Encounter Recovery Ministries: Recent Episodes
The church is the living body of Christ, and you dear Christian are an essential member, gifted by the Spirit to minister to one another. The divinely appointed outcome of such ministry to one another is maturity in Christ likeness. Is this what is happening in you and around with your crrent church experience?
We need not wonder, as if some strange thing has happened, as to why the churches in the West are in the present woeful state. The New Testament is crystal clear that the ministry of the Spirit belongs to each one of the members of the body of Christ. But that ministry has been usurped by a false system of clerics who substitute themselves for the ministry of the Spirit. Here is more on what you must do in your lifetime to recover the New Tesament model for the church.
It is time to hear and obey the voice of the Spirit regarding the nature, character and function of the body of Christ, the church. It is not as if the Spirit inspired text is not clear on this issue, and the implications for disobedience are grave. For 1700 years, human tradition has quenched the Spirit and it is time we repent, for judgment truly begins in the house of God.
This is a follow up to the recent talk entitled, "The Worst Condition of All." In this lesson we learn how authentic, Spirit-birthed union with Christ is the BEST condition of all. We learn that condition is evidenced by our desire to grow in his likeness and thus purifying ourselves from anything that is opposed to his life in our character and conduct.
What is the very worst condition any human being can be in? It is to think you are something you are not. The absolute worse condition one can be in is to be missing something that is essential for life in the now and in the hereafter, and yet, think you possess it. In this brief exhortation we discover the nature of this condition and the horrific state it brings, and what must be done to remedy it.
As if addiction recovery does not have enough pitfalls along the path, trying to find genuine fellowship is yet another. Still, we need each other. In this talk, we learn about what a healthy fellowship looks like and what a sick, powerless fellowship also looks like so we can avoid it.
The tragic fact of the spirituality prescribed within Twelve Step programs and treatment centers today is it is powerless. It can bring about genuine recovery let alone regenration and union with Christ. Equally true, is the lack of gospel in the churches today as well. These are perious times. You must be prepared to to pray and pursue others like yourself who want to call upon the Lord and recover and support each other in becoming like Jesus. Meet in your homes, meet anywhere you can, but find fellowship with those who are not ashamed of the gospel.
The path out of the dark forest of addiction begins with two crtiical truths: 1) A genuine acceptance of the precise nature of the problem, and 2) the precise nature of the solution. In this talk we are reminded of both. And we are also reminded, that any deviance from one or the other or both only perpretuate the self-delusion of addiction and the human condition. So where do we turn? Not man-made, man-centered religiosity. Not churchianity. Instead, we turn to the power of God as revealed in the Person and finished work of Jesus and the continuing ministry of the Spirit within the fellowship of likeminded believers.
This is an introduction to a new series of talks intended to bring real answers to real alcoholic and addicts. In this first talk, we learn that life is hellish in active addiction and even worse when we are not using--something radical is necessary or only jail, insanity or death awaits.
Tradition is a yoke that is hard to break. It takes courage to open your Bible, read it in context, employ the cross references, and then follow the text where it leads you, even if that means you realize your church tradition is in error. In this brief exhortation, you will find affirmation and support for such courage. Afterall, it is the Lord Jesus Christ whom we serve, not our church tradition.
This is an audible review of the study notes from our recent "Acts 2:42" gathering. We discovered that our new personal narrative is derived from Christ's incarnation narrative: A fitting study during the Christmas season!
Do you know that you are living out a narrative, a story, a framework by which you make choices regarding God, yourself, and those around you? In this new series we are going to examine how the gospel moves us from the old to the new narrative and transforms us into the image of Jesus.
This is a summary of the series, "The Whole Counsel of God." Here we discover the simplicity and purity of the gospel and are reminded of the scope of God's gracious provision in His Son.
There is value in social connection. We all need to feel we belong. But when we stay in a corrupt church "because our friends are there" we are placing felt needs above your devotion to Christ, and created an idol.
In part three of the series "Recovering the Whole Counsel of God" we continue to define and apply what is meant by this term: The whole counsel of God, and why it is so very important to your spiritual, mental, and relational health.
This is part two of a vital series on recovering the whole counsel of God, meaning the work of Christ and the ministry of the Spirit in appropriating that work in you. In this lesson we learn about renewing our fellowship with and relying upon the Holy Spirit, alone.
This lesson is a reminder that the finished work of Christ, and the work of the Spirit in appropriating that work, are inseparable. Now, this is important because most modern preaching does not include the good news of how the Spirit appropriates Christ into your life, and is therefore not gospel preaching.
It goes without saying that the health of our church fellowship effects or own spiritual and mental health. On the other hand, most Christians are sick and spiritually anemic but refuse to recognize it is because of the sick church they attend. In order to recover, they must come out of that church, and churches like it.
Do you realize you are under a divine imperative to minister to your brothers and sisters in Christ? Christ has graced each member of His body with at least one spiritual gift. And this He has done so that you are a now vital contributor to the life and edification of the body of Christ. Don't let the clergy-driven system rob you of this high calling.
The sermon emphasizes cultivating a prayer life modeled after Jesus, moving beyond lofty words to a genuine relationship with God as Father. It highlights the importance of communal prayer, recognizing that our connection with the divine is inextricably linked to our interpersonal relationships and mutual edification within the body of Christ. The Lord's Prayer serves as a guide, urging believers to prioritize God's name, kingdom, and will above personal requests, while also underscoring the necessity of forgiveness and release from resentment as essential components of a mature and intimate prayer life.
This sermon is a plea to view Christian wholeness and maturity as an imperative. The redemption that God has accomplished for us in Christ is to be worked out in our fellowship so that we become more and more like Jesus and walk as children of light. But we must first escape the traditions and doctrines of men that would keep us broken, confused, and immature.
The sermon emphasizes that a life defined by love for God manifests as joyful obedience to His will, mirroring the example of Jesus who delighted in fulfilling the Father's purpose. Drawing from passages like Psalm 40 and Hebrews, it highlights Jesus' sacrifice as the ultimate fulfillment of God's will and calls believers to align their lives with this model, seeking to know and pray for the power to fulfill God's desires. Ultimately, the message underscores that true Christian living involves a continual pursuit of God's will, motivated by love and resulting in a life dedicated to His glory, reflecting the intimate relationship between the Father and the Son.
Do you attend church weekly and yet find yourself struggling with addiction, broken relationships, spriitually immaturity, and confusion as to your church life? You are not alone, and in this brief exhortation we tell you why this is the case for you.
We continue now to examine how to pray like Jesus. In this lesson we consider praying for our enemies as foundational to Christlike prayer. We also consider Christ's model of how we are to pray for one another as found in John 17.
There is a lot of religious shame tied to prayer. People are told they do not pray long enough, often enough, or hard enough. In this exhortation, we seek to free you from this by reminding you that under the new covenant, you are the temple of God, and you are always in the presence of God; prayer therefore is a way of life and a constant state not an act or duty.
The worst spiritual condition is to no longer care to hear the voice of the Spirit. To be so entrenched in religious activities one becomes more devoted to those activities than to Christ Himself. In this brief exhortation, we consider the prevelance of this condition and call you to set aside anything, especially present religious practices that dull your hearing and rob you of spiritual maturity and discernment.
If you are in Christ you are most certainly in the Church, for you ARE the Church; but it is also entirely possible for you to be in what is called the Church and NOT be in Christ. How do you know you are "in Christ"? This is the vital question we answer in this brief series. Please, I beg you, join me.
Many a tender conscience has been tormented by the thought that those who "fall away" cannot be renewed and restored, based largely on a misinterpretation of Hebrews 6:4-6. In this lesson we examine the greater context of that passage and both set at liberty those so tormented, and also discover the true warning intended by that text.
This is a six-week series on learrning to pray like Jesus by hearing and embracing His teaching AND His example.
This part two of a six-week series on learning to pray like Jesus. Jesus taught us by word and by His living example how to pray, and it is the great privilege of every Christian to walk in his footsteps, and in His prayer life.
There is a gospel principle which is so vital that without it we have only half the gospel, and half a gospel does not create half a Christian, but no Christian at all. In this brief exhortation you are reminded of this vital principle.
The Christian disciple is a follower of a hated, rejected, and crucified Christ. We must therefore give up thinking that we can make the world like Jesus enough to avoid the world's hostility. Attempts to do so only result in creating a false Jesus. Let us instead walk in the Spirit and more closely follow the revelation of Jesus preserved for us in Scripture-- the crucified Messiah.
There is but one true Christ, the revelation of whom is preserved for us within Scripture alone and made real by the Holy Spirit, alone. But much of what calls itself Christianity preaches another Jesus, a different spirit, and gospel. Here is the infallible test to ensure you are actually following Jesus Christ.
In this teaching we are reminded of the propensity to forsake the living God --the fountain of living water--in favor of man-made, dead religiosity that only appears to be true. The remedy is also offered and questions from you are welcome.
Everyone has a past. Before becoming a disciple of Christ, each of us was living in ways he or she now regrets. This is why it is important understand one's present life is conditioned not by the past, but the future age being lived out in the present day. You are now, a new creation, and you no longer belong to the old creation and its ways, including your past.
For you to grow in Christ by putting off the old self and puting on the new self, we need to grow in our sensitivity to the voice of Christ in the text of Scripture. It is not just hearing "ABOUT" Jesus, as some translation read, but hearing Jesus and being taught by Him that causes our growth in Him.
The disciple is one under the yoke of Christ, and that is evident by the disciple becoming more like his Master. As we learn from Him we discover He is gentle and humble in heart and this progressively defines the character of the disciple as well.
The disciple's greatest longing is to be more like Jesus, and he/she knows this does not happen in isolation. We need to gather, but for the reasons the Bible tells us, and not merely to be a cog in the insitutional church. No, we gather for the express purpose of mutual edification and growth, that is, to be better disciples for having come together than before we gathered.
Religious tradition addiction effects most Christians. It is more deadly than fentanyl and cocaine and more socially acceptable than alcohol. It is a system with leaders who are vested in keeping you dependent upon it and not upon Jesus Christ. Though it operates in his name, it keeps you spiritually immature, and ignorant of who you are in Christ and your place as a Spirit-gifted member of the body of Christ. One must discern it, leave it, and find true fellowship that helps you mature in Christ's image. This series is designed to help you do that.
Please listen carefully to this plea for repentance and renewal into the New Testament vision for the church as the body of Christ. Throughout the history of the people of God, there has occurred horrible and appaling seasons. We are in such a season today. The institutional church system which began 1700 years ago, has remade the church in its own image and for the benefit and personal interests of false prophets and priests. And most Christians are okay with it!!
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we want to respond to all things in accord with our Lord's word and example.This includes how we respond to human evil. Here are a few thoughts on how to do this.
What is the ground of our assurance as disciples? what will be our confidence on the day of judgment? Throughout the history of institutional Christianity, assurance has been tied to externals like church attendance, sacraments, using Christian termonoligies and symbols. In this episode, we are reminded what it is that brings the disciple great assurance.
From the lips of Jesus to the preaching and pens of the apostles, wealth is presented as a major obstacle to spiritual health. This is contrary to most ancient cultures and certainly contrary to the American culture, even contrary to American religion. How is the disciple to respond?
Fallen humanity remains very religious, and the disciple of Jesus must not be taken in by the hypocrisy and lies of false religion tradition. Rather, we must discern and expose the religious traditions of men for what they are, and instead, listen to Jesus alone.
The disciple of Jesus must share in his Master's definition of the church as being His Body. The ministry therefore belongs to Christ and is realized by the mediating work of the Spirit through the entire Body. The clergy-laity distinction is a man-made institution from which the disciple must therefore come out.
With the coming of our Lord came the radical teaching that to love is one commandment with two parts: Love of God and love of neighbor. This is how Jesus loved and this is how his disciples are to love as well.
It is foundational that disciples not demand to be served but to serve one another, just as Jesus did. Wealth, status, and power are not the way of Jesus nor of his disciples. This is very important in our day in which most pastors believe they have authority they do not truly possess.
When Jesus called his first disciples, he issued a command to follow him. It was not a suggestion, but a command. In other words, to be a disciple means to be a follower of Jesus, and not merely a believer, as important as that is.
Discipleship begins with Jesus at his preaching repentance for the kingdom of heaven is now here! Now, not just future, but now. If you are a disciple of Christ, you belong not to this present evil age but to the kingdom age. Jesus Himself inagurated this new age by His life, death, and resurrection, and it was this new kingdom age that was empowerd by the Spirit at Pentecost.
We are all born into a family culture that defines who we are and creates our personal identity. When we come to Christ, we are tempted to integrate Christ into our existing narrative and identity, which is just the opposite of what Christ calls His disciples to do. The disciple is to instead walk away from other defining narratives and make Jesus Himself our new identity.
This is part two of this message of recovering the Body of Christ, and helping you to undrestand yourself as a Spirit-gifted, vital part of Christ's body. In this lesson, we discuss how we got where we are with clergy and laity and the institutional mindset which is opposed to New Testament vision for the Body of Christ.
The first pricniple of discipleship is loving Jesus beyond any person, place, or thing. This means family, self, and possessions must take their proper place. The good news is once we have committed to love Jesus supremely, these others thing also find there true place and meaning.
America is entering a time of economic uncertainty, says the media. So then, how are we as Christian to respond to such times as these? In this brief exhortation, you will learn to resist the temptation to fear, hoarding, and anger, and instead learn to trust the living God. It is godliness with contentment that is the true wealth, no matter what the state of Wall Street.
Do you realize that because the Holy Spirit dwells in you that this makes you a Spirit-gifted, vital minister in the Body of Christ? It is true. The ministry belongs to Christ, and He ministers in and through and among the entire Body and this includes you.
In the fourth century, what was the body of Christ became under the institutional church system in service to The Holy Roman Empire. Not all complied. Many escaped to the mountains and desert places. But in the new system, only was the gospel lost, so also was the New Testament pattern and purpose for the church. For you to grow in Christ you too must escape this system and find fellowship that supports God's purpose to conform you into the image of His Son.
It is often thought that a Christian owes fellowship with anyone who claims to be a follower of Christ. But this is simply not true. We are to be discerning as to with whom we fellowship. And we must be content to know that genuine fellowship is always found among the few and not the many. Here is some biblical guidance to help you put this into practice and find the true fellowship you crave.
This is part two of the two-part series: One Thing is Necessary. Here we take a closer look at what it means to live and love like Jesus: the one thing necessary for the Christian life. We examine Christ's character on three essential points: 1) Single-mindedness, 2) Purity of Heart, and 3) Purity of devotion.
To follow Jesus is to follow his way of life. And it is a joyous way of life. Nothing brings greater purpose and meaning to your life than to realize you are in fact becoming more like Jesus in very practical, and always. relational ways.
There is a way of following Jesus that Jesus himself commands; it is a way of life that he models for us. This way involves focusing on the one thing necessary. Ony one thing. In this brief exhortation, we examine how to adopt this way of life.
In this brief exhortation, we encourage you to rejoice and take comfort that you have found your way out of the institutional church system and discovered the body of Christ in your small gatherings in homes or other spaces. Rejoice! You are Christ's little flock.
Many Christians struggle with issues related to their mental and relational health, and while there can be many causes, the one they seldom consider is their church affiliation. In this talk, we address the institutional church system as being the underlying cause for much of the suffering and burnout for today's believer, and what to do about it.
This is an introduction to a new YouTube channel that will soon be active. On this channel, we will work to help you recover a biblical understanding of the Body of Christ and your vital role in it, and thus escape the clutches of the institutional church system.
In this introductory episode, we turn to First John to guide us out of any religious system that is destructive even though it calls itself a Christian Church. And American airwaves and buildings are filled with such false churches. In this new series, we will discover that John sets the standards for what it means to be in fellowship with the apostilc proclamation and to know the complete joy that fellowship brings to those who embrace it. You need not suffer in silence in these church systems any longer.
Do you realize the nature and purpose of the body of Christ and your vital role in it? The apostle John tells us the apostlic proclamation is that the Word of Life was manifested within humanity, and that this incarnate love of the Father in the Son remains with us in our fellowship even today!
God has designed the body of Christ so as to be the continued presence of the ascended Christ on earth; by the ministry of the Spirit to one another and then to the world. We must avoid the pastor centered, sermon focused, sing-along "worship services" which fail to afford the time and format to engage one another for mutual edification and equipping to proclaim the gospel to the world.
What do we do when church attendance becomes toxic? What happens when years of attendance has failed to produce spiritual maturity and meaning in your life? It takes a lot of courage to ask these questions, and that courage is necessary if we are going to recover the truth that the church is the people and not the business or institution.
Do you know the purpose of the Christian life? The Christian can become a very busy person with church life, church friends, church duties, etc, etc, and lose touch with the central purpose for the Christian life; the purpose that brings true peace.
This is a brief but important reminder of the riches of the glory that are your inheritance in Christ. Tragically, most professing Christians possess a very impoverished view of what it means to be in Christ. They have little or no grounding in who they are in him, and they are therefore unequipped to fulfill that which God has called them to contribute to the body of Christ. This can end, beginning now . . .
It is very common for believers to believe they possess dualing natures: sin and grace; flesh and Spirit, et al. This is almost correct. In this episode we expose this very subtle but destructive error. The truth is this: if you are in Christ you have one nature, that of the Spirit; the nature of sin which resides in your unredeemed body however, has not changed, and must be "put to death" by walking in the Spirit.
This is the first of a new on-going series of short exhortations designed to call you aside and build you up and refresh you. In this episode, we examine the our Lord's command to come to him and to him alone for rest.
You may find it surprising to know that the express purpose for Christians gathering is for mutual edification. It is not to stand in rows and join a sing-along and listen to monologue sermons. No, we have pastors and teachers but they are to teach in ways that allow interaction, to build each other up, and to equip for ministry. There is no legitimate hierarchy in the church. Vertical leadership is foreign to the New Testament.
Do you ever leave a church "worship service" feeling as isolated as when you went? There is a diffirence between "alone" and "solitude." Solitude is a healthy spiritual discipline, isolation is destructive. Here we expose and discuss one of the major causes of isolation: The traditional "worship service."
Are you getting worn out by the church routine? It is okay to admit it. The Christian life is not defined by church attendance, but becoming like Jesus. In this brief episode, we are reminded that our joy in Christ is discovered in becoming like him, and not in merely going through the church routine.
The world does not offer you good news. Cable news should have health disclaimers. You cannot ground yourself in it. Rather, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, we are people of the THE good news! Christ has called us, filled us with the Spirit, and sent us into the world precisely because the world is fallen and in darkness. We are called to bring good news and the very presence of the living Christ into the world.
What is the primary purpose of God in your life? To conform you into the image of his Son. By this we mean to work out in your character and conduct the very righteousness of Jesus Christ. In this brief exhortation, we hear how Christ continues to reveal himself to the world in and through the believer.
This is a revision and improved recording, including the PDF. In this episode we examine the need to recover the Christ of the gospels in our thinking and ministry to one another, and into the world, and to reject the silly, sentimental, and destructive images of Christ presented by the media, by politicians, and by false teachers.
In a previous episode, I told you that the ministry of Christ belongs to you, the body of Christ, the people, the average believer. The role of pastor and teacher and evangelist is to equip you for that ministry, not to rob you of that high calling. In this episode, we consider the nature of the ministry to which every believer is called as being the ministry of reconciliation.
To think of the ministry is to think of the pastors and evangelists. But the New Testament places the ministry with the people of God, and the pastors and leaders as those gifted for one purpose: to equip the people for that ministry. If you are being so equipped and encouraged then you are being pastored well; if you are not being equipped to do the ministry, then you are being robbed and you must insist upon a return of biblical principles. The ministry belongs to you--the people of God.
For too long the ministry of the church has been pastor-focused and the gatherings music focused -in the name of -worship--. There is a desperate need to return the ministry to the people of God, the Body of Christ, where it belongs and the place where Christ encounters the church and the world around us.
The tradition of the elders stood opposed to the ministry of Jesus, and it stands opposed to his power today as well. We have different traditions but they often serve not the mind of the Lord, but the forces of darkness and are the cause of much suffering. We need to look at these traditions of our day, and when necessary, be done with them in favor of the power of Christ.
In this final episode in this series, we discover that Christlike character is defined as living and loving as Jesus did. This is the high call of the Christian life.
In this sermon we continue to follow the thread of texts affirming the great need of our time, namely, Christ formed in the believer. Here we learn that dying to self and conformity to Christ is the essence of the Christian life, and the chief labor of all Christian ministry.
In this episode, we begin to examine the witness of the New Testament regarding Christ being formed in the believer. We discover that while we will not reach perfection in this conformity in this lifetime, we are to pursue that high calling as if that perfection were possible. If Christ is not everything to us then he is nothing.
This is part one of a brief series in which we consider Christ formed in the believer as the great need of our time. In our day, in which Christian character in both the church and society are all but lost, we need reminding that anything less than progress in Christlike character is not genuine Christ faith. The good news is conforming believers to His Son remains God's eternal purpose.
This is a study presented at a men's monthly breakfast meeting on the topic of how Christ fulfills the Law for us AND in us. In it we address the need to move beyong imputation of Christ's righteousness, as important as that is, to the equally important principle of Christ's righteousness displayed in our character as a matter of nature. This is a biblical principle seldom talked about in protestant-evangelical circles.
The world is filled with false -gospels,- all of which tell you God needs your help to save you. So this is a biblical reminder of the truth that we are in Christ because it was God who first loved us, and not we that first loved God. This is the gospel- And yet, it is hard to believe because the natural mind insists upon making some contribution to your salvation without which not even God can save you. But the gospel is good news precisely because it tells us God has done for us what we could not ever have done for ourselves.
Here is a source of great encouragement and hope as you encounter various trials- In this present moment, God is working out his eternal purpose for you. To connect the points forward from eternity past to this very moment means nothing can rob you of your future outcome- the perfection of Christ's image in you when at last you see him, face to face.
In this episode, we challenge the popular teaching that Christians are -only sinners saved by grace.- The New Testament truth is that grace is a transforming power that brings freedom from sin and practical holiness. If you are in Christ, you once were a sinner, but now being saved by grace, you are free from the power of sin and a child of God in Christ.
Are you ready-- Election -24 is underway. Some of you are anxious, many of you are already angry or panicked. But what is the Christian response to this election-- What if my guy does not win-- In this brief lesson we look at what is to be the Christian's response to the governing authorities--whether it is my guy, or the other guy.
Ask yourself- What is the worst condition, to be unconverted or to think you are converted when you are not-- The Bible says it is the latter- to think you are converted when you are not is the worst condition for any soul. The good news is you can know you are truly converted and be assured of your eternal destiny. In this brief exhortation, we tell you how you can enjoy this assurance.
This is an open and frank appeal to people seeking recovery from developmental trauma, codependence and addiction. In this talk, I address the need to renew our minds by embracing the biblical revelation of the triune God and what the Bible says about mankind by creation and design, in the fall, and in redemption.
It is not only God's desire that you share in His holiness, He commands you to be holy like He is holy. The good news is that God has not only imputed Christ's holiness to us, God has also imparted genuine Christlike holiness in you and now, by the power of the Spirit you can walk in true holiness, which is the pathway to genuine human happiness.
In this last lesson, we do a brief recap and then develop the biblical principle that -We must first be what we teach before we can teach others.- While we cannot expect perfection in this life, we are called to work out the indwelling life of Christ within our own character, and then help others to the same.
What is the Christian ambition is this present age-- What does it really mean that the -just shall live by faith--- It means we are to live out the certain hope of a complete deliverance that is already at work in us because of the finished work of Christ and the outpouring of the Spirit. We are to live out by faith the life that is yet unseen, that is to say, the life of the future age, the new heaven and new earth wherein dwells only righteousness. In short, we are to live like Jesus lived even in this present age in the certain hope of a fully realized redemption that is nearer than we think.
Do you understand grace to be a transforming power-- This is the sixth point of eight things you need to know- Grace transforms us into the image of Christ. Grace is necessary and sufficient as well as effectual, and therefore, transformational.
Many Christians are told they suffer because they need more faith. In this lesson we discover that not only is faith the gift of God, this gift is effectual because it is of a quality only God can provide. It is not our need for more faith that is at issue, but the need for genuine faith which comes to us not based on merit but as a gift of grace.
This is number four of eight things you need to know in order to become spiritually mature and enjoy a fruitful Christian life. And this fourth truth is- Regeneration precedes saving faith. -Faith and repentance are the result of God's prior action by the Spirit through the gospel, and not in any way our contribution to salvation.
This is point three of eight things you need to know in order to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ- Regeneration is a sovereign work of the Spirit. This series is in response to the deprivation of teaching occuring in the churches today on these essential aspects of the Christian life.
This is number two of eight things you need to know in order to be spiritually, mentally, and relationally healthy and fruitful in your faith. In this lesson we examine the truth that salvation is of the Lord.
How do you know you have a proper relationship to the Bible-- In this lesson we discuss three principles that will confirm you have a proper relationship with the inspired text.
As I look back over my Christian life, I realize there are many points of truth I wish I had been taught. Had I been taught these things I could have avoided a lot of bad choices and needless pain of erroneous thinking.
After two centuries of making the new birth the end-goal of evangelism, the churches are filled with believers who have no idea how to actually live the Christian life. They have begun in the Spirit but have no idea how live by the Spirit, and their mental, spiritual, and relational health reflect this tragic state. In this lesson, we point you to the good news of how to live in Christ, by the Spirit, and thus discover a life worth living grounded in the life of Christ in you.
There is nothing more contrary to Christ than an abusive preacher. And today, there are more than a few popular preachers within so-called conservative evangelical-reformed circles who believe they can verbally abuse you in their preaching, even to the point of making threats against you personally. -I will come down there and rip you- says one popular preacher. Please discern and reject such men.
The storyline of your relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit did not begin at your conversion, but in eternity past with God's choosing you to be holy and blamless before him in love. God's electing purpose for you was that you would share in the love between the Father and the Son. This means God did not elect you because you needed redeeming, but he redeemed you because were elected in love. The Father sent the Son into the world to redeem those elected to holiness and love for eternity.
It is God's eternal purpose to create a people who share in his glory and display his own holiness. This purpose was made known to Israel, and fulfilled in the Person and work of Jesus Christ, and is now at work in those who belong to him. If you are in Christ, you are God's holy people living by the power of the Spirit of holiness. You are a new humanity shining like lights in a dark, fallen world.
The glorious -good news- we call the -gospel- is that God has included us in Christ's own story. From before the foundation of the world, God has chosen you -in him- so that his birth, his life, his ministry, his death, resurrection, and ascension, is now your story as well for you were and remain by grace, -in him.-
Most church-goers have never heard the good news of transformation in Christ Jesus. This indifference toward gospel sanctification on the part of today's preachers is appalling. You should grieved and even outraged by this spiritual neglect. Working to bring about Christ-like sanctification is the primary work of pastors and elders, and yet, it is largely dismissed in modern churches. In this episode, we look closer at who you are in Christ as set forth in the New Testament.
One of the hardest things to convey to new converts is the glorious news that who they now are in Christ is the true self, the new creation in Christ. Many just assume they remain vile sinners even after they come to Christ, but that is a great error. The old self was crucified with Christ, and the new self is to be worked out in very practical ways in their thinking and conduct. Be who you really are in Christ- That's the message of the New Testament.
The revival movement of the 1970's placed assurance on conversion, usually defined by reciting the -Sinner's Prayer.- It was a half-gospel that produced not half-Christians, but no Christians at all. In this lesson we examine the biblical ground for assurance of saving faith.
This is part two of a two-part series on the danger of friendship with the world's system. In this lesson we discover the remedy to this very natural default of worldliness is to be like Jesus, in thought, word, and deed.
Most American Christians live as friends of the present evil system the Bible calls -the world.- Perhaps they have not been taught that such friendship makes them an enemy of God- In this series, we examine how friendship with the world is the leading cause of relational conflict and even murder- Recent political and social news and headlines makes this one of the most important series you will ever hear, and hopefully, apply.
When we begin to speak of the glories of Christ and the Christian imperative to be conformed to him, some may mistake me as saying we are to ignore the way of the cross in favor the way of glory. That is not my goal. We need both. We have this treasure in earthen vessels as we await the full redemption of our bodies, even as we know the hope of glory that is, Christ in us.
The gospel of grace includes the moral transformation brought about as the Spirit of God produces ever-increasing conformity to Christ in the believer. For too long we have stopped short of this purpose in our preaching and teaching. We have instead made justification by grace through faith alone, as important is that is, the end of the gospel. But God's primary purpose in election, calling, and justification is the present-day glory of ever-increasing conformity to his Son both in this age, and perfectly in the age to come.
The root of our despair is that we are not being taught how to live, that is, to work out the good news of the gospel into our daily lives. In this brief exhortation, you will here how to overcome this despair by exposing yourself to the -good news- in the provided texts.
This is the second installment of a series addressing the Lenten season and its practices. In this lesson, we examine very similar religious practices to Lent within the ancient city of Colossae- practices Paul condemns. But the apostle then sets forth what genuine Christian piety looks like and the transformation it produces in Christian character and relationships.
There is serious danger in keeping Lent, not that the season itself is dangerous, but how people tend to treat its works of deprivation as pleasing to God. In this brief exhortation, I examine the Lenten season within the framework of the gospel of sovereign grace.
Throughout the history of God's people, there has been a propensity to look to men to save them from other men, to nations to save them from other nations. The result then and the result today is idolatry of the first-order. This is a call to avoid the hysteria on the left and right of an election year and instead walk in sobriety and peace, even toward your enemies.
The promise of moral transformation is to all who believe the gospel. Indeed, to believe and not experience genuine, Spirit-empowered transformation is unheard of in the New Testament. This is because it is God's primary purpose to restore his image in humanity by conforming those who believe the gospel into the image of his Son, who is himself, the perfect image of God.
Most people come to counseling fearing some form of mental illness but are actually suffering from a lack of pastoral care. Many times they have fallen prey to a form of soft legalism that is far from good news. Here are few signs of soft legalism.
Have you heard Jesus-- This is a question seldom asked these days, and yet, it is the central question within the Bible. This is because Jesus is the Prophet God promised by Moses who would come and speak to us for God, and to whom we must listen- How do we know we have heard him-- This is the question anwered in this brief study.
Faith in Jesus is both a gift from God and as we walk with Jesus our faith in him grows. And our redemption and healing from the destructive ways of our past comes to us in his timing and in his ways. We ought not be afraid to ask for Christ's healing touch time and time again as we go trhough life. His mercy is available to us today no less than as it was when we first believed.
Most Christians are aware of the historic controversy regarding grace and works. We know we are not saved by our own works, we are saved by grace. And yet, the New Testament is equally clear that grace is a transforming power in the Christian life. We are -created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.- And we know the great work we do daily is ever-increasing conformity to Christ's image.
This is part one of a two part series on the ministry of the new covenant of the Spirit in evangelism.
While it is true that in Christ we are promised a life that can only be described as -adundant.- This does not mean we are the triumphant one in the gospel story- rather, it is God in Christ who has triumphed over his enemies, which we were before faith. But instead of God's triumph leading to shame and execution as was the case in the historic Roman triumphal procession, we are instead put on display as God's conquered enemies leading to newness of life because Christ himself took our just shame and execution.
This is part two of a two part series on New Covenant evangelism. This is important you because it will help you understand how it is you came to Christ, and will encourage you to rely upon the Lord as opposed to man-made schemes in sharing the gospel with friends and family.
It takes wisdom and discernment to determine whether a professed Christian leader is someone you can follow and even imitate their faith. In this brief exhortation we can consider the two essnetial elements of godly leaders.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is glorious because it is not only the means by which we are reconciled to God, but also the means by which we share in Christ's glory, even in the present age- For while we look forward to that glory being perfected when he returns, we nonetheless rejoice in the foretaste in that glory in the present.
Protestant-Evangelicals are often uncertain what to think of Mary, the mother of Jesus. We know we do not want to elevate her as do Roman Catholics, and yet, we, too, must be careful not to default to a tradition of our own in which Mary is altogether dismissed. In this brief meditation, therefore, we walk through several texts that enable us to see Mary through a biblical lens, and perhaps, come to refer to her also as -blessed- since she is indeed, the woman chosen by God to bring about the incarnation of the eternal Son, our only Savior, Jesus Christ.
There is a biblical phrase which is interchangable with the word -Gospel- and that is, -The new covenant of the Spirit.- In this brief exhortation, we examine the importance of this phrase in understanding how it is we are transformed into the image of Christ -with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.-
Here we have a study tied to a monthly gathering in which those who have suffered spiritual abuse find support and healing. We talk, pray, share communion, and study the letter to the Ephesians. In this lesson, we learn the source of our power to love, as Christ loved. The end result of the gospel is a people who persevere in their first love.
Here is more detail on the study of the Divine Yes in Christ. What has God done-- We expand on the fact that God has anonited us, set his seal upon us and placed his Spirit in our hearts, guaranteeing what is to come. It is the indwelling Spirit who is your guarantee of the full redemption awaiting you on the Day of Christ.
In this episode we elaborate on some of the points made in the series, -The Divine 'YES- in Christ.- Here we confront the ignorance of Christ that thrives under the dark cloak of religious tradition.
This is part part two of a study of how God's faithfulness is fully revealed in the Person and work of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Having learned the covenantal framework of the gospel, we now examine more the eschatological -now and not yet- framework of the new covenant of the Spirit and its ministry in producing the image of Christ in the believer.
In this part one of a two-part study, we discover that the ministry of the new covenant of the Spirit is synonymous with the ministry of the gospel. This is important to you for this critical reason- Only the ministry of the new covenant of the Spirit will facilitate the forming of the image of Christ in you. Only the narrative of Christ and the new covenant which he consecrated in his own blood will produce Christlike character in you. And this is an imperative before God.
The difference between a true minister of the new covenant of the Spirit, as was Paul, and a false apostle, as was his opponents, is that for Paul the message of the cross had been fully integrated into his character, while the false apostles remained morally decadent, unregenerate servants of Satan. In this episode, we examine how to move from a partially integrated character to becoming fully integrated with the message of the cross.
The Christian life and ministry is about moving from sinful self-reliance and toward a greater God-reliance. And God uses adversity and sufferings for Christ to produce in us this greater reliance upon himself. So suffering and comfort not only authenticates our faith it also moves into a greater reliance upon God as our deliverer and hope. This is not a popular message, but it is the path to greater comfort and hope as we walk in Jesus' footsteps.
The great joy of the Christian life is realized in ever-increasing conformity to Christ. And this includes sharing in his sufferings and death, for the world has never stopped hating Jesus. But God promises abundant comfort for those who suffer for imaging his Son character into the world. The danger is that we may react to suffering by compromising our faith by accepting another gospel and a different view of Jesus which the world will accept, and thus avoid suffering. The end of that road is eternal destruction. Don't go there. Instead, rest in the God of all comfort.
We continue here in our examination of what Paul called the Super-Apostles, that is, those who opposed Paul throughout his ministry. These men criticized Paul as weak in stature and speech, preaching a gospel that encouraged sin, and pointed to his imprisonment as Paul's just punishment. But Paul says his sufferings prove he is truly Christ's apostle, that his weaknesses place Christ's power on display, and so we ought follow his example.
It is very likely that you are under the influence what Paul called those -who peddle the word of God for profit.- In this series, we work to help you identify if you are being exploited and robbed of the great purpose of God in your life--being conformed to Christ.
-Count it all joy-- Really-- It sounds good, And maybe some Christians can do this when stressed by life, but is this admonition intended for all believers-- Yes, and here's how to get there.
Do you experience genuine Christian joy- If, not let me offer you this short exhortation as to how, when, and where this joy begins. You can know true Christian rejoicing.
In this second part of the series, we are reminded to follow those in whom the character and actions of Christ are evident. And we are reminded that while we are to presently strive for the high calling of God in Christ, we are in a now and not yet state. So we cling to Chriist, we pursue Christ, and yet, we do not expect perfection in this life, though we rejoice in the hope of glorification when he returns for us.
The biblical doctrine of electing grace has profound, practical effects and promises for those seeking recovery. For you to know you are unconditonally elected to relationship with the Father, after the model and image of Christ, is the ground and basis for overcoming trauma, codpendence, and active addiction. It is -in Christ- that we are made whole.
The recovery principle that one must gain a spiritual awakening and then expand upon that spiritual experience, is sound and true, at least in theory. In practice, however, one must look beyond a subjective spirituality to discover an objective spirituality. In this brief exhortation we examine Christian spirituality as the only true objective spirituality for it centers on Christ and not one's self.
The most common question Christians ask is on what basis may they find assurance of salvation as well as perseverance in the faith- -Am I truly saved, and how can I know I will continue--- In this brief testimony, I share with you my own journey from spiritual depression to joyful assurance.
The apostles often wrote to remind the early churches of the character and nature of the gospel of grace. And they did so because the gospel of grace is so counter-intuitive to the natural mind that we are always tempted to return to a merit-based system of self-salvation. In this series, we examine closely the what and why it was the apostles exercised the ministry of remembrance, and thereby remind ourselves also.
It is astonishing how few professing Christians truly understand the gospel of grace. Indeed, what most professing Christians understand as the gospel is in fact a pseudo-gospel which is no gospel at all. In this episode, we examine three important texts that will equip you to know and understand the basis upon which your soul finds its rest.
It is not melodramatic to say that most Christians believe they are in Christ because of some autonomous choice or act on their part. And these Christians carry a certain self-righteousness about them, a spiritual smirk that tells the world, -I am a Christian and you are not because I am better than you.- This is a common, and deadly error. In this episode, we examine and affirm not only the necessity of grace and faith, but the all-sufficient nature of grace and faith in Christ alone to save and renew the dead sinner. A salvation not of ourselves.
That God has reconciled you to himself in the death and resurrection of Jesus, is the heart of the gospel. This reconcilation was applied to you when you believed, but even your believing was the result of that prior work of God the Spirit upon your heart, mind, and will we call regeneration--being born again. This is cause for great assurance and rejoicing for in no manner is reconcilation something left to you, but an accomplished fact grounded in the death and resurrection of Christ- -Now is the acceptable time . . . now is the day of salvation.-
-Recovery- has become a cultural catch phrase that typically is used to refer to abstinence and programatic steps taken to overcome addiction to alcohol and other drug addictions. But where does recovery begin-- It begins with the recognition that you cannot save yourself. In biblical terms, self-salvation. And yet, most Protestant-evangelicals truly believe they are presently saved due to some inherent virtuue within them, including the act of belieiving the gospel. This is a serious error. In this episode, we remind you of the nature and character of salvation as a gracious, sovereign work of God on your behalf which is then applied through the gift of faith, and not because of faith, but because of Christ.
The imperative to love one another is good news only because we have been given the power to do so. But to tell someone to love their spouse, without first explaining how the Spirit empowers us to do so, is spiritual abuse, not counseling. The good news found in Ephesians is that because we are made alive in Christ by the Spirit, we now possess the power to truly love one another. Anything less is just religious rule keeping.
There is an exhortation to avoid celebrity preachers. Be careful. Be discerning. Ministries based upon style and personality and not content will block your spiritual growth and unity in fellowship. There is only one legitimate ministry within the church and that is the ministry of Christ by the Spirit through the Scripture. Christ has given pastor-teachers, evangelists, and so on, not to promote themselves but to bring you to maturity and unity in Him.
What is trauma-- How do we heal from it-- In this session we provide you the basics of how to heal from trauma, and thus overcome the related symptoms of relational pain and addiction. We discuss the need to address issues of both nurture and nature through the gospel. This is a great discussion for beginners in recovery.
To gain mental health we must become a lover of the truth. A casual aquaintance with truth will not save us. The good news is we have the great consolation that truth is not abstract- rather, Truth is a Person, Jesus Christ. He is the embodiment of Truth as revealed in Scripture. Yet, we also have to be discerning for Satan is an angel of light and his lies pervade most pulpits in America. This lesson is an introduction to the many lies we hear from preachers so that we can exercise discernment and avoid falling into these deadly teachings.
There are many applications to the truth of the gospel in Jesus Christ, but many specialized ministries often confuse content with application. By this I mean they water down the gospel in a well-intended but disatrous attempt to make the gospel -relevant.- Only the fullness of the gospel will bring the power needed for regeneration and renewal, with specific application.
After 100 years of psychology and advances in psychotropic drugs, mental illness in Amercan is on rise. This is because it is sound theology and not psychology that holds the solution. Though making some important contributions in care, psychology does not hold the cure for the self-centeredness within fallen human nature- only the gospel of Christ can do that.
A. W. Tozer wrote, -What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.- The question then is this- What comes into your mind when you think about God-- Is it awe, wonder, gratitude, worship and love, or do your thoughts quickly become about you, even when you think about God in relation to your salvation--
The message of truth, the gospel of your salvation runs counter to the religious mind in fallen mankind. Therefore, in this episode we remind you that you were included in Christ, not -because- you heard and believed, but -when- you heard and believed. The proclamation of the gospel is that of an accomplished salvation, not the news of a salvation made merely possible subject to your religious observances and efforts.
How one gets into God's household and how one stays in God's household represent the two most important principles of your spiritual life. There are only two choices- By divine accomplishment or by human achievement. In this lesson, we examine each and learn the truth is that we get in and remain in accord with divine accomplishment versus the bewitching nature of human achievement.
Watch out- Beware- The charlatans are only getting more skilled and effective in using the American business model to hook you into their schemes. In this episode, we examine one particular case and offer you the means by which you can protect yourself and your family.
In stark contrast to the sacrifical work of Christ and his apostles is the people-pleasing, shallow work of pastors within so many churches today. Entertainers-- Yes. Inspirational talkers-- Yes. Comics-- Yes. Pastor-teachers-- No. And it is time to call the -ministries- of these men for what it is- Abuse.
The -Word of Faith- heresy has intimated many genuine Christians out of confessing the true hope, riches, and power that is theirs in Christ. This is a great tragedy, the result of which is that many believers live far below what the Bible declares is their position in Christ. In this episode, we enourage you to reclaim who you are in Christ and what is yours in him.
The first 14 verses of Ephesians speaks to us of God's purpose from eternity past to accomplish your salvation through Jesus Christ, and for you to hear, believe, and be sealed by the Holy Spirit. And all of this is an accomplished work by Jesus Christ which was freely and lavishly poured out upon you, even before it was applied to you when you heard and believed.
Do you see yourself as numbered among God's holy people-- Do you know that if you are in Christ, that is how God sees you-- In this study of Paul's introduction we learn more about the exclusive, unique, and final nature of the apostolic truth that declares all in union with Christ as holy and faithful. Rejoice-
The New Testament exhorts us many times to avoid certain people- People from whom we should turn away, not eat with, not invite into our homes, and leave alone. Our spiritual and mental health depends on us discernining good from evil. In today's lesson, we focus upon leaving blind guides- popular spiritual leaders who wil lead you only into a spiritual pit.
We must never assume that any professing Christian has actually heard the gospel. Many people come to Christ on the basis of a man-centered, false gospel, just as I once did. But God in His mercy brought me to a saving faith in the finished work of His Son on my behalf. This is my brief testimony of delieverance from a half-gospel that left me half crazy in a religious neurosis.
After 50 years of well-intended but fallacious -Seeker Sensitive- evangelism, we have succeeded only in filling pews with -Almost Christians- -see Acts 26-28-. This means genuine believers must be discerning and wise as to with whom you fellowship. In today's text, Jesus models a stance of detach and contain when it comes to some professed believers.
This is a list of affirmations about Christian identity I used while in treatment many years ago. The glorious truth about your identity as a Christian is that you are becoming who you already are, whom God has already made you to be in His Son. So while worldly religion is all about becoming something that you are not so that you might find acceptance with God at judgment- the gospel instead tells us God has already made you -accepted in the Beloved- -Ephesians 1-6, NKJV-- it is your task now to think on these things, and work out your identity as you await that Day when these things will be fully realized.
This is an introduction and overview for a series of lessons grounded in Paul's letter to the Ephesians. It is the goal of this series to encourage the view that the Christian is a thinking person. Revealed truth is rational, it is meant to be understood, and truth enters the soul through the intellect on its way to the heart.
Every Christian has a personal testimony. But do you realize your personal testimony actually begins in the mind of God from before the foundation of the world-- This means, too, that your Christian identity is not defined by anything other than how God sees you in His Son, Jesus Christ. This is very good news for anyone struggling with assurance and-or issues of personal identity.
It is a comfort beyond measure to know that God's promise to Abraham has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and therefore in we who are in Him. The essence of the Christian life therefore is to fix our hope on the glorified Christ, for it is certain we will one day share in His glory.
Are you devoted to Christ only to a point-- Is your devotion to him conditioned upon other personal interests-- The honest answer is, -Yes.- The need to prune away self interests in favor of unconditional devotion to Christ is necessary for all believers- such pruning is required for spiritual growth and development. But what if you choose self-interest over devotion to Christ, and refuse to repent-- Then it is not likely you are truly born of God.
The Christian life is lived on the basis of a righteousness not our own just as we are justified. And this righteousness will manifest itself in our daily conduct. If we claim to be in Christ, and yet practice sin, then we do not possess eternal- we have succumbed to Satan's chief lie.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the gospel of peace- those born of the Spirit will evidence that spiritual birth by walking in the path of peace. But the religious world and popular culture offer another path on to which many Christians stray- the path of felt needs, experience, success, and personal significance. This lesson is an exhortation to return to the path of peace, and a reminder of how you can know you are born of the Spirit.
The reason many people enter into illicit or otherwise unhealthy relationships is that they are seeking peace and contentment in another person. This never works, and robs you of the genuine peace and contentment which is yours in Christ, alone. It is tragic that many professing Christians do not possess genuine peace. Could it be they are not born of the Spirit-- In today's churches, it is likely they are not. In this episode, we examine what it means to be born of the Spirit, and the shalom which is the birthright of those so born.
The forming of genuine, healthy relationships begins in discovering the peace that comes from setting our minds on God and his attributes. We need peace, God's peace, and to seek that peace and well-being in others instead of God leads only to chaos, pain, and misery. The peace we seek is ours by inheritance in Christ, alone. How do we appropriate it-- That's the topic of this lesson.
In this episode, we examine codpendence as idolatry, that is, seeking to form an alliance with another person -s- to get our needs met in ways that edge God out of the picture. The solution is Christ between us and over us as Lord of all our relationships.
To love one another is not a flowery ideal, but the evidence one has been born of God- this is the testimony of the apostle John. To know God is to love, and to love like God loves. So, Christian love is not sentimental moralism, caretaking, or codependent control- rather, it is walking in the Spirit and practical care for others with Christlike character. It is the chief evidence that we are in walking in truth.
The New Testament is clear that Christ's flock is numbered among the few not the many. Christ's words, -Fear not, little flock,- are counter-intuitive to everything we think. In America especially, we think to be little is an indicator of failure- it's the big churches that God likes and blesses, or so we think. But that is not the New Testament witness- rather, we read that Christ's flock is small, it is a remnant of the remnant, and as we approach the day of his return this will become only more apparent.
-Codependence- is a term the therapeutic community uses to describe the universal condition of relational brokenness. It effects believers and unbelievers alike in its patterns. And Christians are commanded to overcome this subtle form of idolatry. The good news is that God in Christ has made provision for us to overcome this sinful condition and learn to develop healthy, loving relationships. Here we discuss the nature and characteristics of codependence and offer you five points as tools for recovery from this spiritual disease.
What does it mean to be a man worth living with-- Women and children deserve to live with a man worthy of the title, -husband- and -father,- even -friend- and -leader.-
In this lesson, I present several biblical reasons why I am not in church on Sunday morning. It may seem very strange to some that it could actually be biblical NOT to be in church, so here we carefully, soberly, consider the reasons from the life of Jesus and the works of the apostles why we must be in Christ, not just in church, in fellowship, and not just in church.
In this introduction, we examine the tragic reality that chaos, pain, and misery too often define Chriistian relationships. We discover that God's purpose and indeed, the gospel itself, produces loving, healthy relationships. So where have we gone wrong, and what must we do to recover--
Psychology and philosophy can help us understand certain causes for relational chaos and pain, but only in the gospel do we have the remedy. The first point to consider, therefore, is this- do we have the gospel, or a perversion of the gospel--
This is episode three of the Human Trielemma- Spiritual, Mental, and Relational misery. What are the roots of this misery and how does the gospel of Christ address and remedy this univeral condition--
It is not necessary to suffer chaos, pain, and misery in our relationships. What is necessary is that we address the spiritual and mental issues at the root of relational misery. In this episode, we examine two foundational essentials to spiritual health.
Most people, at some point in their lives, ask themselves, -What is wrong with me--- Perhaps they ask this of others. In this series we are going to look beyond the answers to that question provided by humanism and popular evangelicalism. We are going to examine the taproot of not only what we do, but also who we are apart from Christ. We will then examine closely the glories of not only the atonement for our sinful actions but also the redemption from what we are, and be reminded of who we now are in Christ.
There is one theological principle that determines whether one is in possession of the saving gospel of Christ, or a man-made, false gospel. And that principle is, -Regeneration Precedes Faith.- Saving faith is the result of a prior work of the Spirit upon the mind, heart, and will of the sinner. Faith is a gift, not an autonomous work which we contribute.
This is a participatory -kitchen table- study and celebration of Romans 8-28-39. In this study we discover four serious questions we must all answer, but for which the resurrection of Jesus Christ provides the only saving answer.
It is with no delight, let alone glee, that I suggest to you all to stay away from -Easter Services- as they will be held at the average church this year. Why is this-- Why do I strongly suggest you stay away from such services-- Because God is not indifferent to the false worship which is certain to occur throughout the land. Greater condemnation rests upon false Christianity than upon rank unbelievers. A false gospel, produces false Christians, which offer false worship. Don't be named among them. Find a gathering in which genuine worship will occur among regenerate children of God in Christ, or stay home.
On Good Friday we observe not only that Christ was crucified, but that his crucifixion was an all-sufficient, final atonement. This is important because it remains the default position for the religious mind to think that the crucifixion of Christ as a partial atonement, for which the sinner must make some vital contribution to complete salvation.
Following the cursing of the fig tree, Jesus entered Jerusalem and cleansed the temple, judging the system it had come to represent. In doing so, Jesus affirmed the end of the Levitical priesthood, and himself as not only King, but High Priest, and his new house to be His body, the church. You are the Son's House, not a church building.
As Jesus encountered a fig tree which appeared to be in season but was in fact, fruitless, he cursed it. -And His Diisciples were listening-- says the text. The question before you then is- -Are you listening--- Do you hear that Jesus curses fruitless religious systems-- And on what basis is it that you are not part of that cursed system--
This is the second lesson on Holy Week. In this episode, we continue with Jesus as he approaches a seemingly fruitful fig tree only to discover, strangely, there was no fruit. He then curses that tree. The fig tree was symbolic of Israel -Hosea 9-10- Zechariah 3-10-- in this case, Israel's fruitless religious structure.
Sunday was Palm Sunday, the official begining of -Holy Week.- What we examine in this lesson, and those to follow this week, is not the religious sentimentality so popualr this time of year, but the judgment that King Jesus rode into Jerusalem to bring upon the apostate, fruitless religious system in that day, but also all such system since, including our own day. Judgment precedes Deliverance during Holy Week.
Most of what is about to occur in American churches on -Easter- is a stench in the nortrils of God. That's right. An abomination. Not only in its pagan roots, but in its superficial, silly, fleshly, man-centered church marketing schemes. This is a call and a warning for you to recognize this fact and come out from among them. Do not partke in it.
This is an eight point summary of Paul's gospel as set forth in the letter to the Romans. Here we discover why the majority of Christian leaders were ashamed of Paul's teaching, and so they preached a different gospel--a gospel that evoked God's severity.
It would appear we are in a season in which God is purifying his church, and ministry empires are crumbling as a result. Men and women who have been judged by their wealth, fame, and power are being exposed, and their followers are being wounded. But why is it these men and women are allowed to achieve such status with the churches- In this episode, we learn that corrupt leaders is the direct consequence of a corrupted gospel, and learn what we can do to recover the gospel of life and transformation.
Is the Christian subject to wilderness experience- The short answer is, no. And this is because Jesus entered the wilderness and overcame that experience on behalf of his people. The wilderness motif does not apply anymore than the temple, the priesthood, and other shadows that have been fulfilled in Christ.
We are in what is called the -Lenten Season.- It needs to be said loudly and often that no one can cling to both the traditions of men and the finished work of Christ- they are antithetical to each other. If you accept Lenten practices, you are diminishing Christ. I plead with you to give up Lent for Christ.
It is today, as it has always been, impossible to follow Jesus, that is to say, that unless God acts so as to remove the scales from our eyes, and give us ears to hear his Son, we will simply will not follow Jesus. There is simply to many competing narratives. The leaven of false religion, the leaven of political leaders and movements all compete for your devotion. But the time is come for sifting and winnowing. And so I beg you, do not be found among the chaff, but repent of these other gospels and political loyalties, and return to your first love for Christ.
The famous WIllow Creek Church has hired the charlatan Robert Morris to teach the people to tithe -10-- of their gross income for a year, after which if they are not satsified with the returns, he will refund their tithes. This is one of the most shameless forms of false teaching in the churches today. It is a lie. It is theft. Don't believe it. Tithing under threat of a curse, as taught by these people, is a back door denial of the sufficiency of the atoning work of Christ.
It is hard to imagine a child asking a parent for food or water only to have the parent respond with a demand for payment. But that is exactly how Paul characterized the false teachers in Corinth- men who demanded the spiritual children pay for pastoral care. In this episode we examine the beauty of God's design for the church as a family in which brothers and sisters care for one another, as opposed to the consumer-driven institution that is common, today.
Jesus commanded his disciples to take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod. But what is this leaven, and how can one know they have been infected by it- Here are 5 signs that you have been infected by this leaven, and what you must do about it.
The leaven of the Pharisees is often a topic of sermons, but not so much the leaven of Herod. What is the leaven of Herod- This is part one of an examination of the effects of evil and corruption within the political narratives of the left and the right, and why the Christian must avoid such entanglements.
Do Christians have the biblical warrant to pronounce curses upon the President of the United States- No. Nor do Christians have the right to pronounce curses upon anyone. It must stop. It is sin. Period.
Why are so many American Christians becoming jumpy about the poilitical left- If so, is the answer to seek truth from the political right- Has American evangelicalism become so obsessed with political concerns that they have adbicated their calling to be peacemakers and ministers of reconciliation and ambassadors for the kingdom of God- Sadly, the answer to this question for a growing number of Christians is a resounding, -Yes--
One of the great blessings of the New Covenant is that God has taken up residence in and among his people. And this means that Christ feeds his sheep by the Spirit through the Word. But 1700 years of church heirarchies and structures have substituted for this glory so that Christians today believe they are dependent upon church leaders to be -fed- and have a -covering.- The result is rampant spiritual immaturity and malnourished Christians. Only when we throw off the usrpers and return to the simplicity and purity of reliance upon the Spirit through the Word will we know true intimacy with the Father and the Son, and heal that which plagues our souls.
Please note the PDF is available of my paper on this topic. For the last 200 years, it has become popular to preach a reductionist version of the gospel, when what is desperately needed is the whole counsel of God. A reductionist gospel is ripped apart from its covenantal and eschatological context, and thus leaves Christians malnourished and suffering from a loss of identity, purpose, and hope. In this episode I remind you of the whole, life-giving context of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Early in church history there developed church structures with clergy and bulidngs, organizations, and forms that substituted for the power and work of the Holy Spirit and guidance of the Scriptures. In this episode, we hear an exhortation to a living faith of true righteousness and life in the Spirit which is opposed by dead religion, and give a sobering warning of judgment upon that religion.
The New Testament presents a beautiful imagery of Christ as the Groom and the church as his betrothed bride. The custom said that is the duty of the father of the bride to guard her from other suitors until the groom returns. Godly jealousy was appropriate if another man attempted to seduce the bride away from the groom. It was this imagery that Paul used in Corinth, but there was a problem, the bride of Christ was being seduced and she was allowing it to occur. Are you jealous for your devotion to Christ- Do you allow your mind to led astray by political, philosophical, and religious suitors-
The January 6th, 2021 attack on the Capitol is well-documented. What is not well-documented is any sound evangelical reaction and teaching on the involvement of professing Christians in that crowd. Not just comments, but actual teaching regarding how those in Christ ought to respond to government. Have we become more American than Christian-
This is the the fourth episode in a series etitled Recovering Your Mind. In this episode we learn how the need to finance expensive buildings, and pay church hirelings called -pastors- requires the greatest act of fraud upon believers since the medieval indulgences- The mandatory tithe.
This is part three of a series on recovering the Christian mind regarding buildings, clergy, and giving. In this episode we are reminded of the need to stop putting up with the false teaching of compulsory giving, especially the evangelical tithe, and the spiritual bullies who teach it.
This is part two of a three part series entitled, -Recovering Your Mind,- in which we discuss how counterfeit Christianity leads the mind of believers astray so as to think buildings, clergy, and tithing define the Christian community. We examine these factors in light of the Scripture and determine to walk in the truth that sets one free.
Spiritual warfare is a battle for the mind. When Jesus began his ministry, he called men and women to come out of the Pharisaic-Temple system of corruption of his time, even though that system had become entrenched as the norm in Jewish society. Likewise, the Lord Jesus is calling his sheep to come out of the evangelical-charismatic system of corruption today.
To speak of religious trauma is to speak of boundary failure. And so we must look to solutions, and there is no greater place to begin recovery than learning healthy boundaries. Sin is lawlessness, and recovering healthy boundaries is part of the redemption. In this episode we are introduced to the what and how of recovering this vital part of our humanity in Christ.
Religious Trauma Syndrome is not limited to the human realm alone. This is why secular psychology cannot adequatley prevent or even resolve RTS when it occurs. For RTS occurs as as result of an encounter with the religious spirit of this present evil age--the angel of light, meaning Satan and his human minions. It must be understood for what it is, and the source and cause removed in order to heal and be restored.
We continue to discuss the role that loving community plays in preventing and healing religious trauma, as well as share some personal experiences. True Christian love is not a supplement to saving faith, but is inherent within saving faith.
At the root of religious trauma is a failure to love. It is a failure to recognize that the love of Jesus is inspeparable from loving one another. The great Protestant disconnect between knowing the love of Christ and communcation of that love within interpersonal relationships creates trauma. Healing and restoration begins as we experience the -deep, deep love of Jesus- for one another, in the gentleness of the Spirit.
This is part two of a series reviewing religious trauma syndrome. In this episode, I share my own experience with religious trauma, and how my recovery began.
This is an introduction to Religious Trauma Syndrome -RTS-. While it is not in the official diagnostic manual, RTS is gaining acceptance within the psychological community. But what is it, and do Christians suffer from it-
When did it become necessary to -go to church-- Is it even possible to -go to church-- Much of Western Christianity still operates on the notion that the church is something you attend, a building, an event, and many leaders use guilt and twisted Scripture to ensure you keep coming. But the church is the people of God, not an organization or a religious entity. In fact, the Bible actually warns us to avoid and come out of the kind of retail religion that masks as the church, today.
Why is there so many scandals within evangelicalism- It is painful to hear the stories of lives crushed by counterfeit Christianity. In this episode, we examine important markers in discerning those who peddle the word of God for profit, fame, and influence, and how to avoid them.
By virtue of the regenerating work of the Spirit, the Christian is a person who belongs now to the realm of the Spirit, and not to the realm of the flesh. And the community of believers, the church, is therefore marked apart from the world and characterized by the fruit of the Spirit. Healthy community therefore is defined as a gathering of people united to Christ who share the unity, love, gifts, and power of the Holy Spirit.
Nowhere does the New Testament teach that we are to live the Christian life in isolation. This is because working out our salvation occurs within community. In order to develop genuine Christian community we must follow the model of Jesus given by Paul in Philippians 2-5-11. There we discover three elements necessary for healthy community- anonymity, humility, and obedience.
One of the overriding causes of unhappiness among Christians is the failure to create and maintain healthy, loving relationships. This is a great irony in that it is God's eternal purpose in Christ to create a people who reflect his character in relation to one another. In this episode, we begin to discover how to create healthy, life-giving community.
The goal of your salvation in Christ is not heaven, but becoming like Jesus. For while heaven does await, indeed, our citizenship is in heaven, God's grand purpose is conforming you into the moral image of his Son. And to experience geniune progress in Christlike character is to know joy unspeakable and full of glory.
Anyone who has been a Christian for any length of time has been exposed to mean Christians, that it to say, mean-spirited people masking as Christians. In this episode, you will discover the need to discern and set boundaries with toxic people in the Christian community. You are not under obligation to fellowship with mean Christians, in the home, or in the church.
The cure for spiritual depression is hearing the voice of your Shepherd, Jesus Christ, by the Spirit, and through the text. In an ideal world this would be happening within our churches, but tragically, it is not. We are hearing silliness, comedy, entertainment, and-or dry, lifeless sermonizing. It is indeed tragic that in order to recapture the voice of your Shepherd, you must in fact be prepared to leave a local church in order to do so.
In order to be spiritually healthy, we must learn to honor the integrity of the biblical text. We do this by allowing Scripture to be what it says it is, and say what it says, apart from the traditions of men.
While it is important to exercise longsuffering for those seeking deliverance and change, to put up with unmitigated evil is another thing altogether. As Western culture declines, churches that identify with that culture will be more and more tolerant of evil, even to the point of calling evil good and good evil. It is critical for your spiritual health that you discern, confront, expose, and-or leave such churches. In short, stop putting up with evil within the church.
We presently live in a world in which happiness is tied to wealth, health, fame, and security. And yet, for Christians to seeek their happiness in these things only produces great unhappiness. For the true happiness we seek is found only in growing conformity to Christ in thought, word, and in deed.
Genuine joy is the Christian's spiritual birthright, even in the midst of life's challenges. And this life of deep, abiding joy comes to those who know they have a place within God's redemptive purpose in Christ. In this podcast, we present the grand narrative of God's eternal purpose for humanity, a purpose which was fully realized in the humanity of Christ, and which is now being worked out within those in Christ, by the Spirit.
American retail religion actively markets the wide gate and the broad way that leads to destruction, and many follow that path. You must be willing to be named among the few to find the path that leads to life, and that path leads you outisde the camp, outside the modern religious structure in order to stand with Jesus. So, are along the many these days, or among the few- If you feel isolated, or discouraged by what passes as Christianity in America, you have cause to rejoice- It is a blessing to be among the few that find life.
As the phrase infers, spiritual depression is tied to one's spiritual condition. And a compromised spiritual condition is tied directly to the compromised teaching and patterns of spiritual abuse all too common in today's churches. In this episode, we discuss two patterns of abuse common to all counterfeit Christianity- Financial exploitation, and mental-physical abuse. It is imperative that we discern this pattern and come out from among them.
Much unhappiness is tied to worldly religion and its demand that you become something presently are not in order to find and-or maintain acceptance with God. Whereas the gospel of Christ tells us that God has already accomplished that reconciliation for us in the finished work of his Son on our behalf. The Christian life therefore is about working out that which God has already accompished for you in Christ- the Christian life is about becoming who you already are- It is in the gospel that we find true identity, purpose, and hope.
The path toward joyful spirituality begins by admittting that your present situation is lifeless and dead, even depressing. It takes a lot of courage to follow Jesus outside the camp of institutionalized religion, but it is in our idenificatiton with him, at any cost, that we find true life and joyful living,
At some point, Western evangelical leaders decided they could better serve Christ by no longer preaching his gospel. In its place, they developed inspirational messages, entertaining talks, pop-music, all enveloped by a general sense of -hip, slick, and cool.- The result is a lifeless religiosity that does not teach the true believer how to live like Christ lived. In this episode, we examine the idanger inherent in these shallows, and begin to prescribe solutions for moving out of this place of chronic immaturity, and into the deeper faith that brings true life and peace.
What you think about God has a direct effect upon your quality of life. This is why truth is so essential to healthy living. In a time within which we are surounded by lies, violence, and toxic religion, it is critical that we connect the dots between what we are being taught and its effect upon our life. The truth of the Christian life is that God has called each believer to live like Jesus lived, by the power of the Spirit.
If you are in Christ, you are far more than just -a sinner saved by grace.- You are a child of God, born of the Spirit, a partaker in the divine nature -II Peter 1-4-. And the essence of your joy is discovered in becoming like Jesus. Indeed, that is what your life is all about- Becoming like Jesus. And to the degree that you are distracted from this primary purpose, you will be unhappy.
There is great comfort and joy in recognizing God has included you in his eternal purpose for humanity. For the eternal purpose of God is to create a people who are worthy of his presence. This purpose was fully revealed, fulfilled, and demonstrated in the life and work of Jesus, and realized in his new covenant people by the Spirit. It is possessing God's own Presence that is the great privilege of the child of God, in Christ.
The glorious news of the gospel is that God's eternal purpose for humanity has been revealed and demonstrated in Jesus Christ- and is realized by the work of the Spirit in those who belong to him. This wonderous truth means we must be prepared to walk away from anything that calls itself Christianity but preaches -a different Jesus, a different spirit, and a different gospel- than that of the New Testament. Tragically, this translates into the sad fact that we must be prepared to walk away from 90- of American evangelicalism.
To find one's way out of the wilderness of false, toxic religion masking as Christianity, one must recognize and follow the voice of the Good Shepherd. We dare not act on our own resources lest we merely walk in circles and get further lost. In this episode, we continue to examine how to resensitize our mind and spirit to his voice.
In this episode, we continue to the call unhappy Christians to recognize the toxic character of counterfeit Christianity, and the need to either confront it and reform it, or if necessary, walk away from it. But in order to recover our spiritual health, we must move beyond counterfeit Christianity, and recover how to genuinely walk in the Spirit. We do this, by re-sensitizing ourselves to the voice of the Spirit by returning to the text of Scripture in a disciplined manner. By disciplined we mean prayerfully listening to voice of the Spirit in the text, by reading it as it was meant to be read- in its context, and read aloud when possible, and regularly. This sounds simple, but most Christians do not do so, and they suffer as a result. We will also talk more about how to read the text in coming episodes.
In this episode, we continue to speak to the fact that most of Western Christendom is toxic to your humanity, for it has departed from the word of God and the life of the Spirit in favor of man-made religious systems and philosophies. But we also begin to apply the solution for this dire crisis. That solution is the recovery of the voice of the Spirit within the text of Scripture. It is not enough to simply prescribe, -Read your Bible,- for most Christians are not taught how to do so. The result is they become subject to an alternative gospel that robs them of the voice of their Shepherd. In this episode we talk about reecovering the context of the gospel, and by it, the joy of knowing the voice of the Spirit in your life.
The essential aspect of the Christian life is the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit. And yet, most of Western Christianity operates within an practical binitariansim of Father, Son, and Holy Bible. But we must know, on an experiential and existential basis, the presence and power and voice of the Spirit. For it is this experiential reality of the Spirit that produces joyful spirituality.
Many Christians wonder if bad choices have placed them outside of God's reach. In this episode we discover that God -works out everything in conformity with the purrpose of his will- -Ephesians 1-11-. The sovereignty of God is much more than a doctrine, it is a living reality by which God will never allow you to get outside his reach in mercy. You are in his grip, and he won't ever let you go.
To overcome the chronic nature of spiritual depression and find green pasture, one must first recognize the spiritual wilderness they are in. Often times, our depression is simply telling us something that has become normative to us no longer works for us and it is time to move on. As we do, we come to recognize just how much of our view of God was colored by our experience with early authority figures- and now, we can let go of those false images and discover the God who has lavished upon us his own presence by the gift of the Spirit.
This week we discuss the role of narrative in producing either unahppiness or joy in the Christian life. Due to the prevalence of lies flowing from pulpits within Christendom, one must be prepared to leave the narrative of one's family and-or religious tradition in order to recover the voice of one's true Shepherd. The highest and best good we can imagine is to become like Jesus. This is also God's paramount purpose for every believer -Romans 8-26-30-.
This was origninally posted as the inaugural episode on Spotify, and I chose to post it here as well. Here I introduce the causes for chronic unhappiness tied to one's Christian experience. In this episode I speak about recovering joyful spirituality and ste forth some of the agenda for future episodes.
In today's episode we examine the loss and recovery of the -good news- which is the very meaning of the word -gospel.- We are reminded that the work of grace precedes both faith and repentance, and these things are therefore not of ourselves. That the highest and best good we can imagine is to be like Jesus, and not family, friends, wealth, or even health.
Today, I share a little of who I am and why I am doing this series. I talk about the cruelty of heresy, and the lack of spiriual formation in the church.
This week we discuss the unhappiness that comes from obsessing on partisan politics, and-or the many dramas which occur in church congregations. The pathway back to joy is returning to our call to advance the kingdom of God, and to focus our burden upon delivering the whole counsel of God- focusing on the message and not the mess.
Does Christian happiness depend upon our social or political environment- Is it possible to find a city or town in which Christian values are so prevleant that we can feel safe from sin and evil- Some people believe so. In this episode I share with you a recent encounter with a young man moving to another state to get away from the -Marxist- policies of his present city and state. Will he find what he is looking for-
Throughout redemtive history, God's people have suffered abuse, neglect, exploitation, and opression at the hands of false shepherds, as well as well-meaning, but misguided leaders. The good news is God has provided each believer with discernment in order to steer clear of such leaders. The problem today, as it was in in ancient Israel, is that toxic relgioisity is so prevalent. Many Christians have therefore resigned themselves to a sad state of spiritual unhappiness tied to their Christianity. You don't have to stay in this state. That unhappiness may very well be a point of discernment you need to honor, and not a flaw in your faith. In this series, we will consdier how to leave toxic religiosity in favor of authentic, life-giving spirituality in Jesus Christ.
The gospel of Jesus Christ comes to us within a definite covenantal and eschatological context, a context which is found within Scripture itself- -Scripture interprets Scripture.- It is essential that you understand the framework of the gospel if you are going to understand the gospel. What we have in most of our pulpits today is a man-made version of the gospel which saves no one. Therefore, it is imperative that every Christian understand the framework of the gospel. This sermon is an introduciton to that framework.
There is a famine in the land. A famine not of Bibles, or Bible translations, or of churches calling themselves -Bible Churches,- but a famine of the word of God. For when one does not have the gospel within its own biblical context, but couched within a man-made system , you do not have the gospel, but a man-made version of the gospel. What this series seeks to do is expose this folly and point you back to the Bible's own context so that you may know the whole counsel of God.
To listen to most conservative evangelicals today one would conclude that although born of the Spirit, indwelt by the Spirit, sealed and empowered by the Spirit, the Christian remains a selfish, self-centered, idolater, but for whom the cross of Jesus paid the price, so all is well---Phew-- This is a classic example of preaching a half-gospel, which presents another Jesus, another Spirit. It is time to call this for what it is- heresy. For the gospel of grace is a promise of Spirit-empowered transformation into the image of Christ, and nothing less. There will be no one in heaven that does not perfectly look like Jesus.
When Jesus spoke to Nicodemus saying, -You must be born again,- he was referring to the sovereign work of the Spirit, alone. In other words, Jesus was introducing to Israel his teaching of -Sola Spiritus- -Spirit Alone-, to use Reformation terminology. Still, today, 500 years after the Reformation, most Christians profess to be trinitarian, but are in fact, experientially, and in practice, Binitarian. What's worse, many have redefined the Trinity as -Father, Son, and Holy Bible.- This sermon is a call to recover the essential practice of living truly Trinitarian lives, in the fellowship of the Spirit.
The great lie of our age, springing from the State-Church structure of Christendom, is that God is pleased when we seek to relate to him on the basis of law. It is Christ, by the Spirit, and not the Decalogue which is our Rule of Life.
At I Thessalonians 5-23-24, Paul offers a benediction of hope and promise. We are told it is God, the God of peace, who is at work in our sanctification, and that it is a thorough-going sanctification which includes our whole being. Above all, we are promised that God himself will complete that which he has begun in us. Rejoice-
There are three aspects of the life and ministry of Jesus, each of which are so essential to your understanding of Jesus Christ, that without them you do not possess a biblical view of Christ- The Kingdom of God, the New Covenant, and the Trinitarian nature of his life and ministry.
God has designed human beings to be social creatures. We thrive and flourish within community, and we become sick in isolation. The problem is finding healthy community. In this sermon we learn that we are each responsible for creating healthy community, and we do so with Jesus as our ultimate model.
To mourn for sin is indicative of those who love Jesus Christ, and belong to his kingdom. It is part of the process of sanctificaiton, not to constantly wrestle with sin, for we are no longer under obligation to the flesh and sin, but to mourn those times in which we stumble, some of us, even into dangerous, sinful behaviors. The Bible provides for this, and every believer ought to know how to enter a state of mourning, and embrace godly sorrow, not as a permament place of identity, but as process of growing in one's true identity in Christ.
The joy robbing error persists among many Christians that they are in Christ because of something they did--a prayer, repentance, baptism, etc. The good news is that you are in Christ, you have entered the kingdom of God because of a gracious, prior act of God whereby he raised you from spiritual death and to new life. Being borrn of the Spirit occurs before you receive Christ, and repentance is something we do in response to God's acceptance, and not at all in order to earn his acceptance.
Do you realize you are an eschatological person- This means your present-day life is conditioned by a future reality. Jesus inagurated the kingdom of God with his coming, and those who are in him, are citizens of that kingdom in the now. What is more, you are under new covenant, the covenant of the Spirit, and not the letter. This means your identity, purpose, and hope are determined not by your past, but by a future reality secured not by good works, but by the finished work of Christ.
In this follow up message, we learn that the dividing line of discernment between this present evil age and the kingdom of God includes the difference between Christ and antichrist. Christ set the new standard for humanity as obedience to God, and antichrist is known in lawlessness. Those who say they are Christians and yet live in lawlessness are not of God. Those who truly profess Christ walk as he walked, even striving to be more like him.
The crisis we face today is far beyond political violence or economics or disease- the greater crisis we face today is a crisis of discernment. Over the last 40 years, American Christianity has developed a message that places the dividing line between left and right, as opposed to Christ or antichrist.
Do you realize your home is an embassy, and that you are an ambassador- Yes, your home represents the King of Heaven, and you as his amabassador are in your neighborhood for one singular purpose, and that is to carry the message of your King- -Be reconciled to God--
How did we ever get to the place in which Christians employ verbal and physical violence as a means to advance a political agenda- The answer is we have forgotten where the dividing lines truly belong- not between right and left, not between Democrat or Republican, but between the kingdoms of the fallne world, and the Kingdom of God.
What defines a successful ministry- Better yet, who defines a successful ministry- Is it a popular book, demand for speaking engagements, or a big church- In this brief message, we learn that successful ministry, like the Christian life as a whole, is that which is patterned after the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.
How does one see the kingdom of God in this present life- You can, you know. To those who deny the self, and take up their cross and follow Jesus, the seeing something of the glory of the kingdom of God will occur. But this requires that we follow him and listen to him, exclusively. We must renounce all other -spiritual paths- in order to follow Jesus and to hear and obey his word, alone. Only he has the words of life, all other paths only lead us back to ourselves.
What does it mean to follow Jesus- It means first and foremost that we are not ashamed of him. The true disciple of Jesus proves not to be ashamed of Jesus by being like him in thought, word, and in deed. By displaying the character of Christ to the world, the disciple enjoys the grand privilege of sharing in Christ's impact upon the world by making Christ visible in his-her conduct as well as doctrine.
What does it mean to take up one's cross in following Jesus- And how does this fit within the pressure even Christian leaders feel to succeed- Is the measure of success for Christian life and ministry determined by the old self, or by the cross- For those in Christ, the cross represents deliverance and freedom, but the cost of a new life involves the daily putting to death of anything in us that is not of Christ. New life is found in the way of the cross, alone.
What does it mean to deny the self- Does it mean we deny we exist- As followers of Christ, we are under a mandate to deny the self, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. There is tragically very little teaching on this subject because it is such a threat to the carnal mind. But the good news is our Lord's command represent a mandate to follow him in the only life worth living.
Following the bloodstained footprints of Jesus lead to life, and involve the mandate of denying the demands of the self, and taking up one's own cross daily. It is self denial for the sake of Christ, and his kingdom, that brings love and joy, and not self-indulgence. We have not even begun to repent and be true Christians until we embrace this truth.
This is brief reminder to all Christans that the rulers of this age, both politiical and religious, cannot through legal coercion and moralism, create a Christian society. Only the gospel can save society, and that one person at a time. Human wisdom and speculation cannot save, or the revelation of Christ by the Spirit through the gospel can save.
Part twp of a two-part series in which the preaching and ministry of Jesus and the apostles is contrasted with the preaching and ministry of the modern church. In this message, we discuss the folly of adopting worldly ways and the lessons from church history.
Why is it that the Lord Jesus and His apostles preached the kingdom of God and healed the sick and cast out demons, and the modern church seems to have another message which lacks this power- Is the church of the New Testament still functioning in America- This brief series will seek to answer these questions, and discover the path back to the power of God in preaching and ministry.
Part two of a two-part series in which the believer in Christ is exhorted to avoid looking to political figures and movements on lthe eft or right for their identity, purpose, and hope. This lecture discusses this issue in light of church history.
The current toxicity within the political realm expose an inherent evil within the political system on both the left and thre right, of which the follower of Christ ought to have no part. It is idolatry to pledge loyalty to any man-made system or political figure, and turn a blind eye to the pathological behavior of that person, regardless of party. The Christian's loyalty must remain solely focused upon the Kingdom of God, and Christ, for wjom you are an ambassador.
The renewing of our minds occurs only within community. The principles of offering our bodies in service to the body of Christ, discerning and doing the will of God, and exercising spiritual gifts all occur within the community of faith. The Bible knows nothing of Christian hermits or loners. In this session we learn a new way of thinking regarding how we interact with other Christians, and how to respond even toward our enemies.
The renewing of our mind is the means by which transformation is realized in the believer's life and within the church. In this session, we learn that we are to renew our thinking as to our standing in the community of believers, particulary in the exercise of spiritual gifts.
Having concluded that renewing our mind is essential in the Christian life, we now begin to discover how we do that. The works of faith, differ from works of religion, in that works of religion are done to gain acceptance with God, but works of faith are done because we are accepted by God, and desire to do His will. The first principle then in renewing our mind is unconditional devotion to the will of God.
Genuine Christian spirituality is an active response to the grace of God. Christian spirituality involves a rejection of the world and its values and standards which are in accord with the mind of Adam, and an active pursuit of renewing of our mind to be in accord with the mind of Christ. How do we do that-
God has acted in eternity to grant those whom He has united to His Son, by faith alone, an inheritance. This inheritance defines who you are in the present day, not just who you will be in heaven, and is wonderfully laid out for us in Ephesians 1-3-14. We must remind ourselves of these precious truths daily.
Your new self in Christ is your true self, and not the old self with its old narrative for living. Ephesians 1-3 is a glorious declaration of what God has accomplished on behalf of those who are in Christ. This is a brief exhortation to commit to embrace what it is God says about you, and be defined by this truth, and not the old narrative of the old self.
This is part two of a brief exhortation design to remind everday believers that the ministry belongs to them, and is not the exlusive claim of the -clergy.- The ministry happens within and among the saints, this is the biblical model. The leadership gifts are given to equip the saints.
The health of the church and her effectiveness into the word depends on a biblical approach to ministry. And one the greatest schemes ever perpetrated upon the church is the notion that ministry belongs exclusively with the clerical ranks. The Bible teaches that pastors and other gifted men exist to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, and to bring the saints into maturity, and not to ursurp that ministry.
Times of crisis expose weaknesses in our character, our faith, our relationships. Many of us are tempted to hide our weakenesses, and feel ashamed that we have them. But the Bible teaches that God calls people who are weak, and reveals His power in them, turning weaknesses into strengths. Self-reliance is no virtue in the kingdom of God- rather, it is God reliance to which we are called.
To bless the Lord is a command we give to our soul, but it is also a spontaeous declaration of one who remembers the LORD's benefits of continuous forgivemess, healing, and redemption from destrutive ways- a God who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, and delights in giving you good things, things that refresh and restore your soul and renew your strength.
Since the garden fall, God has been working out his redemptive purposes for humanity. We understand today that God's redemptive purposes center on the person and work of Jesus Christ, alone. He is the -Seed- of Abraham, the New Covenant- indeed, Jesus is Israel -Galatians 3-16-. And those who are in Christ are also sons of Abraham. There is one people of God, a new humanity, a new creation in Christ Jesus.
The end game for the one in Christ is a new heaven and a new earth- a new Jerusalem in which God Himself comforts and cares for His people. There is no more death, no mourning, no pain, old things have passed away, and all things have become new. In other words, redemption not only possessed, but fully realized. If you are in Christ, the New Testament teaches you are in this present day, a living testimony to this future new creation -II Corinthians 5-17-. In your salvation, the future new creation has invaded the present, and though it is yet to be fully realized, Christ's cross and resurrection, as well as His present intercession, means you are now yourself a new creation. And this does not translate into passivity, but mtoivates us to be overcomers of those things that will have no place in the new creation. May you be an overcomer. The victory is won. Lay hold of your inheritance-
The world never ceases to seek to reduce the gospel of Christ to just another works oriented program of personal salvation. In this brief reminder, we hear Paul's words from Ephesians remind us that the gospel is God's work, -before the foundation of the world.- And it is a work God also guarantees by giving the Holy Spirit as our seal of future inheritance. All this God has done in Christ, through the cross and resurrection, and intercession of our now risen Savior. And God did this for us while we were yet dead in trespasses and sins, and therefore unable to earn any merit whatsoever.
In the first episode, we considered ways of being which the believer is to avoid- ungodly counsel- selfish stances- and, the critical spirit of the scornful. In this episode, we now turn to the singular positive of delighting in the law of the Lord--meditating day and night upon the self-revelation of God. We discover that as we do, our lives will improve, like a tree re-planted by rivers of water, and we will enjoy true prosperity.
Psalm one sets forth a way of being in the world that is defined as -Blessed.- In this first episode, we examine the negatives, that is, ways of being that we must avoid- the counsel of the ungodly- the self-focused stance of the sinner- and the critical spirit of the scornful.
Our greatest need is focused not upon a -what- but a -whom.- It is the Lord himself that we need. In the quiet confidence that he is with us, we can endure all things for which apart from him we could not. But to place our need in the -what- column, and then grow bitter toward God when that -what- is not met, is nothing short of idolatry.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is about what God has accomplished in His Son, and on your behalf. The gospel is not a program by which, with God's help, you can do certain things to save yourself. This may sound elementary, but it is common for professing Christians to believe that Jesus died to merely make salvation possible for those willing to do certain things to realize this possibility, even if it is to believe. But the true gospel is about what Christ has accomplished, and even your believing is the gift of God. Now, be who you are in Christ, and put off the old self with all its lusts and deceitful ways. Be who you are in Christ.
Every Christian carries an obligation to reveal Christ in word and in deed. This means we preach, teach, and speak the word of God to those around us, but it also means Christ is revealed to others in us, meaning within our character. The world needs to hear about Christ and see Christ in us for our witness to be credible. God has purposed to reveal Christ in you- this is the grand -good- for which God causes all things to work together -Romans 8-28-30-.
Even a casual read through the gospels will reveal that Jesus was a healer. The great question we have before us today, is not whether Jesus was a healer, but whether He is a healer today. We must not be afraid to consider such questions.