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Virtual Christians #2

Posted on May 18, 2012 by admin

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) Continue reading →

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Virtual Christians #1

Posted on May 11, 2012 by admin

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. Continue reading →

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Playing with the Weeds #3

Posted on May 8, 2012 by admin

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) Continue reading →

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Playing with the Weeds #2

Posted on April 27, 2012 by admin

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.” Continue reading →

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Playing With Weeds #1

Posted on April 22, 2012 by admin

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! Continue reading →

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Why Christians Offend Easily? #4

Posted on April 19, 2012 by admin

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.”
 
For our use, the inner most circle, Jerusalem, is you, (spouse), and young children at home. The next circle outward is Judea. Jerusalem was surrounded by Judea and this represents your extended family outside the family home. If you have no immediate family Judea represents your closest friends and confidants, maybe even a close co-worker or friend from school. Continue reading →

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Why Christians Offend Easily? #2

Posted on April 2, 2012 by admin

Idolatry?

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. Continue reading →

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Why Christians Offend Easily #1

Posted on March 25, 2012 by admin

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. Continue reading →

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Principles

Posted on March 19, 2012 by admin

Over the last several weeks I’ve purposely NOT gotten into statistics nor ‘step 1, 2, 3′ formulas when sharing about these social issues, but have tried to provide higher laws so the reader could be armed well enough to see wisdom and perhaps a different perspective on the issues. 

So today I share about alcoholic drinks in the same way – going to higher principles rather than debate this or that point about the merits of drinking alcohol.

Higher Law – Love

In Romans 14:1 Paul sets the subject by saying; “Him that is weak in the faith receive, but not to the point of quarreling over matters of dispute.” 

Paul is about to discuss how to handle Christians who believe different things about what they should eat or not eat, drink or not drink, and on what day of the week to worship. I quote from Word Meanings of the New Testament by Earle: “…Paul has in mind the type of person who makes a major issue out of minor matters…observing meticulously man made rules and regulations.”  Continue reading →

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Gambling

Posted on March 10, 2012 by admin

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. Continue reading →

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