pastors &laquo; WordPress.com Tag Feed http://wordpress.com/tag/pastors/ Feed of posts on WordPress.com tagged "pastors" Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:23:28 +0000 http://wordpress.com/tags/ en <![CDATA[Supporting Female Pastors in Your Congregation]]> http://womaenscaucus.wordpress.com/?p=112 Mon, 07 Jul 2008 01:23:20 +0000 brethrenpriestess http://womaenscaucus.wordpress.com/?p=112 We know that the Holy Spirit speaks through people of all kinds.  Yet, because of the patriarchal bias of church structures even today, women in ministry face particular challenges when exercising their gifts.  Womaen’s Caucus of the Church of the Brethren offers the following suggestions to help you support the female pastors in your congregation and affirm the blessing of their leadership.

* PLEASE add your own suggestions to this list in the comments section below, so that in future editions of this list we can incorporate your wisdom as well. *


Hire women! It may be obvious to some that women make great pastors, but there are still congregations that have yet to experience the blessings of female ministry.  There are also many qualified female ministers in need of pastorates.  The first step in support female pastors is making sure there are plenty of them!

Let your pastor know you support her – and why. Even pastors need positive affirmation for their work.  Congregants as well as pastors can take part in fostering a supportive climate, which benefits everyone.

Don’t count on your pastor to change your mind for you. Do not repeatedly tell your female pastor that you dislike female pastors or thought you would never like one but you do like her.  Having an honest discussion about this once or twice may be helpful to you, but bringing up your pastor's gender repeatedly just serves to remind her that others in the congregation may harbor these thoughts about a characteristic she cannot control and should not have to defend.

Let her voice be heard. Take the time to optimize your sound system (if you have one) to best suit the female voice in the pulpit.  Some people have a harder time hearing women in the pulpit because the sound system levels are optimized for lower male voices.  Educate those in the congregation that they may be having trouble hearing her not because she talks 'soft' or doesn't 'speak up' but because higher voices are harder to hear and often hearing loss occurs in these ranges before it does in the lower ranges.

(Physical) safety first. Be aware that a female pastor may have safety issues that a male does not have, especially in urban or very isolated areas.  Provide adequate lighting in the parking areas and be responsive to concerns about safety in nighttime situations, etc.

See pastors as sisters. A big part of feminism is women helping women become all they can be, even when some women are pastors and others aren’t.  Sisterhood is powerful, especially in the Church of the Brethren!

Let go of a single model for what makes a good pastor. The winds of Pentecost blow through all different kinds of disciples, making different sounds, speaking different languages.  No two pastors will approach their ministry the same way, especially when they come from different backgrounds.  And that’s a good thing!

Make sure men lead the children’s story, too. Kids need role models of all genders in their lives, and the church community is one of the best places for them to get that.  Especially if your pastor is female, make sure that kids get to connect with understanding, mature men in the children’s story and in other parts of church life.

Keep clothing comments relevant. While a pastor’s clothing may indeed reflect on the congregation and shape the worship experience, female pastors often feel under special scrutiny for what they wear.  One pastor reported wondering if her congregants were even listening to her sermon, or just judging her clothing!  Another pastor mentioned received both praise and critique of an outfit in a single day, revealing how individual many of these comments are.  Congregational expectations of proper dress for ministers of all genders should be formally addressed with pastors, but casual remarks of personal judgments about a pastor’s clothing choices are often unhelpful.

Ask, don’t assume, what ministries your pastors are interested in. Don’t assume that female pastors want to be more involved in the children’s programs or craft groups than a male pastor would be.

Don't check your feminism at the door to the church!

Single Female Pastors

Resist the urge to match-make. Both male and female single pastors may be quite content being unpartnered.  Even if they aren’t, it is their responsibility to take care of their own romantic needs, outside the church setting.

See “singles” as complete. Single people in the church, both pastors and laity alike, sometimes feel like they are regarded as less than whole on their own, as if they are just waiting for a partner to attain completion in life.  Remember that you hired one pastor for the job, not a couple!

Female Pastors with Partners and Spouses

Support partners, too. Being part of the family of a pastor can seem like full-time work.  Let partners and spouses know you appreciate them for who they are and for being the primary support person for your pastor.

Remember whom you hired. A pastor’s partner may be involved in the life of the church, and s/he may not.  Remember that partners are probably helping out the church a lot in ways you don’t see, by sustaining your pastor in her ministry.

First-time Female Pastors

Know what you know - and didn’t know. Remember the challenges you faced at your first job, or think about the challenges you expect to face when you start a career.  Being a pastor is a very special job, but it shares many of the same stresses as other callings.

Some resources on feminist ministry and being a feminist church:
Co-Creating: A Feminist Vision of Ministry by Lynn Rhodes (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1987).
She Hath Done What She Could by Pamela Brubaker (Elgin: Brethren Press, 1985).
Proverbs from Ashes: Violence, Redemption, and the Search for What Saves Us by Rita Nakashima Brock and Rebecca Ann Parker (Boston: Beacon Press, 2001).
Sex in the Parish by Karen Lebacqz, especially chapter six on “Women in Ministry: Sex and Sexism” (Lousiville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1991).

]]> <![CDATA[A Sermon in Books on Sunday Morning]]> http://mysteryofiniquity.wordpress.com/?p=895 Sun, 06 Jul 2008 21:05:33 +0000 mysteryofiniquity http://mysteryofiniquity.wordpress.com/?p=895 This weekend, I had every intention of going to church. After a lonnnnnng weekend of 4th of July activities, fried Walleye fish sandwiches and cheese fries (did I say I've been off my "heart healthy" diet?), and rearranging the bedroom, I was ready for a leisurely Sunday. Being both Catholic and Baptist (no it's not redundant or an oxymoron) I intended to go to Mass on Saturday and Baptist worship on Sunday. Well, we got lazy and watched a movie on Saturday instead. Ooops. If I were more scrupulous, I'd write that down for confession next weekend, but I've outgrown the scrupulosity I had when I first became Catholic. Still, I felt a small twinge of guilt.

Yesterday my husband and I rearranged our bedroom. It's a long room and rearranging is not easy. I can't help very much either since I have a bad back. But I gave it a go and was aching all over by day's end on Saturday. We also had gotten a new mattress last week (an ordinary Bemco) because I could no longer sleep on the $1500 mistake of a latex foam mattress we bought last year. I would arise every morning since we bought the thing with what felt like severe arthritis. I could barely move around. It was so odd. This mattress was always billed as great for your back. Uh-no!! But this morning, after a day of heavy lifting and an Aleve cocktail, I got up freshly feng shue-d and rested in our rearranged bedroom and new mattress and got ready for church. Sunday school is always first up for Baptists who only have one worship service on Sunday. In this church, Sunday school was at 9:00 a.m. so, off I went with my bible and lesson book. I got there just in time for pre-Sunday school announcements. I chit-chatted with the ladies for a while and then sat through a good 25 minutes of prayer requests, which is really nothing but the women sitting around trading stories about who was sick and who was sicker. I'm all for prayer concerns, but this was silly. It's akin to gossip and playing catch-up for the week. After that we finally got to the lesson about hospitality or something. The "proof" text was Job 31. The American Baptist curriculum we use is ok, but it's by no means in-depth bible study. Most of it is lecture in written form. Of recent years the curriculum is spouting "ermergent-ese." You know what I mean; where every word discussing the "new church model" ends in "al:" missional, intentional, relational, etc. Ugh.

Well, after the bell was rung for church (literally a little bell like those kept on hotel concierge desks), I started to go into the sanctuary with everyone else, but I fell back. I just couldn't sit through another bland, Baptist worship service where the same hymns were sung and the same sermons preached. I felt a longing for something deeper, something more true; something to connect with that great Undercurrent of Life. It was communion Sunday (the first Sunday of the month) and I couldn't face that either. Little bits of bread and little cups of grape juice passed around the pews did not in any way signify to me the deepest mysteries of the Eucharist. I felt that to take it would be a betrayal somehow. So, I packed up my gear (purse, book bag, bag of lettuce from Helen's garden) and left while everyone filed into the sanctuary. I drove home and found my husband cleaning out the garage. There was a light summer breeze blowing through the trees and after dropping my bags on the kitchen chair, I headed out to our patio with a book. I opened up Brother Odd by Dean Koontz. Odd Thomas, the character of this series of Koontz's, sees dead people. These dead people usually want him to solve their murders. In this novel, Odd is taking a long-needed retreat in a monastery in the mountains of California after having prevented a larger massacre at a shopping mall. His purpose is to retreat from his ordinary duties to the dead and heal his own soul. As I read partway into the chapter, I found this:

The world beyond this mountain retreat was largely barbarian, a condition it had been striving toward for perhaps a century and a half. A once glorious civilization was now only a pretense; a mask allowing barbarians to commit ever greater cruelties in the name of virtues that a truly civilized world would have recognized as evils. Having fled that barbaric disorder I was reluctant to admit that no place was safe, no retreat beyond the reach of anarchy... (page 64-65)

That's how I feel most of the time right now. I feel that barbarians have been allowed to take charge of the hen-house and our only hope is a "chicken-run." Many people, I'm sure, feel this way nowadays. Each thinks they are right in feeling this way and want to blame others, but regardless of who is "right" or who should be blamed, I feel as if the world has hurtled toward some barbarism much faster than anticipated and that words no longer mean the same things any longer. We've come to a war of ideas and dogmas. It's the era of Big Brother speak in which the signifiers no longer signify long held beliefs but are being used against the definers of traditions in ways that bring confusion and anarchy. I also feel today, that I had learned far more sitting in my breezeway reading fiction than I could have listening to one sermon in a long line of spiritless sermons.

My retreat lately feels just like Odd Thomas' retreat. It's a falling back; a regrouping. It is a choice to choose non-action in a world that does nothing but mindlessly act merely because it feels good to our self-esteem to act. At what point is our character development more important than activism for activism's sake? I wonder if anyone really knows why they argue endlessly for the beliefs that they do? I wonder what is solid and real and what is mere show and bluster; bread and circuses? I am also beginning to think that I'm an unfortunate product of my time (70s), my education (university) and my lack or conscience formation. I can soak up vast amounts of knowledge and "education" but I cannot honestly come up with a consistent ethic of my own. I have simply bought into the empty rhetoric of poststructuralism where there are no norms and where consistency is lacking. I had given up trying. I fall back on the argument that there is no use trying because there is no foundation on which to base concrete beliefs.

Increasingly, in my self imposed exile from belief, I've found that despite what Emerson said about consistency, there is a deep, deep truth to foundational thinking despite the naysayers. Emerson did not say that consistency was the problem; foolish consistency was. We are living in an age, I think, of foolish consistency. One of the books that set me permanently on the road to Roman Catholicism is John A. Hardon's The Catholic Catechism. It is beautifully written and far easier to read than the modern Catechism the church put out in recent years. Hardon writes at the beginning of the book about the age in which we live,

The world in which one lives keeps asking for evidence, it wants to be shown that what the believer believes is not mere illusion but objectively true. This same world protests that all human knowledge is unstable, that what people know today others will know better and more accurately tomorrow. So the man of faith must defend himself against the charge of dogmatism, as though what he believes now has always been true and will remain essentially unchanged in a universe whose only apparent constant is change. It would be tempting to try to respond immediately to both levels of criticism in our day. More effective is to look at ourselves and ask what too many Christians have taken for granted: What do we believe, and why? This will lead us into pastures that few Catholics, who may be severely orthodox, have ever visited. We are discovering that orthodoxy is no guarantee of perseverance and still less of living up to what the faith demands. Self knowledge as believers will deepen our loyalty and help evoke generosity, and in the process the commonplace objections will also be satisfactorily answered. (pages 29-30)

I suppose Hardon is saying that in discovering the reasons for our own belief we will answer the questions of our age. Ours is a time of surface thinking and surface solutions. We want change for change's sake as if we are going to come up with anything new. There is nothing new under the sun, yet no one born form the 60s onward wants to believe that. Our churches, especially Protestant ones, are not asking us to deeply examine our beliefs. They are only asking us to enforce a prideful dogmatism and certainty about doctrine. They are only asking us to accept change just as the world wants to accept change. There is no substance in it. We are not asked to examine, test, and practice. I'm tired of wasting time on ineffective methods or theories that are merely the pet projects of mega-pastors and gospel shills. I want to get to the kernel, the very heart of ethics, the tried and true, the deep foundations, not just learn to spout what others have said because it sounds pleasant. I feel like I'm close to discovering something.... I'm still striving for I'm not sure what, but I'll let you know if I get there.

Blessings,

]]> <![CDATA[Free Bible versed wallpapers , original photos ]]> http://anyonecare.wordpress.com/?p=153 Sun, 06 Jul 2008 16:44:06 +0000 thenonconformer http://anyonecare.wordpress.com/?p=153 Free Bible versed wallpapers , original photos sizes up to  1680x1200

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]]> <![CDATA[THE ONGOING EARTHLY, SPIRITUAL BATTLE IS AN UNDENIABLE FACT]]> http://postedat.wordpress.com/?p=59 Sun, 06 Jul 2008 12:46:09 +0000 thenonconformer http://postedat.wordpress.com/?p=59 (1 Cor 9:27 KJV)  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.  (1 Tim 6:12 KJV)  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 13  I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; 14   That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:

I agree that the Bible clearly says our ongoing Christian walk is a daily spiritual battle with Satan, and sadly with some other of Satan's followers, men and women too. We are to continually chose God's way and not Satan, and not rather to give in to the devil, and then falsely justify it.

(Acts 7:51 KJV)  Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

(2 Tim 3:8 KJV)  Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

(James 4:7 KJV)  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

I continue to get, read grossly unrespectable, unacceptable  absurd,  false Responses, and  false justifications from  people and supporters of those who have wrongfully  indulged into sins of drugs, smoking, alcohol, stealing or what ever all of my life even from even liars, professing Christians, ongoing church goers, all persons whose minds, habits  now are rather controlled by Satan clearly as well, Now supporting such bad acts, habits, persons makes you in fact an unacceptable accomplice in these matters too.

YOU ARE STILL KNOWN BY WHAT YOU DO NOW.

(Mat 7:18 KJV)  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

(Luke 6:43 KJV)  For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

(Mat 7:19 KJV)  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

(Mat 7:20 KJV)  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

(Mat 7:21 KJV)  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

(Luke 10:17 KJV)  And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

(Rom 8:7 KJV)  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

(1 Pet 5:5 KJV)  Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

(Prov 27:5 KJV)  Open rebuke is better than secret love.

(Prov 27:6 KJV)  Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

(Eccl 7:5 KJV)  It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

(Eccl 7:6 KJV)  For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

Mr. Spurgeon should have practice what he preached firstly for he could not give up his sin of smoking a cigar even. And too many other pastors did not and could not give up alcohol, drunkenness, adultery, cheating, lying stealing,, and what else?  Genuine Born Again Evangelical Christians are total abstainers from smoking, drugs, alcohol, cheating, lying, stealing, tax evasions, pornography, or rather all personal vices. Reality! These days it is too hard to tell the difference between secular persons and even evangelical pastors, Christians they seem to do the same things too. Why are alcoholics always in denial? and why do they often lie,  cheat, steal also now? Because if they do admit the truth they are alcoholics, sinners too  they do have now to repent of the sin of disobeying God’s word about being drunk too.. so they take the ostrich denial approach instead too often. Alcoholism still is a sin of a deliberate, personal choice, and to be set free you have to admit your sin, confess it, renounce it, ask God for forgiveness through Jesus Christ as well.. It is not only wrong for the average person it is also especially wrong for leaders in the government, politicians. It is amazing how one can quickly spot an alcoholic, while they cannot still see their sin, and how quick they are to oppose themselves being exposed now too..
 
I admit I had lost all respect for the supposedly great preacher Spurgeon who was so ready to preach to others about their sins, but he himself now could not resist  the Temptation of a cigar.  Similar we find out that other preachers could not give up smoking too.. Look at this reference in regard to AB Simpson, the past founder of the Christian Missionary Alliance denomination now too.  “The Man, the movement, and the mission-A documentary of the C&MA”  Cut directly from their national web site. It was the custom for the ministers of the district to meet together to discuss all things common. This little reunion, in its proper sequence, was held one day at the Manse. And unaccountably strange odor of tobacco smoke began to steal upstairs. Suddenly the study door flew open and a towering figure of fury - all of four feet, one inch in its stocking feet - stood at the threshold. “SMOKING! Out of this house!” said Grannie Simpson, and in a body the ministerial association moved.  https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=15796002&postID=3424830162204895882    http://reversion-clause.com/

(Eccl 7:7 KJV)  Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

(Eccl 7:8 KJV)  Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

(Eccl 7:9 KJV)  Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

Genuine Born Again even Evangelical Christians are total abstainers from smoking, drugs, alcohol, cheating, lying, stealing, tax evasions, pornography, or rather all personal vices. And if you took 2 martinis or 2 beers a day you are an alcoholic. Alcoholism is a crime and not a disease, it is a crime, it is just as lethal, bad, and it is really unacceptable as selling or taking bad drugs too. Canada’s  bad drug problem, drunk driving, alcoholism is increasing not just amongst the teens, but also in the work place, in the government now as well even amongst the civil and public servants. Most major home violence, car or truck accidents are still associated with alcohol now too and not speeding. It’s a fact that  drinking alcohol can seriously damage one’s health and cause permanent brain damage as well .Alcohol may lead to liver problems, a variety of cancers as well as forms of osteoporosis and depression, and studies are showing, too, that women are more susceptible to the ill effects of alcohol than are men. . Not one cent of taxpayer’s money should be ever used in the governments, civil  and public servants, expense accounts  to buy alcohol, wine  or beer.
 
Reality! These days it is too hard to tell the difference between secular persons and even evangelical pastors, Christians they seem to do the same things too. Why are alcoholics and smokers now too, sinners, always in denial? and why do they often lie,  cheat, steal also now? Because if they do admit the truth they are alcoholics, sinners too  they do have now to repent of the sin of disobeying God’s word about being drunk too.. so they take the ostrich denial approach instead too often. Alcoholism still is a sin of a deliberate, personal choice, and to be set free you have to admit your sin, confess it, renounce it, ask God for forgiveness through Jesus Christ as well.. It is not only wrong for the average person it is also especially wrong for leaders in the government, politicians. It is amazing how one can quickly spot an alcoholic, while they cannot still see their sin, and how quick they are to oppose themselves being exposed now too..

and what other pastoral, supposedly acceptable Christian  vices now are now being PERMITTED falsely today,  the handing out of beer, wine, alcoholic beverages, playboy, pornography, acts of cheating, lying, stealing, STEALING THE TITHES, adultery, tax evasions still? WE ALL DO NEED to have a right attitudes, WALK WITH JESUS CHRIST  EVEN  all of leaders, pastors, elders too, and they have to lead by a good personal example too.
 
Even the most anointed man or woman, preacher  of God clearly still can be wrong, biased, have a hidden agenda, limited, (or just shallow) in their understanding or interpretation of certain Bible topics, subjects. Do not believe any man or women, rather solely Take God’s word for it.
 
We all should by now know that alcoholism is a terrible sin  that now damages the person’s brain, affects their ability  to work, to drive a car, and negatively affects their own behavior and affects many others too. The same reality is true of one taking now bad drugs as well. So I was also similarly shocked, surprised to discover the the falsely professing evangelical Christian Stephen Harper our Prime Minister likes to consume wine, alcohol, and he buys it for others as well. Beyond a Biblical doubt the Genuine Born Again Evangelicals are total abstainers, like me, I never drink or touch wine or alcohol, at any time, nor do I give playboy, pornography, wine or wine glasses to anyone.
 
““Dr. Daniel Akin, President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary has written an article in favor of the famous Resolution #5 (Resolution calling for total opposition to alcohol). Alcohol is the number one drug problem among teenagers. (1 Cor. 8:13; 9:19-22; 10:32-33). Because I am an example to others, I will make certain no one ever walks the road of sorrow called alcoholism because they saw me take a drink and assumed, “if it is alright for him it is alright for me.” No, I will choose to set an uncompromising example of abstinence because I love them.  I will seek my joy and filling in the Spirit not in alcohol. I love the Phillips translation of Ephesians 5:18 which reads, “Don’t get your stimulus from wine (for there is always the danger of excessive drinking), but let the Spirit stimulate your souls.” Psalm 4:7-8 adds, “You [O Lord] have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”  There is no record that Jesus drank strong drink,  As a pastor or church leader, would I demand abstinence for  leadership? Absolutely! The principle of Proverbs 31:4-5 is appropriately applied here, “It is not for Kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.” “
 
(1 Cor 11:28 KJV)  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30   For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. (Prov 3:33 KJV)  The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.

 
Jesus himself had said that professing to be a Christian is not enough,  one rather can  tell what a person is really like by what he does,  a True Christian is one who evidently is controlled by the Spirit of God and not by  self, sin, a real Christian is one where thus anyone can clearly see by the evidence of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, including even self control.

Matt 3:8 Bring forth fruit that is consistent with repentance [let your lives prove your change of heart];

Gal 5:23 Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge].

Matt 7:16 You will fully recognize them by their fruits. Do people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?17 Even so, every healthy (sound) tree bears good fruit [worthy of admiration], but the sickly (decaying, worthless) tree bears bad (worthless) fruit. 18 A good (healthy) tree cannot bear bad (worthless) fruit, nor can a bad (diseased) tree bear excellent fruit [worthy of admiration].  19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire. 20 Therefore, you will fully know them by their fruits.  1 Tim 3:2 Now a bishop (superintendent, overseer) must give no grounds for accusation {but} must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, circumspect {and} temperate {and} self-controlled; [he must be] sensible {and} well behaved {and} dignified and lead an orderly (disciplined) life; [he must be] hospitable [showing love for and being a friend to the believers, especially strangers or foreigners, and be] a capable {and} qualified teacher,

Alcoholics, wine drinkers, smokers, drug users, cheaters, liars, slandereres, absuers, liars, tax evaders  too they all  tend to have evidentially lost their self control..

I have often rightfully said to many preachers I would rather see them first by example live the life of Christ instead of merely preaching it others.  Preaching the Gospel is not an valid alternative to living it.  I even do know People who profess to be Christians and they are Alcoholics too.. but they are not Christians… They fool themselves only as to who they still really are too.

By their own fruits Jesus said to us all you can tell what they are really like still.

..(Prov 16:25 KJV)  There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

(Mat 7:20 KJV)  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 24  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
 
 > I did not know that smoking is a sin?

Impaired means  when Mental awareness, alertness and function do also come under a dulling, slowing effect. This hinders our mental ability in everyday activity and restricts or cuts off our mental fellowship with the Holy Spirit speaking to our mind from our spirit. A person who has the smoking or drinking habit, in honesty, must label themselves an “addict” too. in bondage to Satan and the flesh and the lust thereof. Alcoholism, Smoking, lying, stealing, slander  is demonic, which is why it is so hard to stop on your own and they all are  not compatible with the Christian experience.  These sinful  problems are next forcing negative consequences on other “innocent” people  Co-workers, family and even  children are victims .  Christians are definitely thus not to be “stumbling blocks” to others.  Matthew 18: 6, 7, “But who so shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe unto the world because of offenses! For it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh!”
 
Also smoking is “burning incense to other (demon) gods”. II Kings 22:17, II Kings 23:5; II Chronicles 28:25, 34:24, 34:25; Jeremiah 1:16, 7:9, 11:12, 19:4; Chapter 44, 48:35.
 
To receive complete freedom from these sinful  bondages, the Believer must see his “habit” or being “hooked” as a spiritually rooted problem and confess it as a deliberate sin of Disobedience to God too. Acknowledging lust, Alcohol, tobacco, cigarettes, drugs, lying, stealing, marijuana  and smoking as sin is prerequisite. Personal Confession of the sin according to (1 John 1:9 KJV)  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10   If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.and we all must choose to submit to God according to (James 4:7 KJV)  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10   Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
 
next , places the Believer on proper ground for the unclean spirits to be cast out of them
 
and whether Smoking it is legal or not legal basically is not the issue in the sight of God.. but when you clearly have lost self control,  it also alters your judgment and your ability to perceive reality. on top of that you now are a prisoner to a bad habit of smoking , the very clear source of the bad habit is the devil now as well and not God.. and if you cannot see this it is either cause you do not want to or are in false denial… Half of the world knows that smoking cigarettes even is bad for you, it is a vice, and  it causes cancer, linked to gum disease, destroys the body and you did not realize it was sinful? either you are lying to me, lying yourself others or you are being deliberate ignorant. Smoking is not without potential real negative consequences and yes anyone would be an absolute fool not to factor that truth now as well . One cannot honestly claim to be using alcohol, smoking or marijuana for any purpose other than to falsely intoxicate oneself. to lose self control. One is not getting you closer to God by being intoxicated , but moving you away from Him. You’re doing the weed for YOURSELF, serving the sinful sinful self, the flesh now in reality. You are to die to self, the flesh and all of it’s lust thereof  as a Christian now still too. The ends do not justify now the mans still as well.
 
 1 Corinthians  10:31 (King James Version)   Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
 
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (King James Version) 16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
 
Christians are always to remain SOBER too. 1 Thessalonians 5:8 (King James Version) 8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. Sober, obedient and not given to lusts of the flesh. 1 Peter 1:13-14 (King James Version)  13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
 
Ephesians 5:11-21 (King James Version) 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them  12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit 19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms.

]]> <![CDATA[Raiment?]]> http://bli63.wordpress.com/?p=172 Sun, 06 Jul 2008 03:30:30 +0000 bli63 http://bli63.wordpress.com/?p=172 Can you imagine how people would react to someone who lived in the forest or wilderness and came out dressed in camels hair and a leather girdle covering up his loins eating locust and honey?. Wow we would probably think he was crazy, little on listen to him preach or believe what he said was true. But that is exactly what John the Baptist did.. He preached the coming of Jesus. First in the wilderness of Judea then in and around Jerusalem all of Judea, and around the region of Jordan. Can you imagine what some of the Pastors and church members would say today. It would be like someone showing up to hold a revival that had been living in the forest and living on what food he found. dressed in maybe plain cloths or work cloths maybe a litlle on the ragged side. I just wonder how would we react? Matthew 3:6 and they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
Matthew 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said unto them, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Matthew 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance: Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you in water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire:

]]> <![CDATA[These Are 'Want' Ads For Pastors?!]]> http://defendingcontending.wordpress.com/?p=2067 Sat, 05 Jul 2008 18:35:52 +0000 Isaiah http://defendingcontending.wordpress.com/?p=2067 Is it any surprise that we have need for such open letters for pastoral repentance and bad, bad, bad church signs when churches are actually listing mostly worldly requirements for pastors?

These actual 'want' ads are taken off a good sister's blog:

Executive Pastor
MCC is looking for an Executive Pastor (i.e. acting as the Chief Operating Officer) who will manage the operations of the church and will report to the Senior Pastor. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of effective staff leadership and development and will be a person of integrity committed to the mission and vision of the church. The individual will possess exceptional organizational skills and excellent oral and written communications skills. He/she will be able to manage multiple priorities. The Executive Pastor will supervise all senior staff at MCC and will lead the development of integrated plans across ministries/staff to deliver the church vision. This candidate will have a close personal relationship with Jesus Christ. MCC is a 2300 member church that is mission oriented and has a passion to reach the community and the world with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. The Executive Pastor will embrace this mission and share this passion. This is a full time position with a full benefit package. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelors degree and a strong background in business and organization management. A minimum of 10 years experience in a leadership capacity with responsibility for delivering a vision is required. Executive Pastor Experience desirable (but not required).

Just one Biblical requirement -- a close relationship with Jesus Christ?!

Worship Pastor
Emmanuel Baptist Church is seeking a man to serve as full-time Worship Pastor. Candidates must be comfortable leading a "blended" style service. EBC leans toward the contemporary side of "blended," but we need someone who truly loves and uses both traditional and contemporary music to unite people of all age categories in worship. A little history of our church may help... EBC has more than doubled in worship attendance over the past 5 years to a weekly attendance of 600+. Last year, we saw 251 salvations, 50 baptisms, and 136 new members added to our church family. EBC has grown at an average of 100 people per year in a small town setting. In addition, Emmanuel Christian School has 450+/- students enrolled in grades PreK-12. We also opened a School of Fine Arts teaching music, voice and drama. Emmanuel Baptist Church is balanced, growing, financially sound, and known as "A Place of Grace" in our community. Emmanuel is truly experiencing a modern-day miracle! Candidates for this position should have at least a Bachelor's degree in Music, a minimum of 3 years experience, and be proficient in piano.

Wow, no mention of any spiritual status at all! One just has to know how to lead a "blended" style service. What that is can be very open to interpretation, especially if we see the word "contemporary", no?

Senior Pastor – Life Groups
PURPOSE OF THE POSITION
This purpose of this position is to create "Raving Fan" small groups where people can learn, change, grow, connect, support and experience God together.

PRIMARY STRENGTHS/GIFTS/TALENTS REQUIRED

  • Vision Caster - Able to communicate the LG vision effectively so that people buy in and embrace it.
  • Strategic & Systems Thinking - Able to develop effective systems (both administrative & leadership) to make sure the LG's are on track and achieving their goals.
  • Up Front Teaching Gifts - Able to design and deliver effective leadership training in a way that creates Raving Fans.

Are raving fans an euphemism for raving lunatics? Oh, and by the way, no mention of Biblical requirements for shepherds either.

I rest my case.

]]> <![CDATA[Laying of hands, Impartation, Breathe of the Spirit, Anointings, Anointed]]> http://anyonecare.wordpress.com/?p=148 Sat, 05 Jul 2008 10:28:35 +0000 thenonconformer http://anyonecare.wordpress.com/?p=148 There is a definite personal, unacceptable DISPENSATIONAL trend  amongst many fundamental Evangelicals, and some Pentecostals to falsely try to discredit the present involvement of GOD HIMSELF INTO HUMAN AFFAIRS, HUMAN ACTIVITIES. This false attempt to limit God's present earthly activities is not only demonically inspired, but it is a false attempt to cover-up the existing personal inadequacies of many of the so called professing Christians who clearly to date are really only not still not fully Holy Spirit filled, anointed, even as a direct result of the fact they are living a self centered life, have not died to Jesus Christ, are not anointed, are basically not servants of God, are not serving God, but they really have not made Jesus Lord of their whole life too. One can see evidence of such persons by the actual definition of the term Christian  itself, One group tries to define all Christians as merely  anyone who is a follower of Christ, whereas the other groups defines a Christian as one in whom one can see the fruits, works, the evidence of the anointing of Christ based on acts 10:38  (Acts 10:38 KJV)  How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
 
(Gal 1:8 KJV)  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
 

 
Beware always of men and women, bullies, tormentors, control freaks,  persons, civil and public servants,  politicians, pastors, leaders, elders, who falsely do, will try to enslave you, oppress you, exploit you even while they claim they are proclaiming the truth, democracy, trying to help you, etc.,
 

 
Is 51:23 ..your tormentors {and} oppressors, those who said to you, Bow down, that we may ride {or} tread over you; and you have made your back like the ground and like the street for them to pass over.
 
Come, Lord Jesus, and fill these people full of the Holy Spirit.
 
In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul lists out these gifts.  Any Spirit-filled Christian can eventually manifest or release any of these gifts as the Holy Spirit directs him.
    

Word of Wisdom - God's supernatural perspective on how to achieve His will. God's knowledge rightly applied to specific situations. Word of Knowledge - "Facts" given by God that are unknowable without revelation.

The Gift of Faith - The supernatural ability to believe God without doubt. Essential to the Gift of Healing and Miracles.

The Gift of Healing - Supernatural healing through special anointing of the Holy Spirit.

The Working of Miracles - A supernatural display of power that goes beyond the natural to counteract earthly and evil forces.

Discerning of Spirits - Spiritual insight into differences between the Holy Spirit, the the spirit of Man, and evil spirits at work in the earth.  It is not the discerning of character faults.

The Gift of Prophecy - The forth-telling of God's utterance.  It is not of the intellect but of the Spirit.  It is divinely inspired and anointed words spoken by a believer.

Kinds of Tongues - This is not to be confused with the use of tongues in private prayer or worship.  This refers to the ministry of tongues to others.  An utterance from a believer to another in a language unknown to the speaker. (Isaiah 28:11; Mark 16:17; Acts 2:4; 10:44-48; 19:1-7; 1 Corinthians 12:10; 13:1-3; 14:2,4-22,26-31; 28:31)

Interpretation of Tongues - Supernatural power to reveal the meaning of tongues.  Not a translation, but an interpretation.  Tongues and Interpretation working together can be the equivalent of prophecy.

The working of these nine Gifts is for the profit and advantage of the Church.  They are for the benefit of the Church and are specifically available to every believer as the Holy Spirit wills. (1Corinthians 12:7-11; 14:12).  They should all be actively welcomed and expected in your life. (1Corinthians 14:1)

HOW MANY GIFTS DO WE GET?

The Holy Spirit distributes His gifts to each believer severally as He wills. (1 Corinthians 12:11)  It is not up to us how many gifts we want or are willing to use but up to the Holy Spirit to give whatever He wants to whoever He wants whenever He wants.  It is up to us to appreciate all of them and to allow the Holy Spirit to use us in any of them to minister to others.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is God's way of empowering us to manifest His love to His Church and to cleanse us and make us holy.  We need therefore to acknowledge that love is necessary for the proper use of the Gifts - faith works by love.(Galations 5:6)  Love edifies others (1Corinthians 8:1) as God has shown His love for you by giving you faith to believe in and trust in and cling to and rely on Jesus.  Repent of anything that would hold you back from experiencing and walking in His fullness through the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.  Ask Him for it.  Receive it.  Freely it has been given to you - now freely give. (Matthew 10:8)  

And we are witnesses of these things;
and so is the Holy Spirit,
whom God has given to those who obey Him.  Acts 5:32

(1 John 1:3 KJV)  That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
 
My serious interest on the subject of the Holy Spirit started at an early age, around the time I was 25, even cause I had asked my evangelical Baptist Church pastor if there was such thing today as empowering from God to live the Christian life.. when he replied no, and  because sadly I knew he basically was not to be trusted I decided that  I should look more seriously into the topic,  so I stared to read many   Books, and the Bible on the subject of the Holy Sprit next. When I next read the testimonies of others, it was clearly evident, undeniable  that some Christians  had experienced dramatic changes in heir personal life as a result of knowing Christ, and being filled with the holy spirit, even more dramatically than others too. Why the difference. And as I continued my study it became very evident that not everyone who professed to be a Christian, pastors, elders included were even firstly Christians. Imagine that church pastors were falsely still even reading clearly secular books to know more about God. It also became clear that many professing Christians were not serving God, but doing their own thing, serving themselves, or were trying to please others, mere men and women, or their denominations too. We have more perversion than power, more compromise than conviction and more playboys in the pulpit than prophets.  Because of their own sinful nature, human limitations next  falsely Men still try to limit God today as to what he God can and cannot do today with His Holy Spirit now as well by next their own false obstructions, confusions, distortions, over simplifications,  lies too. Me too there was a time in my life when I thought I was now saved and I had it all, but that was certainly not true. But man still cannot prevail against God, the light, the truth ever.  There is power available to you also to personally to overcome: disease, despair, defeat, sickness, sin and Satan! You can now have power over every attack of the devil! And I ask right now, Come, Lord Jesus, and fill these people full of the Holy Spirit.
 
Isaiah 10:27: And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.
 

 

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; .Acts 10:28 ..Acts 1:8 says, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon ...      

 
(Luke 2:26 KJV)  And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
 
(2 Pet 1:21 KJV)  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
 
(2 Pet 3:2 KJV)  That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
 
(2 Tim 1:14 KJV)  That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
 
(Isa 4:4 KJV)  When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.
 
(Micah 3:8 KJV)  But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.
 
(Mat 12:28 KJV)  But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
 
(Luke 4:1 KJV)  And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
 
(Rom 8:14 KJV)  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
 
(1 Cor 6:11 KJV)  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
 
(1 Cor 12:8 KJV)  For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
 
(2 Cor 3:18 KJV)  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
 
(1 Pet 3:18 KJV)  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
 
(1 Matt 3:24 KJV)  And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
 
(1 John 3:21 KJV)   I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 2  Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
 
(Rev 3:15 KJV)  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
 
In fact it became evident not just in the Catholic, Orthodox Churches but even in Christian Plymouth Brethren, Baptist, Alliance and Pentecostal churches now too that in some professing persons, pastors, elders, deacons too,  there still was no difference in behavior between the professing Christian person and the typical unbeliever, unchristian persons. Many so called Christians it became clear also to me they did not have a definite experiences where they had made Jesus Christ the sole Lord of their life, as next even a Christian Missionary Alliance church pastor had admitted to me. Now if many pastors were not preaching, living the empowered Christian Life how could the rest of the flock be aware of it as well? So I next talked to many many more pastors, and discovered many of them did not use or know the Bible in evangelical churches, but firstly they did not have a definite experience where they knew that God had even called them into the ministry. They became pastors by their own choice and were rather too often mere "hirelings", in the Job merely as as any other person is in a secular career. It next also amazed me how many writers, preachers claimed to be experts on the Baptism of the Holy spirit, the anointing,  when they had even admitted that they had never experienced it themselves.. ridiculous, and so how can you be an expert on something you have never experienced too? Many people it seems still can be easily deceived by the devil that they are following and doing God's will when they clearly now are not. There is much too much filthy manna, begging and stealing money now associated with Christians and why? They Cleary are no living the real anointed life but doing their on selfish thing still too. Many professing Christians , pastors recognize their lack of holy sprit in their life, but instead of honestly confronting the reason why they next lie and say that the miracles ended when the last disciple died. When the Bible was finished being written. It was a temporary empowering.  When Jesus was on the Cross He cried out, "It is finished!"
 
(Heb 13:8 KJV)  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.  is alive today.. and he can be alive today in you and me too.  And John 4:4 states, "Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."
 
Well I got good news for you but power of the cross, the anointing, it was not over rather the posited it was just the beginning  Jesus vetoed sin and the crucifixion with His  resurrection by the Holy sprit, and then Jesus next  gave a tag team hand off to the Holy Ghost to all others. The same anointing of Holy Ghost power that gave Jesus the power to overcome Satan's power, temptation!! The Holy Ghost power and anointing can be yours, today!! This is the source of power to overcome Satan everyday of your life if you continue to follow after God, to obey and do his will daily. If you rebel from God do not expect this anointing to be of help to you. You need to willfully continue to walk humbly in the light, in Jesus himself still too. And if you let God do it, he will empower, equip you to do his will, equip you uniquely for service to him like he has done to many others. When Jesus was being tried in Pilate's court, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times. He didn't have enough courage to even say that he knew Jesus. let alone be His witness, but after the Holy Ghost fell on the 120 at Pentecost. What a difference!! The first sermon Peter preached, 3000 were converted. You can have this kind of power now in your life. Yes it's free for the asking humbly to all who already do believe and are baptized in Jesus as both their Savior and Lord. You are free to live the empowered life if you daily choose to do so, or you can next even daily choose to walk merely in your own sinful thing, in the flesh.
 
Perhaps you still do feel you are not worthy to receive this power. Possibly some  have told you that this power is not for today. Or  you feel overcome by the pressures of life and don't know how to ask for the power of the Holy Ghost to take over your life.  Right now that all you need to do is simply to humbly ask God even again. The Bible says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (James 1:17). It is His desire that you receive everything He has for you! Tthe Bible declares it to be so!  " And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the hand-maids in those days will I pour out my spirit" (Joel 2:28-29). It's still for as many who call upon the name of the Lord!
 
(Mat 7:7 KJV)  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:8  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
 
(Luke 11:10 KJV)  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.11  If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?12  Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?13  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
 
(Gal 5:22 KJV)  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
 
(Gal 5:25 KJV)  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
 
Pass it on. The Lord wants to infuse you with an anointing, by the Holy Spirit, which will propel you through every line of Satan's defense. This is how you can overcome every situation as you receive "power from on high!" Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself was full of this power as He withstood the onslaught of the devil while fasting in the wilderness. The Bible records that John the Baptist baptized Jesus, the Lord of Glory, in the river Jordan prior to Him praying and fasting 40 days and 40 nights. At the end of this fast Satan came to Him and tempted Him in His spirit, soul and body to sin against God. But Jesus resisted Satan's offense with the statement, "It is written!" After this, Luke 4: 14 states, And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. If Jesus, walking as a man, needed the power of the Holy Spirit to stand against the assault of the devil, I ask you, "How much more do we need the power of the Holy Spirit?"  There's a Holy Spirit revival coming, and it's can also be coming even through your words, through your hands and through your life!

Would you like to have God's Holy Ghost Power in your life? If so please pray this prayer  humbly. "Dear Heavenly Father. As per your promises in your word, the Bible do next  baptize me with your Holy sprit, power. I accept the promise of Acts 2: 38 & 39 and the anointing power of the Holy Ghost. I ask to have the power that Apostles had received even in my life. I also do want the power to overcome Satan everyday, in all areas of life! Jesus you are my lord so by your Holy Spirit, please fill me now and take  full control of my life, my body  and even my tongue. Let my tongue now also give praises to God the Father and His Holy Son, Jesus in a Heavenly language. I put myself, my all under your full control. Amen!"
 
John 10:37-38 " If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. 38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.  "
 
(2 John 1:5 KJV)  And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
 
(Luke 4:18 KJV)  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
 
The anointing that the devil and his false followers do hate and oppose, lie about is this..
 
The baptism of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Holy spirit, the Anointing , Tongues, Prophets,  Apostles, Miracle workers, tithing now too, the promised land, the prosperity gospel have become unarguably the most overused, overworked, misunderstood, misinterpreted, contentious  terms in the news media, in the non Pentecostal and in the Non Charismatic arenas,  in the fundamental religious circles all even because many of these people are mostly still serving self, doing their own thing, looking up to mere man and not God. Most people have never even firstly had studied, read what the Bible actually says firstly, not even many preachers.
 
Beyond the show of a doubt the devil himself  firstly really hates any references to the Holy Spirit, the anointed ones, the idea that Christians do have now empowering to overcome the devil too... and so now the devil uses any of his followers, those in the fundamental religious circles too now, to now  lie, twist, distort the truths.  and they falsely try to say something typical like this "If you check every single Biblical reference to the Anointing you should notice that " There is not ONE SINGLE reference to the anointing being a supernatural power given to human by which they are able to perform miracles... There is not ONE SINGLE reference to anyone being able to transmit the anointing by any means, including the laying on of hands... There is not ONE SINGLE reference to getting, keeping, increasing, or losing the anointing."
 
Mind you they these same  liars do have to Tear out the whole Old Testament for a start..  the prophets were clearly anointed, and performed miracles,  and the same Jesus yesterday, today and forever who lives in us today too, who was anointed and performed miracles  he had also said that believers will do even greater things now too.  In  the reality now after all Samson next lost his anointing.. and so did King Saul lose his anointing .. and David asked God not to take away his anointing too after he had sinned with Bathsheba..
 
It’s the frequent and methodical strategy of those people not Holy sprit filled, those people walking in the flesh that they do bash, recite against anyone who has evidenced the Holy Spirit anointing  still too, we all can see  these false professors  own false, unscriptural doctrine and practice. It’s now a charge of  their “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit” and their disobedience of  “touch not the Lord’s anointed.”
  • The anointing is sacred, the anointing is the Holy Spirit, and all believers in Christ have the anointing of the Holy Spirit. We must be careful what we say about our brothers and sisters in Christ.

(Matthew 12:31 NKJV) "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.

(1 Chronicles 16:22-24 NKJV) Saying, "Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm." {23} Sing to the LORD, all the earth; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. {24} Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples."

While the Antichrist and False Prophet themselves will possess the credential that they do reputedly perform miracles. While the devil does try to  counterfeit the miracles of God, those now done by Moses too, the existence of the devil and his bad works, the counterfeits now still does not nullify the present reality, existence  of God genuine gifts, miracles and real prophets, miracles workers, apostles  now too. REALITY.
 
The anointing that the devil and his false followers do hate and  oppose, lie about is this..
 
(Mark 16:17 KJV)  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18  They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
 
(Deu 18:19 KJV)  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
 
(Deu 18:20 KJV)  But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
 
(Psa 89:24 KJV)  But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.
 
(Jer 14:14 KJV)  Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.
 
(Jer 14:15 KJV)  Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.
 
(Jer 23:25 KJV)  I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
 
(Jer 27:15 KJV)  For I have not sent them, saith the LORD, yet they prophesy a lie in my name; that I might drive you out, and that ye might perish, ye, and the prophets that prophesy unto you.
 
(Jer 29:9 KJV)  For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD.
 
(Jer 29:23 KJV)  Because they have committed villany in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbours' wives, and have spoken lying words in my name, which I have not commanded them; even I know, and am a witness, saith the LORD.
 
(Mat 18:5 KJV)  And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
 
(Mat 18:20 KJV)  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
 
(Mat 24:5 KJV)  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
 
(Mark 9:37 KJV)  Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.
 
(Mark 9:39 KJV)  But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.
 
(Mark 9:41 KJV)  For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.
 
(Luke 9:48 KJV)  And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.
 
(Luke 21:8 KJV)  And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.
 
(John 14:13 KJV)  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
 
(John 14:14 KJV)  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
 
(John 14:26 KJV)  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
 
(John 15:16 KJV)  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
 
(John 16:23 KJV)  And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
 
(John 16:24 KJV)  Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
(1 Cor 12:7 KJV)  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
 
(1 Cor 12:8 KJV)  For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
 
(1 Cor 12:9 KJV)  To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
 
(1 Cor 12:10 KJV)  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:
 
(1 Cor 12:11 KJV)  But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
 
To me it is so just unbelievable that any professing Christian persons  can even think of saying say that there is no special anointing  by the holy spirit and any Christian person today..
 
Yes the people who  are not anointed do not know what it is really like, but they are wrong to say there are no anointing by the Holy Spirit on others.
 
(Psa 91:11 KJV)  For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
 
(Prov 3:6 KJV)  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
 
(Ezek 16:47 KJV)  Yet hast thou not walked after their ways, nor done after their abominations: but, as if that were a very little thing, thou wast corrupted more than they in all thy ways.
 
I admit that I have mostly stopped hearing for years now too or reading what the supposedly Christians pastors, authors say, write because I have made a real decision  a long time ago to only listen to God, to hear him only,  and only to write that which he speaks to me  to write, for I am not here on earth to get's man's useless approval, or any of his money too, for only God's blessing, approval counts anyway.
 
Secondly it is very clear that God know everything that I do anyway, firstly. so I too do seek to do his will in everything I do, by praying beforehand Lord what will you have me to do next?
 
He or she that trust mainly in  their  own wisdom understandings, or mainly in the advice of others is still basically a real fool, an unwise person.
 
(Psa 4:5 KJV)  Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.
 
(Psa 31:6 KJV)  I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD.
 
(Psa 37:3 KJV)  Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
 
(Psa 40:3 KJV)  And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
 
(Psa 73:28 KJV)  But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.
 
(Psa 115:10 KJV)  O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.
 
(Psa 115:11 KJV)  Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.
 
(Psa 118:8 KJV)  It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
 
(Psa 118:9 KJV)  It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.
 
(Psa 125:1 KJV)  They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.
 
(Prov 3:5 KJV)  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
 
(Prov 28:25 KJV)  He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.
 
(Prov 29:25 KJV)  The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.
 
Sadly too many persons are guilty of the sin of presumption, doing that which seems right in their own eyes, without checking first with God if it is the right thing to do. They can't check with God, basically cause they can't hear him. and they can't hear him cause they still do not really have a relationship with God, even cause they really do not spend time with him daily alone hearing him and talking to him..
 
(Psa 19:13 KJV)  Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
 
(2 Pet 2:10 KJV)  But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
 
(Deu 1:43 KJV)  So I spake unto you; and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD, and went presumptuously up into the hill.
 
(Deu 17:12 KJV)  And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the LORD thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel.
 
(Deu 17:13 KJV)  And all the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously.
 
(Deu 18:22 KJV)  When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.
 
(Psa 4:8 KJV)  I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
 

    

   

 

 

 

The Anointing Breaks The Yoke

"And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing"  (Isaiah 10:27).     Just because one is a Christian counselor does not make his or her counseling effective.  Just because one knows the principles of the Word does not make his or her counseling effective.   Just because one is a dynamic or charismatic counselor does not make his or her ministry effective.  Education, knowledge, and experience are important, but none of these make one's ministry effective in the kingdom.

    "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).   The word "might" means strength, wealth, or force.  The word for "power" refers to human ability.  The answer is the anointing!

    The prophecy found in Isaiah 10:27 is a prophecy concerning the coming of Jesus and the anointing which is to rest upon him. Isaiah 11:2 gives us further insight.  "And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD"  (Isaiah 11:2).  Here we see the seven facets of the Spirit of God:

1. The Spirit of the LORD.
2. The Spirit of wisdom.
3. The Spirit of understanding.
4. The Spirit of counsel.
5. The Spirit of might.
6. The Spirit of knowledge.
7. The Spirit of the fear of the LORD.

    Isaiah later gives even more explanation concerning the prophecy.  "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;    To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;    To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified"  (Isaiah 61:1-3).     When we come to the New Testament, we see Jesus applying the Scripture to himself.  "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,    To preach the acceptable year of the Lord"  (Luke 4:18-19).  Luke in the book of Acts also explains, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him"  (Acts 10:38).

    Again, it is the anointing that breaks the yoke!  Human wisdom can not heal emotional wounds.  Human knowledge can not set free those who are spiritually bound.  Traditions and church rituals can't cast out a demonic spirit.  Human whit can not restore those who have emotional bruises (blows to his or her identity).  However, the anointing that was on Jesus can heal all those who have been oppressed of the devil. "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him" (Acts 10:38).

    We should understand that the ANOINTING did not cease when Jesus ascended into Heaven.  Joel prophesied concerning the anointing.  "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit" (Joel 2:28-29).  Please note the expression "all flesh" which means that is available to all Believers.

    The door to the anointing is open to all Believers, male and female, both young and old. "And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him"  (Acts 5:32).  Jesus told the Believers right before he ascended, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8).   Sure enough, the anointing came on the day of Pentecost.   "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:4).

     Here are several other examples of the anointing.  "And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness" (Acts 4:31).  This occurred some time after the outpouring on Pentecost. Paul wrote, "Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God"  (II.  Corinthians 1:21).  Again see the anointing, "And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people" (Acts 6:8).   Stephen was not an apostle, but rather a faithful deacon.

    James wrote "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord"  (James 5:14).  Church elders should have the anointing.  However, it should not be limited to those is full-time ministry.

    If you are a Believer, you need the anointing to minister!  Every Believer should ASK for the anointing.  "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" (Luke 11:13).  However, yesterday's anointing is not sufficient for today, nor today's anointing sufficient for tomorrow.  We should seek to be anointed daily, even twice daily.    "And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.   And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations" (Exodus 30:7-8).  The lamps were to be filled twice daily, once in the morning and once in the evening.

    Remember, it is the anointing that breaks the yoke!  Now, some will declare that since they are already Believers that automatically gives them the anointing.  However, there is a big difference in the earnest of the Spirit and the fullness of the Spirit.  "That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,   Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory" (Ephesians 1:12-14).  This speaks to the "earnest" of the Spirit that one receives at the time of the rebirth which is an earnest of his inheritance. "Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts" (II Corinthians 1:22).   "Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit" (II Corinthians 5:5).    However, now look at how Paul prays for these Believers who already have the earnest of the Spirit.  "Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,  Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,  Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: " (Ephesians 1:15-21).  Paul is praying for these Christians to be anointed with the HOLY SPIRIT of wisdom and revelation.  This can be directly cross referenced to, "And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD" (Isaiah 11:2).  Since both passages refer to the HOLY SPIRIT the word "spirit" should be capitalized as I have indicated.

    So what are the different facets of the Anointing?  There are many; however, one of the main purposes is to reveal our inheritance in Christ.  "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual" (I Corinthians 2:12-13).  "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.   He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.    He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you" (John 16:13-15).  It is absolutely amazing how the Holy Spirit shows the extent of our inheritance in Christ to those who will receive the anointing.     Another purpose is that the Holy Spirit may become our spiritual teacher and to bring to our memory also what He has taught us.  "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (John 14:26).  I can be counseling or witnessing to someone and the Holy Spirit can bring to mind a Scripture or truth from Scripture to me which I have not thought of in years.

    The Holy Spirit also will give greater insights about Jesus to those who receive the anointing.  "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:" (John 15:26).

    One primary purpose of the anointing of the Holy Spirit is that one may be a witness unto Christ. One is not just to be a his witness, witness about Jesus, or witness for him, but to witness UNTO him.  "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8).   This means that when others see the person who is anointed with the Holy Spirit, they should be seeing Jesus.

    The anointing will also bring conviction to the "world" through the Believer.    "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.    And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:    Of sin, because they believe not on me;    Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;    Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged"  (John 16:7-11).  The word "reprove" is demonstrated when the prosecuting attorney brings proof into the court that the crime has been committed by the defendant.  http://www.wholeperson-counseling.org/doctrine/anointing_breaks.html

I am sure that even non Pentecostals, non charismatic Christians will have  to agree with me when I say that the spiritual gift we all need to seek too  now is the gift of prophecy.. Prophecy is not merely foretelling always  future events,, it is mainly conveying God present words, confirming God's  direction.
 
 "Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His  servants the prophets.  A lion has roared! Who will not fear?  The Lord God  has spoken!  Who can but prophesy?"  Amos 3:7,8
(Rev 19:10 KJV)  And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me,  See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have  the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the  spirit of prophecy.
 
All Prophecy always exalts the Lord Jesus Christ and not any man, person,  denomination..
 
(2 Pet 1:20 KJV)  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is  of any private interpretation. 21  For the prophecy came not in old time by  the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy  Ghost.
 
(2 Pet 2:1 KJV)  But there were false prophets also among the people, even  as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in  damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon  themselves swift destruction. 2  And many shall follow their pernicious  ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3  And  through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you:  whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation  slumbereth not.
(Jer 2:8 KJV)  The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle  the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the  prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.
 
Prophecy is expressing the deep inner feelings, voice of the Holy Spirit to  this generation.  Prophecy as stated in the New Testament  clearly here,  requires next no new redefinitions, it is the "edification" through the  interpretations of  the language of the Holy Spirit into English for example  for the benefit of others and ourselves too.
(1 Cor 14:13 KJV)  Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray  that he may interpret. (And no exceptions now too)
Sadly some people want to wrongfully exalt "speaking in tongues" over  prophecy.. too bad for them.. and they thus do try to misinterpret what  prophecy still is.. rather know and  read the Word first and not their
views...
(Rom 12:6 KJV)  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is  given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion  of faith;
(1 Cor 12:10 KJV)  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:
(1 Cor 13:2 KJV)  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all  mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could  remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
2 Pet 1:19 - 21, 2:1 - 3, "We have also a more sure word of prophecy;  whereunto you do well that you take heed, as unto a light that shines in a  dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private  interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man:  but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. But there  were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false  teachers among you, who privately shall bring in damnable heresies, even  denying Jesus that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of  truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with  feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time  lingers not, and their damnation slumbers not."
Clearly one of the unique, great, valid emphasis of the Pentecostals from  the other denominations is also their emphasis on personally hearing God  speak. even personally and collectively speaking to us, verbally  individually or in a collective setting by prophecy.
(1 Cor 14:26 KJV)  How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every  one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. 27  If any man  speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and  that by course; and let one interpret. 28  But if there be no interpreter,  let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to  God. 29  Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. 30 If  any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his  peace. 31  For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all  may be comforted. 32  And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the  prophets. 33  For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

(Rom 12:1 KJV)  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,  that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,  which is your reasonable service.

(Rom 12:2 KJV)  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by  the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and  acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

(Psa 119:9 KJV)   Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking  heed thereto according to thy word.
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(Gal 6:7 KJV)  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man  soweth, that shall he also reap.

(Gal 6:8 KJV)  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap  corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life  everlasting.

(Gal 6:9 KJV)  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we  shall reap, if we faint not.

(Gal 6:10 KJV)  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all  men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

The question about the existence today of  the gift of Prophecy and other  Holy Spirit gifts are very common.. yet still the answers differ so much.  And why?

(2 Tim 2:15 KJV)  Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that  needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun  profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 17  And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;

It also still amazes me how some people are so ready to claim they are  right, even experts, on a subject they have never experienced even, such as  the people who do not at all claim now to be a prophet, and/or do not claim  they speak in tongues, and/or do not claim they prophecy and yet they next  still will try to claim now even to write authoritatively on any of it.....  sure, sure! They firstly all mostly have already lost my respect, and their  credibility.

(Eph 5:11 KJV)  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of  darkness, but rather reprove them.12   For it is a shame even to speak of  those things which are done of them in secret. 13 But all things that are  reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest  is light.

(1 Pet 4:17 KJV)  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house  of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey  not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where  shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

(Luke 19:46 KJV)  Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of  prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.

(Mal 3:8 KJV)  Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say,  Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9  Ye are cursed with  a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.10   Bring ye all the  tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove  me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows  of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough  to receive it.

Malachi was specifically firstly written to the Levites, the priests, the  pastors, and they are they ones accused of the wrong doings firstly here too not dealing with the tithe properly. Jesus began his ministry in the sole  Temple too with a whip..

Next firstly also note this recent relgious US southern Baptist editorial  about the...  "Five things that can cripple a church By J. Gerald Harris,  Editor Published March 16, 2006// First, there is the problem of a scandalous leadership. ( past Liberals  included). Second, there is the problem of a discordant member ( Constituent  members) I am speaking of the person who is born in the objective mood and negative case - the person who is never happy with what happens in the  church and actually creates dissention.  In Proverbs 6:16-19 the Bible actually tells us that there are some things that God hates or considers an  abomination and one thing God despises is the person who sows seeds of  discord among the brethren.  . Third, there is the problem of apathy. ( too many Canadian ostriches not  dealing with  the wrongs of others)  Vance Havner said, "We have anarchy in  the world, apostasy in the professing church and apathy in the true church."  An indifferent, indolent, lukewarm church nauseates God and renders the  church helpless and ineffective. . Too many churches have too many people  who just don't want to get involved. Such apathy cripples the cause of   Christ and paralyzes the effort to build healthy kingdom churches. Fourth,  there is the problem of inflexibility. ( Stubbornness and Laziness are often  the main factor behind this too) Some churches do not grow because the  members are so unwilling to change, so unyielding, so set in their ways. Fifth, there is the problem of purposelessness. ( One's wrong goals lead to  a larger personal void..) One church put a sign on their church door in 1963 that stated, "Gone out of business. Didn't know what our business was."" It  might have been unintentional but quite revealing anyway that this above  editorial wrongfully too  did not include anything about tithing, money,  helping the poor and needy persons., the negelct of which something that  really cripples a church too, and note this  seems to applies to most of the  churches, Baptist, Pentecostal etc.,

1: Besides the fact of a clear lack of love  for others and God, the main factor  that firstly clearly cripple any church or a Christian are lack of personal  daily prayer by the pastors, deacons, elders, lay persons. All Pastors  should at least pray and read their bibles one hour a day.. and most  Christians still do not read or pray 5 minutes of day. 2: I know for a fact also that  Robbing God of his tithes, misappropriating  them and denying the poor their portion of the tithes devastates any  Christian or  church as well.

There is also no question that most Christian churches even today , the  leaders and the people do people abuse the tithes, ( giving to God 10%  percent of one's total income) the evangelical churches and pastors  included, and they do also steal from the tithes by not giving the local  poor people in their local church their applicable portion of the tithe. All  churches should be doing this good work of giving to the poor people too if  they actually practiced honestly the laws of tithing set forth in the Bible.

(Luke 16:9 KJV)  And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the  mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into  everlasting habitations. 10   He that is faithful in that which is least is  faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in  much. 11  If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon,  who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12   And if ye have not been  faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is  your own? 13   No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the  one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the  other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Furthermore the Old Testament Levites, and the poor persons who could enjoy  the benefits of the tithes they did not own  or could not own any land, or a  house.  The Lord God  stated that the Levites would have no inheritance of  land but would be given a portion of the tithe instead. Such an injunction would also apply today to anyone claiming a right to a tithe too. 

Numbers 18:20 (NIV) 20 The LORD said to Aaron, "You will have no inheritance  in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and  your inheritance among the Israelites..
 
 
 
 

 

By the way the last 20 years of ministry I have never taken an offering,  asked for a donation or asked for any money too for myself. I trust God to supply what I need and how he wants to do it as well.  Do see