"House" Cleaning

Our soul tends toward living in a "house" of its own making. Our memories and our beliefs about our experiences acts as a gatekeeper at the door of our hearts—filtering what happens and how others treat us. The house that our senses of intellect, emotion and will have constructed often re-frame true REALITY into our own "realities" (what we believe and feel is real).

 "Guard your hearts for it is the wellspring (gateway) of the issues of life." "As a man thinks in his heart so is he." Dennis Peacocke wrote, "The mind justifies what the heart has chosen."

Holy Spirit comes to renew (make new) our mind and conform our sense interpretations to God's mind and will and his set of values. The Holy Spirit illuminates the Word of Scripture in our hearts as our will is surrendered to God.

But if we do not "soak" our minds in God's word through meditation and if we do not chose to bend and frame our thoughts on God to acknowledge and worship Him in spirit and truth then we continue to be "stuck" in the "ruts" of our own little realities.

A prime example is how we see church. Our minds have been "mapped" into patterns of behavior that see church as something quite different from what Jesus meant in Matthew 16, as the ecclesia which He would build. We think of what is familiar to us—good meetings, a building provided for us, a time and place that fits into our already crowded lives. The world has largely rejected this model of church. It has little impact or appeal. Bob Mumford called it the scaffolding and shadow of Reality but it is not really "Christ in Session." Bob wrote that three things are needed for the Reality of Christ to be in session in the church.

1. Christ's authority:  recognition of and submission to spiritual authority (that would include things like tithing and making ourselves accountable and correctable).

2. Christ's power: small groups as well as large meetings that manifest the power of Holy Spirit through grace given gifts and miracles confirming the preaching of God's kingdom.

3. Christ's character: a people who demonstrate the love and humility and fruit of the spirit of Christ in their unity and conformity to Him.

I would add that to the degree these three are present we will be filled with the Pentecostal power of Christ in mission as his witnesses.

On the other hand, to the degree that our buildings and committees and meetings and programs that serve our own senses and wills and agendas are constructs of our own hearts and minds and are basically empty of the Holy Spirit and Christ in Session and Mission. We are like "Clouds without rain" and "land that drinks water without producing" and "bread and water that does not satisfy."

On the other hand, if we empty ourselves and our "house" and seek to be filled with Him ("the fullness of Christ filling the church and the world") then we may yet be conformed to His REALITY and the world will see our love and unity and power is all in Christ. Then their lite "realities" will be challenged by the LIGHT OF CHRIST.

Confession

Confession

By Dwight Cunkle

The power of confession is in speaking God’s Word

Faith in Christ comes by listening to his word

Twice in Luke we read that Mary pondered, even treasured the words of the angel and prophets (Luke 2:19, 51) about her and the Holy Seed of the Word being incarnated (made flesh in her). She was also yielded and obedient to the Word from God, “Be it unto me according to your word.” The    angel assured her that “No word comes from God without the power of fulfillment within it.”

Jesus healed a woman then said to her, “Your faith has healed you.” From where did she get faith to be healed?

To another Jesus said, “Be unto to you according to your faith.” 

Yes (in case you are wondering) we can be like Mary, thinking (meditating) with our mind and heart what God’s specific word (rhema) means to us? The Word is not too high or too hard for you but is near you-even in your mouth… Faith comes by hearing the Word… Romans 10:6-8, 17 (see also verse 10-confess and believe and you will be saved).

We all can make time to prayerfully think over and over a short passage or phrase of Scripture. This pondering and treasuring leads us into what is called contemplation of God – a knowing and seeing and experiencing Him that results in our own being transformed into His image (2 Cor 3:17-18).

Meditating and confessing God’s word will naturally humble us even as Mary and those who sought healing humbled themselves and confessed their weakness and need. God will fill you and defend you. God will draw you into union with Him. You will know His love for you deeper and His grace will love others through you.

Is the cost of daily sitting at his feet and listening to his word and confessing our faults and sins worth it? Is He not the Pearl and Kingdom? Did He not think us worthy?

Loving His Word

Loving His Word

By Richard Lineberry

No one can rise to spiritual maturity without a love affair with God's Word.  The Word is almost a synonym with the Christian message and remember that the Word is not just words on a page but the person of Christ manifested to us to demonstrate all that God is.

The Word purifies us by exposing good and evil and giving us power to chose the good. Through this Word comes faith to believe that our sins are forgiven and life becomes new through Christ's resurrection.  The Word is the agent of  spiritual rebirth.  In our sinful condition,  the needed change in our hearts to receive and give love is so great it requires a supernatural change on the inside that only God's Word can accomplish.

This Word must be HEARD.  We must open our hearts and minds to the Word's entrance.  It is possible to ignore and disregard it. The Word must not only be heard but HELD ON TO. It must be digested inwardly. We must hold it the forefront of our minds. In this way its power is released and we experience love.

The Word must be ACTED UPON if we are to fully  comprehend its worth. When we hear Him speaking deep within us. Sometimes it seems He speaks things that impossible for us to do but His Word comes complete with grace which is the power to do and become exactly what He prescribes.  Through acting on His Word we can do great things. The obstacles of the past can melt away as we learn what it means to follow Him. As we do this a new spiritual freedom comes that we had always longed for.

Finally, this Word within us longs to be spoken outwardly.  Every believer needs to share the Word that is within us with others.  Often that is just a simple encouragement we may give to others. If we ask, God will give us opportunities to speak to those that need to hear it. This is the Christian message that we receive this word of life and then give it away to those without.

God’s Word Is Always Ahead of Science

God’s Word Is Always Ahead of Science

By Rick Warren

“Praise him, you highest heaven and the water above the sky. Let them praise the name of the Lord because they were created by his command. He set them in their places forever and ever. He made it a law that no one can break.” (Psalm 148:4-6 GW)

Someone may have told you at one time that the Bible isn’t scientifically accurate. That person is wrong. They’ve either never studied the Bible or never studied science. God sets up the laws of science; he made sure that his Word doesn’t contradict those laws.

Johannes Kepler, the famous mathematician and astronomer, once said, “Science is simply thinking God’s thoughts after him.” In other words, God established the laws of physics, and then we discover them.

The Bible wasn’t meant to be a scientific textbook. You don’t study the Bible to build a rocket. And the Bible doesn’t use scientific language. But the Bible never gives bad science! Not once during the 1,600 years in which the Bible was written does it give bad science. In fact, it’s always ahead of science.

For example:

·         For thousands of years, people believed that the earth was flat. But God said 2,600 years ago in Isaiah 40:22 that God is enthroned above the sphere of the earth.

·         For thousands of years, people believed something held the earth up. Hindus believed huge elephants did it. The Greeks believed Atlas did it. The Egyptians believed five columns held the earth up. The Bible never says that anything is holding the planet up.

·         For thousands of years, people believed that the number of stars were finite. But Jeremiah 33:22 says the number of stars can’t be counted.

Truth doesn’t change.

Talk It Over:        

·         Search the Bible today for truths that confirm what you see all around you in nature.

·         How do you respond when someone says the Bible isn’t scientifically accurate?

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