Growing up, my father would discipline us using a switch from a tree in our back yard. Before he commenced to whooping our heinies, he would always say, "I'm doing this because I love you." But it 'sho didn't feel like love to me. Much in the same way, when God disciplines His children, it doesn't always feel good but I am so glad He loves me and checks me when I'm wrong. Discipline for the Believer is not optional - it is a requirement.

Don't resent the "Tree" - Christ Himself - who rescued you!

Life itself cannot exist without exchange. Everything in humanity is built on the principle of giving and receiving. This is why no man is an island unto himself. We are all connected through divine exchange. And the greatest exchange offered to mankind happened on the Cross when Jesus died and took upon Himself the sins of the world. Yes, salvation is a free gift, but there is an exchange that must take place - His life for your life - and make sure you read the fine print: Accepting this free gift will cost you everything!

Buckle up! We're in for a turbulent ride, but stay with me...I promise a smooth landing.

The prosperity gospel has caused major damage in the Body of Christ by shifting our focus from surrender to selfish-gain. It promises blessings without obedience, prosperity without repentance and favor without faithfulness. We've even presented salvation as a fast food happy meal..."Get your salvation here with a wing and a prayer! Quick and easy. No real commitment required. No need for exchange. Just confess with your mouth and believe in your heart, and BOOM! you're saved.

With all due respect, the seriousness of the moment of salvation has been greatly minimalized and the church desperately needs C.P.R. - an emergency soul-saving exchange!

The Christian life is not about extremes - it's about balance, obedience, and reverence for God. When I grew up, being a Christian was extreme; we feared the Lord and we at least tried to live holy. Now, everything goes! No reverence. No respect. No honor. No fear. No consequences...or so we think. Yes. God is loving, patient, merciful and kind, but He is also a God of judgment and you will reap what you sow.

God is not glorified by our extreme, and often misguided loyalties, but He honors and rewards our obedience and reverence.

The spirit of arrogance rules our culture today and often hides behind strong opinions and emotional reasoning. We feel entitled not only to speak but to be right. Opinions have become the new authority of the world. It’s no longer about what is true, but about how we feel and what we think. We’ve blurred the lines between personal opinion and absolute truth and elevated our opinions and preferences above the authority of God's Word, which IMAO is the only opinion that truly matters!

One of the greatest dangers to our walk with God is to forget who we are and whose we are. Many of us allow the cares of this world, cultural pressures, and self-ambition to cause us to slowly drift into living as though we belong to ourselves. We must go back to First Base – the foundation of our faith and remember the Lord our God - for it is He who has made us and not we ourselves!

text here

Well, Fam. We’ve come to the end of a chapter, and I don’t know if this is the final chapter or just a pause of this series. But it has been an incredible journey challenging you to Unlearn everything you thought you knew about God and to learn him all over again.

I pray this experience has given you cause to get to know God for yourself on an intimate level, one-on-one. When you do that, an unshakeable trust in Him will develop that NO one can take away.

Beloved, we must be convinced that there is absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of God! He loves you. He’s got you. All of you. No matter what.

Thank you for taking this ride with me. Until next time...