Embrace Your Humanity

The most fundamental of all fear is our human sense of inadequacy. It caused Adam and Eve to grasp at attaining the likeness of God by eating the forbidden fruit. It does the same in us. All of the grasping at religious flesh, self-righteousness and good intentions (we can garner) will not get us an inch closer to freedom-thus we are left with a profound sense of failure.
But herein is the good news; our sense of inadequacy is daily ambushed by Jesus. As Son of man, Jesus embraces our humanity and lives an exemplary life in and through us as his followers! Even more amazing, he also bequeathed his Holy Spirit as our constant comforter, guide and teacher!
“Who being in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 He fully invests himself into human form and is fully satisfied with being human. This state of being does not leave him with a sense of lack or emptiness, but he demonstrates that all the fullness of God is at home in the human body.” (Philippians 2)

It is this sense of completeness, this deep persuasion that God is satisfied with our humanity, that gives Jesus the strength not to bow to fear, not to accept the pressure of the crowd, but to have the courage to simply be human without shame… even in the face of the most humiliating death.

What Jesus Christ believes to be true about you and me is the final confirmation of man’s redeemed sonship. His faith is the only valid reference.

Embracing the Son of Man! Ron Ross

Rabe, Andre (2015-01-24). Desire Found Me (Kindle Locations 3437-3444). Kindle Edition.

Explosive Hope in the Midst of Hopelessness

"I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever. And once that person is with me, I hold on to and don't let go. I came down from heaven not to follow my own whim but to accomplish the will of the One who sent me. “This, in a nutshell, is that will: that everything handed over to me by my Father be completed--not a single detail missed--and at the wrap up time I have everything and everyone put together, upright and whole. This is what my Father wants: that anyone who sees the Son and trusts who He is and what He does and then aligns with Him will enter real life, eternal life. My part is to put them on their feet alive and whole at the completion of time." John 6:35-41 Msg. Earlier this morning I was seeking Papa about the explosive power of Hope in the midst of hopeless circumstances. I was especially hoping for a word that would bring comfort to so many of my friends (and me) who are suffering trying, testing times and circumstances. This Word couldn't be more on target. Do you see anything in this scripture that remotely suggests that you or I are beyond His grace or that we are washed up spiritually? Is there anything in this very specific summary of Papa's plan through Jesus that leaves a shadow of a doubt--that He will complete what Papa handed over to Him to finish? Is there even the slightest suggestion in this passage that our failures or ongoing struggles have a chance to disqualify us from Papa's plan? 'Oops; sorry Papa, I tried to help put them on their feet, but their problems, history and sins were far more than You realized-I just couldn't get the job done.' Your part here is very simple and clear; trust that Jesus is who He says He is and that He does the saving, restoration, healing, sanctifying and completing-not you! And at the wrap up of time; He will have us put together, upright and whole. Feed and drink the glory of the true Gospel in today. Believe this wonderful Gospel for yourself today. He and Papa really do have everything handled. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33, LB Ron Ross

The Divine Exchange Rate

Can you indulge me a moment of what may seem to be a hyperbolas overstatement? Okay, here goes. You cannot exaggerate how critical your value is to Jesus. His Message hinges on you and me believing the Gospel for ourselves in every moment of every day! Apart from faithing, believing and trusting His Message we have no hope of truly knowing or sustaining our accurate value and worth.

Our value is not measured by our performance, intellect, position, titles or pedigree. Thank God it isn’t! Instead, our value is revealed in the exchange rate of our purchase! In Jesus Christ, Heavenly Father exchanged equivalent value to redeem us to himself.

Their act of redemption and reconciliation is the mandate of our worth and ministry. (The word, ‘katalasso’ translates as reconciliation; a mutual exchange of equal value.) That makes our value the same as Jesus’! Hold on, before you declare that statement of fact as blasphemous-remember that is God’s opinion and declaration.

“This is radical! No label that could possibly previously define someone carries any further significance! Even our pet doctrines of Christ are redefined. Whatever we knew about him historically or sentimentally is challenged by this conclusion. (By discovering Christ from God’s point of view we discover ourselves and every other human life from God’s point of view!)

In the light of your co-inclusion in his death and resurrection, whoever you thought you were before; in Christ you are a brand new person! The old ways of seeing yourself and everyone else are over. Acquaint yourself with the new!

(Jesus did not reveal a “potential” you, he revealed the truth about you so that you may know and believe the truth about yourself and be free indeed!)

Too now see everything as new is to simply see what God has always known in Christ; we are not debating man’s experience, opinion, or his contribution; this is 100% God’s belief and his doing. In Jesus Christ, God exchanged equivalent value to redeem us to himself.” (Again, the word ‘katalasso’ translates as reconciliation; a mutual exchange of equal value.)  2 Cor. 5:16-18, “The Mirror”

This is the divine exchange: he who knew no sin embraced our distortion. Even though He appeared to be without form; this was the mystery of God’s prophetic poetry. He was disguised in our distorted image, marred with our iniquities; he took our sorrows, our pain, and our shame to his grave and birthed his righteousness in us. He took our sins and we became his innocence.” 2 Cor. 5:21, “The Mirror” Just what is the exchange rate of our value to God? Isaiah hit the nail on the head of our genuine value.

Isaiah 52:10 The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. :14-15  Just as many were astonished at you—so was he marred in his appearance, more than any human, and his form beyond that of human semblance—so will he startle many nations. Kings will shut their mouths because of him; for what had not been told them they will see, and what they had not heard they will understand. 53:4-5 Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But surely he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was on him; and with his stripes we ourselves are healed.

 He was not bruised by God but by the very humanity he was about to redeem! Romans 8:30 Jesus reveals that man pre-existed in God; he defines us. He justified us and also glorified us. He redeemed our innocence and restored the glory we lost in Adam. The fundamental question is can you and I walk by faith in our redeemed innocence while we are feeling the sting, failure, shame and stain of our vain attempts at self-improvement?

Faith the Divine Exchange, Ron Ross

Developing a Prodigal Heart

What? Are you sure about that? How can our heart become ‘prodigal?’ It would help to define the word ‘prodigal.’ In the common street language of the first century, ‘prodigal’ is defined as “lavishly abundant” or “wastefully extravagant.” In the parable of Jesus (Luke 15:11-31) commonly referred to as “the prodigal son,” there are two prodigals-the son and the father. The only one in this parable that wasn’t ‘prodigal,’ is the elder brother.

Can you get your heart and mind wrapped around this story? The implications are huge. The story begins with a display of lavish love, extravagant giving, and even what appears to be wasteful abundance poured out on a selfish young son. Father was “lavishly abundant” and “wastefully extravagant” in granting his son’s request for his portion of the inheritance.

His son went to a far country and wasted everything he had. Can you identify with this young man? Broke, but not quite broken- he ended up in a pig pin, slopping the hogs. I certainly went through a pig pin stage. Starving and trying to get some of the pig slop; “he came to his senses.” God has many “ways” to get us back “to our senses” and on track with His heart.  They come in many forms; trials, shaking, and discipline. It is at this place of humility, that ‘godly sorrow’ empowers change. God’s grace provides the impetus to get back on track.

The longer Grace ages, the sweeter it gets. But, conversely-the longer a graceless person lives, the sourer they get. The pig pin develops a prodigal heart within. The following quote will shed some light on the prodigal heart.

“A crisis of life is like a building that has fallen upon a man. When you hear his voice from under the rubble; remember, He is not the fallen building…just clear away the rubble, and then you can see and bring healing to the man,” Alan Smith.

Developing a lavish and extravagant prodigal heart is an ongoing work of grace. Clearing away the rubble takes being in safe and loving relationships. After the rubble is cleared, the true heart (the lavish prodigal heart) can be seen. The building can crumble around us, but the healing process will continue. In the midst of ‘the rubble clearing process’ we see ‘Father’ running toward us, with His arms open wide, ready to put His robe and ring on us. And He reaches into the depths of our heart, making our heart whole and calling our hearts into lavish, extravagant abundance. I am convinced that a ‘prodigal heart’ can receive the Father’s heart and passion for every nation, tribe and tongue.

In the grip of Papa’s lavish and extravagant Grace, Ron Ross

The Lord says there is nothing you can do that would make Him love you more...and there is nothing you can do to make Him love you less...He loves you because...He loves you because...He loves you because...He loves you because...He loves you because...He loves you because...He loves you because...He loves you because; that is the way He is...it is His nature to love you and you will always be the beloved...

His love is unchanging...He loves you one hundred percent...He won't love you any better when you become better, He will still love you one hundred percent...because He loves you, because that is the way He is...and even if you don't want to change, He will still love you one hundred percent...even if you have no plans to walk with Him, He will still love you one hundred percent, because that is His nature. He loves you all the way, all the time.

HIS LOVE IS UNCHANGING!

What will change, says the Lord, is your ability to receive My love...and right now, I want to cram some more of that ability inside of you, so I challenge you, says the Lord, open your heart to Me, open your heart to Me, and you will receive more of My of My love than you have experienced before, I dare you, says the Lord, come on, open your heart to Me, give Me your heart, give Me whatever your obstacle is, I'll take it, I'll remove it out of the way, because I love you as you are right now, I love you one hundred percent as you are right this moment, I love you as you are...so be loved...you are the beloved, it is your job, says the Lord, to be loved outrageously.

It is why I chose you, that is why I set My love upon you, that you would live as one who is outrageously loved...that you would receive a radical love...so radical, it will blow all your paradigms of what you think love is...and know, says the Lord, I will love you all the days of your life, because I don't know how to be any different-this is who I am. This is who I will always be-this is the I AM that I promised you!

I am He that loves you outrageously and you may love Me back with the love that I give you-you may love Me back with the outrageous love that I bestow upon you-and know this, says the Lord, you can only love Me as much as you love yourself...so My love comes right now to set you free from yourself, to set you free from the smallness of your own thinking about yourself, My love comes to set you free from rejection, and from shame, and from low self-esteem, and from despair, and from abuse...because when I look at you, I see someone that I love, I see someone that I can love outrageously...

And I have so much to bestow upon you, so much to give you, so many places to take you in My heart, but, you can't go there unless you allow Me to love you, and My love for you will break every barrier, bring every wall crashing down, and know this, says the Lord, My love damages fear, My love hates fear, My love will fight fear, I will fight fear within you, I will fight fear around you, and if you have fear right now, says the Lord, than know you have a treat in store...because My perfect love casts out all fear. There is no fear where I Am present, because My love casts out fear.

Beloved, you are My beloved, you are My beloved, and in My love, I want you to feel good about yourself...

Prophetic word given through Graham Cooke on 'The Awakening' CD by Jonathan Helser.

"Teacher, which command in God's Law is the most important? Jesus said, Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence. This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: Love others as you love yourself. These two commands are pegs; everything in God's Law and the Prophets hangs from them."
Matthew 22:36-40, The Message.

In the Grip of Papa's Gracious, Extravagant Love-Ron Ross