The ideas that apostles stopped being needed after the first century, and that there were only 13 of them, and that the ministry frequently called “missionary” is the current ministry of apostles are mistakes that have caused much of the lack of influence the people of God have in the earth. Paul wrote to the believers in Ephesus that people […]
Atoms and molecules have tiny parts that are drawn together by a design that takes their intrinsic natures and abilities and knits them together to build something. They don’t think about what they would like to do and look for an opportunity to real-ize their dreams. They are inescapably drawn into function. Church is a human institution that was miscreated […]
In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. Everything that exists was created through Him, and nothing that got created was made without Him. The Word became flesh, and lived with us. (John 1:1,3,&14a) First, the Word was just a word. Father used the Word to create everything that got created. Then, […]
If the Spirit of God shows me that someone I know has done something harmful to others or morally wrong, I become responsible for that knowledge. What I do with the knowledge will govern future revelation the Spirit trusts me with. If my response to the sin is to spread the knowledge of it, I will be like Noah’s son […]
But everything must be done decently and in order.(1 Corinthians 14:40 Holman Christian Standard Bible ©®) That sentence has been used by many people in my hearing to try to control the amount of investment that can be made by “folks in the pew” in a meeting. Various invocations of it have produced different rules, like these: • 1 prophetic […]
It seems to be a pitiful shame that today we have a hundred English versions of the Hebrew Scriptures, with the added value of the New Testament, and two thousand years of church history to tranquilize us from listening to the Holy Spirit. He is all the first century believers had, so they weren’t distracted from turning their world upside […]
William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, was convinced that a random talk was far more effective in the process of changing lives than a well-prepared sermon. If we spend time on purpose among other believers discussing the things of the Spirit and the Kingdom, we will become more mature and more effective in our lives. If we are afraid […]
Does the world no longer need to be turned upside down (Acts 17:1-7)? If it does, what are we missing about the strategy or the structure or the power that caused the first believers in Jesus to be accused of having done that? What could we change about our individual lives or our corporate intentions that would improve our abilities […]
An unjust man is detestable to the righteous, and one whose way is upright is detestable to the wicked. (Proverbs 29:27 Holman Christian Standard Bible ©®) It is God Who works in you both to want to do and to be able to do what pleases Jesus (Philippians 2:12-13). You are going to be annoying to somebody. Get it right.
In Matthew’s account of good news (Matthew 20:20-28), Zebedee’s wife approached Jesus to ask on behalf of her sons that they would be given prestige in His Kingdom. She was not talking about church, and His response was not referring to church. His response could have used Joseph, son of Jacob, as the example. Joseph became slave of each person […]