What is the difference between a cell group and a house church?
Mrs. Rigel, my 4th grade teacher, whispered a long sentence in a classmate's ear who sat in the front left seat in the class of about 2 dozen of us 4th graders. That classmate then whispered what she heard in the ear of the person behind her, and then row by row until the last person was told the sentence.
That last student then stood and repeated what they heard - and we all burst out in laughter because what they said they were told was nothing close to what we all had heard in our turns. Then Mrs. Rigel told us what she actually told student #1 and that was different still! read more...
I've been looking at how the New Testament defines a Christian and comparing that with our day, using David's cry of Psalm 51 as our start point: 'Cast me not from your presence'. One difference I see is that first century believers desired and sought out His presence in other believers by being around and a part of other believers' lives. Today, many opt out of relationships with other believers.
When I first met the Lord I was a teenager, and desperately sought His presence. I sought His presence in the Word. That's the same with disciples in Paul's time - they sought out those who had been with Jesus to hear what He said, and they read with great hunger the writings of the apostles - our New Testament. read more...
Prophetic: I have a sense in my spirit of economic fear in August/September with effects going into October - just a need to pray and watch with interest.
Always remember that God's Word is unchanged, which means Matthew 6 still stands, that if we seek Him and His righteousness all the things we need, will be provided. Also Philippians 4:19, that He provides for us according to His riches in glory. He does not provide according to the economy, but according to His riches in glory. Such peace!
Prophetic Insight: In the days to come many in the body of Christ will learn a new dimension in their walk with the Lord. As it pertains to provision, we need to understand that grace moves by seasons, not seconds.
When the Lord made the earth He said the sun, moon, and stars would be for dividing day from night, and for signs, seasons, days and years. (Gen 1:14) read more...
Last week, I started to examine what a 1st century Christian looked like and compared that with what we call 'Christian' today.
Go back in your mind to a time where there were no buildings called 'church'. To a time when believers in Jesus were rightly told God no longer lived in the temple in Jerusalem, but He now lives in each believer, and that is where you will find His presence.
They were taught they didn't have to scream and yell to get God's attention; He lived inside them and they had peace with God and He with them. They were taught they didn't have to go up to Him or bring Him down to them; He lived in them and was as close as their breath. (Romans 5: 1-5, 10: 6-10, Ephesians 2:4-7, Hebrews 12:22-24) read more...
The most valuable thing we have this side of heaven: His presence
When David's sin with Bathsheba was revealed, he repented and wrote Psalm 51 from an anguished heart. As with many Psalms, it is constructed like a teeter totter, with both ends balanced around the center piece.
That center piece is the cry of David's heart in verse 11: "Cast me not away from your presence; and take not your Holy Spirit from me." This is the sum total of all he says in this Psalm, his core cry to God, the center piece around which all else revolves: I want your presence and Spirit more than anything!
More than his musical gifts, more than the kingdom he ruled, more than his family, David valued the presence of the Lord in his life, and that is why this Psalm of repentance revolves around his heart's cry. read more...
Last Part of the Visitation
Last week I shared 7 elements the Lord spoke about concerning the body of Christ in this visitation.
It was an unusual visitation as I've only had 1 other where He gave me a bit of a history lesson. That was in 1992 when He said these things of the time when I was born again in 1974: "....of what you would call the 'Charismatic Renewal', a time when my people came out of the denominations because their needs were not being met. You met in home meetings, prayer groups, Bible studies, then soon (various) ministries started Bible schools to raise up leaders and many churches began as a result." (You are a product of those churches) read more...
Rearranging Priorities
Last week I spoke of 'playing with weeds' as an introduction to a visitation I had in February from the Lord. When He appears to me He usually speaks to me about what He is doing in the body of Christ. This visitation was no exception. However, this visitation differed from other recent ones in the way He spoke of His body.
If you have read the messages to the 7 churches in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, you'll know the Lord says with each, "He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches", each accompanied before or after by a promise to "him who overcomes." read more...
One spring day when I was a boy, a group of us neighborhood kids saw the grasses, clover and dandelions growing in our yards, and thought we'd pick them and give them to our moms.
Later, when we met up again each of us reported how our moms were thrilled with our bouquets and put them in vases with water; some on a mantle, some on the dinner table - we were so proud of ourselves!
We would also pick dandelions by the long stem, and make a circle with the stem, looping it through to make a ring, and pick clover flowers just to suck on the sweet nectar, or even long stemmed grasses to suck on the sweet ends...my what treasures for a 6 year old! read more...
Where Do You Draw the Line?
How can Christians disagree, work through conflict, and maybe even go their separate ways without being offended at each other? How do you identify that line between disagreement and offense?
In Acts 1:8 Jesus told the disciples they would be witnesses of Him in a series of ever increasing circles, and we’ll use that example to help define the lines between disagreement and offense.
“…and you will be witnesses of me in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth. read more...
Last week I said that Christians who got offended by other Christians were idolaters. Now to explain.
“Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the Word of the Lord…” I Samuel 15:23
“Stubbornness is as idolatry.” Basically, if I am holding onto something like offense, and not dealing with it scripturally (being stubborn), I have placed that offense between me and Jesus – it has become an idol – something I protect, give allegiance and attention to, and refuse to get rid of though I know the Word says I should. That’s why the Word calls stubbornness idolatry. read more...
Why Do Christians Get Offended Easier than Any Other Group of People?
To get to the answer we have to get into the Word, and then state what people actually do rather than obey the Word, and then we can get down to the core reason Christians are so easily offended and are so willing to cast off relationships in Christ in offense. I think you'll be surprised at the answer.
We've all seen it or been the victim, or maybe even the perpetrator - a Christian known in person, print, TV or cd, believes something or says something that offends a person, and suddenly they are tossed aside with a curled lip like they sniffed a carton of milk that was two weeks past its due date. read more...
Did you know there is no chapter and verse command against gambling in the Bible? True.
Today I'll identify 2 principles I live by concerning gambling that may help you, but first a little Bible education. The casting of lots - basically rolling the dice - was used by the High Priest to decide between the goat of the sin offering and the scapegoat, Joshua cast lots to determine which tribe got which parcel of Promised Land, gate keepers were appointed by lot, and before Pentecost the apostles cast lots to determine Judas Iscariot's replacement. (Lev 16:8, Josh 18:6-10, I Chron 26:13, Acts 1:26)
These examples don't qualify as gambling as it was actually a means of determining the Lord's will, not the wagering of money hoping to get rich quick. The casting of lots as a method of determining the Lord's stopped when the Holy Spirit came to live in people - after Pentecost they never cast lots or put a fleece out again because He lives within, so we have direct connection. read more...
God Invented Tattoo’s
I know that may shake some people’s thinking, but let’s look at what the Bible says. In order, we’ll look at God’s use of tattoo’s, how the devil uses them, how cultures used/will use them, and then a conclusion – so read on!
The first tattoo mentioned is in Genesis 4:15: “And the Lord said to him; ‘Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.”
I’ve heard pastors teach ridiculous things about what that mark was – everything from the Lord turned him into a black African, to Cain became a homosexual. Of course neither of those are correct. It was a ‘mark’ on his person, a sign on his flesh marking the fact God had dealt with Cain about the murder of Abel and everyone else was to leave him alone. read more...
In this last week of dwelling on pornography I want to share practical steps to help men and women be victorious over temptation in this area. These principles apply to all temptations in any area!
The first principle is something not often taught in churches nor by Bible teachers, yet is foundational.
John the Baptist said to replace old habits with new habits. Not just stop doing something, but stop doing it by replacing it with something else. (Matthew 3:8) Replacement is the first principle.
I remember when I was a teen and my mother told me about how she had quit smoking once she got married and started building a family, intuitively knowing smoking while pregnant wasn't good for babies. She said every time she felt like lighting up she instead reached for food (and gained 20 pounds). read more...
Last week I shared how God equates the sin of pornography, the act of uncovering someone's nakedness with sexual intent, which isn't ours to see, as theft. (Leviticus 18)
After I'd already written last week's 'Thoughts' there was a news item of interest. Kylie Bisutti, a Victoria Secret lingerie model, quit the lingerie circuit stating: "Growing in my relationship with the Lord and my faith...I just became so convicted about wanting to honor my husband with my body...My body should only be for my husband, and its just a sacred thing."
A thief makes something that doesn't belong to him, his own. She understands she had been allowing other men to look at her body when it wasn't theirs to see, making her body theirs in their imaginations. read more...
Each week in this series I'm going to teach on sensitive topics and provide foundational truths so that you may be equipped in your own walk, or help someone else now or in the future. Subjects like pornography (today's and next week's topic), gambling, tattoos, addictions, etc.
I'll share things I've learned by revelation and by life experience and I hope to be a blessing to you, not that I have all the answers for that is not the case, but alot of Christian teaching on these subjects just isn't very deep, or is (only) intellectually centered, or goes the other way to blame it all on the devil, without dealing with core issues. read more...
