Ground Zero Theology by Robert Ricciardelli

Joyce and I recently chatted with friends about what the Lord has been showing us. Here was Joyce’s reply that I whole heartily agree with;

“God has been reducing my theology to loving Him with all that I am, and loving others with His love. “

Matthew 22:37-40
37Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Jesus gave His life to fulfill all the law, and all the commandments that we could never fulfill, and then presented us with His new commandment, that we love.

It seems like theology and doctrine that does not bring life needs to be reconsidered. We have created quite a mess in the messed up mindsets of doctrine, theology, and religion. We have had a severe famine in the agape love of God, the very thing Jesus said was everything.

1John 4:19- We love each other because he loved us first.
It is time we come down to ground zero of our faith as He takes us from the pinnacle of powerless religious activities to becoming ambassadors of His divine nature, and His Glorious Kingdom.

It takes God to love God!
Our love can only join His as we engage in loving Him and loving others in His “Most Excellent Way.” Everything of the Kingdom originates with God. Father is Agape… He is Love. The essence of the Kingdom is returning to the Father, His love in the purest form, 30, 60, 100 fold, for His glory.

I have heard of a ship that is now built that is fueled with Plutonium. The Ship does not need to be refueled for 35 years. The Plutonium of God is His agape love, and as His people we need to be fueled for every good work, by His divine agape.

Jesus plus nothing is Everything!
Jesus said that if you had seen Him, you had seen the Father, and that He and the Father are one. By His obedience, death, and ressurection, we have been included in the mix;

John 17:22-23
22“I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 23I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me, and that you love them as much as you love me.

Jesus was the Incarnate of the Father and now has established us as the Incarnate of the Father to bring His government to the earth. How is this done? By His Agape presence within us and His Agape presence as we relate to a hurting world.

The Kingdom of God does not need or want revival. It just is… Revivals often turn into man centered and man controlled environments, and then they end. They are not bad, just inadequate in light of His Kingdom. The Kingdom has no end, so that is what I am pursuing.

Matthew 6:33
Seek first the Kingdom of God, and live in His righteousness, and Father will give you everything you need.

Religion loses its plutonium, (agape) and functions on principles… Gifts that the Lord has given us can be operated outside of love, and can manifest through personal agenda’s in the form of manipulation and control.

Faith plus anything without Love is Dead

Galatians 5:4-6 I suspect you would never intend this, but this is what happens. When you attempt to live by your own religious plans and projects, you are cut off from Christ, you fall out of grace. Meanwhile we expectantly wait for a satisfying relationship with the Spirit. For in Christ, neither our most conscientious religion nor disregard of religion amounts to anything. What matters is something far more interior: faith expressed in love

May we all seek after His “Most Excellent Way”, the way of His Kingdom, and an authentic visitation that overwhelms us in the embrace of His Agape…..

Foundational Prayer Before Crisis or Blessing by Robert Ricciardelli

Foundational Prayer Before Crisis or Blessing

Living by the Spirit of the Lord is something we all pursue in our every day life. How we do this, can be a challenge for sure. Jesus lived a life of prayer, and when He needed dedicated prayer time, He would even send crowds and most likely potential resources away, so that He could be with the Father. As a result, He would not move, speak, or do anything that the Father did not ask Him to do.

As I think of prayer and how often we come to the Father during a crisis, I am thankful that our Loving Father responds to hearing our cry. I am also reminded that prayer is really for us to connect with Him, His nature, and a conduit for His peace and joy to flow through us. His Spirit never leaves us, but we must participate and engage relationally with Him in order for His presence to manifest through our lives in power. This happens most often through prayer and spending time with Him.

I also want to make a distinction between prayer and talking or listening to God. Prayer is a focused time, and talking and listening to the Father should be a continuum or seamless activity. When we are in conversation with anyone we should ask the Lord “Father what do you want me to hear, and Father how would you desire me to respond.” When we are consciously doing this, the Lord will do amazing things, and you will find that you are now giving God glory in many more conversations, and releasing His love more abundantly to others.

When prayer is foundational and we allow His will to supersede our will, every day activities take on a new light. I begin to see as He sees, I begin to hear His voice more clearly, and I begin to respond to life’s successes and challenges to the glory of God, our Father. I have also found that prayer times for me, is tuning everything elase out so I can hear from Him. I make my petitions known before God, but more importantly I listen for His petitions to become reality for me and for others, according to His will, and His plans. Below our some quotes that will encourage you to pursue prayer in an increased fashion, and watch the Father do, what only He can do.

Richard Sibbes said, "God can pick sense out of a confused prayer."

Thomas Watson said, "The angel fetched Peter out of prison, but it was prayer that fetched the angel."

Oswald Chambers said, “Prayer is the exercise of drawing on the grace of God.”

Andrew Murray said, “Prayer is not monologue, but dialogue; God's voice is its most essential part. Listening to God's voice is the secret of the assurance that He will listen to mine.”

Abraham Lincoln said, "I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom, and that of all about me seemed insufficient for the day."

This one's from John Bunyan, the imprisoned pastor who wrote Pilgrim’s Progress: “You can do more than pray, after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.”

Robert Murray McCheyne said, "What a man is on his knees before God, that he is, and nothing more."

E. Stanley Jones said, "Prayer is surrender—surrender to the will of God and cooperation with that will. If I throw out a boat-hook from the boat and catch hold of the shore and pull, do I pull the shore to me, or do I pull myself to the shore? Prayer is not pulling God to my will, but the aligning of my will to the will of God."

And now the story, from the life of George Mueller:

Things looked bleak for the children of George Mueller's orphanage at Ashley Downs in England. It was time for breakfast, and there was no food. A small girl whose father was a close friend of Mueller was visiting in the home. Mueller took her hand and said, "Come and see what our Father will do." In the dining room, long tables were set with empty plates and empty mugs. Not only was there no food in the kitchen, but there was no money in the home's account.

Mueller prayed, "Dear Father, we thank Thee for what Thou art going to give us to eat." Immediately, they heard a knock at the door. When they opened it, there stood the local baker. "Mr. Mueller," he said, "I couldn't sleep last night. Somehow I felt you had no bread for breakfast, so I got up at 2 o'clock and baked fresh bread. Here it is." Mueller thanked him and gave praise to God. Soon, a second knock was heard. It was the milkman. His cart had broken down in front of the orphanage. He said that before the milk spoiled, he would like to give it to the children.

Looking at George Mueller’s ability to know that Father would provide, makes it very clear that prayer preceded the miracle that was about to happen. Through prayer, and revelation, George knew that His Father would provide, and activated the faith in others, while preparing the table for the miracle.

“Prayer is not pulling God to our will, but the aligning of our will to the will of God." May we all pray like never before, in the midst of crisis or blessings, and begin to prepare the table for His miracles to appear in our lives, and the lives of others, in Jesus name.

Growing Together "As One" by Robert Ricciardelli

Growing Together "As One"

"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:11-13)

I want to talk on unity here. This scripture says “Till we all come in the unity of the faith”. If we're ever going to truly advance the kingdom of God, if we're ever going to transform our communities, cities and nations for Christ, we're going to have to grow up together “as one” Body of Christ.

It is not enough for some of us to come into relationship and further revelation in Jesus and not be concerned with the needed contribution of our brothers and sisters in the Lord. It has never and will never work that way. We're a part of each other. The Bible calls us to be one body...the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ.

When one of us is prosperous in the kingdom, the whole body prospers. When one of us quits or is defeated, the whole body of Christ suffers. How can that be so, because we are one body and all one in Him. Well, how significant can my little ministry be? How can the small things I do make a difference. You may not even have a clue on how big a difference you can truly make.

Some women have on of the greatest ministries of all, to raise their children. What a tremendous ministry of birthing, and raising up the next generation of Christ’s Body upon the earth for His glory. If that is all the ministry God may call them too, praise God for their faithfulness in preparing the future Bride .

They are making a difference in the kingdom of God by fulfilling the role that the Lord has asked them to fulfill. Do they get world adulation in leading their children in the ways of their Savior? Certainly not, but she receives even greater adulation and comfort in pleasing Almighty God & Father who has given her a key place in His advancing kingdom.

Before I go on, I would also like to note that I could not fulfill all that the Lord has called me to do with out the bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh woman the Lord has blessed me with in Joyce. Joyce is an incredible woman of God and together we make a difference as we die to our ways and agenda’s to fulfill His ways and His agenda’s together “as one”

Have you ever tried to walk with a broken or sprained little toe. It truly is difficult to keep your balance and yet it is just such a small part of our body. Such is the significance with every believer. They can advance the kingdom of God by fulfilling their part of obedience to the word and will of God. Or they can sadly hinder the body by not fulfilling the word nor will of God for their life.

I am talking to all of us, I am encouraging all of us to seek after Him like never before in fulfilling all that the Lord has for us. You truly are significant in the kingdom of our Lord. If you are a mother, then you have the ability to multiply what the Lord has given you in your children and they will become multipliers in the harvest of souls for years to come. That is significant! If you work in healthcare, business, finance, education, etc. , you can be radical transformers to the glory of God.

Always remember, we're not islands unto ourselves. I can't do anything without affecting you. You can't do anything without affecting me. We're joined together by God and held together Him through one another (Eph. 4:16). We can only grow up...together!

Learn to walk in the love of Christ. Do not fall prey to division and isolation. Feed on the Word daily and encourage your brothers and sisters by feeding it to them too, so we can all grow up to be "a perfect [or mature] man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."

And finally…… the Message says this so well….

1 Corinthians 12: 13-28
¹³By means of his one Spirit, we all said good-bye to our partial and piecemeal lives. We each used to independently call our own shots, but then we entered into a large and integrated life in which he has the final say in everything. (This is what we proclaimed in word and action when we were baptized.) Each of us is now a part of his resurrection body, refreshed and sustained at one fountain--his Spirit--where we all come to drink. The old labels we once used to identify ourselves--labels like Jew or Greek, slave or free--are no longer useful. We need something larger, more comprehensive.
¹⁴I want you to think about how all this makes you more significant, not less. A body isn't just a single part blown up into something huge. It's all the different-but-similar parts arranged and functioning together.
¹⁵If Foot said, "I'm not elegant like Hand, embellished with rings; I guess I don't belong to this body," would that make it so?
¹⁶If Ear said, "I'm not beautiful like Eye, limpid and expressive; I don't deserve a place on the head," would you want to remove it from the body?
¹⁷If the body was all eye, how could it hear? If all ear, how could it smell?
¹⁸As it is, we see that God has carefully placed each part of the body right where he wanted it.
¹⁹But I also want you to think about how this keeps your significance from getting blown up into self-importance. For no matter how significant you are, it is only because of what you are a part of. An enormous eye or a gigantic hand wouldn't be a body, but a monster.
²⁰What we have is one body with many parts, each its proper size and in its proper place. No part is important on its own.
²¹Can you imagine Eye telling Hand, "Get lost; I don't need you"? Or, Head telling Foot, "You're fired; your job has been phased out"?
²²As a matter of fact, in practice it works the other way--the "lower" the part, the more basic, and therefore necessary. You can live without an eye, for instance, but not without a stomach.
²³When it's a part of your own body you are concerned with, it makes no difference whether the part is visible or clothed, higher or lower. You give it dignity and honor just as it is, without comparisons.
²⁴If anything, you have more concern for the lower parts than the higher. If you had to choose, wouldn't you prefer good digestion to full-bodied hair?
²⁵The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don't,
²⁶the parts we see and the parts we don't. If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance.
²⁷You are Christ's body--that's who you are! You must never forget this. Only as you accept your part of that body does your "part" mean anything.
²⁸You're familiar with some of the parts that God has formed in his church, which is his "body":

This includes you, wherever your ministry may be,
parents, family, healthcare, education, business, government, church organizations, missions, environment, law…. Do all as part of the whole of His Body, and do all to the glory of the One God & Father through Jesus Christ our Lord. "As One" beloved!

Soar On His Wings by Robert Ricciardelli

Soar On His Wings

By Robert Ricciardelli www.vision2advance.com

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God has tremendous purpose and original intent for all of His people! To dwell with them, and bring revelation of Himself through them to the world. This is no surprise to those of us who have made the choice to love God with all of our heart soul and mind, and love our neighbors and all the Lord brings our way abundantly. These two pillars of our faith are the foundation for everything we do in life. First things first, love God, for it is out of the abundance of our love and relationship with Him that makes loving others even possible. Mercy and grace and our lives of service to the King and His kingdom all permeates from our heart of love and obedience to Him and His word. If we truly love Him, we will truly obey Him and submit ourselves, our lives, our resources to the guidance of His precious Holy Spirit within us.

The revelation of the priority of this life is that every part of our being is His. Every moment, every day, every victory, every trial, every abundant season and every season of lack is His, for it is He that is our very breath and the sustenance of all things. Such loving requires a listening ear, a giving spirit, and a desire for the best in life for others, even as we offer our best to God. As children of the Most High God, we live to please the Father and serve Him as He leads us in the journey called life. We are ambassadors of His glory and light to the world through Christ. We have become reflections and channels of God’s love for all people.

If we are His people called by His name, we will live our lives fully in Him and strap on our boots to do the works of God. And it is truly work to fulfill His purposes in each of our lives. Jesus said, "My Father works, and so must I", so then as Christ works through us, we co-labor with Him in Father pleasing ways, and doing only what the Father desires. But there is a kingdom dynamic we must know.....we must rely on God working through us and not to work with our own strength.

Isaiah 40:29-31 reflects an awareness of this truth.

29 He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
31 But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

Following are some principles from this passage that are worth considering.

First, God does not expect you to do by yourself what only He can do by working through you. The Lord gives the energy, power, and tools you need to do your God-given tasks. Second, even the young and energetic will become exhausted if they try to serve God in their own strength rather than in His power. Third, through all the difficulties of life, God renews the energy of the faithful. He grants men and women of faith new strength so that they can fulfill their call to service.

God loves you! That is the good news of faith. And God can use imperfect people like us to do great things for Him. HE will fulfill all in us for His glory and purpose. In those moments when we fail, become weary, or feel discouraged, God will give us the strength to continue to the end. We inherit His crown of glory as we live, and move, and have our being into eternity with Him. Eternal glory begins today, and engages in everyday live, in the measure and grace of His choosing

Father bless my brothers and sisters around the world. Strengthen your servants that are in the trenches of this world doing battle for your Kingdom. Father, advance your Kingdom mightily through each of us. Mold us into the image of your Son, so that every motive and intent is pure in Your Agape Love. Give us Your power in replacing our power, Give us your will to replace our own will, and give us your burden for all people. May your people be consumed by the power of the cross and resurrection life of your Son, that gives entrance into your glorious Kingdom, and the Good News Gospel of freedom for every captive in Jesus name!

Every Day is Father's Day! by Robert Ricciardelli

Every Day is Father's Day!

Happy Fathers day! As I reflect this day that we celebrate our natural fathers, I must reflect in the revelation of our heavenly Father. Fathers should be honored every day and every moment, but thankful that society gives us a day of reflection for fathers. Our heavenly Father set a standard for all fathers in His desire to impart His nature, His love, and His never ending desire to dwell with His children through redemption, and restoration of His original intent. Father always has His arms wide open for prodigals to run into.

Being a father is far more than just a biological function. I became a father to my first son at age 21. I had no formal education, nor is there one that I was ever aware of, for what I needed to do practically as a father. I had experience of what it was through my amazing dad Carmelo, whom I call Papa. Yes I knew some of the bible verses as well, but it takes being a father to know what it really means. So here I am as a newly married young man with a wonderfully created young son name Anthony, and four years later another wonderfully created son named Aaron.

As I look back at where I was at the time, I am so thankful I had grown up with a Papa who loved me and also parents that had guided me towards the revelation of our Heavenly Father. So I tried to live and love the best I could in light of my experience and in light of my revelation of the Agape love of God. I did my best, but needless to say, I fell short many times. Self gets in the way a lot in trying your best, but I am thankful for Father God’s grace and mercy, which wipes away the condemnation of all shortcomings in life.

We have all heard the Word of God about training a child in the way they should go, and even when they are old, they will not depart from it, (Proverbs 22:6). While this is true, we also must remember that children watch far more than what we say in our instruction to them. They pick up on all of who we are, not just what we teach or preach. They learn by how we love, nurture, have patience, and participate in the world around us.

I also realized, especially as they grew up to become young men, that ultimately I had little control over the choices they would make. I liked to think that I had enough influence towards healthy choices, but the bottom line was that the choices were theirs, just like the choices were mine, when I was maturing at their age. No matter how I disciplined them, shouted at them, or coaxed them towards my way, they were going to do it their way at times. They chose their way far more often than I had expected, yet as I look back, so did I in light of my Papa’s expectations for me.

As I became more knowledgeable towards my Heavenly Father, it was such a release to allow the Father of all things created to watch over these sons of mine. I would do my best to prepare good soil around them to grow successfully. I also realized that some of the weeds in the soil were ever increasingly being pulled from my own life as much as they were being pulled from their lives as they released themselves into Heavenly Fathers hands.

Ultimately it is about pleasing the Father!

My sons mostly always desired to please me. When they were doing things that would not please me, they would hide them from me, as they did not want to disappoint me, because they loved me. Some of those choices were just their own way, which was different from my ideas, and not necessarily rebellious or sinful to God.

In pleasing the Heavenly Father, you can run, but you cannot hide, because He knows and sees all, even before you make the choice to please Him or do your own thing.

Acts 17:28 for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, “For we also are His children.”

So we are all called to be Father pleasers, knowing that in Him there is life and outside of Father no life exists as God is all and in all. Father, through Christ, has called us His children with full birthrights once again, as we look back at original intent for creation.

If God is just someone we think about on certain days and not a living Presence then we have engaged in religious activities as a substitute comfort for a living Father who wants the best for us in all (His) ways. His desire is for us to love, honor, and seek to please Him, in our homes, our businesses, and in everything we do.

So fatherhood is just a part of the “whole” of pleasing God. A big part, as we set examples for our natural and spiritual children to follow. If pleasing God is our aim in life, what difference should it be making in how I am fathering? How much more of my life do I need to give in preparation for increasing His standards of fatherhood. As He reveals these changes, are we willing to say Father, your will and your ways and not my own ways any longer? May it be so, and may it be daily to the glory of God the Father, so that every day is Fathers day for Him.

"From Eternity to Here" by Frank Viola

"Frank has hit the mark by unfolding to us the true foundations of faith-filled living. Father has always designed us for a relational journey of being rather than to doing. He did not create religion, but a people who would walk in His supernatural presence rather than lifeless doctrinal divisions. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to escape the systematic matrix of today, and live in the reality of Christ's glorious Kingdom."
Robert Ricciardelli, Visionary Advancement Strategies

OTHER BLOGS PARTICIPATING IN THE “FROM ETERNITY TO HERE” BLOG CIRCUIT

Today (June 9^th), the following blogs are discussing Frank Viola's new bestselling book “From Eternity to Here” (David C. Cook, 2009). The book just hit the May CBA Bestseller List. Some are posting Q & A with Frank; others are posting full reviews of the book. To read more reviews and order a copy at a 33% discount, go to Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Eternity-Here-Rediscovering-Ageless-Purpose/dp/1434768708/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233609867&sr=1-4

For more resources, such as downloadable audios, the free Discussion Guide, the Facebook Group page, etc. go to the official website: http://www.FromEternitytoHere.org

Enjoy the reviews and the Q and A:

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Out of Ur - http://blog.christianitytoday.com/outofur/archives/2009/05/viola.html

Shapevine - www.Shapevine.com (June newsletter)

Brian Eberly - http://www.brianeberly.com

DashHouse.com - http://www.DashHouse.com/

Greg Boyd - http://www.gregboyd.org/blog/

Vision Advance - http://vision2advance.blogspot.com/

David Flowers - http://ddflowers.wordpress.com

Kingdom Grace - http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com

Captain's Blog - http://www.captainestes.blogspot.com/

Christine Sine - http://godspace.wordpress.com

Darin Hufford - The Free Believers Network - www.freebelievers.com

Zoecarnate - http://zoecarnate.wordpress.com

Church Planting Novice - www.churchplantingnovice.wordpress.com

Staying Focused - http://kimmartinezstayingfocused.wordpress.com/

Take Your Vitamin Z - www.takeyourvitaminz.blogspot.com

Jeff Goins - http://jeffgoins.myadventures.org

Bunny Trails - http://bunny-trails.blogspot.com

Matt Cleaver - http://mattcleaver.com

Jason T. Berggren - http://blog.jasonberggren.com/

Simple Church - http://www.simplechurchjournal.com/

Emerging from Montana - http://wordofmouthministries.blogspot.com/

Parable Life - http://www.theparablelife.blogspot.com

Oikos Australia - http://www.oikos.org.au/blog/

West Coast Witness - www.WestCoastWitness.com

Keith Giles - http://www.Keith.Giles.com

Consuming Worship -- http://www.consumingworship.org

Tasha Via - www.tashavia.blogspot.com

Andrew Courtright - www.andrewcourtright.blogspot.com

ShowMeTheMooneys! - http://www.showmethemooneys.com/

Leaving Salem, Blog of Ronnie McBrayer - http://leavingsalem.wordpress.com/

Jason Coker - pastoralia.missionaltribe.org

From Knowledge to Wisdom - http://isthistheway.typepad.com/

Home Brewed Christianity - http://www.homebrewedchristianity.com

Dispossessed - http://kblog.kevinjbowman.com

Dandelion Seeds - http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Dandelionseeds

David Brodsky's Blog- "Flip the tape Deck" - http://flipthetapedeck.blogspot.com/

Chaordic Journey - http://jeffrhodes.wordpress.com

Renee Martin - http://www.reneemartinmusic.com/profiles/blog/list

Bob Kuhn - http://organicchurchnola.wordpress.com/

Living with Freaks: www.livingwithfreaks.com

Real Worship - http://therealworshipleader.com

Fervent Worship - http://ferventworship.blogspot.com

Julie Ferwerda Blog - www.JulieFerwerda.com / www.OneMillionArrows.com

What's With Christina?! - http://w2christina.blogspot.com

Irreligious Canuck - http://www.irreligiouscanuck.com

This day on the journey - http://guychmieleski.blogspot.com

Live and Move: Thoughts on Authentic Christianity - http://liveandmove.blogspot.com/

Spiritual Journey With God - http://www.elvineve.blogspot.com/

Dries Conje - http://www.echurch.co.za / http://www.thejesusfeed.com / http://www.bookdisciple.com.

Journey with Others - http://journeywithothers.blogspot.com

On Now to the Third Level - www.080808onnowto.blogspot.com

Christine Moers - www.welcometomybrain.net

Breaking Point - http://marybethstockdale.wordpress.com

Hand to the Plough - http://www.handtotheplough.com.au

Jon Reid - http://jonreid.blogs.com/oneanother/welcome-pilgrim.html

Weblight - www.blog.worldwidewebservices.se

D. L. Webster - http://gzmproductions.com/dlwebster

Searching for the Whole-Hearted Life - wholeheartedlife.blogspot.com

Presence Powered Through Obedience by Robert Ricciardelli

Presence Powered Through Obedience

By Robert Ricciardelli www.vision2advance.com

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If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. John 14:15-16 (ESV)

Jesus, gave His life to give us life; a power filled life for today to accomplish His will for our journey. A Spirit led life is what we all desire, and when we obey His leading, amazing things happen. In fact the greatest worship we can give to the Father is living obedient lives that please Him. I love that thought of praising Him with obedience. Maybe partially because I just do not sing all that well. (smile)

The Bible says that God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalms 22:3). So in a life of worship to Him by obediently pursuing Him and His Kingdom, God brings habitation of Himself. In other words, we can expect atmospheres to be altered as we obediently live and move and have our being in Him.

Obedience then becomes the vehicle of faith which brings us into the presence and power of God!

Living as Kingdom dwellers is not a time of waiting for heaven, but it is a time of participating with heaven, and being conduits of His presence on earth as it is in heaven. We all have experienced His presence and hopefully we are witnessing this in every context of life, and seeing atoshphere and lives changed in every jurisdiction in life

Since we live in the Kingdom of God reality, we live in the reality of a King who rules everything... The King commands, and then we obey. He is filled with joy when His kids pay attention and listen to Him, and He responds by engulfing them with His presence.

John 8:27-29 They still didn't get it, didn't realize that he was referring to the Father. So Jesus tried again. "When you raise up the Son of Man, then you will know who I am—that I'm not making this up, but speaking only what the Father taught me. The One who sent me stays with me. He doesn't abandon me. He sees how much joy I take in pleasing him."

Wow, He will not abandon you ever as He guides you along your journey in life and because He is in you, you can expect miracles to show up all around you.

Jesus demonstrated how that worked while he was on earth. He came to earth in obedience to the Father. He spoke what the Father told Him, and did what the Father showed Him. He even declared and spoke a word that was made manifest regardless of space, time, or matter.

Remember the centurion who had a sick son and wanted Jesus to heal him? The centurion knew that Jesus did not have to come to his residence, but by His word, the atmosphere would change at home and God's presence would heal his son who was miles away. Somehow he recognized that Jesus had authority over everything and including the 4th dimension. Christ and His Kingdom reality changes any 3rd dimensional situation to the glory of God. Jesus only had to give the command--which he did. So as we obediently declare His works upon the earth, transformation takes place.

What if God's people did everything as an act of obedience to their Father? We could be confident of his accompanying presence and power in every moment and in every situation. He will not send His servants, (all of us), without supplying all the needed resources to accomplish the task. If we live obediently in His Kingdom reality we would never fear failure, and we would have no excuses for not going and doing as He requests. We would just go and expect God to supply everything practical, and everything supernatural, to accomplish His will.

No matter what you are going through, no matter what you have been through, nothing has caught God by surprise, and He will move on your behalf as you follow His commands. Obedience leads to seeing God intervene on behalf of his servants, and His presence is all that we need for His divine intervention.

He has given us the earth to steward on His behalf. He desires us to love and bring His heavenly presence to the multitudes, and teach them to do likewise in His name. We have been commissioned by Almighty God to be His representatives on this planet of His goodness. We are called to do this every moment, and in every day life. There are no time outs in serving the King, because it applies to all of life. So when you are working, playing, vacationing, reading, relating, etc. You are doing all to the glory of God, and will see His glory, power, and presence transform the world around you.

When Revelation Becomes Your Reality by Robert Ricciardelli

I remember a song from way back titled, "What You See, Is What You Get"! Much of the world lives in that reality, and has little hope beyond it. That type of reality does not demand any faith to see beyond current day happenings, and that reality is not what the Father has in mind for His family. With all that is going on around us, we are continuing to hear the fears of many, because of all the challenges they are witnessing, and experiencing. There are many things going on in the natural to discourage us, including, economic challenges, morality challenges, and for many American Christians, the continued erosion of a once biblical principled government.

When we see with the natural eyes upon these things, it really can breed fear, hopelessness, and even despair. My encouragement for those who are in the family of faith, and who are going through these challenges, Father is with you, and this has not caught Him by surprise. If you have been given a vision or dream from the Lord, it will be accomplished. Though it be delayed, continue to hold on to that promise. If you are bombarded by darkness, the light will come, and in the mean time remember that His light is within you, and He will never leave nor forsake you.

We must not rely on what we see, or even on what we may be able to do. We must rely on what the Father is seeing and what the Father will do. We are created in His image and because He is a creator, we are very good at creating. The difference is that Father designed us to be co-creators with Him. He wants to be acknowledged as partner in all of our lives and in the things He has planned for us.

This is a good season, a necessary season for all of us. He is causing some of the shaking, but is allowing all of the shaking for the good of all. Those who do not know Him, cannot rely on government as their Savior. For those who do know Him, he is stripping away all false foundations and bringing us to the only Sure Foundation, Himself.

Abraham had a promise from God and there were many years of waiting for God's timing before the promise was fulfilled. Abraham tried to manufacture his own way to fulfill the promise and it was not God's best. God's best is for us to be His people of faith on the earth. God's best is for us to believe Him, and His promises, no matter what we see around us, and how long we have waited.

We are all being disciplined, discipled into the reality of God. It is not fun, but it is what He is doing, and when we can understand the disciplines of God, and the rules of engagement in His glorious Kingdom, it is well and very well within our soul. There are challenges, and there is an enemy that makes things more challenging, but we who are of the faith shall not be moved by anyone, or anything, if we remain in Him, and hear His voice during this season.

We must live daily with the revelation of Father who loves, and who knows what is best for our journey. Our journey and our calling is not alike, so do not look at one person who may seem to prosper and wonder why it is not happening to you. You will not be moving objectively, if you are subjectively trying to figure out what God may or may not be doing in others. Rejoice in those who God may be bringing into a season of harvest, and also rejoice when He is weeding your garden.

I am not one who listens much to "blanket Prophecies" for the worldwide church. When I hear that this is a season of abundance for all of God's people, I cringe, because He is a personal God, and knows what is best, and the timing of what is best, for every individual. He would not be a good Father to give to one who has not learned to steward, and there are many other reasons for what God may do. His ways are so above ours, and why are we so consumed with figuring Him out, more than we are in obediently pursuing His will for our own lives?

We are looking for abundance in wealth and He may want us to be abounding in His joy. If our pursuit is wealth, joy will be hard to find. We may want abundance of fame and popularity, and yet He wants us to be abundant in humility. So if we pursue popularity and fame, humility will be far from us. The sadness of this last truth is seeing much in American branded Christianity, which now you can see in many nations, who looked to our leaders as examples. So the shaking continues until Father brings His alignment to us, so that through us, we can bring real hope to the world.

What is the revelation we need to become our reality to live by? Maybe we need to live as if everything we do daily is part of eternity, because it is. Father will show you if you seek Him and His Kingdom, but there are a few questions we must continue to ask ourselves. Here are a few of those questions followed by some potential answers, but the Lord will show you what He desires for you, if you seek Him through Jesus Christ our Lord...

Whose Are We? (Hint, we are not our own!)
Who Are We? (God's Kings and Priests, His children?)
What Are We Doing? (His will, or our own?)
Who Are We Pleasing? (God or man?)
What Will We Do? (Change and become more like Him, or remain unmoved?)

Now is a good time to live in His revelation, until it becomes our reality for daily living.

It's about Who You Are more than Where You Meet

It's about Who You Are more than Where You Meet

By Robert Ricciardelli www.vision2advance.com

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All of you who have known us through the years know how much we value relationships. We encourage everyone to pursue relationship with the Father and each other in ever increasing ways. Loving God with all that we are, and loving each other as the Body of Christ regardless of Race, Creed, or Expression. We have friends in many streams who love God, and follow after Him with their lives and yet are very different in how they may express their faith. We know some who meet regularly in a church building and we know some that gather in homes, some who meet in coffee shops and some meeting each week to honor God in a business environment.

We see people walking uprightly before God and man in all of these gatherings and actually the most healthy ones we have observed relationally meet in a variety of places regularly. We see conversation, ministry, prayer, healing,, and transformation take place as the Spirit of the Lord is concerned about the hearts of His people. Father is concerned about people more than He is about a building or structure. He uses structure at times to create context and a conducive environment for His will to be accomplished

We can have all kinds of reasons as to why our expression and methods are the best, and we can create every reason and find ever scripture to prove it. The bottom line is, God is much bigger than our pradigms, and He uses many things that do not fit within them. Jesus was a rebel to the established religious community of His day. The Disciples were radical in their ability to bring in the New Covenant in the midst of the old. The truth is, we all need to open up a bit more, without compromising plumb-line biblical truth of love, honoring God, each other, and in bringing the Gospel of His glorious Kingdom to the earth.

In years past, there seemed to be a wide gap between Catholics, protestants, house church, and approximately 36,000 Christian denominations .The gap seems to be closing as His Spirit is being poured out and the Lord is converging His people unto Himself and one another. Those hearing His voice cannot remain exclusive any longer, and are becoming more inclusive in relating to others and their differences. We must hold true to Fathers foundations while accepting those who have a worldview that may be just a bit different than ours.

Regardless of structure or preference, there are those who are walking obediently and humbly before God and man, and there are those that are not. There are those who have moved on to new expressions because they may have been hurt by a previous system. Anyone operating from hurt rather than from a progressively whole position need healing and need to move from bitterness to forgiveness of those who may have caused pain. Regardless of the reasons why people choose the community of faith that they do, we must try and work with those we can, and accept one another as family in order to fulfill the Lord's prayer in John 17 of being one in Him.

Last year I was part of the annual House Church Conference. It was a wonderful experience and yet Joyce and I were asked by some if we were house church people. I shared with them that we were not house church people, but that we were obedient to gather as the Lord led which meant, sometimes in homes, businesses, or coffee shops, and sometimes in dedicated buildings. The answer I usually give is this, "I am a Kingdom of God person that includes everyone who is pursuing Christ and His Kingdom, regardless of how they may be led to do so". Through relational and organizational community, we can bring accountability to one another that challenges us to live God honoring lives.

Tony and Felicity Dale, the Founders of House 2 House Ministries are friends of ours, and we will be involved once again at the annual conference on Labor Day weekend in Dallas. We will be facilitating the Marketplace portion of the conference. I was very excited to hear from Tony that this year includes some main stream church organizations and leaders. This was such a thrill to hear this and see how God's people are coming together to find dialogue, and ways to connect with each other while building community. As our friend Bob Mumford says, "It is not about the system or structure, but about His people moving in His Agape ways while moving towards the center, which is Christ, and the Kingdom of God".

There are many in every expression of Christianity trying to find ways to connect with each other and those around them towards Agape life-giving relationships. For those of you who would like to experience this unique opportunity of smaller relational gatherings within a larger faith community, this is one conference to consider. There will be several workshops that are heavy in the participation and dialogue of all those attending. I will keep you posted on these workshops as well as the marketplace sessions that I will facilitate. There is an early bird special rate until June 8th and here is the link with the information needed.

http://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=721026

Everything Is Spiritual Because God Made Everything by Robert Ricciardelli

Everything Is Spiritual Because God Made Everything

By Robert Ricciardelli www.vision2advance.com

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Everything is Spiritual because God made everything. Everything has it's origins from God. Computers originate from God through His creation. Even things had began with good intentions because they were God's intentions, all originate from Almighty Creator of ALL Things. The devil himself originates from God. You cannot escape God as He "is", always, He "is" everywhere, and He "is" at all times. He is in this galaxy and He is in all the billions of galaxies. Truly all things are spiritual regardless of space, time, and matter.

If you are a banker, it is spiritual because you are His in the day to day context of banking. If you run a business, Father is the Senior Partner of your very existence and therefore is the Senior Partner of your business. Are you asking Senior Partner for ways of bringing Him glory, and expanding His Kingdom family upon the earth? Whether it is music, or art, or whatever Father has called you to do and to be in everyday life, are you bringing Him glory? He is yours, you are His, and He cares about the whole of our lives. He desires that we acknowledge Him in all of our ways.

Thus everything is spiritual because the Lord made everything, and the Cosmic Christ wants to redeem everything back to the Father. Although full restoration will not come until Christ returns in the fullness of His glory, it is our calling to obediently bring restoration and Kingdomized influence to every sphere of life. And we do this "along the way" of every day living, understanding that His transformational presence is in us, and goes with us into every moment and every context of living.

This is a very tumultuous season we are in but we can confidently live, and move, and have our being, knowing we are loved. We are in fact His ambassadors and have a divine mandate of carrying His Agape love to the world. As we trust Him more and give over our fears, frailties, and imperfect ways to Him, He sets our path straight, and His glory is revealed through us to the world around us. Does fear or doubt come? Of course fears and doubts come; but we must remember that our life is in His hands, and that we have all the promises of His Word to stand on, not for just the future, but for today, and for every situation in life. Because we are His, we live to hear His voice and respond to Him as He navigates our steps for His will and purposes. He gives us the strength to overcome, as we disengage further from sin and other hindrances that can keep us from His best, and from His glory.

We must rid ourselves of the ancient mindsets of dualism that bring a false division of what we call sacred and secular. The worldview that limits the influence of God in all things is th primary reason the church has not been relevant to a creation that is eagerly awaiting the manifestation of God through His sons an daughters. It has kept God's people from the realization of a Kingdom coming upon the earth as it is in heaven. What gospel is on our lips? What gospel are we living?

Worldliness is seeing anything in life from a purely materialistic perspective - When we see the natural through natural eyes and not by His Spirit we can see why even believers have not been able to participate in bringing hope and transformational reality to others. Our worldview must be redeemed and enlightened by His Word to truly see what He sees, and to move as one with Him, and for His purposes. Father may your Kingdom come, and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, through your people, and in every aspect of their lives, their motives, and their interaction with you and with the people you call them to serve.

Almighty and Kids! by Robert Ricciardelli

Almighty and Kids!

By Robert Ricciardelli www.vision2advance.com

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God’s intended purpose for each of His creation was to birth an extension of Himself. A family, with a family business in mind, called “Almighty and Kids”. Can you imagine? From eternity past until now, God’s desire was to have a family called to Himself. So let’s break it down a bit and look at some of Fathers design for all of us who were created in His image.

• Father the Creator - Look all around and you will see a world full of creation by not only the Father, but by His children. A child of the living God created this computer I am using right now. Regardless of redeemed or not, we are not talking eternal family, that can only be accessed by Christ, we are talking about the Lord creating a wonderful family of creators in mankind, operating in the Fathers image to create…

• Father the Lover – Agape love in perfection, no agenda but love, and extending it to each of us. Look at creation, even in animals, and the nurturing that takes place in the animal kingdom. I remember when my sons were born, and how I would do anything for them. For my wife, my partner, the love is birthed in God and we can see glimpses of this love nature in most every nation and culture.

• Father the Redeemer – Forgiveness is a quality that comes from God. When we forgive, we operate in his nature, when we do not forgive; we operate against Him, His Kingdom family, and His design for humanity. This is an awesome quality and a necessity for those who want to be Kingdom of God dwellers with full inheritance rights. Of course Jesus, Big Brother to all creation, allowed us to have full rights and become full inheritance citizens in Fathers eternal Kingdom.

• Father the Giver – Father has given to His creation from the very beginning and called it good. What a wonderful world filled with amazing things the Lord has given us. It will be in His children’s nature to be givers, and once again, when we operate in greed, or horde for self, we oppose His nature.

• Father the “Do Gooder” – God is always operating in the nature of doing good to the world. Prior to His ultimate “Do Good” in Christ Jesus, He gave us principles, and eternal ways of family living so that we could in turn “do good” to those around us, protect the innocent, and allow His justice to flourish upon the earth. Healing and many other resources are the children’s bread and sustain us towards eternity.

These are but a few of Father’s qualities that he predestined us to live by. What religion does sometimes is allow us to narrowly focus on segments of life rather than the whole of life. Father desires that we be wholly His, everyday, every moment, and in every aspect of living. Religion often gets in the way of seeing His eternal truths for all of life.

In other words, how are we being like Father in our work? How are being like Father to our wives? Our children? Our neighbor?

Jesus said the world would recognize the Father’s family by our love for one another? Has our love waxed cold? Have we become so consumed with self that we have no tolerance, and even better than tolerance, real acceptance and love for one another?

We are all wired differently. Can we appreciate our differences, and see strength in our differences as part of the whole of “Almighty and Kids”? I have sought to do this, and failed many times, but continue to try and operate in Fathers love to all people. I ask the Father to continuously change me on the inside to be more like Him. I am maturing, so they say? Who are they that say so? Those who knew me when………….

Those who knew you when, can be very objective in seeing who you are becoming.

We must focus on God’s eternal intentions for us in the NOW.. Yes there was a fall, but before the fall there was a wonderful Creator creating a family to Himself. Part of the trap of self- centeredness is we are blinded to God’s perfect plan before, and His perfect plan now and for all eternity. Almighty and Kids bringing heavenly qualities upon the earth, to please the Father. The goal is to be Father pleasers through the transformational power of His Son to bring the lost of creation back to the loving arms of the Father.

Lord we want to become more like you, your nature, your ways, and we want to start today.