When I see something like this in Scripture I decide it must be worth a deeper look.
Revelations 5:6
And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth.
So I looked through Scripture and I found seven spirits attributed to God.
7 Spirits of God listed in Scripture
1. Spirit of Judgement and Burning – Is 4:4
2. Spirit of Counsel and Might – Is 11:2
3. Spirit of knowledge, understanding and wisdom – Is 11:2
4. Spirit of Grace – Zech 12:10
5. Spirit of Truth – John 14:17
6. Spirit of Holiness – Romans 1:4
7. Spirit of slumber – Romans 11:8
There were actually more than seven if you separated them by each name but when they are categorized by function I could only find seven. What does all this mean? Well I guess that is for us to discover unless we are under the influence of number 7! There may be more on this later God willing.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
How Important is it to Obey?
The Gospel that was first preached to me was all about repentance and forgiveness. The idea was that if I said I was sorry I would get to go to heaven and not hell. Now so many years later I see a rather disturbing theme in Scripture for anyone that came to Christ through that Gospel. How important is it to leave that starting point and obey the commands of Christ?
Let the Scripture be your guide!
John 3:36 - "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."
Acts 5:32 - "And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him."
Romans 2:8 - but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.
Romans 6:16 - Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?
2 Thess. 1:8 - dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
Hebrews 5:9 - And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,
1 Peter 4:7 - For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
If you claim Christ as your savior and yet you do not obey His commands you may be in for a terrible outcome. I find the passage from 2 Thessalonians the most disturbing. It clearly names two different groups of people. There are those that do not know God and then those that do not obey God. Are you in either of these groups today?
Let the Scripture be your guide!
John 3:36 - "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."
Acts 5:32 - "And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him."
Romans 2:8 - but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.
Romans 6:16 - Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?
2 Thess. 1:8 - dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
Hebrews 5:9 - And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,
1 Peter 4:7 - For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
If you claim Christ as your savior and yet you do not obey His commands you may be in for a terrible outcome. I find the passage from 2 Thessalonians the most disturbing. It clearly names two different groups of people. There are those that do not know God and then those that do not obey God. Are you in either of these groups today?
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Spotting a Fraud or Spying out the False Circumcision
Here is an old warning with as much meaning today as in the day it was written.
“Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision;”
Paul warns the Philippian church to beware! There were people who were frauds among them. He says that he has often told them about these frauds that try to derive their righteousness from the Law. He later declares that these people are actually enemies of Christ.
“whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.”
How can we know how to spot such frauds? Who are they and why are they in the church? We gain insight as we see the characteristics of the ungodly openly portrayed by them.
To Timothy Paul says these types are = always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. – These men would puff themselves up in their study of God’s Word but it would not produce in them the knowledge of the truth that produces a changed life. They were experts at study and failures at living truth.
Again to Timothy Paul describes these types = holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. – The power of God is to transform lives. It brings people to Christ and moves them beyond where they are. These types denied the power of God. I must believe it came from never experiencing the power of God in their lives. Only those who have never tasted God’s power could deny it.
Paul again warns - But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
There are imposters among us. A false circumcision, a false church, goats mixed in with the sheep, tares sown in the church by the devil himself. Spotting them will help us avoid them and to move on into fruitful service. Once we spot such a person how do we determine for sure they are one of the false circumcision? Jesus Himself gives us some assistance in answering this question. In Matthew 25 He tells us how He will separate these at the end of the age – sheep on one side and goats (false circumcision) on the other. In the end it appears the only difference between the two is what they did or didn’t do!
We don’t have to guess or judge, we just need to call people to a decision to act in obedience to what they acknowledge. Sheep obey and goats run away!
“Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision;”
Paul warns the Philippian church to beware! There were people who were frauds among them. He says that he has often told them about these frauds that try to derive their righteousness from the Law. He later declares that these people are actually enemies of Christ.
“whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.”
How can we know how to spot such frauds? Who are they and why are they in the church? We gain insight as we see the characteristics of the ungodly openly portrayed by them.
To Timothy Paul says these types are = always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. – These men would puff themselves up in their study of God’s Word but it would not produce in them the knowledge of the truth that produces a changed life. They were experts at study and failures at living truth.
Again to Timothy Paul describes these types = holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. – The power of God is to transform lives. It brings people to Christ and moves them beyond where they are. These types denied the power of God. I must believe it came from never experiencing the power of God in their lives. Only those who have never tasted God’s power could deny it.
Paul again warns - But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
There are imposters among us. A false circumcision, a false church, goats mixed in with the sheep, tares sown in the church by the devil himself. Spotting them will help us avoid them and to move on into fruitful service. Once we spot such a person how do we determine for sure they are one of the false circumcision? Jesus Himself gives us some assistance in answering this question. In Matthew 25 He tells us how He will separate these at the end of the age – sheep on one side and goats (false circumcision) on the other. In the end it appears the only difference between the two is what they did or didn’t do!
We don’t have to guess or judge, we just need to call people to a decision to act in obedience to what they acknowledge. Sheep obey and goats run away!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
There is an Alternative
The Bible describes an active faith based on a personal relationship with Jesus. This faith is evidenced by the active presence of the Holy Spirit of God inhabiting His people. When God’s people are sanctified, denying themselves, taking up their cross, and following Jesus there are some predictable results.
Widows, orphans, and the poor are cared for by them, the Gospel is preached by them, the Holy Spirit manifests through them and does miraculous things like healing and miracles, the works of the devil are destroyed through them, demons are cast out by them, and an organic fellowship called the church results.
So look at your faith today. Are you experiencing these things? When was the last time you preached the gospel? When was the last time you led someone to the Lord as their savior? When was the last time you witnessed a healing or a miracle? Have you ever experienced a demon or cast one out? Do you care for widows, orphans, or the poor personally? Does the power of the Holy Spirit manifest through you? If you have taken up your cross could you describe that to someone or is it a mystery to you? Are the people around you that claim to be the church doing or experiencing any of these things? Is your church experience an organic free flowing experience of fellowship or a programmed set of meetings that fit on your calendar?
Many read the Bible and desire to experience the faith they see described in it. Many never have experienced it but still bounce from one church to the next hoping to find it. Others stay in the same church forever and just rationalizes that what is described in Scripture do not happen today. The problem is not that God does not desire to lead you into these things. The problem is that a false church operates today. A church that has been molded by men and not by God. Look at your church and then look at how church is described in Scripture. Does it agree? The building, the senior pastor, the worship band, the seating arrangement, the lack of opportunity for those attending the service to participate in what is being said or done are all additions of man designed to bring control over the church. Are you part of a denomination? Where do you find that in Scripture?
You may rationalize these things as needed developments in order to operate in the modern world but these are not modern developments. Most came into being over 1700 years ago in order to bring political control and influence over the church. Denominations arose after the reformation as men looked to define their differences and control what happened in their groups. You may wish to change your church and still hold out hope that the ship can be turned around. The truth is that there is nothing wrong with your church except that it has an unbiblical structure over it. Unless the structure is removed it can never be what God designed it to be. It must embrace God’s design for structure and leadership in order to be what God designed for it to do.
The good news today is that there is an alternative. There is a growing group of people that have discarded the structures of man and have embraced the structure that God describes. You cannot experience it without leaving your old structure. It requires you to deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Jesus through the leading of the Holy Spirit. It requires you to become a disciple and learn to disciple others. It requires you to be open to the spiritual realm where the eternal things of God operate. It requires you to give up your life to find the life of Christ. If you want to learn more just email me.
Widows, orphans, and the poor are cared for by them, the Gospel is preached by them, the Holy Spirit manifests through them and does miraculous things like healing and miracles, the works of the devil are destroyed through them, demons are cast out by them, and an organic fellowship called the church results.
So look at your faith today. Are you experiencing these things? When was the last time you preached the gospel? When was the last time you led someone to the Lord as their savior? When was the last time you witnessed a healing or a miracle? Have you ever experienced a demon or cast one out? Do you care for widows, orphans, or the poor personally? Does the power of the Holy Spirit manifest through you? If you have taken up your cross could you describe that to someone or is it a mystery to you? Are the people around you that claim to be the church doing or experiencing any of these things? Is your church experience an organic free flowing experience of fellowship or a programmed set of meetings that fit on your calendar?
Many read the Bible and desire to experience the faith they see described in it. Many never have experienced it but still bounce from one church to the next hoping to find it. Others stay in the same church forever and just rationalizes that what is described in Scripture do not happen today. The problem is not that God does not desire to lead you into these things. The problem is that a false church operates today. A church that has been molded by men and not by God. Look at your church and then look at how church is described in Scripture. Does it agree? The building, the senior pastor, the worship band, the seating arrangement, the lack of opportunity for those attending the service to participate in what is being said or done are all additions of man designed to bring control over the church. Are you part of a denomination? Where do you find that in Scripture?
You may rationalize these things as needed developments in order to operate in the modern world but these are not modern developments. Most came into being over 1700 years ago in order to bring political control and influence over the church. Denominations arose after the reformation as men looked to define their differences and control what happened in their groups. You may wish to change your church and still hold out hope that the ship can be turned around. The truth is that there is nothing wrong with your church except that it has an unbiblical structure over it. Unless the structure is removed it can never be what God designed it to be. It must embrace God’s design for structure and leadership in order to be what God designed for it to do.
The good news today is that there is an alternative. There is a growing group of people that have discarded the structures of man and have embraced the structure that God describes. You cannot experience it without leaving your old structure. It requires you to deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Jesus through the leading of the Holy Spirit. It requires you to become a disciple and learn to disciple others. It requires you to be open to the spiritual realm where the eternal things of God operate. It requires you to give up your life to find the life of Christ. If you want to learn more just email me.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Relational Evangelism and the Distortions of the Church Growth Movement
The Church Growth Movement uses the following five precepts as their guide for how ministry is most effective.
1. The Gospel spreads most contagiously, not between strangers, nor by mass evangelism, but along the lines of kinship and friendship networks of credible
Christians, especially new Christians.
2. The Gospel spreads more easily to persons and peoples who are in a receptive season of their lives, and Church Growth research has discovered many indicators of likely receptive people.
3. The Gospel spreads more naturally among a people through their language, and the indigenous forms of their culture, than through alien languages or cultural forms.
4. “First Generation” groups, classes, choirs, congregations, churches, and ministries, and other new units are more productive than established old units.
5. Apostolic ministry is more effective when we target people groups than when we target political units or geographical areas.
Each one of these is a subtle distortion of the truth of Scripture and I consider them to be tares that have been sown into the modern church. I will take them one at a time and look to see the distortions involved.
1. The Gospel spreads most contagiously, not between strangers, nor by mass evangelism, but along the lines of kinship and friendship networks of credible
Christians, especially new Christians.
This principle defies Scripture and history. The largest movements of the Holy Spirit have come from mass evangelism and work started by seasoned ministers of the word. In acts we see 9000 people added to the church in just two sermons. I can also cite the reformation and the Great Awakenings. When we look at how the Apostle Paul worked in his ministry we see him going to new areas and preaching in the public square. The western society has been hardened to the idea of mass evangelism. It is not that the Holy Spirit cannot still fall on the public at large, it is more that we package mass evangelism into stadium tours and attempt to program the work of the Holy Spirit. The truth of the Bible is that the Gospel spreads most contagiously when it is preached and the Holy Spirit falls on the hearer – period – no other conditions required.
2. The Gospel spreads more easily to persons and peoples who are in a receptive season of their lives, and Church Growth research has discovered many indicators of likely receptive people.
This may sound like the Church Growth Movement has developed a soil test for the parable of the sower. This precept is actually true for the modern American church. When we package Christianity the way it is packaged in America, then certain people will respond to it at certain periods in their life. This is more of a self-fulfilling prophecy than it is a guide for effective ministry. The truth is that very few disciples are being made in America. What this precept actually describes is how you can more effectively get people to show up on Sunday during certain periods of their lives if you offer them the right attraction. If this were true then why would God be silent on the matter? Getting people to church was never God’s intention. Reconciling people to Him through Christ was always His intention. There is no indication in Scripture that the Holy Spirit is more likely to fall on you at one time in your life over the other.
3. The Gospel spreads more naturally among a people through their language, and the indigenous forms of their culture, than through alien languages or cultural forms.
There is some biblical support for this precept. When people spoke a different language, God would at times, intervene and deliver the message through tongues in their native language. The error here is that something beside the Gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit is required.
4. “First Generation” groups, classes, choirs, congregations, churches, and ministries, and other new units are more productive than established old units.
Once again this is a self-fulfilling prophecy resulting from the way we see church programmed in America. If the first generations were so effective then why do we see throughout history that God raises up seasoned ministers to begin new works? The thing that determines the fruitfulness of a ministry is the passion level for God that the group maintains. Under the programmed approach to ministry we find in America the passion is zapped from the converts after a short time. If we would increase the passion level by empowering and releasing ministry, we would see old works bearing fruit.
5. Apostolic ministry is more effective when we target people groups than when we target political units or geographical areas.
Paul was a minister to the gentiles and Peter was an apostle to the Jews. While these are biblical claims for each apostle we must be sure that each ministered geographically. The call of these apostles to a people did not negate the way in which they did ministry, which was geographically. If we build by people groups then we will build divided. If we build geographically then we can build across lines that divide and build unity. Which of these two fits God’s heart for His people?
Relational ministry has been distorted because the truth about relationships and ministry is the key to seeing people redeemed. When we see our role in the relationships God gives us in a biblical way then we will become effective agents of reconciliation to all those that God calls to himself. If we continue to follow the subtle distortions of men, we will continue to see the decline of the church in America.
1. The Gospel spreads most contagiously, not between strangers, nor by mass evangelism, but along the lines of kinship and friendship networks of credible
Christians, especially new Christians.
2. The Gospel spreads more easily to persons and peoples who are in a receptive season of their lives, and Church Growth research has discovered many indicators of likely receptive people.
3. The Gospel spreads more naturally among a people through their language, and the indigenous forms of their culture, than through alien languages or cultural forms.
4. “First Generation” groups, classes, choirs, congregations, churches, and ministries, and other new units are more productive than established old units.
5. Apostolic ministry is more effective when we target people groups than when we target political units or geographical areas.
Each one of these is a subtle distortion of the truth of Scripture and I consider them to be tares that have been sown into the modern church. I will take them one at a time and look to see the distortions involved.
1. The Gospel spreads most contagiously, not between strangers, nor by mass evangelism, but along the lines of kinship and friendship networks of credible
Christians, especially new Christians.
This principle defies Scripture and history. The largest movements of the Holy Spirit have come from mass evangelism and work started by seasoned ministers of the word. In acts we see 9000 people added to the church in just two sermons. I can also cite the reformation and the Great Awakenings. When we look at how the Apostle Paul worked in his ministry we see him going to new areas and preaching in the public square. The western society has been hardened to the idea of mass evangelism. It is not that the Holy Spirit cannot still fall on the public at large, it is more that we package mass evangelism into stadium tours and attempt to program the work of the Holy Spirit. The truth of the Bible is that the Gospel spreads most contagiously when it is preached and the Holy Spirit falls on the hearer – period – no other conditions required.
2. The Gospel spreads more easily to persons and peoples who are in a receptive season of their lives, and Church Growth research has discovered many indicators of likely receptive people.
This may sound like the Church Growth Movement has developed a soil test for the parable of the sower. This precept is actually true for the modern American church. When we package Christianity the way it is packaged in America, then certain people will respond to it at certain periods in their life. This is more of a self-fulfilling prophecy than it is a guide for effective ministry. The truth is that very few disciples are being made in America. What this precept actually describes is how you can more effectively get people to show up on Sunday during certain periods of their lives if you offer them the right attraction. If this were true then why would God be silent on the matter? Getting people to church was never God’s intention. Reconciling people to Him through Christ was always His intention. There is no indication in Scripture that the Holy Spirit is more likely to fall on you at one time in your life over the other.
3. The Gospel spreads more naturally among a people through their language, and the indigenous forms of their culture, than through alien languages or cultural forms.
There is some biblical support for this precept. When people spoke a different language, God would at times, intervene and deliver the message through tongues in their native language. The error here is that something beside the Gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit is required.
4. “First Generation” groups, classes, choirs, congregations, churches, and ministries, and other new units are more productive than established old units.
Once again this is a self-fulfilling prophecy resulting from the way we see church programmed in America. If the first generations were so effective then why do we see throughout history that God raises up seasoned ministers to begin new works? The thing that determines the fruitfulness of a ministry is the passion level for God that the group maintains. Under the programmed approach to ministry we find in America the passion is zapped from the converts after a short time. If we would increase the passion level by empowering and releasing ministry, we would see old works bearing fruit.
5. Apostolic ministry is more effective when we target people groups than when we target political units or geographical areas.
Paul was a minister to the gentiles and Peter was an apostle to the Jews. While these are biblical claims for each apostle we must be sure that each ministered geographically. The call of these apostles to a people did not negate the way in which they did ministry, which was geographically. If we build by people groups then we will build divided. If we build geographically then we can build across lines that divide and build unity. Which of these two fits God’s heart for His people?
Relational ministry has been distorted because the truth about relationships and ministry is the key to seeing people redeemed. When we see our role in the relationships God gives us in a biblical way then we will become effective agents of reconciliation to all those that God calls to himself. If we continue to follow the subtle distortions of men, we will continue to see the decline of the church in America.
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