In A Wind In The House of Islam, by missiologist David Garrison (©2014 WIGTake Resources), many former Muslims from many nations who converted to following Jesus were interviewed and asked about their conversion experiences. In one of the testimonies, a man stated that he had been a leader over 4 mosques, and was training 300 Islamic teachers. One day, a local African evangelist gave him a New Testament. Since the […]
Monthly Archives: August 2018
Jesus Departed From There
What is there in your life that resembles the practice Jesus had of escaping to deserted places from the crowds of daily responsibility and demands to spend time with His Father? Every time He spent time isolated from the demanders and the needs around Him, He came back with revelation and/or increased power.
Doing Your Work
Abraham did not preach. He simply obeyed the instructions of Yahweh. Even when Yahweh changed them, as when He told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, but then stopped him. John the Baptist preached. He did no good works – no feeding the poor, no healing the sick, no comforting the broken-hearted. Philip preached and did miracles. He led a whole Samaritan town to Jesus as Lord and as Savior, including the […]
The Unbelief Zone
There is a zone where not much of importance or power happens. Bethsaida was the hometown of Philip, Peter, and Andrew. In Matthew 11, Jesus warned it of judgement for its lack of faith. In Mark 11, when He encountered a blind man there, He took Him out of town in order to heal him. The stronghold of doubt there was too great to do righteous spiritual work in. See […]
Getting an Earfull
While everyone was amazed at all the things He was doing, He told His disciples, “Let these words sink in: the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.” But they did not understand this statement; it was concealed from them so that they could not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask Him about it. (Luke 9:43-45 Holman Christian Standard Bible ®©) What […]
Simple Faith
When they reached the crowd, a man approached and knelt down before Him. “Lord,” he said, “have mercy on my son, because he has seizures and suffers severely. He often falls into the fire and often into the water. I brought him to Your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.” Jesus replied, “You unbelieving and rebellious generation! How long will I be with you? How long must I put up […]
Scripture out of Context
Scriptural context is valuable when you are trying to learn what the writer intended to have appear in your mind after you read what he wrote. Context seems to be irrelevant when listening to the Spirit of God as He gives life both to words that have recently proceeded from his mouth, and to the words He inSpired Scripture writers to record. New Testament writers quoted sources that they called […]
Spirit-Filled
There is a phrase made popular by the Charismatic Renewal Movement in the ’50s through the ’90s that is used to describe someone who has experienced something beyond basic Christianity. This phrase: “Spirit-filled,” can mean many things. The range extends from being able to speak in tongues, to being considered a Charismatic or Pentecostal, or to simply expecting the Spirit to speak to the person. The implication is that the […]
Evangelical Preaching
Evangelistic preaching literally means preaching good news. Religious cultures have shifted its meaning to be that it is trying to make believers out of unbelievers. Evangelical preaching literally means preaching doctrines that are found in the four New Testament “evangels,” or the four “gospels.” It troubles me that people who call themselves “evangelicals,” which means the core doctrines that they believe and teach can be found in Matthew, Mark, Luke, […]
The Prince of Peace
“I have spoken these things to you while I remain with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit—the Father will send Him in My name—will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you. “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful. You have heard […]