Watchdogs and Hate Blogs

February 2014 was a whirlwind of travel.  One stop was Gastonia, NC where Keeli and I spoke at the Grace Upon Grace conference.  I began by reading a quote from John Crowder.  This quote is one of the most detoxing, myth busting, religious attitude killers I’ve ever heard.  So often, believers observe and mimic the patterns and habits of leaders in the church.  But the wonderful thing about maturing as a believer is that we don’t have to stick with those bad habits.  There is grace to move on and come to a fuller understanding of Jesus Christ’s finished work and your inclusion in that work. In today’s world of social media, skewed facts, hasty conclusions, and brutal attacks are prevalent.  In fact, one would conclude that most believers feel more called to be a watchdog or whistle-blower than a minister of the Gospel.  It’s a tendency developed by self-righteous living.  True discernment is not publicly calling out the faults of others, nor is it a gift to be abused by self-exaltation.  Discernment is a gift, like every gift, that should be operated from a place of love.

With that said, don’t be quick to get on a bandwagon of divisiveness, hate, slander, or libel towards other brothers and sisters in Christ because their church has activity you may not be familiar with, teaching you don’t agree with (or completely understand), or trends that are foreign.  I implore you: do not jump to conclusions without understanding the context.  Any “watchdog” can create a blog and spout off hate, create division, and be an instrument of confusion to the church and the world.  Nasty blogs tend to bind rather than create an allowance to enjoy God’s grace and freedom.

After speaking, Keeli and I teamed up with our friends, BJ and Lisa Sullivan, and had an opportunity to pray with an array of people.  It was one of the best times of prophetic ministry we have ever had.  The message of grace tends to free people from the idea that something else must be done in addition to Jesus' finished work.  The requests weren’t weird, strange, or off the wall.  The requests for prayer were real and honest.  No super spiritual conspiracy theories or deliverance from the yabba-dabba-doo spirit of Beebop and Rocksteady (Ninja Turtle reference!).  The Holy Spirit did amazing things, called people back to a place where they were fulfilling their call, began restoring marriages, and speaking His language of love to them.

This is the moment you’ve been waiting for.  The quote that I read from John Crowder’s video “A New Language”.  May the words bring a newfound freedom into your life.

• I am not pressing in anymore.  I’ve been pressed into.
• I’m not contending anymore.  I’ve been contended for.
• I’m not a God chaser anymore.  He moves way too fast.  He chased me down, roped and hog-tied me, bagged and dragged me.
• I’m not seeking God anymore.  He found me.
• I’m not even drawing close to God.  We’re not getting closer.  We are in union.  We are Siamese twins.
• You will never hear me say anything about overcoming the flesh.  The fleshly nature was circumcised away.
• You will never hear me say anything about killing the old man.  The old man has been co-crucified with Christ.
• Some people say, “You’re only human.” I’m not.  I’m a new creation.
• Some people say, “Well, nobody’s perfect.” I am.  Unless you think Christ was incompetent on the cross.
• Some people say, “Well, we’re all sinners.” What Bible verse is that?  As a matter of fact, John says if you continue in sin, you’re a child of the devil.
• I don’t talk about dry times.  I don’t talk about dark nights of the soul.  I’m done with dessert theology.
• I’m not asking Him to purify my heart.  He gave me a new one.
• I’m not asking Him to open the heavens.  The veil of His flesh was torn and all of heaven was open with it.
• I’m not asking Him to take me into the holy of holies.  That’s where I’m seated right now.
• I don’t pump people up into intercession.  I think He’s done an adequate job of it.
• I don’t pump people up into fasting.  He fasted so that I could feast.
• I don’t pump people up into godly sorrow.  He was a man of sorrow so we could be a people of joy.
• I don’t overemphasize confession.  It’s just admitting your sins to see that they’re already forgiven.
• I don’t overemphasize my faith.  It’s His faith that saved me.
• I don’t overemphasize repentance.  It’s a fruit of salvation, not the price tag to buy it.
• I don’t talk about insiders or outsiders.  I don’t talk about saved or unsaved.  I don’t talk about good or evil.  I don’t talk about yin and yang.  I don’t talk about good cop-bad cop.  I’m just talking about Jesus and His inclusion of all humanity on the cross.  And I don’t talk about forgiven or unforgiven.  The only distinction is believer or unbeliever.  The Gospel changes everything… The scandal of grace.

To watch the entire video, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e25DSxQcp7Q

Jonathan Fawcett

Image

Image: a physical likeness or representation of a person. A little girl twirls, dances, dresses up and takes care of her baby dolls.  She runs to the mirror as soon as she puts her tutu and hat on to see how beautiful she is.  In that moment the reflection she sees is not simply her but Jesus in her.  Childlike faith allows the little girl to see the beauty in her eyes and how she was so perfectly made.  As time goes on we so easily forget those reflections we once saw and we begin the search for imperfections in our own life.  The mirror once brought joy but as time goes by we so often allow the mirror to pinpoint the frizz in our hair or the blemish on our chin.

This way of life is contradictory to the heart of Jesus.  The more time we spend with someone the more we replicate them.  Watch a teenage girl find a new group of friends in middle school and in no time you will notice her buying the same brands and wearing the same makeup as her “best” friends.  It is a natural development that we take on the look and personality of those around us.

There is no question that Anneli is mine and Jonathan’s little girl.  Not only does she look like us but she acts like us.  Her dad plays the guitar so she plays the guitar.  Her dad loves chocolate so she loves chocolate.  Her dad hangs his sunglasses on the collar of his shirt so she hangs her sunglasses on her shirt.  The examples go on and on.  She spends time with us therefore she is like us.

Being made in God’s image not only means that we look like Him but we also act like Him.  There is no denying that we are Anneli’s parents and there should be no denying that we are God’s children.

I believe when the enemy looks at us he sees Jesus because we were made in His image.  We may not have the same skin color or hair color as Jesus but we are a representation of Him on earth.

Anneli has been saturated in the practice of God’s presence.  When we pray, she folds her hands.  If we ask her if she wants to pray, she never says, “No.” If she needs prayer, she will grab one of our hands and put it on her head.  When we worship, she worships.  When music plays, she lifts her hands and dances.  When someone sings, she sings.  When someone plays an instrument, she wants her little uke to play with them.  When someone needs healing, she will pray for them and they get well.  Your ministry is your family.  Your mission field is your address.  What happens behind the walls of your home will change the lives of countless people outside of your home through your children.  Your love is not a face you put on for your church gatherings.  It is a genuine manifestation that thrives and overflows from family.  Before you show the image of God to the nations, be like Jesus in your living room.

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” --Genesis 1:26-28, NIV

-Keeli & Jonathan Fawcett

Jesus in the Nail Salon

What girl doesn't love to be pampered?  Having your nails done or a good hair cut just gives you an extra pep in your step.  However, there is a small problem.  These things cost and, sometimes, are not so cheap.  I debated on whether or not to have my nails done a couple months ago.  I could have sent money to support an orphan or help a friend in ministry.  That was literally my thought process.

I ended up deciding to treat myself while Anneli stayed at home with her dad.  As soon as I sat down in the nail salon, there was a lady in the chair directly beside me.  Instantly, she shared with me that it was her 46th birthday.  She was so excited to have her nails done as a special birthday treat!  In no time, she was sharing with me about her life and the health issues she had gone through over the past year.  Her story was heartbreaking.  I was thankful I was there to pay for her nails as a birthday gift.  More than that, I was thankful I had the opportunity to share with her about Jesus.  She was not sure if she would go to heaven.  Her first reason for not being born again was that she had smoked for years.  I told her that God loved her no matter what she did.  He is Love.  After paying for our nails, I had the opportunity to sit with her at a bench in the mall and lead her to the Lord.  As she walked off she said, "Now that was fun!"

She received the best birthday gift of all.  She knows that she will be with Jesus forever!

I haven't had my nails done since, but maybe I should go more often!  No matter where you go, Jesus is there.  He loves for us to enjoy things.  As much as we want to give gifts to our children and make them happy, God's desire to make us happy is even greater.  Enjoy life in abundance!

-Keeli Fawcett

Lessons From Santa

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… The Christmas season is always the most exciting, joyous time of the year to me.  I love everything from the cheesy Christmas movies to baking Christmas cookies.  I grew up with parents who thrive during Christmas.  Their house always looked like Macy’s with all the elaborate decorations.  Anneli’s favorite decoration has been the bigger than life size snowman on Papaw and Gammy’s porch.  As soon as we turn into their driveway, she screams, “MAN!” (Snowman). However, one of the most controversial parts of Christmas is Santa… but I know that he is real!

A few weeks ago, Jonathan, Anneli, and I went with my parents to see the play Twas the night before Christmas.  It was during that play that I realized just how good Santa is.  When things seemed impossible, he came through.  Why is it that we can spend part of the year teaching our children about a man named Santa who brings them good gifts and anticipate his arrival yet much of the church teaches every week that there is a man named Jesus who died whom we must suffer as a sacrifice for to bring Him glory?  The church has been teaching that if Jesus wills He will bring healing, deliverance, blessing (which, to many, is a 50/50 chance dependent on your good behavior rather than His grace and finished work).  According to many church teachings, Santa sounds way better than Jesus.

The truth is, God is a good God.  If our children can understand that the heart of giving and Santa is not based on what we do or not do we can truly receive every good and perfect gift the Lord has set before us.  Jesus made the perfect sacrifice once and for all on the cross.   His will is always for you to be healed and blessed.  He is the king of kings who is alive and well today.  As a believer, He is our Daddy and we have a magnificent inheritance that is for us to receive right now.  When the disciples asked how to pray, Jesus’ response was, “on earth as it is in heaven.”  Will we see lack, depression and sickness in heaven?  No.  So let it be known that unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

I pray this Christmas season, you realize you no longer have to run after God but He has already chased you down.  He has more gifts than you could ever imagine receiving.  He loves you because He loves you.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,

Keeli Fawcett

Crumbs From the Table

"Jonathan! You've got to pray for Phoebe! She can't walk. Can you visit my office to pray for Phoebe?" Obviously, my first question: who is Phoebe? This poor, old woman must be in so much pain, frustration, and depressed. Well, maybe... if Phoebe was a woman. Phoebe just so happened to be this man's dog. This friend runs a local golf business and told me Phoebe would be waiting in his office. I agreed to pray for his pup. He told me he would not be there at the time I was available but to go on in and pray for Phoebe's healing.

I pulled into the parking lot and walked through the door to be greeted by the employees who were also college students. I felt embarrassed by what I was about to say. "I'm here to see Phoebe." Obviously, I was no veterinarian. They pointed the way to my friend's office. Phoebe was there next to the desk. Lying down with a funny contraption (perhaps a dog diaper?) around her two hind legs. I didn't want to close the door but I also didn't want to pray too loud. So I just started petting Phoebe's head and began (silently) speaking affectionately the way many humans do to their dogs.

I prayed over that dog, hoping none of the college students would hear me. I told Phoebe that we have been reconciled back to Father God and back to the garden where mankind had dominion over animals. If we expect to see people healed, we better believe for animals to be healed too.

I stood up and began walking out. Phoebe tagged behind me towards the door. "No Phoebe. You must stay in the office." After my rebuke to this elderly dog, I quickly returned to my car and drove off. Moments later, I received a phone call.

"Jonathan! Phoebe is walking! It worked!" I inquired further to discover that I had totally ignored the fact that this crippled dog was walking. It tried to follow me out the office door and I, in an attempt to spare further embarrassment of being compared to a spiritual dog whisperer, neglected to celebrate a miracle. Sickness and pain is such a disgusting, abominable thing to the Lord that He was even willing to heal the dog. You are not a dog. You are a child of God. How much more will He do for you?

Phoebe lived another year and a half after she was healed. If a dog can experience the tangible healing power of Jesus Christ, shouldn't everyone?

-Jonathan Fawcett

Bathroom Breakthrough: Puppets Can't Subdue Tyranny... You Can

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKyU17b4DbQ&w=640&h=360] There is a term that is used loosely and innocently by many in the church.  The intentions of this phrase is good but it slightly misrepresents the truth of who God is, who we are, and the state of the world.  In fact, most believers, at some point in their life are guilty of saying it at some point or another.  It is a phrase used to bring comfort and assists in the justification of why bad things happen.  However, one must understand that God's will is not everything that happens and everything that happens is not God's will.  The phrase I am referring to is: God is in control.

When God made Adam and Eve, He did not create puppets.  God is not a puppet on a string.  Therefore, He could not truly create anyone in His image if they were under control.  Instead, He gave dominion to mankind (Genesis 1:26-28).  Psalms 115:16 states that the heavens belong to the Lord but the earth He has given to man.  But we do not have control over the earth.  We simply have what Jesus gave: authority.

There is a major difference between authority and control.  If God is in control, why is there racism?  Why is there war or terror?  Why is there murder and rape?  Why is there human trafficking?  Why are there natural disasters wiping out entire cities?  Why is anybody sick?  God is either in control and mad, or we are co-heirs and seated in heavenly realms with Him operating in His authority, and He is madly in love with the entire world.

I Timothy 2:4 and II Peter 3:9 tell us that it is God's will that all be saved and come to the knowledge of salvation.  The entire world was chosen, elected, and predestined to be in Christ.  However, we know that many reject His love and the knowledge of His salvation.  It still does not remove their inclusion in the finished work of the cross or mean that they were chosen by God not to be saved.  It just means they simply choose to reject.

When we walk in the authority of Christ, sickness becomes extinct, solutions come easy, divine inspiration and creativity change nations for good, poverty becomes a thing of the past, the hungry are fed, the lonely are loved, and the orphans and widows are taken good care of.  Heaven on earth is a utopia.  We can know God's will when we look at Jesus.  We can see what isn't God's will when we look at the absence of His authority.  But now, there is no absence of authority for the believer whose goal is God's kingdom on earth.

Jonathan Fawcett

Bathroom Breakthrough: I Like Big Buts

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY3ZGckmtt8]That's right!  Big buts!  When millions stop short with I Corinthians 2:9, Paul was bold enough in verse 10 to say, "But God".  That is a very big but and utterly destroys every excuse for not understanding the mysteries of God.  Jesus has revealed the mysteries of the universe by His Holy Spirit.  The beauty in hearing God's voice is that it requires us to be teachable.  It took time for me to arrive to the realization that Christ already accomplished what I was trying to in my own efforts.  To quote two statuses from this past week's Facebook activity:

"Who is guilty of using the phrase "standing in the gap"? I'm raising my hand. NEWSFLASH: There is no gap! Jesus is closer to you than you are to you. Gap: closed. Old Covenant vernacular: over. When we remain teachable, the Good News continues to get better and better because we can look back on the silly things we once believed and be glad that Jesus didn't keep a secret. Only people can take the upfront truth of God's grace and twist it to require more of our effort. With that said, if we continue to believe in our striving, the only gap remaining is the one between our ears and the one where our teeth get knocked out by the self-inflicted beating that accompanies religion."

And...

"Repent of your constant repentance! Even though the platform of some ministries is to get people to repent, the question is- of what?! The word "repent" means to change your mind. When you received the mind of Christ, your days of crying out in repentance were over!"

In other words, because of your union with Christ, you now have the mind of Christ.  His thoughts have become your thoughts and His ways have become your ways.  The mind of Christ does not need to be changed.  We are continually being made in the image of God.  We already are!  Your moments of denial are just the nature of the old, dead, zombie - the person you once were who was co-crucified, co-buried, and c0-raised.  You deserved hell and death.  But God... He made you a new creature - one that can never be separated from Him.  That old, sick, crippled zombie stayed buried.  The new you was raised in perfect union with Christ.

Don't let repentance and ritualistic religion (no matter how charismatic it might seem) keep you from experiencing the freedom of the rest that accompanies His grace.

Jonathan Fawcett

Bathroom Breakthrough: Jesus the... Adulterer?

We are in perfect union with Jesus, as a wife is in union with her husband.  Jesus set very high standards for His bride.  In John 14:12, Jesus said that whoever has faith in Him will do the works He has done and even greater.  Translation: All things are possible.  Reality bends its knee to the name and authority of Jesus.  As a believer, you carry His authority and have taken on the name of Christ, just as a bride takes on the name of her groom.  It was Jesus’ will for His bride to have dominion on the earth and subdue evil.  Then why is the church quick to blame God for something bad?  Matthew 12 is a beautiful picture of Jesus clearly telling the religious folks that He is not operating with or under the influence of the devil.  In retrospect, the devil is also not under the influence of Jesus. The devil is in an nonredeemable rebellion against God.  When we are under the influence, we are full of life, love, joy and the fruit of the Spirit.  The devil has no life, love, joy, or any fruit of the Spirit.  The enemy came to kill, steal, and destroy.  He is a defeated foe.  We have Christ in us… the hope of glory!  Heaven would be bankrupt of glory if we needed anymore.  We have the fullness of God within us.  We do not have a portion of the Holy Spirit.  Even Jesus said that God gives the Spirit without limit.  His goodness and glory fills us.  There is none to spare for the devil.

With that being said, Jesus does not use the devil to accomplish something intended for His bride.  A husband seeking sex apart from his wife with a prostitute is still fulfilling his desire for sex but it makes him an adulterer.  That husband’s desire, as pure as it may have been, becomes tainted in its satisfaction outside of marriage.  Jesus doesn’t seek to fulfill His will and desires through someone outside of His bride.  Jesus and the devil are not having a secret love affair behind our backs.  When the church awakens to this, we will stop blaming God for “using” sickness, pain, disease, poverty, natural disasters, and a life of hard knocks to bring Himself glory.  Remember, in John 9, Jesus said the man was born blind to bring glory to God.  If the glory was in the man’s blindness, then Jesus brought an abrupt and swift end to God’s glory.  But He didn’t!  Glory was not in the handicap but in the healing.  Jesus heals the man of blindness.  He works all things together for good.  All things include some bad things.  He turns bad situations around in confident triumph over our defeated foe.

In conclusion, God doesn’t bring storms, make people sick, or humble you through bad situations. He loves you faithfully.

“If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.” –2 Timothy 2:13, NLT

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzX0jIS-zro?rel=0]

Jonathan Fawcett

Bathroom Breakthrough: The Blame Game

God is good, the devil is bad (and a defeated foe).  Simple?  Not for many in the church.  Though it may seem like common sense, it's often a perspective that is warped by repetitive garbage that we hear, see, and experience.  Have you ever sung, "You give and take away," on a Sunday morning?  The New Living Translation says that Job takes back everything he said (Job 42:5-6), including the line responsible for the bridge of that song.  John the Baptist made an accurate claim of Jesus taking away: “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29, NIV) Jesus never blessed a storm.  He never turned someone away from receiving healing.  He didn't teach people a lesson by making them sick.  Enough with the blame game!  Detox, watch, and share:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuXlTjdte3A]

Jonathan Fawcett

Bathroom Breakthrough: The Unchanging God-Man: Jesus

With tornadoes and death ensuing in an onslaught of torrential storms, many voices begin sounding in their attempts to justify why God "allowed" this to happen.  Isn't God "in control"?  It's the common phrase heard by Christians around the globe.  Jonathan tackles this issue by focusing on a simple Truth: Jesus.  He is the unchanging God-Man who perfectly demonstrated "Your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" better than anybody else in history.  He is the blueprint for life and heaven.  He embodies truth, grace and love.  If we look at His patterns, we will discover that Jesus had no stomach for religion, unbelief, and condemnation.  Here's food for thought: If Jesus uses the devil to accomplish His will in the earth, does that make Him an adulterer for using someone besides His bride to accomplish what she is supposed to carry out?  The devil is not a co-heir with Christ.  We are.  Watch this and other Bathroom Breakthroughs at www.youtube.com/somethingmoreinc.  Help a friend detox from poisonous thinking and SHARE this with them from our Facebook page.[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5HvP5uvaZA?rel=0]

Bathroom Breakthrough: Dismounting the High Horse of Religion

Bathroom Breakthrough is a detox and Body cleanse from religion and spiritual hygiene while viewers take a few moments to take care of business in the throne room where physical hygiene is performed.  In a culture where cell phone carriers pack their mobile devices for latrine duty, these short videos give an opportunity to alleviate themselves from nasty ole religion and the spicy food from the night before.  Use the john and wash up under the faucet while Jonathan Fawcett debunks the myths and unhealthy thinking brought on by that old time religion.  Subscribe to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/somethingmoreinc. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DidN4CWTXiU?rel=0]