of pages of information into me. He told me these were date sensitive folders that would open in the appointed times and I would know without knowing and understand without learning. I have experienced this often since I've been back. I know when one of the files opens. I hear a little ringing sound inside.It is hard to explain but it sounds like a bell that you push at a counter to alert the clerk that you are there.


     He then told me that he wanted to show me how much I am loved and how much we all are loved. I wasn't sure what was coming next and I never would have guessed. He reached out his hand and handed me a Nerf football. It was the one I got for Christmas when I was a child. I had asked for a real one but my Mama couldn't afford a real football. When you have twelve bothers and sisters things are pretty tight. It was all that I got that year because our family was rich in love but poor in money.


     I'll never forget how we played with that ball all day on Christmas Day and right before dark I threw it and it got stuck up in a tall tree. I was so tired from playing all day that I didn't want to climb the tree and get it. I decided I would get up early the next day and climb the tree. Later that night the wind blew the ball out of the tree and my dog chewed it to pieces. I gathered all the pieces and tried to glue it back together and I got some of it but it wasn't much of a football after the dog had his way with it. I looked at the ball in wonder. I could still see the tooth marks from the dog on it. I looked at him amazed and just had one question. “How?”


     He said "I have the ball and I have the dog." I was so excited. I said “you have my dog?” He said, “I have all your pets and all your toys and everything you ever loved.” Once again I was so amazed that I could only utter one word. I said “how?” He leaned over and whispered and said, “you know my Father?” I said “Yes sir.” He said “let me tell you a secret, He is God and he can do anything.”


     I began to weep again and he told me to look to my left. When I did I saw my first bicycle that I had when I was a child. The last time I had seen it on earth we were moving and didn't take it with us because it was bent and broken from riding trails and jumping ramps and doing things that boys do. This bike was so special because of how I got it. When I was ten years old all my friends had bikes and they would go riding on Saturdays. They would ride all around the countryside where we lived and they would come by my house. I didn't have a bike but they would come by to see me.


     Well one day my oldest brother, whom we affectionately call “Bud” saw that I was sad because I couldn't ride with them because I didn't have a bike so he said “let's build one.” So we went to the public dump. Back then it was just a pit dug into the ground way out in the country and when it got full they would cover it up with dirt and dig another pit. We dug around and around until we found about five or six old bicycles that were in really bad shape. We took them all home and he took all the parts and had enough to make one bike out of all the parts. It was about five or six different colors but I was excited to have a bike. I couldn't wait to ride it to school on Monday like all my friends. While I was asleep that night my brother went to town and bought red spray paint and spray on chrome. When I got up Sunday morning I had a shiny red bike with chrome wheels and chrome handle bars. It looked even better than my friends' bikes. I loved that bike and rode it until it was completely worn out.



     These are just a couple of the many things he shared with me at that moment. I won't go into all of them because of the time it would take. But He disappeared once again and I knew I had to decide right then and there If I was staying in heaven or going home. So I looked as far as I could see in all directions. I looked up that the sky that was golden and had clouds made out of music that people were riding and dancing on. Sometimes a cloud would come down and you could hear the music in it. If the person really loved the tune the cloud would pick them up and take them for a ride. I looked at the trees and the grass that was alive and singing also.


     Then came a shocker. I looked at myself. I was amazed because I could see all of me and could see into my own heart and I was looking to see if I had any sin. I was so amazed because I could not find any darkness in me. I felt so clean and so holy. I guess it all got sifted out and left behind in my body. It felt so good to be clean and it felt as if a million pounds were gone off of me. I felt so strong. As I was thinking I realized that I was unlimited there. There no such thing as hard there. No hard questions, no hard problems. Nothing to heavy to lift or to move. I felt like Superman times a million. I couldn't even remember what sin was. I just had a faint memory that maybe I did something wrong but I couldn't remember what it would be. It is not even possible there to remember any sin.


     Then for some reason I looked behind me. I could see the tunnel I came through was still open. I saw my dead body on my bed. I saw my daughter asleep in her room. She was a young child at the time. Strange that as I was looking back into this world I could remember hurt and pain and sin but when looking into heaven it no longer existed.


     Suddenly I thought about my little girl. I remember how my Dad was sick when I was young and had many strokes and he passed away when I was thirteen. I remembered what it felt like for him to be gone. I didn't want her to know what that feels like. I had all these emotions hitting me at once. I felt no guilt for sin but had this longing that I hadn't done what he called me to do.


     When you stand before him you wonder what you had in life that was so important that you couldn't love with every bit of life in you while on the earth. I didn't regret one thing that I had done but I regretted all the things that I had left undone. Why didn't I spend every moment of my life serving him and serving others. Why didn't I rejoice in every moment I had on earth because our time here is so short? This was about the hardest thing I have ever done. I knew that I would have to come back and put heaven on hold.


     Suddenly the tree once again exclaimed “He is coming!” and put his branches up again and began to worship. I turned around and Wonderful was there again. Wonderful is not just his name it's who he is. You will know when you see him and you will understand. Just his presence is heaven. He is so comforting and so gracious. He is Lord of all but still humble. You feel so safe and so much peace flowing from him. He is the Prince of Peace. It is not possible to fear when he is that close to you.


     He smiled at me and asked me what I had been looking at inside me. I said. I was looking for sin. He said “ that doesn't exist here. My blood took it away.” I felt so silly, not convicted or ashamed but kind of silly for thinking that I could bring sin into heaven. We think we have been so bad in life but our mistakes are no match for his blood. Suddenly I realized the real me is not the one who fumbles and stumbles and clumsily wanders through the earth. The real me is born of God and does not commit sin. The real me is the Spirit being that is made in his image. My body is just a mechanical wrapper. The outer me is worn and weary. The inner me is alive forever more!


     He asked me one more time “ Are you staying or going? I have to know now.” As if he didn't know already? He knows all things but it was my choice. I looked at him and said “ I have to go back my Lord.” He got a tear in his eye and I asked him did I hurt him or make him said. He looked me in the eye and said “ you would choose loving someone on earth above all these wonders and rewards?” I said “yes sir, for now I have to.” He wiped another tear and I said “my Lord and my God did I hurt you?” He smiled and said “no my son. You have chosen wisely. Always choose love over reward. Love is the reward. Always choose to walk in love and you will do well.”


     He spoke to me once more and said “ all these things will be here when you get home. It isn't your time yet. I came and prepared a place for you. When it is you time I will come receive you to myself and you will be with me forever.” He looked at me with so much love that I cry each time I remember it.


     Suddenly I was pulled backwards through the tunnel of light. I woke up violently and disgustingly ill. I was blue and freezing and still felt like I was dying. My heart was still skipping and hurting and I was dizzy and a mess. I will leave some of the details for another day about how he healed me and about all the encounters I have had since. That is another miracle in itself.


     There is one thing I want you to know. Heaven is your home if you believe in him. You came from there and you will return there. One day you will see him face to face and you will feel true love for the first time in your life. You will know what unconditional love is and you will find that there is a God in heaven who loves you more than you can imagine. Please don't break his heart by not believing and not making it there. He loves you too much to lose you.


     For those of you who are struggling. He knows. He understands and he will fix everything you give him to fix. If you have lost loved ones they are safe in him. They are riding clouds of music and dancing with trees and singing the songs of heaven. They are visiting with each other or worshiping and having a heavenly time. 


   First Thessalonians Chapter Four says that when Jesus comes he will “bring with him” those who have fallen asleep. It doesn't say come get them. It says bring with him. Their bodies are in the dust but their spirits are alive and with him. That's why it says the dead in Christ will rise first. They are not in the grave. They are “in Christ.” When that day comes we will meet them in the heavenly realm. The bible says that if you believe on him then you have already passed from death into life. You are already living as an everlasting being.


     For those who believe their loved ones are just sleeping until the resurrection, think again. Remember the story of Lazarus and the rich man. Think about how Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus. We don't know about Elijah but the scriptures tell us that Moses died. Yet he appeared with Jesus on the mountain. Think about the captives that Jesus went and preached to and brought them out with him when he was resurrected. He didn't go grave to grave to preach to dead bodies. He went into Sheol and preached to living spirits. So be comforted and know that your loved ones are safe and are experiencing great joy at all times. They are with him and not asleep in some cemetery.


     No more sadness. Live, love and be joyful. Rejoice with all your heart. We will all be home one day if he hasn't returned and brought everyone with him. It will be a glorious day when heaven comes to earth to stay and heaven and earth are completely one.


     To finish up this part of my story. As a songwriter I try to write a song for each major encounter or lesson that I receive from him. I encourage each of you to write something down each time you hear his voice or experience him in a great way. This way when the devil comes to tell you that it was all in your head and you just dreamed it up you can say. “It is written, on this date I had this encounter so take your lies on down the road and leave me alone.” So I wrote a song to commemorate my trip to heaven. It's called. Which Side of That River. For those of you reading this on my blog there will be a link to click at the bottom of the page to hear it. For those listening on the podcast it will play right after I'm done.

     Thanks to all of you. I hope you know that you are a treasure to me and to your Lord. I love sharing this journey with you. Thank you so much for all of you who are praying for me. I feel your prayers and they are so appreciated.

     I hope you were encouraged by these words.
So until next time,
Grow Rich in His Grace,
I love you all,
michael


Here is the link to the song:
Which Side of That River


For more information please click the links below:


michaelottministries.org 




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Thursday, April 5, 2018

American Church

An audio version of this message will soon be available at the link below. There is also a link to the song at the bottom of this page.




     Today's message comes with a heavy heart. I wish things were different. I'll just begin with where this message was born. Recently while praying I had a vision. In the vision I was shown the golden arches of a world renowned fast food restaurant. Then beside the restaurant there appeared a beautiful church building and it's steeple was made of gold. I was wondering what this meant. I pondered for a moment and then Jesus spoke to me.

     He said: In one of these buildings you can get a meal. They are always open when you are hungry and they have the prices clearly posted for what it will cost you to eat. For those who have little money they have a meal that you can get for a dollar. It may not be what some call quality food but it is exactly as advertised. Out of the money they do collect they give to many charitable causes, especially for children.

     In the other building they will serve you when it's convenient for them. They are open on Sundays and sometimes on Wednesday and you can give them all the money you can earn and you may still leave starving. They don't want just the change in your pocket they want a percentage of your complete income. They want it all. Out of the money they collect they pay high salaries and buy nice homes and cars and even jet airplanes and take exquisite vacations they even call them ministry trips.

     As I continued to watch I saw the golden steeple fall and break into pieces. People gathered it up and went to the restaurant next door and bought food. Then the vision vanished and was gone.

     I kept thinking about these thing and I wondered on them. Later that day someone sent me a video of a well known television preacher. I won't mention them by name but you would all know the name and unfortunately the video is there for the world to see. In the video this preacher talks about having all those who don't pay their tithes to the church to be lined up and murdered by the ushers for not giving their part.

     When I saw it at first I was angry and then it turned to weeping. Oh the poor people who are trapped in this church. They don't even see that the only value the preacher puts on them is whatever money they can give. They are only worth what they can give to him and nothing more.

     Then the sadness came for the preacher. How could he walk with God and not know that people are God's treasure and when he redeemed us he didn't use money? All the money in the world would not buy one soul. He paid our ransom with the most precious substance in all of creation. It's with the blood of Jesus. This blood was poured out for each man, woman and child who was ever or will ever be born. This makes each person more valuable than the entire universe. It breaks my heart that those who call themselves preachers could not know this.

    And all of this plays out in front of the world who is searching for the way. They see this and all the greed that goes on in the churches and they don't want any part of this message. This hardens their hearts and when someone comes along with the true message of love and grace then they refuse to hear because they think we are only about money.

     It's time to wake up the church. You are being abused by those who say they care for you. If the man who says he cares for you has a fifty million dollar jet and he knows you don't have food for your children and doesn't help, then he is an impostor. If a man who says he cares for you has a twenty thousand square foot home and he knows you are sleeping on the street and doesn't help, then he is an impostor. It's time to stop the abuse.

     Those who have encountered the love of Christ don't need to be told when and how much to give of their money. They become givers by their new nature. It's not about building organizations and buildings and worldly things. It's about building up people and restoring their value to them.

     In the new covenant money isn't given to build organizations, it is given to help poor people and to preach the gospel. Consider what it says in Second Corinthians Chapter nine.

6. Remember this, a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 8. And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9. As the Scriptures say,
“They share freely and give generously to the poor.
Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”



     Maybe this preacher should have his ushers go into heaven and shoot the apostle Paul. Did you notice it didn't say anything about giving to build an organization and pay for jets for preachers? It was about giving to the poor.



     It's time to tell the truth to those who are being robbed by preachers who always accuse them of robbing God. They always want to use the scriptures in the Old Testament to guilt people into giving. But even in the Old Testament the tithe was always food and couldn't be money unless you lived too far away to carry the grain and animals. 

      It was food for the priests who couldn't work and for the widows and orphans. Besides it was based on your increase and not your total wealth. If you had one hundred sheep and you had ten sheep born that year you gave a tenth of the increase. Your increase was ten and your tithe was one.



     I'm not saying we shouldn't give. Most everyone I know who has encountered the true message of Christ gives much more than ten percent. They don't have to be encouraged or threatened to give. It's just their new nature to do so. God loves a cheerful giver so if you had to be shamed into giving then you didn't do it cheerfully. A person who only has ten dollars and gives two is much more generous than the preacher who collected a million and gave a hundred to the poor.


     I say these things because we must put the church in order. We will never win the world for Jesus if we live like Judas. It's the poor and broken who are the most abused. They think they will be cursed even more if they don't put their money in a plate. They are barely surviving as it is and church is the only social event they can afford to attend and now they can't go because they don't have anything to give. When they do go they lose the only thing they had and that is dignity. They feel useless because they don't have money to give and money to buy all the books and messages on the book tables.



     I am not saying it's wrong to pay preachers. He who preaches the gospel should live of the gospel and the ox that treads the grain should not be muzzled, but the ox doesn't eat the whole harvest or you would be eating the ox and getting a new one. That's why today preachers have jet planes and Lamborghini's just as Jesus in his day had Gold plated chariot's with thoroughbred horses pulling them and sent his apostles out with reservations at the Hilton. 

    Wait, he didn't did he? He had sandals and walked where he went. And at his meetings he didn't take up a collection but handed out food along with miracles. And, he had the nerve to tell his disciples to stay at whatever house they were welcomed into and not to move about from house to house to be more comfortable.



     Why are these things important? Because the world is watching and they are the ones we are sent out to reconcile unto God. How can we gather them in if we are driving them away? They see the greed and the excess. They are appalled by it and many of them were financially abused at the hands of the so called church. They were promised to give and it would be given to them pressed down, shaken together and running over. They were not told the truth that these scriptures were not talking about money but about giving forgiveness and mercy. Whatever it costs you to walk in love will be given back to you pressed down and shaken together and running over. This is why it says that men will give it unto your bosom. You don't give money to your heart. You give love.



     I know I have probably ranted for too long already. So I'll stop here except to tell you that these events, as they always do ended up in a song that I wrote. It's called American Church. I asked the Lord how he felt and I sat down to write and the song came out.
Thanks for not being too critical of my home-made music which is not recorded in a studio but in my closet or my van or wherever I happen to be at the time. Yes, I know this song is louder than most I write. It's that way on purpose,  hoping that it will be heard.



     Just remember my loved ones. All the gospel is about love. It never was about money. It's about a Father who loves his children so much that he gave all he had to bring them home. It's about a savior who came to save the poor and the lost and the broken and the abused. That is what it has always been and what it will always be. Know that you are loved and help me rescue those who are trapped in these organizations called churches. They are being abused and starved.
     Please also pray for their abusers. Some of them are also trapped in the system because that is what they were taught. With God's help this First American Church and Mercantile will come down and the kingdom will arise. Holy Spirit will once again visit our meetings and pour out signs and wonders of our Father's love. Maybe the reason God doesn't come to the meetings is because he didn't pay tithe to the pastor and he is not welcome. Just a thought.



     I hope you are encouraged and challenged by these words.
Until next time,
Grow Rich in His Grace,
I love you all,
michael
PS: here is the link to the song:

 American Church


For more information please click the links below:

 michaelottministries.org

michael's podcast

michael on iTunes



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Thursday, March 29, 2018

Abide in My Voice, Live in My Song

     An audio version of this message will be available soon at the link below:




     As I was praying for you today I prayed this prayer:

Father, please give me words of encouragement for my brothers and sisters. My heart breaks to know that struggles that some of them are in. I love them so much and would love to share something to lift their hearts today.


     Before I was finished saying “Amen” his voice sweetly came to me and he said:


     My little ones. I want you to take heart and be encouraged. I want to teach you about living in the present in my glory. So many of you are stuck in the past or in the future. Most of your thoughts are on past failures whether they were your failures or others' failures. Others are so worried about tomorrow that you forget you have this wonderful treasure called today. This is why Jesus told you to not worry about tomorrow and why Paul told you to forget the past and press on into today.


     There is a place of rest in me and that place only exists in the now. Today if you hear my voice you can enter my rest. This is how you learn to abide in my presence. It's by focusing on me right here and right now. Totally abandoning all worry and care and resting in my love for you. Jesus said “I only do what I see my Father doing.” See is present tense. His eyes were continually on me. You can learn to live this way also and even greater because of what He accomplished for you


     I told you I am with you always. This means you don't have to wait on me to arrive. I am always with you. I never leave. You were told to seek first my kingdom and all things will be added to you. My kingdom is within you right now. You live in today and trying to live in tomorrow doesn't work. 


     You were also told to consider the birds. They don't plant or sow or build barns. They just worship and sing and live in the moment. This is my rest. No more trying to plan your own future. Trust me to take you there one moment at a time. You don't have to make your own way. I already made it for you. You can rest and enjoy the journey one step at a time.


     You can know the future and still live in the now. Jesus lived that way. Most people look at prophecy and prophetic words they were given and they try to force their way into the future to get there. This is not how it works. Jesus said “ I told you these things so that when they come to pass you will know I told you.” This means prophetic events are like mile markers on your journey. I will take you into all the things I promise you but you can only go there one day at a time.


     One reason that things take so long is that people are so focused on the future that they make no progress today. Each day is a treasure of it's own to be enjoyed. No matter if you think it's a good day or a bad day there is good in each day. Those of you with loved ones who are here in heaven now know that already. Looking back at the time you spent with your loved ones you realize that even the days that were troublesome were still precious because they were spent with your loved ones.


     This is what I am trying to show you. Each day has it's own problems and victories. The journey to where you are going will seem much shorter if you spend every moment of it singing and worshiping and enjoying the journey. If you will learn to live with me right now then all the things of tomorrow will work out. I have great plans for your future. Today was once your future but you spent most of today worrying about tomorrow so it was lost.


     Learn to live in my presence. The reason it is called my presence is because I am with you presently. Jesus told you that Holy Spirit would lead you and guide you into all truth and show you things to come. It is by fellowship with my Spirit that you learn these truths. 


     You are shown the future so that you can trust me and you will know that there is nothing to fear. My perfect love casts out all fear. You can't live in love tomorrow. You can only live in love right now. Love is present also. I loved you long before you were born so why are you worried? Trust in my love and live in my presence right now. Besides if you don't learn how to trust we with the moment you are in how could you ever trust me for the future?


     My loved ones you are my delight and my grace is poured out in abundance to you. Paul asked time and time again for me to take away the thorn in his flesh. I told him that my grace was sufficient for him. In other words he was asking me to do something I already did. My grace was more than enough for the problem he had. He just wasn't applying the grace that was already given.


     The grace I poured out for you was more than enough for your future but you can live in my grace right now in this moment. You don't have to wait for me to do what I already did. This is what I was trying to teach the church in the letter to the Hebrews. Your high priest finished his work and sat down at my right hand. Most of the church believes in a future work and not a finished work. You can enter into my rest and watch the glorious finished works that you were ordained to do pop out of you like fruit on a tree. Or you can struggle and strain to try to produce a dead work that wasn't finished in Christ.


     This is what entering into my rest is about. My works are finished and I rested. You can rest with me and lay down all your struggles and plans and worries and enjoy my rest. You can put your future into my hands and let me take care of your tomorrow. You can learn to live one moment at a time and abide in my presence each moment. Jesus said that I was seeking those who would worship me in Spirit an in Truth. The truth is I am at rest. I want you to enter into the rest called worship and trust me.


     All things point to the resurrection of my son. All the old testament saints looked forward to it and you look back at it. All that you needed to secure your future was finished in Christ. You can't have hope or faith or love tomorrow. But you can have all of those right now. You can't have peace and joy tomorrow. You are not there yet. But you can have them right now. Soon all of your right now's will turn into tomorrow and it will be another glorious day of abiding in my perfect rest knowing that you put all of your life into my hands.


     Faith comes by hearing. Not by what you heard. Hearing is now. Heard is past. You must learn to live in the continuing voice that speaks to you constantly and reassures you that you are safe in me. Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from my mouth. This is my constant voice speaking to you and telling you how much you are loved and how I will work all things together for you good. 


     My voice is my rest. Today if you hear my voice. Don't harden your hearts and think I can't take care of you and keep you in my promised land. I speak to you to give you peace. I rejoice with singing over you to give you comfort and rest just as a mother sings to her babies. As long as you hear my voice and listen to me intently you will remain in my rest.


     My beloved ones. Hear me today. Hear me right now. You are loved and you are safe in my hands. You are my plan and my hope and you exist because I love you. You were not created. You were born of my Spirit. You are my offspring. My children. My delight. Your problems don't tell you who you are. Your troubles don't define you. The cross tells you who you are. You are the beloved child that I sent my son to save and he came because he loves you. You are my child and I am always with you, loving you and speaking to you of my delight in you. But you must learn to listen and live in the now. You can't hear me tomorrow. You can only hear me today. Abide in my voice. Live in my song Rejoice in my love for you.




     This is what He spoke to me today and I hope you are as delighted to hear it as I am.
Until next time,
Grow Rich in His Grace,
I love you all,
michael 


     For more information please click the links below:





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Friday, March 16, 2018

Sinner or Saint?


     An audio version of this message will soon be available at the link below:





First Corinthians Chapter One


1.This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes.

2. I am writing to God’s church in Corinth,to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.


Colossians Chapter One

1.This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.

2. We are writing to God’s holy people in the city of Colosse, who are faithful brothers and sisters in Christ. May God our Father give you grace and peace.

3. We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

4. For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people,

5. which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.

6. This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.

7. You learned about the Good News from Epaphras, our beloved co-worker. He is Christ’s faithful servant, and he is helping us on your behalf.

8. He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.

9. So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding.

10. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.

11. We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy,

12. always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.

13. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son,

14. who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

15. Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,

16. for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see,
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.

17. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.

18. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body.
He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead.
So he is first in everything.

19. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ,

20. and through him God reconciled everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

21. This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions.

22. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body.
*As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. 23. But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. *

Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it.




     As I was reading this chapter over and over today I realized just how far we are from the original message of the good news in Christ. The early church understood that they were redeemed and they were perfect in God's sight. Holy and blameless without a single fault. How did we fall so far from this message?


     I know at least a dozen times a week I hear someone say “oh we are just dirty sinners saved by grace.” What an insult that is to the blood of Christ. If he is God, and he is, and he gave his life and poured out his blood to save you and you still think you are just a dirty sinner then you don't think much of what was paid for you. This is a lie and it is false humility.  Did Christ pour out his precious blood so you could be a better sinner? 

     This lie is also an excuse to live a sinful life because we assume we are powerless to live holy. We are made holy by the blood of Christ and just need to learn to live in the holiness he provided. We are not sinners, we are holy people learning to put sin far behind us and stop the old habits of sin.


     I believe this is the crisis in the church. We don't know who we are. We don't know that we are not trying to obtain perfection, we are starting there and learning to live in it. As long as we hear the lie and we don't believe the true message then we will never learn to live as Christ lives.


     We were washed in the perfect blood of Christ and we were once and for all perfected in the spirit and in Father's eyes we are just as perfect as Christ. If we only didn't have lying preachers always telling us different. Being a dirty sinner is not good news. Being born again in the image of God and in the likeness of his son is Great News!


     Isn't it strange how believers will tell you they have been born again and then tell you they are dirty sinners saved by grace. So you were washed in the perfect blood and baptized into Christ and you were raised in him and you are still a dirty sinner? So what was the point of believing if nothing changed? Once again, did Christ die to make you a better sinner? Did he redeem you from sin or didn't he?


     It's time we preach the good news again. You have been born again in the image of the risen Christ. We don't have to become that by works and struggling. We are that by the new birth. All that is necessary is to learn who we are and learn how to live as who we are and put away this identity crisis.


     We as a church have been kidnapped by religion and led to believe we are no different than anyone else. This is why we are powerless. We have believed a powerless gospel. We have believed the lies the religious leaders tell us that we are hated in our Father's eyes and that the best we can do is live a pure life so we can appease his anger. This is so wrong.  

     Here is the truth. For God so loved the world he sent his son. While we were yet sinners God loved us and sent his son to save us. This is not the work of an angry God. It the the work of a loving Father who loved his children so much he had not choice but to give all he had to save us. While we were his enemy he loved us and saved us.
     It's time to wake up. We were adopted into the family of God. We are his beloved children. We don't need to be re-adopted. We don't suddenly get thrown out of the family each time we make a mistake. We need to wake up and grow up. Remember the scripture we read above that Paul wrote to the Corinthians? Do we not all agree that they had some issues but they were still called holy. Holy is not what you do it is what you became by the blood of Christ. It is how Holy Spirit lives in you.


     I don't have to struggle and strive and try to live holy. Holy Spirit came to live in me to make me holy. Holy Spirit came to lead and guide us into all truth. The truth is that if you believe and are born again then you have been translated from darkness to light. You are no longer a citizen of this world but a citizen of heaven and a child of God. You are holy because you were born into holiness.


     By believing the lies of the enemy that we are just sinners we have lived up to what we believe. If you kidnapped the baby of a king and you told him that he was a poor, useless person who has no inheritance and no family name to live up to then he would grow up to be what he was raised to be. You could tell him that he came from a long line of sinners and thieves and immoral people so that he would never expect to be anything else. He would never live out his royalty because he didn't know who he really was.


     This is what religion has done to the church. They want to stand between us and God when scripture plainly says that there is only one mediator between mankind and God and that is Christ. 

     They tell us that we are sinners and say things like “you know brother, no one is perfect.” “One day when we get to heaven we will all be perfect.”Well that is not what my bible says. It says we were sanctified, justified and glorified already. We are accepted in the beloved. Not only that, but it says that we were chosen to be in Christ before the world was created. We are not poor orphans and we are not accidents. We are God's children on purpose because of his will.


     The scripture plainly tells us that we are what we believe we are in our hearts. It plainly says. “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” This is why religion has told us how terrible we are and how useless we are to heaven. They want us to believe that lie because when we believe the truth we will grow up into our head which is Christ. When that happens we will have no use for religion anymore.


     Once we awaken to who we are and why we are here then things will change. No more living like we are accidents. We will carry out the mission and plan of God just by being who we are. Jesus said “my Father in me does all the works.” So it's not striving and trying to be good that produces good works. It's just Father's nature empowered by his Spirit coming out of us naturally. Once you realize you are a good tree then you will bear good fruit.


     Once we awaken to the fact that we were born into perfection we will live in it. It's not something we have to attain. We started with perfection and are headed towards glory. I am not a sinner trying to become righteous. I am a righteous man learning to stay righteous in a sinful world.


     I am not trying to get clean, I was born clean. I was given a great white robe of Christ's righteousness to wear and I am keeping it clean through fellowship with him. This is what it says in First John Chapter One. It's by walking in the light of who we are and walking with each other in the truth of who we are that keeps the spots off our robe. As we walk in light together the blood of Christ keeps our robe spotless.  I don't try to hide my mistakes from him. I run to him and he reminds of who I really am and I shake the lies of sin out of my life like shaking dust off my robe.

     At church we sing the old song “Just as I am” and tell sinners to come to God just as they are. Then we tell them they better change because God hates the way they are. No wonder the world doesn't want anything to do with the church. We are schizophrenic. Which is it? I am washed in the blood or a dirty sinner. Can't be both at once. If any man be in Christ he is a new creation. Old things have passed away and all things are new. So how can we be in Christ and yet be sinners? This is how we put sin out of our lives. We realize that that old life is not who we are and we no longer want any part of it.


     My beloved brothers and sisters we have to choose. Do we believe the gospel or don't we? The true gospel of Christ has not lost it's glory. It's still the best news ever. The problem is that it has become mixed in with all manner of paganism and worldly beliefs. We must once again believe the truth. I was crucified with Christ but I am alive. He lives in me. My old man died on that cross with him and I was raised to newness of life. The dirty sinner died that day and a holy man came out of that tomb with Christ. We are in him. He is in us. We are children of God and it's time we believed the truth and lived the truth. We can put off the old man because that man is dead. He is not alive and fighting with us. He is dead and should be left in the grave.


     Here is the truth from Romans Chapter Eight:


29. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

30. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified



     All these things are in the past tense. This is who we are. We are not dirty sinners. We are beloved children. We are children chosen of God to bring forth glory to him in the earth. We must believe this truth and hold on to it. Don't be defined by what religion tells you. Be who God made you to be. Be holy, be righteous, be justified, sanctified, glorified. Be the beloved children of God that you are and lets fill the earth with the glory of our God and his Christ.


     This is what our savior died for and rose again for. Not so that we could be struggling sinners, but so that we could be glorious children who demonstrate his loving-kindness to all that are lost. Then they will want to be adopted also.
     Listen to Holy Spirit giving witness to your spirit that you are a loved child of God. Live in his love. Love with his love and be who he made you to be. God is love and you are created in his image. Live like it. Don't try to live in your own holiness. Accept the holiness he provides as a free gift of his love and walk in it. He is our righteousness, he is our life. He is our everything and we are his beloved.


     Remember to live in love and love on purpose. You are precious in his sight. You are holy and righteous and blameless. You are perfect because he made you that way. Wake up to who you are and wake others up also. Arise and shine for your light has already come.


     Thank you for hearing with your heart. Be blessed and thanks to all of you for your prayers and your kind words. It is truly a delight to share this journey with each of you.




     I hope you are encouraged by these words.
Until next time,
Grow Rich in His Grace,
I love you all,
michael 


     For more information please click the links below:




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Friday, March 2, 2018

You're With Me



Psalm One Hundred Thirty Nine: Verses Thirteen Through Eighteen

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
They cannot be numbered!

I can’t even count them;
they outnumber the grains of sand!

And when I wake up, you are still with me!




Hebrews Chapter Thirteen: Verses Five and Six

Do not love money, be satisfied with what you have,
for God has said:
“Never will I leave you, never will I abandon you.”
So we can say with confidence, “
The LORD is my helper, I will not be afraid, what can mere mortals do to me?”



First Timothy Six verse Twelve

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.




     I know that these verses don't seem to fit together but they will make perfect sense by the time you reach the end of this message.

     I know many of you are going through struggles in life. I feel your pain. I understand completely. I usually don't share many of my personal struggles on this post but I hope that in sharing them you find courage to face life with a smile. For we all go through struggles. I am glad we are going through and not staying in them.


     The last few months has been very difficult for all of us. I am included. Several people whom I love very much left us and moved to heaven. This was after many hours of hoping, praying and fighting with all our might to keep them here. Yes I did have many victories during the last few months but sometimes troubles have a way of piling up on us. Even those of us who are trying to live in faith and by faith.


     There are two kinds of people in this world. There are those who have struggles and there are liars. Anyone who tells you their life is a wonderland all the time is either dazed and confused or just outright lying. The so called faith message has tried to teach us that if we ever confess we have a bad day then we are in doubt. This is not true. Those who deny they have problems are only deceiving themselves.


     Along with all the heartbreak from the ones I lost, I recently fought many health problems. Most of you know that I had surgery to repair broken discs in my neck and have bone spurs digging into my spinal cord. I know Jesus is my healer and I know that it is only by his grace that I am walking and living and breathing. I have seen many miracles of healing in my body including overcoming death by heart attack years ago. I don't understand why we get some miracles easy and some we contend for. The moment I find out I will let you know immediately.

     So along with those problems a few months ago I fell off a ladder from six feet and landed on my back. Broke my sternum, another disc and busted my shoulder, but by God's grace I am still here and still moving forward.


     That is why I am telling you this story. I know it's easy to give up. I tried it. It doesn't help. A few days ago I was laying in my bed in terrible pain. One of the broken discs pressured a nerve that I never felt before. I understand pain but this was beyond bearable. I begged God to let me die and come home. I begged and pleaded and cried and asked him why he didn't take this pain from me. The only reply I got was from loving Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit said “ I am with you."  I replied. “I know you are but this hurts like hell and I can't take it anymore.” Holy Spirit once again said “I am with you.” Once again I said I knew that. This time Holy Spirit spoke to me once more and said “I am with you and that used to be enough for you.”


     Suddenly my heart broke and I remembered when I first encountered Jesus in what we call being born again. I was so full of joy and it didn't matter if you had burned me alive right there I would have died smiling. I was so in love with this person and I didn't need to eat or drink or live or die, I just needed this presence. I realized that my focus was not longer on Jesus, Father or Holy Spirit but my sole focus was on me and my problems. I knew it was time to return to my first love.


     So after weeping a few minutes I repented and said, “Oh my God, my savior, if you will only be with me it doesn't matter if I have to hurt forever. You are with me and that is enough.” In less than a minute I was fast asleep and woke up two hours later and the severe pain was gone and my pain level was bearable again.


     We know that Jesus told us that in this world we would have trouble but to be of good cheer for he has overcome the world. This is where we take comfort. Although we are spiritually complete in him we are still overcoming the physical world and putting things back in order. We can't stop until earth becomes just like heaven. 

     We will never get there if we quit. We must learn to take our joy from his presence and nothing else. Situations change and challenges come and go. We win some, we lose some but let's not lose because we quit. We are victorious because God is with us. If we win it doesn't prove we have faith. If we lose it doesn't prove that we are in doubt. We are in him and he is in us and that is our victory.

     So please my beloved brothers and sisters. Take courage. You may be in the fight of your life but you are not there alone. You may be in the dark but you are not without light. You my feel hopeless but you are not hopeless. You were loved before the creation of the world. You were formed by the hands of the almighty God in the womb of your mother. He wrote all your days in a book before you even arrived. All these hurts and pains are temporary and there will be a day when tears are gone and we are all together again. When every pain is forgotten and all things are complete. Set your minds on that day and be strong.
     So to finish my story. As I got up the next morning after my encounter with Holy Spirit a song came flowing out of my heart. The song is called “You're With Me” I hope you will learn it and sing it also. Thanks again for not being to critical of my homemade recordings. I do hope you enjoy.  

Here is the link to the song. I hope you get comfort from it as I do.

You're With Me Song
     Until next time,
Grow Rich in His Grace
I love you all
michael
     For more information please click the links below:

 michaelottministries.org

 michael's podcast

 michael's blog

 michael on itunes

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