A Fresh Look At The Church And Deliverance

Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could He die, and only by dying could He break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could He set free [deliver] all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.  (Hebrews 2:14-15) 

      I've made it no secret that I see Jesus's ministry on earth as the role model [and evidence] for the ministry of Deliverance and Inner Healing. As He stated [and I have reiterated countless times], He "came to set the captives free". And what did He set us free from? Ultimately, Death and the fear of dying, as the verses in Hebrews state. And why are we subject to Death? It's the debt we owe God for our sinful nature; paid for by the blood of Christ on the Cross.
     But there are other aspects of the "sin slavery" that He delivers us from, too. We see that in the four Gospels: He is able to deliver us from sickness -- sickness that invades the body, the soul, and the spirit. We can be delivered of physical illnesses, demonic torments to our minds and emotions, and wounds to our spirits [caused by our own sins, or those who have sinned against us].
     The Early Church recognized the full spectrum of what Jesus came to do and pay for. But down through the centuries, that message has been diluted and reduced to "being saved from eternal death". Maybe it's time we take another [closer] look at what the Bible has to say, and the factors that hinder our belief in the validity of Deliverance today.
     Let me start by saying that I love it when I stumble across the writings or a podcast from another Christ-follower whose revelation from Scripture supports what God has put on my heart. And when that person is unafraid of being criticized for standing up for what he or she believes is God's Truth [and can back it up with Scripture], then I am willing to listen. So I was excited when I heard a recent show by New York Pastor Alexander Pagani. He is, to say the least, unconventional in his history -- born in the Bronx and Saved in prison -- just the kind of "misfit" that Jesus found to be so useful in sharing His message. But the Pastor presented a very insightful argument for why the Modern Church has such a problem with Deliverance. And because I have experienced some of the same resistance, I wanted to take another look at our combined experiences and share some of my additional thoughts on the subject.
    Let me be clear, there are many reasons that modern day Christian leaders and their congregations do not embrace Deliverance.  And one of the most insidious hindrances to the freedom that Deliverance brings is Legalism.  I suppose this shouldn't be such a surprise when one considers that the language of the Bible centers a lot around legal terms --- debt; judgment; redemption (The act of freeing someone by paying a purchase price); justification (a legal term that describes a spiritual transaction where God [the JUDGE] declares those who trust in Christ and what He has done for them on the Cross to be acceptable before Him); and of course, "The Law", which is most purposefully expressed through "the Law of Moses" (the Ten Commandments and includes the many rules of religious observance given in the first five books of the Old Testament).
     But, when considered Biblically, the Law of Moses is quite strict and comes with consequences; it didn't center around the love of God, from the standpoint that He had to institute some strict boundaries to cleanse the Israelites from the idolatry and paganism they experienced during 430 years in Egypt.  It was a system of religious responses based on human actions. Think, "An eye for an eye". Deliverance, on the other hand, is a legal exchange, not a religious experience. Today, in the 21st Century, and due to God's immense love for us, our debt for sin was paid for on the Cross, and our rescue, or deliverance, or redemption are all legal transactions where Jesus trades His Blood for our freedom.  
     But here's what modern legalism in the Church gets us: we still tend to blame the flesh when it could be a demon contributing to our sin. And here's how the devil uses that mindset to deceive the Church: he either convinces the Church that he doesn't exist; or convinces the Church that demons don't exist. An argument I often hear is that those who believe in Deliverance see a demon around every corner. But I agree with Pastor Pagani, who says, "That warning is misdirected. We don't blame the devil or demons enough!"
    Once again legalism in the church is a tool that the Enemy uses to corrupt the real legal aspect of our Deliverance. If we accept that "legal ground" is the permission to act, then we Christians need to be cognizant of the grounds by which we legally give the devil the right to act in our lives -- among the most prominent are overt SIN; participation in the OCCULT; UNFORGIVENESS; and the LIES we believe from the Enemy. 
     Depression, Doubt, Guilt, Fear, Anger, Shame, Unbelief, Lust, Pornography, Addiction, etc., etc. are all manifestations of legal ground given to the devil. If we want to remove these spiritual strongholds from our lives, then we have to remove the legal ground they claim. How do you do that? By confessing your sins, forgiving debts, renouncing the lies the Enemy whispers, and cancelling those claims in the Name of Jesus and by His Blood. Legalism in the Church will see those defeated seasons in your life as "suffering" for Christ-- you must work harder at overcoming your sinful state. But Deliverance, in the true model of Christ, sees Jesus doing the work because of the love of the Father. 
     There is another element in the Church that is closely tied to Legalism when it comes to the role of Deliverance in the Church. It's called Tradition. I often wonder.... is the Church willing to receive a "fresh wind of revelation"? I am always amazed at the willingness of some Christians to cling to some denominational doctrine that does not speak to the season and age in which we live. Why is it so difficult to consider that God's revelation has been progressing through the ages? That He reveals more and more of Himself as He blows fresh winds of revelation into our modern circumstances?
     Let me ask you a question ... Has how we respond to the common cold progressed or evolved through the years? Do we still prescribe to Ben Franklin's theory of sleeping naked with the windows open to remove "the putrid air of a closed room" as the way to avoid a cold? Or have we progressed to the use of decongestants, cough suppressants, antihistamines, washing our hands, and doses of Vitamin C as viable solutions? The point I'm trying to make is that if some methods of relieving the common cold are in need of being updated, can we at least agree that our Church models for relieving the effects of sin in our lives may need to be updated, too? 
     Now, let's go another step or two with this concept. Look how technology has advanced in just our lifetimes. The rapid expansion of technology reaching into our lives has skyrocketed. From the rotary phone of my childhood to the Smartphone that is a mini-computer in your hand, the human race has progressed in their knowledge and abilities. Don't you think that Satan, who is a counterfeiter, has been able to evolve his methods of spiritual attack to match the speed with which we are learning how to war in the spirit through Deliverance? My point here being that just as we have updated our medical protocols, perhaps we should be paying attention to updating our models of Deliverance, too -- that is, if our Church is even doing Deliverance!

     I will tell you that since the Lord brought this ministry to Mark and I a short four years ago, we have seen the discovery of ever more sinister ways in which the devil and his demons have contrived to keep people in bondage. Simply rebuking a demon and casting it out may not be enough anymore to stop the devil's torment. Just as mankind is exploring genetic manipulation, so is the Enemy. Just as our wireless devices connect at different frequencies, the devil has found a way to corrupt those frequencies for his evil purposes. I know this may all sound like nothing you've read in the Bible, but that's where we have to make sure that we don't let the religious mindset of Tradition and traditional understanding leave us unguarded and unprepared to battle in the spirit.
    As Pastor Pagani said in his thick Bronx accent, "Tradition makes us get stuck on the Black letters on the white pages [in the Bible]. The white is the essence of the Bible!" In other words, don't just cling to the outward appearance of Scripture, but seek to understand the substance; the heart of the passage; the essence! Remember, that when accused of breaking the traditions of the Sabbath by healing a man on that holy day, Jesus's response was, Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly. 
     We are living in an ever-changing world. And the devil is matching us step for step. He is never going to quit trying to kill, steal, or destroy our lives in Christ. So that means his methods of torment and devouring are advancing as rapidly as our existence. We must be ever mindful to not give up legal ground, or get stuck in outdated traditions that give the Enemy of God the opportunity to take our freedom [in Christ] that our Lord paid for.  It's not too late to get updated on how to bring in the Lord's harvest. We laborers can use the help!

Galatians 5:1     "Let me be clear, the Anointed One has set us free—not partially, but completely and wonderfully free! We must always cherish this truth and stubbornly refuse to go back into the bondage of our past".


  
        

The Spirit Is Moving!

     While a majority of Christians in the U.S. are embracing their Christmas traditions, I am sensitive to a greater sentiment for rejoicing.  I am sensing a connection among Spirit-led Christians, while at the same time, an expansion of where the Spirit is leading us.  I know that may not make much sense, so let me see if I can expound on this premise...
     Until very recently, I have felt as if the Lord had called Mark and I to a solitary place; a calling that seemed to almost isolate us from the Body of Christ.  I knew He was doing a work in us and preparing us for a unique and, perhaps, even greater service than what we experienced within the corporate body of the Church.  But now I'm discovering [and recognizing] those that have experienced the same "calling out", so to speak, and have been on their own individual paths of serving the Kingdom.
     And now, the Lord is connecting us, each with his or her individual and particular assignment.  And when we come together, it is expanding our ability to reach the Lost and the Saved! Because, as I have said before, [quoting Dr. Charles Kraft], our churches are full of wonderfully saved Christians who are still in bondage. And [quoting the Lord], the harvest of the Lost is great and the Laborers are few.

     God needs us all! That's why He has given some the assignment of healing the brokenhearted and setting the captives free; and others to take back the Land and declare that it belongs to the Lord; and still others to train up disciples of Christ to hit the streets, lay hands on people to physically heal, and share the Gospel of the Kingdom.  And now He is connecting us so that we are actually beginning to work together as a real body works ... each being the hand or the foot or the arms and legs -- but all working under the direction of the Head.  The Spirit is moving!
     I don't claim to know the mind of God, but I am left wondering if it isn't like how God orchestrated Joshua and the Israelite's conquering of the Promised Land ... learning our individual responsibility and then how to relate collectively as we come together in one Body; learning from each battle as we step into the next.  If we had each tried to walk out our new assignments [when we first received them] as part of a corporate body, there would probably have been much in-fighting for position, a lot of confusion, and much discouragement -- which would have delighted Satan.
     But since God has taught each of us our roles, and refined us through our victories and defeats, we are now ready to come together without any jealousy, suspicion, or mistrust.  We see the bigger picture and it is not about us, but for God's glory and establishing His Kingdom on earth!
     I actually experienced this new Army of the Lord last night.  I attended what was called a "worship and healing service" in Corpus Christi, Texas -- which coincidentally, means Body of Christ in Spanish.  At this service, I witnessed people coming from the community to be ministered to for both physical and spiritual healing.  There was the young Hispanic man, with obvious signs on his body of gang affiliations, who was prophesied over.  I stood waiting to minister to his female friend, and watched as his countenance changed from scared [and skeptical] to a complete surrender to the Lord. As the minister declared that God had a word for him; that he would become a leader among his community and walk in authority, leading others to Christ, I saw a man broken in his flesh, fighting back tears, until he gave in and allowed the love of Jesus to flood his heart. There was much more spoken over him than I have recorded here; words from the Throne of God, specifically for this special young man who needed to know that God loves him. I watched as, tears finally flowed, and he allowed himself to be hugged and received by the men who were laying hands on him.  You could tell that being hugged was a foreign action for him, but I saw his spirit respond to the love of Jesus through those men, and my spirit just kept saying, "Receive it, Brother, receive it!"
      And then several of us women ministered to his friend, who was obviously suffering emotional pain from bad decisions in her life.  The minister declared her a thing of beauty to the Lord and spoke of a bright future that God had planned for her, recognizing her gifts and talents that she would use for the Lord.  He then asked us women if we were seeing anything in the spirit.  My friend, Wanda, spoke of seeing a mantle of grace flowing over her, and covering her; the Lord delighting in her beauty. I spoke of seeing that the Enemy had placed a dirty veil before her eyes and that's how she saw herself. I prophesied that God wanted to remove that veil so she could see herself as He sees her, beautiful and pure; and that she would be able to do the same for other young women who lived their lives in shame and guilt.  Then the minister asked my other friend, Debbie, to prophetically act out removing that veil from her.  It was so powerful! You could see her face and her eyes brighten, the darkness being removed by words of knowledge and prophecy.
     I witnessed physical healing -- including my own! And I was able to minister to another woman, leading her through forgiving her father for molesting her as a child, and releasing him to God in the Name of Jesus. She needed to know that she is a daughter of the King, and that is her new identity. Seeing her tears, I assured her that she was much loved -- by her Father in Heaven, and by each one of us. In short, I believe I was seeing what the Early Church must have looked like.  We were people of God, gathered together; each obedient to our different calling and assignment, but partnering with Jesus to do the works that He did while on earth.  And perhaps even more importantly, I saw Ephesians 4:15-16 in person: Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.  That is what training and equipping the saints is to look like!
     But we didn't look like what "church" normally does today.  We didn't all sit for 30 minutes while someone preached to us.  Instead, we spontaneously responded to the need of those who were in attendance.  Several groups sprang up around the room, as the Holy Spirit called us to minister to a hurting soul. We came together with strangers to release the power of the Spirit to those in need of Jesus's forgiveness, mercy, and love. We were no longer solitary laborers, but were working in unison to advance the Kingdom of God and take back territory from Satan. It was palpable and the presence of God was unmistakable.
     It excites me to declare that there is a definite movement of the Holy Spirit across this land, and I am seeing it in ways unlike anything I've seen before.  Connections are being made from great distances apart, and communities are being supernaturally effected by this cooperation and spirit of unity among this growing remnant within the Body of Christ.  It is a beautiful and compelling and powerful thing to behold! And it is happening near you -- I just know it!  Ask the Lord to show you where you can connect into His power here on earth ... and then let nothing stop you from becoming a laborer for the Harvest.  He will equip you for the work and the battles -- and it will taste and smell and look and sound and feel like sweet victory!

Luke 16:16   The Law and the Prophets were until John [the Baptist]. Since that time the Good News of the Kingdom of God is being proclaimed, and everyone with the utmost earnestness and effort is pressing into it for his share in it. (The Expanded Greek Translation)
    

Nuggets of Revelation From The Book Of Acts

     After watching the movie, The Last Reformation, God has put it on my heart to do a serious study of the Church in the Book of Acts. It is really the only model we have been given from the Word of God about a Holy Spirit-led Church. And by what other means would we want to be led?
     Both History and Scripture have shown us that when we are led by men and their traditions that we get an incomplete picture of how God wants us to worship and respond to Him.  The Bible plainly tells us that the Pharisees and the Sadducees got it wrong.  And Paul was constantly warning the small home churches to be careful of false teaching and the evil spirits that were behind the men who would try to deceive them.  For centuries, his warning that there would be those who would "fall away from the faith" has haunted the Church.
     A careful study of history shows us that the Emperor Constantine set the stage for a wrong turn in the Church that we still haven't recovered from.  Further separation emerged within the Church with the advent of different denominations -- all of whom got some aspect of Jesus's Great Commission right.  But no Church has walked in the fullness of Jesus's teaching as much as the First Century Church that we see in the Book of Acts.
      That has made it worthwhile for me to dive deep and try to see how I can replicate that model.  And it doesn't take a whole congregation to be defined as the Church.  Wherever two or more are gathered, Jesus is there, and able to lead us into His Righteousness and Truth, which should be the goal of all Christians -- whether it be individually or corporately.

      So, let me share just a few of the precious insights I have received while immersing myself in the first few chapters of this remarkable Book of the Bible.  Let me first say, that these nuggets of revelation are by no means all that is available, nor are they likely to be held by a majority of fellow Christians. But they are the ones that struck me as the most distinct from what I was taught [or not taught] in my church background.
     It begins in the first few verses of Chapter One in Acts.  I was aware, [as verse Three tells us] that Jesus appeared for 40 days after His resurrection, teaching them the things they would need to know to carry on for Him.  I had always assumed that He spent those 40 days teaching and showing them where the Prophets had proclaimed Him, and what God desired from His people.  But Scripture very clearly says He spent those 40 days "speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God"... not the rituals or traditions; not religion; and not just salvation.
     Once again, here is a reminder that it is Jesus's priority that the Disciples [and us] understand the concept of the Kingdom of God invading earth. The Kingdom of God is the domain or territory where God is King and where He rules.  Right now, the perfect picture of that is Heaven.  But when God sent His beloved Son to earth, Heaven came with Him.  And the Parables He taught in Matthew 13 stressed how the Kingdom of Heaven operates, and were lessons on how it is to be established on earth.  In short, the Kingdom of God [both in Heaven and on Earth] has been Jesus's focus -- from the foundations of the world, to the present Age, and will be into the future.
     Second, in verse Five of this first chapter, Jesus very clearly states that while John baptized with water, His baptism is by the Holy Spirit.  John, himself, confirmed this when he said in Matthew 3:11: I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. I will admit that for years I labored about this distinction, because the churches I attended only talked about being baptized in water when you were ready to confess Jesus as your Savior -- not to mention the options of being sprinkled or immersed.  And they never talked about being baptized with fire and the Holy Spirit.
     First of all, water baptism does not save anyone.  It is just as John said ... it is for repentance; for recognition that you need a Savior, but the act itself does not provide salvation.  And that brings me to the next points that enlightened my understanding of God's Word.  In Chapter Two, Scripture says, And Peter said to them, “Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit... Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 
     Here's what I see in these verses ... The Church has always proposed [and I am including myself in this] that the baptism Peter is referring to here is [only] the water baptism of John. But I am beginning to see that Peter is talking about Jesus's baptism [that which John referred to] where we will receive the Holy Spirit!  It cannot be said that this could only happen while Jesus was on earth, because Scripture does not record one time that Jesus baptized.  And this is not to say that water baptism is obsolete and/or has no purpose -- it is a worthy act of repentance; of confessing and dying as sinful flesh, and rising into a new identification as a Spirit-filled co-heir of the Kingdom with Christ.  And, of course, Jesus, Himself, was baptized in water, but that was because water baptism was still part of the Old Covenant as a work of repentance. 
     Secondly, everyone got baptized in the Holy Spirit the same day they repented.  Why would anyone want to wait to receive the power of Heaven?!? And sometimes [as in the case of Cornelius] they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and then they were water baptized. It is my humble opinion that both baptisms are beneficial and show the connection between repentance and receiving the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, through tradition and religion the modern Church only sees the picture of water baptism.
     I received another little nugget in Chapter Three of Acts.  It came in verse 16:  And His name—by faith in His name—has made this man strong whom you see and know. This is in reference to the lame man that Peter and John healed at the Beautiful Gate.  All those who witnessed the miracle of healing wondered at the power that Peter and John had to heal the man.  But Peter admonishes them.  It is not their power, and [here is the distinction I want to make] -- it is not even by the Name of Jesus, BUT faith in the Name that healed the lame man.  
    Peter is making sure they understand that simply saying the Name of Jesus is not a magic talisman that can be used to get what you desire.  It is more than that.  It is the trust and confidence in Who Jesus is, His position in Heaven, and the power and authority that He has transferred to us that allows for His work to continue here through us.  And I believe that this is an important recognition that the Modern Church needs to make as we come into our newfound knowledge that there is power in the Name.  It is important to know that the power comes from our faith -- our complete trust in the One whose Name we exalt.
     The last little nugget that I want to expound upon comes in verse 20, Chapter Four:  For we, on our part, cannot stop telling [people] about what we have seen and heard.  This is walking in the footsteps of Jesus.  Scripture tells us that Jesus only spoke of what He saw the Father doing or saying.  Jesus was a witness of the Father's actions, and Peter and the Disciples were witnesses of all that Jesus said and did.  Furthermore, they sought to hear and see [in the Spirit] from the Father, just as He did.
     There is validity in one's teaching and words when you can give witness to what you've seen and heard.  In these days, we should be seeking to hear from the Father, and seeing in our spirits what His instructions are to advance His Kingdom here on earth.  If Jesus was the model for the Early Church, then He and that First Century Church should be our model.  Sadly, we don't resemble them much.  That's why I urge you to study and to take to heart all that the Book of Acts reveals about what the Church should look like.  Then like those early Disciples, be a true Disciple of Jesus and just go do it!

John 15:8    "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples".

 

What Has Happened To Our Fear Of God?

     I know I am not the only one who is receiving new and previously undiscerned perceptions of the Nature of our Lord Jesus.  So, what I am about to share has been carefully gleaned from Scripture and reflects how He is widening and stretching my field of vision, so to speak, and allowing me to see a bigger picture of Him through God's Word.  And I'm afraid that what I am about to write will be met with resistance by many in today's Church. But I hope you will read with a heart to receive and accept the Word of God.
     I'm sure that some of you will be way out in front of me on these revelations, while others may not be as far along the path of your own journey.  And that's okay -- I am not writing this so that we compare ourselves to each other, but rather, to rejoice in the fact that these revelations are being shared in stages throughout all of our lives.  In fact, I am beginning to see clearly just how far the Body of Christ has come in knowing Jesus ... and how far we have to go.
     So, I'm going to try to express my latest revelations in easy-to-understand premises, and then unpack it all to share why it is important that we not lose our fear of God.  Here is the new discernment that I have received, and while it may not seem earth-shattering at first, when I looked at the implications of it, I was actually astounded ... Let's start here: We should be able to acknowledge that Jesus existed as God before His birth to the virgin Mary. And while the Body of Christ is coming into a fuller understanding that Jesus experienced everything on earth as a human being -- at no time did He invoke His privileges as Deity to deal with demons, disease, or difficulties with man -- He has now returned to His original identity as God, seated on His throne at the right hand of the Father.

     So here's what I found so amazing: Out of all the immense vastness of infinite time, those three-and-a-half years spent as a man changed the dynamic of everything that came before and all that has come, and will come after.  BUT ... and here is where we must be careful in our discernment; we cannot become stuck on the image of Christ as a man, and must now [more than ever] see Him in His fullness and greatness as Deity.
     While we honor Him as our Redeemer and Deliverer, I'm afraid we may cling to an image of Him as He was on earth -- the precious baby in the manger; the prophet and teacher who performed signs and wonders as God; the sinless man who was willing to die to save us from the wrath of Almighty God.  True, He was all that and more! But He is greater than He was while on earth, and we must respond to Him as Supreme Creator of all (1 Corinthians 1:16-17); King of Kings (Revelation 17:14); Mighty God and Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6); and Righteous Judge (Acts 10:42)!
     Because, you see, as John says in the first chapter of his Book, Jesus was God. And He loved the world so much that He sent a part of Himself to earth to live as a man, not only so that He could identify with our struggles, but also as the payment due God for our sins. God established in Leviticus 20:26, "You are to be holy to Me; for I the Lord am holy, and have set you apart from the peoples (nations) to be Mine". This was spoken to the nation of Israel, but Peter reiterates it to the Early Church, who are our ancestors in the Faith, "But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”  He then goes on to say, " If you address as Father, the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, [then] conduct yourselves in [reverent] fear [of Him] and with profound respect for Him throughout the time of your stay on earth" (1 Peter 1:15-17). We must discern that God takes sin very seriously, and that Jesus [who is called Everlasting Father in Isaiah 9:6] will be the One who judges us!
     And here is where it all comes together....  In John 1:21-22, the Apostle makes God's position clear: Just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life [and allows them to live on], even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment [that is, the prerogative of judging] to the Son [placing it entirely into His hands]... And here is where the Modern Church has been tempted to be deceived.
     How many of you have spent your church lives under the teaching that we are no longer under the Law, but under God's Grace?  That is certainly true, but do we know the full implication of that premise?  John 1:16-17 says, For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 

We must first understand that God's grace abounded under what we commonly call the Old Covenant in the Old Testament. (I have come to understand that the covenants found in the Pentateuch are principally agreements made between God and the Biblical Israelites, while the covenant He made with Noah applies to all of humanity and to all other living creatures. In this covenant, God promises never again to destroy all life on Earth by flood and creates the rainbow as the sign of this "everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth").
     Back to the premise that grace was evident in the Old Testament... the Bible abounds with examples of God's grace. I think we can all agree with A.W. Tozer, who says that grace is “the good pleasure of God that inclines him to bestow benefits on the undeserving.” It was certainly the case with Adam and Eve, who received grace after sinning in the Garden.  And how many times were the Israelites disobedient to God's commands as they came into the Promised Land?  Yet, He continued to offer them His grace.  King David is another good example. He killed Uriah, and lusted after his wife, yet God called him "a man after His own heart".  And Jacob, who cheated Esau out of his inheritance was a man that God declared He loved, while Esau, He hated.  So, we cannot deny that God's grace existed in the Old Testament under the covenants He held with the Israelites.
     Here's what we need to understand about Grace in the Old Testament.... It did not set you free from the consequences of sin.  In fact, sin had dominion over the people because the Law of Moses couldn't do what Jesus did; it couldn't set us free!  Death was often the consequences of your sin under the Law of Moses.  For instance, any Israelite who offered their children as sacrifice to Molech was to be put to death; anyone who cursed their mother or father, or committed adultery, or any number of sexual perversions were all to be put to death.  And King David certainly suffered the consequences of his sin, with the death of his son with Bathsheba. Sin had sovereignty over one's life.
     But Jesus's sacrifice on the Cross proved to be greater than the Law for setting us free from sin, and offered man a greater concept of God's Grace. So, what is different about the Grace offered in the New Testament?  This [New] Covenant of Grace is where God promises eternal salvation to Man based upon the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Blood sacrifices in the Old Testament [where the High Priests used the blood of animals] could not take away our sins.  It only cleansed the outer man, and that's why they had to be done every year.  Jesus is now our High Priest and is greater than the Priests who were under the Law, and who died and had to be replaced.  He is eternal and He never dies. And we understand that His sacrifice was "one time for all", and with His own blood.  His blood has the power to forgive everyone on earth, and we are now under the Blood.
     But here is the danger of deception in the understanding of God's Grace versus the Law.  Yes, we are forgiven our sins, and we no longer have to worry that we could be put to death if we sin.  We confess our sin, repent, and ask for God's forgiveness.  BUT, we must not forget that God, from the beginning, has called us to be holy, as He is Holy. That why Paul warns in Romans 6, "we can [not] go on sinning so that God's grace abounds".  In fact, the writer of Hebrews warns, "For if the message given through angels [the Law given to Moses] was authentic and unalterable, and every violation and disobedient act received an appropriate penalty [death], how will we escape [the penalty] if we ignore such a great salvation [the gospel, the new covenant]"? (Hebrews 2:2-3).

      Remember, Jesus is greater than the angels, greater than Moses, greater than the High Priests of old.  So, here is what I am afraid the Modern Church has ignored in Scripture; a passage that should have every Christian examining themselves to see if they are living a holy life ... and what is plainly declared in Hebrews 10:26-31: "For if we go on willfully and deliberately sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice [to atone] for our sins [that is, no further offering to anticipate], but a kind of awful and terrifying expectation of [divine] judgment and the fury of a fire and burning wrath which will consume the adversaries [those who put themselves in opposition to God]. Anyone who ignored and set aside the Law of Moses [was] put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much greater punishment do you think he will deserve who has rejected and trampled under foot the Son of God, and has considered unclean and common the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and has insulted the Spirit of Grace [who imparts the unmerited favor and blessing of God]?  For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine [retribution and the deliverance of justice rest with Me], I will repay [the wrongdoer].” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”  It is a fearful and terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God [incurring His judgment and wrath]".
     I'm afraid the Church thinks we are under Grace and we won't be punished like the people of God were under the Old Covenant and the the Law of Moses.  But that is not what the aforementioned verses in Hebrews says! We should understand that Jesus is so much more in Heaven than He was while on earth!  Yes, He is our Mediator and Advocate, but we cannot ignore Luke 12:10, which says, "And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven".  This is affirmation of what is declared in Hebrews 10... the one who insults the Spirit of Grace [who is the Holy Spirit who imparts God's grace to us] will be repaid with vengeance by the Lord. We have ample evidence of what that looks like in the lives of Ananias and Sapphira when they lied to the Holy Spirit in Acts.
     I know there will be those who accuse me of being legalistic and corrupting the concept of Grace according to the Church.  But a complete and exhaustive study of the Book of Hebrews will give you a more accurate understanding of what Scripture says, instead of following Church culture.  And I am NOT saying that if you are sincerely trying to live a righteous and holy life and encounter struggles, which result in confession and repentance, that you will suffer vengeance by the Lord. 1 John 1:9 shows the heart of God and Jesus: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. But if you are a Christian that is indifferent or callous towards your own sin, thinking you have nothing to worry about because we are under the new covenant of Grace, then I would suggest that you examine your attitude and see if you willfully and deliberately continue to sin, without any consideration of consequences, or just because you think all you have to do is continue to ask for forgiveness and it will be yours.  And I would recommend you take to heart Psalm 25:14:  The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.
     In conclusion, I just want us to be aware that the fear of the Lord is not only awesome reverence for who He is and what He has done for us, but should be seriously considered if we, who have received that knowledge of Truth [of eternal salvation due to His sacrifice for us] should willfully and deliberately continue to sin. For Scripture very clearly states that there is no further atonement to be made for us, and there is a terrifying expectation of divine judgment. Just as Jesus is greater than the Law of Moses, so is the punishment greater for us than it was under the Law.  This is the undeniable truth of Scripture and no amount of 21st Century Church doctrine or softening of the language can negate the Word of God.  That is why we should all work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).  It is a process, and your eternal life [and my Lord] are worthy of this admonition.

2 Corinthians 7:1    "Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God".




   
   

What Does It Mean To Be A Part Of God's Remnant?

     You've often seem me write and refer to the remnant of God's Church on earth.  But what does that mean, and what significance does the Bible give to this term?  According to the dictionary, remnant means "a small remaining quantity of something; a surviving trace".  The dictionary even gives a definition as to what the word means in Christian Theology: "a small minority of people who will remain faithful to God and so be saved (in allusion to Biblical prophecies concerning Israel)."
     In this manner, the only time that I have seen Jesus refer to "the remnant" is in Matthew 22:6, as it pertains to the Wedding Feast: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. In this instance, He is indeed, alluding to Israel who slew the prophets God sent to them to reveal His will that they might glorify Him among the nations on earth.  This truth is attested to by the first appearance of the word, remnant, in Genesis 45:7-8 when Joseph said to his brothers who had sold him into slavery, "And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God."

     But even though "the remnant" refers specifically to a minority of the Israelites that God destined for His purpose, we in the Christian Church are grafted into God's promises to the Israelite remnant, if we have been called to demonstrate His power and glory to a skeptical and unseeing world (and Church).  And it is indeed God who has brought us to this point, for the purpose of God's remnant, whether Jewish or Christian, never varies ... they are used to speak His Truth to His people, revealing a timely Word for the particular season they have been called.
     And since I am writing to a largely Christian population, I am attempting to impart the significance of God's remnant within the Western Church and the implications of their calling. To begin, the remnant may look different than you might expect. They are not perfect, and often include those who are relegated to the sidelines by Church leadership. They are often those injured by the Church. They just don't seem to fit in. And they can be the meek as well as the outspoken.  The point is that the Remnant doesn't choose their role, but are chosen by God through an encounter with Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  It is not His desire that they be seen as separate from His Church, but rather to be the conscience of the Church as they seek to speak into the heart of Believer's and call them to repentance and obedience to the fundamental Truths of God and His Word -- Truths that very often, are no longer understood or practiced by the established Church.
     It is a sad fact that the Remnant shouldn't look any different, at all, from the rest of the Body of Christ!  But it is a testament to the state of the Church that they do.  Keeping in mind that we are all part of one Body; and members of that Body with different functions according to the gifts given to us by God's grace, then what is the role that God is calling the Remnant to undertake?
     From my humble perspective, I see that the Remnant of today's Church is being guided by the Holy Spirit to cause a revival and hunger among the Body to seek the Kingdom of God first -- just as Jesus commanded, and instead of remaining mired in doctrine, religious practices, and comfortable theology.  In essence, the Remnant will find themselves taking the brunt of the Enemy's attacks because they are a threat to Satan's kingdom here on earth, as well as the brunt of the Church, itself, as it struggles against new revelation that threatens its status quo.  In other words, the Remnant will find themselves positioned on the front lines of the Body of Christ as they partner with the Lord to take back territory for Heaven's Kingdom on earth.  In addition, the majority of the Church will be happy to let the Remnant be "the tip of the spear" while they remain safe and comfortable at the rear of God's army -- even to the point where they will disapprove of where the Remnant is being led by Christ, Himself. The Church might see themselves as "Christian soldiers", but they never enter the battle.
     So, if you identify with that forward guard of the Church, let me suggest how you came to be called to this position.  First, I would suspect that you had a stirring in your spirit that there was "something missing" in your experience as a Christian.  You wanted more, and it was nothing that this world could offer you.  You found yourself seeking more of God on your own because your spirit was hungry for regeneration and revival. Your prayers became more powerful and deeper in their urgency and desire for the Lord.  It became important to you to hear God's voice, and your time in His Word revealed new concepts of His Nature and His call upon your life.

     What's more, you actually believe all the promises in the Bible as to your power and authority! You know that spiritual warfare is real and that Satan and his demons really exist because you literally engage in battle for the Kingdom.  You know what it means to practice discernment and intercession.  You know that the Church must be revived and enter into a new understanding of the full counsel of God's Word -- not just the politically correct, watered down version that leaves your fellow Brothers and Sisters locked in an immature, powerless faith and unable to reach a lost world.
     You sense that our time is running short and you desperately try to drag the Church into the destiny God has planned for them; speaking boldly with urgency and heartfelt compassion, that no one [whether in the Church or out] miss the true Gospel Message of repentance, prayer, and obedience... yet, you are often misunderstood and isolated.
     But take heart!  You have been called by the Most High God for such a time as this!  You know who you are!  You are not anti-Church, nor do you want to be separate from the Church, but you are passionate about seeing the Church step into their true identity and the power that Jesus assigned to us.  You long to see the Church rise up in revival and transformation to share the Gospel of the Kingdom as our Lord modeled for us and commanded us to do. And you also realize that Scripture tells us Jesus warned of the "luke-warm" nature of the Church in the Last Days.  And He has called you to stand, just as He did Jeremiah, who declared, ...if I say, "I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name," His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot" (Jeremiah 20:9). You will find yourself in the position of Ezekiel, whom God told, "You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen..." (Ezekiel 2:7).
     So, my friends, if you identify as a part of God's Remnant, then I would say you're in pretty good company.  Count it all joy as you partner with Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  Go forth, boldly and confidently, knowing that this is the path you have been called to walk.  Rejoice in your mission, and draw strength and encouragement from your fellow sojourners and your Lord, who also experienced obstacles and disappointments on His way to glorifying the Father. For there is no greater calling this side of Heaven. Walk in Victory, for it is ours from the Lord.

Isaiah 58:12    "And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in". 

Am I Following the Lord's Commandments ... Or Tradition?

   

     Yesterday, I made a couple of statements that have set me on a path of much contemplation. I'm pretty sure that there are many of you who have struggled with this same concept, so let's just have an honest discussion, OK?  What I'm about to talk about has been a challenge to me in my Christian walk, and I simply want the Body of Christ to grow together in love and understanding over this issue.  So, here it is ... I wrote that there are Christians becoming dissatisfied with being "in the box", but not yet comfortable enough to let go of their traditions.  I also said that Jesus did not come promoting man's religious traditions.  And I have to tell you that there is one tradition that has never settled well in my soul or spirit, and I just want to share what I think Scripture is revealing to me.  It is the tradition that Christians are to be in a church setting every Sunday, or they are failing a Scriptural mandate.

     Regardless of the fact that Sunday worship was never part of the early Church, and it's origins are derived from Emperor Constantine's worship of the Sun god, I can tell you that I have felt frustrated while sitting in Christian circles and hearing comments like "Well, at least they were in Church on Sunday" -- as if that one act fulfilled some Christian checklist of what makes a righteous person. And never mind how they behaved the rest of the week!  Plus, where did the every Sunday come from? Shouldn't our greater consideration be whether that person was fulfilling the Commission Jesus gave every Christian in Mark 16 and Matthew 28?  And didn't Jesus say, "You will recognize them by their fruits"? Nowhere do I see Him saying that His followers will be recognized by their Church attendance, or that Church attendance guaranteed a saved soul.

     I would like us to consider that perhaps this is a man-made tradition and not a commandment from Jesus or the Father. Yet there are many Believers who cling to this tradition, and they always go to a corrupted use of a partial verse in Hebrews 10 as the foundation of their argument ... they will quote it as follows, "Let us not forsake the gathering together as is the habit of some".  So I decided to take a good look at this Scriptural reference. FIRST OF ALL, there is a whole important segment of that verse between "Let us" and the "not forsake gathering together" part.  SECOND OF ALL, I believe we need to consider the context of the entire chapter of Hebrews 10.  Let me try to summarize my understanding of it as concisely and accurately as I can.

     In Chapter 10, the writer of Hebrews is juxtaposing the religious system of the Old Covenant with the freedom from sin [offered by faith in Jesus] in the New Covenant. The Old Covenant was characterized by ceremonies and traditions that could never completely deliver one from sin.  The New Covenant completes the atonement of sin [through Jesus's sacrifice] and cleanses those who are being sanctified and brought to spiritual completion and maturity. Righteousness comes by faith in Christ, not any Law. Yet how many Christians don't think they can live a righteous life if they are not involved in some kind of structured, organized religious practice?  [For the sake of argument, we are just considering Sunday Church attendance, but I'm sure you are thinking of other rituals that have taken on un-Scriptural significance]. 

    The writer of Hebrews goes on to say that there is a new and Living way to live life; and we can receive a full assurance of faith by believing [with a true and convicted heart] the promises made by Jesus.  THEN comes Hebrews 10:24-25, from which the fragment of Scripture is used to validate man's tradition ... And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.  

     Now, I know I'm probably not going to convince someone who may be struggling with their religious traditions, but I ask all to seriously study these two verses. One cannot simply extract the middle of that sentence [to prove their argument] and ignore the significance of the entire precept.  The idea of not neglecting to meet together is for the purpose of stirring up one another to love and good works. It is not about Church attendance!  It's about loving our fellow man and doing good works!  And what are those "good works"? I would propose to you that Jesus came as our model of how to do "good works".  He says in Matthew 5:16, In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.  He says in John 14:12, Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

     I contend that the "good works" are the works that Jesus did; His ministry to the sick, those dying in their sin, Deliverance and Healing [both physical and spiritual]. So the Scripture actually says don't neglect to meet together to stir each other up to do these works, and then goes on to say that meeting together is to encourage one another, and all the more as we see the Day of the Lord drawing near.  The other part of doing the good works of Jesus is to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom; and to go out and make Disciples of others to spread the Word so that no man may be dead in his sins -- because the rest of the Chapter goes on to say that there will be a Divine Judgment and It is a fearful and terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God [incurring His judgment and wrath]. And that's why we don't need to neglect to meet together -- to bring people to a saving faith in Jesus; teach them about Kingdom living; and then send them out as Disciples to teach others.  That is what the "encouraging one another, and all the more" is about!

     So, I can't help it.  When these two verses are reduced to an argument for Sunday Church attendance, with no regard to the exhortation to do the good works that Jesus commanded us to do -- which by the way, does not get accomplished sitting in a pew -- then I can't help feeling that we have just exchanged the Religious System of the Old Testament for a new System that is just as ineffective for saving souls and advancing the Kingdom!  In both systems, it is Jesus, and Jesus alone, who accomplishes the cancellation of our sins -- not the traditions of the systems! I can't help recalling Mark 7:13 ... "Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that."  We need to honestly ask ourselves if our traditions really confirm and advocate for the Word.  Or are they part of our own standards for worship?

     Back to Hebrews 10 ... I am NOT saying that you have to separate doing the good works and loving your fellow man and encouraging Disciples from Sunday church attendance.  And I am not saying that there aren't Church congregations, both large and small, who are bearing much fruit for the Kingdom! God bless you if that is your mission! But if you are one who needs that tradition of structured gathering, honestly ask yourself this question ... Do I see my Church/Home Church doing the good works, saving souls, and making Disciples? Or are we telling ourselves that's what we're doing as we meet together, listen to a sermon, teach a Sunday School class, have a meal together?  Are we encouraging each other to go out into the world [as Jesus and His Disciples did] to display the power of the Holy Spirit to change lives? Or are we content to gather together and "talk" about partnering with Jesus and the Spirit?  Are we substituting the study of Jesus's model for actually doing what He did for the glory of His Father?

     I will admit that these are questions that Mark and I are asking ourselves.  We feel as though God is finishing up a season of downloading His knowledge about His Kingdom and the part we play in it, and He's about to take us into a new season ... one that demands we walk out what He's taught us.  And I will also admit it's hard to make these transitions in our service to Him and our fellow man.  It's much easier to study and discuss -- and, yes, to "meet together" and declare these new revelations -- and it's harder to put them into daily practice.  So, I empathize with you, if what I've presented is difficult for you to swallow.  And if you disagree, then can I, in love, challenge you?  Can you at least accept that there is no clear Scriptural mandate that Sunday Church service is obligatory to serving God and His Kingdom? I am not condemning those who do.  I simply ask that you do not judge or condemn others who see a different calling upon their lives as to how they worship and walk out their faith. The important thing is that our lives serve as a light to shine upon the glory of God - every day! 

Colossians 1:9-12    And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.        

We Are The New Wine!

    Well, hopefully you have had a chance to watch Torben Sondergaard's The Last Reformation. And I would really love to hear your comments about what you thought.  I suspect there were some that were freaked out. After all, this is nothing like what you experience in your Church. And I'm sure there were others who were excited ... "This is what I've been looking for!"  No matter which end of the spectrum you are on, I sincerely hope the movie created a genuine introspection on your part.
     As Christians, we can no longer avoid the uncomfortable conversation ... there is a growing schism among the Western Church.  People who five years ago were comfortable "in the box" suddenly find themselves at odds with what they are coming to realize is a powerless Church.  And they also find themselves in conflict with people [who are quite content where they are]; people who they've worshipped beside for decades.  So more and more Christians are becoming dissatisfied with the status quo of the Western Church.  And I would suspect that there are more than a few who are caught between those two paradigms ... out of the box, but not yet comfortable to let go of their traditions.

     The number of Home Churches are growing, and Christians are struggling with what that's supposed to look like.  I saw this struggle materialize in the comments posted on Torben's Pioneer School website (an online course structured to help Christians break free of man-made traditions, and study the Bible in order to live the Holy Spirit-led life as exhibited in the Book of Acts). One particular commenter stated it perfectly, "We all seem to have our "pet" issues. For the Sabbath Keepers it's what day we worship. For the Catholic, it's what source of authority we listen to. For the "In Jesus's Name folks" it's what words are spoken over you when you get water baptized. For the Church of Christ it's how you conduct worship services (sans music). For each of us, there is a grid or a system that we relate to. Everybody says that by following their steps, you can know God better, you can be happier, you can...(insert claim here)".  I would add, for the Baptists, it's "Once Saved Always Saved" and the "Pre-Tribulation Rapture".  For the Lutherans, it's that the Communion Sacrament of eating Christ's Body and Drinking His Blood is literal. By now, you're getting the idea...
     Everyone's faith comes with attachments.  And those attachments differ, depending on which religious traditions you embrace.  But here is what we need to understand: Jesus wasn't promoting man's traditions.  He came representing the Father, with a clear message to His Disciples of how His Father wanted the Gospel of the Kingdom advanced.  The Disciples were to wait for the Holy Spirit to come upon them, and then baptize people in both water and the Spirit; healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead, and spreading the Good Word that all this is possible because our Father in Heaven wants to partner with us to bring Heaven to Earth. All that -- the works and the Gospel Message -- is all about POWER.
     The problem is that the Western Church has preached the Gospel [without the Power component] for so long, they are freaked out when they see it!  The Western Church proclaims they have the correct knowledge of the Bible (in all their variations), but what we need is the obedience the Bible calls for.  The Church has become a system.  We even take tests to see what "gift" we have, or what "office" we should occupy. But if we look for a model, or instructions, on how Jesus told the Disciples to "do Church", it is the Church that sprang up in the Book of Acts.  It is the only Book of the Bible that clearly shows the Disciples doing all that Jesus taught them while He was on earth.
     But how many of your fellow Christians do you see healing a sick person, then baptizing them in water, and then urging the Baptism of the Holy Spirit to come upon them as it did in the Book of Acts?  Right now, some of you may be thinking, "But I'm not a Pastor. I don't have the authority in the Church to baptize someone". But we are called by Jesus to do it! Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age" (Matthew 28:18-20).
     Our traditions have reduced millions of Christians to sitting in a pew, or a class.  They get taught and receive knowledge, but unless you go out to do "all that Jesus commanded us to do", you are not going to bear fruit or advance the Kingdom. So how much is that knowledge really worth in the Kingdom of God? Since we are not just supposed to be "hearers of the Word", how much does that model result in "doers of the Word"?

     So, the reality is that more and more Christians are awakening to the fact that Church as we know it is no longer satisfying to their soul and spirit.  They are recognizing the Truth about what the Great Commission really is -- that it's more than sharing the Message of Salvation; more than Jesus dying to cover our sins. He died to remove our sins and to create in us a new man or woman -- one that bears fruit for the Kingdom by doing the things the Church in the Book of Acts modeled for us. And so they are leaving the traditional Church model and seeking ways to observe all that Jesus commanded those Twelve Disciples.
     But here is a warning that I want to give... Yes, Christians are breaking free of the powerless Western Church, but there's one thing we must guard against.  The challenge when we leave "the box" is not to create the same thing we just left! How does it advance the Kingdom if we teach the same way and act the same way?  If we never actually become that new wine that can't be contained in the old wineskin? How can we expect to get new results by continuing our old behaviors? As one commenter posted, "House Churches can be just as dead as those who gather in "the box" ".
     As we get closer to Jesus's return, we are going to see a split in the Western Church.  One side thinks we have evolved beyond the actions of the Disciples in that First Century.  They think that laying on hands to heal the sick, delivering a Christian from demonic torment, or baptizing in the Spirit is not for today. We are to submit to the authority of the Pastor and the Church system. The other side has been awakened to the power of the Holy Spirit in the Believer [to bear much fruit for the Kingdom] and they want to see the Body of Christ become the Church Jesus intended it to be.
     The bottom line is this .... I don't care if a Christian goes to a 5,000 member mega-Church, or is part of 20 devoted Believers who meet in a home.  If there is no fruit being produced by either group, then the Holy Spirit is not present.  And when the Holy Spirit is absent, there is no power to fight the spiritual battle against the sinful nature of this world. And that is not what Jesus had in mind for His Church.  Yes, we receive the Holy Spirit the moment we believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior.  But I want the Fire of the Holy Spirit. Remember that John the Baptist said He baptized with water, but "He [Jesus] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire".  It was that fire that changed the world; that needs to change the world today.
     God poured out His Holy Spirit with fire and signs, healings, and spiritual gifts on the Church of the Book of Acts. He knew if the Early Church was going to survive the horrific attacks that would come against it, Believers would need the spiritual power of the Holy Spirit to counter those attacks and advance His Kingdom on earth.  He has awakened us in the 21st Century Church to the same truth.  We need the joy of being filled with the power of the Holy Spirit to counter the ambivalent, compromising, and weak institutionalized Church.  As we begin to walk out the power that the Book of Acts Church modeled for us, we will see God renewing us; restoring us; and equipping us to do the works Jesus did, and even greater works -- all with the advancement of the Kingdom on earth in mind.
     This is an exciting time to be a Christian ... let us walk in the footsteps of those Early Disciples and see the True Church established in power and obedience to Jesus's commands upon our lives. Let us be like the new wine ... so alive with our conversion from the powerless Church that we can no longer be contained in the old vessel. There is reformation and revival brewing in the Church.  That is the legacy left to us by the Church in the Book of Acts. It's time we picked up the mantle!

Jeremiah 6:16  Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
     

The Power Of The Holy Spirit In Our Battle With A Compromising World

    In a previous post, I asked a question ... How did it all go so wrong, and how do we get it back?  The "it" I'm talking about is the power of the Early Church in representing the Kingdom of God and carrying on Jesus's works from the Father, and the spreading of the message of the Gospel of the Kingdom.  God has brought so many revelations to me in recent days, and I hope I can organize them into something that makes sense for all of us and shows us the path He wants us to walk.
     I will begin by asking you to consider the doctrine I pointed out that every Church embraces ... Jesus is the same Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow.  We all believe that, right? And we believe that He  has gone to prepare a place for us and will come back for us soon. But what else are we told to believe and embrace?  Throughout John, Chapters 14 and 16, Jesus says over and over again, that when He is gone, the Father will send a Helper, a Counselor, a Strengthener in Jesus's Name, and He will "teach you all things, and help you remember everything that I have told you".  Of course, we know that Person to be the Holy Spirit.  But here's what I want us to get...
     By sending the Holy Spirit in Jesus's Name, that means the Holy Spirit comes in Jesus's place; to represent Jesus in all matters; and to act as Jesus would act in all circumstances.  Why?  Because both Jesus and the Holy Spirit are sent by the Father to invade the earth and the hearts of men with the very power of God.  So... if Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, doesn't it make sense that the Holy Spirit is, too? Which brings me to the big question, If we have the Holy Spirit indwelling us, why aren't we seeing the power of a Holy Spirit-led Church as we do in the Book of Acts? Is there any reason on earth that what we see happening in Acts in the lives of the disciples of Jesus [and the Early Church] should not be happening today and into tomorrow and the future? 
     As I've told you before, I have been earnestly seeking more of God and Jesus, but I have especially wanted more of the Holy Spirit. He is the one who lives inside me and I have often found myself talking to God, the Father, and Jesus [in Heaven] in my prayers, but not recognizing that I have both of Them inside me in the Person of the Holy Spirit, who can express my prayers better than I can! And that's when I really began examining my prayers and how Jesus prayed, and realized I wasn't doing as He commanded regarding prayer.  And in my persistent and continual prayer for more of Them, God sent me a movie that literally wrecked me.
     I want to recommend that you watch this movie, called The Last Reformation: The Beginning.  Director Torben Sondergaard and filmmaker Lebo Akatio, not only asked those questions that were on my heart, but they answered them and showed me that it is possible for the world to return to those Holy Spirit-infused days of power in the Body of Christ! But why does the Church not believe this?  Why do we think that Holy Spirit-filled Believers can no longer lay hands on the sick and heal them; or command demons to come out of a body and they will go; or for a person to be so filled with the Holy Spirit that they are "baptized" with fire and the power of God to see His Kingdom come on earth, as it is in Heaven?
     This movie gave a concise, and what I believe to be an accurate, synopsis of how the Church was compromised down through the centuries... It is a fact that the Church in the Book of Acts was a living body of Holy Spirit-led Believers; a Disciples Movement, if you will.  But when Christianity came to Greece, the Enemy whispered to men, and it became a Philosophy.  When Christianity came to Italy, men compromised and it became an Institution.  When it came to Europe, the devil convinced men it was a Culture.  And when Christianity came to America, it became a Business.  And the filmmakers asked this heart-piercing question:  If you take a body and make a business out that body, is that not prostitution?
     Watching this movie, my heart and soul were raised to new heights of passion for the power of God in my life.  I saw a raw, visual, and moving image of what the Church is supposed to look like -- what I'm supposed to look like as a follower of Jesus!  And I wept from pure joy and hunger from knowing it is still possible and what God wants for every Believer! I know that I have taken the first steps down this path, but I want more!  I want the people around me to see the power of God the Father through me, just as the Disciples saw it in Jesus -- and then the world saw it as the Disciples displayed that power as they took it to Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth! It wasn't supposed to stop! We can still display that power as representatives of the Kingdom of God!
     .... And then I received a close-up view of just how compromised men have become in this corrupted and prostituted world. I saw an interview with Dan Brown, the author of The Da Vinci Code and other anti-religion books. My heart was actually quite moved by the depths of his "lost-ness", if I can use that word.  When discussing his books, here are a few of his quotes ... "Religion does an enormous amount of good in the world. But at the same time, there are factions in every religion that take the metaphors and the myth of Scripture, and they hold them up as literal fact.  That is the danger of any philosophy or religion."  (Right there, we see validation of the movie -- Dan Brown sees Religion as a Philosophy, and has no sense of Faith). Then when talking about his new book, Origins, he said this: "Traditionally, all the gods fall.  Are we so naive today to believe that all the gods of today won't receive the same fate? Our planet would be fine without religion and we are evolving in that direction".
    What an explosive contrast to the The Last Reformation!  But can you see exactly what Torben Sondergaard was saying? Religion has become a philosophy and, for Dan Brown, a business.  There is no power in it --- unless we return to being the Church of the First Century, then we our families, our communities, our nation, and the world will go the way that Dan Brown envisions.  BUT we have men like Torben Sondergaard, and Todd White, and Steve Harmon, and David Hogan who are on the front lines to declare that this will never happen!
     I truly believe that there is a movement of the Holy Spirit in the Body of Christ today -- a movement that actually wrecks the souls and spirits of men and women who are hungry for more of God; who hunger to experience what the Disciples of the Early Church did, when the power of the Holy Spirit literally touched them. And I'm not just talking about the Twelve.  There were hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of disciples and followers of Jesus, who received the power of the Holy Spirit to do the works of God on earth -- to do the supernatural miracles and signs of the Kingdom, and to preach and teach the Gospel of God's Kingdom on earth. It is our legacy to join them in that same walk. The Spirit within me won't settle for anything less -- and I have surrendered all to His power.

Acts 1:8   "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses..."

What Should Be Our Response To Human Suffering?

    I realize this is a rather general question to be asking, but yesterday was the one-month anniversary of Hurricane Harvey hitting Rockport, Texas and the suffering in that small seaside town is still so acute. And in the ensuing days, we have seen more suffering in Florida, and the Caribbean, and the situation in Puerto Rico has been described as "apocalyptic".
     In one month's time, there is a small semblance of order in Rockport, as the debris is beginning to be cleaned up and piled on the curbs, waiting to be hauled off.  But, there are no words to describe the amount of debris!  And the repairs of homes, if they haven't been condemned, is still weeks away.  Tent cities that I think must resemble those of the Dust Bowl era dot the landscape, while Relief Tents offering a hot meal and clothes have become a mainstay of the communities.  

Puerto Rico, last Wednesday

     As always happens in such disasters, it is the poor that suffer the most.  I look first-hand at Rockport, and view the images of Puerto Rico and some of the other Caribbean islands, and wonder, "Where will these people live? How will they survive?"  But, I also saw the devastation in the richer neighborhoods of Rockport as well. Some of those homes on the waters edge were completely destroyed, and they were retirement homes for people who fear they will never see Rockport the same in their lifetimes. So whether, rich or poor, suffering is no respecter of persons; it rains on the just and the unjust.
     And as the Bible says, we are to love our neighbors, --- all our neighbors. Why is that? The Bible says, "so that we may show ourselves to be the children of God".  So what should the response be of the children of God to all this suffering we have witnessed in the last month?  Certainly, giving of our time and money to alleviate the suffering are worthy acts of the children of God.  But it has been interesting to see the response of the Christian community to the suffering in my own backyard.
     As expected, churches were eager to help in those first couple of weeks after Hurricane Harvey struck.  Groups signed up to haul debris, and chainsaw crews were especially needed to clear property of the twisted oaks that were a hallmark of this hurricane.  Food and water were distributed in those initial days when both were scarce.  And I will say that the response from the Christian community outshone the presence of FEMA and Red Cross.
     But, here we are a month later, and there is still so much work to do.  Not only have people begun to be less motivated to lend a helping hand, but I believe they are experiencing what I would term "disaster fatigue" or "disaster overload".  There have been so many natural disasters that we have become numb to the need of our fellow man, and there is a sense that it is so overwhelming, or so far away, that we couldn't possibly make a difference.
     That is not to be the attitude of the Christian!  When Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as ourself, He isn't talking about your next door neighbor, or the neighbor in your own city, or even the neighbor in your state.  Our neighbors are any fellow human being who has a need or who is suffering; regardless of whether we identify with them or not.  According to the Bible we have a responsibility to relieve that suffering.  It doesn't matter if we have a litany of excuses ... our job, our family, our finances, our time, or we think it's been long enough, the government is going to step in and take over.

Rockport, TX today

     How we respond to our neighbors' needs is a personal choice --- we can let this world numb our souls and hearts; or we can sacrifice our self-interest and put our neighbors' needs first.  As we've labored the past two weekends with groups of Christian friends, doing the dirty work of tree clean-up, it seemed like we didn't accomplish that much--- averaging visits to two homes each weekend until the heat and fatigue shut us down. But that's not how the people we served saw it.  They were grateful that people cared enough to just show up and offer to help.  My wise husband observed that if every Church in 100 mile radius made the decision to forego a Sunday worship service to go out and "be the Church" to the community of Rockport, the restoration would be accomplished in a fraction of the time.
     Of course, secular voices, like those suggested by USA Today, will tell you that the best thing people can do is donate money.  But I disagree. Yes, it takes money to provide the physical things that will restore people's lives. But, as witnessed by my first-hand experience, it is the willingness of a stranger to come to your aid; to lay a hand on your shoulder and tell them you care; to pray over them as you leave their circumstances a little better than you found them; and to ask God to keep them and provide for them -- those are the things that will feed their souls and strengthen their spirits.
     I know this may seem like a rambling piece of writing, but I just had to comment on the great need of the human race at this time ... that we love our neighbor as ourself.  We can have empathy and we should pray for them.  But we shouldn't stop there.  This is the time that the Body of Christ can shine brightest. I know in my heart that there are many Christians doing the work of Christ at this time, and I praise the Lord with gratitude and thanksgiving for their loving hearts.  The commitment to love our neighbor should be our priority in the world right now ... Let us be the Church as Jesus created us to be.

Mark 12:30-31, 34   "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these ... You are not far from the kingdom of God."