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To Be Known by God

To Be Known by God

 

Matthew 7:22-23 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Does God know you? Is there an intimate exchange of truth and spirit between you and God? How do you know about Him, where/whom have you learned about God? How much of what you know have you learned from God Himself, and not another? Listen to your words; is it he/she said/taught or is it God taught me? Do you obey HIS truth, words of life spoken to your spirit? To know Him is to obey Him in love. For when you know Him, you become a part of Him. John 14:23, John 17:3

If you obey in love, then you seek, listen and follow His voice above all others in everything. You move from doing what you think is good to God directing your thoughts/actions/desires. 1 Corin 8:2 When you are led by the spirit of God, you are a son/daughter of God. Romans 8:14 This intimate interaction is to know God and to be known by Him.

1 Corinthians 8:3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.

Major Stumbling Block to Being Known by God; Religion

A HUGE roadblock to knowing God in truth and spirit is clinging to a religion, even the religion of Christianity (vs. pure discipleship under Christ). Religion is man-made doctrines, structures, and images defining God and things pertaining to God. Religions create false images of God. So you are interacting with an image and not the true God, thus He doesn’t know you. You can’t learn about God from another, only as He reveals Himself to you. Just as you can not truly know someone until you meet him/her yourself. Religions try to define God to you; who He is, how to worship Him, and what He expects of you. This is being led by mankind’s ways and not the spirit of God. Receiving “understanding” second hand creates false images since you’ve never meet Him, just as with another person. The multitude of denominations reveals the magnitude of mankind’s doctrines and people following the dictates of their own hearts, verses seeking the one true God. Those of God are of one spirit, not divided. 1 Corin 1:10-13 Especially for us once churched people, we have to lay our beliefs before God and seek to know Him as He is, because our understanding of God and His ways have been crafted by others and are FULL of man-made images.

The warning of Christ in Matthew 7 strikes very deeply, no one wants to be one of those spoken of in those verses. Jeremiah 16:10-13, Matthew 7:22-23, Matthew 22:13-14 Most don’t think it’s them. Many who call Lord, Lord, believe they are worshipping and serving the true God. Yet, this passage testifies to the contrary, that they were following a false image. They were serving someone, but not God, so who? Following the lawless one, creates lawlessness.

Example: Images of God

As lies and deception permeate religions, people don’t realize they are worshiping a false image of God …

Image 1

A God who governs by fear and guilt.
Followers “come to Him” out of fear; to avoid eternal torment
He killed Jesus in pouring His wrath on him because of people’s sin
He eternally torments those who don’t worship Him as He says
He fosters a suffering life, “for your good”
Guilt abides in followers to move them to action
He has little power in people’s life, thus hardship and affliction
Life is one of suffering until one dies and goes to heaven
Evil is the victor for eternity; for lives spend eternity in hell
Hypocritical love and a judging spirit abound in followers in response to their beliefs

Image 2

A God who governs by righteous love
Followers “come to Him” out of love, not fear
He gave up His spirit so He could fill many to give them eternal life (1 Corin 2:8, 1 Peter 2:24)
Consequences of actions are for the sake of turning people to paths of life so they are healed and renewed
He uses chastening to keep people from the paths of death
He gives abundant life now to those who walk in truth
He came to redeem people from death, not send them there
His will is sovereign, thus death is destroyed, not victor
Love is in sincerity and truth
Mercy triumphs over judgment

Can you tell who is who? Can you see the different spirits? Can you see that many promote the first image; an image counter (anti) to the true God?

Purging False Images of God

Because of the abundance of false images:

1. Seek the instruction of God’s Spirit to teach and build a solid foundation of truth in your life.

2. Leave religion behind and take a break from the teachings of others so you can learn to become a disciple of Christ, and not others. It’s extremely honoring to God to seek Him with such diligence, to put your trust in Him to teach you for this is His command and desire.

3. In your time with Him each morning, put all church/religious doctrines aside and seek to know God as He is by listening to His Spirit speaking words of life to your spirit and through His Word.

4. Come in the humility that God desires; admitting you could be misled in your beliefs about Him, and seek to learn from Him. Psalm 25:9

5. Ask for all lies to be revealed and purged. Be willing to let go of every doctrine you learned in church/family/fellowships, and submit to His sovereignty and instruction.

6. Let God teach you so you are able to stand on the true Rock, the truth. Know Him as He is by coming come to Him in spirit (no images) and truth (as He is not by false images or doctrines.)

Testimony of His Presence in Your Life

How do you know you are known by God? You experience His presence. God is truth and love. If you are truly following God, your life bears the fruit of His presence and grows brighter and brighter in truth/light/righteousness unto the perfect day. Proverbs 4:18 His presence manifests wisdom, joy, peace, healing, blessing, rest, and the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 When you come to Him in truth, this is what you receive as you walk with Him in righteousness. It’s a witness to the truth. This fruit bearing reveals His presence in your life; fruit by His doing, not your self-efforts. Galatians 5:22-23 It’s not by self-effort that transformation comes, but by His Spirit taking over you. 1 Corin 6:9-10

Amos 5:21-24

I hate, I despise your feast days,
And I do not savor your sacred assemblies.
22 Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them,
Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings.
23 Take away from Me the noise of your songs,
For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.
24 But let justice run down like water,
And righteousness like a mighty stream.

As God returns to redeem this earth, people will see what they were truly worshipping, as all is revealed. In that revelation, many will bear great shame and say Lord, Lord, Ezekiel 36:32, 43:10, Hosea 4:19 We need to put all religion aside and come to God one-on-one to listen and learn from Him as He has commanded, then we will discover the true God of amazing love and mercy. Amos 5:4-6

Amos 4:12 “Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; Because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!”


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Chastening of God: Part 2

Chastening of God: Part 2

 

In this video, I’m talking more about what I’ve been learning in regards to the chastening of God as He is preparing this earth, the souls, to be inhabited by Him for eternity. He speaks to each one of us … we are to listen and follow.  As we do He renews, recreates and fills us with His righteous love bringing holiness unto eternal life. Take heed of His voice, listen and follow .. for it will lead you into abundant life NOW.

 


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Guided by God’s Spirit

Guided by God’s Spirit

 

Talking about how God by pouring Christ’s spirit into us is the perfect salvation plan in a fulfillment of His holiness and love. As we die to self we are able to “marry” another, Christ, so that He governs our soul and not our self-will. God is pouring out His spirit to prepare this earth for His Kingdom of righteousness. Now is the time to be trained up by God in righteousness and love.

 


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The Path of Salvation

The Path of Salvation

God’s plan of salvation is far bigger and more loving that what is commonly taught. Here I share what God has been showing me in His Word about the perfection of His plan for mankind to do what they can’t for themselves, bring them into eternal life. It is a fulfillment of His holiness, righteousness and perfect love that drives out all fear.


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Hearing God’s Voice

Hearing God’s Voice

1 Kings 19:12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 

Isaiah 30:21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.

1 Peter 3:21 There is also an antitype which now saves us–baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

John 10:27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

Hearing the voice of God in your spirit and putting His voice as THE authority is central to following Him into abundant eternal life. Here I talk a bit about how to hear and follow His voice.


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Mount Zion is Awaiting You

Mount Zion is Awaiting You

 

Revelation 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.

In a previous post, I mentioned the transition that is occurring from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of Light. The kingdom of darkness has been ruling since the Garden of Eden when self-will took over, but now history is replaying itself from the beginning and redemption is at hand. God is calling His people out of Babylon and to enter into Zion, the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. It’s your refuge, fortress and defense in these days, as I will show you.

1 Corinthians 15:45 And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

As death came through one man, how much more life through the One? Yet we’ve haven’t seen this happen. Death and sin have clearly been reigning on the earth as lies prevailed. But that reign is coming to an end and faith is the victory. 1 John 5:4 The faith is the faith of Christ (belief of pure truth in the power and love of God); the only One with the faith to destroy death. This faith has entered the world as a mustard seed and is growing. Matthew 13:31-32 It’s a faith available to you by Christ’s spirit dwelling within you and leading you in the paths of righteous love. Hebrews 12:2 Your part is to listen and follow to His voice. It’s the baptism of the spirit, a good conscious, because you are directed and governed by God. 1 Peter 3:21

Romans 5:15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.

Entering Into The Kingdom of Heaven

The Kingdom of God, Zion, is growing in power and grace. 1 Peter 1:13 This Kingdom of Truth is where God’s ways reign. Those who dwell there live by the spirit of God within them. Romans 8:14 They obey His still small voice saying, “walk this way” turning at His rebuke. Isaiah 30:21, Proverbs 1:23. In doing so they enter His rest, which is the venue of His power. (When you are at rest, complete trust in God, God is at work, thus His power flows through you.)

God’s truth is taking over and consuming the lies. If you are a part of Him, rest and peace will grow in your life as you follow His voice of truth. John 10:4  In following truth, you’ll escape the manifestation of the lies. 2 Thess 2:10 Being a part of Zion is being governed by God. Therefore, you are in a place of rest in your life, because it’s not your effort but His. Hebrews 4:9-11 Rest is the ark; it’s the good conscious of God in you. 1 Peter 3:20-21 Rest is the rapture out of the tribulation coming on the kingdom of darkness. Rev 3:10 Rest is trusting fully in God and not self, thus listening and walking in His ways. If you are living according to His ways, you are abiding in His kingdom and will experience rest on all sides as the wall of fire around the kingdom is your protection and defense. Zechariah 2:5, Hebrews 12:29 Now we see why we are instructed to diligently enter into this rest.

God’s spirit of righteous love is being poured out. Isaiah 44:3 If you have oil in your lamp, the spirit of truth in your soul, then you will embrace this voice of your Good Shepherd leading you into the green pastures and still waters (rest). Matthew 25:8-13

A Warning

I’ve talked about “fake” love in a recent video. The righteous love of God has never been poured out like it is now. In the void, people have entertained copycats of His love believing it to be His love. Matthew 7:22-23 It’s been forced and contrived. It’s a love that deceives one into thinking they have God’s love, when they don’t. Embracing a fake love is a blockade to engaging the true living God. God is real. Nothing about Him is fake. God abhors hypocrisy. It’s of the devil not God. Yet people have proclaimed His love when they haven’t experienced it. We give what we are. The Pharisees thought they knew God. They created an image of God, fake righteous love, that kept them from seeing pure love, even as He stood right in front of them. Make not the same mistake. When you have the love of God, nothing is the same in your life. 2 Corinthians 5:17 For those who have hoped and hungered for this love knowing their love is corrupted, now is the time for that hope to be fulfilled.

Our beliefs are going to fully manifest themselves. This is the judgment to come upon the world. 1 Corinthians 3:13 If we’ve been cultivating belief in the ways of this world, like religion and mankind’s wisdom, and letting these shape our beliefs instead of God, then the ramifications of those beliefs will be manifesting as the death that they are. If we’ve been cultivating belief in the true God, then we will heed His voice that leads to eternal life.

Have Ears to Hear

God is speaking to you. Listen. Listen to His voice guiding you. As you step out and follow in faith, you’ll learn to discern it more clearly. In time, you’ll want to give up all that is of the self-will and desire to be completely governed by Him, for He is the righteous love we desire. As you do, you will enter deeper into His rest. The Bible serves as a witness to confirm truth as you listen. Seek to trust in His voice above all others. As you trust in Him, all fear will flee for perfect love drives out fear.

We reap what we sow. Sow truth and righteous love by following the Good Shepherd’s voice; and you will grow in rest thus the power of God despite growing unrest around you.


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The End of Evil’s Reign

The End of Evil’s Reign

 

I’ve mentioned before, there are two paths leading to two spiritual kingdoms in this earth; one of lies and the other truth.

The kingdom of lies has prevailed since the Garden of Eden. Resulting in sin and death reigning. Lies believed and acted upon is sin and sin gives way to death and all it entails. James 1:15 Its dominion is extensive so that nothing of this flesh life is outside its influence. It’s the kingdom we are born into, thus born into sin. True believers have lived with the hope of redemption from this kingdom, and now this hope is coming to fruition as Christ’s spirit is resurrected in this earth.

Babylon is the kingdom of darkness (kingdom of lies, which is hell). Think of it as a huge web of interlocking lies that covers the earth and taints every thought and action of mankind. It’s a web that lays between mankind and God blinding them to His perfect righteous love. It shapes the core beliefs of mankind. It imprisions them from the truth. It controls their behaviors manifesting every type of evil; from obvious evil to evil disguised as good. It produces all that is contrary to God; every evil, pain, suffering, hardship, sickness, bondage, and death. Under its sway, people destroy themselves because they believe lies to be truth. It blocks them of what is of true life; contentment, joy, peace, rest, righteous love, abundance, value, wisdom, truth, eternal life. When lies rule in our minds, it manifests spiritual death.

The end of this earth age, as spoken in the Bible, is the end of this kingdom’s reign. In it’s destruction a new age is born; for as God destroys He creates. This transition has begun.

We’ve witnessed storms, hardships, around us. They are to awaken us to what lays ahead and thus my adamant warning to you; seek God for He is truth and in Him there is no death. Proverbs 12:28 In the end of this age, the lies are destroyed, and truth and righteousness take their place. Though this is a glorious truth, the journey into the kingdom of truth will be difficult to those who have built their lives on lies, and haven’t sought the word of life. Matthew 7:24-27, James 1:21 Without truth, people have no where to turn when their lies start imploding upon themselves. If we are living by lies, which we believe to be truth, and push deeper into those lies as times grow desperate because that’s all we’ve cultivated, then great tribulation awaits our spirits. But it doesn’t have to be, if we would seek God as He has instructed. Amos 5:4

As Christ’s spirit returns filling His prepared vessels, the destruction of the lies will advance. The lies are all the concepts, ideas, thoughts, behaviors that people live by and trust. They are concepts people believe to be truth; what they trust in to deliver them from whatever discomforts them, and prosper them in this earth.  As the lies are destroyed, the beliefs that people have trusted will no longer “deliver” or “work for” them. (They never did “work”, it was God’s mercy.) Instead, walking those ways will bring increasing unrest.  Psalm 52

For example, if you are trusting in your ability to provide for you household; the work of your hands, it will grow increasingly challenging. You’ll experience growing discomfort, angst, stress, worry, suffering and loss because those lies are being destroyed.

God has delayed Christ’s return desiring His creation to repent and give up their souls to be inhabited by Him; to be governed by His righteous love. 2 Peter 3:9 Its the only way to walk in righteousness, thus life. Though people have been governed by lies, His delay has kept back the full ramification of them. But as God returns, His very presence, a consuming fire, will destroy the lies, causing more angst for many, for He is truth and that is what truth does. If you are holding onto those lies and your life, house, is built on those lies, it will be destroyed, yet your spirit will be refined through the fire. 1 Corinthians 3:13-15

As a consuming fire, if we are a part of God, we won’t be destroyed because we are walking in His ways which are life, which is replacing the lies. We will be like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, totally protected in the midst of the fire. Now is the time to flee Babylon (web of lies) and go to the mountain (truths) of God.

As in the days of Noah, a flood is upon us, not of water, but of God’s truth, the living water that will destroy the kingdom of darkness. You are either walking on the water with Christ, or sinking into the sea for lack of faith; a faith established by knowing and trusting God into rest where His power reigns.

To be continued ….  entering into the Kingdom of God .


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Where Do You Worship?

 Where Do You Worship?

As you think about the New Year, setting goals and making resolutions, consider the one act that will affect you and your year more significantly and powerfully than anything else, where you worship.

What’s the temple(s) of your life? What do you give your resources to, energy and time, to cultivate in your life? How do you make your decisions and choices? What do you sacrifice other things and people for, including your sacred time with God each morning? What are your priorities that come above all else? Mark 12:30-31 What/who do you put above God and abiding in His truth? Matthew 6:33 What doctrines and philosophies are you truly serving and worshipping with your thoughts and actions? Write out the answers to these questions and be honest, it will reveal what you truly serve.  True change follows honesty.

Below is just a sampling of the temples we build, sacrifice for and thus worship at … when these are our temples, there is one outcome …

Career achievements

Job Security

Intellectualism

Health

Beauty

Money

Family

Relationships with other gender

Self-empowerment

Control

Victim/Helplessness

Religion/church

Self-righteousness/being right & fair

Pride

Consumed in the darkness of the lies of this world, we build, sacrifice, serve and thus worship at a myriad of temples, like those above, trying to create the rest, fulfillment of hope, purpose, peace and love we desperately long for. Yet, God in His love for us has shown us how to obtain what we truly long for exceeding our expectations. For the life we seek, God instructs us to forsake and destroy all other temples in our lives, and take part in building His temple. Mark 14:58 It’s the temple of truth in our souls in which God’s spirit dwells. Eph 2:19-22 It’s the kingdom of God within us. When this is our temple, then all else in our lives follows as it should and as we deeply desire.

The temple(s) of your choosing will lead to one of two outcomes because there are only two paths in this earth pilgrimage; one of truth and one not, one of life and one not, one of God and one not. If you choose temples like the ones listed above the outcome is of increasing angst, hardship, worry, fear and stress. If you choose to build God’s temple within you, the outcome is growing peace, rest, joy and love.

What are you experiencing, which outcome? The outcome reflects the temple(s) you are currently worshiping at. If it’s the results of angst and fear, are you going to continue to build and worship at the same temples and get the same results?

Not only does only one temple bring the life you truly seek, but there is only one which will stand as all the rest are cast down.

1 Corinthians 3:13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is

In the Day of the Lord, all temples, the work of our hands, will crumble except the One. As the Day of the Lord dawns, now is the time to examine and realign your life to build the everlasting temple, the kingdom of God within you. If the presence of the living God is within you, you need nothing else for His presence manifests every need and desire as it should be.

As you decide your path for this year, meditate on these verses …

Psalm 37:5 Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.

Psalm 34:10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

John 6:28-29 Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”


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Sticks and Stones: The Power of Words

Sticks and Stones: The Power of Words

Who do you give “authority” to? 

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.

Above is one of the most popular childhood rhymes that needs a little dissecting, because most of us have been corrupted, damaged, and lived a life of pain because of the words of others, words spoken by those we gave and still give “authority” to.

People speak and act according to how they are not according to the object of their words and actions.  Yet, far too often we’ve internalized the damaging words and actions of others. And God wants to free us.

There are many forms of this truth, but let’s take someone lashing out at another.  When someone delivers a verbal barrage of negativity, it’s about them not the recipient. The problem is most people own other people’s words when it aligns with concepts spoken to them in the past by “authorities”.  When someone lashes out then the recipient thinks something is wrong with them or it’s about them, when the painful delivery has nothing to do with them. How a person acts is all about them; not the recipient. But if their actions and words line up with what an authority figure in their lives spoke, especially a parent or an influential figure of their childhood, they will believe it and internalize the other’s baggage making it a part of who they are.

For example, if someone lost the car keys … I could call them an idiot for being so careless, or not even say a word but in my mind think what an idiot for being so careless. Either way, they would feel the condemnation because people respond to what we give off, not just our words. Matt 5:28 OR I would know we all do forgetful things, help them find the keys, and develop a strategy so they won’t lose them in the future. Consider the impact of the two responses on the recipient. The first would probably make them feel bad about themselves because most people incorrectly own others negative reactions toward them, especially if it was in line with what an authority figure said. The second would be uplifting and helpful.

The greatest impact of this dynamic is with children, which we all were at one point so consider what “baggage” you’ve owned from others. With children, the parents usually have the greatest authority in their lives, what they say the children believe without question and own it as their truth. Whatever they say, the children believe and manifest in their lives. If the parents said they were a loser, then that is how they will grow up unless or until they have a higher authority tell them differently at some point. This is just what children do, they believe their parents.  Children don’t have the experience to realize that how their parents speak to them is about them and not the child. They don’t have a more powerful authority in their lives to tell them otherwise. Calling a child a loser has nothing to do with himself, and everything about the parent, which at one time it had nothing to do with that parent until he heard it from his parents and so on. This is an example of how sin spreads like cancer, because most people own other people’s baggage. 2 Timothy 2:17

You see how lies are passed along. How faulty frameworks about who we are formed. We all grow up with lies by owning others’ baggage. Lies make a train wreck of our lives, but Christ came to rewrite our lives and who we are. He came to show us who we truly are; beautiful, bountiful, blissful, boundless, bold, beloved, and blessed. What we believe we manifest. Many are manifesting the pain of others because they took ownership of their pain by believing their words. Christ came to set us free. John 8:32

As we mature spiritually, we realize that God is our authority, therefore we listen to what He says. When we do listen to Him, our framework changes and we learn that all the negativity spoken to us was about the speaker’s pain and baggage, and had nothing to do with us. If they were different and didn’t have their own bondage they would have never spoken that way to others. This understanding of their bondage is key to forgiveness and love that covers a multitude of sins.

Words are incredibly powerful when they come from someone we’ve given authority to. Who we give authority to dictates our life, because authority manifests belief. What we believe in we create as our reality.  If we give someone authority, then we trust what they say and make their words are truth. Consider the authorities in your life, parents, doctors, PHDs, field experts, spouses, friends, political talking heads, and religious leaders.  What kind of path have they led you on? This isn’t blaming, but taking responsibility for what we hold as truth and who we’ve placed as authorities in our lives who shouldn’t be.

If you still have misplaced authorities, it’s time to dethrone them. Psalm 1:1 THE authority in our lives should be God. Others can confirm what He tells you, but He should be THE authority – because He will speak ONLY truth to you. When He is your authority, you are on the path to tremendous freedom. Freedom from all others’ judgment, opinions, comments, and actions. Thus, freedom from others’ pain and bondage. Freedom from the lies. Freedom to be who you were created to be, someone magnificent because that is the kind of creator God is. Freedom to live a new life and a new reality. We are simply covered in the mud of lies so that is all we can see of ourselves. As mud washes off, God’s truth washes us clean. Putting people as authorities in our lives is putting our lives in the wrong hands. If you truly want to live free, then your authority must be God.

Consider Jesus did anyone alter what He thought and knew about who He was? No. He knew the Truth and His authority was God.

So as long as people are putting others in authority who shouldn’t be the lies spread generation to generation. Misplaced authority manifests false beliefs, and false beliefs manifest a life of suffering and bondage. Our beliefs determine our lives.

Instead of owning the baggage and lies of others, find your identity in Christ and respond with love. In love, tell them it’s not acceptable and look beyond the surface to that bound soul from which came such anger, bitterness, resentment, pain, self-pity, blame, criticalness, and judgment. They need deliverance too. They need love. We all do.