Posted By iDareToBelieve ~ 18th August 2011
When you got saved you were probably told a lot of wonderful things about your future. “God has a wonderful plan for your life.” You may have also been told some wonderful things about your present. “We’re living in the kingdom now!” But you probably didn’t hear too many wonderful things about your past. “It doesn’t matter where you’ve come from or what you’ve come out of.” If anything, you probably heard unpleasant things and warnings about your history. “Don’t go back to Egypt!”
But you know what? God is not only the Lord of your present and future, He is also the Lord of your past. When you were born again, He gave you a brand new life complete with a brand new past. How about that! You have a completely new history! And it begins at the cross:
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20a)
In our last post we asked the question, What happened to me at the cross? The short answer is, You died! This is one of the most important things that ever happened to you, yet many Christians are ignorant of it! Just once I would like to hear a believer testify about their past like this: I was born, I did some stuff, then I died. I was crucified with Christ and that old self no longer lives. That’s basically what Paul was saying in Galatians 2. He also said that the basis of our new life with Him is supposed to be a revelation that we died with Him:
“This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.” (2 Tim 2:11)
Do you want to live, and I mean, really live, with Him? Then you need to know the answer to three questions: (1) What did I lose at the cross? (2) What did I gain at the cross? (3) What did I retain after the cross?
1. What did I lose at the cross?
At the cross your old self was crucified (Rms 6:6). The person you used to be apart from God – your “old man” – is dead so there’s no point trying to reform him. If your old man gave you a bitter and painful past, then go dance on his grave because he’s gone and he’s not coming back! Do you know what else is gone? All your sin (Ps 103:12). Sin had a death grip on you but Christ cut him loose (Col 2:11). You may still be wrestling with some old habits, but you do so from a place of freedom (Gal 5:1). You are no longer sin’s slave (Rm 6:6).
Your natural inability to please God has also gone (Rm 8:8), as is any relationship you might have had with the law (Rm 7:6). God is pleased with you on account of Jesus so you can say goodbye to guilt and condemnation. There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus (Rm 8:1). Rejection is also gone and if you can wrap your mind around the awesome love revealed to you through the cross, then you will find all fear of punishment has gone as well (1 Jn 4:18).
Finally, the world as you knew it is no more (Gal 6:14). Your old sources of identity and security have been replaced with something infinitely better. Any performance anxiety you may have about the future will go when you realize that you are in Him and He has already overcome the world (Jn 16:33, Rev 3:5).
2. What did I gain after the cross?bright_new_past
At the cross, and before you did a single thing, you received peace with God and complete forgiveness (2 Cor 5:19, Col 2:13). When you were placed in Jesus, you gained His acceptance (Eph 1:6), His righteousness (Rms 1:17), His holiness (1 Cor 1:3), indeed, His eternal perfection (Heb 10:4). You don’t act holy to become holy; you act holy because in Him you are holy. Isn’t that wonderful? But wait – it gets better!
As a result of the cross He gave you His life: Christ is your life (Col 3:4). You now stand on His faith (Gal 2:20), are filled with His Spirit (Rom 8:11), and think the thoughts of His mind (1 Cor 2:16). When you were born again you were made into a brand new creature (2 Cor 5:17). As He is so are you in this world (1 Jn 4:17). So obviously you do not have a sinful nature. You are not one person on Sunday and another on Monday. Sure, you can still walk after the flesh and reap corruption, but you are not defined by what you do. And when you do sin, you have a mighty Advocate who speaks to the Father on your behalf (1 Jn 2:1).
But here’s the thing; you no longer want to sin. Because of the cross you have new desires and new aspirations. You used to be driven by the flesh but now you are led by the spirit (Gal 5:18). You used to work to prove yourself but now you are compelled by the love of Christ (2 Cor 5:14). Strangely, you are both more rested and more fruitful than you have ever been before.
Best of all, you gained a new Father (1 Jn 3:1) and now enjoy the full rights of sonship (Gal 3:26). Before the cross you feared God from a distance, but now you approach His throne of grace with confidence (Heb 4:16). Before the cross you were a beggar living off scraps from the king’s table. But because of the cross your every need – whether for healing, deliverance, or provision – has been supplied according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Php 4:19). You are now an ambassador and a royal priest of the Most High King (1 Pet 2:9). And as His representative you have His authority over sickness and demons. You shall lay hands on the sick and they will recover.
3. What did I retain after the cross?
As we have seen, you lost a lot and gained a lot at the cross. But on the day that you were born again, there were two things that you retained unchanged. First, your physical body did not change. You may have been healed, but your body is still subject to the effects of the fall. Although you personally were saved, your earthsuit is still getting older one year at a time. We are still waiting eagerly for “the redemption of our bodies” (Rm 8:23).
Second, beyond repenting and deciding to trust Jesus with your life, your way of thinking probably did not change. If you liked chocolate and drove badly before you were saved, then you probably liked chocolate and drove badly after you were saved.
The beginning of your new story
God’s intention was for you to reign in this life (Rms 5:17). His plan is for you to be the head and not the tail, to be on top of your circumstances and not under them. However, this will not be your experience, either now or in the future, until you appreciate what God has done in your past. Every believer knows what happened to Jesus on the cross, but not every believer knows what happened to them. Because of this they’re striving to become someone they already are and they’re fighting to obtain something they already have. They pray like beggars instead of commanders and they see themselves as servants instead of sons.
The instant you were born again, God did an amazing work in your life. He gave you a glorious new past and a completely new life. He changed just about everything there is to change about you. But one thing God left unchanged was your mind, your way of thinking. Only you can change that.
Given that there is one part of you that did not change at the cross, what do you think is the key to living the victorious life that God wants you to live? That’s right, you need to change the way you think,
“and be renewed in the spirit of your mind” (Eph 4:23)
Our thought patterns are shaped by our past. So which past are you identifying with? Your old man history or your new man history? Everything we need pertaining to life and godliness comes through our knowledge of Him who called us (2 Pet 1:13). If you want to see breakthrough in your life, look to Jesus, look to the cross, and change the way you think:
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” (Rm 12:2a)
Now repeat after me: “On the cross I died and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.” This is the glorious beginning of your new story!
Original Post on Escape to Reality
Posted By iDareToBelieve ~ 11th August 2011
John 6:28–29
28… “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” 29Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
When I was a young Christian, I attended a seminar on what we must do to “work the works of God”. I was told that we had to pray more, fast more, know our enemy and so on. I came away from the seminar confused. Then one day, I found the same question in the Bible. But the answer was very different!
In the Gospel of John, we find Jesus being asked the same question by the multitude who had been awed by His miracles — “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” The people had seen Jesus healing the sick, and feeding 5,000 men with only five loaves and two fish.
Notice how Jesus answered them: “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” My friend, the greatest doing is believing — believing in Jesus the sent one, who has done it all for you at the cross!
If you are asking, “What must I do to receive my healing?” the answer is this: Believe in Jesus, who “Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses”. (Matthew 8:17) We have seen members of our church delivered from life-threatening conditions such as cancer and kidney failure. They had simply believed that Jesus bore their diseases on His own body. There was nothing for them to do, except to believe.
When the jailer asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:30–31) The greatest miracle in your life happens not by you working and trying to save yourself, but by you simply believing in Jesus who died to save you from eternal damnation and to give you eternal life. Why then, should the lesser miracles of healing or financial breakthroughs be any different?
Beloved, what is the miracle you need today? There is nothing left for you to do, but everything for you to believe, because Jesus has done it all for you!
Originally posted by Joseph Prince
Posted By iDareToBelieve ~ 11th August 2011
Originally Posted on Escape to Reality
“I have been asking God to heal me for years. I don’t understand why He hasn’t me. I guess it’s not God’s will for me to be healed.”
If you’ve been following this short series on prayer, I’m hoping you can spot at least two things wrong with these statements. First, it is always God’s will to heal the sick just as it is always His will to save the lost. Jesus died to save us and His atonement provides for our forgiveness, healing, deliverance and provision. Second, there’s no power in asking God to do something He’s already done. As we saw in Part 1, Jesus instructed us to “heal the sick,” not “ask God to heal the sick.” And as we saw in Part 2, Jesus wants us to speak directly to our mountains.
On my journey I have discovered that there is a huge difference between the traditional view of prayer and what the Bible teaches. We have already looked at six differences. Here is one more:
Traditional: Sometimes the answer is no
Biblical: God is faithful!
Some people will tell you that God hasn’t answered your prayers because you are not doing enough works. They’ll say you’re out of fellowship with Him or you haven’t pounded the gates of heaven or you haven’t confessed all of your sins. Others will try and manage your expectations with doctrine based on their experience rather than His word. Listen to these sorts of people and I guarantee it’ll neutralize your faith.
We need to rest in Jesus’ promise that whatever we ask in His name we shall receive (Jn 14:13, 16:24). “Ask me,” says Jesus, “and I will do it” (Jn 14:14). What is the key to doing the works and greater works of Jesus? It is simple faith in Jesus Christ (Jn 14:12). But sometimes we pray and there is no immediate manifestation. The sickness lingers. Does that mean God said no? Not according to Matthew 21:22 and John 16:24. Let God be true and every man a liar! God’s faithfulness is the one constant in the equation. He is the Rock on which we stand.
Daniel famously prayed two prayers that were both answered instantly. But the manifestation of one prayer took a few minutes, while the other took three weeks (Dan 9:23, 10:12). What was the variable? Not God! In Daniel’s case there was demonic resistance to the second prayer.
One reason why our problems sometimes linger is because the enemy is challenging our authority. He wants to see how serious we are. What should we do? Should we quit? Should we ask God to take over? No. Be encouraged. The devil will flee when we resist him and we do that by submitting to God and His rock-solid promises (Jas 4:7). That sword in your hand isn’t for decorative purposes. Use it! Here’s Andrew Wommack in his book A Better Way to Pray:
“When I minister healing to someone, I’ll pray for them two, three, four, or more times. I don’t care! I’m willing to pray for them until I rub all the hair off of their head! However, I’m not going back to God and saying, ‘Father, it didn’t work the first time. Let it work now, please!’ No! I believe it happened because God is faithful. He gave, but something’s wrong with our receiver. So I work on it. If the devil withstands one dose of the Holy Spirit, I’ll shoot him again! Just like Jesus did with the blind man of Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26), I pray until I see the answer manifest. You need to get this attitude that God is faithful and He’s already met your need before you ever had it.” (p.125)
Understand that we’re not fighting to get the victory; we’re fighting to enforce the victory that Christ has already won. Satan and sickness were disarmed at the cross (Col 2:15). That’s why we’re called to stand rather than advance (Eph 6:13). We’re not taking ground, we’re holding ground that’s already ours through Christ. So stand firm and declare God’s word over your circumstances. Your tongue holds the power of life and death (Pro 18:21), so proclaim life and grace and health and freedom over your situation.
Posted By iDareToBelieve ~ 3rd August 2011
Your worth and your significance is not based on you have done or will do. Christianity is not based on how well your perform. It’s not based on how often you pray. It’s not based on how often you read your bible. It’s not based on how well you don’t sin. It’s not based on how involved you are with church. It isn’t based on well you’ve managed your anger. It’s not based how well you’ve loved those around you.
It is completely based on Jesus and what He has done for us. You are worth it, not because of what you have done, but because of what Jesus has done. You will always feel like a complete failure if you get your worth and your significance out of what you have already done.
But when you realize that your worth is solely based on what Jesus has done for you, that He bought you at a price, then you will be at peace. You will stop performing. You will stop comparing. You will stop striving for approval. You will stop working for love. You will be secure, knowing you are a son (Gal 3:26).
How do I know this?
This is what the Fathers do to their sons (Luke 15:18-23).
People perform when they feel like they have to meet an expectation. Or when they are trying to gain approval from others. Both of these do not exist when a son knows how his Father has loved him, because a Father has no expectation, and has already given approval.
The only thing that Father expected was for the son to receive His love which would result in absolute freedom from guilt, shame, and condemnation.
The only thing the son had to deal with was the judgmental, unforgiving brother. Your Father will not deal with you according to your actions (Psalm 103:10, 2 Cor 5:19, John 8:11, Luke 18:22, Romans 5:20). Know it, believe it. You’ll change, be rocked to the core because that kindness (Rom 2:4). Learn to extend the same kindness to brothers and sisters who are trying to hold your past against you, constantly reminding you of your failures and shortcomings. They do not know what they do, and they also need to know how the Father has loved them (Luke 15:31-32).
Stop performing and just be yourself. Accepted, whole, approved, beloved, and backed up by yo Dad.
Thanks to Brandon Lee for Posting this Message
Posted By iDareToBelieve ~ 3rd August 2011
I once heard a preacher say that “80 to 90% of Christians are unacquainted with the gospel of grace.” I guess this estimate is not far off the mark as evidenced by the large numbers of believers who are still trying to earn what God has freely given them. If you were to ask these people about grace they would declare, “yes, I am saved by grace! I thank God for His grace!” But by their works they testify that God’s grace is not enough. Grace may have got them started, but now it’s up to them to finish. Having begun with the Spirit they are now trying to attain their goal by human effort (Gal 3:3). Instead of working out what it means to be saved, they are working hard to stay saved.
How does this happen? Usually someone tells them that God won’t accept them or bless them or be pleased with them unless they perform for Jesus. Dead religious works are sold with respectable labels like “responsibility,” “good works,” “mission,” “sowing,” and “investing.” I am not against these things! What I am opposed to is the diabolical lie that says God’s favor depends on me doing them.
Do you know that you are saved by grace and kept by grace?
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him.” (Col 2:6)
How did you receive Him? By faith. How should you continue to live in Him? By faith! It’s faith in God’s grace from start to finish. Are you living by the faith of the Son of God? Or have you taken out a little works insurance? As Watchman Nee put it, the choice is between trying and trusting. You can try or you can trust but you can’t do both. Are you a tryer or a truster?
I have proclaimed the true gospel elsewhere. I have also listed some of the common ways the gospel is perverted along with some signs that you might be living under self-imposed law. What I want to give you here is a simple test to help you determine whether the gospel message you’re trusting in is the same gospel that Jesus revealed and Paul preached. It’s a simple test. Just ask yourself the following four questions. If your answers are all yes, then rejoice, for you are living on pure, undiluted grace!
1. Does this gospel cause me to fix my eyes exclusively on Jesus?
Does this message focus on me or does it cause me to fix my eyes on the Author and Finisher of my faith? Does it emphasize what I’m doing (or not doing), or does it emphasize His finished work on the cross? Does it make me introspective and anxious or Christ-conscious and grateful?
A true gospel preacher will always seek to reveal more and more of Jesus. It took me years to realize this. When I began preaching in the 1990s, I used to preach on the kingdom. I loved the kingdom and I still do. But I now realize that my love for the kingdom was really a love for the King. Now I just preach of this Great King who loves me and gave Himself for me. Now I just preach Jesus.
Preachers, do you need a message on healing? Then preach Jesus! Do you need a series on overcoming, giving, wisdom, holiness, faith, warfare, marriage, family life, outreach, helping the poor, deliverance, Leviticus, the Tabernacle, etc? Then preach Jesus!
Whatever your need, your answer is found in Jesus and His finished work. That’s why Paul resolved to know nothing but “Christ and Him crucified” (1 Co 2:2). Any message that doesn’t reveal Jesus will likely be powerless substitute, a flesh-trip, and a wasted opportunity. Jesus is the supreme manifestation of the character and purpose of God. Any message that diminishes Jesus, insults the Spirit of grace. Jesus is peerless and nothing compares to Him. He has become for us wisdom from God and I will boast (preach) of nothing else (1 Co 1:30-31).
2. Does this gospel increase my dependence on Jesus?
Jesus said, “apart from me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). Sadly, much is being done apart from Jesus and most of it will amount to nothing! Instead of healing the sick, raising the dead and driving out demons – the very things Jesus said His followers would do – we’re doing other stuff. And because we’re so busy doing other stuff we’re worn out and missing opportunities to do the works and greater works of Jesus.
Let me put your mind at rest right now: I guarantee that in your own strength you cannot heal the sick and raise the dead. Don’t even try. But Christ in you can do these and greater things! Do you trust Him? Working out your salvation with fear and trembling describes the adventure of learning to do impossible things with Jesus. Here’s the test: The true gospel will always inspire you to take risks in His Name, but a false gospel promotes activity in your own name.
3. Does this gospel empower me to overcome sin?
There are two ways to deal with sin; (1) preach law or (2) reveal grace. A law-based message will stir up the flesh in a human-powered quest for a change in behavior. This approach is inherently flawed for the purpose of the law is to inflame sin (Rm 7:5). Thus, any “success” with this approach will only lead to the graver sins of pride, self-righteousness, and the truly fatal sin of unbelief in the grace of a good God. Ultimately the law is powerless to deal with sin because it leaves the heart untouched (Col 2:23). Worse, it releases condemnation (which some mistake for conviction) and ministers death, just as it was designed to do (2 Co 3:7,9).
Grace declares that Jesus conquered all sin on the cross (He 9:26). You are not holy because of your behavior but His (1 Co 1:30). A preacher of grace will deal very practically with sin by seeking to reveal your true identity in Christ. You are a new creation with a new nature. Your old sin software has been nailed to the cross and you are no longer sin’s slave (Rm 6:6,20). Appetites are dealt with by recognizing who you are in Christ and reckoning your old self as dead. Again, the focus is on Jesus, not you. Jesus was tempted in every way yet was without sin. As you rest in Him, you will find grace to help you in your time of need (Heb 4:15-16).
The law does not provide useful guidelines for Christian living. We turn rules into idols when we put our faith in them instead of Christ. The Bible is very clear; the law empowers sin (1 Cor 15:56) and only a revelation of God’s grace can teach us to say no to ungodliness (Tit 2:12). Here’s the test: a false gospel will keep you sin-conscious, but the true gospel will make you Christ-conscious. Which describes you? Are you sin-conscious or Christ-conscious?
4. Does this gospel release peace and joy?
The kingdom of heaven is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17). If the gospel you’re listening to doesn’t reveal Jesus and the gift of His righteousness, then you will never experience the peace and joy that comes with it. It really is all about Jesus. He took our sin and gave us His righteousness (2 Co 5:21). This is what the gospel reveals – a righteousness from God that is received by faith from first to last (Rom 1:17). When you know that God has made you as righteous as Jesus, you will be empowered to reign in life (Rom 5:17).
This test is actually about righteousness: Are you resting in His or are you trying to impress Him with yours? A false gospel will seek to manufacture righteousness through works and holy living. By prescribing a course of action for you to take, it will instantly fail the above three tests. It will burden you with loads you cannot carry and expectations you cannot live up to. Before you know it, you will be as stressed and joyless as Martha.
Here’s the test. If you stopped doing the things you are doing for Jesus, would you feel guilty? What if you sinned, stopped giving, or skipped church? I’m not encouraging you to do any of these things – sin is stupid. But someone who knows they are clothed with His righteousness will never battle guilt and condemnation. Even when they sin they will sense the Holy Spirit convicting them of their continued righteousness in Christ (Jn 16:10). Conversely, one who’s bought into a false gospel will never know lasting peace. Even when they’ve performed there will always be a sense of “but have I done enough?”
Paul began every one of his letters with the phrase, “Grace and peace to you from God the Father.” It is only a revelation of God’s favor that brings true peace. Know grace, know peace. Worldly peace is temporary, but the peace of God – that sense that everything is coming together for good because you belong to Jesus and His favor rests on you – passes understanding (Php 4:7). It fortifies your heart and mind so that in all circumstances you find yourself overflowing with thankfulness (Col 2:7). No matter how severe your trial, you will be able to find rest – indeed, even joy – in His mighty, loving arms (Php 4:4).
So how did your gospel do? If you honestly answered no to any of these four questions, then I have Good News for you.
Original Article Posted on Escape to Reality
Posted By iDareToBelieve ~ 2nd August 2011
Originally Posted on Escape to Reality
Does God give us sickness, poverty, and recessions? Should earthquakes, tsunamis and acts of terrorism be interpreted as his divine judgment on a sinful world? Does God kill babies? Are these dumb questions? You might think so except that many sincere Christians believe all these terrible things are from God.
In this two-part series on God’s gifts, I want to look at two people in the Bible who said some stupendously dumb things about God and his gifts. Both were believers who spoke with sincere hearts. Yet both had a distorted view of God’s character. Consequently their theology was a little messed up and the result is that their dumb comments were recorded for our benefit. Sometimes having the negative helps us appreciate the positive.
The first of my two case studies is Hannah, the mother of Samuel. Hannah was barren, so she prayed for a miracle. When her prayers were answered she praised God and her mostly beautiful prayer is recorded in 1 Samuel 2. In the middle of her prayer, Hannah says this:
“The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.” (1 Sam 2:6-7)
It sounds kind of poetic the way that Hannah sees the hand of God behind everything that goes on in the world. Afterall, God is God and surely nothing happens without his say-so. But stop for a second and take a closer look. Hannah is declaring that death and poverty come from God. In other words, this godly lady seems to believe that God is, at least sometimes, the author of evil.
God is NOT a Killer
This is a classic problem of perspective. Hannah saw God from a distance. She related to him under the temporary, and now-obsolete death-dealing covenant of the law. That covenant linked human performance with both blessings and curses and so I guess it made some kind of sense for Hannah to speak of a sovereign God who brings death and sends poverty to his people – even if it isn’t true.
So why is this passage in the Bible if it’s misleading and inaccurate?
It’s in the Bible because it is a picture of what God might look like to someone who doesn’t know Jesus. Without Jesus, death and poverty are things to dread but accept as inevitable. Without Jesus they are a normal part of life. But we are not like Hannah. We live after the cross. We have Jesus. For us death is a disarmed enemy waiting to be defeated (1 Cor 15:26, 55). Death is sin’s wage, not God’s gift. It is the absence of something good. If you’re uncertain about God’s views on death, ask yourself this: when Jesus went to funerals was he more likely to (a) raise the dead, or (b) tell people that death is a gift from God?
It’s the same with poverty.
Poverty is a fact of life for many people, but I’m not going to go to Africa or South Auckland to tell people that their poverty is a gift from God. Many people in the western world have issues with the so-called prosperity gospel. Well I have a big problem with the poverty gospel that keeps us from rising up and taking the inheritance that is ours in Christ. The poverty gospel says it’s good to be poor, sick and lowly because these things keep us humble. What nonsense! True humility isn’t learned from living in the pig pen. True humility comes from a proper appreciation of the Father’s extravagant love and grace shown to undeserving us. I think even Hannah had some understanding of God’s grace in this regard, for right after she said poverty was a gift from God she said this:
“He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor.” (1 Sam 2:8)
The Poverty Gospel is NOT Good News
The devil wants you to think that poverty is a controversial subject, that we need a lot of balance when talking about these matters. But we don’t, we just need to read the Bible in light of the finished work of the cross (take 2 Corinthians 8:9 for starters). Poverty is a curse, not a gift. We should not accept it anymore than we accept sickness or suffering or death or disease.
If you’re one of those who thinks God gives us bad gifts to teach us good things, let me ask you this: Is there poverty in heaven? Is there death in heaven? Of course not! And if these things are not God’s will in heaven, why would we think they are his will here on earth?
God Gives Good Gifts
We can’t blame Hannah for the things she said when she didn’t know Jesus. If Hannah had known Jesus she would’ve known that God is an extraordinary giver who gives extraordinary gifts. We know this is true because Jesus said so:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his Son…” (Jn 3:16)
His Son is just one of many priceless gifts that God has given us. He has also given us his Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), his kingdom (Lk 12:32), his grace (Eph 3:7), his righteousness (Rms 1:17), his justification (Rms 8:1), his authority (Mt 16:19), his wisdom (Jas 1:5), his rest (Mt 11:28), eternal life (Rms 6:23), indeed every spiritual blessing (Eph 1:3). If you know Jesus you probably know that our heavenly Father is a good and generous God who loves to give and give and give:
“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Rms 8:32)
We live after the cross, so we have no excuse for being confused about these things. God is good and everything he does is good and everything he gives is good. He never, ever gives us bad gifts and he is not the author of evil. He doesn’t act one way in heaven and another way on earth.
God doesn’t send earthquakes or hurricanes to kill people. He doesn’t make us sick to teach us stuff. He is not using terrorism to judge the West or conflict to judge the Middle East or poverty to judge the South. He already judged all of our sins at the cross.
Sin continues to have terrible consequences in this fallen world, but God’s response was to give us his Son. Jesus remains the perfect and complete remedy to poverty, injustice, corruption, greed, child abuse, human trafficking, disease and death. When the church realizes this and stops tolerating things that aren’t tolerated in heaven, the world will be radically changed.
Posted By iDareToBelieve ~ 29th July 2011
Originally Posted on Escape to Reality
This week I finally got to see the movie, The Book of Eli. If you like stories where a lone man has to stand up to the wicked while trying to distribute the word of God in a post-apocalyptic world, then this is the movie for you. Just don’t show it at your youth group! It is extremely violent. Still, it made me think about how people attempt to use God’s word for nefarious purposes.
In the movie Eli carries the last known copy of the Bible. He comes to a town where Carnegie, the local strong man, is looking for a Bible to control people. Eli’s not about to give up the world’s last copy of the KJV to a Pharisee, so conflict ensues. Mid-way through the story, one of Carnegie’s thugs asks why they are being pushed so hard just to get a book. In an explosion of rage, Carnegie reveals his diabolical motive:
“It’s not a book! It’s a weapon. A weapon aimed right at the hearts and minds of the weak and the desperate. It will give us control of them. If we want to rule more than one small town, we have to have it. People will come from all over, they’ll do exactly what I tell ‘em if the words are from the book. It’s happened before and it’ll happen again. All we need is that book.”
There’s a world of truth in that statement. The Bible is universally known as “the Good Book” and rightly so. Its words are inspired and it will point you to Jesus. If you read the whole Bible through the lens of the cross, you will find redemption and life. If you read the written word to discover the Living Word, it will set you free.
But when handled incorrectly the Bible is utterly lethal. Buried within lies the law which, the Bible fairly warns, ministers death (2 Cor 3:7). For thousands of years, men like Carnegie have been using the law-bits of the Bible to control and manipulate others. Their goal is to enslave and dominate and their tools are fear and condemnation.
People have been living under self-imposed law ever since Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Jesus died to set us free from the curse of the law, yet some of us keep returning to the forbidden tree for another bite. Paul warned that we become “estranged from Christ” to the degree that we are under law (Gal 5:4). What makes the grace of God ineffectual in our lives? It is getting entangled again in religious notions about what it means to do the right thing.
I’d like to think that if I’d been Adam, the first thing I would’ve built was a fence around that tree. Then I would’ve put warning signs all over that fence. It’s too late for that now, but it’s not too late to put warning signs all around the law. Below is the beginnings of a list of signs that reveal whether you are living under the enslaving yoke of law or walking free in His divine grace. My purpose is posting this list is not to judge you, but to see you standing firm and free in Christ!
Seven Signs That You May Be Under Law
1. You’re not 100% sure if you are 100% forgiven
God doesn’t do forgiveness in installments. All your sins were forgiven at the cross (Col 2:13) when God the Son abolished sin by the sacrifice of Himself (Heb 9:26). Neither God the Father (Heb 8:12) nor God the Holy Spirit (Heb 10:17) remembers your sin any more. Still not convinced? Then read this.
2. You believe Christians have a duty or responsibility to serve the Lord
Duty and responsibility are synonyms for obligation so this is a mind-set that says we are obliged, or indebted, to God. I’ve heard it said that “Jesus has done so much for you, what will you do for Him?” Indeed, God has given us everything. Ever wondered why? He did it “that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:7). He is not just rich in grace, but exceedingly rich. You cheapen His grace by thinking you have a duty or responsibility to pay Him back. Your responsibility is to believe that He is good and true! It is not our obligation to serve the Lord, it is our royal privilege. It is not our duty, but our great delight.
3. You suffer from performance anxiety.
Performance anxiety is a rational response to the uncertainty of life under the old covenant. But anxiety has no place in the new. We are to draw water from the wells of salvation with joy (Is 12:3). We walk under law in anxiety and fear, but we walk under grace with joy and thanksgiving! “Happy are those whose wrongs are forgiven, whose sins are pardoned! Happy is the person whose sins the Lord will not keep account of!” (Rms 4:7-8, GNB) God has made us His Sons, and with such a Father we need not be worried about anything (Mt 6:32). He is our Provider who delights to give good gifts to those who ask Him (Mt 7:11). Those who serve under the law are insecure, but sons are secure.
4. You think, “God will bless me as I do my part”
The essence of a life enslaved by law is the mindset that says, “I must do something for God.” The motivation may be to earn salvation or some other blessing. But this mindset is anti-Christ and anti-cross. Contrary to what you may think, we are not justified by what we do but grace alone (Rms 3:24). Grace and works don’t mix (Rms 11:6). (And if you’re thinking of James 2:24, read this.) Grace, peace, and every spiritual blessing have been given to us by God our Father through Jesus Christ (Eph 1:3). We are not called to work for God, but to do the work of God. (Click the link to learn more about mixing grace with works.)
Grace is God’s part; faith is our part (Eph 2:8). Faith is a positive response to what God has done. Faith is saying, “thank you Jesus!” Faith is healing the sick and casting out demons, because Jesus made provision for our healing and deliverance at the cross.
5. You think we need more preaching on repentance.
Repentance saves lives, but preaching on repentance doesn’t lead to repentance! A law mind-set emphasizes what people must do (repent!), but grace proclaims what God has already done (everything!). A law mindset uses inferior incentives (fear, judgment) that lead to temporary changes in behavior, but grace (God is good and He loves you!) changes the hardest heart. If you want people to genuinely repent, preach the goodness of God (Rms 2:4).
6. You think you have to overcome life’s trials or Jesus will blot out your name.
It really isn’t about you. Jesus is our overcomer and our victory (Jn 16:33). Everyone who believes Jesus is the Son of God has already overcome the world, because The Overcomer lives in them (1 Jn 5:4-5). Jesus promised the overcomers at Sardis that He would never blot out their name. Ever since then insecure performance-oriented believers have feared He might change His mind and do exactly that. For more on overcoming, read this.
7. You mainly think of following Jesus in terms of giving up things.
Christianity is a divine exchange, our life for his. No doubt you’ve heard people say that following Jesus costs you everything. And it does. You cannot call him Lord without renouncing the right to your own life. But see what you get in exchange! If salvation means nothing more to you than self-denial and personal sacrifice, you’ve missed the whole point. Christ offers us an unfair exchange; our life for His. God favors us with this exchange. We give him our sinful little selves and get everything in return. A law mindset looks at what we give up, but a grace mindset rejoices at what He offers in return! Stop thinking about what you gave up (nothing you could keep) and start enjoying what He has given you (everything!).
Posted By iDareToBelieve ~ 29th July 2011
Originally Posted on Escape to Reality
If you’ve ever heard Andrew Wommack speak, you will know that he is one unique hombre. I’m not just referring to his theology – there’s a growing number of people preaching pure grace these days. I’m referring to the way he speaks. I say this with the utmost respect, but Wommack has mastered the art of sounding like a country hick. And before you write in to complain, let me say that’s his word not mine:
“God chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise… because people who are foolish… trust in God the most… God often uses country hicks to preach the Gospel for that very reason. I guarantee you, when you’re a hick from Texas like me, then you know it’s got to be God on your behalf or you haven’t got a chance. And there’s freedom in that!” (The True Nature of God, pp.98-9)
This time a year ago I had never heard Wommack preach. I’ve now heard him speak several times and I’ve read many of his books. He’s become one of my favorite Bible teachers. Although I was startled by his manner at first, I’ve come to appreciate his colloquialisms and his down-home wisdom. If you’ve grown up on a diet of religious mumbo-jumbo, then you may find his plainspokenness quite refreshing. To give you a taste, here are 20 of my favorite Wommackisms:
1. “If you’d just center your thoughts and affections upon the Lord, you’d be better of accidentally than you’ve ever been on purpose!” (A Better Way to Pray, p.84)
2. “Many Christians believe that the only difference between the Old Testament and the New is one blank page in the Bible.” (A Better Way to Pray, p.46)
3. “God’s anointing is not based on your performance, but if you don’t open the Word, you’re stupid, because that’s where the words of life are.” (The True Nature of God, p.99)
4. “When I minister healing to someone, I’ll pray for them two, three, four, or more times. I don’t care! I’m willing to pray for them until I rub all the hair off of their head!” (A Better Way to Pray, p.125)
5. “Many believers haven’t seen the devil or a demon in years. He doesn’t have to come around. You’re doing a perfect job ruining your own life. He taught you how to think and act, and you’ve run with it from there – with good intentions. You’re trying to live for God, but it’s you doing it in human strength rather than God living through you.” (Grace – The Power of the Gospel, p.127)
6. “Contrary to popular belief, faith does not move God. He’s not the one who’s stuck!” (A Better Way to Pray, p.44)
7. “Some people are waiting until the Holy Spirit just makes them throw their hands up in the air because they’ve never done it before. ‘Well, I just don’t feel led.’ You old carnal thing!” (Grace – The Power of the Gospel, p.138)
8. “What a sorry attitude! If I were God, the spirit of slap would come all over me!” (A Better Way to Pray, p.63)
9. “It’s a wonder you’re not a pile of ashes! The only reason God’s not ticked off at you is because Jesus did such an effective job.” (A Better Way to Pray, p.59)
10. “You have this new spirit on the inside of you and the only thing holding you back is your ‘stinkin’ thinkin’.” (Grace – The Power of the Gospel, p.161)
11. “God is El Shaddai, not El Cheapo. The Lord will take care of us better than we take care of ourselves.” (Article: Financial Stewardship)
12. “When it comes to being born again, your soul wasn’t the part of you that completely changed! If you were stupid before you were saved, you’re still stupid after being saved.” (Spirit, Soul, and Body, p.6)
13. “When my wife and I first started out in ministry, we were so poor we couldn’t even pay attention!” (You’ve Already Got It, p.16)
14. “One of the things I’ve learned is that many Christians never let the Bible get in the way of what they believe.” (Article: Hebrews Highlights)
15. “In Genesis, why didn’t the devil choose a tiger?… Why didn’t he have a wooly mammoth just stick its foot on top of her head and demand, ‘Eat the fruit or I’ll crush your skull?’” (You’ve Already Got It, p.115)
16. “The devil isn’t a true lion; he just walks around roaring like one trying to intimidate the Body of Christ. But the truth is, he’s had his teeth pulled, and all he can do now is gum you.” (You’ve Already Got It, p.120)
17. “If you never bump into the devil, it’s because you’re going in the same direction.” (Article: How to Be Happy)
18. “It’s wrong, wrong, wrong!” (You’ve Already Got It, p.150, when discussing spiritual mapping and missions trips where people have been instructed not to preach the gospel)
19. “Most Christians say, ‘Well, I’m only human, you know. I’m just a man.’ That’s stinkin’ thinkin’! I was only human, but then I became born again. There’s part of me now that’s wall-to-wall Holy Ghost.” (You’ve Already Got It, p.167)
20. “That’ll put a shout in a fence post!” (You’ve Already Got It, p.28)
Posted By iDareToBelieve ~ 27th July 2011
Cornel Marais and his good friend Simon Wilson took some time to write about the basics of healing in the New Covenant and this manuscript is what they ended up with. They state it is a work in progress and additions and will be made as time goes by. They are making it available totally free, so share it around!
They have also given Pete Cabrera Jr and Thomas Fischer permission to use the manual with their own cover for their Power of Attorney Seminars. Check them out on facebook and YouTube, you will learn a lot from them. www.theroyalfamilyinternational.com
Thanks for the awesome cover design by Ryan James Rhoades of Reformation Designs
Anyway, here is the manuscript. Click on the name to open it, or right-click then ‘Save File As’ to download.
Spanish Version Avaliable Now! Thanks to Joe Lescano for doing the translation!
Dutch Version Available Now! Thanks to Fernando Pauwels for doing the translation! (It’s in a PDF file but done in Power Point format since Fernando uses it like this to teach from)
This is information that we can use to God’s glory!
Want to connect with Cornel and Charisma Ministries? Check them out on Facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/CharismaMinistries
Posted By iDareToBelieve ~ 22nd July 2011
“My father who was 54 years old and the associate pastor of my church in Montreal, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in April 2009. The doctors said they couldn’t operate due to the fact that the tumor had spread over the brain and the risk of brain damage or death was too great. That is when our church began to pray and stand on God’s word, Mark 9:23 “all things are possible to him who believes.”
“In the month of September 2009 the doctors finally agreed to perform another brain scan it would be one week after you came to preach at our church. My father also testified that after you prayed for him he felt as though his head was on fire and could actually smell something burning in his head. We believe that was the power of God burning up the rest of that tumor.”
“The next week when my father went to the hospital for his scheduled brain scan it took the hospital almost 2 weeks before they gave us the results. The reason it took so long was because the tumor was completely gone and the doctor couldn’t believe it so he sent the results to 4 other doctors to get their opinion on the results and they all conclude that the tumor is completely gone. Now the hospital wants to write a story about my father’s situation and his personal doctor told him that it was a miracle.”
“I thank God for what he has done in my father’s life.”
Thanks,
Pastor Daniel DiPaolo
