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Proclaiming a Message of Good News and Hope to our generation!
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Proclaiming a Message of Good News and Hope to our generation!
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About 30 years ago I was in fellowship with a number of preachers and churches who were drawing from sources in what is now commonly known as the New Age movement. Let me explain. Popular Christian teachers had been emphasizing the power of words, and some were finding that Christian Science, Unity, and other groups under the banner of “metaphysical” had been teaching this long ago. Also, we were so excited about the Scriptures teaching “Christ in you,” the Spirit of God living in us, and that we are the children of God by virtue of the New Birth. The New Age groups found exciting and modern w
Today’s Bible readers have many advantages that were not available to previous generations. Dictionaries, concordances, encyclopedias of Biblical information abound, not to mention the many modern translations which we have available to us. For this reason many of you are already familiar with the definition of the word we will be discussing in this article. It is the New Testament word for “sin,” a Greek word that literally means “to miss the mark.” Often when considering the context in which this word is normally used, we tend to think of “the mark” in this instance as moral and spiritual pe
(Original radio broadcast from May 22, 1998) As history continues to unfold before our very eyes, it is becoming increasingly necessary for those who name the name of Christ to truly know their King. These are days to sit at His feet, and hear His Word! This is a time to look into His glorious Face and behold His glory! These are the days to begin to discern the Lord’s Body, and experience His Lordship TOGETHER! The Spirit of the Lord is calling out, not just individuals, but a PEOPLE for His Name! These are those who will one day stand up in this earth to fully and openly represent His power
(Original radio broadcast from May 15, 1998) Today we are entering into the 8th week of teachings concerning the Kingdom of God, and no doubt this could go on almost indefinitely. The universal reign of God in Christ is a vast subject, and here we will do well to just scratch the surface. But the encouraging thing is that your spiritual life is not solely dependent this one podcast, or any single human teacher for that matter! All things are working together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose! Every moment of every day of our lives are filled w
(Original radio broadcast from May 8, 1998) Today we would like to discuss the singlemost important issue in your life and mine! Does this arouse your curiosity? Should any ordinary man make such bold statement? We would like to invite you to stay tuned, and answer this question for yourself! It is becoming increasingly evident that we are heading into a time of great expansion for the Kingdom of God. Pressures from every side are moving against the people of God, and these pressures must of necessity force us out of our comfort zones. Passivity and complacency have captivated us for much too
(Original radio broadcast from May 1,1998) In Mat 24:14 We find these words of Jesus: And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. In Romans1:16-17, Paul writes: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Many believe that a spiritual intensity is building as we approach the end of th
(Original radio broadcast from April 17,1998) Whenever the subject of the Kingdom of God is discussed, one question will usually surface eventually. It is the question of “When?” Over the centuries, numerous theories have accumulated, and each one has seen some popularity, according to the mood and desires of the times. Many books are being sold every day which promise to give the reader some inside information concerning the end times and the coming of God’s Kingdom. They are read by both sinner and saint alike, for they address universal concerns and arouse the curiosity of many. The Pharise
(Original radio broadcast from April 10,1998) In these past few weeks we have been underscoring the fact that the great emphasis of Jesus in His earthly ministry was the Good News of the Kingdom of God. It is interesting to note that in the New Testament, the phrase “Kingdom of God” is found 69 times, while the phrase “Kingdom of Heaven” occurs 32 times and all in the Gospel according to Matthew. While neither of these phrases are found in the Old Testament, there are numerous references to the subject. In fact, the prophecies in Daniel are very important in showing how both phrases developed.
In our last message we focused on the revolutionary aspects of Jesus and His message, the Gospel of the Kingdom. Have you ever wondered if many Christians have become distracted by a search for ease and comfort and predictability? Have many of us been fooled into believing that God is pleased with our efforts to create wonderful plans and programs and religious activities that give us a false sense of security? Do we know that when we all truly find our ultimate peace, security and sense of belonging in the awesome Love of God, and in the embrace of His loving family, a radical, irreversible c
(Original radio broadcast from March 27, 1998) When considering the state of Christianity in general, do we sometimes find that believers often fail to experience the full and abundant life that Christ came to give? Could this situation then reflect falsely to the unbelieving world, and fail to accurately witness to the resurrected Christ in the earth? And what about the lack of Kingdom consciousness among believers? In view of the fact that Jesus gave the last 3 1/2 years of His life as a man on earth to the Good News of the Kingdom of God, one could wonder why His followers have such a lack
Uneducated men There is one interesting comparison I have found when observing the modern Western churches with those of the First Century. College and seminary degrees are much more important today than they were in the First Century. The apostle Paul, a highly educated man in his time, used his education to a great advantage in the Gospel. However, Jesus and His apostles got on quite well without this advantage. (John 7:15, Acts 4:13). This is not to say that there was no preparation or no requirements for the work they were called to do. Jesus had been in training His entire life. After a l
The Prayer of Faith There was a foundation in the followers of Christ that was firmly established in the beginning. After His resurrection Jesus instructed His disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. After He ascended to heaven from the Mount of Olives, they obeyed this word faithfully and intently. They returned to Jerusalem and the eleven apostles gathered together in the upper room of the house where they were staying. Acts 1:14 tells us that: “These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and M
Unquenchable Optimism In Ray Stedman’s classic book, “Authentic Christianity,” he describes the ministry of Paul the apostle as an example of genuine faith in Christ. He believed that Paul’s ministry bears five unmistakable qualities of Christianity that cannot be successfully counterfeited. They are 1: Unquenchable Optimism, 2: Unvarying Success, 3: Unforgettable Impact, 4: Unimpeachable Integrity, 5: Undeniable Reality. Lately I have given a lot of thought about the First Century Church, and have been seeking God for understanding of how we in our time and in our Western culture have sometim
If. Such a very small word. Just two letters. But the meaning contained in these two letters could lead to either life or death. They could become an open door to endless possibilities, or perhaps spell perpetual gloom and darkness. I wonder, could we take the time to explore the power of the word, “if,” by studying God’s use of it in the scriptures? What exactly are the possibilities that the Creator of the universe holds out to us, as we seriously and humbly handle His Living and inspired Word? In a day when depressing news travels at the speed of light, and the vanities of the rich and famo
In Spirit And In Truth In previous messages I have noted that the book known as the Acts of the Apostles is often neglected in our studies of the scriptures. There is another side, however of which many of you might be aware. It is also a fact that some churches and individuals might tend to over emphasize the importance of the book of Acts in general. I am talking of course of Pentecostal and Charismatic churches. I can speak fairly confidently on these movements as my mother was part of a family whose parents and siblings were predominantly Pentecostal in their doctrine. While our family was
Overcoming Power/Victorious Faith Just recently I have become more aware of the burden I have for both the leaders and the members of many of churches in my country. If there ever was a time when we needed the power of God in our lives, I strongly believe it is now. Certainly many communities of believers are thriving and growing in Christ around the world. For this we praise God! Yet here are great concerns as well. This past year a number of Christian leaders have been in the news concerning moral failures that bring shame to the name of Christ and discourage many believers. At the same time
Let’s talk about Parachurch First of all, what is “parachurch?” The Greek word “para” means “alongside.” So the idea is that there are services by groups who are not specifically The Church, but exist to support the work of The Church. These are categorized as parachurch. They come alongside to help The Church. A good example would be organizations like Campus Crusade For Christ, or Food For the Hungry. These are not churches, but the efforts of Christians who are part of The Church, the Body of Christ. They believe they are called to focus on things like sharing the Gospel on college campuses
The Servant’s Heart Why should it be important for us today to consider the First Century Church? My primary reason for this consideration is that I care about the church of Jesus Christ. Some wonderful things are happening today but I also see some dangerous trends these days. After 50 years of observation I have come to the strong conclusion that many of our problems stem from our lack of attention to the original plan of Christ Himself. The men who were personally trained by Jesus had an advantage over us. And yet, God has wonderfully preserved in the bible the results of their experience f
The Simplicity of Christ Jesus once asked His disciples, “Who do YOU think I am?” It was Peter who answered, “You are the Christ (Messiah, Anointed One), Son of the Living God!” Jesus then acknowledged that no human could have made this fact known unto Peter. While many realized that Jesus was at least one of God’s prophets, this ability to see beyond the surface of this humble human being was a gift from God. It was a divine revelation! This was an important moment for Peter. He was beginning to understand heavenly things and this understanding would grow over time. This impetuous fisherman w
The First Century Church was not without it’s own problems and difficulties. It is important that we learn from it’s weaknesses as well. At the same time the proof that God was at work then has stood the test of time. I am personally convinced that the only power the early Christians had was their total dependency upon Jesus Christ. The time the apostles and disciples of Jesus spent with Him was used to purge every sense of self-reliance they possessed. Finally the shock of the Cross brought them to their lowest point. It would be difficult to comprehend what they must have felt when hearing t
The church in the book of Acts did not have telephones or the printing press, let alone radio, tv and the internet. Yet after Jesus ascended their numbers grew from the 120 that gathered in Jerusalem to 5,000 in a short time. Within 3 centuries Christianity became a dominant force in the Roman Empire. God has often chosen to use the few and the weak according to this world. He has also chosen to use you in a special capacity that belongs to you alone! Do not believe the lie that you are insignificant! The Creator of the entire universe is calling you to turn from serving your will and the will
A famous statement in the bible proclaims “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.” (Hebrews 13:8) For those of us who believe in Him these are powerful and encouraging words. So no matter how discouraging local and world events may seem, He is yet at work in this world and among His people. It has become my conviction that the Hand of God can be seen by those who look for and are expecting Him. He is at work in places and in situations that I may never see. I am thankful that my limitations do not limit Him! You may have heard this saying: “The largest room in the world is t
