Tuesday 16 November 2010

Life OR Death! by Rich Novek . (how to Defuse that Bomb)



Facebook on Tuesday, 16 November 2010 at 19:31

"This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you...LIFE AND DEATH, blessings and curses. NOW CHOOSE LIFE...so that you and your children may live!" (Deuteronomy 30:19)

The "MYSTERY" hidden for ages and past generations (which is Christ "IN" you) gives us the assurance He will never leave or forsake us, and that HIS LOVE is always FULL AND FREE, having no performance based conditions attached!

The preaching of the Cross is still... THE POWER OF GOD!
The Cross is not preached because we live in a day and age where we don't want to offend.



"Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case THE OFFENSE OF THE CROSS HAS BEEN ABOLISHED." (Galatians 5:11)

The message of the Cross is meant to offend! In fact it is meant to do much more than that! The message of the Cross is a message of death to all things!

Death is not fun, convenient, or does it fit well within the parameters of our comfortable Christian lives. Most preaching today is nothing more than "help yourself to get what you want." And the people of God are so hungry for anything that brings life, they have forsaken the ONLY TRUTH, and created an alternative truth.

Today, even the Bible is interpreted according to the lust of the flesh and our love for the world! The message of the CROSS! Not the message of Christian prosperity, Christian morality, or Christian behavior modification! The message of the Cross! And not the old wooden cross, the historical implement where Jesus died His death! The "Jesus Cross" that has become just another idol that we serve and worship! The cross of Christ which is accepted by all... because along with it there is no personal cost attached to it! No!


Paul's message of the Cross was much more personal, much more costly! He spoke of ...his own personal CROSS! The implement of his own DEATH! He understood the blood of Christ and it's saving power for every "whosoever" who would call on His Name! But He also realized there was a second work of the Cross having to do with his own death "IN" Christ! The second work which is the COMPLETE message of the CROSS! And neglecting this message of the Cross is where modern day Christianity loses the ONE THING, which is needed more than anything, in order to impact our society today! THE POWER OF GOD!


For the message of THE CROSS is foolishness to those who are perishing, BUT TO US who are being saved (by it)...IT IS THE POWER OF GOD! (I Corinthians 1:18)

"AS FOR myself, brethren, when I came to you, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony and evidence or mystery and secret of God [concerning what He has done through Christ for the salvation of men] in lofty words of eloquence or human philosophy and wisdom; For I resolved to know nothing (to be acquainted with nothing, to make a display of the knowledge of nothing, and to be conscious of nothing) among you except Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and Him crucified. And I was in (passed into a state of) weakness and fear (dread) and great trembling [after I had come] among you. And my language and my message were not set forth in persuasive (enticing and plausible) words of wisdom, but they were in demonstration of the [Holy] Spirit and POWER BY A PROOF BY THE SPIRIT AND POWER OF GOD, operating on me and stirring in the minds of my hearers the most holy emotions and thus persuading them, SO THAT YOUR FAITH MIGHT NOT REST IN THE WISDOM OF MEN (human philosophy), BUT...IN THE POWER OF GOD! Yet when we are among the full-grown (spiritually mature Christians who are ripe in understanding), we do impart a [higher] wisdom (the knowledge of the divine plan previously hidden); but it is indeed not a wisdom of this present age or of this world nor of the leaders and rulers of this age, who are being brought to nothing and are doomed to pass away. But rather what we are setting forth is a wisdom of God ONCE HIDDEN<> BUT NOW REVEALED [from the human understanding] TO US BY GOD--[that wisdom] which God devised and decreed before the ages for our glorification [to lift us into the glory of His presence]."

"NONE OF THE RULERS OF THIS AGE OR WORLD PERCEIVED AND RECOGNIZED AND UNDERSTOOD THIS, for if they had, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory." (I Corinthians 2:1-8, AMP)

The message of the Cross takes our life completely passed us! It's our giving God the "green light" to roll in death on everything we have placed our trust in! Because like Paul, we know nothing else can open to us the thing we desire most, which is SEEING HIS LIFE AT WORK "IN" US!

We are so conditioned to living according to the world and the worlds system, and loving the world and the things of the world, that God has to deal with us severely in order for us to SEE AS HE SEES!



"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice in as much as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for THE SPIRIT AND GLORY OF GOD RESTS ON YOU. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that Name."

"FOR IT IS TIME FOR JUDGEMENT TO BEGIN WITH GOD"S HOUSEHOLD;

and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the (TRUE) GOSPEL of God? And, “if it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” ( I Peter 4:12-18)

Give God permission to just touch what is at the center of your life! Let Him touch your position of power or influence, relationships, means of income, or material possesions...and you will immediately see where your TRUE hope and trust lie!

"What is more, I consider EVERYTHING as loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ!" (Philippians 3:8)

The Cross sets us free from all of the "shifting shadows" we falsely place our hope and trust in.

Like Job, we also have to come to that wonderful place...OF LOSING ALL WE SEE, SO THAT...WE CAN SEE GOD ONLY IN ALL THAT WE HAVE!

Then Job answered the LORD:

“I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer— twice, but I will say no more.” (Job 40:3-5)


THEN THE LORD SPOKE TO JOB... OUT OF THE STORM: (Job 40:6)

The storms of life reveal to us a God who truly loves us without condition. Most believe in a God who looks more like a child abuser than a loving Father! If you step out of line, look out! I have learned through embracing the Cross He is ALL LOVE ALL OF THE TIME! Everything He does IS ALWAYS "OTHER LOVE" FOCUSED! In fact, He could never do anything except for OTHERS, or He wouldn't be the Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world!



The story of The Prodigal Son is a perfect example of the average believers perception of God. The younger son took all he had and spent it. A symbol of the believer who thinks only of himself and what God can do for him. The older son represents the believer steeped in the "do gospel" of trying to please God. The younger son was deliberately brought to the place of having NOTHING! And it was at this place of having nothing or nowhere to turn, when he was at his end, that he heard the voice of THE SPIRIT! "Perhaps I will go home and be one of my Father's hired servants." So he went home, all the while thinking, "what is my Father going to do to me?" The older son on the other hand, was enraged! "How could you do this for him? What has HE EVER DONE FOR YOU? You never gave me............"

Neither son had a right perception of their Father! Unfortunately, this is also where most believers live their lives!


The "dead letter" preaching of the "do gospel" that goes on today still has all of the condemning... shoulda, woulda, and coulda's attached to it!


In fact, there is the difference! The performance based "DO GOSPEL"... is an it! It is lifeless! The "TRUE Gospel" that brings LIFE...is a PERSON! HE IS LIFE!

Jesus said to the woman, where are those who condemn you? NEITHER DO I, so go on your way in FREEDOM! Just don't continue doing the things that cause you to see more than me! This isn't a story about doctrine concerning sin, but a further revelation of our FREEDOM "IN" HIM!

Romans 8:1 combined with Galatians 5:1 says it all......No condemnation! Set free from the law of sin and death! It's for freedom He made us FREE!


Our own journey is His journey "IN" US! And He wants us to know that we are FREE , no matter in what stage we see ourselves! In infancy, adolescence, or adulthood... our only foundation is CHRIST! So wherever we are we can be at REST, knowing He has taken up our cause...AS HIS CAUSE!

He who began a GOOD WORK, (it is a good work) is faithful (even when we are not) to complete what He has started!

The following liitle known and never taught (at least I have never heard a teaching on it) passage has changed my life!

Paul is saying no matter where you are in life you will not be abandoned, God knows ALL and is working "IN" ALL! So just live your life and do the next thing! Don't get hung up on trying to change things, just surrender and let Him bring the needed change! THIS IS OUR FREEDOM "IN" HIM!

"All of us WHO ARE MATURE...should take such a view of things, AND IF ON SOME POINT...you think differently, that too God WILL MAKE CLEAR. ONLY LET US LIVE UP TO WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY ATTAINED?" (Philippians 3:15-16)

Everything else is just dead letter Christian LAW! "If you do, you will be!"

The exact same lie that was told to Adam and Eve in the garden, we SEE today as Christian doctrine the church can't live without! "If you do, you will be... like God!" But today, it is the same lie, with just a slight different spin! Now it's, "if you do this, you will be... like Christ!"

"For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and...YOU WILL BE LIKE GOD, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:5)

Instead of SEEING ONLY GOD IN ALL THINGS, you will now see two, and in seeing two, good AND evil, you open the door for confusion! Thank you very much humanity! Along with confusion... duality and division, separation and strife... are NOW YOUR NEW GODS!

Christlike-ness is SIN!

Only ONE can live the Christian Life, ONLY ONE Can be "like Christ!" ONLY... Christ Himself!

God says, "if you enter into the REST I have prepared for you from the foundation of the world, my Spirit who lives "IN" you, and is teaching you ALL THINGS concerning me... will do ALL OF THE WORK "IN" and through you!



We NOW see the activity of our life, ALL OF IT... as being ONLY God's activity "IN" US! This is not entering into some kind of a catatonic spiritual sleep, the place most believers are living today!



It's where we are finally released from the "do gospel" (which is no gospel at all) which produces only death, and finally enter into the revelation of ...HIS LIFE "IN" US AND AS US!



LikeUnlike · Comment · ShareMaryann Partridge, Tess Oliver, Betty Lorine Schwabedissen and 9 others like this.
Elaine Kelly Beautiful !!!! Where can I find more believers living like this ? : - )
Monday at 18:31 · LikeUnlike · 2 people
Betty Lorine Schwabedissen and Cindi Estep like this.Jean Meppen Excellent! Always a blessing to hear the truth! ♥
Monday at 18:58 · LikeUnlike · 1 person
Loading...Mikkel Thomsen Once again thanks Rich for wonderful writings.
Monday at 19:02 · LikeUnlike · 1 person
Loading...Dan Powers Wonderful word Rick as always.
Monday at 19:30 · LikeUnlike · 1 person
Loading...Cindi Estep Just come through ONE of those fiery ordeals.....;-) Thanks Rich!! SONtastic as always♥
Monday at 20:44 · LikeUnlike · 2 people
Loading...Mary-Ann Urosev Very thought-provoking note ... good job on writing this Rich ... thank you for the tag .. :O)!
Monday at 23:32 · LikeUnlike · 1 person
Loading...Betty Lorine Schwabedissen What can I say that all the others above haven't already said..Just that I am so "IN Tune" with all that you share with us of the message of CHRIST IN US as He is the ONLY ONE sho can do the work as we let Him be Himself living "IN US"! Hallelujah! \O/
Yesterday at 00:30 · LikeUnlike · 1 person
Loading...Mary Stubbert Amen! Thank you dear brother Rich - I'm finally starting to "see as He sees"' and I'm so blessed to have you as a friend and your insight - I've been reading The Message Bible and it's been bringing God's Word new life to me in Christ - it ...so exciting!
I love how The Message Bible words it in Hebrews 4:
...God keeps renewing the promise (of rest) and setting the date as today...
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+4&version=MSGSee more
Yesterday at 03:56 · LikeUnlikeLinda Verhoff Yes! THIS is the gospel! The message of the cross IS the power of God unto righteousness. Life out of death, HIS life out of our death IN Him -- what a beautiful redemption. This is the message that forever changed me, as He exchanged my dead spirit for His living one, and began to live His life through me according to His good will and pleasure. What a Savior! What a God! There is none like Jesus, the altogether lovely Lamb of God.
Yesterday at 04:06 · LikeUnlikeGarry Young Jesus Christ and Him crucified! The testimony of Christ in us says, I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who lov...ed me and gave Himself for me.
I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” Amen and amenSee more
Yesterday at 04:36 · LikeUnlikeKim Flink Bro Rich, there is once again so much richness you have written here, I'm savoring it, many of my favorite passages you touched on. Very well done my friend! ♥
15 hours ago · LikeUnlikeBilly Warren John 6:48
I am the bread of life
14 hours ago · LikeUnlikeJune Melanson I sit here amazed and blessed as I read your article Rich.....seeing God speaking and moving in your situation....in your storm, and at the same time teaching and giving hope to His Body in the declaration of His love for them, even in the ...midst of our trials and difficulties.
God IS love, and ALL that He does or allows in our lives begins with that wonderful attribute at work. In that reality comes such comfort and hope.
And I gotta use your wonderful quote...."Our own journey is His journey "IN" US!" Awesome!See more
11 hours ago · LikeUnlikeMaryann Partridge Thank YOU RIch, Can't tell you haow much your notes help me on this road. Often, I will be asking the Lord something and might not read your note right away but asking Him the anwer appears in your note. I am blessed by your insight and the... Holy Spirit in me confirms this word NOW. I have a copy of your REST ote that I have been reading over and over. God Is speaking volumes to me through it and others. Can I bless you in any way friend? You ARE a blesisng. How are the things at home going? any turn around on the negative situations oyu were facing. I pray for you. And hurt for you and your family. But still I see such amazing growth through these difficult circumstances. I SEE THIS HAS BEEN THE WAY FOR MOST IF NOT ALL OF GOD'S CHILDREN.See more
about an hour ago · LikeUnlikeMark Douglas Vilen Very good message, Rich!
22 minutes ago · LikeUnlike

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