Natural Disasters

2/26/11

Greetings,

                Have you noticed the incredible natural disasters lately? The Bible says that the creation groans and travails in pain waiting to be delivered from the bondage of corruption (Romans 8:21-22). I think about my physical body when considering an analogy for this passage of scripture. When I stub my toe, I groan in pain. However, if I were to have needles ruthlessly plunged under my finger tips, like some torture techniques suggest, my groaning would be a bit louder. Sin makes creation groan, but more sin makes creation groan louder.

In the book of Genesis 3:17 God placed the earth under a curse because of Adam’s sin. Although the earth is under a curse, this curse is activated and perpetuated through the sins that are committed by men. I propose that the creation is suffering from a greater corruption than it ever has in all of history. It has always groaned, but in this hour it is groaning louder.

Consider the following scenario. You move into an apartment. Next door, there are regular sounds of slamming and wailing screams. One day, you walk by that apartment and the door has been left open. You see three children locked in a cage. Lying by the cage are objects that were used to torment them. They are dirty and bleeding. What do you do?

                This is not so far from an actual story involving child abuse that was recently exposed. This scenario will be used to further illustrate what creation is experiencing. It can be related to creation as follows: the children represent the creation, the cage is the curse of sin resulting from Adam, and the tools of torture represent the impact of the sins committed on the earth. In other words, the creation is held captive in the same way the children are imprisoned by the cage. The creation sustains injury from the sins that are committed in the same way the children suffer abuse from the tools. Am I saying that it’s time to go green? This would be like tossing vitamins into the cage to nourish the children and go about your business. The concept is good, but the effort is misplaced. Since the bondage of creation has been put in place by a spiritual problem, it needs a spiritual solution to effectively solve it—a natural solution is not adequate to solve a spiritual problem. In order to deliver those children you would need to get them out of the cage and ensure that they would no longer be tortured! In order to deliver the creation, the curse that is keeping it in bondage must be removed and the sin inflicted on it must be dealt with. In the Old Testament, when Israel sinned they would have to repent to bring healing to the land.

“If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:13-14)

If sin is what wounds the land, repentance is what heals the land. Delivering creation will require not only dealing with sin, but actually lifting the effect of the curse brought in through Adam’s disobedience.

The more I dig into what is going on in the world around me, the more disturbing the reality gets. This world is under the sway of great corruption, and by allowing it or simply doing our best to avoid it we become willing participants. Therefore the earth will continue to groan bringing entire cities into destruction through earthquakes, volcanoes, super-storms, and tsunamis. Many think that it’s simply a sign that we’re going to disappear soon (because of a secret rapture). However, notice something peculiar about Romans 8:21.

“Because the creature [meaning earth or creation] itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” (Romans 8:21)

                Is the creation waiting to be delivered into the liberty of Jesus or into the liberty of the children of God? Of course, it is waiting to be delivered in the glorious liberty of the children of God. This is exactly what the verse says. What does this mean? Many times when we consider a passage like this we simply relegate the meaning to some point after the second coming of Jesus. We do this because we have a defeatist mentality. If we really thought that it were possible to change the groaning of the earth and see a decrease in natural disasters now, we would use this verse to take action.

                To clarify my perspective, it is true that the context of this passage has its final fulfillment at the return of Christ. When Jesus returns, we are changed according to 1 Corinthians 15:52 meaning that we receive perfect and glorified immortal bodies. This will fully unveil or manifest us as the sons of God according to the following verse.

                “For the earnest expectation of the creature [or creation] waiteth for the manifestation [or unveiling] of the sons of God.” (Romans 8:19)

 Allow me to pose a question to you. Are we the children of God when Jesus returns or are we the children of God now? If your answer is that we are the children of God now, you are correct. When we receive Jesus, we receive His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will bear witness with our spirits that we are the children of God from the moment that we receive Him by grace through faith (Romans 8:16). If we are the children of God now, don’t you think we have the right and ability to set creation free from this bondage of corruption? The truth is that we not only have the ability, but we have the responsibility. The earth is groaning for us, and it is groaning for us now! This means that we are not helpless! In addition, we are without excuse. If I did nothing in the situation I described earlier regarding the caged children, I would be guilty of empowering the wickedness destroying helpless innocent lives. To have an escapist or defeatist mentality, instead of taking responsibility for actively delivering creation from the bondage of corruption is equally wrong.

What we will do fully after the return of Christ we must do to the greatest extent of our capacity now. For example, sin will be permanently removed from our flesh when Jesus returns, but we must continually get the sin out of our flesh while we’re here. We must deal with sin to the greatest extent of our ability. The grace of God is not an excuse for sin but the very power of God to overcome it. Dealing with creation is similar. Since the creation will experience full liberty when we are unveiled at the coming of Jesus, it can be liberated by us now to an extent. This is why God declares in His word that He will heal the land. This is a literal healing from the wounds creation sustains through corruption. This is not an Old Testament concept. We have spent this whole letter discussing how the creation sustains injury in this hour. This fact has been established in the New Testament book of Romans.

The land is healed through the unified prayer, repentance, and spiritual warfare of the people of God. In the last days sheep nations will arise and those geographies will be examples of regional and territorial deliverance from the bondage of sin and corruption. It will not come apart from unity. To heal my soul I need personal repentance. To heal my home, I need my family to unify and repent. To heal a city, churches need to come forth and unite to repent for city-wide sins. Corporate warfare needs to be made against the powers of darkness in order for souls to be set free for participation in deliverance on a scale this large. The next level will be sheep nations. These will be entire geographies where the kingdom of God reigns in and through the hearts of His people. In the midst of global turmoil and disaster, the healing brought to these places will bring a supernatural state of environmental cooperation. Expand your vision. Get ready.

Discussion

1.       What is the ultimate cause of the increase in environmental catastrophes in this hour?

2.       When can the earth be delivered from the bondage of corruption?

3.       What should we do in response to the increasing environmental catastrophes?

4.       What is required for the land to be healed by God?

5.       What needs to change in your heart before you are ready to go after geographic healing?

Body of Christ part 3

2/19/11

Greetings,

                God is good, and His beauty is beyond description. A word of advice for us all: If you haven’t done so lately, please take time out of your week and simply abide in the presence of God. You have no idea how much this means to Him. In this place we receive refreshing, encouragement, and reassurance. Simply play some worship music, sing along by yourself, pray, and focus on enjoying God without the burden of praying for others, or about everything that is on your heart. Simply enjoy Him.

                This week we are going to continue discussing 1 Corinthians 12. Thus far, we have established that the entire passage deals with the church becoming a supernatural community that is energized by the power of the Holy Spirit. When all of the avenues through which the Holy Spirit works come together, unity manifests. The Holy Spirit must continually work in and among the people of God. If this ministry is stopped, unity becomes nothing more than an irrational concept. Apart from the power of God’s Spirit, the only other force capable of commanding unity among men is mind control.
                Last week we discussed at length the gifts of the Spirit that are described in 1 Corinthians 12. We came to an understanding that they are but one of the vehicles through which the Holy Spirit manifests within the body of Christ. At this point we are at liberty to move into the illustration Paul uses to describe the church.

                “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.” (1 Corinthians 12:12-14)

                Our physical body is composed of a vast array of cells. Each of these cells functions to perform certain activities necessary to sustain our existence. The cells come together to form organs, tissues, bones, and the necessary fluids that exist in our body like marrow and blood. Our exterior has appendages like arms, legs, toes and fingers. We have a neural network that directs our thoughts around our body through an electric current. This allows our body to interface through a command center in our brain. Any task performed with our body becomes a highly coordinated operation, requiring many parts to work together.

                In order to do something as simple as pick up a pencil, I must fire a signal from my brain, through my neural network, through my arm and into my hand. This signal will cause my bones and muscles to come together in a united effort to pick up the pencil that I need to use. In order to pick it up I must also involve my eyes and my sense of touch so that I can locate it and interact effectively with it. With a body, getting anything done effectively requires a united effort between many of our “members.”

                Paul is saying that the same is true in the body of Christ. Getting anything done effectively requires a united effort between many of our members. To this end, we do have a very powerful force working on our side which is called the unity of the spirit. Paul says that “by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.” In another passage of the Bible we find the following:

                “But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.” (1 Corinthians 6:17)

When we are saved we receive the Holy Spirit and we actually become one spirit with him. This is similar to the way that a man and a woman come together in marriage and become “one flesh.”  Whether I agree with another brother in Christ on a little, or a lot, I have unity with him. I have a unity of the spirit. The same Spirit that completes my spirit is also completing his spirit. As a result of this level of unity, God has been able to coordinate an advancement of His kingdom and His salvation throughout the world apart from tangible unity between His people.

                This level of unity causes us to be one in spirit, but if it stays on this level, the results are small. For instance, I can pray the prayer of salvation and receive Jesus as my Lord and Savior in the midst of an emotional sermon. At this point I have received all of Jesus and all of the Holy Spirit. They are in my spirit. If I never pray, never go back to church, and never start to read the Bible what will happen? I will inevitably see little to no change in my life. Why not? I need to work my salvation out of my spirit and into my soul and ultimately into my physical body. You could say that I must, “Work out my salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).” I must get the salvation that is on the inside of me onto the outside of me.

                The same is true regarding the unity of the spirit. I am united in spirit to every person on earth that has accepted Jesus as Lord. However, on the surface we may be as different as night and day in our opinions, morals, doctrine, and commitment to God. This is unacceptable. As we move towards the end of the age, we are going to need each other as never before. The Bible says that the people that live at the end of the age will “be strong and carry out exploits (Daniel 11:32).” The greatest works of God are yet to manifest in the earth. I tell you today without a shadow of doubt—they will make the first church in the book of Acts look like kindergarten.

                In order to be used for these great works, we will need greater unity. Although we are united in spirit, we must work unity from the inside of us onto the outside. This transition takes us into what is called the unity of the faith. This is the place where we are in agreement in virtually all aspects of doctrine, morals, commitment to God, etcetera. This cannot be limited to local churches. We cannot define success as “everyone in the local church getting on the same page spiritually.” This is a counterfeit. We must reach for unity among entire cities, states, and nations. Ultimately, unity must be promoted throughout the whole church from one end of the world to the other. The result will be entire geographies that will come to be known as sheep nations.

                Unity of the faith will only come one way. It will come through government of the church; not any type of government, but a specific form of government. The Bible says in plain English that the five-fold ministry is required to take the people of God from the unity of the spirit and into the unity of the faith. Yes, God is appointing apostles and prophets today, and their ministries are absolutely essential.

                “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:” (Ephesians 4:11, 13)

Discussion

1.)    What is the primary message of the passage in 1 Corinthians 12

2.)    Describe what the body of Christ today would look like if we saw it like a person. Would it look slim and trim or…?

3.)    What is the unity of the spirit?

4.)    What is the unity of the faith?

5.)    What specifically is required in order for the body of Christ to move from the unity of the spirit and into the unity of the faith?

Body of Christ part 2

2/12/11

Greetings,

                Last week we left off with the thought that God wants the body of Christ to become a supernatural community that is energized by the power of His Spirit. This concept is at the center of the entire passage of 1 Corinthians 12. Christianity is not a club, and it is not just another religion to adhere to. It is the vehicle through which God wants to introduce the kingdom of heaven into the earth. There is nothing natural about this. Every aspect of the Christian’s life is capable of being reconciled, enhanced, energized, and empowered by the same God that created all that exists. Apart from this power working freely there will never be unity within Christianity.

                In my last letter I explained that this week we would be going over the nine gifts or charismas of the Holy Spirit. They are described as follows:

“For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” (1 Corinthians 12:8-11)

                Below you will find a concise list of these nine gifts along with their respective definitions. Each of these gifts could be presented as their own subject. However, since our focus is not the gifts themselves but their relevance to the topic of unity, I am presenting them in this fashion.

The Charismas of the Holy Spirit

Ø  Word of Wisdom: Supernatural knowledge of future events that are to occur should nothing change and should no one intercede

Ø  Word of Knowledge: Supernatural knowledge of past or presently occurring events along with other facts in the mind of God

Ø  Faith: Supernatural ability to receive a miracle from God. This gift takes us beyond our natural abiding state of faith

Ø  Gifts of healing: Any number of methods through which the Holy Spirit working through an individual brings supernatural healing, apart from medicine or any other form of natural healing or recovery

Ø  Working of Miracles: Supernatural ability to perform a miracle (ie. Walking on water, multiplying food, materialization of missing body parts, etc.)

Ø  Prophecy: Supernatural ability to speak what God is saying in the present moment, specifically to bring edification, exhortation, and comfort

Ø  Discerning of Spirits: Supernatural ability to interact with and obtain knowledge from the spirit realm regarding the various spirits in operation whether Godly, human, or demonic

Ø  Tongues: Supernatural ability to speak in our heavenly prayer language, which at times can be in human languages unknown to the speaker

Each of these gifts is supernatural in operation. None of them can be utilized apart from the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit. The Bible is clear that these gifts are manifestations of the Holy Spirit. In other words, these gifts are open doorways through which the Holy Spirit can work among the members of the body of Christ in order to weave a supernatural community.

This list of gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 closes with the comment that the same Spirit works all these gifts and that He distributes them to men He chooses. It does not say he will give each person only one gift, but that He distributes “severally.” This is plural. The Holy Spirit will distribute several gifts to any given individual according to His will. This passage also carries the understanding that the Holy Spirit isn’t dumping the gifts in one person so that everyone follows them, but desires the entire body of Christ to operate in these gifts. We all have access, not just charismatic televangelists.

A second point draws from the fact that is that the word translated as “gifts” is the Greek word charisma. This word is etymologically related to the Greek word charis from which we derive our word grace. The gifts of God are a specific manifestation of His grace working through us to edify others in a specific manner. Grace is not only the unmerited love and favor of God, but it is also God’s ability at work in and through us. The gifts are given by His Spirit, but once given they always reside within us meaning that God does not take them away. We can release our faith to operate in our spiritual gifts whenever it is appropriate. This is what the Bible means when it says the gifts are given without repentance.

“For the gifts [charismas] and calling of God are without repentance.” (Romans 11:29)

There is a vast body of misunderstanding about the gifts of the Spirit and I am well aware of this. Unfortunately, most of the misunderstandings flow from sources that have little idea what they are talking about. They have either never witnessed the gifts of the Holy Spirit or have never operated according to them.  For instance, it’s like a ballet instructor reading astrophysics and trying to teach a class based on the manual—having never actually solved astrophysics themselves. They would teach all types of illogical concepts, and it wouldn’t be entirely their fault. They might even give up and teach ballet.

In order to learn about gifts, we need to learn from people who flow in them. I made the choice to learn about the gifts of the Holy Spirit from these types of people years ago. In response to God’s leading in my life, I have stepped out in faith and received grace to operate in a degree of every gift. What is the result? I have seen an acceleration of the work of God through my life that is off the charts. This type of result, reproduced in thousands of believers, would lead to a supernaturally self-edifying community. As you can imagine, unity would manifest in ever-increasing degrees.

I rarely share personal testimony in these letters, but at this point I feel that it is fitting. Here is an example of the gift of discerning of spirits. I once prayed with someone who would periodically feel sharp pains in their body. They were saved. The first time we prayed for the issue the problem wasn’t solved. When we went to pray again, I released my faith to operate in the gift of discerning of spirits. I saw several things which included: blue light, barley, crystal, scourge and scythe. I saw these things in the spirit and broke their power in the name of Jesus. When I called them out, a ringing filled this persons head, and then left. The pain stopped after that. In effect, I broke the power of witchcraft that was still working in the person’s life from a situation pre-dating their salvation.

An example of working of miracles happened when I was praying for a friend. They had several medical issues including chronic pain in their elbow and knee. On this particular day I felt led to declare that every part of his body that I touched would be healed. When I obeyed this leading, I entered into the anointing for the working of miracles. It followed that when I touched his elbow, the pain left and never returned. When I put my hands on his knee, I felt the reconstruction occurring underneath the skin. In working miracles I was, in effect, enforcing another reality upon the one in place, and allowing God to replace the initial conditions with the truth that is present in heaven—total wholeness. This enforcing by faith is why this gift is described as the “working” of miracles and not “the believing for” miracles. Believing for miracles is related to the gift of faith.

These are just two examples among many. The fact of the matter is that gifts are redemptive, and when embraced in proper order and based upon proper teaching will permit a necessary dimension of the Holy Spirit’s work within the body of Christ. Without the Holy Spirit’s work within the body of Christ there will never be unity, and in order to achieve our mandate, we must cooperate with Him.

Discussion

1.)    What is the primary message of the passage in 1 Corinthians 12?

2.)    What are the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit?

3.)    Of these gifts, which ones have you seen in operation if any?

4.)    Is there a limit on the number of gifts that the Holy Spirit will give to any one person?

5.)    How can the gifts of the Holy Spirit when embraced in proper order and based on proper teaching lead to unity in the church?

Body of Christ part 1

2/5/11

Greetings,

                We are officially entering into our second month of BRIDE emails on unity. Eleven months of this message are yet to come and we have only gotten our feet wet. Nonetheless, I hope that it has proven both inspirational and informative. In order for unity to come, the first thing that has to change is our hearts. Once our hearts are right, the natural response is action. Unity must be in the hearts of the people of God before it will come into manifestation. For this reason, it must be preached.

                Today we are going to begin discussing the illustration of the church as the body of Christ. This illustration comes to us from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church. It begins with a discussion on the gifts or “charismas” of the Holy Spirit. Paul does not want us to be ignorant regarding the gifts of the Holy Spirit so he explains them clearly. He says that their purpose is to bring a blessing to the whole body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:7). Understand that although we are on the topic of unity, in order to bring depth to this message I am going to spend the next several weeks going through the entire passage of 1 Corinthians 12. If we miss the first part, we will only have limited understanding of the rest of the passage.

                Paul begins 1 Corinthians chapter 12 in the following way:

“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.” (1 Corinthians 12:1-3)

                The word “gifts” comes from the Greek word charismas. These are supernatural manifestations of the Holy Spirit working through us. Thus the passage begins by discussing ways that God can work through us. Some people question if God can use them. The question is not if, but how. If you have received Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, God wants to use you more than you want to be used, and He wants to use you supernaturally!

                Paul continues by reminding the Corinthians that in the past, before they received Jesus, they worshipped false Gods. The kingdom of darkness can counterfeit nearly everything that God does. Paul does not want counterfeits to enter in. He explains that anyone that will speak according to supernatural inspiration will always acknowledge Jesus as Lord if the Holy Spirit is in it. Some people think that there are only false prophets. How absurd. Could margarine exist without butter? Can the counterfeit exist without the genuine? No. Anyone speaking by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit will not call Jesus accursed and will acknowledge Jesus as Lord.

                “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)

                This passage describes the plurality of ways the Holy Spirit will manifest in the church. The Holy Spirit will manifest the power of God through gifts, which are discussed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10. We will get to this next week.

The Holy Spirit will also manifest through administrations. God has appointed a church government which has been given by Jesus (Ephesians 4:11). Most churches today ignore this God given government and counterfeit it with man-made institutions. For instance, a board-run church is not a scriptural way to administrate the body of Christ; a congregational church where members vote is not a scriptural way to administrate the body of Christ; the catholic pope, cardinals, bishops, and priests, and those denominations that use a similar structure of government are not administrating the church scripturally. What is the result? The results are disunity, discord, indestructible denominational walls, spiritual death, religious spirits, and so forth. When we want God to work but do not do things the way God shows us to do them, we tie His hands. The church was given an apostolic government, with a plurality of offices that are appointed; those individuals appointed to them having been given supernatural mantles (Eph 4:11-15). We’ll discuss this more later on this year.

                There are also different operations, referring to the ministries that spring from individuals’ graces or tendencies towards particular activities such as giving, mercy , exhortation, and so forth (Romans 12:6-8). The Holy Spirit works through all of these things at the same time to weave a corporate reality of the kingdom of heaven in our midst. I would like to go deeper into each of these topics but that is not the purpose of this letter. The purpose is to bring a difficult reality to your awareness. God cannot sustain unity in the body of Christ if we are shutting down the Holy Spirit’s ability to work in His body. For instance, many churches reject the gifts, the administrations, and the operations of the Holy Spirit. How can I turn off the faucet of my bathtub, drain the water, and get upset when I can’t enjoy a hot bath? How ridiculous it is to shut the Holy Spirit down, and then expect Him to move.

                Moreover, it is not possible to maintain unity without the power of the Holy Spirit. Do you know what the enemy uses to promote unity? Mind Control. The overhaul of an individual’s ability to think for themselves has been a requirement under every satanic regime that has ever come into power. It is also the basis for both satanic and religious cults. Do you think The Nazis were bad? I assure you, we have only seen the beginning. Yet God wants to unify us, not through mind control, but by the power of His Spirit. This means that every manifestation of the Holy Spirit must be embraced, from apostolic government, to the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit, to the operations of the Holy Spirit. God accomplishes His purposes through His Spirit.

“Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6)

                What happens when an airplane with 4 engines flies with one engine? It slows down and causes the pilot great difficulty. What happens when an airplane with 4 engines flies with no engines? It crashes. What happens when the body of Christ shuts down the manifestations of the Holy Spirit? It fails to remain a living body--in effect, it dies.

                At this point we have not yet begun to discuss the illustration of the church as the body of Christ, yet we already understand the necessity for embracing the whole passage of 1 Corinthians 12. I understand that for some readers this may be very new information. Next week we will begin with the explanation of the charismas of the Holy Spirit, so that we have understanding. After that, we’ll begin to tap into the revelation on how the church is the body of Christ on earth. Unity in the body of Christ will never be perpetuated apart from a supernatural community being continually energized by the Spirit of God.

Discussion

1.)    What has your experience been with the charismas or gifts of the Holy Spirit? Have you looked at it as a necessary way through which the Holy Spirit works in the body of Christ?

2.)    Have you ever heard of apostolic church government? What do you think it entails?

3.)    What are the three major realms of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the church?

4.)    How has the Holy Spirit impacted your thought process in the past in a way the promoted unity?

5.)    How is unity impacted by the gifts, administrations, and operations of the Holy Spirit?

The Wedding Illustration

1/29/11

Greetings,

                I pray everyone is doing wonderful. I want to begin this week by briefly reviewing our goals, particularly for those who have just begun receiving these letters at some point this month. The purpose of these letters is to provide teaching that will promote unity in the body of Christ. A major goal that will help us achieve this objective is purposeful growth. If more people receive the message, more people can respond to the message. It is my goal to have no less than 1000 people receiving these letters by the end of the year. If you know anyone that would benefit from these letters, please have them get in touch with me or give me their email (with their permission) so that they can be added to the recipient list. Also, the questions at the end are there for a reason! If any of you feel led, please use this material for small group discussion (even with friends over the phone), and feel free to contact me with any questions or for any additional support.

                With this said we will begin our discussion with the following verse:

                “And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:20-21)

                The Father will send the Son back and this goes without question. When the Father sends the Son again, we refer to this as the second coming or the second advent of Jesus. This passage continues to explain the conditions under which the Son will be sent back. It says that heaven must receive (accept, take, contain) Jesus “until.” The word until means that what is about to be said will fulfill the conditions necessary for the return of Jesus. The passage continues and says, “Until the times of the restitution of all things.” Jesus cannot and will not come back until everything that He purchased for His people has been restored back to us. This includes unity.

                Many people that have considered the last days have concluded on a fantasy. This fantasy teaches that Jesus can come back at any time. I could be going about my normal business tomorrow and “poof,” I would simply vanish. Why do I call this a fantasy? This concept is a fantasy because it is a direct contradiction of the scripture I just quoted. Jesus cannot and will not just return anytime. There are qualifications, and until these qualifications are met, we must continue to press in for more of God. We must continue to press in for all of the promises of God, and continue to press in until we achieve the restitution of all things. The church age began in the upper room and the Holy Spirit was not sent until they were all of “one accord” (Acts 2:1). Restitution in regard to the topic of unity means bringing the body of Christ worldwide back to this point of inception. We must achieve “one accord.” Understand that this cannot mean anything else.

                One of the pictures that God loves to use to describe the relationship of the church to Jesus is that of the bride and the bridegroom. We are the bride and He is the bridegroom. The bride is an extension of His own body, and we are appointed to become one flesh with the King of king’s and Lord of lord’s.

                When a bride is to be married, she must make herself ready. The groom does not make her ready, although in Jewish culture he would certainly finance her preparation. Jesus purchased us with a high price. To prepare for the wedding, the bride must have her hair done, and done to perfection. She must have her make-up done, and it had better be perfect! She goes and picks out the perfect dress. She may work-out to lose a couple pounds so that it fits just right. She finds the perfect shoes, and this will be the first time that they are worn. The wedding dress itself will go through alterations so that it presents her as the stunning beauty she was created to be. She is showered and she is perfumed. Her nails are painted, she is adorned in jewelry, and she takes up a bouquet that has been color-coordinated to the décor. At her presentation, the audience will be speechless, and so will the bridegroom.

                In all of this preparation, the bridegroom does not see the bride. He does not say his vows, and He does not go into her place of preparation to “catch her away” before she is ready. He waits because He knows that the preparation is worth it. She will be beautiful. She will be everything He ever dreamed that she would be. He will wait because He understands the reward of His patience. When she is ready, when she steps out and He sees her, neither of them will ever be the same. He anticipates the moment when she will leave Him speechless. Every eye will gaze upon her in bewilderment, and He will be awed. What a glorious day! They will be brought together, becoming one flesh as they were intended. The picture is beautiful, exquisite, inspiring, glorious, and worthy of honor and praise and adoration.

“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.” (Revelation 19:7)

                Unfortunately, some have another concept of God’s version of romance. They see the Lamb coming back for a bride that is unprepared, hopeless, helpless, and pitiful. They feel that this bride that will be eternally wed to Jesus will be received without any preparation. They see a bride who cannot afford a wedding dress, does not have her hair fixed, her make-up done, or any beautification whatsoever. She doesn’t even have to shower because He forgave her stench. Her armpit hair is grown out to full-length, and it is exposed. They believe she will be taken in the night before anyone can truly see how pathetic she looks—even her bridegroom; instead of being presented as the gem that she is before the whole world as a spectacle of glory. Who in their right mind would want this, if given a choice to have a spectacular bride? Some argue that God would want this.

                Let us not kid ourselves. Preparing ourselves to be the eternal bride of Jesus will by no means yield a sloppy, divided, un-kept, unfaithful body. Heaven must withhold Jesus until the restitution of all things—this includes unity. Jesus must wait at the end of the aisle until we have become all that we were intended to become. His Father will not have it any other way. The Bible is clear about what Jesus did for us, in that He made us righteous, forgave our sins, made us co-heirs with Him, gave us the victory, gave us His authority, and so forth. Yet in all of this, notice that He does not make the bride ready, but she makes herself ready. In other words, He simply finances us with the potential to prepare ourselves. Until we respond on purpose and follow through, until we see the restitution of all things, He cannot and will not return. The bride must make herself ready.

                “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.” (Revelation 19:7)

Discussion

1.)    If the return of Christ depended solely on your personal preparation, what would need to change in your life to cause the “restitution of all things” to be true of you personally?

2.)    How does your perspective compare to God’s perspective on the romance between Jesus and His bride?

3.)    If it was your wedding and you were God, would you prefer a sloppy bride or a beautiful bride?

4.)    Why does the Bible say that the bride must make herself ready? How is unity involved?

5.)    Can Jesus return at any time?

Unity and the Tower of Babel

1/22/11

Greetings,

                Unity is truly one of the greatest strengths of mankind. When men begin to unify towards a particular goal or objective, failure rarely results. In all cases, the very least that occurs is progress. Today we are going to discuss the power of unity and its implications.

                God sent a flood to destroy the earth during the days of Noah. The earth had become overrun with wickedness and we see the beginning of a pattern in scripture. Unity based upon wickedness, unrighteousness, and injustice will always come under the judgment of God. Sometimes people get confused because the Bible instructs Christians not to judge others. They think that since we are not to judge, God does not judge us either. This is false. God is the judge, and His judgments are righteous and true.

                After the flood, the world began to be repopulated through the offspring of Noah’s sons. Eventually, there came a time when there was a sizable population of people on earth and there arose a valiant warrior. This warrior’s name was Nimrod and he began to seduce and organize mankind. He succeeded in bringing everyone into agreement on one agenda. This agenda was wicked and it was planned to begin at Babel.

                “And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.” (Genesis 10:8-10)

                A casual reading of this passage may lead the reader to believe that Nimrod was simply a mighty hunter in the eyes of God and nothing more. However, the word translated “before” actually means to turn the face from. Nimrod was a mighty hunter that had turned his face away from God and sought to turn the rest of mankind away from God as well. His plan was to build a tower that would reach to the heavens. With this tower, men could make themselves a name.

                “And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:4)

                It is important to understand that biblically speaking, names are very important. In those days a person’s name was a description of both character and identity. This is why God would sometimes change names, such as when he changed Abram to Abraham. God’s original intention has always been for our identity to come from Him and that’s why we were created in His image. When Nimrod organized men to build this tower, they were attempting to create their own unique identity apart from God.

                “But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.” (Genesis 11:5-6)

                When they began to build this tower, God came down to look at it. God is all-knowing, but in some cases there are things that God comes down to see for Himself. This was one of those instances. Upon concluding His observation, God Himself said that nothing would be withheld from the people because they had become one. Nothing at all would be impossible. The Interlinear Bible adds another dimension to verse. Anything that could enter into the imagination of men—no matter how fantastic—would enter into the realm of possibility.

                “And Jehovah said, Behold, the people is one, and the lip one to all of them, and this they are beginning to do, and now all which they have imagined to do will not be restrained from them.” (Genesis 11:6)

                Here is the lesson: Even regarding a wicked agenda, unity among men will unlock a force that even God acknowledges as limitless. There is something so uniquely powerful in mankind that it places us at the center of all interest across every dimension (the entire spirit realm). The war between good and evil is fought over the hearts of men. Jesus died so that by expressing His limitless love for us, He could take our hearts and ravish us in His love. Satan does everything possible to detour us from Jesus.

                Why do I preach unity? If unity based upon wickedness has the power to allow for anything that can enter the imagination of men; then unity based upon the perfection, holiness, and glory of God has the power to allow for anything that can enter into the imagination of God.

                “Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth. Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvelously: for I will work a work in your days which ye will not believe, though it be told you.” (Habakkuk 1:5)

                “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10)

                In Habakkuk, injustice was prevailing and God said the work which He was about to do was so great, it was beyond the imagination of the heathen upon which He was about to pour His judgment. In 1 Corinthians, Paul explains that there are things that God has prepared for us that are so fantastic they are beyond our imagination, and thus can only be revealed to us through His Holy Spirit. Unity is a progression. Will the whole world ever come entirely under the sway of the gospel of Jesus? Not in this age. But after Jesus returns, it will. The process will begin in this age, and when we as the bride of Christ are ready, Jesus will return to finish the job. Make no mistake, Jesus will not return until His bride has made herself ready—which includes the requirement of unity.

                “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.” (Revelation 19:7)

                Now that we have illustrated the power of unity, we can begin to understand the context of Jesus’ prayer for the church. Jesus prayed for unity because He understood that it would unlock limitless potential, even to the extent of manifesting the imaginations of God. He wants us as His people to be limitless in power, influence, strength, and love. He wants us to be one in the same way that the Godhead is one. Becoming one requires unifying.

                “And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.” (John 17:11)

Discussion

1.)    Is unity in the body of Christ even possible?

2.)    What circumstances could allow for unity to occur considering the innumerable divisions that we see today within the church?

3.)    Why do you think that the tower of Babel was built to the heavens?

4.)     What do you think will qualify the bride of Christ as “ready” in Revelation 19:7?

5.)    Discuss what it might look like for Christians to actually obtain the same unity that the Godhead has.

The Heavens

1/15/11

Greetings,

Last week we left off by saying that spiritual maturity, faith, spiritual authority, and other qualities that can be developed within us will increase the power released through gathering in unity. We’ll begin this conversation by establish a working understanding of the heavens.

                “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

                Most people are familiar with this passage both Christian and non-Christian. Anyone that has ever picked up a Bible to glance through it has probably seen this verse. It is vitally important because it establishes how the universe came into existence. It was not an explosion—it was God. The next level is easily overlooked. It actually explains how God created what we see and don’t see. There is a word in this phrase that is plural, and the importance of its plurality cannot be overstated.

                The words “heavens” is plural in the creation account. Many assume this means the stars, planets, and distant galaxies of the cosmos. This is not entirely true. Notice the following passage:

                “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.” (2 Corinthians 12:2)

                From this passage we know that there are at least three levels of heaven. The third heaven is where God dwells. Therefore, if there is a third heaven, there must be a second heaven and also a first. Is the third heaven some distant place REALLY far out in space? No. Space is subject to time just like earth. We know this because the universe is expanding at a rate that can be calculated and measured. In order for God to reside outside of time (which He does) He must reside in a place outside of our universe. So where is the third heaven? It is in another dimension. This is why I call it the God dimension. This is where the third heaven is located because the third heaven contains God’s kingdom. According to Ephesians 3:10 and 6:12, the second heaven becomes the lower parts of the spirit realm where fallen spirits reside.

“To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,” (Ephesians 3:10)

                “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12)

What are principalities and powers? Ephesians 6:12 tells us that they are the spiritual forces of darkness that we are at war with. Ephesians 3:10 tells us the church is to make the manifold wisdom of God known to these fallen spirit beings. Notice, these principalities and powers reside in the “heavenly places.” Does this mean that we are supposed to build a spaceship and hold wrestling tournaments on Saturn with spiritual hosts? It is less than likely that this is what the Bible is referring to when it describes us as wrestling with fallen spirit beings in heavenly places. Instead, it is referring to our assignment in the spirit realms. I make the word realms plural because there is more than one in the second heavens. The first heaven is the natural realm that we interact with. This comes from Genesis 1:6-8 when God creates the firmament (or sky) and calls it heaven.

                With this explained we can properly understand this portion of the Lord’s Prayer:

                “And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.” (Luke 11:2)

How does God’s kingdom come? Not in a spaceship! It manifests as a result of dimensional overlap. When we are instructed to pray for the kingdom of God to come, we are in essence asking God to conform the earth to the reality of His kingdom, which is His realm—the God dimension. Now let us focus on a unique story involving Jesus that illustrates this called the transfiguration. In this account, Jesus caused a literal intersection and overlapping of the kingdom of heaven (or the God dimension) and the earth, and allowed His disciples to participate. Before the transfiguration, Jesus told His disciples that some would not die until they saw the kingdom of heaven (Luke 9:27). Eight days later, Peter, James, and John went with Jesus to His prayer time. As He began to pray, His appearance changed and the glory put them to sleep (Luke 9:32). When they awoke, they saw Moses and Elijah standing with Jesus (Luke 9:30). Why? Jesus in His maturity, faith, and spiritual authority caused a literal portal to open to the God dimension, and when Peter, James, and John looked on, they were looking into the kingdom of God. When they entered the cloud they heard the voice of the Father (Luke 9:34-35).

                In the account, when Peter, James, and John woke up they saw into heaven. No spaceship, no time travel, no telescope. The kingdom of heaven was there right in front of them. It was not separated by distance, but by dimension and Jesus caused it to overlap our dimension where they were standing. The disciples saw Moses and Elijah, and they heard the voice of the Father.  Notice in this case that the maturity and authority of Jesus brought his disciples into this dimension apart from their influence. This illustrates that while unity reveals the presence of God, so can the maturity of a single believer. By participating with Jesus, the disciples had a deeper experience with God the Father. The spiritual maturity and authority of all leaders in the body of Christ should intensify the experience with God that others have when they are present.

                This opens up for us potential beyond what we have ever thought or imagined. For instance, let me pose another question: Why was Jesus able to do this? The answer is because He had the Holy Spirit—just like us. The Holy Spirit caused Him to be present in both heaven and earth at the same time. How do we know this? Jesus modeled the potential life of any believer and operated according to the realities He purchased for us with His death and resurrection. Look at the following passage:

                “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” (Ephesians 2:6)

                Once we believe in Jesus Christ and receive Him as our Lord and Savior we receive the Spirit of Promise—the Holy Spirit. At that very moment we are seated in heavenly places with Jesus. God resides in the third heaven, and since Jesus is God, that is where we are also. In other words, once we become believers we are simultaneously in heaven and on earth. How? The heavenly dimension is higher than the earth, and our spirit participates in both because they overlap where we are. That means that once you receive Jesus: YOU TAKE HEAVEN WITH YOU EVERYWHERE YOU GO. The question is: are you actively working to release it as Jesus instructed us?

                Releasing heaven works: but is most fully realized through the power of unity. For instance, the word translated “ye” in the following passage is plural. Believers must operate in unity in order to truly release the potential of this promise:

                “Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 18:18)

Discussion

1)      What did God create in the beginning?

2)      What can we expect to find in the third heaven? The second heaven? The first heaven?

3)      Why was Jesus able to cause a dimensional overlap during the transfiguration account?

4)      If the heavens are actually dimensions of the spirit realm, what does this mean for our interaction with the second heaven?

5)      What are three practical ways this information can be applied in your life beginning now?