...Their Eyes Were Opened...

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Today I thought I would write a short word of encouragement on the Lords Supper. When I read this I was pleasantly surprised at the beauty of it. So let us take a look at Luke for a minute

Luke 22:19 “And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.””

Yes this is only a part of the communion process. We know that Jesus also did the same with the cup. But just as He gave this for us to remember Him and what He did for us. I believe that there is another side to this as well. Let us look after Jesus raised Himself from the dead.

Luke 24:13, 15-16, 27, 29-31 “now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem…So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him… And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself…But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them. Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.”

When Jesus gave the bread to His disciples He told them to eat it in remembrance of Him. Then we see a few days later He did the same thing with the bread and their eyes were opened and they knew Him. What a great thing we have in Jesus. When you (we) take communion next let us do it in remembrance of Him, but let us also pray that He will open our eyes to all of His scriptures. That He would revile to us a new mystery to us. That our knowledge of Jesus would be increased. There is much more to communion then just eating bread and drinking a drink. Jesus wants to meet with us. He wants to dine with us. So lay down all you worries and carries and ask our savior Jesus to dine with us and to open our eyes too.

Your Brother in Christ

Nate Cook

Setting Captives Free Team Member

A Call to the Dead

Today I want to sent you a word of encouragement. One that calls us out of our sins and into the light of Christ. As I was doing my daily feasting the Lord brought me to Eph 5:14 “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light” As I read this my spirit was stirred in me. so today let us examine this verse a little bit deeper.

To start I want you to read Eph 5:14 out of the Message version “Wake up from your sleep, Climb out of your coffins; Christ will show you the light!” what a great picture this is drawing. Jesus is calling us out of our sleep, and to climb out of our coffins (to be raised from the dead), and He will show us the light!...

Now let us look at this again in the NKJV “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light” when I got this verse early in the week I asked the Lord if there was anything to go with it. He didn’t speak and add anything to this verse. So I just prayed it over my life. I asked Jesus to awaken me out of my sleep, and to call me from the dead, and to show me His light. It was only yesterday that Jesus spoke more on this scripture.

First I looked up the different words in Strong’s…. I will rewrite the verse using the Strong’s definitions, and the Message version.

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Awake (with a cause to be born), you who sleep (yielding and slothful in sin, indifferent to your own salvation) Arise from the dead, and climb out of your coffins (prepare yourselves for a journey, for a life once in destitution, but now recognizes and is devoted to God, because you at one time were given up to trespasses and sins), and Christ will show you the light (Christ will pour upon you the divine truth, as the sun gives light to men aroused from sleep)

What a great hope we have in Jesus! He calls us out of our deadness just like He did in Luke 7:14-15a “Then He (Jesus) came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said ‘Young man, I say to you arise.’ So he who was dead sat up and began to speak…” and in John 11:43-44a “Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice ‘Lazarus come forth!’ and he who had died came out…” Brothers, Jesus has and is calling you to arise out of your dead state. You are on your journey to freedom, and that first requires our savior to call us (which He already has). Then and only then are we able to act on that calling, we are to “climb out of our coffins” and devote our lives to Jesus.

Please consider this in Luke 9:23-24 “23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.” We must first die. We must come to a point where we no longer have the desire to live in our sins, and to a point where we know we need saving. That is where Jesus tell us to die to our flesh daily, that we may be raised (by Jesus) from our dead state, and made a live in Him!... yes it is a scary thing to die to yourselves, for fear of death is normal if your hope and strength is in yourself. But, if your hope and faith is in Jesus you know that His word is truth, living and powerful, therefore He will come to your death and call out to you “_____(your name) Come forth, arise from the dead!” Our lives are not to be lived for ourselves, but to be lived for Him. Put away all your cares and worries, for Jesus will give you new life! Just as Jesus rose from the dead, so will he raise you from the dead. Let your life be so changed, that when people come and seek you they will find not find “you” but will find an empty tomb. Luke 24:5b-6a “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!”

Now is this process easy? No! Will we be tempted? YES! So what do we do? We pray! Look at these verses:

Luke 22:40b, 46b “…Pray that you may not enter into temptation…Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”

1 Thess 5:6 “Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.”

1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

In your dead state the devil will keep you oppressed! He will keep you in darkness. That is what we call bondage. Brothers are we not all familiar with bondage? we know how devastating and how miserable being bound to sexual sins can be. For our sins (and the devil) is never satisfied. So when Jesus comes to you and calls you out of your tombs, and you climb out of your coffins and brings you into His wonderful light, the devil is and will be out on the prowl. It is for this reason that Jesus commanded us to “watch and pray lest we enter into temptation.” let us pray and seek Jesus, let us “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.(Rom 13:14)” for in Jesus we have a hope of rescue out of our temptations. Heb 2:18 “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” And Heb 4:15 “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” then look at 1 Tim 2:5 “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,” which He enables us to fulfill these scriptures in Heb 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” & Heb 10:19 “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,”

Brothers, Jesus has called you from the dead. He has called out into a new life in Him. Then He tells us to pray! He tells us to seek Him with all our hearts, for He knows that our flesh is weak, and that our first nature is to sin and live in death. But this is not the life He desires for you. He desires a life of fullness as one with each other (you and Him as one). Do not be afraid of the devil or the life of bondage that you are in. Jesus is calling out to you! ARISE! COME OUT OF YOUR COFFIN! Leave your old life behind and walk in the newness of life in Jesus!

Your Brother in Christ

Nate Cook

Setting Captives Free Team Member

Go Overboard

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As you know I am Mentor with Setting Captives Free ministries. While mentoring there is a lot of blessings that come from it. so I want to share with you something that one of my students wrote during lesson 40. As I read what he wrote it really blessed me and spoke to me. as I prayed for this student the Lord gave me scripture to go with it. 

Here is the devotional that i sent my students from being blessed. So lets take a look:

The Student said “If I didn't give myself totally to Jesus Christ, I'd still be worshiping the idols of pornography, lust, and self gratification. A friend of mine said to me yesterday, "You've become too radical! You've stopped playing video games and doing everything you used to do, I just don't want you to relapse and go crazy again. You've just become too radical, I don't like it... Your smile to much now." My reply was simple lol. I laughed and said, "Didn't the disciples give up everything they loved to follow Jesus? I don't think I've become radical enough. I smile now because I am happy and I can't not be happy knowing what I know now." Praise Jesus for the work in me. He is making me radical!!!”

As I was praying for this student and thanking Jesus for his words and encouragement and these words popped in my head “his friend thinks he is going overboard.” And that is when the Holy Spirit started speaking to me. look at this verse:

Mat 14:27-29 “But immediately Jesus spoke to them saying “be of good cheer! It is I do not be afraid.” And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord if it is You command me to come to you on the water. So He (Jesus) said “come” and when Peter had come down out of the boat he walked on the water to go to Jesus.”

Is that radical or what? The disciples are out at sea being tossed to and fro by the waves and Jesus shows up out of nowhere and commands Peter to get of the safe little boat and walk on water with Him. Isn’t this like us? Isn’t this like our fight for purity? Sometimes we are at sea being tossed to and fro by our enemy, and we don’t know how to brake free. we feel like we are going to die in the journey to the other side (freedom). it seems like we have tried everything to save ourselves. Just like I am sure that the disciples tired everything to keep the ship stable and under control. Then out of nowhere our savior Jesus comes and commands us to do something radical. He commands us to go “overboard!” …. Again we see out of this that we must be active in our fight for freedom. we must be radical in our pursuit for purity…. So again I ask you what in your life to do you need to be radical with? Is it confession, amputation, appropriation, accountability, and/or humility, etc….???

Now if we keep going in Matthew 14:30-31 “But when he (Peter) saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out saying “Lord, save me!” and immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him (and said) “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” and when they got into the boat the wind ceased.”

Look at Peter’s example. He was radical. He went overboard to meet Jesus. He was obedient to Jesus’ command to “Come.” Brothers Jesus is calling you to “come” overboard and to be radical in your obedience and pursuit of Him… now look when Peter was afraid, his first reaction was “Lord, save me!” and what did Jesus do? He “immediately” saved him. Brothers as you begin to go overboard and be radical in your obedience to Jesus you may feel “fear” but let your first reaction be “Lord save me!” and Jesus will rescue you out of you fears and out of your bondage.

Finally what did Jesus say to Peter when they got to the boat? “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” we could spend all day looking at this scripture, but for today I want to focus on the faith part. I am reminded of James 2:18 “But some will say “you have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith without your work, and I will show you my faith by my works.” Paul is simply saying that we will show are faith through our works. Brothers right now we are in a fight for purity, and our works of obedience to Jesus must be radical, we must go overbroad. Faith and works (actions,.. radically amputate, accountability etc…) go hand in hand…. We started today off with Mat 14:27 when Jesus said “be of good cheer! It is I do not be afraid.” Don’t be afraid to obey Jesus when He tells us “come,” come overboard.

Your Brother in Christ

Nate Cook

Setting Captives Free Team Member 

Back to the Grinder (sharpen your Sword) #2

Today I was reading in Titus, when I came across something I thought was quite interesting. So let’s take a look at it.

Titus 3:8-11 “8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men9 But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition,11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.”

And again in out of the messages version

“8 You can count on this. 
I want you to put your foot down. Take a firm stand on these matters so that those who have put their trust in God will concentrate on the essentials that are good for everyone.9 Stay away from mindless, pointless quarreling over genealogies and fine print in the law code. That gets you nowhere.10 Warn a quarrelsome person once or twice, but then be done with him.11 It’s obvious that such a person is out of line, rebellious against God. By persisting in divisiveness he cuts himself off.”

God wants us to be able to do good works. In fact He wants to be careful and maintain good works. (this may mean you and I scrubbing toilets at the church for the next month, or taking a turn in the nursery) He wants us to keep up these good works. Though I have found (when working with people) that there are those times with “those” people that there grows foolish disputes. Or am I the only one who has noticed? Maybe in am the only one who has had a floolish dispute about the things of God. Though at the time I am “sure” it was not foolish…. Either way the word of God says that we must avoid these. Meaning when and we find ourselves in these discussions we must make it appoint to avoid foolish disputes about the things of God. Now don’t get me wrong there are times we must boldly rebuke someone (2 Tim 3:16, Titus 1:9, 2:15). This we must not be afraid to do! (making sure we use the word to do it!)

So lets say that we are making every effort avoid these empty foolish disputes, and someone keeps bringing it up again and again. Or if you resolve the matter and that person brings something else up to argue about. What are we suppose to do? (this is what I found interesting) we are to “be done with them.” We are to stop talking with that person, stop hanging out with that person, we are to cut them off. We give them two rebukes with the word and if they still insist on being argumentative then we cut them off!

So you think I may be a little haste in writing this? Or you may think I may be a little out of line? Well let us take a look at a few more verses that point to the same idea.

2 Tim 2:16

NKJV “16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. 17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.”

Message “16 Stay clear of pious talk that is only talk. Words are not mere words, you know. If they’re not backed by a godly life,17 they accumulate as poison in the soul. Hymenaeus and Philetus are examples,18 throwing believers off stride and missing the truth by a mile by saying the resurrection is over and done with.”    

We see that idle babblings leads to more ungodliness. And will spread like cancer in the body of Christ. This will inevitably affect the faith of some. (maybe your own). It is for this reason that God does not want us to argue over foolish things. These idle words will cause more ungodliness in the body of Christ and will cause some to stumble in their faith (maybe you!)

1 Tim 6:20-21

“20 O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge—

21 by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. 
Grace be with you. Amen.”

Again we see a warning to “guard” ourselves against these things. For they will cause us to stumble in our faith. It is for this reason that we must CUT those who will not repent of this out of our lives. And if you are the one causing the strife I pray that you find your knees very soon. As you could be the one who causes a brother to stumble out of the faith. His blood is on your hands.

2 Thess 3:6

“6 But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.”

In keeping step with what we have been talking about those that argue over little things and continue in idle babblings those are the ones who are disorderly. They are the ones that we must cut out of our lives. And be far from. For they do not walk in line with the word of God. So again let us “withdraw” ourselves from them.

1 Thess 4:11-12

“11 that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, 12 that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing”

This one speaks for itself. Do not be a busybody (1Peter 4:15) .

I did not intend for this to come off like I am bashing people in the body. But there are those that we are told to stay away from. We are to first give them two warnings (according to the word) then we are to cut them off.  Let us to the things necessary to grow in Christ, and to grow the body. If we are to walk in freedom and power in Jesus we must adhere to the whole word of God.

Be blessed and may you walk in freedom

An Anchor of the Soul

Heb 6:13-20

“13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.16 For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. 17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil,20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek”

It took me a minute to get this. I had to sit down and wait on God to bring clarity. But when He did man was it good. Let me just share with you the amazing word I received from God.

Verse 13 we see that God made a promise to Abraham. Well has not God also made a promise to us (those in bondage of sin…. That would be every one walking on earth) Isaiah 61:1-3. “….to proclaim liberty to the captives….” This is the promise we have in Jesus. It is Him that brings us our freedom. This has been given to us my God Himself. Again a promise we have in Him. You will be freee!

Verse 14, as we learn to walk in freedom it is not easy, and it is not something that feels good at first. It hurts and is very uncomfortable.  This is because our old man is dyeing and we are being born again into Christ Jesus. Therefore “after we have patiently endured” the pain of dyeing and being born again we will obtain the promise we have in Jesus. That is FREEDOM! Freedom from our bondage. Freedom to live and breath in Christ. Freedom…….etc…….

Verse 17-18, God wants to show us His heirs (heirs of Christ) more abundantly the promise of His unchangeable counsel. His unchanged able word. God’s word will never change, God will never change, so the promise we have in Him will never change! We will walk in lasting freedom! For it is “impossible for God to lie!” this is our “strong counsel,” this is our hope that we lay hold of.”

Verse 19, the unchangeable counsel of God, the promise that Jesus brings freedom, and knowing that God cannot lie is the anchor of our souls. It is sure and steadfast. It is through this hope that we enter the holy of holies. It is through this hope that we are able to come to Jesus and sit at His feet. It is this hope that enables us to walk in Heb 4:16 “16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

If you are hurting and in need of some Jesus don’t let the lie of the enemy stop you from going to the thrown room of God and obtaining mercy and grace from Him. And be blessed that our God is unchanging and He has already given us a way out (Heb 2:18). Our way out is JESUS CHRIST!!!!!

Be blessed and may you walk in freedom

Receive the Implanted Word

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James 1:21 “therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness , and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”

Is there any need to write on this? It goes so perfectly with yesterdays writing (1 Peter 1:1-3). Just as you desire the pure word of God to grow in the fullness of Him, so desire it because it is able to save your souls! The word of God is living and powerful.

Yesterday we were told to lay aside “all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking” and today we are told to lay aside “all filthiness, and overflow of wickedness.” These things, these sins (even if yours is not listed here) are a hindrance in us receiving the word of God. When I walked in porn I understanding of the word was off a little bit. Though I could read and “get” stuff my prideful actions of not laying aside my sin prevented me from receiving the word with meekness. If I could not receive it then how could it “save my soul?” it couldn’t! once I found myself in complete brokenness, a place of repentance and humility, I found the saving grace of Jesus. It was then that I started coming to the word of God having “laid aside all my filthiness, and overflow of wickedness.”  And it was then that I found the word of God desirable and able to save my soul.

So fellow believers let me encourage you to seek the word of God like a new born babe. But let me also encourage you to lay aside (put away, radically amputate) all you sins, and overflow of wickedness. There is freedom in Jesus. By His strips we are headed.

Be blessed and walk in freedom 

Let's Get Some Milk

1 Peter 2:1-3

“Therefore laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes desire the pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. “

Let us come to the well of life today and let is drink from it. Let is seek the pure word of God today. My I encourage you today to fill yourself with the pure word of God. If you are in a bible study that teaches out of a book ,  if you are watching a DVD study, or  just getting a word on a Sunday from the preacher,  let me spur you on to open your bible today to get the “pure word.” Get it unfiltered and unhindered by someone else’s thoughts, or preconceived notions. Fill yourself with the pureness that can only come from the bible itself.  

Let us lay aside everything that may hinder us from getting into the word of God. “all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and evil speaking” only to list a few.  Let us come as one who cannot survive with the pure word of God. Let this be our food for the day. Let us eat and get fat on the word. Let us eat to the overflow. As you find the goodness in God’s word today please share it with those that are around you. I would love it if you shared it with me. Let us spur each other on in the fight of our lives.

Be blessed and may you walk in freedom