The Final Judgment of Sheep and Goats - Part 1

     I am deeply immersed in the Gospel Book of Matthew. For me, the four Gospels have so much to offer in revealing my Lord and Savior -- His mission on earth; His "Good News" of Salvation to individuals; our need to "repent and believe"; His message about the Kingdom of God influencing the earth; our assignments as ambassadors of that Kingdom ... and so much more. While I value every sacred book of the Bible [for they reveal the Father and His love for those created in His image], it is the Gospels that touch my heart and spirit the most, and none more than Matthew. This particular Book makes it clear that Jesus is the Messiah, the King of the Jews, and we see the Old Testament prophecies being fulfilled in His life, death, and resurrection.
    I love the parables and Jesus's forthright instructions on how to live a life that is pleasing to the Father. I esteem the prophecies of the future "End Times" and the "Age To Come". Certainly, the Book of Matthew challenges my knowledge of the Lord like no other Book of the Bible, and through meditation on the Word, I have come to know Jesus more deeply and intimately, and to begin to understand the Father's plan for redemption of the world. That being said, much is still being revealed to me [and it will be so until my last breath], and I have to tell you that there is a passage in Matthew, Chapter 25, verses 31-46, that is complex and enlightening, yet at the same time, alarming. I would like to take the next couple of posts to try to share what I think is being revealed to me -- how my understanding has changed, and how it is developing at this time.
     So, let's take a look at the passage: “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. ³² Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ And He will place the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left. ³⁴ Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed Me, ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me.’ ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ³⁸ And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹ And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ ⁴⁰ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me.’

⁴¹ “Then He will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ ⁴⁴ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ ⁴⁵ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ ⁴⁶ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
     There is so much to glean from these verses, but let me share some of the basic premises presented, which must be understood to grasp the bigger meaning of the passage. First, let's consider the sheep and goats. What does Jesus mean by these designations? I would submit to you that sheep are gentle animals, yielding to the Shepherd's commands; while goats are known to be independent, destructive and defiant when trying to be led. To put it in Scriptural terms, sheep are obedient, while goats are rebellious. 
     Secondly, what is the significance of putting the sheep at the right hand of Jesus on His throne, and the goats on His left? Throughout the Bible, the right hand is known as a place of honor and authority -- Jesus sits at the right hand of God. He states that He is the Truth, the Way, and the Life [Everlasting}. God's right hand also represents His strength and His righteousness -- "I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" (Isaiah 41:10). But God has two hands. In Psalm 111:7, King David wrote, "The works of His hands are truth and [absolute] justice".  If Jesus is Truth, and He sits at the right hand of God, then the work of God's left hand (as stated in Psalm 111) is justice. 
     Now, let's make note that in Matthew 25, Jesus has come in His glory, and is seated on His glorious throne. He is seated, and displaying both Truth and Justice. This is a time of Judgment. I will tell you that my understanding of the time and place of this scene is based on my theological worldview. This is a difficult theological mystery that the Body of Christ is very much divided on; namely the chronological events that take place at the Second Coming of Christ. There are many things that happen, and it is difficult to come to a conclusive picture of how it all unfolds. I will be honest and say that I am still formulating my theology, but at this point in my journey, here is a [very] brief summary of where I stand as it pertains to Matthew 25... It is my view that Jesus returns after the Great Tribulation and raptures first, the dead in Christ, and then the Body of Christ [the Church], taking us to Heaven while the bowls of wrath are being poured out on the wicked of the world. The Church will then fulfill her purpose as the literal army of God, fighting with Jesus in many battles. This war will climax with the battle of Armageddon. (I look to the following Scriptures for my understanding of this scenario: prophecies made in Jude 14-15, Isaiah 13:1-5, and Joel 2:1-11, among others). It is after Armageddon, that this scene of Jesus on His throne, in Matthew 25, takes place. This is where judgment will take place of the "sheep and goats".
     [NOTE:  I do not say that you must agree with my interpretation of this eschatological timeline in order to understand what Jesus is trying to tell us in this passage. We must each spend time in the Word and with the Holy Spirit to receive revelation. And I fully expect that my interpretation of all the events of the Day of the Lord will continue to evolve as I spend more time studying and searching what the Lord would have me know. I think you will find that it is not necessary to agree on the timeline; rather it is more important to understand what is happening at this moment. And at the moment, we see Jesus, seated on His throne, which has become His Judgment Seat.]
     At this time, I want to present my initial interpretation of what verses 31-46 were telling me. It was very sobering to see how much it means to Jesus that we minister to the needs of our fellow man. For as we minister to people, we are ministering to Jesus! To meet the needs of hunger, thirst, isolation, nakedness, sickness, and imprisonment is the desire of the Father's heart and when we are obedient to do so, we are allowing Heaven to invade earth. That's why Jesus instructs us to pray, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
     And here is the frightening part .... verses 41-46 seem to imply that failure to do so results in eternal punishment in the fires of Hell! I have spent many a session with my Bible trying to determine if that is what the Word really says. I have read every version of the Bible I can find (and believe me I have a multitude of translations in my library). None of them varied from this text. Is Jesus really saying that the "goats" on his left hand will go to hell for refusing [or at the very least, failing] to feed the poor or minister to those who are sick or in prison? And who are these people who are designated as sheep and goats? Is it as simple as the sheep are Believers and the goats are Unbelievers? Can we justify that interpretation from the Scripture? Or is there more to this important passage? 
     I will let you ruminate on that for the next couple of days.... and then come back for Part Two. I think your understanding of the Word will be illuminated as we dive deeper into this important passage. Shalom!

 John 5:27    "The Father has transferred to the Son the authority to judge, because He is the Son of Man".


  

Jesus Wept

     Jesus wept. This is the shortest verse in the Bible and it occurs in John, Chapter 11 as Jesus approaches the tomb of Lazarus, His friend who had died. I think He probably wept for so many reasons -- chief among them, His compassion for those who suffer. But I also think He wept over the damage and distress and destruction that Death causes, knowing that the wages of sin are Death, and Death was what Satan claims as his victory. I can imagine that Jesus felt all that as He stood at the tomb and comforted Lazarus's family.
     But I am also willing to declare that Jesus wept on Tuesday, January 22, 2019. That is the day that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the inaccurately named Reproductive Health Act (RPA) into law. There is nothing "healthy" about it for the unborn. In a nutshell, the law allows third trimester abortions "when the health of the mother is in danger", and it removes abortion from the state’s criminal code. This would protect doctors or medical professionals who perform abortions from criminal prosecution. The law also allows medical professionals who are not doctors (such as nurse practitioners, physican's assistants, and nurse midwives) to perform abortions in New York. Additionally, the law states that abortions can be performed after 24 weeks if the fetus is not viable, [or when necessary] to protect the life of the mother. These "exceptions" are rather broad, indicating that age, economic, social and emotional factors are reason enough. And perhaps the most egregious part of the bill is that it defines a "person" as "a human being who has been born and is alive".
     How do you think Jesus, the Creator of that person, feels? The Bible tells us He knew that fetus before He formed it in the mother's womb (Jeremiah 1:5). Psalm 139:13-16 tells us that He knitted that fetus in the mother's womb and that the baby is "fearfully and wonderfully made"; never hidden from its Creator. And if that is not enough to dissuade those who favor abortion, let them read Exodus, Chapter 21, where God considers penalties for personal injuries, and then take a good, hard look at verses 22-25, which state, If men fight with each other and injure a pregnant woman so that she gives birth prematurely [and the baby lives], yet there is no further injury, the one who hurt her must be punished with a fine [paid] to the woman’s husband, as much as the judges decide.  But if there is any further injury, then you shall require [as a penalty] life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. It should be clear from this passage that God considers a baby in the womb to be as human as a full-grown adult, with all the accompanying privileges to life and law. Abortion is a matter of life or death to a human being made in God's image. 

     I know all the arguments made in favor of abortion ... what about the cases of rape or incest? When the mother's health is in jeopardy? And I will grant those are tragic and difficult circumstances. But life comes from our God, and Death is the penalty for our sinful nature. I would ask those who consider abortion in these situations to consider the words of the Lord in Isaiah 45:10-11, Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you begetting?’ or to a woman, ‘With what are you in labor?’”  Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him: “Ask me of things to come; will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands? All children are a blessing from God and made by Him. It is the folly of men to think they can decide if that child [created by God] should be born or not, and the purpose Jesus had planned for that child.

     Yet that is exactly what the New York Reproductive Health Act states: “Every individual who becomes pregnant has the fundamental [basic, essential] right to choose to carry the pregnancy to term, to give birth to a child, or to have an abortion". 

     I believe Jesus is weeping as he witnesses the pride of man in this law, which states, “Third-trimester abortion will be allowed under the new law when a pre-born child is diagnosed with a condition that will cause him or her to die at or shortly after birth”. Where is the fear of the Lord; that recognition of His ability to perform miracles and to heal? But the arrogance becomes even more pronounced. The bill also states that the new law removes protections for babies born alive after an abortion, repealing the requirement for a second physician to be on hand in case an attempted abortion past 20 weeks yields a live infant. 

     And in case you doubt that Satan is laughing in delight, the New York law sets a precedence preventing "the enforcement of laws or regulations that are not in furtherance of a legitimate state interest in protecting a woman’s health that burden abortion access". In other words, the New York Reproductive Health Act would be immune to any laws set forth by the U.S. Supreme Court. Adding insult to injury, Governor Cuomo gave Sarah Weddington, the attorney in the Roe v. Wade case, a special seat next to him as he signed the bill into law. What arrogance!

     I believe Jesus is weeping because He sees man choosing Death over Life; Satan's victory over Christ's victory. And He is weeping over 880,000+ of His creations being destroyed every year in the United States. The Word tells us that Satan comes to "kill, steal, and destroy" and he accomplishes all those goals in the practice of abortion -- murdering the unborn; stealing the life from an innocent person; and destroying what Jesus created. And He is weeping that those who have been appointed to govern us do not know Him. If they did, they could not legislate as they do. And He is weeping that men and women are willing to follow such ungodly and unrighteous laws because their hearts have been so defiled. 

     I usually do not comment on so-called "political" issues, but this is an issue of morality and a flagrant act of rebellion by mankind towards our Holy God. Who are we to determine that a life begun in the womb [by the hand of God] should [or can] be terminated? Yes, you can find facts that the number of abortions have decreased by a couple of thousand in the last couple of years. But Satan could not let this go unchallenged, so now, in cooperation with rebellious men, he is broadening his attack upon the unborn, stealing and destroying life, even after birth! And it is all in the name of "reproductive rights". 

     Pure and simple, it is man choosing to defy God ... and on January 22, 2019, I believe the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit all wept. And I ask that all of you reading this get on your knees and pray for our leaders and our nation. Pray in repentance and ask forgiveness for this egregious sin! I cannot ignore the warning in Ezekiel 33:25; a warning given to the arrogant and wicked ... Thus saith the Lord God; Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood: and shall ye possess the land?  Pray that the hearts of our citizens will turn away from the Billion Dollar industry that is fed by the blood of innocent children. Pray that our nation will be cleansed of its false worship of Self. Our God is a God of Love and Redemption, but He is also a God of Judgment against the unrighteous and the wicked. And they will not be spared unless they repent and turn from their evil ways. 

Proverbs 8:1-7   Can't you hear the voice of Wisdom? .... I’m calling to you, sons of Adam, yes, and to you daughters as well. Listen to Me and you will be prudent and wise. For even the foolish and feeble can receive an understanding heart that will change their inner being. The meaning of My words will release within you revelation for you to reign in life. My lyrics will empower you to live by what is right. For everything I say is unquestionably true, and I refuse to endure the lies of lawlessness—

Faith Includes Risk, Persistence, and Rewards

     I received a phone call today from a woman who had heard through the grapevine that my husband and I had a Deliverance Ministry. One of the first questions she asked was, "Who did you train under?" My spirit's response was "Jesus", but I knew that this world demands some kind of human accreditation or authorization. I had never really thought about having to give justification for the journey Mark and I have been on in order to give credence to our walk with the Lord, but I realized that He had actually orchestrated a pretty good resumé for us -- studying and training under Dr. Charles Kraft (a student of John Wimber, and the Vineyard Movement); training under Luke 4:18 Ministries, and Dan Duval and Bride Ministries. But most of all, I would say that the greatest training and guidance has come from the Holy Spirit. And the effectiveness of our ministry has come because we are simply willing to be obedient, risking it all for the Kingdom -- our reputations, our livelihood, and our faith.
     You see, we are interested in presenting the manifest presence of God to the world. By that, I mean that we want this world to experience an encounter with the Father, with Jesus, and with the Holy Spirit -- to know They are real, They are alive, and They care about whatever it is a person is going through or has experienced in their lives. Certainly, that can happen inside the Church walls, but for us, Jesus has called us to take Him to those who need more than just hearing or reading about Him. They need to actually experience or encounter Him in a very real spiritual way. That may come from physical healing in their body; from hearing a Spirit-led word that was prophesied over their life; or from being set free from spiritual bondage -- all ways that will transform a person's life in Christ, but are not universally accepted by the Church.

     That's where the risk and persistence comes in; and the rewards are inestimable -- too great to number. And it is not easy to "go against the flow", so to speak. What would you do if someone walked in to your Bible study who was obviously struggling with an inner battle? Someone who acted erratic and interrupted the structure of the class? How would you react when this person acted out of control and out of character of what a "Christian" is supposed to look like in church? Would you quietly ignore her, whisper that she didn't belong here, or wish she would just leave? Or would you get up, embrace her and whisper in her ear that Jesus loves her, hugging her while she wept? Would you have the courage to speak in tongues over her as she huddled in a corner, rocking in the fetal position, unworried about what the other attendees were thinking or doing? Because that is having the willingness to take a risk for Jesus and the Kingdom of God! That's what a dear Sister of mine did as she ministered to a lost soul who "invaded" the sanctuary of the Bible class she was attending. That's what all the church is supposed to be doing!
     We are supposed to walk in the power and authority Jesus gave us to continue His work. Yes, Jesus came to represent God's love for us, and we are to love one another as He loves us. But there's more for us to do than just loving our fellow man. Jesus also declared that He came to destroy the works of the devil. And physical infirmities, inner soul wounds, and spiritual torment are not manifestations of God's love -- they are evidence of the works of the devil! Loving our fellow man also includes doing what Jesus did to show the Father's love -- healing, deliverance from demonic torment, and letting the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in us to manifest in another person's life.
     Will we always be successful? No. Even Jesus had to heal the blind man twice before he saw with clarity. But it is our persistence that builds our "faith muscles". We learn a little bit more about the Father's heart each time we try. And even if we fail, we know it is still God's purpose for that person to be healed or delivered, and so the event is wrapped up in trusting God's sovereign desire to see His purpose done, as we continue to live in a world ruled by Satan.
     But here's how I look at it... even if the world sees my intervention as a failure, God sees it as a success because I was obedient. I was willing to try and He will always take that over someone who refuses to even contemplate that He can still intervene in the affairs of men; or one who believes that all He wants from us is blind worship with no action. The world demands perfection -- if the heart attack victim is not healed, then we are wrong to pursue healing; God no longer works miracles. But to God, our persistence and willingness to go is seen as success. We went just because He said to go. And we will continue to go, no matter how many times the world or the religious Church says its wrong -- just because we know it pleases our Father.
     Here is what I pray for the Body of Christ.... Recognize that opportunities abound for the Kingdom of God to break into our existence -- both inside the Church walls and outside. It doesn't matter where you minister. Take it from me, there are enough hurting people in this world to share the healing power of Jesus with -- both Believers and Non-Believers!  Ask the Holy Spirit to bring your spirit into communion with Him so you can identify those who need an encounter with Jesus. They may be sitting in the pew next to you in Church, or they may be the person you meet in the Wal-Mart parking lot. The point is, Jesus died to set all men free, and He gave us His power and authority to continue His work. I can promise you that it is rewarding to sow into the Kingdom by partnering with Him to free men and women and children from their bondage in this world. But it doesn't even compare to the rewards you will reap in Heaven when your Father says, "Well done, good and faithful Servant!"

Isaiah 40:5   And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
      

What Does It Mean To Be "Spiritual"

     How many times have you heard someone say that they prefer to be called "spiritual" rather than religious, or a Christian, or even a believer in Jesus Christ? This is a term that I frankly think has been abused and misused, diminishing the true sense of the word. I mean, let's be honest ... in its proper sense it denotes the Holy Spirit, and that's a pretty high standard to meet if one is going to call oneself spiritual.
     I agree that it is a state that, in its proper understanding, we should aspire to for the good of the Body of Christ. In Galatians 6:1, Paul tells us "if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness". But that instruction comes with a warning ... "Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted". 
     And lest we humans think the term belongs solely to us in this world, let me remind you of Paul's exhortation in Ephesians 6:12, that we fight against "spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places". Other translations say, "spiritual forces of evil" or "evil spirits" in the supernatural sphere. So, as you can see, that term "spiritual" can be applied to both those for and against God.

     But, if as mortal men and women, it is our desire to be "spiritual", just what does that mean, what does it look like, and how do we get there? I'm sure there are plenty of Christians who do not need the answers to these questions and are satisfied in their salvation alone. But, in my study and meditation on the Word, I cannot ignore all the exhortations and counsel to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior"; that we are being "built up into a spiritual house"; that we are to "supplement our faith with virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection and love -- these are ours and they are increasing to keep us from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ". And there are so many more reminders that we are to "long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it [we] may grow up into salvation".
     In Christianity there is an obvious relationship between our spirituality and our salvation experience, yet I'm not sure we give any credence to "becoming spiritual".  In our modern culture, it has almost become a euphemism for believing in anything. I have heard everyone from vegans to satanists refer to themselves as "spiritual". Just Google what does it mean to be spiritual and see all the many false ways people can be led astray.
     But it is important to remember that we are not born spiritual. It is a process that we grow into and must work at maintaining. Yes, we are born in the image of God, who is Spirit, but we also are born into the natural state of man with the desires of the flesh, which are against the Spirit. In fact, Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians, Chapter 3, that even "baby Christians" are not yet spiritual. He writes, "Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?" Immaturity and inexperience with walking out our salvation journey will hinder our ability to reach the goal of spirituality.
     So how do we get there? The spiritual state of a Believer is reached by careful and persistent work in studying the Word and in continuous prayer and relationship with God. It is maintained by obedience and the ability to judge oneself according to the precepts of a righteous follower of Christ. Both the "attaining" and the "maintaining" of a spiritual state come by growing and increasing in the knowledge of Jesus through experiencing Him in an intimate and personal way. And we can only become truly spiritual by walking and living in the Spirit; by growing in the Spirit and keeping in step with the Spirit, who is against the desires of the flesh. To be called "spiritual" is to be able to prove one's ability to walk as the Spirit walks; not in the worldly ways of man.
     Is it easy to attain?  Of course not! Who among us can say they are able to fully walk in Christ's footsteps? Yet, we should not think ourselves unworthy of becoming spiritual. If you proclaim Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are a new creation and are capable of building a foundation upon which you can grow into becoming spiritual -- into the very image of the One you follow. 
     If that is your goal, I would ask you this question -- Are you truly hungering and thirsting after that intimate knowledge of Christ that brings the vital union of your soul and spirit with God? If you are, and exercising your faith in obedience and dedication, then you will be deemed righteous and blessed (Matthew 5:6). And you will be "building up that spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2:5). 
     So, let us not take this designation lightly. It is a serious matter to rightly call oneself spiritual. It is a matter of yielding to the call of God upon our lives, and to passionately seeking an intimate knowledge of Jesus through His Word and experiential encounters with Him in our daily lives. If we can do this, we will begin a journey of being led by the Spirit, and in time, grow and be transformed into His beautiful image. Then we can truly call ourselves "spiritual".

Philippians 1:6    "I pray with great faith for you, because I’m fully convinced that the One who began this glorious work in you will faithfully continue the process of maturing you and will put His finishing touches to it until the unveiling of our Lord Jesus Christ."  

 

      

The Word Empowered By The Spirit

     Well, Beth Moore is once again the target of her fellow Christians. This time, she has offended Believers with her comments about Bible Study. Here's what she said: "Spending time with God and spending time with the Bible are not the same thing. The Bible is the Word of God, crucial to knowing Him, but it's not God. We can study our Bibles till the Second Coming and leave God completely out of it. We can grow in facts and never grow a whit in faith".
     To begin, I would venture to say that sometimes we Christians react hastily to comments such as this, without first trying to understand the central point that is being made. Secondly, I would also say that we Christians often times don't clarify the point we are trying to make, and can confuse those we are trying to reach. I have been guilty on both counts.
     But let me tell you what I believe Beth Moore's comprehensive position is and why I agree with her. I think most people reading her statement got stuck on the first sentence, and never went any further in trying to determine the point she was attempting to make.  And I have to say that I can see why -- when I am spending time with the Bible, I feel I am hearing from God, so my time is well-spent. But I do not think that I am receiving the fullness of God just by reading the Bible. In other words, I am encountering Him in part through acquiring history of Him, His Nature and His Character -- an intellectual comprehension of who God is. But there is a supernatural empowerment that comes when the Holy Spirit inspires us in the Word. I believe that is what Beth Moore was trying to articulate.

     Let me see if I can explain it this way.... Someone reading the Bible without the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is able to capture the meaning of the written word and understand it according to the human mind.  But someone reading the Bible under the inspiration of the Spirit is captured by the Word and is activated to apply it to his or her life. See the difference? In the first instance we are doing the capturing; in the second it is the Word capturing us through the Spirit.
     Where we Christians are coming into so much conflict is when we limit the empowerment of the Word in our study. And I think it is this "middle ground" that Beth Moore was trying to address. You see, our human understanding of the Word is veiled without the Holy Spirit. It is possible that sin [which is inherent in every human being] can get in the way of our mind's discernment. And because we tend to let our religious traditions and group opinion within our denominations determine our interpretation of the Bible, we oftentimes ignore what the Holy Spirit is trying to illuminate in a passage.
     Beth Moore is not trying to devalue Bible Study nor say that God is not speaking to us when we study the Bible. I believe she is trying to say that time spent studying the Bible without the illuminating and empowering presence of the Holy Spirit is leaving an important aspect of God out of the equation. The bigger question she is posing is this: What is the role of the Holy Spirit in Biblical interpretation, and do we allow Him to reveal His Truth?

     If we realize that the Holy Spirit is the "breath of God", breathing life into our souls and spirits, then we can see His importance in comprehending the Bible. The Bible is the written Word of God, and words are spoken with the use of breath. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reads, Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action), So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work. The Passion Translation actually says, Every Scripture has been written by the Holy Spirit, the breath of God. The rest of that passage articulates that "It will empower you ... to fulfill any assignment God gives you". The Holy Spirit does not try to give a new meaning to the Word of the Bible through how we personally relate to it, but instead, shines His Light into the Word that He wrote so that we can more fully comprehend it.  It is His Light, not our minds or religious traditions that determine the Truth of the Bible!
     I will finish by commenting on Beth Moore's last sentence .... "We can grow in facts and never grow a whit in faith". And I think this is the point on which I agree the most. We can study the Bible and accumulate mountains of information about faith -- but never be empowered in and by faith to act for God's purpose. But if we do as Jesus commanded ... "Have faith in God", we can actually move mountains. Faith is not just knowing, but doing.  And it is the Holy Spirit that empowers us to do.
     I believer the Apostle Paul expressed the heart of Beth Moore's argument when he wrote, "so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God". We are sometimes guilty of studying the Bible without inviting the presence of the power of God [the Holy Spirit]. I'm sorry, but I believe that to be true! 
     I will grant that Beth Moore's words were controversial and subject to different interpretations. But she made her position quite clear when she followed up her original remarks with the following statement: "... People who study the Scriptures constantly and are continually mean-spirited, rude, slanderous and aside [of] their religious rhetoric, bereft of outward evidences of the Holy Spirit are having Bible study without God. He affects us." Perhaps it is time that we, the Body of Christ, examine ourselves. Are we being impacted by outward evidences of the power of God when we study the Bible? Are we allowing the breath of God to move us from continuing in our man-made religious traditions to acting in faith from God's perspective? Are we allowing the Holy Spirit to show us the meaning of our study, or are we relying on, as Paul says, "the wisdom of men"?  If not, then we are studying from our human intellect. 
     Don't you want to know and understand the things of God from a personal, active, and empowered basis? I know I do. And I know that I can only apply the Word of God in my life with the help of the Holy Spirit. So, I was not offended by Beth Moore's comments. Not at all. It only made me more determined to seek the Spirit's help whenever I sit down to study. Bible study without God is not an option.

1 Corinthians 2:14   "Someone living on an entirely human level rejects the revelations of God’s Spirit, for they make no sense to him. He can’t understand the revelations of the Spirit because they are only discovered by the illumination of the Spirit".

     

     

A Testimony: God's Gift Of Grace

     It is not very often that I feel compelled to share a testimony about someone Jesus has brought into our life; someone that Mark and I did not anticipate meeting, nor would have thought could be so gloriously set free. But this is such a story of redemption and hope that I believe everyone needs to hear it.
     Although I doubt that anyone reading this would know this person or his story, I would still like to afford them some privacy and have changed the names of those involved. It is a story of two brothers whose lives have taken decidedly different turns, but who, by the grace of God, are now walking the same path.
     David is the younger brother and had suffered drug addiction to meth for over 35 years. It had cost him much -- marriages, his family, and both self-respect and respect in the community. Sadly his story was far too common in the community in which he lived and grew up. There is a darkness that hangs over the town and, frankly, a principality that controls many such small towns in this nation; and drugs and drug addiction are often what the dark side use to control the inhabitants. David's story is no different than many others who have succumbed to the temptation of drugs.
     Robert is the older brother who had beat his own demons of alcohol in his youth, and had surrendered his life to Jesus, and is happily married to a godly and spirit-filled woman. The two of them, just like Mark and myself, had been called to study and train in deliverance ministry. Robert had been faithfully praying for years for his brother, seeing no improvement, but never giving up. And then one night, the devil came calling.

     Robert received a phone call from David, and he was desperate! A demon was tormenting him in his bed and he was crying out to Robert for help. Robert instructed him to get in his truck and to drive over to his [Robert's] house, praying for him over the phone as David drove. At one point, Robert called Mark and asked if we could come to his house and help him get David free. As anyone who is in Deliverance Ministry knows, it is often more difficult to get family members free than others. We were 45 minutes away but agreed to come. All this while, the demon is attacking David as he is driving, trying to pull his fingers off the steering wheel and battering him about the head.
     By the time we walked into Robert's house, David was sitting there with his head tipped back, nursing a bloody nose. There was a lot of blood on his shirt and it was obvious he had been in both a spiritual and physical battle. Mark asked him how long he had been clean of drugs and he admitted he had used just the previous day. We asked him if he was truly ready to be set free from this addiction, and explained that it was by accepting Jesus and participating with Him and the Holy Spirit that he could be delivered. He said he was just tired of the burden of the addiction and yes, he wanted Jesus to set him free.
     I will tell you that this Deliverance session was not done in our usual mode. We didn't have the time to spend talking to David during our usual "discovery period" to get to know him or try to make him comfortable in the process. We just went right after the legal authority that had given the Enemy the right to tempt him with drugs and keep him in bondage. We led David to remember a couple of happy times in his childhood so that he could see [in the spirit] that Jesus was there with him. Thankfully, he had no problem in seeing or with realizing that Jesus would never leave him nor forsake him. Then, wasting no time, we asked him what was the heaviest thing he was carrying around in his "spiritual backpack". Once we had identified the one event which had opened the door for the Enemy to torment him, we invited Jesus into that memory and David wept as he perceived that Jesus had not abandoned him. He allowed Jesus to walk him out of that realm where his childhood part was being held captive, and he watched Jesus destroy it and cover it with His blood.
     Jesus then, one-by-one, put the spirits of shame, guilt, anger, self-rejection, addiction, etc. under His foot and David saw him send them where Jesus wanted them to go. This probably took 10-15 minutes and you could see the weight coming off David as he wept, continually thanking Jesus for helping him. By that time, we could see that David was exhausted -- both emotionally and physically. So we decided to shut this "emergency session" down for the time being. We bound any other spirits that had been assigned to torment him and poured the blood of Jesus over the victory of that session. We then spent the next 20-30 minutes speaking into David, telling him how much Jesus loved him, and that Jesus had died for him; died to set him free from that 35+ years of addiction to a drug that was destroying the Temple where Jesus wanted to reside -- in David's heart. He wept again, thanking His Savior and surrendering his heart to Him. We then told him how precious he was to Jesus and that it was up to him to continue this journey by walking with Jesus every step of the way. We also encouraged him by stating that his testimony could help others get set free from drug addiction. David declared that he was tired of the drug life and would walk a different path from that day forward.
      It was a beautiful picture to see this man, who an hour before, was bruised and battered by demon's trying to destroy his life, sitting at the table weeping in thankfulness to the Lord and saying he was different now. To be honest, I'm not sure Robert believed that a miracle had taken place because he had prayed for so long for his brother, only to see him promise to stay clean and then slip back into the darkness. So we all watched....
     A week went by and David was still clean. He continued to call Robert, proclaiming his love for Christ and his desire to share what His Deliverer had accomplished in his life. Soon Robert was receiving phone calls from other family members and friends, asking what had happened to David. "He's telling everybody he knows that Jesus set him free"! Two weeks went by and David was still on his "Jesus high", telling anyone who would listen what Jesus had done for him. A month went by, and he asked Robert to do a Bible study with him, and once a week Robert has been discipling David in developing a real relationship with Jesus.
     It has now been over two months and David is still clean, and hungering for more of Jesus. He is still doing a Bible study with Robert each week and regularly reading his Bible. He is telling all of his former drug-user friends that Jesus can set them free and they no longer have to be in bondage. For the first time in his adult life, he has hope that he can make something of himself -- and he wants to share with everyone the Good News of Jesus Christ! In fact, he recently posted this on his Facebook page ... People are placed in your life for a reason. God is working on all of us in many different ways in our life's journey. God chose and prepared my brother [Robert] to be His disciple and to walk in faith. Robert, along with Mark and Pam, destroyed my demons and helped save my soul through Jesus Christ. If your soul is in trouble and your demons are controlling you, I know some people, who know some people, who can help save your soul, too. Trust in Jesus Christ. Amen.  
     I couldn't have said it any better myself. And the best part? I know this isn't the end of David's story. I believe he has a testimony that is destined to change lives! He has defeated the devil in his life -- something no one really believed he could do; maybe not even Robert. BUT, Robert did believe in the healing power of Jesus Christ, so he was faithful in praying for his brother's deliverance, and more than 30 years later, he saw the victory! So, please never give up on your loved one! Because the Enemy is hoping you will. But you should know that the Father will wait out your loved one; wait until he or she is ready to surrender their demons to Him, and then just like David, He will save their soul.
     I am eagerly expecting and anticipating that the hold drugs have held over the small towns in our area will soon be broken, and all because one man continued to pray faithfully for 30 years for his brother. Those prayers resulted in his brother trusting him when he hit bottom and was ready to let Jesus in to heal him. Then that brother, in his thankfulness and gratitude is shining a pinpoint of Light into the darkness in his community. And that's all Jesus needs -- for us to be an instrument of His Light in the dark, and He can work miracles. Just ask David.

1 Peter 5:10   "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you."
    
      
     

"There The Vultures (Eagles) Will Gather"

     As I have stated numerous times [and in the preceding blog post] I believe the Holy Spirit truths of the Bible are Spirit-revealed as we diligently dig into the Word to really know our God. And so, as I'm involved in a Bible study on the Book of Matthew, I found my spirit examining the passage in Chapter 24 that describes the detestable idol erected in the Holy of Holies that brings judgment from God upon mankind.
     Historically known as "the Abomination of Desolation, as spoken of by the prophet Daniel", I could focus on the events of this offensive, unholy, and frankly, beastly, sacrilege in the Temple. But I want to look at the culmination of this desecration, and the curious verses that describe the consequences ... For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather (Matthew 24:27-28).
     If you're like me, you have the obvious understanding of verse 27; that is, it describes the appearance of Jesus at His Second Coming. But what does it have to do with verse 29 and the statement about corpses and vultures? Does the Bible mention this anywhere else, and does it give us more clues as to the "bigger picture" of this future time that Jesus tells us we should understand? In fact other versions of the Bible tell us we should "take notice and ponder and consider and heed; learn about" this Abomination of Desolation and what will follow.
     As a matter of fact, Luke also writes [in Chapter 17] about the "Son of Man's day" in which "the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other".  While Luke doesn't focus on the detestable event in the Temple, he does describe what it will be like "in the days of the Son of Man"... it will be just as it was in the days of Noah, when the flood came; and as it was in the days of Lot, when fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all -- "so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed." 
     Luke then goes on to describe something that I propose has been misunderstood. Luke cautions them to "Remember Lot's wife. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.  I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left.  There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left.”  These verses are often used in conjunction with 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 which describes the Lord descending from heaven with a shout and command and the faithful will be caught up in the air with Him; i.e., the Rapture. But both Matthew and Luke refer to the corpses and the gathering of vultures, which the Rapture passage in 1 Thessalonians does not mention. So let me explain why I think there is more to discern about "the day of the Son of Man" that has been misunderstood in Matthew and Luke, and why I do not think it refers to "the Rapture". 

     First of all, as I have already stated, the passages in Matthew and Luke are prefaced with accounts of grievous sin ---1)  the desecration of the Temple ("his forces shall pollute the sanctuary, the [spiritual] stronghold [Temple], and shall take away the continual [daily burnt offering]; and they shall set up [in the sanctuary] the abomination that astonishes and makes desolate [probably an altar to a pagan god]" -- Daniel 11:31);  2) the grievous sins in the days of Noah ("The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them" -- Genesis 6:4); and 3) the serious sins in the days of Lot (" just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire" -- Jude 1:7).
     And what were the results of these sins against our holy God? In Noah's day, God said He would destroy man with the earth (the Flood). In Lot's day, it was a righteous punishment of sulfur and fire from heaven. And, in Matthew, what does Jesus tell us will happen when the Abomination of Desolation [that occurred in Daniel] happens in the End Days? He gives lots of instructions about the people who will be living in Jerusalem at that time. And then He speaks of a time of "great tribulation" and a time of "false christs and false prophets [who] will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect." Then comes the declaration of the "coming of the Son of Man" and the verse about those corpses and the gathering of vultures. It all sounds like JUDGMENT to me!
     Furthermore, I think it is important that we consider that the reason Jesus mentions the "Son of Man" is that it is His title pertaining to His taking back the dominion of the Earth (remembering that man was given dominion of the earth in Genesis 1:26). And here's a possible understanding of why He follows that sentence with "Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather" ... it is to be found 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." In both Matthew and Luke, the references to His appearance tell us He will be coming in judgment, and the result will be similar to the judgment in the days of Noah and Lot. Hence the bodies and vultures that will gather. These verses are not to be confused with His coming mentioned in 1 Thessalonians, which is addressed to those who "believe that Jesus died and rose again" (1 Thessalonians 4:14). In Matthew and Luke, the Bible is speaking about [and to] wicked and evil people. In 1 Thessalonians, it is a message of hope and encouragement to Believers. That is why there are no corpses and vultures.

     Remember that Matthew and Luke are speaking of how the coming of the Son of Man compare to similar events of wickedness. The confusion and misunderstanding comes from Luke's reference to "One will be taken and the other left" being united with 1 Thessalonians 4:17, "Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord." Matthew and Luke clearly show that they are referring to a time of judgment, while 1 Thessalonians is clearly about the Rapture. The "taking and leaving" in one do not support those who are left in the other.
     And in case you are interested in considering more, take a look at Job, chapters 38 and 39. God challenges Job to consider His Sovereignty and His Judgment. God counsels Job on the character of arrogant and bold sinners. When they have their hearts set on evil, there is no making them fear the wrath of God. They think they are safe in their sins ... and God describes the near lust for battle that comes upon evil men upon the earth as they go out to "meet the weapons". Yet at the end, what is the picture God paints for Job? He describes an eagle mounted high in her nest and stronghold, spying out his prey. "His young ones suck up blood, and where the slain are, there is he". And are you aware that in many versions of the Bible, "vultures" in both Matthew 24:28 and Luke 17:37, is translated as "eagles"? 
     Maybe you are not perplexed by that curious verse in Matthew 24. Maybe the fact that it immediately follows Jesus describing the coming of the Son of Man doesn't seem unusual to you -- it is just another of those unfathomable mysteries of the Bible. But it is just so glaring to me, and in opposition to what I've been taught and understood in the past -- that the Coming of Jesus meant the Rapture -- it just didn't make sense. So, you may not agree with my interpretation of Scripture, or how I related Matthew and Luke's coming of the Son of Man with Judgment, whereas the coming of the Lord in 1 Thessalonians is actually refers to the Rapture. That's OK with me. I just hope that you find it worthwhile to dig deep into the Bible. I believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, and that the Holy Spirit inspires us to dig in; to read and reflect; to connect the dots; and then be willing to accept the truth that our study reveals -- rather than rejecting it because it does not conform to our prior understanding or human wisdom. Let us be motivated and energized by the Spirit to love earnest and enthusiastic study of God's manual for godly living and spiritual warfare. And let us never seek to minimize His glory or His Kingdom by limiting our understanding of Him. Let us forever declare His Kingdom and His Power and His Glory!

1 Corinthians 2:4-5     The message I preached and how I preached it was not an attempt to sway you with persuasive arguments but to prove to you the almighty power of God’s Holy Spirit. For God intended that your faith not be established on man’s wisdom but by trusting in His almighty power.

Maintenance or Transformation?

     As Christians, we have decisions to make. What are we going to believe is probably the biggest one that will influence our faith walk. I don't mean to trivialize the gift of salvation or the Gospel message -- I am assuming that we are all in agreement that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, come in the flesh to sacrifice His life for ours and to fulfill God's desire to be reconciled with us for eternity. Anyone who calls themselves a Christian must believe in this doctrine.
     But as we [hopefully] mature in our faith, there are often times that we Christians find ourselves in disagreement over interpretation or revelation from the Bible. Ideally, I would hope that we could agree to disagree [in love] while still being willing to have an open dialogue and share in what we discern the Word and the Spirit are telling us.
     That is where determining what we believe is so important to our journey with Jesus in faith. We must always use the Bible as our "go to" source; it is the Word of God; it is a picture of His Nature. And we cannot discern Him by cherry-picking verses. Rather, we are better served by stepping back and getting the "big picture".
     There are so many ways that man has attempted to define God by his [man's] own standards. But, by seeking Him in His Word, it is indisputable that He is Spirit; He is Light; He is Love; and in both His love and judgment, He is a Consuming Fire. And if I am made in His image, then I should be desiring to become all those things, too.

     Speaking for myself, I spent too many years satisfied in accepting the tenets and doctrines of the denomination I belonged to. Not that they were wrong, or I have rejected them! I was just so limited in my understanding of who God was and His purpose for my life. I just didn't spend time in the Word, trying to meet God in what the inspired writers recorded. I was locked into "maintenance" mode, if you will, rather than pursuing God to reveal more of Himself and transform my life.
     Perhaps I didn't feel qualified to seek more since I had come to my faith late in life. But as I write this, I am struck with the thought that the Bible is just that .... the place that we meet God; where we are introduced to Him. But if I truly want to know Him, doesn't that require that I go a step or two further -- ask Him questions, seek more knowledge about Him, and develop a real relationship with Him? And the Bible is where we start to do that! It is where we gain insight about God and what He desires our relationship to be. It is where we get insight from men who shared their encounters with Him and their growth in relationship and knowledge. Remember, they didn't have a carefully constructed canon to base their faith upon; their knowledge came from experience with God! And it transformed their lives! I want the same thing! Is that wrong?
     I know there are Christians who fear straying too far from accepted [or strict] interpretations of the Bible. I respect that. I never want my human mind to determine God's "big picture". But I also don't want to diminish Him or confine Him to a box called "religion". I want to allow my spirit to receive knowledge and counsel from the Holy Spirit, since it is the Spirit that reveals God to us. I am reminded of what the Apostle Paul wrote in the Epistle to the Colossians. He wrote to them to put off the old self and put on the new; that they were to seek the things from above where Christ was, seated at the right hand of the Father. They were to set their minds on things from above, not on things of this earth. They were to put to death everything that had become their idol, and everything that separated them from God. They were to "put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator" (Colossians 3:10).
     But have some of us made idols of our religious doctrines? At the same time, I would also caution us not to be tempted by every new "prophet" or philosophy or teaching that makes sense to our rational minds. The Bible is to be discerned in the spirit; relying on the Holy Spirit to reveal the truths [that God wants imparted] to grow us into understanding and becoming more like Him.

     Peter encourages the followers of Christ with a request that "grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus, our Lord". He goes on to say, "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence". And how are grace and peace to be multiplied? By the empowerment of the Holy Spirit! Paul confirms this when he writes to the Corinthians: " For we did not receive the spirit of this world system but the Spirit of God, so that we might come to understand and experience all that grace has lavished upon us. And we articulate these realities with the words imparted to us by the Spirit and not with the words taught by human wisdom. We join together Spirit-revealed truths with Spirit-revealed words. Someone living on an entirely human level rejects the revelations of God’s Spirit, for they make no sense to him. He can’t understand the revelations of the Spirit because they are only discovered by the illumination of the Spirit. Those who live in the Spirit are able to carefully evaluate all things, and they are subject to the scrutiny of no one but God. For who has ever intimately known the mind of the Lord Yahweh well enough to become His counselor? Christ has, and we possess Christ’s perceptions."

     Why is it so hard for some Christians to think that Believers today can also join together Spirit-revealed truths with the Spirit-revealed Word? I recognize that there are other Christians [whom I know have their hearts sealed with the Holy Spirit] who will not agree with me that there is more to God's Word than what is on the written page. I also recognize that they will judge me wrong for perceiving something different than what they have been taught. And please do not misunderstand me ... I do not hold myself more righteous or greater in the Kingdom of God. And I pray that the Holy Spirit will illuminate the pages of the Bible, granting them greater understanding of His supernatural purpose for their life. I would never force my understanding upon another Christian, respecting their journey and where they are with the Holy Spirit. But neither do I accept condemnation for moving forward in the Spirit's revelations to my spirit. When I read the Bible, I know I am reading a supernatural Book and I expect to receive supernatural revelations from the Holy Spirit.

     One of the gifts of the Spirit is Wisdom. This is the Holy Spirit acting upon our faculty of reasoning and our free will; instilling within us an attraction to the divine nature of God. But here's where our human nature comes in. We can choose to discern [from our spirit and heart, where the Holy Spirit resides] to respond to that attraction and calling, or we can fear being deceived; not trusting our spirit to discern the invitation of the Spirit to grow in understanding. That is a choice each one of us must make! And it saddens me that it can cause separation within the Body of Christ. 

     But the bottom line is this: Knowledge and understanding of God are a huge part of faith in Him. It is incumbent upon us to know who He is if we are to become like Him. To me, that means seeking counsel and wisdom and understanding from the Holy Spirit to reveal God's supernatural intention of His Word. Remember, we have access to the Logos Word, which is the constant, written word of God; the Bible. We learn about Him and His ways through strictly interpreting this written word. And then there is the Rhema Word, which I can best describe as God personally speaking to us through the Holy Spirit's revelation of the written word. We benefit from receiving the Rhema word in our hearts as a consequence of reading the written word with our minds. 

      Both are crucial to our Christian lives, and God's "living" word always corresponds to His written word. I believe the more time we spend reading and praying in the Logos word, our hearts will be opened and our spirits will be exercised in the Rhema Word. It is my prayer that all Christians would be open to the possibility that there is growth in understanding God and His Word. We may not always agree, but if we have the Holy Spirit in us there is nothing to fear. He will guide us and counsel us. And I believe He delights in seeing us pursue more intimate knowledge and understanding of God. If you decide that you are satisfied in your level of knowledge, then I will support you, just as I would hope you would encourage me to receive more Spirit-revealed truth, if I so choose. And I join Peter in praying that grace and peace would be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus, our Lord.

Philippians 1:9    And this I pray: that your love may abound yet more and more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight [that your love may display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more comprehensive discernment] ...  
 

     

 
     
      
   

Trying To Understand "The Church"

     I recently read an article on the state of the Church, and I'd like to share the author's viewpoint, sprinkled with my own thoughts. This author wrote an article trying to explain why "people are leaving the church in droves" -- his quote, not mine. I'm always interested to see if the answer comes close to the reason I see so many people disillusioned with attending church (myself included). I was a little taken aback that this writer seemed to think most people pointed their finger at the lead pastor, and he went on to explain why this was merely "scapegoating" the pastor.
     The author suggested that it is important "to be rightly aligned and connected with church leadership". That's all good, if one discerns that the pastor's teaching is rightly aligned with Scripture. And being "connected" with the pastor can be a vague concept. Too often, I have seen that modeled as an inner circle that supports leadership, no matter what; regardless of how it might effect individual members or the church body as a whole. And sadly, far too often, there is a distinct separation between the "connected" and the "unconnected" -- a social order, so to speak.
     The author did say that he has no problem, himself, rocking the boat and challenging systems, motives and traditions that exist within the local church, while with honor and wisdom, advocating for reform. I agree. He goes on to say that he believes too many people leaving today's churches do so by surrendering their responsibilities as members of the Body of Christ, and become accuser's of leadership, and end up in hibernation. He then ridicules the idea that they can still "be the church" by making the statement, "You can't be the church if you don't go to church". That seems, to me, to be attaching the idea of "church" to a building, and I'm afraid that is where I have to wholeheartedly disagree with this author.

     In fact, what I have observed are Christians that have stepped in to their unique callings to exhibit the power of the Word in their lives; a move that was hindered under the authority of church leadership. The role of the Holy Spirit in people's lives was not recognized if it didn't align with church doctrine or traditions. And far from hibernating, these empowered Christians are actually "doing church" in their communities and seeing their territory expand as God uses them to continue the work of Christ in the nations. 
      We are all familiar with the Greek term ekklesia, from which we get our English word "church". It literally means "assembly", "congregation", or "meeting". It is important that we recognize that to New Testament believers, the word "church" never referred to a synagogue, temple, chapel, tabernacle, building or any other meeting place. The term always referred to the Christian assembly and, in the New Testament, it was used for both the local community of believers and the overall collection of Christians. It referred to the people!
     This is where a second author comes in. In this additional article, the writer points out that, from the beginning, the idea of "church" was dynamic. In other words, it was characterized by constant change, activity, or progress. He writes, "Never a prisoner of buildings, we see the church [an assembly of people believing in Jesus and His teachings] meeting in the temple, in a synagogue, in the street, beside the sea, in public places, and often in homes. The Book of Acts describes a community of faith in constant movement: “Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved”. 
     Do our churches of today look like this dynamic picture? Or is it more correct to say that some of them are static -- unchanging, lifeless, and without power? I do not speak of this situation lightly. I have been a member for 20 years in a 5,000-member church; a member in a small 150-member rural church; and attended a small community church [without feeling I needed to sign on the dotted line to qualify as one of Jesus's own]. I have sincerely loved much of the community in each of these church buildings. But, as I look back over my "church history", I can see that with each move, God was growing and maturing my faith and understanding of Him, as well as my place in the Body of Christ. And each move came with new insight as to what the ekklesia is supposed to look like.
     Author One maintains that there needs to be a system for a pastor to effectively lead a church; that he doesn't have time to befriend everyone in his congregation. In fact, he writes, "So, if your church has more than five people attending, chances are the pastor simply won't have room for another close friend [meaning you]... Smart leaders will invest mostly in those who have proven themselves faithful." ... [Does that mean "faithful to Jesus" or "loyal to the pastor"? Just wondering.] ... The writer goes on, "Jesus devoted himself to 12, and then at a closer level to three. Pastors will hang with those who share his vision, who are fierce defenders of the church and who don't exhibit selfish tendencies. The pastor has a serious call of God to lead the church into an impossible vision, and he needs people around him who will empower that vision. If you are dead weight, they will love you, pray for you and do their best to awaken you, but they won't—and shouldn't—be close friends with you." I guess that all depends on what the vision is and what it looks like being empowered. Does it look like Jesus? Or is it fraught with human undertones and motivation? And I seriously wonder who that pastor defines as dead weight? People that don't agree with him?
      Wow! That really bothered me. Pastors will hang with those who share his vision ... Boy, have I seen that discourage more than one believer who was looking to be equipped to walk out Jesus's vision, which didn't quite coincide with the pastor's perspective. And that brings me to this point ... Author One wrote, "[A pastor's] mandate is mostly to pray and study the Word". Is that what the Bible says? Doesn't Scripture say that Jesus gave pastors "to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes". Praying and studying the Word should be routine for every Christian.
     Isn't it the job of pastors to equip and train us to walk out [in power] Jesus's commission; to be fierce defenders of the faith and to encourage us in our individual callings for God and His Kingdom? I understand the tremendous drain of time and energy that must accompany a pastor's calling -- Mark and I are experiencing it on a much smaller level with our own ministry. But when you say"Yes" to God doesn't that come with the territory? Author One decries all the demands on a pastor's life -- visiting people in the hospital, counseling members of his congregation, answering the phone at all hours of the night, and meeting all the needs of his flock. He says that there should be assigned a team that takes care of all that so that the pastor can spend his time on his knees. 

       But, if Jesus is our model, didn't He do it all? Visiting the sick and dying, counseling those who sought Him, and meeting the needs of His flock? Yes, it started out as just twelve, but the Bible tells us of the crowds that followed Him everywhere. And, yes, He needed to remove Himself from time to time and revive and refresh His body, soul, and spirit. But He never turned down anyone who came to Him in faith. We are to continue that commitment to the Body, bearing much fruit in our community with each other.

     As much as I disagree with Author One on many of his points, I do agree with him on this: "We need a new breed of leader...". Although he still maintains that there should be a team that takes care of the people, I would like to hear him say that this team does not replace the pastor, but supplements his care and guidance. I do agree with him when he says that pastors today should focus on "meeting with God, getting wrecked in His presence, gaining powerful revelation in the Word and, as a result, stand behind the pulpit with fire in their eyes and a tremble in their spirit."
     If they did that, I truly believe that you would find less people leaving the church buildings. In fact, I would love to find a community of believers with a dynamic pastor that challenged me to be who I am in Christ; who encouraged me "go out" and minister to the nations; and who trained me how to grow into unity and maturity in Christ. But even though I do not currently attend a church building, I do not feel separated or less of a follower of Jesus than my brethren who choose to attend weekly services. On the contrary, I love communing with them and sharpening each other's faith by sharing what God is revealing to us -- inside and outside the building. 
     For, I believe as Jesus forecast, and Author Two acknowledges, "the gates of Hades will not overpower it [the church]". I believe that we individuals who are walking a lonelier road are no less working for the Kingdom than those who can claim fellowship with hundreds and thousands. I see community being built among those who have left the church; community that is waking up to new revelation straight from the Holy Spirit and who is walking it out together; boldly and confidently. We are recognizing the need [and commission from Jesus, of course] to disciple new believers; to be examples and inspiration of how to live our lives. And most of all, we are understanding just how much Jesus loves His church -- every one of us! This is no time for division based on man's traditions. We are all members of Christ's Body. Let us each be true to our calling and work together to bring about God's divine plan for humanity. Go! Be the Church, anywhere and everywhere!

1 Peter 2:5           Come and be his “living stones” who are continually being assembled into a sanctuary for God. For now you serve as holy priests, offering up spiritual sacrifices that He readily accepts through Jesus Christ.