Pray for Understanding
To understand what is inspired by the Holy Spirit one must receive illumination from the Holy Spirit. I encourage you to pray for the Spirit of God to reveal what He wants you to know and receive from this message. To fully understand this message, you must look outside your local setting and by the Spirit see the entire body of Christ on earth. Ask God to give you His heart for the Church. Always go by the Spirit and by the Word and never by human reasoning and sympathetic emotions. Human reasoning and sympathetic emotions work well with traditions and doctrines of man but are enemies of God's truth. Surrender your mind and emotions to the Spirit of God and open yourself to the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.
The Need for Restoration and True Prophets
The overall body of Christ needs restoration! Restoration begins with true repentance. We need true and mature prophets who will call the Church to repentance that will lead to restoration. All true and mature prophets are calling the Church to repentance! We need true and mature prophets as well as the other gifts of Ephesians 4:11 to equip the Church. The other true gifts will listen to the true prophets and also call the Church to repentance. We need mature ministers who will preach Christ and Him crucified, and the word of the kingdom of God. We need mature ministers who will find and equip disciples to deny self and forsake all to follow Christ. They will then train them to be and do what Christ has always intended for the Church He is building. We need mature ministers who will tear down the walls of division in the Church and bring forth by the Spirit of God a Church that is sanctified by truth (John 17:17) and united in faith (Ephesians 4:13). They will bring forth a mature Church. We need mature ministers who will equip laborers to go into the harvest fields that have been white for harvest for thousands of years (John 4:35).
God has true and mature ministers, but the public eye of the overall Church has not usually looked for, recognized, or accepted them. Many of the leaders who have had the public eye of the Church over the last several decades have not been true and/or mature ministers. There may have been exceptions, but the exceptions were rare. (Remember that the end of a thing usually reveals what was there all along.) Even with the possible exceptions, the truth remains and must be recognized that the present day Church is in need of restoration. What has been taking place with all of the public eye ministers has not brought about the needed restoration. Public eye Church leaders must accept their responsibility for the overall state of the Church. Every professing Christian must also accept their responsibility. The Church must cry out for the real and the mature. There will be no true and/or lasting revival without true and mature ministers directed by the Holy Spirit. It may begin with an intercessor(s), but it will not go far without the gifts given by Jesus to equip His body (Ephesians 4:11).
We need true and mature leaders to lead the Church to repentance and restoration. We don't need any more false, carnal and immature leaders. We need disciples who know Jesus intimately and His Word thoroughly and will not be sidetracked by the false, carnal and immature. If there is a Timothy there needs to be a Paul training him on the right path. If we need Christian media and news reporters at all, we need those who have had their senses trained to discern good and evil. We do not need those who promote what is flashy, popular and economically profitable. We do not need those who call something a revival when it is an ungodly mess, even if many professing Christians and professing Christian leaders are involved. We need those who will quit promoting false, carnal and immature ministers and will go out to the back side of the desert if necessary to find the real.
Have Senses Trained to Discern
One of the main reasons that many Christians cannot properly judge and discern what goes on inside and outside their local church is because of wrong, incomplete or inadequate equipping in their local church. Most Christians have never been trained at all or have never been properly trained in the basics of Scripture found in Hebrews 6:1, 2.
The Bible rightly divided is our standard for all things. The body of Christ is not like a carnal judicial system that goes by some man-made precedent rather than the Constitution. The body of Christ goes by the Bible rightly divided. The Church is to go by the Word of truth and not what some group or false prophet came up with, and then started what is now a local church or even a denomination. The Church does not go by some revival in the twentieth century or the seventeenth century; the Church goes by the Bible rightly divided. For example, the body of Christ must rightly use Scripture concerning the Day of Pentecost and not make it become something to fit what they want to justify and approve.
The Spirit of Antichrist and False Ministers
The spirit of Antichrist is at work in the Church. The devil has infiltrated the Church not only with the spirit of Antichrist but also with his ministers disguised as ministers of righteousness. Most true Christians would recognize and oppose devil worship and the occult, but many are being deceived by ministers of the devil who use the Bible, talk about Jesus and even move in power.
How does one discern the difference? They must have their senses trained to discern both good and evil which involves knowing the milk and meat of the Word. Most professing Christians choke on the six basic teachings (milk) found in Hebrews 6:1,2. Much of the responsibility is because of a failure of being trained properly by the true and mature ministers of Ephesians 4:11, but every disciple also has a responsibility to study all of the Word until they can rightly divide it. Part of the Church denies some of the ministries and part of the Church receives the false, carnal and immature rather than the true and mature. A large part of the Church does not know Jesus intimately or His Word thoroughly.
True Repentance Will Bring Godly Change
True repentance leading to restoration will change all of this and much more too. True restoration will bring forth a mature Church united in faith that will bring revival and awakening that turns the world upside down. It will be revival and awakening that does not burn out, but builds in momentum until Jesus returns. Let's humble ourselves before God and cry out for true and real restoration, revival and awakening. Much depends on it. We will have true godly restoration, revival and awakening or unimaginable devilish storms. God help us and have mercy on us! Who has ears to hear?
Monday, May 26, 2008
“Candy Ministry”
Various parts of the Church often pass judgment on certain things taking place in the Church, during or after the fact, without learning from the things they have passed judgment on. They also are guilty of passing judgment only on those things that offend their religious sympathies. They might scream out about part of what is going on in a particular situation while looking to adapt other things going on in the same situation, when in actuality what they are screaming about and what they are adapting are both in the flesh. Others don’t have a clue! They go with any new toy that is popular and fun, draws a crowd, and makes them feel good.
Once upon a time there were those who decided to begin a youth ministry. Some called it the “Candy Ministry,” meaning that they would throw out things that would attract the crowds. They threw it out and the crowds came, and the youth ministry grew and it grew and it grew. It became one of the largest, if not the largest, youth ministries in a particular country, if not on the whole earth. It was known Churchwide and worldwide, but the seeds of its defeat and eventual collapse were built into its foundation. If anything is built on anything besides Jesus Christ, His character and His truth, a wind is on the way that will eventually blow it a way. It may takes years, decades or centuries, but it will be blown away. There are some who may eventually wake up and recover to become what Jesus wants them to be, but many will fall away and/or never finish their God-given course. Yes, out of our treasures we take the old and the new, but in both cases let’s make sure that all is of Jesus, His character and His Word of truth, and that nothing is of the world and the flesh.
There are some local church names that are long and possibly of the flesh. They highlight man and not God. In some cases, they have to be long in order to be unique so they can be recognized by the Secretary of State. Short or long, let them be for the glory of God and not man. Short or long, in its name, let every part of the Church glorify Christ and worship in spirit and in truth, and never in the flesh. Some are concerned with long names, but might even consider a name such as the “Back Flip Church,” figuratively, if not literally.
Let God raise up ministers and ministries that will preach and teach the things of Jesus and the things of the kingdom of God while making mature disciples of Jesus that will know Him intimately and His whole Word thoroughly. The resulting Church will be united in faith and will turn the world upside down for Jesus Christ. That Church will bypass local and denominational or non-denominational names, and will simply be the bride that is making herself ready for the marriage of the Lamb. That Church will be working together and saying the same things to those in the harvest field that has for two thousand years been white for harvest. That Church will have ministers who use their ministry opportunities to continually fulfill Paul’s admonition to Timothy found in 2 Timothy 4:2--Preach the Word… That type of minister will equip disciples who fulfill Luke 9:23 and Luke 14:27, 33. That type of disciples will give the Lord a Church that fulfills John 17 and Ephesians 4:12-16. That type of Church will say, "Come, Lord Jesus."
Holy Spirit, let it happen and let it happen quickly!
Once upon a time there were those who decided to begin a youth ministry. Some called it the “Candy Ministry,” meaning that they would throw out things that would attract the crowds. They threw it out and the crowds came, and the youth ministry grew and it grew and it grew. It became one of the largest, if not the largest, youth ministries in a particular country, if not on the whole earth. It was known Churchwide and worldwide, but the seeds of its defeat and eventual collapse were built into its foundation. If anything is built on anything besides Jesus Christ, His character and His truth, a wind is on the way that will eventually blow it a way. It may takes years, decades or centuries, but it will be blown away. There are some who may eventually wake up and recover to become what Jesus wants them to be, but many will fall away and/or never finish their God-given course. Yes, out of our treasures we take the old and the new, but in both cases let’s make sure that all is of Jesus, His character and His Word of truth, and that nothing is of the world and the flesh.
There are some local church names that are long and possibly of the flesh. They highlight man and not God. In some cases, they have to be long in order to be unique so they can be recognized by the Secretary of State. Short or long, let them be for the glory of God and not man. Short or long, in its name, let every part of the Church glorify Christ and worship in spirit and in truth, and never in the flesh. Some are concerned with long names, but might even consider a name such as the “Back Flip Church,” figuratively, if not literally.
Let God raise up ministers and ministries that will preach and teach the things of Jesus and the things of the kingdom of God while making mature disciples of Jesus that will know Him intimately and His whole Word thoroughly. The resulting Church will be united in faith and will turn the world upside down for Jesus Christ. That Church will bypass local and denominational or non-denominational names, and will simply be the bride that is making herself ready for the marriage of the Lamb. That Church will be working together and saying the same things to those in the harvest field that has for two thousand years been white for harvest. That Church will have ministers who use their ministry opportunities to continually fulfill Paul’s admonition to Timothy found in 2 Timothy 4:2--Preach the Word… That type of minister will equip disciples who fulfill Luke 9:23 and Luke 14:27, 33. That type of disciples will give the Lord a Church that fulfills John 17 and Ephesians 4:12-16. That type of Church will say, "Come, Lord Jesus."
Holy Spirit, let it happen and let it happen quickly!
Proper Focus
Pride and superiority have nothing to do with race. Pride and superiority have to do with fallen mankind, the flesh, selfishness and rebellion to God. The curse has nothing to do with race. The curse is removed from all who receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
Inferiority has nothing to do with race or what anyone else thinks about us or does to us. It is a result of not knowing who Jesus Christ is and who one is in Jesus Christ.
Concerning retribution, all should focus on making things right with Jesus Christ by being and living as if we are forever grateful to Him who made a Way for us to be saved. Go to the cross and look at Jesus, take up your cross and follow Jesus. It is a full time job! You won't have time for anything else. Keeping the board out of our eye does not leave time to think about the speck in someone else's eye. When judgment comes, we will not be focused on what someone else did. To get ready for judgment we had better focus on self preparation!
Concerning the Church, past and present, there has always been the real and there has always been the false. Find the real and become a part of it. It will get your focus in the right place. Ephesians 4 gives a good picture of the Church that Jesus is building. If your Church does not resemble this, then consider the possibility that it is not part of the Church that Jesus is building, or at the least needs major repentance and restoration.
Concerning forgiveness, we have done more against God than anyone could ever do against us. If we do not forgive all others, then God will not forgive us! (Mark 11:24-25). True forgiveness of others has nothing to do with whether they make things right or ask for forgiveness (Acts 7:60).
Concerning love, if we love Jesus, we will obey His commands.
The church that the devil is building focuses on self, be it self-pleasure, self-fulfillment, self-prosperity, self-pity, self-revenge... The church influenced by the devil focuses on sectarianism, be it religious sectarianism, racial sectarianism, political sectarianism or economic sectarianism.
Lessons about Racism and the Election from Charisma's "Fire in My Bones":
The Church that Jesus is building focuses on loving Him and loving others as He loves us. It focuses on the unity of faith and on working together to advance His kingdom and bring His message of redemption to the lost. It focuses on making herself ready for the marriage of the Lamb. Expand your understanding of "Depart from me I never knew you." It includes being of another spirit other than the Spirit of God. A house divided will not stand; those trying to divide the house of God are not part of the Church that Jesus is building.
Let's wake up and get serious about being Christ-like and fulfilling His will and work. Let's get unified by getting sanctified by truth--real truth (John 17:17). How many professing ministers and professing Christians study the whole Word of God on a regular basis and do it under the teaching of the Holy Spirit without any devilish man-made leaven controlling the understanding thereof? How many are taking truth to the world rather than taking the devil's lies mixed with truth while talking about Jesus?
Let's identify and get rid of the false apostles (Revelation 2:2). Let's repent and return to our first love (Revelation 2:5). Let's look to Jesus and become formed in His image and then trust the Spirit to unite us with disciples who are doing the same. Let's become salt and light to the glory of Jesus the Messiah!
Inferiority has nothing to do with race or what anyone else thinks about us or does to us. It is a result of not knowing who Jesus Christ is and who one is in Jesus Christ.
Concerning retribution, all should focus on making things right with Jesus Christ by being and living as if we are forever grateful to Him who made a Way for us to be saved. Go to the cross and look at Jesus, take up your cross and follow Jesus. It is a full time job! You won't have time for anything else. Keeping the board out of our eye does not leave time to think about the speck in someone else's eye. When judgment comes, we will not be focused on what someone else did. To get ready for judgment we had better focus on self preparation!
Concerning the Church, past and present, there has always been the real and there has always been the false. Find the real and become a part of it. It will get your focus in the right place. Ephesians 4 gives a good picture of the Church that Jesus is building. If your Church does not resemble this, then consider the possibility that it is not part of the Church that Jesus is building, or at the least needs major repentance and restoration.
Concerning forgiveness, we have done more against God than anyone could ever do against us. If we do not forgive all others, then God will not forgive us! (Mark 11:24-25). True forgiveness of others has nothing to do with whether they make things right or ask for forgiveness (Acts 7:60).
Concerning love, if we love Jesus, we will obey His commands.
The church that the devil is building focuses on self, be it self-pleasure, self-fulfillment, self-prosperity, self-pity, self-revenge... The church influenced by the devil focuses on sectarianism, be it religious sectarianism, racial sectarianism, political sectarianism or economic sectarianism.
Lessons about Racism and the Election from Charisma's "Fire in My Bones":
The Church that Jesus is building focuses on loving Him and loving others as He loves us. It focuses on the unity of faith and on working together to advance His kingdom and bring His message of redemption to the lost. It focuses on making herself ready for the marriage of the Lamb. Expand your understanding of "Depart from me I never knew you." It includes being of another spirit other than the Spirit of God. A house divided will not stand; those trying to divide the house of God are not part of the Church that Jesus is building.
Let's wake up and get serious about being Christ-like and fulfilling His will and work. Let's get unified by getting sanctified by truth--real truth (John 17:17). How many professing ministers and professing Christians study the whole Word of God on a regular basis and do it under the teaching of the Holy Spirit without any devilish man-made leaven controlling the understanding thereof? How many are taking truth to the world rather than taking the devil's lies mixed with truth while talking about Jesus?
Let's identify and get rid of the false apostles (Revelation 2:2). Let's repent and return to our first love (Revelation 2:5). Let's look to Jesus and become formed in His image and then trust the Spirit to unite us with disciples who are doing the same. Let's become salt and light to the glory of Jesus the Messiah!
On Judging
Matthew 7:1 basically means that Christians should not have a bad attitude and critical spirit. It does not mean that Christians are not to judge. False and carnal Christians, including spiritual leaders, have misused verses like that to control people. They have even used love and grace improperly to control people. They say it is unloving and you are being judgmental, etc. Of course most Christians do not want to be considered unloving and judgmental. They also make people afraid that something bad is going to happen to them. Well, if your spirit is bad and carnally judgmental, and you are being divisive then you should repent. Get your spirit right and then allow the Holy Spirit to show you whether someone's spirit is right or wrong. Do not be afraid to allow Him to show you!
One major problem is that most Christians do not know the whole Bible very well. Preachers and Church members have their favorite topics but few study the whole Word under the direction of the H oly Spirit. If they do study the whole Word, it is often from a predetermined viewpoint so they just reinforce what they already think rather than learning truth from the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 5:12-6:2 really gives some wonderful directions to those with ears to hear.
A lot of people are concerned about the marriage situations and misuse of money, but it is deeper than that. If people really knew the Word, and used discernment from having their spiritual senses trained they would have figured out something was not right a long time before certain things became public knowledge. There are other ministers who may not have these problems, but they are definitely not ministering the whole counsel of God rightly divided. It is a good time for Christians to discern if they are being fed truth not mixed with error. Another major problem is that Christians often confuse personality with anointing! That is a big one too and is a whole nother subject, but millions of Christians are fol lowing personalities rather than mature spiritual leaders of God. Selah
To you who have been taught certain things that sound good, but do not make biblical sense you better learn how to judge whether someone's spirit is right or not. The days ahead will be rough if you do not; many will end up following not just carnal ministers but false ones because they do not even believe they can or are to judge. Discernment is of one's spirit and it is by the Spirit and not by what you see with your natural eyes.
One major problem is that most Christians do not know the whole Bible very well. Preachers and Church members have their favorite topics but few study the whole Word under the direction of the H oly Spirit. If they do study the whole Word, it is often from a predetermined viewpoint so they just reinforce what they already think rather than learning truth from the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 5:12-6:2 really gives some wonderful directions to those with ears to hear.
A lot of people are concerned about the marriage situations and misuse of money, but it is deeper than that. If people really knew the Word, and used discernment from having their spiritual senses trained they would have figured out something was not right a long time before certain things became public knowledge. There are other ministers who may not have these problems, but they are definitely not ministering the whole counsel of God rightly divided. It is a good time for Christians to discern if they are being fed truth not mixed with error. Another major problem is that Christians often confuse personality with anointing! That is a big one too and is a whole nother subject, but millions of Christians are fol lowing personalities rather than mature spiritual leaders of God. Selah
To you who have been taught certain things that sound good, but do not make biblical sense you better learn how to judge whether someone's spirit is right or not. The days ahead will be rough if you do not; many will end up following not just carnal ministers but false ones because they do not even believe they can or are to judge. Discernment is of one's spirit and it is by the Spirit and not by what you see with your natural eyes.
Discipling Timothy Today
I am sure that we all can learn from each other, but most of all we need to learn from the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Let's learn to discern and judge what is going on in the Church and the world by the Spirit and the Word of truth, not by the flesh. By the flesh I mean, among other things, what we see, feel, like and prefer. We see large numbers, we see people doing back flips, we feel good, they feel good, and we call it revival.
Let's search the Word under the leading of the Holy Spirit and find out what a biblical Church is and what real revival is. Then we have something to go by other than our personal feelings, thoughts, opinions, and the responses of others. God the Father has put judgment into the hands of Jesus Christ, and Jesus is going to judge all things by the Word of truth. It seems that we would be wise to study the Word under the teaching of the Holy Spirit until we know truth, and then live by that truth. Let's decide once and for all to build our lives upon Jesus and His Word, and not man's excitement and flesh.
Many young people are very sincere and excited, but how many have been taught the Scriptures from childhood like Timothy was? Make something flashy, let them dress as they want, give them their beat, let them pierce themselves and wear tattoos, give them attention and recognition, and they will always come. Who is going to step up and have the love, courage and boldness to really teach them to deny self, forsake all, take up their cross and follow Jesus? The numbers may fall away, but true revival will be on the way! Young disciples will be a part of the real, but they will have mature disciples to work with them.
Let's search the Word under the leading of the Holy Spirit and find out what a biblical Church is and what real revival is. Then we have something to go by other than our personal feelings, thoughts, opinions, and the responses of others. God the Father has put judgment into the hands of Jesus Christ, and Jesus is going to judge all things by the Word of truth. It seems that we would be wise to study the Word under the teaching of the Holy Spirit until we know truth, and then live by that truth. Let's decide once and for all to build our lives upon Jesus and His Word, and not man's excitement and flesh.
Many young people are very sincere and excited, but how many have been taught the Scriptures from childhood like Timothy was? Make something flashy, let them dress as they want, give them their beat, let them pierce themselves and wear tattoos, give them attention and recognition, and they will always come. Who is going to step up and have the love, courage and boldness to really teach them to deny self, forsake all, take up their cross and follow Jesus? The numbers may fall away, but true revival will be on the way! Young disciples will be a part of the real, but they will have mature disciples to work with them.
Discerning the Heart of Things
It would be helpful if we went past surface issues and symptoms to the heart of things. It is evident that some ministers have made sexual mistakes and/or mistakes with mammon. If one looks deeper, they will usually find that these people were off track earlier in their ministry of the Word. They are wrong in their behavior and it hurts the Church, but the truth be known being off in the Word effects more people and is more devastating in the long run to the body of Christ. Being off in the Word opens the door for these and other things to continue to hinder the Church being salt and light to the world. (Note: They may still speak of Jesus, sing Amazing Grace, befriend you, move in gifts, and teach you things of the Bible that you do not know, in fact, that is why it is so deceptive).
There are some professing Christians, who see no real problem with making sexual mistakes, and there are some who do see a problem with it, but usually both sides are not looking with real discernment. There are few who look deeper into the heart of the matter. One of the main reasons that many do not look deeper is because they presently can not look deeper. Why? They have not had their senses trained or fully trained to do so. They have only been trained to look from surface points of view. Some of the surface points of view say yea, and others say nay! That is because people are approaching things from the viewpoint of opinions, personal beliefs, cultures, personal preferences, traditions and the likes. It is the difference in flesh and spirit; it is the difference in pure spirit and mixture of flesh and spirit. It is why some stay with the same minister, and others go away mad and stay mad.
If one begins to look deeper, they will see a major difference in a minister who makes a mistake and a minister who is a mistake. But remember, one can not look deeper with untrained or half-trained spiritual senses . The devil sends ministers to devil worship churches, and he sends ministers to Christian churches. For most Christians there is no need to have trained senses to recognize a minister in a devil worship church as being from hell, but what about in a Christian Church? A devil from hell in a Christian Church is not going to openly say the same things as one in a devil worship church. It usually will take highly trained senses to discern and judge them. Eventually, untrained Christians may pick up little flaws, but they will not usually see the real problems. If certain problems become flagrant, some may get upset, but they can get upset without knowing that the minister was a mistake to begin with. They can not see that the minister was sent from hell and not from heaven to begin with.
A good study of 2 Corinthians 11:12-15 will be helpful in beginning to see the difference. Now, concerning true ministers in error look at how Paul handled Peter. For handling some other minist ers look what Paul said in Galatians 5:12. There are wonderful truths to be found to help train our senses in the letters to the churches in the book of Revelation. The Church at Ephesus had been given one of the highest revelations concerning the body of Christ. A few years later they had a great spiritual resume and would have been famous today. They would be on the front page of Christian magazines and their ads would be everywhere. Preachers would invite their minister to hold revivals and conventions, but Jesus would still be saying, „Repent or else."
To sum up what I am writing is to say that the body of Christ needs disciples who are intimate with Jesus and thorough in their knowledge and understanding of the Word. These disciples will be able to discern and deal with things appropriately. They will not have to wait until things are made public to the world; they will discern when the Word is not being rightly divided. Presently and regretfully, there are ministers wh o are off track with the Word but still on TV and published in books and magazines. Some people today are seeing that something is not right but they are being critical and judgmental which is what Matthew 7:1 speaks against. Others are partially seeing a problem, but are so bound by cheap grace that they cannot properly discern and judge as 1 Corinthians teaches should be done. Others are going with the flow because they do not know better. May God help us all to mature in Christ and to become the Church that Jesus so desires (Ephesians 4:13-16).
There are some ministers today who were God called and have fallen away. Some will not repent and others may repent. One thing that would help is to have a restored Church that is unified in faith. The Church restored would judge and call for repentance with such love, power and unity that many would repent. The others would be properly dealt with and the body of Christ would be protected.
There are some professing Christians, who see no real problem with making sexual mistakes, and there are some who do see a problem with it, but usually both sides are not looking with real discernment. There are few who look deeper into the heart of the matter. One of the main reasons that many do not look deeper is because they presently can not look deeper. Why? They have not had their senses trained or fully trained to do so. They have only been trained to look from surface points of view. Some of the surface points of view say yea, and others say nay! That is because people are approaching things from the viewpoint of opinions, personal beliefs, cultures, personal preferences, traditions and the likes. It is the difference in flesh and spirit; it is the difference in pure spirit and mixture of flesh and spirit. It is why some stay with the same minister, and others go away mad and stay mad.
If one begins to look deeper, they will see a major difference in a minister who makes a mistake and a minister who is a mistake. But remember, one can not look deeper with untrained or half-trained spiritual senses . The devil sends ministers to devil worship churches, and he sends ministers to Christian churches. For most Christians there is no need to have trained senses to recognize a minister in a devil worship church as being from hell, but what about in a Christian Church? A devil from hell in a Christian Church is not going to openly say the same things as one in a devil worship church. It usually will take highly trained senses to discern and judge them. Eventually, untrained Christians may pick up little flaws, but they will not usually see the real problems. If certain problems become flagrant, some may get upset, but they can get upset without knowing that the minister was a mistake to begin with. They can not see that the minister was sent from hell and not from heaven to begin with.
A good study of 2 Corinthians 11:12-15 will be helpful in beginning to see the difference. Now, concerning true ministers in error look at how Paul handled Peter. For handling some other minist ers look what Paul said in Galatians 5:12. There are wonderful truths to be found to help train our senses in the letters to the churches in the book of Revelation. The Church at Ephesus had been given one of the highest revelations concerning the body of Christ. A few years later they had a great spiritual resume and would have been famous today. They would be on the front page of Christian magazines and their ads would be everywhere. Preachers would invite their minister to hold revivals and conventions, but Jesus would still be saying, „Repent or else."
To sum up what I am writing is to say that the body of Christ needs disciples who are intimate with Jesus and thorough in their knowledge and understanding of the Word. These disciples will be able to discern and deal with things appropriately. They will not have to wait until things are made public to the world; they will discern when the Word is not being rightly divided. Presently and regretfully, there are ministers wh o are off track with the Word but still on TV and published in books and magazines. Some people today are seeing that something is not right but they are being critical and judgmental which is what Matthew 7:1 speaks against. Others are partially seeing a problem, but are so bound by cheap grace that they cannot properly discern and judge as 1 Corinthians teaches should be done. Others are going with the flow because they do not know better. May God help us all to mature in Christ and to become the Church that Jesus so desires (Ephesians 4:13-16).
There are some ministers today who were God called and have fallen away. Some will not repent and others may repent. One thing that would help is to have a restored Church that is unified in faith. The Church restored would judge and call for repentance with such love, power and unity that many would repent. The others would be properly dealt with and the body of Christ would be protected.
New Covenant Truths
God is looking for a people who are obedient to Him and His Word. He desires a Church who is holy as He is holy in all of her conduct, but He knows that there will never be any true holiness within the Church apart from the Holy Spirit and the new covenant.
God desires to move people from the bondage of the world, flesh and the old covenant to the true freedom and liberty of the new covenant. He desires to move people from fear and failure to faith and victory. This becomes a reality only as people experience true circumcision of their hearts, and by the Spirit have the laws of God in their minds and hearts.
From heaven, the ascended Christ administers the New Covenant through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Who will yield all to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to work in their minds and hearts the life of Christ found only in the reality of the New Covenant?
Every key word written above has been used and misused by the world and the Church. Who will continue in the Word under the teaching of the Holy Spirit until they know truth? Then and only then will they be set free to be all God desires. Who will stay in the Word until they are washed from the things of the world, the things of the flesh, the things of the old covenant, and the things of mankind in the Church?
God desires to move people from the bondage of the world, flesh and the old covenant to the true freedom and liberty of the new covenant. He desires to move people from fear and failure to faith and victory. This becomes a reality only as people experience true circumcision of their hearts, and by the Spirit have the laws of God in their minds and hearts.
From heaven, the ascended Christ administers the New Covenant through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Who will yield all to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to work in their minds and hearts the life of Christ found only in the reality of the New Covenant?
Every key word written above has been used and misused by the world and the Church. Who will continue in the Word under the teaching of the Holy Spirit until they know truth? Then and only then will they be set free to be all God desires. Who will stay in the Word until they are washed from the things of the world, the things of the flesh, the things of the old covenant, and the things of mankind in the Church?
Addressing Discernment in the Charismatic Movement
For a moment, please forget the names of any leaders within the "Charismatic Movement" who are being addressed for moral failures and consider a few questions. Is it possible that there are some ministers in the Church who are not “fallen” but have been false from the beginning? Could it be that God is using situations that have become public to wake up His disciples to discern by the Spirit and not by the newspaper? Not all false ministers work in the occult or satanic churches. The Bible warns that Satan will infiltrate the Church with his ministers disguised as real ministers. They will be very capable preachers who preach a lot of truth but will eventually and gradually begin to sneak in the devil’s leaven.
What is it that people are really concerned about with those things that have become public knowledge? Could it be that we are still missing some things that God wants us to begin to see? Does He want us to learn to see the smoke before we see the fire? Does He want us to see the problem before there is even smoke? Is He using these things to help mature and make the bride of Christ more discerning?
I once heard a spiritual leader, a Charismatic leader, teaching on the spirit of antichrist. He said that the Charismatic church was prime for the manifestation of the spirit of antichrist; it is lawless (not governed properly), largely ignorant of Scripture, and wild about spiritual gifts. He was cautioning that the devil can take advantage of those things. He added that he still believed the Charismatic movement was of God. There is a case for everything he said being proven true over the last few years, but God, in His mercy, is wanting to correct and mature all of His people, including those whom some call the “wild and crazy Charismatics.” (LOL - No offense intended.)
Not all Christians are gifted with the gift of discernment, but all can grow in their knowledge of the Word and have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Could it be that either type of discernment would have revealed that the people mentioned in this message were off track and out from under the anointing of God before things were made public? Was it necessary for things to be made public before being recognized and addressed, or could the problems have been addressed before they were manifested publicly? The discernment of the difference between false, carnal, immature, and mature ministers is needed in all parts of the Church, but especially in what is called the Charismatic Movement. May God help us! May He correct all parts of His Church and unify us in faith so that we can be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Thanks for those who are loving and bold enough to address publicly known issues, but may we all grow in having our senses trained to discern both good and evil. May God raise up true prophets with discernment to speak to the whole Church! May what man has called the "Charismatic Movement" wake up and become what God always intended. This is much bigger than what is seen by the eye. All glory is to Jesus Christ!
What is it that people are really concerned about with those things that have become public knowledge? Could it be that we are still missing some things that God wants us to begin to see? Does He want us to learn to see the smoke before we see the fire? Does He want us to see the problem before there is even smoke? Is He using these things to help mature and make the bride of Christ more discerning?
I once heard a spiritual leader, a Charismatic leader, teaching on the spirit of antichrist. He said that the Charismatic church was prime for the manifestation of the spirit of antichrist; it is lawless (not governed properly), largely ignorant of Scripture, and wild about spiritual gifts. He was cautioning that the devil can take advantage of those things. He added that he still believed the Charismatic movement was of God. There is a case for everything he said being proven true over the last few years, but God, in His mercy, is wanting to correct and mature all of His people, including those whom some call the “wild and crazy Charismatics.” (LOL - No offense intended.)
Not all Christians are gifted with the gift of discernment, but all can grow in their knowledge of the Word and have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Could it be that either type of discernment would have revealed that the people mentioned in this message were off track and out from under the anointing of God before things were made public? Was it necessary for things to be made public before being recognized and addressed, or could the problems have been addressed before they were manifested publicly? The discernment of the difference between false, carnal, immature, and mature ministers is needed in all parts of the Church, but especially in what is called the Charismatic Movement. May God help us! May He correct all parts of His Church and unify us in faith so that we can be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Thanks for those who are loving and bold enough to address publicly known issues, but may we all grow in having our senses trained to discern both good and evil. May God raise up true prophets with discernment to speak to the whole Church! May what man has called the "Charismatic Movement" wake up and become what God always intended. This is much bigger than what is seen by the eye. All glory is to Jesus Christ!
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