Ted J. Hanson's Weekly Blog – ted4you.com

Blog In Audio:

Greetings,

We had another great weekend here in Bellingham. The presence of God was wonderful yesterday in church and the family of God responded with shouts of celebration as Jesus was exalted. I believe we are on the brink of a breakout of God’s Spirit in a fresh and powerful way.

God is our friend, and He is pleased with us. We don’t need to change so that God will love us. We need to embrace His grace, which changes us so the world can see how powerful His love really is. Knowing God transforms our hearts and minds to become who He sees us to be. This is grace!

Colossians 1:9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

Paul was saying, “Because God loves you, I am praying that you will walk in a way that is pleasing to Him. Because He loves you, and because you are a child of God, I am praying that you will be fruitful in every good work. I am praying that you will grow in knowing who He is. I want you to be fathers. I pray that you will be strengthened with all might by His glorious power.”

God’s grace activates a cheerful endurance that transforms human character and manifests hope. Paul was praying for the One in them to empower their patience and longsuffering with joy—not with misery, but with the evidence of His manifest presence. Mercy declares that we can be delivered, but God loves us even if we are not delivered. Grace says that because we can be delivered, here He is, and He is delivering us! He is delivering us from the power of darkness because we have been conveyed into the kingdom of the Son of His love. God’s grace enables us to be those who influence our world by the power of the kingdom of God—the kingdom of God’s love.

God’s grace in your life is not just for you. It is for the sake of others. It is for the sake of the world you live in. When you embrace the change that comes to your life by God’s grace, it brings a reward to others in Christ.

Colossians 1:24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church…

Jesus came to twelve men (Jn. 17:6). He manifested the Father’s character, nature, way, power, and authority to them, and He has called each of us to do the same for those in our world. Jesus told His disciples; “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father.” He gave His life for the relational connections in His life to reveal to them the source of all life. God has called us to live our lives as sent ones to our world, even as Jesus was sent to His disciples. When we go through suffering for the sake of others, we demonstrate the character of God, our friend.

God’s grace transforms our hearts and our minds to enable us to live for the wellbeing of others. This is the testimony of knowing God as our friend. When we see grace as the power of personal liberty, we often substitute God’s power of transformation for an excuse to not change our ways.

1 Corinthians 10:23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. 24 Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.

The first part of this verse reveals a liberty to do all things, but doing all things is not the true freedom of grace. When we know who we are, we can’t just do anything. We take on the character of God who is a friend. Grace is the power of God’s Spirit in our lives that transforms us, anoints us, and empowers us to live for the wellbeing of others. Grace empowers our friendship with God and with one another.

Blessings,

Ted J. Hanson

Donations can be made at the link on the home site of:

www.ted4leaders.com

www.ted4you.com or

www.houseofbreadministry.org.

Checks can be made payable to House of Bread Ministry and sent to:

House of Bread Ministry, 3210 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA 98225

To avoid us paying a transaction fee from your donation, you can also set up a payment or an automatic payment from your bank to House of Bread Ministry. Just set it up as a ‘bill pay’ through your online bank account and your bank will mail a check to House of Bread Ministry. We will record your payment as a donation to House of Bread Ministry (E.I.N. 91-2009037) and we will send you a contribution receipt at the close of the year.

Our Ministry Information Is:
House of Bread Ministry
3210 Meridian St.
Bellingham, WA 98225-1728

Blog In Audio:

Greetings,

I hope everyone is well. I had a bit of a different end of year and entrance to the new one. I spent the last two days of December in the Emergency Room of the hospital. On my morning run on the 30th, I experienced chest pain and pain in my left arm. I went to the ER and spent the day undergoing many tests, but my heart looked great on all of them. I went home, but when I woke up on the 31st, the pain was much worse. I spent that day at the ER again for many more tests. I have been going through many tests since, and so far, everything looks good with my heart. I have a couple more tests to go.

I did fall flat while running on Christmas morning, and they think that I may have bruised tissue or an organ internally, and it just took five days for symptoms to show up. I am getting better each day, but I have had to change my morning run to a walk. I hope to be back to 100 percent soon. Spiritual, physical, both—whatever it may be—all is well, and I am expecting a great year.

God’s grace is not just His presence to give us God’s blessings; God’s presence empowers us for God’s purpose. God’s presence is the power of His grace working in our lives. God’s grace causes even the things that the enemy intends for evil to be turned for good according to God’s purpose in our lives.

Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

God wants us to partner with Him in all things. Each of us is part of the calling of Christ, the testimony of Christ, and the purpose of Christ in our world. God’s grace is not just His presence to give us His blessings; God’s presence empowers us for His purpose. God’s presence is the power of His grace working in our lives. God’s grace causes even the things that the enemy intends for evil to be turned for good according to God’s purpose in our lives.

Jesus sits in the seat of authority in heaven as a resurrected man for the sake of all mankind. His intercession empowers us to fulfill the Father’s will in our world. His intercession testifies that we are justified to live because of the Father’s love demonstrated to us through Jesus’ shed blood. Jesus intercedes for us, that we may walk in the authority of Christ and reign in life by the power of Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives. We are not only protected by the Father’s love; we are also empowered by His love. God’s grace is a testimony of His everlasting love. Nothing can separate us from God’s love.

Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Grace is God’s presence in us, with us, and for us. Grace is God’s love manifested in our lives. The things that oppose us in this world are things that seek to oppose God’s purpose in us and our purpose in Him. Our purpose in Him is to walk as sons and daughters of God, empowered by His love to be ministers of His love to our world. God’s love gives us our identity, testimony, and purpose in Christ, and nothing can stop the power of God’s love in our lives. This is His amazing grace!

Blessings,

Ted J. Hanson

Donations can be made at the link on the home site of:

www.ted4leaders.com

www.ted4you.com or

www.houseofbreadministry.org.

Checks can be made payable to House of Bread Ministry and sent to:

House of Bread Ministry, 3210 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA 98225

To avoid us paying a transaction fee from your donation, you can also set up a payment or an automatic payment from your bank to House of Bread Ministry. Just set it up as a ‘bill pay’ through your online bank account and your bank will mail a check to House of Bread Ministry. We will record your payment as a donation to House of Bread Ministry (E.I.N. 91-2009037) and we will send you a contribution receipt at the close of the year.

Our Ministry Information Is:
House of Bread Ministry
3210 Meridian St.
Bellingham, WA 98225-1728

Blog In Audio:

Greetings,

I am expecting the presence, the promise, and the purpose of God this year. If we keep our focus on the kingdom of God, we will see the purpose of His kingdom prevail in many ways. I was blessed to speak at Alife yesterday. I always enjoy being home in my home church community. I hope you had a great week and that you are ready for all that God is calling you into in this one.

Holy Spirit in our lives is the guarantee of heavenly things—not just the guarantee of going to heaven when we die, but the guarantee of heaven’s influence in our world. This is especially true regarding our own lives. God has called us to be sons of God, both male and female, but sons of God are not natural children. They are born of the Spirit, empowered by the Spirit, and manifested as a testimony of the work of the Spirit. They are led by the Spirit of God from within. The empowered by God’s desires, wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and purpose—an awe of God in the fear of the Lord.

In this process, we face resistance. That resistance is often an enemy coming against us, but God allows that enemy to resist us. He allows that enemy to resist us because, in the opposition, we find the grace of God’s manifest presence in our lives that empowers us to overcome. It is under pressure that a diamond is formed. It is under pressure that oil is refined. Holy Spirit in our lives is the testimony of Christ in us. Christ in us is our hope of glory—not only of heaven to come, but of heavenly testimonies of our Father’s powerful love invading our world. His love enables us to always go from suffering to glory.

Romans 8:23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. 26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

God’s grace empowers us to manifest as sons of God. His grace brings liberty in us and to our world. God’s grace is God’s Spirit helping us in our weaknesses. That help is not an escape from our weakness, but a manifestation of His strength revealed. Holy Spirit knows what our true weaknesses are. He knows what our true need is. The mind of the Spirit is better than the mind of self. Holy Spirit is interceding in our lives, seven days a week and twenty-four hours a day. He is in heaven, but He is also fully in us. He is drawing heaven into our hearts. “As it is in heaven” becomes the increasing reality of an invasion of life into our world. We experience the supernatural testimony of grace by faith. God empowers His will in our lives. This is grace!

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

Grace works things for good according to God’s purpose, not according to our personal will. Not all things are good, but God can take all things in our lives and work them together for our good according to His purpose. It’s not our good according to our purpose, unless we realize that our purpose is really hidden in His. As sons of God, we are like arrows in the hand of the Mighty Bowman to fulfill His purpose in all things. Mercy justified us to be children of God. Grace empowers us to know the glory of being God’s manifested sons. As sons of God, we are not easily shaken because we know the powerful love of our heavenly Father is in us and for us in all things.

Blessings,

Ted J.  Hanson

Donations can be made at the link on the home site of:

www.ted4leaders.com

www.ted4you.com or

www.houseofbreadministry.org.

Checks can be made payable to House of Bread Ministry and sent to:

House of Bread Ministry, 3210 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA 98225

To avoid us paying a transaction fee from your donation, you can also set up a payment or an automatic payment from your bank to House of Bread Ministry. Just set it up as a ‘bill pay’ through your online bank account and your bank will mail a check to House of Bread Ministry. We will record your payment as a donation to House of Bread Ministry (E.I.N. 91-2009037) and we will send you a contribution receipt at the close of the year.

Our Ministry Information Is:
House of Bread Ministry
3210 Meridian St.
Bellingham, WA 98225-1728

Blog In Audio:

Greetings,

I had a blessed time yesterday ministering at Everyone’s Church in Mt. Vernon, Washington. God is blessing those who seek His presence, His promise, and His purpose in their world. We are at the close of another year, but we are continuing forward in our destiny in Christ. We are about to enter into another season and God is leading us in a journey that grows in the continuity of His grace working in our lives.

Overcoming the power of the flesh is not a discipline of the flesh. A discipline of the flesh is merely the control of something that remains alive in our lives. Only a life led by the Spirit of God can grant us the victory over the power of the flesh. Grace empowers us to live according to God’s Spirit; thus it puts to death the deeds of the flesh. God’s grace is the power of God’s Spirit working in our lives.

Romans 8:12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

God’s grace enables us to live as sons of God, male and female for in Christ all are sons of God (Gal. 3:26, 27). Grace empowers us to be led by the Spirit of God. This is not merely instructions as to how to live, what to think, or what to do. Being led by the Spirit is to be led by a different desire, a different wisdom, a different understanding, a different counsel, a different might, a different knowledge, and a different awe of purpose – a fear of the Lord. This is the testimony of the sevenfold Holy Spirit of God – the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of Wisdom, the Spirit of Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel, the Spirit of Might, the Spirit of Knowing, and the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord (Isa. 11:2). Grace enables us to know God as our Father – spirit to Spirit. Grace empowers us to endure and to overcome all things as sons of God.

Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

The opposite of fear is love. Perfect love casts out all fear. Being led by the Spirit of God is being led by God’s love. Beling led by the Spirit is a matter of intimacy with God. It’s not a matter of power. It is a liberty that comes by the Spirit of God working in our hearts. Sonship is empowered by grace. It is empowered by our spirits being one with Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.

God is the One who subjected the earth to futility as a consequence of man’s disconnection at the fall. Man chose an outside/in administration when he chose knowledge over intimacy and trust with God. God’s desire has always been to restore the intimacy and trust that was lost by man at the fall. His subjection of the earth to futility put a demand for a supernatural transformation in the hearts of men and women to become sons and daughters of God. Man was created to live by the Spirit and not the flesh. God’s plan was to restore the truth of the Spirit to mankind. God’s grace enables us to be led by God as sons and daughters who grow in knowing God intimately and trusting Him to transform our lives to be givers of life to our world.

Blessings,

Ted J. Hanson

Donations can be made at the link on the home site of:

www.ted4leaders.com

www.ted4you.com or

www.houseofbreadministry.org.

Checks can be made payable to House of Bread Ministry and sent to:

House of Bread Ministry, 3210 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA 98225

To avoid us paying a transaction fee from your donation, you can also set up a payment or an automatic payment from your bank to House of Bread Ministry. Just set it up as a ‘bill pay’ through your online bank account and your bank will mail a check to House of Bread Ministry. We will record your payment as a donation to House of Bread Ministry (E.I.N. 91-2009037) and we will send you a contribution receipt at the close of the year.

Our Ministry Information Is:
House of Bread Ministry
3210 Meridian St.
Bellingham, WA 98225-1728

Blog In Audio:

Greetings

Merry Christmas to you all. I hope you have a blessed week and a wonderful Christmas celebration. We have been celebrating here at the Hanson house. Our California family was home with us for a few days, and we had a wonderful early Christmas celebration with us all together. I will continue again today on the topic of grace.

The Old Covenant administration of the tree of the knowledge of good and the knowledge of evil can never bring freedom to the earth. When our focus is knowledge, we end up becoming judges of ourselves and judges of others. Without an internal change in the weaknesses of our hearts we can never attain to a testimony of being fully good. Only an internal connection to God in our hearts can transform us to become a testimony of God who is good. The Old Covenant of conscience and law can only end in death. Jesus died for us to put an end to the old administration of death in our lives. His death was a judgment of mercy for us all that we might receive the empowerment of His presence in our lives. That empowerment is the testimony of His grace. It is not a law of death but a law of the Spirit of life for us all.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

God’s mercy freed us from condemnation. The death of Jesus upon the Old Covenant tree of death (the cross), enabled us all to find our death in Him. Having died in Him, we are made free from the power of death. We are made free from our disconnection from life. God’s mercy freed us from the law of sin and death. Having been freed from death we are now joined to God in Christ. We are joined to the eternal life found in God. God’s grace gives us the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Having been joined to eternal life in God enables us to live our lives as a testimony of life. That life increases in our lives as a testimony of God’s grace. Grace empowers us to walk according to God’s Spirit. When we are joined to the Spirit of God in our hearts, our spirits inspire our souls with life-giving thoughts, reasonings, imaginations, emotions, and desires that enable us to live as sons and daughters of God. We are inspired from within to live our lives as givers of life to our world in every aspect of our being. Mercy ended our life of flesh and grace empowers our life in the Spirit.

Romans 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

The Spirit of God dwells in us. The power of eternal life is within us! Grace is the Spirit of God dwelling in us. Grace is a relationship with God – spirit to Spirit. Being joined to God in our spirits is good news for our souls and even our physical being. Grace is the resurrection life of Christ within us. It is stronger than our mortality. Being joined to God in Christ grants us the power of the resurrection life of Christ – in this world and in all that is to come. We are saved by grace!

Blessings,

Ted J. Hanson

Donations can be made at the link on the home site of:

www.ted4leaders.com

www.ted4you.com or

www.houseofbreadministry.org.

Checks can be made payable to House of Bread Ministry and sent to:

House of Bread Ministry, 3210 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA 98225

To avoid us paying a transaction fee from your donation, you can also set up a payment or an automatic payment from your bank to House of Bread Ministry. Just set it up as a ‘bill pay’ through your online bank account and your bank will mail a check to House of Bread Ministry. We will record your payment as a donation to House of Bread Ministry (E.I.N. 91-2009037) and we will send you a contribution receipt at the close of the year.

Our Ministry Information Is:
House of Bread Ministry
3210 Meridian St.
Bellingham, WA 98225-1728

Blog In Audio:

Greetings,

I am writing again today from my home in America. I was blessed to speak in my home church yesterday and we enjoyed God’s presence as the family of God. It is always good being with my local church family. I hope you were able to enjoy the same wherever you are. I am continuing to address the topic of mercy and grace. God’s mercy frees us from the bondage of the law and God’s grace liberates us by transforming our hearts and minds to manifest as God’s sons and daughters in our world.

The law of God was good because it revealed the character, nature, way, power, and authority of God. The law informed us of the knowledge of good and the knowledge of evil. It revealed the perfect standard of God and that perfect standard exposed our own failures. The law exposed our sin, but the law could not transform the iniquities of our hearts. The Law could not change our internal weaknesses. The law lacked what only God’s grace can do in our lives.

Iniquities are a flaw, a propensity to transgress, a place in our hearts where we are vulnerable to the temptation to look for life in the wrong place. Iniquities are issues of the heart that need a visitation of God’s presence to transform the root character, nature, way, power, and authority of our family name. The root of sin is found in the iniquities of our hearts. Only God’s grace can transform the iniquities of our hearts. His grace is His manifest presence within us as the sevenfold Spirit of life. Holy Spirit is the internal Messenger of God that changes the message of our lives from within. God’s strength transforms our weaknesses to a testimony of His likeness from with. We can only be transformed by His presence within our hearts. The law could not transform our hearts. It could only reveal the failures of our ways.

Romans 7:13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

Law cannot save us from sin. The law manifested our need for God’s mercy and grace. The law exposed the desires of the flesh. The law only manifests sin. It is good in that it reveals our need for a new heart and a new mind. We need the heart of God within us, and we need the mind of Christ to become a testimony of life-giving change. Jesus was the end of the law for us so that He could also be the beginning of grace in our lives. Law revealed the weakness of our flesh. God’s grace brings the strength of God’s likeness and image to our inward man.

Romans 7:21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

The law only exposes the evil within me. Only grace can deliver us from our failures. Only the mind of Christ within us can transform our lives. Paul’s objective in this portion of his letter to the believers in Rome was to challenge them all to be people of grace. He was challenging them to let go of the old way of the knowledge of good and evil and be intimately joined to God in Christ to know the wonder working power of God’s powerful love within. This is the testimony of being married to grace. It is being intimately joined to God through the internal connection of Holy Spirit.

Blessings,

Ted J. Hanson

Donations can be made at the link on the home site of:

www.ted4leaders.com

www.ted4you.com or

www.houseofbreadministry.org.

Checks can be made payable to House of Bread Ministry and sent to:

House of Bread Ministry, 3210 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA 98225

To avoid us paying a transaction fee from your donation, you can also set up a payment or an automatic payment from your bank to House of Bread Ministry. Just set it up as a ‘bill pay’ through your online bank account and your bank will mail a check to House of Bread Ministry. We will record your payment as a donation to House of Bread Ministry (E.I.N. 91-2009037) and we will send you a contribution receipt at the close of the year.

Our Ministry Information Is:
House of Bread Ministry
3210 Meridian St.
Bellingham, WA 98225-1728

Blog In Audio:

Greetings,

Blessings to you all in this final month of the year. We had a great time yesterday at Alife Church. Jesus was in the house and there was a prophetic Spirit that testified of His presence. I am fully embracing what God is doing and is about to do in our new year. I have a great expectancy. Let me continue again today on the topic of God’s mercy and grace.

The apostle Paul was a former Pharisee of Pharisees, but God’s grace transformed him to become a light unto the Gentile world. He found the testimony of both God’s mercy and grace. God’s mercy freed him from the bondage of the law, and he found the liberty of being joined to God in the Spirit. Paul’s desire was that his own countrymen, the Jewish people, would also embrace the freedom of being joined to God by the power of His grace. For this reason, he challenged those who had been bound to the law to embrace the grace of God found in Christ.

In Roman’s chapter 7 Paul writes concerning marriage, death, and remarriage. He was not really addressing marriage. He was presenting a truth concerning law and grace. One was a covenant of bondage but the other was a live-giving covenant of grace. He was presenting that you cannot be married to grace while you are married to law. In Christ, the law has died and thus in Christ we can all be joined to the life-giving covenant of grace.

Romans 7:1 Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? 2 For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. 4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

The first Adam (our old man) was bound to the law through an administration of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In the administration of the knowledge of good and evil, all men are bound to some form of law. The conscience of mankind is only the conviction of our own spirits that cries out for freedom from the judgment of law. The laws of men, and the law of God, hold humanity into a bondage of information and a judgment of death. Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the law for us, and He died upon our family tree of the knowledge of good and evil to allow each of us to be submerged (baptized) into His death. Our death in Him freed us from the bondage of a relationship with the law that only leads to death. In this, the law died in our lives, and we can now be joined to God in Christ by God’s grace. God grace brings the newness of the Spirit into our lives. God’s grace is the life-giving power of God that transforms our lives from within.

Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. 9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. 12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

What purpose was the law? The law exposed sin and the weakness of our hearts. The law is holy and good but without God’s presence within us we are only judged by it. The law informs us of our failures, but God’s grace transforms our lives to be changed. Grace is God’s unmerited favor of His living and active presence in our lives that brings about real change in our character, nature, and way in life. Let’s all be married to Christ by His manifest presence abiding in our lives. This is grace!

Blessings,

Ted J. Hanson

Donations can be made at the link on the home site of:

www.ted4leaders.com

www.ted4you.com or

www.houseofbreadministry.org.

Checks can be made payable to House of Bread Ministry and sent to:

House of Bread Ministry, 3210 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA 98225

To avoid us paying a transaction fee from your donation, you can also set up a payment or an automatic payment from your bank to House of Bread Ministry. Just set it up as a ‘bill pay’ through your online bank account and your bank will mail a check to House of Bread Ministry. We will record your payment as a donation to House of Bread Ministry (E.I.N. 91-2009037) and we will send you a contribution receipt at the close of the year.

Our Ministry Information Is:
House of Bread Ministry
3210 Meridian St.
Bellingham, WA 98225-1728

Blog In Audio:

Greetings,

Today I am home in America. I had a wonderful time with family in our Thanksgiving holiday. I have been blessed to be in the forest and I’m in search of my harvest of blessing for my new year. It is great experiencing God’s presence and also looking for the benefits of living in what He has given to us in our world. In everything we are called to live with Him and experience Him. Mercy is God’s testimony of love in our lives, and His grace is the testimony of the power of His love working in our lives. When we were disconnected from God, we lived our lives with self-seeking motives, desires, and agendas. We lived our lives as sinners. God’s presence in our lives empowers us to practice a right relationship with God and with one another. The law was a standard of control to our sinful ways, but grace is God’s true answer to change.

Romans 6:15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.

Without the presence of God in our lives we become prisoners to the external things of our world. Our disconnection from God led to the bondage of being connected to other things. Jesus came to reconnect us to our life-source. We were slaves to sin and that was a testimony of the bondage of being controlled by created masters. Those masters held us in captivity by the carnal, self-seeking ways of our hearts. No law, not even the law of God, could free us from such slavery. Only the power of God’s love could free us and bring liberty to our hearts. God’s mercy freed us from obedience to the law. God’s grace empowers us to be obedient to God’s voice – a relationship with God from within. Mercy freed us from the penalty of being a law breaker, but God’s grace empowers us to be holy as our Father in heaven is holy. The unmerited favor of God’s presence in our lives changes our thoughts, reasonings, imaginations, emotions, and desires from within. This is God’s grace working within and it grants us a passion of love that we cannot deny.

Romans 6:20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Law produced death but grace produces life. The fruit of law was death. The fruit of grace is life. It is not merely a discipline of our flesh. It is an internal change in our hearts and minds. Our Father is holy and His Spirit within us causes us to become holy also. We cannot do religious acts to become holy. We must embrace a connection with Holy Spirit within our hearts. When we respond to, and cultivate, a relationship with God in our hearts we become like our heavenly Father in increasing ways. Embracing a relationship with God will make us holy. The testimony of grace is a growing relationship with God in our hearts. His salvation is not just a salvation of going to heaven when we die. It is a salvation of our souls. It is a salvation of our lives that empowers us to live as sons and daughters of God in this world. When we embrace the Light, we become testimonies of that light to our world. The light of Christ within us is the source of who we are as children of God.

Blessings,

Ted J. Hanson

Donations can be made at the link on the home site of:

www.ted4leaders.com

www.ted4you.com or

www.houseofbreadministry.org.

Checks can be made payable to House of Bread Ministry and sent to:

House of Bread Ministry, 3210 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA 98225

To avoid us paying a transaction fee from your donation, you can also set up a payment or an automatic payment from your bank to House of Bread Ministry. Just set it up as a ‘bill pay’ through your online bank account and your bank will mail a check to House of Bread Ministry. We will record your payment as a donation to House of Bread Ministry (E.I.N. 91-2009037) and we will send you a contribution receipt at the close of the year.

Our Ministry Information Is:
House of Bread Ministry
3210 Meridian St.
Bellingham, WA 98225-1728

Blog In Audio:

Greetings,

Today I am in Bulgaria. I’ve been blessed with God’s presence and God’s wonderful family in Rouse, Sofia, Blagoevgrad, Sandanski, and Plovdiv. God is surely good. He is moving by His Spirit in the nations. New things are happening in the earth. God Is filling us with His presence that we might partner with Him in His purpose in our world.

God wants us to know the power and testimony of both His mercy and His grace. God’s mercy frees us from the judgments of death. God’s mercy triumphs over every other judgment and unlike other judgments, His mercy gives us hope of new life. God’s mercy justifies us to find our life in Christ and then God’s grace transforms us to rein in life. God’s grace is the unmerited favor of His presence in our lives that transforms us to become testimonies of God’s life to our world.

Romans 5:18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. 20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The mercy of God is given to each of us through the once for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ. His shed blood upon our cross justifies us all to find life in Christ. This is God’s mercy. God’s mercy frees us from judgment and condemnation. God’s grace makes us righteous in Christ. Our righteousness in Christ gives us eternal life. This is life that cannot die! It is life that cannot be destroyed! It is life that brings change to our character, nature, way, power, and authority.

Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Jesus died once for us all so we can find the death of our old life as Adam in Him, but then we find our new life in Christ. Having been submerged into His death we are raised into His resurrection life. This gives us an empowerment to walk in newness of life as sons and daughters of God in Christ. This is Christ working in us in this world but also into eternity beyond this world.

Romans 6:5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In Christ we are dead to sin, but alive to God. God’s mercy submerges us into the death of Jesus. God’s grace joins us to His resurrection. God’s mercy makes us dead to sin. God’s grace makes us alive to God in Christ.

Romans 6:12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

Mercy freed us from the law, but grace joins us to God. Being joined to God gives us the power of His life. His life influences us to not only live but to be givers of life to our world. Grace is the influence of God’s presence in our lives. Law only restrained us, but grace liberates us. Law controlled us but grace empowers us to know the freedom that comes by God’s love. It empowers us to bring the freedom of God’s love to our world.

Blessings,

Ted J. Hanson

Donations can be made at the link on the home site of:

www.ted4leaders.com

www.ted4you.com or

www.houseofbreadministry.org.

Checks can be made payable to House of Bread Ministry and sent to:

House of Bread Ministry, 3210 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA 98225

To avoid us paying a transaction fee from your donation, you can also set up a payment or an automatic payment from your bank to House of Bread Ministry. Just set it up as a ‘bill pay’ through your online bank account and your bank will mail a check to House of Bread Ministry. We will record your payment as a donation to House of Bread Ministry (E.I.N. 91-2009037) and we will send you a contribution receipt at the close of the year.

Our Ministry Information Is:
House of Bread Ministry
3210 Meridian St.
Bellingham, WA 98225-1728