Tag

Spirit

Aug 18 2017
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About Denominationalism

By | Articles

“Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul” (I Corinthians 1:12-13)?

 

Before I even get started on this article, I want to respectfully say that this article is not meant to bash ministers or churches who are members of denominations. Just as Jesus spoke of His disciples being in the world but not of it, in like manner, you can be in a denomination just not of it. You are of Christ. My hope, through this article, is to convey that the Bible is sufficient, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, to order a body of believers to come together and have all the accountability, leadership, unity and order to function in a true New Testament fashion. I even asked myself, “Is it necessary to put out such an article? Won’t this just alienate me from ministers and saints who belong to a denomination?” Then I realized as I have done so often, if I can’t talk open and honestly about such things amongst the body of Christ, when and where can I? Should I go instead and complain to the world?

I want to note that when I refer to denominationalism, I am also referring to all groups who organize like a denomination, but prefer to use a different term to describe themselves. For the sake of convenience, I will use the word denomination throughout the remainder of this article.

Now as I get started you saw in our text, that Paul asked, “Is Christ divided?” The answer to that is, of course not. However, the church sure is. Some years back, in one of my articles, I stated that there are over 900 denominations in America. As I think about that statement, I have to yield to the fact that we can’t really know how many there are. A few websites say there are over 30,000 Christian denominations in this world. In America, the Baptist Church is the largest protestant denomination. Wikipedia gave a list of all the different Baptist denominations there are in America. I counted seventy nine of them. So we just don’t have differing denominations, but also differing factions inside one denomination. Hold back your criticism, you members of the Pentecostal / Charismatic churches. I counted thirty two different denominations in your ranks. One question looms large in my mind; “How can a people, who all say they read and believe the same book (the Bible), be so divided?”

Have you saint of God, grown so accustomed to denominationalism that you never bother to consider if it is even biblical? I know it seems the norm for the church. Have you ever asked, “Where in the Bible does it teach or promote denominationalism?” If we are honest, which we believers have no choice but to be, you will have to agree that you cannot find a scripture that teaches that we should create such organizations. In fact the opposite is true. Paul rebuked the Corinthians for picking favorites and identifying with a specific group (“I am of Paul; I of Apollos…”). Are you of Wesley, are you of Luther? Do you follow the ways of the Anabaptists or the Puritans? Is your religion Grandma and Grandpa’s style? Or are you of Christ? Are you a follower of Christ? Is the Bible your rule of Authority?

I am sure you surmised by now that I and the church I shepherd, do not belong to any denomination. Churches of the sort that I pastor are usually called non-denominational or independent. (I like to refer to my church as “dependent,” dependent on the Holy Spirit.) Even using these terms can take on a denominational feel as well. Why do we have to have labels anyway? Why do we look for another way to identify ourselves other than to have our identity in Christ and have the word of God as our authority? I ask you, why is it that the churches who incorporate seem to be the norm and those churches who don’t are considered illegitimate? I get it that there are a lot of troublemakers in the church who have rebelled against denominational authority and started their own little “us four and no more” non-denominational church. When I was a young believer, I used to think that those who were in non-denominational churches were all rebels. I have learned there are plenty of rebels to go around. They aren’t just in the non-denominational churches, but the denominational ones as well. In fact, there is very powerful politics in some, if not many, denominational churches. I have even heard a story from several people, of a high official in a denomination who openly lied to a church body. He did it for the sake of the denomination’s interests. That is what politicians do. Politicians lie, men of God promote truth, no matter the cost. Ministers do not have to lie to keep the saints faithful, but church politicians often lie to keep their denominational agenda on course. I am not saying that ministers who are good strong leaders in their church are a part of church politics, for I assume many are not. However, it is heart breaking to see the church operate like a political machine.

So what is the solution? Can we the church, really come together in love and unity, with true leadership in place and let the word of God truly be our final authority? Can we exist together without having to draft bylaws and corporation papers? Can we all really be members of a church body without having to take several classes and then sign a membership card? Absolutely, positively we can and we must. It starts with believing that it is God’s expectation for His church to be united as one body and then determining in your heart to see it happen in our generation. Again, all Christians will say they agree that there is only ONE body, but our hundreds of denominations tattle on us. They testify that we don’t believe what we say.

 

“Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Ephesians 4:3-6).

 

Seven times you see the word “one” in this verse. What don’t we get about that? What we all need to do is quit saying that we believe the word of God to be our final authority and simply let it be. That means that every Christian who belongs to a denomination, as I said earlier, must refuse to be of it.

I have asked some people if they are a Christian. It is not unusual to get an answer like, I’m Catholic, I’m Baptist or I belong to such and such a church. Let me ask you. Do you really believe the word of God? Are you, saint of God, willing to believe the whole truth as the Spirit reveals it to you, even at the expense of being cut off by your church or denomination? How about you, ministers of God? Are you willing to face losing your credentials, if that is what would come about if you were to preach a truth that is contrary to what your denomination believes? I know of some ministers who left their denomination and lost their retirement all for the sake of preaching the truth. What do you love more, your denomination or the truth of God? If we would dare believe the truth, our denominations would be considered irrelevant overnight.

Aug 15 2017
1

Eyesalve: God Looks For the Broken

By | Eyesalve

“For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Isaiah 57:15

 

Are you broken? Do you feel useless? Then you are a great candidate for revival. God revives the heart of the “contrite ones.” Contrite means, crushed and to crumble. The world looks for the best people they can find. God looks for the broken. Hallelujah!

Aug 09 2017
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Eyesalve: The Spirit is Willing

By | Eyesalve

“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41

 

Though it may require a lot of discipline to get your flesh to pray, be encouraged that the Spirit in you has great desire to pray. As you learn to walk in the Spirit, your desire for prayer will increase.

Jun 22 2017
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Eyesalve: Thine Are We

By | Eyesalve

“Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.” I Chronicles 12:18

 

Any saint of God who has any spiritual sense, will expect their pastor or spiritual leaders to have God’s anointing. As a pastor I want to say that it works the other way as well. I expect those who I shepherd to have the Spirit come on them and convince them that they are with me. (Of course, only as I follow Christ).

Jun 19 2017
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Eyesalve: Truth Recognizes Truth

By | Eyesalve

“This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.” I John 5:6

 

The true remnant last day believers will be identified, not by their tenants or statement of faith that their church has in place, nor by a denomination they may belong to, but by the Spirit of truth. Truth recognizes truth.

Sep 30 2016
1

The Heart of a Remnant Believer

By | Articles

“And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire” (Nehemiah 1:3).

 

When Nehemiah heard what condition the remnant of Israel was in, who were living in Judah, he wept and fasted. He was deeply grieved over the condition his brethren was living under. The wall of Jerusalem was broken down and the gates were burned with fire. The physical affliction the Jews in Judah were living in is a type of spiritual affliction many sincere believers live in today. I need to tell you that the burden Nehemiah had for his brethren is similar to the burden I have for the church of Jesus Christ, who are my brethren. As Nehemiah was distraught over the remnant in Judah, I too am distraught with the condition that many Christians have to live under. I am not talking about the disintegration of our society here in America, I am talking about the famine of the word of God, and the lack of the Holy Spirit that is in so many churches today.

There are many people in the church today who probably don’t care much if the church is shallow and lacking the presence of God. Some prefer it that way because the presence of God and a strong word brings conviction. However, in many of these churches there is a people, a set apart people, a remnant, who desire a deeper relationship with the Lord. I believe with all sincerity that these remnant believers are some, if not the most neglected people in the church. As we hear so many lectures on how we must accept people and come down to their level, and how we appoint people to greet new faces, the remnant are quietly being ignored. As the emphasis is to preach simple salvation messages over and over again in some churches, the remnant believers are starving for some meat. As you continue to read this article, you may start to see that you may be one of the remnant, if you don’t already realize that.

Remnant believers want more, but so often they don’t quite understand what that more is. People in church around them might seem to be rolling with the flow, but in their own heart there is a dissatisfaction. This lack of contentment in remnant believers can actually make them feel bad for feeling so dissatisfied. They know that they should be more appreciative of what God has done for them. They know they have been saved and washed by the blood of the Lamb. They know they have been given a brand new life and even life more abundant. They know that they ultimately deserve hell, yet they are given eternity in heaven. So they feel bad when they find themselves looking for something more. They sense something is not quite right. Actually, what is really going on in them is that Holy Spirit is being quenched by carnal halfhearted Christians and churches, and the seed of Christ in them wants to bust out and grow. It is hard for any Christian to grow if they are in an environment that discourages growth.

The discontentment that remnant believers have is right and good because it is just a symptom of a longing for a deeper relationship with God. They are appalled with the low life living that is so often being offered. Miller Brewing Company is located in Milwaukee. They make a beer called Miller High Life. Let me tell you friends, drinking beer and alcoholic beverages is not the high life. It is the opposite, it is the low life. It has destroyed millions upon millions of lives. Walk around Milwaukee and see all the drunks wandering around and know that there is nothing high about that life. Knowing the Lord and pursuing a deeper relationship with Him is the high life. Christians live the high life, or at least have the potential to do so.

 

“He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places” (Psalm 18:33).

 

Again I want to say, remnant believers desire something more, but many don’t quite know what it is.  If they are gathered in the midst of the merely religious, the discontentment they may feel is because they desire a closer relationship with God. If they are in a dead church, they desire abundant life. If they are in the midst of doubters, they want to be where there are those of strong faith. If they are amongst those who water down and short change the word of God, they want to be where the truth of the word is elevated and proclaimed.

Today it seems if you desire to live a holy righteous life, there are many so-called Christians who will accuse you of legalism or trying to earn your salvation. If you try to believe the Bible for the simple truth it is and live it out, you have those who say that you don’t understand the Bible correctly because you don’t know the Hebrew or Greek of a word or sentence. I am not against that kind of study, but isn’t our Bible already translated from the Hebrew and Greek for us? I have no problem with looking up these words for a little deeper understanding, but I have never found any word that was translated incorrectly.

Through my experience, I have seen one thing that really stirs the heart of remnant believers. It is coming to the realization of just how true the word of God is. They come to realize the unifier that truth is. They come to realize just how much the truth sets free. Remnant believers are the one group of believers who are truly like-minded. It is because they love truth so much, the Spirit of truth constantly reveals the truth to them; therefore they don’t come up with their own interpretations of the word. They believe the word as the Spirit of truth teaches it. If they believe something in the Bible incorrectly, they have a humble teachable spirit to be corrected. They don’t spit and sputter, trying to hang onto their own interpretation of the word of God. I love when remnant believers get in a discussion on spiritual things and one of them, from a sincere heart, says something that isn’t accurate. Then another remnant believer gently corrects them with a simple application of clear scripture and the attitude of all is, “WELL, THAT SETTLES THAT!” It takes a genuine humble heart to love the truth enough to allow yourself to be openly corrected. That is what is lodged in the heart of remnant believers.

Remnant believers do not need, nor do they want all the fancies and frills, gadgets and gizmos that the church offers today. They may feel a little disconnected with their church when they depend on these things. The remnant can’t seem to quite get on board with these things and they feel they are being a little contentious. What it really is however, is they just want more of the Christ they are being deprived of. They are offered all kinds of carnal techniques to accomplish spiritual things, but all they want is the presence and the power of the Spirit. It is right for remnant believers to want to come out from amongst her. Sometimes they just don’t know how.

This is what is in the heart of remnant believers. ARE YOU OF THE REMNANT SORT?

 

 

Aug 16 2016
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Eyesalve: Testimony of Three

By | Eyesalve

“And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. 16And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:15-17

 

In this setting we read that Jesus spoke, the Spirit landed on Jesus and the Father spoke. This is the greatest testimony of three this world has ever known.

Aug 02 2016
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Eyesalve: God’s Habitation

By | Eyesalve

“But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:” Deuteronomy 12:5

 

The place the Lord chose out of all the tribes came to be known as Jerusalem. For us New Testament saints, there is also a place that the Lord chose to put His name. It really isn’t a specific place or confined to one place, it is where ever the Church of Jesus Christ meets. The church is God’s habitation and she is who God has chosen to anoint and pour out His Spirit upon. He chose the church, don’t forsake the church.

Apr 29 2016
0

But In Demonstration

By | Articles

“And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (I Corinthians 2:1-5).

 

Many Christians want to hear practical messages from scripture that teaches how to have health and prosperity and how to live successfully in our society. The preachers who master how to preach and teach these things as if that is what the word of God is all about, are the most popular preachers. The better they can do that, the bigger their churches are and greater is the number are those who follow them. Look at Joel Osteen, the pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, the largest Protestant church in America. The sanctuary seats 16,800 people. They estimate that over 45,000 people attend Lakewood Church every week. Joel is a master at making people feel real good. He is a bestselling author and has written many books. Here are the names of some of them. “You Can, You Will, The Power of I AM, Your Best Life Now, and Become a Better You” (emphasis added). Is there anything that stands out to you in these titles? I helped you see it by emboldening some of the words so they would catch your eye. Do you understand that these titles are all about YOU? All four of these books seem to focus on man and what is best for him. How is it that Christians who read the Bible, which is all about Christ, then go and write books that are all about man? I do have to confess that I have not read any of these books, and have no interest in doing so. The titles alone tell me what is in the pages of these books. When I first heard the title, “The Power of I AM,” it made me shudder. When I saw “Become a Better You” at the book store my immediate response was, “I don’t want to be a better me, I want the ME to die.” All the problems God ever had with me is the ME. I need to get ME out of the way.

I suppose if we could ask Christians, who regularly attend church, what they expect their pastors to preach and teach, some would say they would like more expository teaching. Some would say they want messages that apply to everyday practical living. Others may say they want the pastor to search out all the Hebrew and Greek words so they can get a better understanding of the scriptures. Others may want a fiery message with the preacher raising his voice. Some like a well-outlined teaching with worksheets to fill out. None of these things are necessarily wrong, but none of these are the answer to what is missing from today’s preachers. There is an incredible high regard for the teachers who are intellectuals. Our society is enamored with smart men with degrees. I think many Christians think that of all the men who have searched out all the Bible doctrines, that if anyone knows what they are talking about it has to be our intelligent Bible teachers. I have nothing against intelligence, even though I am not intelligent. You might not want to read anymore articles after I tell you this, but I only graduated from high school. I am just a dumb construction worker turned preacher.  However, I see far too many preachers and teachers trusting in their intellect and ability to articulate than in the power of God. The greatest thing we need from our preachers today is for them to preach with a demonstration of Spirit and power.

People get tired of talkers after a while. They especially get tired of preachers who talk, but never say anything with substance. They are tired of preachers who talk and lack authority in their words. Worse than that, people get offended when preachers talk and then live a life contrary to what they preach. Our society does not need talkers, our churches don’t need a speech; they need a demonstration of Spirit and power. Did you notice in our scripture text the word “Spirit” is capitalized? This indicates to us that the demonstration is from God (and not from our own human spirit) which results in man being a spirited preacher. We need preachers who demonstrate through the power of the Holy Spirit. Our generation needs a demonstration not a hollow message. They need powerful messages, not just good ones. They need a message that is authenticated by the Spirit of God.

Those who listened to the Pharisees week after week and year after year, were greatly moved when Jesus spoke. “And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Matthew 7:28-29). There was another time when the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to arrest Jesus. When the officers came to Him and heard Him speaking, they returned back to them without arresting Jesus. When asked why, “The officers answered, Never man spake like this man” (John 7:46).

The devil has mastered clever speech. The devil even used scripture when he was trying to tempt Jesus. Satan has a counterfeit for a lot of things. The devil can do a lot of things, but there is one thing he cannot do and that is speak with the power and anointing of God. It is only we believers who have such a privilege. Motivational speakers can speak to and move the emotions of men, but the Holy Spirit deals directly with the spirit of man. Feelings and emotions can, and often do follow, but feelings alone do not prove a message has authority.

The Apostle Paul was a highly trained and educated man, so again you don’t have to be stupid to be used of God. God uses the “whosoever.” However, God doesn’t call, “…many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble… (I Corinthians 1:26), but that doesn’t mean He doesn’t call any. So if you are highly intelligent, give God the glory for it and use it for His glory, just like Paul did. When it came down to it, Paul said his effectiveness wasn’t in being a Hebrew of Hebrews or in his great learning at the feet of the Pharisee Gamaliel. Paul said, “In mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ” (Romans 15:19). I remember coming upon this verse back in 1999 as I was preparing for a message. I read it and said, “Where has this verse been all my saved life?” Well you know it has always been in the Bible. Maybe it never stood out because few seem to believe it anymore and few dare preach it.

Saint of God, there is nothing more our preachers need then to once again preach with a demonstration of Spirit and power. There is nothing more this world needs from you as well than to preach with a demonstration of Spirit and power.

Mar 10 2016
0

You Must Be Born Again

By | Articles

 

The most deceived people on the face of the earth

are those who think they are saved, but are not.

 

There is a huge difference between people who believe they are born

again because someone told them they were and those who know

they are born again because they experienced the new birth.

 

A person who is lost in their sin and knows it, has a much higher percentage of getting saved than the person who thinks they are saved, but has never been born again. A person who gets comfortable in their religion or their status in the church would have no reason to call on the Lord to save them. They think that everything is just fine. It is the person who is drowning who calls for the lifeguard. Even more difficult is for a minister who is not born again to get saved. The ministers that have committed their life to serve the Lord in the ministry would be the least likely to ever ask themselves if they have ever really been born again. Besides that, who would ever confront a minister about his need for salvation? Do not be mistaken there are many unsaved ministers. I trust that yours is born again.

It seems to me that so many in the church, especially when it comes to soul winning, have forgotten what Jesus said.

 

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:3-7).

 

Nothing has changed since the days Jesus spoke these words to Nicodemus. Though man has tried to ignore, rephrase or redefine the whole concept (more than a concept) of being born again, it still stands true today; you must be born again to enter the kingdom of God. By the way, it is not a future kingdom, it is a kingdom you enter the instant you are born again. Jesus said, “..the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21).

I have encountered many people who claim to be a Christian. Some of them are and some aren’t. Mind you, I am not the final judge of that as you know, neither are you. Some believers fear the thought of even trying to discern if someone is truly saved. Let me put you at ease, God will not be checking with me or you about another person’s salvation. However, the Bible teaches us that we can know a tree by its fruit. So when I encounter a person who claims to be a Christian, but there is much in their life that would testify contrary to that, (if I get a chance to,) I will ask them when they were born again. Some of their answers are, “I was a Christian my whole life,” or, “I became a Christian when I was baptized.” Millions of people have been told they are a Christian because they repeated the sinner’s prayer. Some churches teach that you are born again when you get confirmed. I was raised in the Roman Catholic church and I never even heard about being born again until I was in my twenties and it wasn’t the Catholic church that told me about it either. Nonetheless, at twenty seven years of age, married with three children, I was born again. I was made a brand new creature in an instant. It was something that happened on the inside of me. I can’t explain it, in fact no one can explain it, for it is something you just know when it happens to you. Jesus described it this way:

 

“The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8).

 

What Jesus is teaching is that you can’t see the wind, but you can hear and feel the effects of it. When someone is born again, the Holy Wind who you cannot see, enters that person and causes them to be born of the Spirit.

Think how radical it is for a baby when it is born. It leaves the warm sheltered confines of a mother’s womb and is brought out into a whole different environment than what it was used to for the last nine months. The baby does not have the capacity to understand what happened to it, but it does know that something happened. So too, with a person who is born again, they know something has happened to them even though they do not have the words or understanding to explain it. It doesn’t take long for the real believer to realize what happened to them, they became a born again believer.

I fear for many that their salvation rests in having correct theological understanding of salvation. They believe all the doctrines that they are supposed to believe such as, the word of God is infallible, all men have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and Jesus is the only way to the Father. In fact, they can have those famous salvation scriptures memorized such as:

 

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

 

and still not be born again. I fear many find the confidence of their salvation in their church. They believe they are saved because they attend church regularly, listen to the sermon, pay their tithes and try to live a moral life. Hell is filled with Bible reading church attenders. Going to church makes you no more a Christian than walking into the courthouse makes you a judge.

Then there are those who believe they are saved because mom and dad are, or grandma and grandpa are. Some children grow up convinced they are saved because their dad is the pastor. But no one, I repeat, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they personally are born again.

Salvation is a miracle. Every real Christian starts out as a miracle. Salvation is radical, it offends every part of your carnal nature, but is sweet to your soul. Salvation isn’t just a changing of your mind, it is powerful transformation. It takes those who have used their body to fulfill all kinds of sinful lusts and turns them into a temple for God to live in. Hallelujah!

Are you a living miracle? Are you truly born again? If not, humble yourself before Almighty God, repent of your sins, surrender your life to the Lord Jesus Christ and trust Him with your life.