Our Qualms and Quandaries Over The Subject Of Healing

     The nice thing about being part of a Home Church is that we are not hindered, nor inhibited about studying subject matter that makes traditional Churches squeamish or nervous.  We are not afraid to ask questions that arise from our deep dive study of the Word.  We are not limited to long-established doctrines that leave no room for growth in our understanding, and if it is a subject that is presented in the Word, then nothing is outdated or obsolete.  If it's in the Bible, then it's there for a reason, and God wants us to know about it and understand its place in His Kingdom.
     So that brings me to the often misunderstood, criticized, exploited, and ignored subject of Healing in the Bible.  I think many in this Church generation tend to look upon Healing from a spiritual perspective, and physical healing is looked upon with suspicion; as the territory of charlatans and con artists.  But that is putting the miracle of Healing in a box, and limiting its full potential.
     That being said, there are many Christians today who are discovering some obvious truths in the Bible about Healing; new understanding that has been buried by the traditions and conventions of established Church doctrine. For instance, a careful and deliberate study of Scripture reveals that a great deal of Christ’s time was dedicated to healing the sick. And the record of those He healed is extensive: the blind, the paralyzed, the lame, the deaf, lepers, those who had fevers, and many with chronic illnesses.

     If our Lord devoted that much of His precious and short time on earth to healing, then there must have been a reason He did it, and a purpose for it, right?  Have you ever noticed, when reading the Gospels, how many of the accounts of Jesus have Him healing someone as His first act upon entering a new town?  Jesus knew that healing the sick -- especially someone who had suffered for many years -- would call attention to Himself and would give Him a relevant platform from which to share His message of the Kingdom of God.  In other words, He grabbed the audience's attention, so to speak, with a miraculous physical healing, which would make it easier to transition to the fact that we all need spiritual healing -- and both come from our Father in Heaven.  This is a pattern that He used throughout His ministry.  Another example is declaring that He is the Bread of Life, followed by feeding 5,000 people with a few loaves of bread.
     Healing the physical needs of men also allowed Him to proclaim His Authority from God.  Follow this train of thought, if you will... while Jesus did not declare that there was a "cause and effect" between sickness and sin, He invited the newly restored person to be “well” and sin no more. That word ["well"] means not only physical healing, but “to save, rescue and liberate, as well as to heal and preserve.” That description fits our need to be healed from our sin.  But there is only One who has the Authority to forgive sin—and that is God, the Father.  But you will recall that Jesus plainly taught. "All Authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me" (Matthew 28:18).  And it is clear to me that He has transferred that Authority to those who believe in Him and follow His commandments.  He says as much in Luke 10:19:  Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 
     I believe that Jesus fully expected that authority to be used when He returned to the Father.  He told us in John 16:7 that it is to our advantage that He went away, so He could send The Helper.  And with the presence of the Holy Spirit came the ability to perform greater miracles than when Jesus walked the earth.  That's why He proclaimed, 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 want to take a minute and point out two aspects of these Scriptures that I know is overlooked.  The first is that when Jesus says, BEHOLD, He is using an imperative verb, which means, Be sure to see this... or ... Don't miss this!  It is an observable fact! And when He says TRULY, TRULY, I SAY TO YOU, He is indicating that this is an important Truth; that the truth Jesus is telling is significant and important to listen to.  So the attempts by the modern world -- both secular and in the Church -- to dismiss that He gave us authority, or that He didn't really mean that we would do the things He did (heal the sick, cast out demons, spread the Message of the Kingdom of God) -- and do them in even greater numbers -- is simply not borne out by the expressions He used.
     It is very clear to me that Jesus intended for His work to continue, not only through the Apostles, but through all Believers after He returned to the Father.  Why can't we see it as the disciples in the Early Church did? (And by disciples, I mean the body of followers of Jesus; not limited to the 12 Apostles). They were full of the Holy Spirit and they believed that His Authority could flow through them with the help of the Holy Spirit, and people could be physically healed.  And then, just like Jesus, they could take that opportunity to extend a word about healing souls and spirits from sin.
     Put very simply ... they believed the Word from the Lord and they were fully obedient. They fully expected to see Him work through them. Not only are we not obedient to His command, but we don't really trust Him to be able to work through us.

     But I am happy to tell you that this is changing in the Body of Christ! More Christians are awakening to the Authority that has been given to us, and are stepping out in faith to do the works of Jesus.  In the major city of Austin, Texas, The Light House is a monthly Healing Room event where participants ask God to heal them in specific ways. Trained intercessors surround them and join them in prayer. Miracles abound! And the numbers are growing!  Furthermore, just within our small Home Church of 20 plus people, three people have taken the leap in faith to trust in the power of Jesus [working through them] to heal the afflicted.  They have taken the time to study with mentors who Biblically teach them about their authority to heal, as Jesus did. They know it is not them healing, but Jesus. They are simply willing to use the Authority He has given them to be the conduit.
     But we must go further in this discussion, and consider why everyone may not be healed.  There are reasons ... faith must be considered, but it cannot be said that if someone is not healed, then their faith is weak.  God is Omniscient and He may have reasons why the power of Jesus does not immediately heal someone.  It may be a time of challenge that ultimately draws you nearer to God; or it may be that God's perfect healing is to take you Home.  The only response to have when considering the power of Jesus to heal is, "What ever brings You glory, Lord. I know that you do not desire that anyone be sick, so it is not a matter of whether it is Your Will or not. I will trust that whatever the outcome might be, that it is to bring You Glory.  It’s not about me. It’s all about Jesus."
     Frankly, it excites me to see the Body of Christ coming into their full power and authority from Jesus!  Lord knows that this world could stand to see some "serpents and scorpions tread upon".  Because we in the Western world have seen nearly every display of technological wonder, there's not much that impresses us anymore.  But the power of Jesus can surpass anything manufactured by man, and we in the Body are beginning to come into our authority and display the power of heaven on earth.  And extraordinary miracles are being performed... just like Jesus said they would!

Acts 4:30    "While You stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of Your holy servant Jesus."
   
   
   
   

What Does It Mean to "Be Submissive"?

          Please, I hope you will allow me to comment on a difficult and controversial passage in the Bible.  And in full disclosure, I am doing so at the request of someone my husband and I have counseled in our spiritual healing ministry.  This woman is in great need of knowing the Truth of Scripture, as it is being used against her to keep her in bondage.  And I have no doubt that her questions are shared by many women who might be reading this blog.  So let me jump right in...

           I know it may be difficult to think that in this day of radical feminism and advocacy of equal rights for women on political, social, and economic grounds, that there are those who believe that a woman's place is in complete servitude to a man.  Nowhere can this be more abused than in the covenant of marriage. I am writing this blog on behalf of all women who are struggling to understand their role as "wife" from a Biblical perspective. 

          So, here is the dilemma:  most women honor and respect their husbands, but how do we reconcile the Scripture that is often used by the Church [and well-meaning pastors] to preach that wives should "submit in everything to their husbands, as the Church submits to Christ".  I'm sure you are all familiar with this chapters in Ephesians that instructs us on the unity in the Body of Christ, including the relationships between Husband and Wife, and Parents and Children.      

            Ephesians 5:22-24 reads as follows:  Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.  Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.  This passage is often interpreted that wives should be "submissive" in their relationships with their husbands.  Can you see how this explanation can be wrongly used to keep a woman from her full identity in Christ -- especially if it is misapplied by an abusive husband?  Let's take a deeper look at what the Bible is telling us in this important and defining passage.

           What is often overlooked in the discussion on this particular Scripture are the verses just preceding verse 22.  In Ephesians 5:20-21, the Bible says ... giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. When we are filled with the Spirit, it will show by our mutual submission to each other; and the submission will be done in the fear of God, not the fear of man.

           The word "submit" in this context literally means "to be under in rank". What this indicates is that all of us are under the dominion and authority of Christ.  And, yes, it does indicate that in the covenant of marriage, there must be rank, i.e., the husband is the leader in the marriage, and the wife is his helpmate.  But, there is more to it than that.  In many of the best ancient Greek manuscripts, Ephesians 5:22 doesn’t even have the word submit. It simply reads wives, to your own husbands. 

           When Paul admonishes wives to submit to their husbands, it is in the idea that wives recognize that there is an order of authority; the husband is the leader, and that they are part of a unit, a team. He is making it clear, that as an individual, the wife is not more important than the working of the unit or the team. But, sadly, too often this Scripture is used to subjugate women and suppress their spirits.  

           It is important that all people recognize that Submission does not mean inferiority. As well, submission does not mean silence. Submission means “sub-mission.” There is a mission for the Christian marriage, and that mission is obeying and glorifying God. The wife says, “I’m going to put myself under that mission. That mission is more important than my individual desires. I’m not putting myself below my husband, I’m putting myself below the mission that God has designed for our marriage, for my life.”

           Now, let's take another look at the Scripture in question ... Wives, submit to your husbands, as to the Lord.  Let's begin with the "to your husbands" portion. This defines the sphere of a wife’s sub-mission. The Bible never commands a general sub-mission of women unto men in society. This order is commanded only in the spheres of the home and in the church. "As to the Lord" ... this is the crucial phrase.  There are those within the Church who interpret this to mean that it “favors” the husband.  They will say that As to the Lord means that a wife should submit to her husband as if he were God himself. The idea is “you submit to God in absolutely everything without question, so you must submit to your husband in the same absolute way.” Wrong!

     Simply put, in no place does the Scripture say that a person should submit to another in that way. There are limits to the submission your employer can expect of you. There are limits to the submission the government can expect of you. There are limits to the submission parents can expect of children. In no place does the Scripture teach an unqualified, without exception, submission -- except to God, and God alone. To violate this is to commit the sin of idolatry.

           Here is the truth:  As to the Lord defines the motive of a wife’s submission. David Martyn Lloyd-Jones, minister of Westminster Chapel in London expresses it the best I've ever seen: “It means: ‘Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands because it is a part of your duty to the Lord, because it is an expression of your submission to the Lord.’ Or, ‘Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands; do it in this way, do it as a part of your submission to the Lord.’ In other words, you are not doing it only for the husband, you are doing it primarily for the Lord Himself . . . You are doing it for Christ’s sake, you are doing it because you know that He exhorts you to do it, because it is well-pleasing in His sight that you should be doing it. It is part of your Christian behaviour, it is a part of your discipleship.”

           BUT, it is very important to take into account if the husband is loving his wife as Christ loves the Church.  This has nothing to do with whether or not the husband is “right” on a particular issue. It has to do with Jesus being right, and the two being right in their understanding of the marriage covenant.  When they submit to each other in marriage, they must have "a team attitude".  There is a natural order in a marriage, with the husband being head of the family, as Christ is head of the Church. But Scripture also tells us, So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. 

           Paul goes on to say, Husbands, love your wives.  Though wives are to submit to their husbands, it never excuses husbands acting as tyrants over their wives. No husband is entitled to say that he is the head of the wife unless he loves his wife.  The wife is the one who is kept, preserved, guarded, shielded, provided for by the husband. That is the relationship -- as Christ nourishes and cherishes the church, so the husband nourishes and cherishes the wife -- and the wife should realize that that is her position in this relationship. The initiative and the leadership are ultimately the husband’s, but the action must always be co-ordinated. That is the meaning of this picture -- co-ordinated action, but leadership in the head. There is no sense of inferiority suggested by this. The wife is not inferior to her husband; she is different. 

           And finally, we must address the concept as expressed in the last part of verse 24: wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Are there any exceptions to "everything"?  Absolutely!  When the husband asks the wife to sin, she is free from her obligation to submit.  When the husband is physically abusive, and endangers the safety of the wife or children, the wife is free from her obligation to submit. She does not have to submit to his violence. When the husband breaks the marriage bond by adultery, a wife does not have to submit and just accept it. The Bible says she has the right to “come out from under his rank” in such cases. If the husband has been guilty of adultery the wife is no longer bound to give him obedience in everything. She can divorce him, she is allowed to do so by the Scripture.

           I know that this topic and its discussion can be exhaustive, but it is an important one to have, especially if a daughter of the Kingdom finds herself in a marriage that strains her ability to perform her sub-mission before the Lord.  As you can tell, Paul (and the Lord) take the subject of marriage and the subsequent roles of husband and wife seriously.  And so should we. We would do well to caution our children to take the choice of marriage partner seriously.  It is in service to the Lord that we enter into such sacred partnerships.  We owe it to ourselves, our spouses, and our Lord and Master to choose wisely.

      Ephesians 5:32-33     This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.  However, let each of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

           

    

Psalm 33:12

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord...

     I have tried to stay away from political commentary and concentrate on what the Holy Spirit reveals to me.  But in the wake of Friday's inauguration of our 45th President, I was quite moved at the emphasis on our God in the opening prayers.  I will leave the commentary on the President's inaugural speech to those who are more astute at political analysis than I.  But I do want to give a short and visceral response, prompted by the reaction of my spirit.

     First, let me say that I knew on Thursday afternoon, as the pre-inauguration concert came to an end, and the Marine Band sang "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" with all the reverence and respect that those words evoke, that perhaps we were going to see this event in terms that transcended politics.  I will honestly tell you that when the last verse was sung. slowly and deliberately ... In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me: As He died to make men holy, let us live to make men free, While God is marching on ... I felt my spirit stir, and I could not hold back the tears -- not because I was stirred by the patriotism, but because there was such honor and reverence for our God in picking that song to kick off our nation's transference of power weekend.

     I will say that post-event, in spite of all the attempts by political wonks and hacks to derail the power of President Trump's inauguration speech, I was more focused on the opening prayers.  For the first time, in a long time, there did not appear to be an effort towards ecumenicalism, or a global inclusion of false gods.  The Christian-Judeo God was at the center of each prayer; the One True God, and I can't help but think that Satan, the Enemy of YHWH, was dealt a tremendous blow. For the first time -- in a long time -- it seemed that there was a declaration that we are a Christian nation!

     Cardinal Timothy Dolan offered the first of six prayers by various faith leaders, praying from King Solomon's Book of Wisdom:  "Lord God, God of our ancestors ... in Your Providence, You have charged us to rule the creatures produced by You; to govern the world in [Your] Holiness and Righteousness, and to render [Your] Judgment with integrity of heart.  Give us wisdom, for we are Your servants ... Send Wisdom from Your Glorious Throne in Heaven; dispatch her to us that we might discern what is pleasing to You...".

     The Rev. Samuel Rodriguez incorporated Jesus's Sermon on the Mount in his prayer offering, emphasizing God's desire that His people represent His Kingdom on Earth.  Paula White, whom the press has labeled as President Trumps's "spiritual advisor" began her prayer with "Dear Heavenly Father, in the Name of Jesus, ... we recognize that every perfect gift and purpose comes from You ... Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done ... Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit... we pray this in the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

     Bishop Wayne Jackson of Detroit prayed that God would give President Trump the wisdom of Solomon, the vision of Joseph, and the meekness of Christ. And then he bestowed the Aaronic blessing upon the President and the nation:  The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His face on you and give you peace.

     Rabbi Marvin Hier invoked the blessings of the Eternal God: "May the days come soon, when Justice will dwell in the wilderness; and Righteousness will abide in the fertile fields; and the work of Righteousness will be peace, quietness, and confidence forever. Amen."

     The Rev. Franklin Graham quoted from 1 Timothy, Chapter 2:  "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth.  For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all...".  And then to make sure that we heard the Divine Truth, he repeated one verse: For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.  He continued:  "Now to the King Eternal; the only God; Honor and Glory forever and ever.  In Jesus's Name. Amen".

     To be honest with you, I couldn't quite believe my ears.  Only one God was magnified on Inauguration Day ... YHWH, who is the God of Israel, the Most High God, and the One True God!  There was no attempt to make Him equal to the lesser gods of the world; nor to diminish His Authority or place in our history.  I heard the Word expressed in all its infinite Power, and it felt good to my spirit!

     But I want us to be mindful.  Before the Inaugural event even began, the Enemy has infiltrated the media and there were undisguised attempts to cast doubt on the characters of those pastors who spoke Biblical Truth.  I am not going to attempt to defend or deny these men and women.  I am only assessing the faithfulness and trustworthiness of their prayers.  

     No one can say if this turning towards God will last for our generation and into the future, or if it will be fleeting.  But for now -- for this moment in time -- the magnificence of my God was glorified, and I felt He was pleased.  May we continue to exalt Him, and may His Name be preserved in the government of our nation forever.

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS:  As I consider the Prayer Service that took place the next morning at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., my spirit is somewhat troubled that the Service included prayers on behalf of faiths not recognized by YHWH.  And I fully understand that my comment would be seen as politically incorrect by most secularists, and some Christians. But I am not concerned with how the world looked upon this holy occasion; I am only concerned with how my God regarded it. In light of the fact that the Inauguration praised and magnified Jesus Christ, and the God of Israel, how would YHWH look upon exalting other gods the very next morning?

     I understood that as the Leader of the United States, our President is expected to honor all the peoples of this nation; peoples of different ethnicities and faiths.  But how did YHWH look upon those prayers to false gods?  Then my wise husband reminded me of Revelation 5:10:  You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.  

      I know that we are called to rule and reign [in partnership with Jesus] in establishing God's Kingdom here on earth. But we are also called to be priests.  And what did God establish as the role of a priest? It is to atone for the sins of the nation.  So I can pray to my God, and as His priest, I can ask that the sins of praying to other gods be transferred to me, whereby I will repent of them, and asking for forgiveness, trusting that they will be covered in the blood of Jesus. This Prayer Service could then be cleaned and purged of all unrighteousness. It in no way excuses or approves of the sin; but in fact, shows recognition of the affront to my God, and a willingness to atone for the iniquity. Please, Dear God, forgive us of our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

The Court of Heaven (Part 2): Do You Know Your Authority In The Court?

   

     As we continue yesterday's discussion on the Court of Heaven, I would like to state some foundational points on this topic:  1) Scripture makes it clear there is a Court in Heaven; 2) Satan goes to the Courtroom to accuse us; 3) Satan looks for any legal loophole (any opening by which he has been given authority to attack our lives). He wants to steal, kill, and destroy and let's face it, it has been made easier for him because we haven’t known about the Courtroom. 4) We have been invited to take part in the Courtroom, just as the High Priest Joshua was in Zechariah 3:7.  5)  We don’t need to be clean to go to the courtroom. We are made clean when we go there! Joshua was given new garments in the courtroom.  6) We are able to defeat the devil and any of his principalities and powers.  We have real authority in the Court of Heaven!  And that authority is backed by Jesus, Himself, who has given us the power to bind on earth what has been bound in Heaven.  And when the verdict is handed down that the Accuser has no case against us because we are washed in the blood of Jesus, all of heaven backs that verdict including angels and the Ancient of Days Himself! Isn't that a powerful image?
    And here is a very important and exciting concept to consider... It is written in Proverbs 6:30-31, People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry; But when he is found, he must repay seven times [what he stole]; he must give all the property of his house [if necessary, to meet his fine] ... God says he must restore what has been stolen SEVENFOLD, even if it bankrupts him.  Now that’s just if he steals because he is in severe lack, and he’s hungry.  What about a thief who steals just because he enjoys stealing from people?  Would God require any less of him?  No.  He still has to repay.  Ah, but the thief we are talking about here is Satan, and he’s a spirit.  How can we make him pay?  We can’t haul him to the Judge and make him pay us back.  OR CAN WE??
      Who says that your spirit can't appear before the Court in Heaven with a list of what the devil has stolen from you and demand restoration?  The King of Kings, and LORD of Lords, will acknowledge your list and make restoration for you, with life abundant ... The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10) .  We need to stop being passive and letting the devil steal from us!  Remember, Satan is a spirit, and it is our spirits that must appear in the spiritual Court of Heaven to make our case. I know some of you may be wondering how that can even be possible.  But, remember ... Scripture tells us in Ephesians 2 that by God's grace, we are saved, and we are raised up with Christ and seated with Him in the Heavenly realms.  We were once far away and now we have been brought near.  The Bible is talking about our spirits!  Made in the image of God, we are spirits in physical bodies. And through the gift of salvation, our spirits are able to commune with Jesus in the heavenly realms and we are not limited by time, distance, or space.
     And here is what we all need to understand... to be seated with Christ is a clear picture of our Authority!  And by faith, we need to see ourselves in that Courtroom, and see the verdict of our innocence in Jesus being announced. It really is a matter of our physical senses catching up to our spirits.  Our spirits are already there... just let your spirit (which is in heaven) speak to you through the images in your mind and show you what appearing in the Court of Heaven looks like.  Ask the Holy Spirit (which resides in your heart) to help your mind receive what your spirit wants to share.
     And I can imagine that it is not much different than how a Courtroom here on earth is conducted.  On earth as it is in Heaven, remember?  You enter the Courtroom, paying respect and honor to the Judge.  You are apprised of the charges against you, and you enter a plea.  Since the Accuser will be bringing charges based on the actions of your flesh, you will confess your human sins, and ask for forgiveness from the Court.  It is at that point that you can rely on Jesus, as your Advocate, to pronounce that you have been cleansed by His blood, and the Blood will be speaking on your behalf.
     Then, just like Job, you prepare your case and present it.  Whether your Accuser brings charges of sickness, poverty, sexual immorality, or any other region of captivity that you need to be set free from, you present your evidence from Scripture ... "By Jesus's stripes I am healed"; "Blessed am I because I am poor, for mine is the Kingdom of God"; "I have confessed my sin (of sexual immorality) and He is faithful and just to forgive me my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness"; "Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free".  There is not a charge or sin that the Accuser can bring forth that cannot be disputed with Scripture.  Simply build your case and present it to the Judge.
     And don't expect that this will be your last appearance before the Court.  As you display your Authority in this heavenly Courtroom, the Accuser will become more determined to beat you the next time.  But now you are building a history and a reputation in the Heavenly Courtroom.  The Judge sees that you are using your Authority well in representing yourself and His Kingdom, and will (just like with the High Priest Joshua we referenced yesterday) give you greater authority to conduct His government on earth.
     And here's the really cool thing!  Your actions in the Court of Heaven can have very real consequences and effect change here on earth.  You can go to the Court of Heaven on behalf of a loved one!  If you see someone's life spiraling out of control, you can appeal to the Court on their behalf.  You can go to the Court as a witness and for the benefit of another, declaring Scripture in their defense, and seeing the Accuser's case against them crumble. While Satan brings accusations against us stating that we all deserve punishment, we can present our case before the Judge, countering with the argument that the Blood of Jesus [and repentance] brings “legal” forgiveness or justification.

     Too many times we argue with ourselves and others, trying to prove our innocence, when we can just go straight to the Judge of heaven and earth to plead our case.  We need to realize that the Court of Heaven is heavily stacked in our favor -- especially when we know the Authority we have in the Courtroom.  And it is imperative that we understand that the "Accuser of the Brethren" is always there to accuse us before the Judge; accusing us day and night. All we have to do is show up covered in the Blood, having already repented, and present our case. If the Enemy tries to bring up our past, or any past sins in our life that have already been repented of and forgiven, the Judge will overrule him and won’t allow them to be used against us as evidence.
     Here's a thought for you to consider ... Most Christians lose battles in their lives simply because they do not discern that the battles are spiritual, and that they can appear before the Court of Heaven to present their case. The devil is a legalist and tries to find a loophole to win his case. When you don't show up in Court, he wins by default, and lives to accuse you [on that matter] for another day. But when He hears that gavel pound, and the final verdict of "Not Guilty", the Accuser is convinced of your Authority in the Court of Heaven.  The powers of darkness know they have no more legal authority to attack you, and all heaven has witnessed it and will back it up.
     And here are a couple of final thoughts I want you to take away from this discussion:  First, when we bring God’s Word as part of our defense and cry out to God in the Courtroom of Heaven, bringing again and again before Him the Truth of what He says in Scripture, victory will come. God cannot deny His Word, and Satan cannot defeat it.  Scripture is our legal evidence in the Court of Heaven, and with Jesus as our Advocate, and our Authority as our credentials, we are assured acquittal every time!
     But here is my final thought and one that has profound implications ... Remember in Part 1, when I pointed out that God gave the High Priest Joshua access to His Presence in the Court of Heaven PLUS told him that he would be given greater authority to handle God's affairs in His earthly Kingdom?  And remember that I wrote that this was a promise for all of us?  Now, apply that concept to what Paul wrote to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 6: Do you not know that the saints (God’s people) will [one day] judge the world? If the world is to be judged by you, are you not competent to try trivial (insignificant, petty) cases? Do you not know that we [believers] will judge angels? How much more then [as to] matters of this life?
     Did you get that?  One day, we will be administering God's justice upon the whole world, and as Believers in Heaven, we will judge the fallen angels!  But those who will be entrusted with that awesome responsibility must be spiritually mature, and I believe that means we must begin to start representing ourselves in the Court of Heaven now; to practice trying the "trivial cases in the matters of this life" that the Accuser brings against us today... i.e., those cases where he accuses us of being unlovable, rejected, abandoned, sexually immoral, and any number of lies that he says points to our unworthiness in Jesus's eyes.  But that requires us to administrate His Kingdom here on earth from our seats of authority in Heaven.  As Job discovered, no one can present our case like we can!  And the only way to get the practice and to mature our skills is to experience it firsthand.  The Heavenly Court is open and in session ... Jesus and God are waiting for your first Court appearance!

Job 13:3     “But I desire to speak to the Almighty and to argue my case with God.”

The Court of Heaven (Part 1): Do You Know You Have Access To It?

     Perhaps the first question I should ask is Did you know the Court of Heaven even exists?  I would venture to guess that a majority of modern Christians would answer "No" to that question.  Yet the Jews returning to Jerusalem from their Babylonian exile knew well the teachings of the prophet Zechariah, among which was this idea of a Heavenly Court.
     And when we examine Scripture, there are many references to legal terms in God's relationship with men:  judgment, appeals, law, contract, evidence, witnesses, indictment, jurisdiction, debt and debtors, redemption, punishment, condemn, testimony, and verdict.  Starting to get the idea?  And we must always keep in mind the admonition of our Lord: Thy Kingdom come, on earth as it is in Heaven.  The judicial system of the ancient Israelites, as well as our own court system, are modeled upon the Court in Heaven.  Furthermore, the Court is part of the judicial government of the Kingdom of Heaven, and guess what?  We have access to it as part of His Kingdom here on earth!
     First, I want us to understand that there are really two aspects of the Court of Heaven for Believers:  1) Jesus as our legal defender, and 2) our ability to prepare a case for our own defense.  In both instances, we can be present and have access to God in this heavenly Courtroom.
     Let me see if I can paint a picture for you from Scripture... In Zechariah, Chapter 3, the prophet receives a vision from a guiding angel of the High Priest, Joshua, standing before God, and Satan stands to his right, as his accuser.  The High Priest Joshua represents disobedient and sinful Israel, who has been brought to the Court of Heaven to receive what Satan thinks will be justified punishment for their sins.  (Remember: He is known as the Accuser). But that isn't what happens!  God rebukes Satan and replaces Joshua's filthy rags with the clean white robes of forgiveness.
     Then it gets even more exciting!  God counsels Joshua, telling him that if he will be faithful and walk in the ways of the Lord, he will be given greater authority to govern His house and have charge of His earthly courts, and most importantly, Joshua will have free access to the Court in Heaven and to God's presence.  I want you to read that last comment again ... God promised Joshua privileged access into the presence of God. This isn’t a surprising promise for a High Priest, but we have the same promise: Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16).
     NOTE:  I am currently seeking revelation from God about whether the Court of Heaven takes place in the Throne Room of God.  At this time, I am seeing Daniel 7:9-10 as confirming this, but I have asked some notable Bible scholars for their opinion, and I will give you their feedback as I receive it.  But for your own discernment and determination, here is the passage in Daniel:  As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool; His throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and came out from before Him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.  I see both the Throne Room and the Court of Judgment pictured in this Scripture, but as to whether they always coincide together, I am not prepared to say.  And perhaps the Court appears in the Throne Room only when God (The Judge) calls the Court into session.  What do you think?  

     But back to the High Priest Joshua ... as Christians, we, too, can appear before God's Throne and the Court of Heaven.  And I really like the way the noted theologian Charles Spurgeon voices his interpretation of this scenario:  "When Satan accuses, Christ pleads (our case). He does not wait till the case has gone against us and then express His regret, but He is always a very present help in time of trouble. He knows the heart of Satan, (being omniscient God), and long before Satan can accuse He puts in the demurrer, the blessed plea on our behalf, and stays the action till He gives an answer which silences forever, [the Accuser's] every accusation."  I found it interesting that the definition of the word demurrer is "[in Law], an objection that an opponent's point is irrelevant or invalid, while granting the factual basis of the point".  So, the result is that Satan accuses us, and Jesus never denies our sin, but instead acts as our Mediator. His sacrifice on our behalf makes the case against us invalid, and the case is thrown out of the Court of Heaven.  We are innocent by the Blood of the Lamb!
     But I don't want us to skip over another very important fact ... God's promise wasn’t just that we can go to the Court of Heaven to petition, making a formal request for a Judicial decision, but if we  will follow God's commandments and live in obedience, then we can oversee the affairs of the Judge  (God), and make the decisions!! That is a realm of authority in the Kingdom Government on earth that is available to all of us! So it’s not just about us being able to appear in Court to plead our case, (it starts there, of course), but we are given the authority to rule and reign and be part of God's justice system in His earthly Kingdom. In that particular responsibility, there is a significant aspect of our position in the Kingdom of God that I'm afraid most Christians don't fully understand... We are Kings and priests of our God, and He intends for us to participate as the government of heaven will increasingly invade the earth.
     There are other obvious views of the Court of Heaven in the Bible.  Perhaps the most familiar one is in the story of Job ... One day when the angels came to report to God, Satan who was his designated Accuser came along with him. We also see that the Court in Heaven is where Satan got permission to curse Job and strike him with severe sores and other misfortune.  It is important for us to understand, as in this case with Job, God does allow Satan to attack and harass His people, but He always strictly regulates what Satan is allowed to do.  And whether we realize it or not, Satan has been going to the Heavenly Courtroom, (just like he did with Job), to get permission to steal from all of our lives. And because we Christians haven't known that we can go into Court and say, "NO, I want to present my case and oppose what the Accuser is saying", we have experienced defeat after defeat! How often have Believers perished for lack of this knowledge?!?
     And I don't want to leave this topic without pointing out one of the strongest visions of the Court of Heaven, which takes place in Revelation 12:10:  Then I heard a strong (loud) voice in heaven, saying, Now it has come—the salvation and the power and the kingdom (the dominion, the reign) of our God, and the power (and the authority) of His Christ (the Messiah); for the Accuser of our brethren, he who keeps bringing before our God charges against them day and night, has been cast out.

     But here's the good news!  We have an Advocate in the Heavenly Courtroom!  This is a legal term describing someone who has received some legal training which allows him or her to represent another in a courtroom; an Advocate is someone who speaks on behalf of someone else.  So we should see a picture of Jesus as our Advocate in 1 John 2:1, “My little children, I write you these things so that you may not violate God’s law and sin. But if anyone should sin, we have an Advocate (One Who will intercede for us) with the Father—[it is] Jesus Christ [the all] righteous [upright and just, Who conforms to the Father’s will in every purpose, thought, and action].”  We know, from this Scripture, that Jesus is legally trained and knows how to represent us in the Court of Heaven!
     But here's something we must also consider ... in the instance of Job, we know that Satan was allowed to appear before the Court of Heaven, and accuse Job before God, The Judge.  But in the first 12 chapters, Job does nothing to defend himself.  He laments the attacks against him, but does nothing to defend himself --- until Chapter 13!  Finally, in this chapter he says, NOW I have prepared my case (verse 18).  So, do you think Job might have saved himself and his family a lot of harm and suffering if he had prepared his case earlier?  Would he have been able to block Satan's attempt to destroy him and his family in the Court?  No one can say for sure, but Job makes it quite evident that now that he's prepared his case, he knows he will be vindicated!
     Can we perhaps learn a lesson from Job and be prepared to make our own cases in the Court of Heaven against our Accuser? Stay tuned for the next post as I present how the whole Heavenly Court system is rigged on our behalf, and how we can go to the Court on behalf of ourselves and our families, with the knowledge that Jesus stands with us.  It's time we begin to prepare our own defense against the lies and accusations of our Adversary!

Thank you to the notes of Steven McKie, David Herzog, and Terry Spencer of New Horizon Community Church for their helpful insight on this topic.  They pointed me to Scripture on the Court of Heaven, which contributed to my understanding of this Biblical concept.

Psalm 35:1   "Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me; Fight against those who fight against me".
   

   

When The Presence Of God Seems Hidden

     Yesterday I addressed how it feels when you think God doesn't see you or hear you.  Today I want to focus on how we think and feel when it seems as if we can't see or hear God.  I'm talking about the "hiddenness" of God; but not from the aspect of nonbelievers, who will say, if God existed, then God would make His existence more obvious. God is not obvious. Therefore, God does not exist.
     This is not about God deliberately hiding His presence.  It's about those times in our lives when we, who have been in real relationship with Him, can't find Him or hear His voice.  It's about those crises of faith that have us asking why He has seemingly abandoned us, or is at least choosing to not communicate with us.

     If you have been one who has enjoyed an easy and intimate relationship with God -- received answers to your prayers, and seen evidence of His presence during times of trouble -- then the notable lack of His appearance becomes cause for concern.  And if you have advanced to a level of relationship where your spirit can approach His throne room and ask for heavenly power and a call to action -- and then He seems to be absent or silent, it can begin to raise doubts in our spirit. And  if the problem persists, then it can lead to a crisis of faith; or worse, sometimes a collapse of trust in God.
      But if you have experienced an intimate relationship with God in the past, and are now facing a "dry spell" in that partnership, you must not forget that He is the Unchangeable and Ever-Present God. Perhaps He is preparing to do a work in your life and is waiting to see the level of commitment you have to Him.  Maybe He is waiting to see if you are willing to press into Him when the going gets rough and His presence isn't easily discerned.  And just maybe there are places He wants to take you, but you have to be willing to walk by faith, not by sight.
     That is a time-worn motto of the Church ... we walk by faith, not by sight.  But if you are a Christian who has developed a spiritual relationship with God (communing with Him in the spirit and being accustomed to His presence), then the absence of that intimacy might really challenge your faith walk.  But that is the time to "press into God".
     What do I mean by that?  It means to seek God and to keep on seeking Him, even when you have no clear evidence that He is there.  It means to seek to know Him and His righteousness when your world is falling down around you.  It means surrendering yourself and your life to Him because you have nowhere else (and no one) to turn to. And it means trusting that He is there, waiting on you to take a step towards Him, instead of sitting back and expecting Him to come to you.
     I have a very dear friend who is pressing into new depths in her relationship with God. She has met Jesus in her spirit and He has shown her how much He values her and what is possible when she decides to move towards Him.  She has been through some devastating trials in her life, and has just recently learned to seek Jesus in the spirit and press into Him. While He has healed her emotional and spiritual wounds, and is helping her to deal with changes in her life, He is also showing her that her future depends on her making the next move.  He is not there to orchestrate her every step, but is waiting for her to put her faith into action to receive the future He has planned for her.  She doesn't know what that might be, but because she has pressed into Him, even when He doesn't seem to be present, she is excited about stepping out in faith.  The unknown future no longer scares her because she knows He has something spectacular to give her; something He has been preparing for her since He knit her in the womb.  And because she has walked by faith, and not by sight -- and because she has pushed through her trials to be in the very presence of God -- she is excited to receive her inheritance as the daughter of the King!

     Unfortunately, an experience she had with trying to go through the Church to help her deal with her personal trauma and ordeals was met with a legalistic attitude.  She tried to share what God was showing her and the new depths she was reaching with Him, but they wanted to shove her, and God, into a traditional and Pharisaical box. They wanted her to observe the strict external form of religion without regard to the spirit.  As she sat in dismay, her dejected spirit saw angelic soldiers in full spiritual armor shaking their heads in consternation, and she left the Church in tears.  I can only imagine how that grieved God's Holy Spirit.
     But she is determined to seek God on her own and press into Him, despite the Church.  And she is enthusiastic about what God has in store for her. Her greatest joy is found in spending time in God’s presence and contending with God’s Spirit for more of Him. She is learning to love the time she spends with Him, and it is preparing her for any future "dry spells" that are sure to come her way. She has stepped outside the comfort zone of conventional religion and has turned a life that looks destroyed [from the outside] into a spiritual relationship worth celebrating!  Jesus was her last resort, and she didn't let the fact that she couldn't see Him or hear Him [in the wreckage of her life] stop her from reaching out for Him. She accepted His invitation for healing, let Him validate and strengthen her, and is now ready to trust in the authority and power He has given her to walk out her faith.
     Don't get caught up in the Enemy's lie that you need Jesus to hold your hand every minute of every day.  Don't buy into the deception that you're incapable of defeating the devil on your own.  You have been given the very power that God gave Jesus.  His presence is in you and you can have the confidence that you will be a Victor, just as He was. So, if you happen to be in a spiritual desert at the moment, and you can't hear or see God, then wait for Him; pressing into Him and pushing through to a relationship that I promise you will be supernatural and rewarding!

Psalm 2:1-5    "My son, if you will receive My words
and treasure My commandments within you, so that your ear is attentive to [skillful and Godly] wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding [seeking it conscientiously and striving for it eagerly]; yes, if you cry out for insight, and lift up your voice for understanding; if you seek skillful and Godly wisdom as you would silver and search for her as you would hidden treasures; then you will understand the [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] and discover the knowledge of God."
   

Genesis 16:13

So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees me,”  for she said, “Truly I have seen Him who looks after me.”

     In this passage we see, Hagar, the Egyptian handmade of Sarai, who was given to Abram to bear him a child.  We all know the story. Sarai is unable to conceive, and taking matters into her own hands (rather than trusting YHWH to keep His promise that a son would be borne to her), decides she will manipulate the situation and gain children through her servant. After giving birth to Ishmael, Abram's first son, Hagar suffers the jealousy and wrath of Sarai, and runs off to the wilderness, willing to allow herself and her unborn child to die, rather than suffer anymore abuse.

     But she is visited by Angel of the Lord, who tells her that YHWH has heard and paid attention to her suffering and persecution. And she will give birth to a son, whom she is to name Ishmael (God hears). At that moment she can bear anything, knowing that she has met a God who sees her and hears her.  She is not insignificant, nor is her situation ignored.

     NOTE:  This is the first occurrence of “Angel of the Lord (YHWH)” in Scripture. The Hebrew word for “angel” means “messenger” (an angel of God is a special messenger from God who speaks for and is closely identified with Him). Many Bible scholars believe that this Angel may be a theophany, that is, a physical manifestation of God, in which case the word Angel is capitalized. The Angel of the Lord may, based on context, be the pre-incarnate Christ, the Son of God. Various versions of the Bible either capitalize, or not, the word "angel".  I happen to believe that this is Jesus, and not an unidentifiable messenger from God.

     Moving on, I can't tell you how many people -- especially women -- who have found their way to our ministry because of similar circumstances as Hagar. By that, I mean, they are suffering in their personal lives because they feel that no one is listening to them.  They desperately need to be heard and their lives validated.  They are often living is such spiritual prisons, that they fear no one knows the truth of their lives.  

     But when we can show them that, just like Hagar, Jesus has been listening to their prayers and has seen everything that has gone on in their lives, and is El Roi (the God who sees me), then they can begin to let His Light shine into their darkness.  Knowing that He knows their truth can be such a liberating event.  And, almost without exception, they are surprised to be able to go into the spirit realm and see Him present at each point in their lives when they thought they were suffering alone.

    It is quite natural, and understandable, that they often ask, "If You were there, why didn't You stop the hurtful outcome or change the situation"?  With every person, His answer is different and unique to their circumstances.  As I have proposed in a previous post, God (and Jesus) will not subvert His universal law of free will.  Whether the hurtful period in one's life is caused by our own free will decision to sin, or the free will act of another to harm us, God has given us the option to reach out to Him for repentance, healing, and restoration. That cements a very deep and personal relationship between us and our Savior.  If God just stepped in and stopped the sin and abuse, would we ever make an effort to establish such a holy and sanctified relationship?  Would we ever turn to Him on our own, and why would we ever have to acknowledge His power, if we never needed to be set free?

     In the well-known story of Abram, Sarai, and Hagar, God shows us that He is truly El Roi ...  God never sleeps, He sees, He is aware, He is the great Omnipresent God. But I want to take it one step further ... what if in the darkest hour of your torment, you are able to actually connect with Him in your spirit?  What if you can hear Him say, just like Hagar did, "I hear you, and I see you"!  And what if you learned that He is there all the time, and you can visit with Him anytime and as often as you like?  What if your spirit could receive affirmation that He values you and wants you to see yourself as He sees you; as a child of God, as a Princess of the Kingdom? And what if He wants to show you your real Truth -- not what the world has projected on to your mind's screen?

     Can you see that this passage is giving us a precise picture of the healing power of Jesus as we encounter Him in the spirit?  And can you see how much more effective this can be than secular counseling, or even pastoral counseling?  Because I can tell you that if a counselor never invites Jesus in to have a personal encounter with the hurting and wounded, then all the secular psychology or sermons on the characteristics of a Biblical wife will never make the wounded feel they've been heard.  Only a one-on-one meeting between Jesus and the afflicted (as happened in Genesis 16) will begin the healing process.   

A Couple of Thoughts On The Future...

     It happens one week from today ... the nation is waiting breathlessly as our country experiences the peaceful transfer of power.  As I watch the circus that has become our political process, I am not sure that anything in this world will change until Jesus returns.  I sense that half of the country is eagerly expecting a new beginning of honesty, authenticity, and trustworthiness among those who govern us; while the other half is anticipating oppression, repression, and suppression.  T
     Those who lean Left, politically, fear the loss of all they've gained in the last 43+ years: their newly acquired right to marry anyone of their choice, regardless of sex; their ability to choose to destroy a fetus; and their newfound freedom to culturally express themselves as any gender on any given day.  Those who lean to the political and religious Right hope to see the demise of all those "freedoms".
     We, here in America, pride ourselves on our bedrock of Freedom and Human Rights.  As I contemplate our future, both here at home and abroad, I am deeply concerned that we are too far down the path of unrighteousness to effect any dramatic turn in direction.
     Take this for instance: the First Amendment to our Bill of Rights protects the free exercise of religion and the freedom of speech, right? But for far too long, our Churches have restricted themselves from being able to express their opinions on moral, cultural, or political issues.  

"No one can serve two masters ..."

      We are all familiar with the 501(c)3 tax status, which exempts churches from paying federal income taxes as a non-profit public charity.  But as I look around at the mega-churches and the healthy bank accounts of even small town churches, I hardly consider churches "non-profit".  What I see is this ... in an attempt to benefit from man's laws, the Church has become a privileged government entity, receiving monetary "favors" in exchange for operating under and representing private civil law.  In other words, our churches now operate under man's law instead of the freedom of God's Law, trading the headship of Christ for the mandates of the State.
     Now, along comes Donald Trump, who as our President-Elect, declares that he will remove or repeal the Johnson Amendment, which limits freedom of speech from the pulpits.  This amendment is a change in the U.S. tax code, made in 1954, which prohibited certain tax-exempt organizations (including churches) from endorsing and opposing political candidates.  In this election cycle, Christian citizens received this as a ray of hope that the pastors in our pulpits could return to speaking God's whole Truth without fear of government intervention or retaliation.
     But I wonder if it is really the fear of the government that has silenced our pulpits, or the fear of cultural disapproval?  Haven't we really silenced ourselves in an attempt to appease and pacify the growing cultural objection to our Biblical belief system?  Not only have we kept silent, but we have actually adopted the culture as our guiding model for administering our churches.  Same-sex marriage is not only becoming more acceptable in Christian churches, but abortion as a sin is minimized, and the Bible is increasingly discredited.
     When I consider that more churches will adapt to these kinds of Biblical sin, yet condemn a healing or deliverance ministry as "too controversial" (even though Jesus modeled both for us!), then I know that Satan has infiltrated the Church and the seminaries.  And it saddens me that we, the Body of Christ in our nation's churches, would look towards the repeal of a piece of legislation as our lifeline, rather than the pure, unadulterated, and solid Word of God.  In reality, all the Johnson Amendment did was to limit pastors from endorsing or opposing political candidates.  But what stopped them from speaking out about political corruption (and preaching what God is really saying in Romans 13); or speaking out about LGBT activism, abortion, cohabitation, unwed mothers -- any of which have become celebrated statuses in our culture?
     The truth is that no new administration is going to change our culture overnight, and if we are pinning our hopes on Trump and his gang of "outsiders" to effect any great shift in the direction of our government policies or societal culture, then I'm afraid we are going to find ourselves hugely disappointed. And it is not just our churches that determine whether our Christian principles will be upheld.  Our governmental offices and institutions have the ability to stifle our worldwide Christian outreach as well.

     Take for instance, the nomination of Rex Tillerson as President-Elect Trump’s Secretary of State. Many are excited about his executive management skills and I've read more than a couple of inspiring stories about the righteous character of the man.  But I'm also curious to know about the man; especially when I read that, as head of Exxon, Tillerson oversaw large donations to Planned Parenthood.  Are we to anticipate that this organization's radical abortion agenda will be supported as part of our foreign policy?  Also, Mr. Tillerson served on the Boy Scout national board when that organization extended troop leadership to homosexual males.  As a Christian, those actions give me pause, because as Secretary of State, he will have considerable influence on the global impact of the United States, and I am seriously concerned about what social policies we are exporting to the world.
     For instance, will he continue to uphold the October, 2016 rule for the administration of USAID (The United States Agency for International Development; the government agency which is primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid)?  This rule, enacted by President Obama (without Congress) prohibits organizations that contract with USAID from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in the administration of aid. In other words, as expressed in an article on Barbwire.com, "authentic Christian principles must be betrayed in order to serve poor, diseased, displaced and suffering people".  Will Christian-affiliated mission groups be barred from service to the disadvantaged of the world unless they endorse the homosexual agenda?  As Roger Severino, director of the Heritage Foundation’s DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society, said, "Disaster relief agencies may now be required to open their women’s shower and sleeping facilities to biological males who self-identify as women or be stripped of all funding for alleged ‘gender identity discrimination' ". Is that the message we want to send to the world? And is that truly representative of Jesus's form of social justice?
     So, as much as I hate to say it, I'm not so confident that change is in our future ... that anything like repealing the Johnson Amendment will affect the culture of our churches.  I fear that our churches have become institutions unto themselves, more concerned about perpetuating their existence than discipling followers of Jesus in how to live a Biblically righteous life.  And I am waiting to see if the attitudes and behaviors of elected government officials will reflect a desire to promote Christian values at home and in the world, or if we will see the continued advancement of our culture's immorality.
     To tell you the truth, I am more excited and optimistic when I talk to fellow Christians who, single-handedly, are walking out the Great Commission -- Believers who are being bold and taking advantage of the opportunities presented to them to engage with their fellow man and share their faith.  I'm talking about people who, in the course of their day, share Jesus with their physical therapist, the waitress at lunch, the grocery store clerk, or the child in their classroom.  These are Believers who are not ruled by the laws of men; who do not let the opinions of the disbelieving culture inhibit them from shining the Light of the Lord into someone's life.
     I know that will sound like a fantasy dream to some.  But I honestly believe that these simple acts of faith will be honored by God more than all the repealed laws and extraordinary government appointments man can make. Jesus didn't ask us to build massive church buildings and congregations in His Name, or institute powerful governments to represent Him.  He asked us to make disciples of men, baptize them into the Kingdom of God, and teach each man, woman, and child all that He has commanded us.  We do that one person at a time, compromising nothing in our message, and fearing no one but Him.  THAT is the future that I'm ready to witness!  Let it begin with me!

1 Peter 3:15   "but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,"


   

Do You Think God Is In Control of Everything?

    The answer is either "yes" or "no".  And depending on your answer, it will likely determine whether you believe you have Power and Authority in the Name of Jesus. And it will definitely shape how you respond to life's adversities and spiritual attacks.
     Those who respond "yes" will point to the characteristic of His Sovereignty, saying it means God has supreme power, authority, and control over His creation.  They will cite Scripture they believe points to God's sovereignty over nature and nations. They will quote Bible verses they say validate God's sovereignty over history and the affairs of men.  And, ultimately, they will say that even if something bad happens... It was God's WILL!  God can use everything and everyone for His purpose, and therefore that means that He controls things by His will.  So, I knew I had to determine what the concept of God's sovereignty had to say about whether or not He controls everything.
     But here is an astounding thing that I discovered ... I looked up "Sovereignty" in the Dictionary and got this definition:  jurisdiction, rule, supremacy, dominion, power, ascendancy, domination, authority, control, influence.  I thought, "Okay, that is how the secular world defines sovereignty.  How is it defined in Strong's Concordance?", which is an index to the Bible that lists words, and allows one to compare how that word is used in different passages, and to see different meanings, depending on the context.  Well, guess what?  I went to my well-worn Concordance... and the word sovereign wasn't listed! You know how you try to justify something that doesn't seem possible?
     When the Concordance went from the word, southward to sow, I found myself repeating the alphabet to make sure I wasn't looking in the wrong place.  Surely this couldn't be!  But there it was ... Neither sovereign nor sovereignty were listed in Strong's Concordance.  So, what does that say when a well-trusted reference book doesn't even acknowledge the concept of sovereignty?  This well-respected book provides an independent check against translations, and offers readers of the Bible an opportunity for greater, and more technically accurate understanding of the Scriptural text (from both the Hebrew and Greek perspective) -- yet how could I understand text that didn't exist?
     Now, I'm faced with an even bigger dilemma! One of the primary arguments that God is in control of everything has been the characteristic of His Sovereignty... yet, that word doesn't seem to be used in the Bible?!?!  How can that be?  This quandary demanded more research, and I was actually amazed to find the following information....  The words sovereign and sovereignty do not appear in the 1611 King James Bible at all!  (MY CAVEAT: I am not advocating a "King James only" interpretation. I merely reference it because it is the oldest among the Bible versions in use today).
      I discovered that sovereign and sovereignty appear sporadically in the ESV and Amplified versions (written in 1971 and 1965, respectively).  Sovereignty appears eight times in the New American Standard version (published in 1971), although it refers to the LORD God, only twice. But the word sovereign appears 297 times (I looked it up on biblegateway.com) in the NIV translation, written in 1973, and nearly all usages refer to the title, "Sovereign LORD".
      Now I'm curious as to what appears in the King James instead of this word sovereign.  And what I found was that "Sovereign Lord" in the NIV replaced the use of "LORD God" in the King James.  Apparently, the translators of the 20th Century NIV decided to translate the word LORD as Sovereign.  This word, LORD, was translated in the King James Bible from the Hebrew Adonai (meaning Lord, Master) and Jehovah (meaning Lord).  When I compared the Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible (and written and completed before Christ was born!), with every occurrence of the NIV's Sovereign LORD, I found the various terms "Master and Lord", "the Lord thy God", "O Lord, King of gods", or simply "Lord".
     So, let me make my position clear ... Every time you read “Sovereign God” in the NIV Bible, it actually should read “Lord God”. The original Hebrew did not mean "sovereign" and that was a translator’s decision.  And while I cannot explain the reasoning behind this recent mis-translation, I can definitely see how assigning the word "Sovereign" has resulted in a faulty doctrine. Let me elaborate...
     Once God was actually called sovereign, then His sovereignty became an established theological characteristic, and is actually listed in Theopedia (a conservative, evangelical, Christian encyclopedia) as an official characteristic of God.  So, man's ignorance of the Hebrew language, along with religious tradition have actually created a false doctrine of God's "Sovereignty", which now translates into His control of everything because of our 21st Century dictionary definition of what "sovereign" means.
     But regardless of whether you are willing to follow the argument I've presented on the historical mis-translation or not, I still want you to understand why I feel it is important you recognize that God is NOT in control of everything. Let me start by asking you a simple question ... If you think God IS in control of everything... how has the world come to be in such bad shape?  And if you truly believe He is All-Powerful, and has the power to prevent the evil, why do we continue to see such evil being perpetrated by humans? Take, for instance, the recent viral video of that 18-year-old mentally handicapped man who was bound and gagged while four young people tortured him for hours.  They have now been charged with a hate crime, and their racial slurs and physical sadism show their evil hearts.  Do you think it was God's will that the young man suffered such torment and agony?  If He is in control of everything, then why didn't He stop that from happening?  And if there is a purpose for His good in that horrible situation, does that fit your impression of God -- that He would let such pain and humiliation be inflicted upon one of His creation to serve His own purpose?
     Now, let me present my thoughts ... Yes, God has infinite Power and can control anything He wants to.  But He used His free will to create us in His image.  Put in very simple terms, if God has free will, then so do we, because we are made in His image.  But it is quite evident that it is our free will that has caused the world to be in such bad shape.  It is the decisions we make to follow either our flesh or the temptations of the Enemy -- instead of following Him -- that result in the pain and misery on this earth.  Could He have made us to be creatures that automatically follow Him in every circumstance?  Absolutely!  But how would that have glorified Him? Ultimately, our free will results in a decision either to be loyal to Him, or to follow a path to rebellion. (And there's another facet to this question of free will -- Satan was created by God as Lucifer, and he used his free will to make a decision to rebel.  And he is trying to convince us to the same).
     What we see on earth is man using his free will to disobey God to serve his own selfish desires. So, think about this --- If everything was "sovereignly" controlled by God, then there would be no need to pray, no need to give financial offerings, no need to even live right — because whatever happened would be what God wanted regardless of our efforts.  In effect, if God controls everything, why even bother to pray?
     Now, you could say, "But God is all-powerful. He is able to intervene in human affairs, and my prayers can help convince Him". Yes, our prayers rising to Heaven can, and do, result in God intervening in our lives.  But God has given us His power, too, through the Holy Spirit, and the authority to use it!  Jesus makes that very clear in Luke 10:19 ... Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 

     Yet we doubting and faithless Christians do not believe this word from our Savior!  Oh, we have no problem believing that God exists -- but all this other stuff about demons, and spiritual attacks, and supernatural forces of evil; well, that's outside the box that we've put God and ourselves in.  But the ancient Jews, to whom Jesus was talking to in Luke 10:19 knew exactly what He was referencing. "Serpent" referred to a deadly, subtle, malicious enemy; and "Scorpion" symbolized torment and wrath.  Yet, we choose to ignore Jesus's gift [to us] of authority over both, and over ALL the power of the enemy!  These terms and symbols are all dealing with the supernatural, spiritual realm.  Jesus has given us authority and power to resist them, and yet we limit ourselves to praying and asking God to handle it for us.
     Can you consider the possibility that He doesn't want to be the "medicine cabinet God" that handles everything for us?  Can you see that the next time we encounter an attack by the enemy, we have the choice to continue to just sit back and ask God to take care of it for us -- OR we can choose to use the power and authority Jesus has given us over ALL the power of the enemy, and handle it ourselves?  Which glorifies Him the most? -- evil forces on the earth continue to torment and attack us over and over because we never stop them; we just wait for God to answer our prayers ... OR, we declare to the spiritual realm that we are using our free will and our authority to call upon the mighty Name of Jesus [and are using His power that abides within us] to wage war as part of His Kingdom servants on this earth.
     My spirit gets a very clear picture --- God doesn't want to be in control of everything!  He wants a partner, not a puppet!  He made us in His image and He wants us to act like it!  He sent His Son into this evil world , and transferred His power to Jesus to establish God's Kingdom on earth.  Then Jesus transferred His power to us, and here we are 2,000 years later, with scarcely an idea that we possess that power, let alone know how to use it.  It is not God's will that the world be in the shape it is in, nor that we suffer in our lives from all the slings and arrows of the enemy.
     Will there be things outside our control, even if we use the power assigned to us?  The answer is yes. The Prince of this world still has his power, too.  But I don't think Jesus wanted us to believe that God would control everything.  Jesus, Himself, was God ... and He could have called down a legion of angels to stop his crucifixion and controlled the whole outcome.  But He came to our realm to show us the way to fight in the spiritual war that started in Heaven and continues to this day on earth.  He used the Power and Authority given to Him by God to heal the sick, bind and cast out demons, and spread the word that the Kingdom of God (God's heavenly government) was here to take back territory.  It's time we use our free will to work with God and take control of our lives!

Romans 14:12   "So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.