Articles (Page 7)

Articles (Page 7)

I Give You Control of These Persons

What if God said: “I give you control of these persons around you. Your attitude will be their attitude; your interest their interest; your love their love. When you look at them, you’ll discover yourself. “You can wish that they would rise above you to inspire you, but it will not happen. They will mirror you. In fact, even those above you will be as you are. You will experience the power of your own influence. “At home, your spouse…

Two Kingdoms: How Christians View Their Citizenship

The greater reality as believers is that we are citizens of the Kingdom of God and of His Christ (Anointed King) and are therefore aliens in the world. This first reality competes with a second one: we are temporary citizens of a country in this world and are not yet physically in the Kingdom of God as it will be when our King returns and sets it in order. We should not be unconcerned for our temporary country where God…

Forever, O Lord

“Forever, O Lord, your word is settled [stands firm] in heaven.” Ps 119:89 You cannot depend on many things remaining the same. If you count on the value of your home always increasing, you’ll be disappointed. If you count on the morals of a country being like they’ve always been, don’t listen to any news programs. If you rely on the love of a friend or a spouse never failing, you may well be surprised; if you believe the bank…

The Lord’s Prayer: Something is Missing

It turns out that the Lord’s Prayer does not model every aspect of prayer. Thanksgiving and intercession, two aspects of prayer which characterize both Christ’s and Paul’s prayers, are strangely missing. A key may be in Mt. 6:8 just before the model prayer: “FOR THE LORD KNOWS WHAT YOU HAVE NEED OF BEFORE YOU ASK HIM.” It appears that the model prayer demonstrates sincerity and brevity related to our prayers about our NEEDS. ——- “And when you pray, you must…

If We Are Faithless

“If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself,” meaning, “He is faithful to judge you.” (2 Tim 2: 11-13; also see Rom 3:3-8 which clarifies further). This passage is often misunderstood. He is faithful or true to His character and His word to judge unbelief. This passage does not promise comfort for unbelief. He might deny you, but He won’t deny Himself, or His character. “Let God be true and every man a liar.” This is…

Be Honest About Your Perspective on Christ

It is oxymoronic that a person can happily claim the title of Believer in Christ, while simultaneously not fully and happily accepting as true the actual words of Christ and of his apostles and prophets which is explicit in that title, and must be true if there is any actual benefit of belief. If you are a believer, then believe and follow unashamedly. Don’t pretend not to believe for fear of others who are skeptical. You have nothing to be…

Starting Churches with No Money

I don’t want to presume that I know how you ought to start a church, but I’m increasingly less than satisfied with the kind of approach to church starting that takes loads of start-up money. Often U.S. church planters spend a year or two raising funds for the launch of their new church. Here are the reasons I think this is often (though not always) unwise. I don’t want to labor to prove my points, as if there is no…

The Law is Not My Tutor

“But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the Law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor” (Gal 3:23-25) The Mosaic Law is not my tutor to bring me to faith in Christ, for two reasons: 1. I am Gentile by…

The Word Was In the World: Doing What?

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.” Jn 1:10 We know that the “Word was made flesh and dwelt among us” (v 14), and that He “explained” the Father (v 18), but what was the Son doing before all this? I believe, properly understood, that John 1 teaches that He was in the world. He was, in fact, God (“the Word was God,” v 1), so He was…

Immediate Signs and Lasting Fruit in Visitations of God: Responses

Listen to Jesus . . . In the parable of the Sower (Mt 13), the soils represent the varied human hearts. They vary as to whether or not the message of Christ is received in such a way that it will produce fruit. What good is soil that will not produce fruit? Every farmer knows this dilemma. Good seed on bad soil isn’t useful for his purposes. Sometimes the right message of the gospel is not able to penetrate the…

How the Message Spreads

In this last week we have seen the amazing way that God’s Spirit spreads his truth to others. In the first chapter of Thessalonians we see this dramatically. The Gospel spreads through people of heartfelt devotion to Christ and understanding who speak it in the power of the Spirit and with sincere conviction. I think we will see coming out of this initial stirring men of truth preaching the gospel. It has been charateristically so that God raises up bold…

Truth and Experience: Asbury

It has been and will always be true that, regardless of experience and the nearness of God which is perceived, returning quickly, decisively and repeatedly to the truth found only in the Bible is the right thing in order to walk firmly in Christ, providing the tracks to interpret experience and guide us. In the experience that Asbury students and faculty are going through now, there is the truth of the gospel for years in some, if not many of…

THE CONVERSION OF DAVID BRAINERD: INSTRUCTIVE TO THOSE EXPERIENCING THE RECENT COLLEGE/SEMINARY REVIVALS

As an illustration of the revelaton of the glory of God being instrumental in conversion and subsequent exuberant ministry, read David Brainerd’s story below. Our view of revival is the same as our view of conversion. God can break in to reveal himself any time he wishes in order to glorify himself, the only one deserving glory. This is what I hope is happening now in some lives related to the current stirring work in the colleges and seminaries and…

An Asbury Revival Report

My brother Bill has been in Asbury during the current unusual visitation from God. His analysis is right on and one of the most clarifying I’ve read. I had hoped to fly with a friend to be there myself today, but my pilot friend and his wife have gotten the flu, so it could not happen as planned. I wanted to observe firsthand the work of God. We do not know what these things will mean, but amid all the…

Could God Bring Awakening Among Progressive Churches?

“I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. John 14:6 I do sincerely understand that form of compassion and optimism of those who believe the opposite of what Jesus said about himself. They wish to put the circle of God’s acceptance around all of mankind. Everyone is in. They believe this is truer to the God they want to follow, less embarrassing before the world, properly removes the awful stigma…

The Painful Course of Inclusivism Without Repentance

Though one can in some ways understand the desire to be inclusive (without repentance) in the name of love as espoused in most mainline churches, it is a sad pattern that has emerged by that conviction —- the more inclusive they have become, the more they disintegrate. This pattern has been almost painful to watch, as literally millions have left these churches while they press on to disregard the true exclusivity of the gospel, that is, the good news that…