The Powerless Church

     I guess I could characterize this post as a continuation of Friday's, which was titled It's Not Enough!  Because I think I know the people who tune into read my humble thoughts, I'm pretty sure that there are many of you who are wondering just what it looks like to exhibit the Power of the Kingdom in your lives.  And I feel as though I need to further explain what I mean by my frustration with The Church.  I know that this offends some of my Christian brethren because "The Church" belongs to Jesus, and my statements are often construed as divisive and negative towards what Jesus calls "My Church".  Let me first, dispel those false impressions, and then I will try to be more specific about what I would recommend for living a "Kingdom life".

     When I talk about the Church, I am referring to the Body of Christ -- those individuals who have been "called" from their life of sin, and "chosen" to separate themselves from the world and walk in the righteous way of Jesus; who with one purpose, one mind, and one heart follow and do the teachings of Jesus.  Now, for the last several hundred years, that Body has been assembled in congregations who have determined that "it is through the Church that God manifests His highest purposes, and the Church must be the most glorious of all His works".

     Modern Charismatic and Evangelistic movements point to the so-called fivefold ministry in Ephesians 4 as the primary custodians of today's Church -- the offices of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors (or "shepherds") and teachers. It seems to me that their mission is built upon the foundation of the holy Scriptures and upheld by the pillars of the Gospel of Salvation, Grace,  Love, and Glory of the Lord.  They will say that it is their goal to replicate the model that Jesus showed us and to see their congregants reach the neighborhoods and the nations with the Gospel.

     That is a noble mission, and nothing wrong with that.  But I don't see the most obvious component of Jesus's model ... the Power of His Father that was exhibited through Him and the works He did.  And if I am going to hold to Jesus's model of the Church, I find no specific instructions from Him to "associate yourselves into particular societies or churches" as one popular Reformation preacher prescribes.  And I do not believe that if, as a Christian, you "are not walking with a local congregation of believers, then you are not walking with God".  I must say that statements like that offend me. 

     Were the Twelve Apostles part of a local congregation or synagogue?  No, they walked with Jesus.   And what did Jesus do? He manifested the Glory, and Mercy, and Love, and POWER of God, did He not?  He did what He heard the Father tell Him to do, and what He saw the Father doing in Heaven.  So, I think it is safe to surmise that His Gospel message of the Kingdom of Heaven was the Good News of what the Father was doing, and desired to be done by His Son to show the Father's Glory.  

     When Jesus announced that the "Kingdom of Heaven was at hand", He was saying, I am going to show you what it is like in Heaven by my actions.  Watch what I do by the Power given to me by My Father.  And when you have understood that it is for His Glory, then I will give you the Authority to use that same Power to make the Kingdom of God a reality here on earth.  

     But do you notice the characteristics that our religious organizations choose to use to magnify The Father?  His Gospel, His Grace, His Love, and His Glory.  Now, I don't want you to misunderstand me -- those aren't wrong!! They are just incomplete!  Religion today teaches us we are to imitate Jesus and the Father by manifesting Their Grace and Their Glory -- and I agree.  But where is the promotion of the Power that Jesus exhibited as a picture of His Father in Heaven? It has been all but eliminated from "The Church".
     So, I want to be very clear that when I say I am frustrated by The Church, and that what we, as the Body of Christ, are accomplishing "is not enough", I am talking about the "Powerless Church" who concentrates on the Gospel of Salvation, instead of the Gospel of the Kingdom, which Jesus said was the purpose for which He was sent (Luke 4:43).  And that "Good News" of the Kingdom was to be preached everywhere and revealed in signs and wonders  --- healing the sick, delivering people from the torment of the Enemy, and even raising people from death -- all so there could be no mistaking God's Love, His Grace, and HIS POWER! All that adds up to His Greatness, or His Glory.

     So, now to address what that looks like for me and you.  Believe me, I know that all this sounds like it is going to involve us getting uncomfortable with our status quo.  And that's exactly what Jesus demands of us!  Can you imagine how the Apostles felt?  They were taken from their ordinary lives, and found themselves working with strangers (and even people they despised, as in the case of Levi, the tax collector).  They were accustomed to being innocuous members of their synagogues, akin to sitting quietly in a pew in the back row of some church today.  They were used to following the rituals and traditions of that synagogue, and their personal relationship with God [who had chosen them as a people to glorify Him] was more habitual and routine than intimate.

     But what did Jesus tell them they would do? "You will receive Power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth".  They didn't stay in their synagogues and minister within the buildings.  They were sent out into the world to make a difference!  Just look at the places the Apostles went to with the message  that "the Kingdom of God is at hand" ... Spain, Greece, Iran, Ethiopia, India, even Great Britain!  And  we can't even get the message (let alone the works) out of the building to the prostitute on the corner, or the local drug dealer!  Where is the power in that?  

     But why are so many of our Churches (and us) powerless today?  What are we afraid of?  Perhaps we are frightened of being deceived by charlatans.  But doesn't that express Doubt in the Holy Spirit to counsel us and guide us?  Or does it go deeper than that, and actually show Unbelief in the Power of God to act through us today?  We must have a call to action to touch the individual lives of people in our own cities, neighborhoods, and communities. First and foremost, that requires teaching people what the Kingdom of God means and how Jesus manifested that on earth.  And if we are afraid of poking the devil, then aren't we saying that we believe his power is greater than our God's power to protect us?
      If we are going to transform the culture, the culture needs to know what the Kingdom of God looks like.  If we are following Jesus and His commands then it should look like this ... recognizing the needs of both our fellow Believers and the Lost.  It looks like us asking them if they need prayer for issues in their life, and if the answer is healing, then we do as Jesus did and lay hands on them, calling on the Power of the Father in us (which is the Holy Spirit) to heal their affliction. We are to believe that God can use us to see them healed on earth, as it is in Heaven.  
     If they are being attacked by entities in their sleep, or tormented by voices in their head, then we are to do what Jesus showed the Apostles, and in His Name, bind and cast out those demons.  Anything that we saw Jesus do, we also have the power to do because He sent His power when the Holy Spirit came to reside in us.  And just like the Apostles and the Disciples after them, we are to be His witnesses unto the ends of the earth.
     We live in a hurting world, just as it was in the days that Jesus walked this earth. And yes, it's good to hear sermons in our Churches that we are to "live a life of joy in the midst of brokenness" and to "not love the things that God hates", but where is the call to action that should be going along with that message?  How does that transform the lives of people who need to see the works of God manifested by the Body of Christ? 

    We are called to be Sons and Daughters of the Kingdom.  And Jesus has given us the perfect model to invade the culture with God's Kingdom.  I invite you to read the Four Gospels and take notes of the works that Jesus did, and His instructions to His followers.  Everywhere He went, He taught about what the Kingdom of God was, and then He did the works that would bring this earth into alignment with His Father's Kingdom.  

     Will we be uncomfortable doing them?  Certainly. But no more than the Twelve were when He commanded them to do the same works.  And will the culture and our religious institutions criticize, censure, and revile us? Again, just like they did when Jesus showed the First Century Believers how to walk with God.  But does Jesus need laborers in the field, and witnesses to spread the Good News?  Every bit as much as He needed it in 30 A.D.  Are you willing to be a member of His True Church; the Son or Daughter of the Kingdom that is willing to leave the life you have known for a road that will be difficult to travel, and without many rewards this side of Heaven? I will grant you that it is a scary proposition, but as a very dear friend of mine said, the only answer we ought to give is, "Yes, Master"!

1 Peter 2:21    "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps".

     

Mark 11:13-14

When He came to [the fig tree], He found nothing but leaves, 

for it was not the season for figs. And He said to it, 

“May no one ever eat fruit from you again.”

     There are two accounts of Jesus cursing the fig tree in the Bible.  The one in Matthew has a different context than this one in Mark.  Just as in Mark, the Matthew 21:18-22 version has Jesus declaring that the fig tree will not be productive for eating fruit ever again, and then it withers before Him.  But when asked by His disciples how the fig tree could wither so quickly, Jesus gives them a lesson on faith; that faith is an act of one's will with persistence and perseverance ... "If you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen".  He is showing them that faith is being steadfast (or unwavering) in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.

     But here in Mark, the story of the fig tree has a different meaning.  Here Jesus sees a fig tree in the distance, and being hungry, He goes to see if He can find anything on it. But when He arrives at the tree, all He finds are leaves -- no fruit.  The Bible tells us it's because it is not the season for figs. And then Jesus curses the fig tree with a declaration that no one would ever eat fruit from it again.

     So what's up with this fig tree?  And why did it's absence of fruit result in such condemnation from Jesus?  First of all, we need to take a look at the significance of figs and fig trees in the Bible.  Remember, God doesn't do anything without a purpose.  Figs are actually throughout Scripture, beginning in the Garden of Eden, where fig leaves covered the shame of Adam and Eve when they discovered they were naked.  Throughout the Bible, the plant becomes a symbol of prosperity, well-being, and security. Along with the vine, to sit under the plentiful shade of your own fig tree is the epitome of safety, peace and good fortune in many Biblical passages. Specifically, Micah 4:4 says, Each of them will sit under his vine, and under his fig tree, with no one to make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.

     These plants don’t grow overnight, and it takes time to culture and nurture them – their maturity indicates that the gardener has been continuously and steadfastly there, tending to their growth over the years. And since Jesus states in John 15:1 that He is the True Vine, and my Father is the Vinedresser (Gardener), the point of these verses in Mark comes into focus.  Actually, I believe there is a dual significance to Jesus's curse.  

     First of all, the fig tree points to the nation of Israel, which had been planted by God and nurtured for so long as His chosen people.  He had remained steadfastly beside them, tending to their growth down through the centuries.  The fact that this fig tree did not have any fruit on it at all, despite the fact that it wasn't the season for figs, showed Jesus's [and the Father's] disappointment and frustration.  After all the tender-loving care the Father had put into the nation of Israel, there should have been some evidence of fruit remaining on the tree.  Since Jesus only said or did what He heard from the Father, we can surmise that God was nearing the time when Israel would be blinded and ineffective in spreading the Gospel.

     But there is a second aspect in view ... If we look at these verses from the context that the fig tree represents Believers, Jesus has the right to demand and expect fruit from us at all times -- both in and out of season.  And when we recall that there is actually a Fig Tree Generation spoken of in Revelation 6:13 -- that generation that is alive when the Sixth Seal is torn open and terror reigns on the earth -- it is important that we be bearing fruit in this season, regardless of whether it is time to harvest or not. We should be doing the miraculous works of Jesus at all times, not just when it is practical and in season. 

     To be honest, the meaning behind the cursing of the fig tree can only be surmised, and must be looked at through a supernatural lens. But there is much symbolism attached to the fig tree throughout Scripture, and anytime Jesus is looking at the fruit being produced, we know it has significance for us.  May we all seek to be fruitful and prosperous for the Kingdom, so that when our Lord measures what we have yielded for Him, we will not be found lacking, and suffer condemnation. 

It's Not Enough!

     Today I'm going to be very bold; actually blunt and honest more accurately describes my attitude.  And I'm going to start by pointing the finger at myself.  I have been writing this blog for nearly six years, all with the purpose of directing people towards God.  The first few years I was still focused on this world, combining a message of how to survive the tactics of men and the schemes of the Prince of this world to destroy us.  The last couple of years, I have clearly heard God's instructions to focus on Him and His will to see His Kingdom be realized on earth as it is in Heaven.
     I have listened to the Holy Spirit and spoken to you about our Power and Authority; and shouted that we serve a Supernatural God. I have desperately wanted both fellow Believers and the Unsaved to grasp the magnitude of the God we serve and what He expects from us.  And, yes, I know that I have been moderately successful in getting that message across -- and maybe there are some people who have had those "Aha!" moments, or even began examining their theology and Biblical worldview.  But, I know that I've not done enough!!!

      It's not enough to provide you with food for thought, if it doesn't result in a manifestation of God's Power here on earth.  Just as it's not enough for my husband, Mark, to do in-depth Bible studies whereby he teaches people in Colorado and Ohio about what Jesus meant when He spoke of the Kingdom of God.  And it's not enough for teachers and preachers in the Church buildings to "make a difference" in their classes or sanctuaries for one hour on Sunday mornings.  Yes, in all these instances people's minds are being expanded about what the Bible tells us about our God; they are receiving new concepts of the Bigness of God and new ideas about who He is.  But is that what Jesus demanded His disciples to do after He was gone?  Is it what He demands of us?
     In Matthew 28, we receive our Commission from the Lord:  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe [do] all that I commanded you.  So, now comes a very important question that I had to ask myself ... Where is the fruit from my labor? Are the people who I might have influenced through this blog doing the things that Jesus did and taught His disciples to do?  Are the people who my husband is leading in Bible study, or the students in that Sunday School class, Small Group, or members of the congregation sitting in the pews going out and converting people? Are they baptizing people in Jesus's Name? Are they laying hands on the sick, or casting out demons, or raising the dead, or discipling others in this Kingdom work?  If the answer is "No", then are we doing what Jesus commissioned us to do? Even our "home church" group is not measuring up to Jesus's instruction.
     I will concede that there is a real need to be educating and teaching people in the Truths of the Bible, and the Gospel of the Kingdom. "Teaching" is specifically mentioned in Ephesians 4:11 as a gift from Jesus to build up the Body of Christ, and to bring Believers to maturity in their knowledge of the Son of God.  But we seem to have skipped over one very important reason that the gift of teaching was given -- to equip the saints for the ministry; a ministry that is exemplified by the fullness of Christ; that is, the full measure of all His powers. Teaching is supposed to result in Believers doing the things Jesus did, not just knowing about them! To that end, teaching is not enough!
     I will tell you that God is making that point very clear to me --- head knowledge is simply not enough! I agree with American Evangelist, D L Moody, who said, "The Bible was not given to increase our knowledge, but to change our lives". If we are going to make an impact [and change] our cities, our neighborhoods, our communities -- why stop there? -- change the world, then we need to be doing more than educating people.  We need to be exhibiting the Power of God.  That's what Jesus did.  He brought Heaven to earth with signs and wonders, and He said that signs [and wonders] would accompany those who believed His message about the Kingdom of God.  And those signs would include healing, casting out demons, and raising the dead.  If we, in the Body of Christ, are truly making an impact in our labor for the Lord, then we should be seeing this evidence among those we are influencing.  So, why aren't we seeing it happen?
     Timothy says in these last days we will have the appearance of godliness, but will deny its power. That's what I'm seeing.  The Body of Christ has either been convinced that signs and wonders stopped with the Apostles [which makes this belief akin to cessationism], or they fear signs and wonders because of the possibility of being deceived.  So, in their fearfulness, they deny the power of miracles, healing, and casting out demons, and replace them with religious traditions, church activities, and even Bible study. They become satisfied with knowledge alone, instead of a genuine encounter with the Power of God Almighty.

     We are all created for greater exploits than expanding our minds and being able to explain our Bible.  After all, I think we would all agree that there are very real powers of darkness in this world who aren't holding back from the authority they've been given to exhibit their influence.  I have seen God's Power first-hand in the Deliverance Ministry that the Lord has brought me and my husband.  But think about this --- if we would seek an anointing of the Power and Authority that the Father gave Jesus, and which He then gave the Apostles and all who would believe, we could actually encounter the presence of God [just as they did] and defeat the ruling influence of Satan and hell.
     I believe that my husband and I have witnessed the Power of God on only a small scale. Yes, we have seen people's lives changed as they encounter Jesus in a Deliverance session and allow Him to heal their spiritual and inner wounds. And we have partnered with Jesus to cast out demons from tormented souls.  We have witnessed to people and seen real conversions, and baptized new believers in His Name.  But it's not enough!  Our discipleship needs to result in these Believers then going out and exercising God's Power and doing all that Jesus commanded.
     We need to end the powerlessness of the Body of Christ and make God's signs and wonders the focus and ambition of our lives.  Head knowledge only takes us so far.  When we can effect real change in a person's life by showing them God's love for them and the salvation message; by baptizing them; by healing their infirmity, or casting out a demon -- and yes, even raising someone from the dead -- then we can reflect the true image of Christ to the world, and God's will is truly being done.  We have long been told that we represent Christ; but what if we did as Pastor Bill Johnson suggests, and actually re-present Him? What if we returned to a gospel of God's Power, as well as one of His Love?
     I no longer want to simply know that I have the Power and Authority from Jesus.  I want to exhibit it in my life every moment of every day.  I want the fullness of what it means to be a child of God.  I want the full manifestation of the Holy Spirit so that I can truly co-labor with Christ. I want God to be glorified through His power that is evident in me.  I want His power to be released in the works of my life so that repentance, change, and the desire to do the works of Jesus come into peoples' lives through real encounters with God.  As Jesus was, so I want to be!

Matthew 9:8     But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.


     

Are You Earnestly Seeking Your Rewards In Heaven?

     This is a topic that I have touched upon in the past, and one that I really feel compelled to write about at this time.  I know that the question that I have posed in the title of this blog is enough to give some traditional Christians apoplexy (I've always wanted to use that word in a sentence).  And since the idea of working for rewards can send some of the Faithful into a state of speechlessness and extreme anger, then I believe it is time for us to discuss this issue in the light of God's Word.
    Right off the bat, I want to make it clear that I am not advocating "working" for your salvation.  I am fully aware that Salvation is a free gift from God (in return for our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior), and cannot be earned. So, I want to reassert my position ... Salvation cannot be earned and is not the reward(s) I am talking about.
     But I want to leave no doubt that Rewards and Treasure and Recompense are very real benefits for faithful Christians, and CAN be earned.  In fact, when you realize what Jesus and God's Word says about them, we should all be earnestly seeking them.  But I'm afraid that this message has not been successfully conveyed to the Body of Christ, and too many Believers are satisfied with Salvation alone. But this is not God's desire!
    Here's what I think .... we Christians can all agree that our works have nothing to do with getting us into Heaven.  But how many understand that our works will be weighed once we get there, and will determine the rewards we receive?  We all understand our Salvation.  Now we need to understand the greater issue of Reward.  As an early mentor of mine pointed out, "Jesus tells us that in His Father's House there are many rooms, and He is going ahead to prepare a place for us.  Salvation can be looked upon as our entry into our Father's House -- it gets you into the foyer.  But the works you have done for the Father after receiving His gift of Salvation will gain you access to the rest of the rooms, and your reward(s)". I like that picture.
     I realize that there are those Christians who will argue that everyone will be treated equally in Heaven, and will point to Matthew 20:1-15, and the parable of the landowner who pays his laborers equal wages, regardless of when they began working for him that day.  But they are missing the context of that parable.  It comes right after Jesus has witnessed to the rich young Gentile ruler about treasure in the kingdom of heaven, and Peter and the disciples question Him about what they can expect to receive as their reward.  Jesus answers them that they will receive their just reward, but that there will be those who enter the Kingdom at the end of this Age who will also be received. It wasn't about equal rewards, but equal entry based on faith in Him.
     So, what does the Word say about the rewards we can expect to receive?  I don't know how one can ignore the implication of rewards when Jesus says in Matthew 16:27, For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will repay each person according to what he has done.  And the Bible closes with this admonition from Jesus in Revelation 22:12, Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.
     Jesus also admonishes us to store up for ourselves "treasures in heaven" instead of seeking the world's rewards and recognition, which are not lasting. By doing the works that Jesus did here on earth, in His Name -- serving others, healing the sick, casting out demons; yes, even raising the dead -- we will be paid rewards in heaven for those services unto the Kingdom.  The Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25 clearly shows that if you do a lot with what God has given you; you will get a greater reward in Heaven. If you squander what God has given you; don’t be surprised to find that your reward is much less.

     I'm pretty sure that this idea of "doing work for rewards" is a foreign one to many Christians, and it saddens me to think of the many faithful who will miss out on a greater experience in Heaven because they have relied on flawed theology instead of searching the Scriptures themselves.  A careful reading of the Bible reveals the five heavenly crowns that will be awarded/rewarded to believers at the Judgment:  the Imperishable Crown, the Crown of Rejoicing, the Crown of Righteousness, the Crown of Glory, and the Crown of Life. But that's not the only rewards that will be given!
     J. Warner Wallace, on the website Cold Case Christianity, writes, "Some will work here on earth to create something persevering, and as a result, will obtain an enduring reward in Heaven. Others will not produce enduring work here on earth, and while they will still be saved, their reward in heaven will be nothing more than Salvation (“he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire”). Wallace is quoting 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, in which Paul wrote that the quality of each man's work will be tested by fire, and "If any man’s work is burned up, he shall suffer loss"; even though he is saved. But do Christians ever ask themselves, "What will he lose"? Certainly not his Salvation. That is made clear in the Word.  He will lose out on rewards in heaven because of the lack of works here on earth! He will be in His Father's House [in Heaven] but won't get past the foyer!
     But it's more than just the reward of Crowns he will lose -- which like the 24 elders in Revelation 4, we will want to cast at the feet of Jesus because only He is worthy of glory and honor.  There will be the loss of greater degrees of joy and responsibility and authority. Who wouldn't want to receive all that plus eternal life (Salvation)?
     I think by God's Grace, our Father wants us to get all the rewards we can. But it is incumbent upon us to make sure we don't lose out on them by seeking to do the works that Jesus did to bring the Kingdom of God to earth.  That means realizing that we can lose or forfeit any portion of our rewards if we don't live a life called by God .... we must love our fellow man enough to share God's Truth; we must comfort and give to the poor and needy; we must see with spiritual eyes and hear the Holy Spirit with spiritual ears so that we can partner with Jesus to release people from the bondage of Satan; we must prepare ourselves to wage spiritual war, and we must be prepared and willing to sacrifice all for Him who sacrificed all for us.  In the end, I pray that all Christians can come to the Truth; that they will agree with me to pledge all our labor and work in this life for His glory, in anticipation of the rewards He is waiting [and wanting] to bestow upon us.

1 Corinthians 2:9     But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—
     

Longing To See

    This weekend I went to see the movie "The Case for Christ", a biographical film depicting the life of investigative journalist Lee Strobel, who was an atheist.  In setting out to disprove his wife's newfound faith in Jesus, Strobel ends up being unable to do so, and must admit that faith in Jesus rests on His resurrection, which is verified by historical and medical circumstances. Unable to debunk  what he thought was myth and legend, and backed by centuries of facts confirmed by different sources [which are the hallmark of his trade as a journalist], Lee surrenders to the knowledge that faith in Jesus's resurrection is a truth that cannot be denied.  And the atheist becomes a Christian.
     But this post is not about reviewing the movie, but is instead, about a confirming truth from the Bible that the movie brought to light.  In one of the opening scenes, Lee tells his young daughter, that as an atheist, he believes in what he can see.... intimating that Christians believe in fantasies and fairy tales; that their faith is not supported by anything real. But, sadly, I'm afraid that too many Christians share in that mistaken concept, and are missing the fullness of their faith by believing in only what they can see.
     Before I go on with my theory, I want to give credit to Bill Johnson, Senior Pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, California. Yes, I am talking about that Bethel Church; the Spirit-led church known for miraculous healings and Kingdom work. In his excellent book, When Heaven Invades Earth, I have finally found church leadership that is speaking what the Holy Spirit has been downloading into me and my husband for the last two years.  And it perfectly relates to both what Lee Strobel declared and where many Christians find themselves.  Let me elaborate....
     Like Christianity, Atheism is a religion in itself.  "Religion" can be defined as "an interest, a belief, or an activity that is very important to a person or group".  A Christian believes in Jesus as their Savior.  An atheist believes in the absence of the existence of a Supreme God or Deity; and may place his belief system in a variety of sources, such as Human Reason, Science, Logic, etc.  Like Lee Strobel said, in something that can be seen or rationally proven.  
     But I want to present to you a radical idea that Pastor Johnson presented in his book, and to which I wonder if Christians have given serious thought.  Johnson makes the simple, yet profound statement that Faith has its anchor in the unseen realm.  But how many Christians base their Faith on their natural sight; what they can see in this world?  And how many fail to consider the supernatural realm and how Jesus and the Apostles instructed us to look for the Kingdom of God there?  That's what it means to look with spiritual eyes!
     Let me give you a few different Scriptures that will open up a little different concept of what Faith is.  In John, Chapter 3, Nicodemus comes to Jesus, telling Him, "We know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him".  And what is Jesus's answer? “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” As Christians, we understand that to "be born again" is to have faith in Jesus as the Son of God.  But look at what Jesus is saying ... to have Faith is to SEE the Kingdom of God.  As Bill Johnson states in his book, FAITH SEES. With spiritual eyes, we can see into the spiritual realm, where the Kingdom of God comes into focus.  But it is in the unseen realm, not what we see here in this physical world.
     The Apostle Paul reinforces this truth when he says, "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:2), and "For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18).  Can you see how closely we Christians can fall into the same trap that Lee Strobel did; thinking that Truth can only be found in what our human eyes can see or discern?  If, as a Christian, you put that restriction on your faith, don't you run the risk of missing all of our Father's resources and benefits?  Didn't Jesus say He only did what He saw His Father do?  Can you accept the possibility that the measure of our Faith is rooted in our ability to see into that supernatural realm as Jesus did?  And that our belief system to actually put our Faith into action must be able to see beyond this world to the very throne room of God and His Presence?
     When you think about it, Belief/Faith is anchored to the invisible and the revealed will of God... meaning we have to seek to see it.  On the other hand, and as Bill Johnson expresses so well, "Unbelief is anchored in what is visible or reasonable apart from God. It honors the natural realm as superior to the invisible [or supernatural realm]".  That's a pretty radical thought for Christians and paints a picture that is hard for us to swallow.  It is not to say that we don't see God in this natural realm. He is recognized in all His Creation, whether it be rivers, trees, the ocean, babies, angels, or heaven. We are able to see the witness of Him everywhere... for those with eyes to see and ears to hear.  But how many of us have difficulty in putting our faith in something we can't actually see in front of our faces?  And if this is so, how are we any different than Lee Strobel was when he was an atheist?  Doesn't the writer of Hebrews tell us that faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see?
     Taking it a step further, Unbelief is actually faith in something other than God.  So, I must ask --- who is your faith in?  Your Doctor? Your Pastor? Your Spouse? If it is in anyone or anything other than God, He is jealous over what occupies your heart.  And I know how difficult it is to admit that my faith is not all I want it to be.  But it is important that each of us recognize how easily our faith can be compromised.

     Satan has no power except when we come into agreement with him.  So whenever we let fear, or bitterness, or envy, or pride, into our hearts, a process of decay begins and there is room for the devil to come in and begin influencing us.  So our faith must become active and aggressive!  We must "see" that battle over our heart from a spiritual and Kingdom perspective, and force the reality of God's supernatural realm into a collision with our natural one.
     We must come to realize that we have all the power of heaven behind us!  When our Faith can see the availability of the power of God as Jesus did, and bring it into our actual circumstances here on earth, we are invincible! That is exactly what Jesus did, and He gave us the Authority to do that same thing in Luke 10:19! It is then that the meaning of our Lord's Prayer comes into real focus ... Our Father, Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name.  Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.  This is not meant to be a mechanical prayer.  It is the reality of our Faith seeing into the spiritual realm and calling down Heaven [and the Kingdom of God] into our earthly existence.  It is as available to us as it was to Jesus! It's time we Christians begin seeing the invisible!

Matthew 5:8    Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
 

Matthew 22:29

But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God..."

     In this particular scene in the Bible, Jesus has been challenged by the Sadducees regarding the social order of society after the resurrection.  These representatives of the upper social and economic echelon of Jewish society fulfilled various political, social, and religious roles, including maintaining the Temple. The Sadducees rejected the Oral Law as proposed by the Pharisees. Rather, they saw the written Torah as the sole source of divine authority, and they are known for not believing in the resurrection of the dead. Rather, they believed in the traditional Jewish concept of Sheol for those who had died.  And according to the Hebrew traditions, Sheol was a place of darkness to which all the dead go, both the righteous and the unrighteous, regardless of the moral choices made in life; a place of stillness and darkness cut off from life and from God.

     So, we can see that by questioning Jesus about the Torah's command that a man marry his brother's widow, they hope to lay a trap for Him about the resurrected life... Now there were seven brothers with us; and the first married and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother; so also the second, and the third, down to the seventh.  Last of all, the woman died.  In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her.

     But Jesus is not fooled.  He sees through their subterfuge, and answers rightly: You are mistaken, not understanding [or knowing] the Scriptures nor the power of God.  The first mistake in their reasoning is supposing that if there were a resurrection, men and women would marry as they do in this life.  Jesus makes it clear that this won't be the case: men and women will be like the angels of God -- immortal, and free from all human passions that are part of our present state of existence. There will be no death; and consequently no need of marriage to maintain the population of the spiritual world.

     Furthermore, as supposed experts on the written Torah (the entire Old Testament), they were showing their ignorance of Scriptures such as Daniel 12:2 and Job 19:25-27, which plainly tell of the resurrection of the dead. Jesus is saying, in effect, that their ignorance of Scripture has led them to disbelief in the resurrection. But there is even more to the absurdity of their challenge.

     When they try to present a ridiculous scenario of marriage after the resurrection, Christ attributes that to their ignorance of the power of God.  And He disarms their argument by reminding them that the God they profess to believe in has made known that He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and by declaring that this same God is the God of the living, not the dead [letting them know that the spirits of the Patriarchs are not dead].

     But that wasn't the only challenge He would receive.  Next, came the Pharisees, who had heard that Jesus had silenced the illogical arguments of the Sadducees. Rather than counting themselves among the elite of Jewish religious society, the Pharisees had the backing of the common people, and claimed Mosaic authority for their interpretation of Jewish Laws.  They gave precedent to the Oral Torah, consisting of the body of oral laws, interpretations, and traditions transmitted by God to Moses orally, and then memorized. So their challenge to Jesus came in the form of a question ... Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?  

      Jesus's answer is concise and deliberate:  “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” There is no debate and no arguing over the veracity; and no need to expound upon countless laws or traditions. 

     So what can we learn from these two different confrontations with Jesus by religious men?  I do not doubt that these men would declare their love for God, just as many Believers would say today. But if we say we want to serve God, is it enough to just say that we love Him? Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 22 that we can love our God, but have doctrinal beliefs that are mistaken; that we may not truly understand what He is telling us in Scripture, and thereby become ignorant of His power.

     How many in the Church today are saying, "I love you" to God, while [like the Sadducees and Pharisees] they are dying because they have only head knowledge of Him, but no heart knowledge?  How many are spiritually suffering because they don't truly know Him or His power in our lives? We need to look beyond just loving God, to knowing Him and our position in this world.  

     How many of us can truly say, "I love You [God], and because I have set my love on You, I am rooted and grounded in Your love for me. I am growing each day into an understanding of what is the breadth and length and height and depth of Your love.  And because I am understanding Your love, Father, I am walking in Your Power. Furthermore, I know You will deliver me from the snares of the Enemy.  I will see things in this spiritual battle called Life, but they won't touch me.  Because of my love for You, I know I am in command over the Enemy, and I know the position of Authority that is mine. I love Your Word, Father, and it speaks of Your Power which is at work in me. All Glory to God"!

     Like the Sadducees and the Pharisees, our Enemy seeks to lay traps for us in our understanding of Scripture and God. It is not enough to hang our relationship with God on our head knowledge.  He doesn't want a circumcision of our minds, but of our hearts.  So, love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength; and seek the Kingdom first, through study of God's Holy Word.  Avoid the religious traps that mire us in endless arguments over our sacred religious cows, and which keep us focused on ourselves and our own understandings. Continuing to seek God above all else, and desiring Him more, is the secret to both Divine understanding and power.  

Prayer and Praise

     I think that one of the most difficult things for a Christian to do is know how to pray.  Even the Apostles, who had witnessed the most astounding miracles -- the blind who could see; the lame who could walk; the dead who rose to life -- didn't ask Jesus to teach them how to do greater miracles.  They asked Him to teach them how to pray, which tells me it was a struggle for them, too.
     I think that after spending nearly three years with Him, they had discerned that Jesus's private prayer life was instrumental to the success of His public ministry, and therefore it was incumbent upon them to know what was involved in a meaningful prayer life. But somehow, down through the centuries, it seems to me that prayer has somehow become seen as the solution to all our problems.  By that, I mean that we have come to believe that whenever confronted with a problem, or some misfortune in our life, if we just knew the right words to say, that God would fix everything.  In one sense, prayer has become a catch-all for everything we desire from God ... from our basic human needs to comfort in the most tragic of circumstances.
     Please know that I am not discounting prayer!  It is a very important component of our relationship with God, the Father; just as it was to His Son.  But Jesus prayed to God out of a knowledge of Him and His Truths.  Jesus's prayers were heartfelt, and centered on the relationship He had with God. Our relationship with God comes from who we understand Him to be; from what He has revealed to us through His Word.
      One of the reasons I think there is so much need for Deliverance Ministries and Inner Healing is that people have the mistaken belief that prayer is all they need in order to be healed.  If they just pray hard enough and often enough, then God will take away the torment of guilt, shame, anger, rebellion, unforgiveness -- or whatever sin is keeping them in bondage. But I know too many people for whom prayer has not relieved the pressures and torments of this life. But do we advise those people to quit praying?  Absolutely not! But may I suggest that they alter their prayer life in a manner that has worked for me.

     If you had to define prayer, how would you describe it?  Basically, prayer is just communication between you and God.  But it has to be two-way to be real and effective. I know how easy it is to "talk to" God, but how often do you hang around waiting for His reply?  And is your side of the conversation always about what you need or want? If it is, let me suggest another alternative...
     When those times come in my life when I am anxious about something, or tormented by worry or fear, instead of asking God to fix things for me, or to take away my state of anxiety or uncertainty, I stop and remember all the times He has delivered me from such distress.  You see, God and I have a history -- just as each of your lives represent a series of past events connected with Him. And when my prayer conversation with Him is focused on praising Him for all those times He was there for me -- especially in the midst of sadness, tragedy, my mistakes, and attacks by the Enemy -- then suddenly I am looking forward in the spirit of hope and trust as I remember the evidence of His presence in my past. That undeniable evidence provides assurance that He will be there in my present circumstances, because He is Immutable; He never changes.
     This is exactly how it works in Deliverance Ministry.  The wounds we’ve suffered in our lives are stored in memories; and our memories are stored in pictures.  Jesus and God are Omnipresent, so we know They were there during those events that have wounded us. I believe that Jesus created our imaginations to help our spirits communicate with our minds, so we can recall events in our lives and see that He was there, so that He can heal us inside the memory.
     So when our prayers involve our memories, we have a picture to refer to; the power to recall the Goodness and Protection of God.  And it is a conversation that I can only presume pleases our Abba, Father.  Yes, Jesus tells us in John 14:14 that we can ask anything in His Name, and He will do it.  That is certainly allowable in our prayers. But, as in all truly intimate relationships, there are times when we put our Beloved ahead of ourselves and let them know we recognize all they are to us.  Prayer is not always about what we need; some of the most beautiful prayers in the Bible are ones of praise and remembrance.  How blessed and loved I feel when I can recall my Lord's presence and grace in my life, and then share those sweet and empowering memories with Him.

Psalm 77:11-12   "I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds".

Psalm 103:2    "Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things He does for me".
     

Is It Time for Judgment of the Household of God?

     Certainly, God lets us know throughout the Bible that Judgment is part of His character.  The Book of Psalms is full of descriptors of His Judgment:  It is true; it is in all the earth; He has established His throne for Judgment; and He will most assuredly execute His Judgment.
     But there is another topic that surrounds this theme of "Judgment", and it can be found in both the Old and New Testaments.  In Ezekiel, Chapter 9, God shows the prophet a vision of an effectual slaughter of the people of Israel for the abominations they have committed against Him.  Ezekiel sees God commanding an angel to put a mark on the foreheads of those who mourned over the sinfulness and kept themselves apart from it.  Then come the devastating words of the Lord: Utterly slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not touch any man on whom is the mark; and you shall start from My sanctuary. It is quite apparent that God's Judgment is swift and terrible, and His Judgment begins with His sanctuary.

     Again, in 1 Peter 4:17, the Apostle warns Believers that the time is coming when there will be Judgment on the Household of God. Many commentaries suggest that this references persecution coming against Christians.  I believe that this is a definite aspect of the Judgment, but I think it goes beyond that.  I believe that just as in Ezekiel, God will use an instrument of Judgment [on His behalf] against those who have not been obedient to Him... both Believers and Unbelievers.  But just as in Ezekiel, there will be a fiery test of the quality of one's faith.  In other words, there will be a process of judgment that leads to a decision [by God], resulting from His investigation.  Those who are sealed with the mark of true faith on their foreheads will be exempt from the Judgment.
     But let me ask you a question ... are you willing to say, let it begin with me? Can you examine yourself, and know for certain, that you have been walking the narrow road, instead of the broad one?   Will Jesus recognize you when you stand before Him at the Judgment seat, or will He say He never knew you?  I must admit that I am deeply concerned for the people of our nation who call themselves Christians.  They have access to the wisdom and the knowledge of ancient Scripture, and the very words of God Himself at their fingertips -- but do they bother to take the time to get to truly know the God they say they worship?
     I'm afraid that too many rely on their Pastors and Sunday School Teachers to interpret the Bible for them, and far too often those sermons and lessons are formulated from a subscription to an online clearinghouse of Bible resources.  How many congregations today are receiving the WHOLE counsel of God from pastors and teachers who not afraid to offend one or two for the sake of revealing God's Truth? It grieves me that so many churches are receiving only a small part of God, and people are ignorant of the fullness of His character and commandments.
     As Mark and I dig deeper into God's Word and share the Bibles's Truths with our fellow Believers, I can't tell you how many people cry out [as we did], "Why haven't we been taught this?!? Why hasn't the Church shown us our Power and Authority? There are so many people in physical pain and spiritual torment! Why aren't we laying hands on people, and delivering people from demonic oppression and bondage???  This is what Jesus told us to do, and yet we are totally unaware we are supposed to be doing it!"
     All I can say is that Satan has been working a very effective plan for hundreds of years and we are seeing the demonstration of his masterful scheme to keep us from our destiny of authority and power. When you think about it, the devil has played his hand very cunningly. By introducing false doctrine through false prophets, and infiltrating our churches with flawed theology, the Enemy has been able to keep us in ignorance of our calling as sons and daughters of the Kingdom.  And after generations of this lack of Biblical knowledge, well ... the Body of Christ is suffering and perishing.
     As Dr. Charles Kraft has explained, when he attended seminary in the 1940s, his professor told the students they could skip the very short chapter on spiritual warfare since they would not ever encounter it.  Thank the Lord, that He showed Dr. Kraft that evil spirits were just as relevant today as they were when Jesus walked the earth.  And thanks to Dr. Kraft (and many other devoted men and women) for making it their life's work to help teach Christians how to walk in victory and freedom.  Because as Rob Pue writes in an article for Barbwire.com, "The writer of Hebrews tells us what REAL MEN OF GOD accomplished for their Lord, and what they endured throughout the Scriptures — and what REAL CHRISTIANS should EXPECT to endure even today: “they conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; they shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength, and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies…. Others were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning, they were sawed in two, they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated…”.

     That describes the commitment that the faithful in the early Household of God exemplified.  Does it describe the Church today?  Even the "True Church", as some call those with a higher quality of faith? Because the very next question I have to ask is a pretty tough one... God is the same today as He was then, and as He will be into eternity.  Are we due any less of His Judgment than those He called His own in Ezekiel Chapter 9? It seems to me that the Israelites that Ezekiel saw in his vision were comfortable in indulging their sins and remained unrepentant and flagrantly disobedient.  Who are we, who call ourselves the Household of God today?  Are we maintaining the Holiness of His House and Sanctuary?  Or do we invite everyone in and try to make them feel comfortable and accepted in their sin, hoping that they will "get the message" one day?  After all, who are we to cast stones or judge another, right?
     And why aren't we warned, as Peter warned the First Century Church, that we can expect a fiery ordeal to test us, and we can expect to suffer as Christ did. Don't you think God will judge us for dispensing only the "feel good" message with all its promises of ease and comfort and peace if we will just "turn to Jesus"?
     As saddened as I am about the Judgment that I sense is going to come on the Household of God, I am tremendously encouraged at the remnant that I see rising out of the delusion and deception being heaped upon the Church. I am hearing it and seeing it across this land; faithful followers of Christ who have ears to hear and eyes to see through the dirty veil that Satan has thrown over the Church-at-large. Believers are discovering the Truths of what Jesus commanded and being consistently obedient to do the works that He did.  They are diligently learning how to heal and to minister to their fellow Christians who are tormented and oppressed by demons.  They are not afraid to exert their power and authority through the Holy Spirit to reach an unsaved person, and to set them free by the Blood of the Lamb. They are preaching a Gospel of the Kingdom message and taking back territory from the Enemy.  They are shining Jesus's Light into the Darkness of this world and into the shadows that surround the Body of Christ.
     This is what revival looks like and the Lord knows we need it!  Because I don't believe it will be long before we hear an angel shout in a loud voice,  Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. It will be swift and it will be mighty.  But I praise Him for all those seeking to come out of their ignorance and indifference.  I praise Him for the remnant that is standing up to the lies and deception that Satan has propagated upon the Church.  And I praise Him for revealing His unmitigated and pure Truth to those of us who have been wanting more of Him. I pray that more of God's Household will awaken from their slumber before that fateful day.  Because I know this for sure:  Jesus died that all might know Him and glorify the Father; that all might receive the gift of eternal life and in the Kingdom of God -- and He doesn't wish to lose a single one of them!

1 Peter 4:17    ".... and if it [the Judgment] begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not respect or believe or obey the gospel of God"?  
   

What Is Your True Identity?

     If you were asked to describe your identity, what would you say?  This was a topic that infused two days of Godly fellowship with some very good friends.  After all, your identity is what makes you uniquely you; the characteristics that determine who you are.  On a deeper, more spiritual level, your identity defines how you see yourself from your own perspective, as well as God's -- and those two viewpoints can be drastically different.
     But if you are going to call yourself a Believer, shouldn't they be as similar as possible?  I mean, the Bible tells us that if we are "in Christ", we are a new creation.  Our old identity has passed away and a new one has come.  There is another definition of identity that pertains to this Biblical truth: identity is “the quality or condition of being the same as something else.” So, in the case of our identity in Christ, our lives should indicate that we are the same as Christ, both in how we see ourselves, and in our actions and deeds.
     But how many people who call themselves Christians still see themselves as those old identities? They are dragging around old impressions of who they used to be in the events of their lives, before Christ came to live in their hearts. This is really sad, since Romans 6:6 makes it very clear:  We know that our old self [our human nature without the Holy Spirit] was nailed to the cross with Him, in order that our body of sin might be made powerless, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.  Did you get that?  That past life has no power over you now!  If you have confessed your sins, asked for (and received) forgiveness, and accepted Jesus as your Redeemer and Savior, then you are welcomed as a member of God's beloved family, with a new identity and a new spirit.

     But it is obvious that we Christians find it difficult to accept this premise, because this sort of identity problem is at the very heart of any Deliverance Ministry. Faithful Believers, who sincerely love Jesus and proclaim Him as their Savior, nevertheless fall prey to the lies of Satan, who convinces them that under the Christian mask they wear, is the same old self which has not been renewed or regenerated. The devil whispers to their minds that because of the sin in their lives they are worthless, unlovable, guilty, condemned, ugly, dirty, unfit to be called a son or daughter of God -- and any number of other false impressions of who they are.  And those lies keep getting repeated until they become a person's truth.
     Somehow the Enemy convinces us that we can never be like Christ; can never have the same relationship with our Father that Christ has. Sure, the Bible tells us that we are God's children; He has adopted us; and we are co-heirs with Jesus.  The Bible even tells us that Jesus calls us a friend (John 15:15).  But we're unable to accept that because we look in the mirror and choose to see who the devil tells us we are.
    As a Body of Believers, we need to begin ministering to each other; seeing ourselves as members of a new family that is stronger and more powerful than the Enemy.  We need to recognize that we are part of a new family image that has dual citizenship: on earth and in heaven.  In the past we were committed to our earthly lives, but as a new creation, our values have changed and we have died to the things that used to run our lives -- so all those lies that Satan tells us to keep us attached to that old image of ourselves are false, non-binding, and groundless.  But far too many Christians cannot shed those old memories and do not know how to rebuke the lies and bind the voice of the Enemy.
     We need to encourage each other to see ourselves as Jesus sees us.   Our Deliverance Ministry is the most successful when a Believer can let Jesus into the memories of his or her life, and plainly see that the lies Satan has been whispering no longer identify who he is.  When you can see that the devil's goal is to rob you of your new position before God as a member of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a temple of the Holy Spirit, God's special possession, His beloved child, and a friend of Jesus... then those fraudulent labels that are associated with your old self no longer apply!
     I believe we are called to become soldiers and ambassadors of our Lord's Kingdom.  In order to be effective in continuing Jesus's work, it is necessary that we identify with Him and cast off any lingering semblance of our old selves.  Jesus sees none of that when He looks upon us.  He is bringing us to a fullness in Him, designed to bear much fruit.  And He desires to give us the riches of the Kingdom as we grow into His very likeness.  It is imperative that we know Whose we are, and Who we are!
     In this new identity, there is no benefit to looking back, or to listening to the Father of Lies who would have us miss our purpose and squander God's love.  So, trust God's voice when He says who you are, and stand guard against the Enemy's lies. Let us commit to each other that we will give support, confidence, and hope to our fellow Christians who struggle to claim their spirit-filled identities.  And I pray that in these new identities we can love all mankind as Jesus loves us, and show the world what it looks like to abandon the darkness and come into the Light of Truth and Life. You are a Child of God! How does that identity suit you?

Ephesians 4:24   "and put on the new self [the regenerated and renewed nature], created in God’s image, [godlike] in the righteousness and holiness of the truth [living in a way that expresses to God your gratitude for your salvation]".

   

Mark 7:9, 13

He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition ... making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. Many such things you do".

     The context in which this Scripture is written concerns certain of the Pharisees and Scribes finding fault with Jesus's disciples because they did not observe the tradition of hand-washing before eating. Furthermore, Scripture tells us that this tradition of external washing carried over to the washing of cups, pots, tables, and anything that the Jews felt could defile them.

     Jesus takes this opportunity to reprove them for worshipping Him with their lips, but not with their hearts. But this kind of worship is in vain [producing no fruit], and He admonishes them for teaching the commandments of men as doctrine.  He then tells them that it is apparent that they are willing to lay aside the commandments of God -- to disregard and neglect them -- in order that they might cling faithfully to their man-made traditions (Mark 7:8).  In verse 9, He then takes it one step further and bluntly tells them they are experts at the outright rejection and nullifying of God's word in favor of their traditions! Our Lord then sums it up in verse 13 by declaring that they are making the word of God have no effect through the traditions they have handed down. In other words, He accuses them of canceling the authority of the word of God in favor of their own traditions and doctrines.  

    My question to Believers today is this ... Aren't we just as guilty?  Haven't we gotten so caught up in ritual and traditions and doctrines that we have disregarded and neglected the word of God?  How much of our "faith" is centered around oral traditions that have been passed down in our denominations, yet there is no Scriptural support for them?  How many Christians will passionately defend their belief systems of Cessationism, Calvinism, and Replacement Theology -- yet use the words or writings of men as their primary source to re-interpret the Bible? I am not saying that these writings are worthless or that we should not consider them, but when they become the foundation of our theology, rather than the Bible, then aren't we diminishing the power and effectiveness of the Word of God?

     How many Christians cling faithfully to following the traditions of Christmas and Easter, when there is no mention of either in the Bible?  What about the doctrine of a Pre-Tribulation Rapture? Why are Christians so willing to accept the postulations of men instead of searching the Bible for what God actually says or commands?

     Those are the "heavy" doctrines of men, but we are just as guilty of creating our own worship rituals that are as vain as the external washing practiced by the Pharisees.  Where in the Bible do you find God commanding us to establish Church buildings, a structured order of worship services, Sunday School, Sermons from a head Pastor or Preacher, or Church Boards or Councils?  Think very hard before you answer that question ... I am not denigrating the purpose of these institutions, just asking if they were initiated by man or God?

     I understand that it is difficult to admit that man has created his own rituals and called them "from God".  We need to come to the truth and reality that rituals like Sunday School is a very recent man-made concept to “classroom-ize” that which Jesus and the Apostles purposely brought out of the classroom mentality of the Jews and the Greeks! Pastors and Preachers come from Luther's Protestant version of Sunday Mass. And steeples, bells, altars, Mission Boards, and structured Worship Services did not characterize Christianity in the First Century, showing us that the Apostles did not receive instruction from Jesus to establish them. 

     Instead we find these external symbols, along with weightier doctrines, to be the doctrines of men in the churches of men.  I believe, as was written on a website called jesuslifetogether.com, that Jesus intended for His Church to be a church that is not bound by time and place, but “daily in public, and from house to house.” She’ll be “joined and knit together by every supporting ligament,” everyone members of one-another,” “confessing sins one to another,” “admonishing one another daily so that none are hardened by the deceitfulness of sin,” always loving and serving and “bearing one-another’s burdens” in joy and thanksgiving. And a few tears. Her corporate gatherings will only be the overflow of what is happening on the streets and in the homes of all of her people. “Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own.”

     Does this describe The Church today?  Or are Christians limited by the traditions established in their particular denominations and in their singular buildings?  Are our churches "seeking first The Kingdom of God"? Or are we too pre-occupied with our own conceptions of what God wants?  

     Sadly, I think that we have chosen to disregard Jesus's commandments about the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth.  That was the purpose for which He was sent.  Yes, our salvation is a by-product of the Kingdom, and we should earnestly seek it through faith in Jesus as our Savior.  But how have we come to refuse the authority of His Word as spoken in Mark 16:15-18 ... And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

     Our Lord's commandment couldn't be any clearer, yet have we heard this message presented as Biblical doctrine in our churches?  Or are we too busy trying to justify man's doctrines, by either ignoring Scripture or re-interpreting it?  Which do you think is better -- man's version of our Commission, or God's?  Seems to me, that we have our proof in the sad state of our culture and the world. Where is the verifiable fruit of worshipping God in our own way?  

     The Prophet Isaiah declared that the Word of God would “not return void.” But we have seen that Jesus elaborated further and with powerful implications. Our Lord taught us that there was yet ONE thing that could make null and void the Word of God in your life: “Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that”.  This a sobering thought and one that I hope every Christian takes to heart.