Dying To Self – The Secret to The Fountain of Life – Thomas Koester

In the Fall of 1984, Toni and I joined Youth With A Mission in Canada. While there, a young Canadian woman handed me a folded white sheet of lined paper as though she was on a clandestine mission. I unfolded the paper and found the following poem written in pencil. I read it every now and then to remind me and ground myself in the significance of true living through the death of self.

I confess that this is a huge struggle in my life, saying yes to God and no to self. As a matter of fact, it is my biggest daily battle, and many times, the battle is lost. On those days that I lost the battle of wills, I realized that I was saying no to the abundant life that God offered me.

I realize that physical death is, and always will be, the final threshold we must cross over one day. For some, this crossing will take us into the very eternal presence of God and, for others, into eternal separation and darkness. I have witnessed both my parents crossing the threshold of death into the everlasting joy of God.

We can practice dying to ourselves and self-importance. We can choose those things which promote life in others and for others. If we begin living in eternity now, we can, therefore, experience the Father’s everlasting joy in our present life and even in our suffering.

In other words, by living as Jesus lived and being made conformable to his death, we can become living fountains of life. Through our daily dying, we are reborn into his daily living. It opens us up to hear the same words Jesus heard from his Father and inspires us to do the same things Jesus did in obeying his Father’s wishes.

“This is my beloved Son,” said God, “in him, I am well pleased.” –Matthew 3:17

True Christianity is a daily battle of wills. We either obey the Father’s will and find life, or we obey our will and find death (separation). Dying to self is the proverbial “Fountain of Life” because it makes us into that fountain, a spring of Living Water, which is the Spirit and nature of Christ bubbling up from within us.

Okay, now that poem I had spoken about…

The poem, Dying To Self

“When you are forgotten, neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you don’t sting and hurt with the insult or the oversight, but your heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ, that is dying to self.

When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed. You refuse to let anger rise in your heart or even defend yourself, but take it all in patience with loving silence; that is dying to self.

When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, irregularity, impunctuality, or annoyance; when you stand face-to-face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility – and endure it as Jesus did – that is dying to self.

When you are content with any food, any offering, any climate, any society, any raiment, any interruption by the will of God, that is dying to self.

When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation, record your good works, or itch after commendations, when you can truly love to be unknown, that is dying to self.

When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met and honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy, nor question God, while your own needs are more significant and in desperate circumstances, that is dying to self.

When you can receive correction and reproof from one more petite stature than yourself and can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising within your heart, that is dying to self.” – Author Unknown.
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Are you dead yet?

In these last days, the Spirit would bring us to the cross. “That I may know Him…being made conformable unto His death. –Philippians 3:10

It is exchanging our will for God’s will, whereby we die to our will, which is no easy thing. But the rewards outweigh the difficulty.

If you let your own will and life go, you’ll become a fountain of life, and the Lord of Life will bubble up from within your heart and into the lost and lonely.

Let Jesus become that Fountain of Life within you by dying to self.

The Blessings of Poverty – Thomas Koester

Today the choice is yours. Go, sell all that you have, give to the poor and you will have riches in heaven.

A few years ago I met a homeless man, named Aaron. Aaron wouldn’t say he was homeless but instead, he’d say he’s houseless. He and his dog were used to living outside and on their own. In other words, Aaron had chosen poverty as his lifestyle. He didn’t yearn for more, but only just enough to get by each new day. He had little to no envy for guys like me or even a desire to acquire more than he could carry in his backpack or bedroll.

Maybe Aaron had chosen a better way. He chose poverty long ago.

As our economy is slipping away, banks failing, and baby formula scarcity, Aaron has learned to live without, while we cling to what we have. Now, he’s watching men like us lose everything. He’s witnessing our agony and hearing our complaining and woes.

For Aaron, he has known no difference and no loss, because he had little investment in the world, and therefore, the world has taken little from him. Amazing! Now, it is Aaron who speaks wisdom. Not necessarily with words, but with his life. He chooses a better way. He’s become, my counselor, cheerleader, and advocate.

Our pain and hardship are not the sharpening of steel or the clanging of iron; it’s not the heated furnace, the violent remaking, reshaping of our lives, but the hand of correction ripping the world out of us.

Why? It is because we are true sons. It is because God is our True Father, and he desires that we live no longer in the World. We stink of worldliness. Our attics, garages, storage rentals, living rooms, game, and family rooms are witnesses of this fact.

We are in it deep. Oh man, does it hurt to watch these things disappear; house-by-house, boat-by-boat, car-by-car, credit-card-by-credit-card; life!?

The World gives, and the World taketh away.

The truth: because we are true sons, and God our True Father, he is choosing for us. We stinketh of the world, we stinketh of “flesh,” and if we truly want the presence of our Father, we must be baptized in the Fire of His Holiness! We must be pure because he is pure.

We must repent of our worldliness, the sooner the better. To chose poverty is a better process than being overcome by poverty. You will like it better.

“If you want to give it all you’ve got,” Jesus replied, “go sell your possessions; give everything to the poor. All your wealth will then be in heaven. Then come follow me.”That was the last thing the young man expected to hear. And so, crest-fallen, he walked away. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and he couldn’t bear to let go. Matthew 19:21-22 (The Message)

The virtue of poverty is more beautiful, more stunning to Poppa God than the finest fashions the world offers. For through a lesser garment, He can see the radiance of his Son, Jesus, and, therefore, so can the World.

Before, the World could only see the world in our lives. Heaven was at a loss because of the riches we adorned ourselves with, masked the greatest gift a father could bestow, the Glory of the Son. The radiances of Jesus are muted by our worldliness.

We shall soon be better dressed. Poverty is the latest fashion but seldom chosen. Not the poverty of what the world would think. But, the poverty of Christ. The setting aside of all his rights as God, to become a simple man, shows us that simple men can change the world. To confound the Wise. To sap the strength of the Strong. To confuse the Sophisticates. To baffle the Wealthy. To enrage the Religious. To magnify Christ. To point to Heaven. To reveal True Life, Real Living. To unveil True Freedom. To bring us to our True Father.

This world is not our home, never was, and never will be. We’re Evangelical Sojourners. The sooner we evangelize, the sooner we will journey home, our True Home.

“If the walls of your life have boxed you in, then kick the walls down, and make a dance floor!” – You Got To Keep Dancing – By Tim Hansel

Oh, how freeing it is to dance in open spaces. How much more we can see God when our lives are less cluttered with junk? Let’s get changed, let’s dance!

Don’t confuse worldly poverty with spiritual poverty. They are not the same. Those who choose spiritual poverty, are the wealthiest of all. Their investments are held in the security of heaven’s gates. Their wealth will never end and will never know depreciation or recession. It will not rust or wear out. No government shall confiscate it nor tax it.

Even if one were to choose physical poverty, blessed are we, for:

“Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous–with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!” Matthew 5:3 (Amplified Bible)

“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you, there is more of God and his rule.” Matthew 5:3 (The Message)

Being needy is the state of poverty, which profits us the most. It is more easily attained by choice, rather than theft, confiscation, or repossession. The former comes by release and opened hands, the latter by ripping, tearing, and white-knuckled gripping.

Why is it “…more blessed to give than receive?” Because in giving, we increase our capacity, we make more room for the kingdom of God within. In receiving, we crowd and burden ourselves with more earthly responsibility and possession. Soon our possessions possess us, and not the Spirit of Christ.

If it all must go, let it go, that we may gain Christ. Only let it be done for love, not for ambition, recognition, title, or position, but simply because of the love of God. Less of me, my wants, desires even hopes and dreams; more of Christ and what pleases him, so that in all of our potential emptiness, we fully contain all of Christ.

Christ was cursed on his own because he chose a better way. He chose not the kingdoms of the world as offered by Satan. Not the leap off the temple heights, to attain a spectacular ministry of men and angels, nor independence by commanding stones to become bread.

Rather Christ chose to live in simplicity, neither owning nor possessing. He chose silence before accusers, seclusion instead of acclaim, prayer instead of food, and sinners instead of the righteous. He accepted the ignominy of the cross, and the poverty of a borrowed tomb, and left justice to his God. In seclusion, angels ministered to him when he was starved, naked, and thirsty.

Brennan Manning, the celebrated lover of God and author, wrote:

“I think moments before Christ gave up his spirit into the embrace of his Father, his Father whispered the following words:

“Come away with me my love, my lovely one come. For you the winter is over and gone, the snow has melted. The cooing of the turtle doves can be heard on the land, the flowers are in bloom. Come away with me my love, my lovely one come. Your face is beautiful your voice is sweet. Come away with me my love, my lovely one come.”

At that exact moment the weary and impoverished son, bloodied and beaten, naked and pierced, inhaled his last and final breath and said; “It is finished!” He hung his head and died. His broken body swept up into the loveliness of his Father.”

Because he chose poverty, he has made us all rich. Because he chose death we now live.

Today the choice is yours. Go, sell all that you have, give to the poor and you will have riches in heaven.

Your retirement is in heaven not here on earth. You may have earned it and saved for it, but there is a higher call, a higher law, and a higher love. Only a few find it, and less than a few stay with it. Those who endure, understand that their reward is not here, but in an eternal kingdom that’s not of this world.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus of Nazareth.

The kind of poverty Jesus is speaking about is seldom understood and even less seldom lived.

According to Jesus, no poverty, no Kingdom. If you have a problem with this, take it up with the King of kings.

The poor in spirit are blessed because they chose wisely.

Be blessed!

Turn Back To God – The Day of Darkness Is Fast Approaching – By Thomas Koester

“Today, if you hear God’s voice, do not harend your heart.”

Our Nation is suffering from terminal cancer, which has metastasized throughout its culture, society, and every sector of government, education, corporations, media, and institutions.

Do you think any president, left or right, or political party can heal her?

If you do, you’re part of the problem, and I think you need a second opinion.

Our Nation is at stage-4 cancer, and very few are on their knees in intercession to our only Healer and Redeemer.

“…So it will be when the LORD begins to heal his people and cure the wounds he gave them.” Isaiah 30:26.

But this promise to heal and restore only comes after the Nation confesses and morns their sins and turns from their wicked ways.

Our Nation and its people are in denial about its moral rot and spiritual decay.

We are crying for just a man, a just political solution to a problem of profound spiritual and moral loss.

However, the True and proven Man, Jesus Christ, the very Son of God, is rejected as our only King and Sovereign, and His Lordship abandoned in exchange for earthbound political might of lessor gods.

There is no man whereby his promises, no matter how lofty and spiritual, can bring about true peace and national redemption.

Only the contrite heart of a broken nation and acknowledgment of our corporate and individual sins as a people will real spiritual change come. Only the True God of Heaven, who’s no politician and whose power and authority are not dependent on the elections or political whims of any people or nation.

The prophets are pleading for repentance and a return to holiness, or all is lost, and our only hope for healing will come from a dark season of judgment.

Prepare yourselves and get your houses and churches in order. We’ve not much time. Those whose God is The Lord and are found on their knees before our Great King will survive.

Our finest hour is upon us, but you’ll only shine in the coming darkness if your heart is right with God and if he is your only God and Savior.

God bless and heal America, but only if we as your people turn from our selfishness and rebellion.

Turn back to God so that our national cancer can be healed.

Jesus Hired Fishermen And The Church Hires Celebrities – The 21st Century Impotent Church – By Thomas Koester

I think what has actually occurred these past few years is that God has pulled back the curtains. He has done this to show us all how evil our Nation has become, and how perverse our political and corporate leaders actually are on both sides of the political spectrum. God has shined the light on you and me too, to convict us of our own personal wickedness and unfaithfulness.

We should not expect God to bless America until we turn from our personal, corporate, and national sins.

What can the Righteous do when it’s the “Righteous” that are practicing unrighteousness?

It is not the unbeliever or the pagan that is to set the moral standard, but the believer. When a nation loses its moral standing, it is not the fault of unbelievers, NO! We, God’s people, bear the responsibility before God and the country.

The Church has failed to honor Jesus’ Great Commission. It’s the Gospel of the Kingdom, which changes the hearts of men and women, and which preserves a nation. The prosperity gospel, “Christian fads,” Christian this, and Christian that, heavenizing everything we touch is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That’s conformity to the world standards, and unfaithfulness to Christ Jesus, which has neutralized and besmirched our testimony and witness.

We were supposed to take on the same attitude and humility of Christ Jesus. We were supposed to do the good deeds of Jesus, and even surpass them because he has gone to the Father. We were supposed to be filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered with God’s grace to move mountains and to bring Good News. But instead, we built buildings and hid behind walls and stained glass windows.

Jesus hired fishermen, and the Church hires celebrities and the mighty. We’ve become the Church Impotent of the 21st Century. Let me repeat that:

We have become the Church Impotent, not the Church Important of the 21st Century. If we had been the Important Church, our culture, society, and politics would be reflective of righteousness, fairness, and justice.

Amos 5:23-27

23-27 “I can’t stand your religious meetings.
I’m fed up with your conferences and conventions. I want nothing to do with your religion projects, your pretentious slogans, and goals. I’m sick of your fundraising schemes, your public relations, and image-making.

I’ve had all I can take of your noisy ego-music. When was the last time you sang to me?
Do you know what I want?
I want justice—oceans of it.
I want fairness—rivers of it.
That’s what I want. That’s all I want.”

Didn’t you, dear family of Israel, worship me faithfully for forty years in the wilderness, bringing the sacrifices and offerings I commanded? How is it you’ve stooped to dragging gimcrack statues of your so-called rulers around, hauling the cheap images of all your star-gods here and there? Since you like them so much, you can take them with you when I drive you into exile beyond Damascus.” God’s Message, God-of-the-Angel-Armies.”

Do you see what happens when we make our Kings our idols [president], and Hollywood type stars our religious gods [pastors, prophets, and priests]?

Tens of thousands of people, families, and businesses have left oppressive governors and states. To where will you go under a Biden/Harris administration? Beyond Damascus?

We have long since abdicated our religious duties and responsibilities to the State, and the State has willingly taken the place of the Church in society.

Authority in a vacuum is always replaced with another authority. In this case, the “New Authority” will not rule according to the Church’s values or ethics. We gave it up willingly for a 501-C3 tax break!

Judgment always begins with the House of God. And, my dear brothers and sisters, this is not the kind of judgment that a rapture will save you from. We did this, and it’s our robes which we have soiled.

Prepare for a season of purification and trials. Not to destroy us, but to bring us back to God that we may take our place in this age and the age to come. That we may once again be the Light and Salt of the earth. That we may preach the true Gospel of the Kingdom, which is actually the real Good News, which the world needs and yearns for. That we may make true disciples.

Turn back to God Churchgoer. Repent Pastor, prophet, and priest. Pour out your lament for yours and our sins. Put ash upon our own heads, and pray that God will grant all of us contrite hearts and godly repentance.

The Grasshopper and The Giant – By Thomas Koester

Remember the story of the twelve Hebrew spies that Moses sent into the promised land?

“Caleb interrupted, called for silence before Moses, and said, “Let’s go up and take the land—now. We can do it.”

“… But the others said, “We can’t attack those people; they’re way stronger than we are.” They spread scary rumors among the people of Israel. They said, “We scouted out the land from one end to the other—it’s a land that swallows people whole. Everybody we saw was huge. Why, we even saw the Nephilim giants (the Anak giants come from the Nephilim). Alongside them, we felt like grasshoppers. And they looked down on us as if we were grasshoppers.” Numbers 13: 30-33

It’s your faith in God that gives you a proper perspective. Joshua and Caleb’s faith in the ability of God convinced them:

“Let’s go up and take the land—now. We can do it.” – Caleb

For many, the microscopic COVID-19 virus had become their giant. But even here and now, in the 21st century, we have a similar choice.

Do we become paralyzed with fear?

Do we spread rumors and fake news?

Do we so easily forfeit our rights as citizens?

How does our faith work in this situation?

Is an unseen pathogen beyond the ability of God, stronger than God?

Is Governor Cuomo right in what he said?

“The number [deaths] is down because we brought the number down,” he told the press. “God did not do that. Faith did not do that. Destiny did not do that. A lot of pain and suffering did that…” – Governor Cuomo, New York

Are we on our own, left to our own demise?

Certainly not!

Are you a Joshua and Caleb, or are you easily intimidated by giants?

If we could be convinced that the giants we face in our darkest days are only grasshoppers, then we’d realize that our faith in God actually makes us into giants.

Faith changes our perception of what is impossible or immovable, to what is possible and moveable. This is true of those with the smallest of faith. Even our smallest faith in God can bring us our biggest triumphs in life.

As a matter of fact, when you actuate your faith in God, the Devil and his minions see you as a giant. Their perception of you changes as your faith is exercised.

So, believe the Eternal One who is in you so that you may defeat the Evil One who is in the world. It should always be faith over matter and not matter over faith. Faith in God always triumphs against evil. Faith triumphs against our fears. Against our sicknesses; our diseases, our losses, and against our loneliness. Faith moves us to do the impossible for God.

I’ll say it again…

…faith in God always triumphs.

He triumphs over everything, even in death. So, shout at your giants in the Name of Jesus; being yielded to God and while standing firm in your faith, and the giants must flee, and they’ll scurry away like grasshoppers!

Your faith is a bold proclamation of your sonship and authority in Christ, and it sends giants packing and shrinks them down to size.

The 14 year old singer-songwriter and poet, David, son of Jesse, knew it. And, now you know it.

You are not the grasshopper. Your faith makes you the Giant!

Here’s the Church, And Here’s The Steeple, Open The Doors And Where’s All the People? – By Thomas J. Koester

The COVID-19 virus caused the emptying of 21st-century Christianity’s churches and cathedrals.

While the empty tomb of our Lord and Savior is, and forever, will be the main power source of Christianity, the Social Distancing edict might have inadvertently caused a miracle. Due to COVID-19, maybe empty church buildings will also become, in a small way, (a) power source for modern-day Christianity. Maybe our closed buildings will mean an opening to global evangelism.

The empty tomb meant that the old religious order of continual animal sacrifices was over. It means that the old order of the priesthood was over. It meant that the veil, which separated you and me from direct access to God, was torn down. And very importantly, it meant that where two or more are gathered, there in their midst is the very presences of God, and no longer confined to the temple made by man. It means that even when we are alone, and without each other, that God is with us and in our very own hearts.

God’s people no longer needed priests. God’s people no longer needed animal sacrifices to make atonement. God’s people no longer had to experience His favor and presence by proxy. And, God’s people no longer were confined to a temple made of bricks and mortar.

Because of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are free of all the religious trappings and traditions of men and of the consequences of the law. We are free to be the Church wherever we gather, even as few as two people!

Let us capitalize on our present situation and be convinced, once and for all, that we, as God’s people, are the Church. We are the living church. We, you and I, are the bride of Christ. Our church buildings, plain or palatial, were never meant to be the representation of the world.

Although, sadly, Church buildings had become the identity of Christianity. It is my hope that God’s people will be recognized as the Church and regain her position as the living bride of Christ and the center of Christianity.

One Sunday, Toni and I visited a church in Oakdale, California. When we arrived, we walked in and learned that the Church was emptied except for a few people who were preparing a luncheon, later to be enjoyed by the returning congregation. Rather than their typical service, the Church was in the downtown square, assisting their local community. We were actually pleasantly surprised and not at all offended by the empty sanctuary.

Do not be overcome because we cannot presently occupy a building, but celebrate that with or without buildings that we are the Bride of Christ, and that we’re meant to deliver the Gospel of the Kingdom to every nation and to every people. In doing so, our proclamation will hasten the ending and will launch the new beginning that we’ve all been longing for.

For the past 1700 years, Christianity created and built ornate cathedrals with spires and steeples pointing to the heavens.

Let the truth be known:

“Church steeples can be traced back thousands of years to Egypt and pagan worship. Roman Emperor Constantine and his “Edict of Milan” in 313CE made the Empire officially neutral with regard to religion. Eventually, Pagan and Christian symbols were eventually merged at the Council of Nicea in 325CE, and new doctrines and dogmas were set up by the Holy Roman Catholic (meaning universal) Church, and strictly enforced, under penalty of death.”

Since then, this building emphasizes that along with Christianity, continually orbiting ornate and palatial constructs, we’ve ceased going into all the world with the Gospel and instead invited all the world into our buildings. Over time, the contrast between Christianity and “worldlism” diminished. Rather than the world becoming more influenced by Christianity, the world’s influence had crept into our churches and has negated our need for faith and the Great Commission.

Let’s pray that this COVID-19 virus heals Christianity from its obsession with buildings and steeples and instead goes out, even as few as two-by-two, to all the peoples.

God’s blessings and power to the true Living Church and Bride of Christ – Amen

The Intentional Collapsing of America Through Tolerance – By Thomas Koester

There is an unseen force, which has corrupted all seven pillars of our culture and society.
1. God/Absolute Truth/Freedom to Worship.
2. Traditional Family.
3. Morality/Ethics/Rule of Law.
4. Sanctity of all Human Life/Civility.
5. Independent Private Education/Ungoverned Learning.
6. Work Ethic/Entrepreneurial Spirit.
7. Freedom/Liberty/Self-Governance.
It is the progressive spirit and its gradualism, which had accomplished this in a free and opened society by utilizing the same freedoms guaranteed us by God and afforded to us through our Constitution. The single most deadly word which historians will ascribe to the loss of such a Great Nation as ours is “tolerance.”
Tolerance is the perfect atmosphere in which progressivism and gradualism are required in order to corrupt the Seven Pillars of any culture, society or nation, and religious institutions. Once it takes root, it slowly and patiently corrupts each pillar like rust or dry rot slowly and inevitably destroys foundations.
“If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Psalms 11:3
The Spirit of the Age knows this. And, it is the Church, more than any other institution which has permitted this corruption through a single, most basics and simple word called “Love.”
Once we allowed the Spirit of the Age, through our tolerance to exclude from God all other attributes except His divine nature of Love, the World and Spirit of the Age only had to emphasize and exploit the benevolence and tolerance of God to neutralize the Churches obligation and calling. And, we therefore forfeited our mandate of being both the salt and the light of every generation and to every nation.
What will it take in this our Nations most desperate hour?
The Righteous must repent of their own unrighteousness and return to the God of Heaven and Earth and destroy the Golden Calf of the “False Yahweh,”
which we allowed the Spirit of the Age to form in our presence in exchange for worldly relevance.
For who needs to be saved from a loving God? And, what Christian would need to fear such a benevolent and tolerant God?
For God has not changed, His Just and Righteous Wrath and all its fury is being stored up.
Christ Jesus becomes the perfect Lamb of God. The blood of Christ is divine and uncorrupted, and because of the immaculate implantation of the Seed of God into the womb of Mary, a perfect substitute for all mankind was born.
This New Covenant, which God had ordained, expanded the love He had already demonstrated to the people of Israel for centuries past before the birth of Christ. God did not become more loving. His great and amazing love does not trump His other attributes. Rather, God expanded His amazing plan of salvation to all mankind.
“No man can come to the Father except through me,” said Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is the only access, the only door and the only relevance for all mankind. Belief through faith and obedience in and to the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ is the only way to be saved from the wrath of God against all men of every race and creed Yes, God is a loving God, but until you believe through faith and act in obedience, you are under His just wrath.
Trust and believe in Christ Jesus today. And begin a new year with a new life, and so restore the pillars of our culture, society, and nation, one man and woman at a time. Jesus Christ remains our only hope and our only Savior.
There are things that only the righteous can do that no president or politician can. Reveal the True and whole Counsel of God. Exalt the one and only Living God as He is and not what the world wants.
Our God is no love guru. He is God Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth. His love and tolerance are only found in Jesus Christ. He is our only remedy against God’s wrath.

Only God can stop the collapsing of America.