That’s Not in the Bible!

I had to laugh out loud today when I overheard someone listening to a very popular teacher on Youtube. The teacher was upset with people like Peter Wagner and Chuck Pierce and John Dawson teaching believers about what they perceive to be proper spiritual warfare over cities and nations and businesses and congregations, etc. He said that there was no […]

Loving the Truth

If you happen to love your theology more than you love Jesus or His family, it will show up in your relationships with people with whom you disagree. It won’t be pretty. Loving the Truth (and the Way, and the Life) is different from loving knowing things about Him.

No Excuses

Sin is inexcusable. There are always reasons, but never excuses. Especially the second time we do the same stupid thing. The Holy Spirit is always warning or pressing or instructing us with regard to how we should respond to trouble or a person or an opportunity. He is never short in supply of what the particular strength is that we […]

Meeting With the Flock

If the congregation you meet with were to meet in a way that resembled what Paul seemed to be writing about in what we call his first letter to the congregations that were meeting in Corinth (chapters 11-14), there might be people prophesying and other people testifying and others teaching. Imagine just the one probable improvement, if the person leading […]

Your Ministry and His Ministry

Some lessons we might learn about our ministries from Jesus during the last Passover meal (John 13-17): You are a servant to the people you are called to influence and help (washing feet). Do not fear the people who are intent on controlling or destroying you or your work (Judas was invited to the meal and the foot washing). Expect […]

His Kingdom Come

Currently we are compelled to go to church. In the end, we are promised we can go to heaven. What about any of that indicates that we are engaged in the answer from Heaven to the prayer Jesus taught His disciples, to pray that the Kingdom of Heaven would come to the earth? What must we do differently to bridge […]

You Need to Straighten Up

You need to repent. And you may need to pay for your mistake. That’s what my flesh usually thinks, anyway. With regard to my failures, I think I need mercy and grace to avoid having to pay for my sin. It’s the syndrome that says those bugs are water bugs in my house, but cockroaches in yours. Or when my […]

Being Gifts

Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Based on the gift they have received, everyone should use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God. (1 Peter 4:9-11 from Holman Christian Standard Bible ®©) If it is true that Spiritual gifts are given not for the good of the gifted persons, but for the good of […]

Gifts for the Past, the Present, and the Future

Teachers interpret the past, prophets interpret the present and the future. Why would we doubt what the Scriptures clearly state as normal, simply because some other people doubt? Why wouldn’t our default type of decision be that we would agree with the Scriptures rather than with people who say “those times are over…”? If you do not find in the […]

Judgment and Condemnation

There is no condemnation now for those of us who are in Christ. We have had all of our failures, stupidities, and rebellion judged and paid for by Jesus on the cross. We are free to live under the influence of the Spirit of Life in Jesus. (Romans 8) We are now responsible for administering the same freedom to those […]