Universalism Is Next for the Soft Love Crowd by MICHAEL BROWN

Steve Chalke, once recognized as a top evangelical leader in England, last year declared his support for committed, same-sex relationships within the church. (Facebook)

Demi Lovato is the latest professing Christian (and celebrity) to declare that, "The LOVING God that I believe in, would never condemn anyone for loving another human of the same sex."

What's the next step on this slippery theological slope?

I predict it will be: "The LOVING God that I believe in would never condemn anyone." Just watch and see.

We know that one of the greatest strengths of the "gay Christian" movement is that there are lots of really nice people who are same-sex attracted, and some of them profess deep faith in Jesus and are active in compassionate and sacrificial service to the poor and needy.

How could a loving God condemn people like them?

I personally find that to be a very powerful question—one that I have agonized over before my heavenly Father many times. In fact, I honestly believe that if questions like this don't cause us some level of pain then we don't really have the heart of the Lord.

But here's the problem: It's not just same-sex attracted people we're talking about.

I personally know many fine individuals who are ultra-Orthodox Jews. In fact, as human beings go (meaning, we're all flawed and lacking), some of them are exceptional people, fearing God, seeking to keep His commandments, willing to give their lives for their faith, pouring into their families, studying the Scriptures and their traditional writings, and praying for hours every day.

How could a loving God send people like that to hell?

But it's not just Orthodox Jews. Some Muslims are exceptional human beings (most Muslims are not suicide bombers), as are some Hindus and Buddhists and atheists and others, including secular Jews and Mormons and people of all kinds of faiths and non-faiths.

Some are extremely kind and generous. Some are very patient and long-suffering. Some will give you the proverbial shirt off their backs.

How could a loving God send people like that to hell?

It was not that long ago that Steve Chalke, then recognized as a top evangelical leader in England, came out against the concept of substitutionary atonement (the idea that Jesus took the penalty for our sins on the cross), declaring it to be "cosmic child abuse." (Chalke also had a big problem with the idea that God actually required blood to appease His wrath, basically rejecting inspired teachings of the Torah as accommodations to pagan religion.)

Last year, he declared his support for committed, same-sex relationships within the church, calling on other believers to stand with these same-sex couples.

Is that really such a big surprise? And where will Chalke eventually land on the subject of future punishment for the lost, given his current stands? (I understand that Chalke has done a tremendous amount of good over the years in the U.K., with some even calling him the "Billy Graham of the U.K.," which makes his theological backsliding even more painful.)

A breakdown in one area of theology leads to a breakdown in another area of theology, and over time, these kinds of breakdowns—specifically, minimizing aspects of God's wrath, failing to grasp the depth of human sin, affirming committed homosexual relationships—will lead to universalism (or, at least universal reconciliation, a related but slightly different concept).

Rob Bell is another example of this, although proceeding in a little different order, first questioning concepts of future punishment in his Love Wins book and then affirming his support for same-sex couples in the church.

But this is just a variation of the same theme, one that allows us to sit in judgment of God, and, based on our standards of right and wrong, determine what His standards should be. The biblical way, of course, is the exact opposite.

According to Steve Chalke, the traditional teaching of God's wrath being poured out on His Son on the cross "stands in total contradiction to the statement 'God is love.'"

But couldn't it be just as easily argued that any type of future punishment for the lost, especially if it does not result in their ultimate salvation, "stands in total contradiction to the statement 'God is love'"?

After all, why would a loving God punish someone or judge someone when there's no hope of their redemption? Wouldn't that be utterly cruel?

And what about all the nice people who don't believe just as we do? Are they eternally lost? And let's not forget all the "gay Christians" (by which I mean those who claim to follow Jesus and practice homosexuality at the same time). Surely a loving God would not condemn nice people like them.

Do you see the pattern?

In a previous article, I pointed out that, although not an absolute rule, "with consistency, you'll see that as a church group gets more liberal, they become pro-abortion, pro-gay activism, and pro-Palestinian (at the expense of Israel)."

In the same way, as churches and church leaders become more embracing of committed, homosexual couples, they will move further and further away from the preaching of future wrath and divine judgment, ultimately embracing universalism in one form or another.

As I said, watch and see. And don't forget to pray that our loving God would deliver them from error and bring them back to the truth as it is found in Jesus.

Michael Brown is author of Can You Be Gay and Christian? Responding With Love and Truth to Questions About Homosexuality and host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show The Line of Fire on the Salem Radio Network. He is also president of FIRE School of Ministry and director of the Coalition of Conscience. Follow him at AskDrBrown on Facebook or at @drmichaellbrown on Twitter.

Institutionalized Christianity: Friend or Foe? by BERT M. FARIAS

Can the true, Spirit-filled church of the New Testament survive becoming a cultural institution? 

"And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.In response Jesus said to it, 'Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.' Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves." (Mark 11:12-17)

Jesus cursed a fig tree just before He cleansed the temple and drove out all those who bought and sold there. The contrast in these parallel acts is striking. The cursing of the fig tree represented the destruction of a fruitless religious system. It served as a visual object lesson of what Jesus had come to do in the Jewish temple before He established the new covenant.

When Jesus cursed the fig tree He was cursing forms of religion that rob the heart of power. There are some concepts found in Christianity today that are robbing many of the true power of God. Allow me to briefly address these by using my limited knowledge of church history.

When Constantine, emperor of Rome, made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire in the fourth century, it marked the beginning of the institutionalization of the church. Constantine made the Church a state institution. From that point in time until the period of the dark ages (A.D. 1500) much of the church died. What we've seen in the last 500 years has been the renewal, revival and restoration of many truths that had been lost in the church age. Yet there remains a recovery and a resurrection of the effects of the institutionalization of the church. What do I mean by this?

There were two basic fallacies that were birthed during the institutionalization process. The first was the thought of the church being a building. Constantine built beautiful edifices and required Christians to attend. As someone once sarcastically said: "The church building became a theatre, the ministers the actors, and the tithes and offerings were the admittance fee." In this way Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire.

Up until that time Christians had met in homes. This change in regards to Christianity and the Church meeting in large elaborate buildings affected the mindset of multitudes of people during the Roman Empire and in future generations. The issue is not the location or venue of where the church meets so don't get hung up there.

It doesn't matter where the church gathers—in a big building, a small building, a house, a garage, a barn, a tent, or under a tree. The bigger issue is in possessing a New Testament mindset that the church is not a building, but it is the people who are the temple of the living God. This may sound too simple, but this mindset began restricting the gospel to the four walls of a building instead of taking it into public life. It killed the evangelistic fervor of the church. The church is not a building.

We could also add, according to the above passage of scripture, that the church is not a business. As soon as the church becomes more of a business that deals with the dollar in mind, or into a charitable organization that is content with humanitarian projects only, it will begin to wither and die, just as the fig tree Jesus cursed. The church, above all else, has been called to be a soul-saving organism. If the devil can institutionalize it and turn into a powerless religious system it will no longer serve the purposes of God.

The second fallacy that developed and spawned from the first is the thought that the people are an audience. Beginning with the rule of Constantine and the Roman Empire, a great distinction was made in Christianity between the clergy and the laity. This was definitely the greater tragedy during the institutionalization of the church because it shifted the personal responsibility of the individual believer in the church over to the institution and its officers, and he became a spectator instead of a participator. The people are not an audience.

These mindsets have robbed so many of the truth and the power of the gospel, not only centuries ago, but even today. Christianity becomes institutionalized when a building becomes more important than the people, when money becomes more important than the Spirit's workings, when attendance takes precedence over effectiveness, and organization and structure are emphasized more than relationship.

The church is a living organism. It grows from within. You cannot produce a spiritual quality in the church from the outside in. Changing outward forms and structures does not add quality to the church. Adding a new mission statement, changing the worship style or name of a church are all false and unproductive ways of producing quality. Spiritual quality can only be produced from the inside out.

The fig tree that Jesus cursed had leaves but no fruit. In other words, the outside looked good, but a closer inspection by Jesus exposed the tree's flaws and lack of fruit. This was the problem in the temple. It looked beautiful and unblemished on the outside but was unclean and defiled on the inside.

These mindsets can immobilize the gospel and hinder its effectiveness in the public arena. It can also create too large of a distinction between what is called the clergy and laity. Just like an unused muscle, a Christian will begin to weaken and backslide when he does not function in his gift or calling.

What would happen if all believers would function in their place and in their God-given abilities and grace? The devil knows he cannot stop God from distributing these gifts so he seeks to slow down or stop the joint operation of them. He hinders the freedom to exercise these gifts. And he does it through the formation of a mindset that tells the body of Christ that their ministry is insignificant compared to that of a pastor or another five-fold minister.  

Every believer is the temple of the Holy Ghost. Every believer has been given gifts to function as a vital member of the body of Christ. Every believer is set apart for the purposes of God.

Bert M. Farias, founder of Holy Fire Ministries, is the author of The Real Gospel and co-host of the New England Holy Ghost Forum. He is a missionary evangelist carrying a spirit of revival to the church and the nations. Follow him at Bert Farias on Facebook or @Bertfarias1 on Twitter.

The Root of Deception in the American Church - Humanism by Bert Farias

It is the betrayal of the wisdom and power of God, and stands in direct contradiction to the gospel of Jesus Christ and to Christianity. It's been around for thousands of years, before creation as a matter of fact. It was born from rebellion in the heart of Lucifer before the creation of man, and in the same way it deceived Eve, it is at the root of all deception. It's humanism.

"How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.' Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol to the lowest depths of the Pit. Those who see you will gaze at you, and consider you, saying: 'Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world as a wilderness and destroyed its cities, who did not open the house of his prisoners?'" (Is. 14:12-17)

Lucifer asserted his own will above God's will. He deified himself to be as God. Then after his fall from heaven he subtly disseminated his humanistic philosophy, the ascension and exaltation of self, into Eve's ears.

"The serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'you shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die?'" Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die.  For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil" (Gen. 3:1-5).

Notice how Lucifer, now Satan, deceived Eve. He made her doubt the Word of God by making these three core statements:

"Has God really said not to eat of every tree of the garden?"
"You will not surely die."
"You will be like God."

Therein those three statements lay the deification of man.

First, Eve began to doubt the absolute authority of the Word of God. Unless the Bible becomes the basis and authority of our total belief system we will give place to lies, heresies and doctrines of demons. Satan asked Eve a question that amounted to: "Did God really mean what He said?" That subtle questioning of God's Word then turned into a bold contradiction of it: "You will not surely die." And finally, it ended with a false promise: "You will be like God."

It was when Adam and Eve acted on Satan's subtle suggestion that sin was birthed. Then with sin came sickness, disease, poverty, hatred, strife, suffering and death. It all began in Lucifer's heart, and then was injected into God's first creation, before being passed on throughout every generation.

We need to understand the spirit or the heart of man. In the center of every human heart there is a throne. This throne is always occupied by either of two aspirants: God or self. When God is enthroned by the human heart and will, then man is positioned correctly under God's authority. When self is enthroned then God becomes dethroned, and man lives independently of God and becomes his own master, a god unto himself. He establishes the standards of his own happiness and interprets them. This is the deification of man, and it is what Satan offered Eve and what he offers every human being. The Bible correctly calls this self-enthronement godlessness (Rom 1).

The gospel of Jesus Christ is one of self-denial.

"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me" (Matt. 16:24).

Self-denial is the giving up and surrender of every part of you to God. The real gospel brings man under the total possession of the Lord Jesus Christ. Man has a natural aversion to denying himself, and any gospel that caters to this aversion is another gospel.

Let's look at the account of the rich young ruler and see a demonstration of this aspect of the gospel.

"Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, 'Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?' So Jesus said to him, 'Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not bear false witness," "Do not defraud," "Honor your father and your mother." ' And he answered and said to Him, 'Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.'  Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, 'One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.' But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions" (Mark 10:17-22).

This young man was not a casual seeker like so many are today, but was very earnest and sincere. He ran to Jesus and knelt before Him to inquire of how to obtain this great salvation. Did you notice that when Jesus quoted the Ten Commandments He purposely left out four of them? The commandments He quoted all had to do with the man's relationship to other people, while the four He omitted were in respect to his relationship to God. According to Jesus, that is where this man fell short. That is also the reason Jesus did not acknowledge the "Good Teacher" greeting, but instead pointed the man to God. In other words, Jesus is saying to the rich man, "Since you don't believe I am God why do you call me good? Only God is good." This rich man needed to be made aware that it was his relationship to God that lacked. His love for riches stood between him and God. In fact, his wealth had become his god. Self was on the throne.

The way to be delivered and set free from the greed and covetousness that was in this man's heart was for him to sell everything he had and give it to the poor. Then in doing so, he would not only have treasure in heaven, but he could then take up his cross and follow Jesus. But the rich man just wouldn't do it. He went away sad. The philosophy of humanism is to make man happy, but the gospel can actually make a man sad until he gets off his throne and surrenders.

Jesus let this man walk away. He did not go after him. He did not change, alter, or modify the gospel for this man as is commonly done today. He understood that self and God could not jointly rule in this man's heart. Man cannot serve two masters. It was one or the other. There was no negotiation. Today our modern gospel is so different. We have modified the gospel to suit man's love for sin and self.

This is the root of our deception in the American church today.


Bert M. Farias, founder of Holy Fire Ministries, is the author of The Real Gospel and co-host of the New England Holy Ghost Forum. He is a missionary evangelist carrying a spirit of revival to the church and the nations. Follow him at Bert Farias on Facebook or @Bertfarias1 on Twitter.

Bill Gothard Refutes Any Sexual Innuendos in Hugs, Foot Contact With Women

Charisma News

Bill Gothard made quite a name for himself in the home-schooling movement. Now his name is associated with something less honorable.

Gothard, 79, resigned from Basic Life Principles, the organization he founded, after allegations he was sexually harassing women. He has remained silent until now.

“I have withheld this statement in order to honor the request of the Board of Directors to wait until an initial review has taken place,” he wrote in a blog post. “As the review continues, I now want to make this statement.”

Here is Gothard’s statement:

"God has brought me to a place of greater brokenness than at any other time in my life. It is a grief to realize how my pride and insensitivity have affected so many people. I have asked the Lord to reveal the underlying causes and He is doing this.

"For many years I have been building the Institute but losing my first love for the Lord. God warns 'I know thy works, and thy labour . . . Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent. . . ' (Revelation 2:2, 4, 5). I was finding value and affirmation from the accomplishments of the ministry and those involved in it instead of filling this void in my life with God and His love. I have repented in deep sorrow. However, over the years many people have been offended in different ways because of my lack of genuine love.

"I put the Institute and its goals ahead of people and their needs. Standards became more important than relationships. People who didn’t 'measure up' were cut off and those who were not seen as adding value to the ministry were treated as though they were expendable. The more I have listened to people describe their experiences the more grieved and sorrowful I have become.

"My wrong focus produced a further consequence. Families were made to feel that they must 'measure up.' This resulted in some parents putting undue pressure on their sons and daughters in order for the family to be accepted. When there was a lack of love or consistency, sons and daughters saw this as hypocrisy and rejected it. Also, many felt that the expectations where so high that they could never measure up to them. This resulted in a feeling of deep defeat.

"This emphasis on outward appearance was also manifested by bringing selected young people to serve at the Headquarters and causing others to feel rejected and offended by my favoritism. My actions of holding of hands, hugs, and touching of feet or hair with young ladies crossed the boundaries of discretion and were wrong. They demonstrated a double-standard and violated a trust. Because of the claims about me I do want to state that I have never kissed a girl nor have I touched a girl immorally or with sexual intent.

"I have failed to live out some of the very things that I have taught. I am committed to learning from my failures by God’s grace and mercy, and do what I can to help bring about Biblical reconciliation as Jesus commands: 'Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift' (Matthew 5:23-24).

"More than anything I want to make right what I have done wrong and deepen my relationship with the Lord. I trust in God’s undeserved mercy and pray that those whom I have offended would find grace to forgive me. I know that I do not deserve this. I would certainly appreciate your prayers during this time that God would bring healing to those who have been so deeply affected by my actions. I am grateful for the opportunities I have had thus far to be reconciled with individuals and it is my goal to contact as many others as I can, fully hear them, and do whatever I can to bring about Biblical reconciliation.

"My greatest offense has been against God. I have earnestly sought His mercy and forgiveness and have asked Him to allow me to experience more of Him and the power of His resurrection.

"Sincerely,

"Bill Gothard"

Can Spirit-Filled Christians Be Oppressed by Demons?

How can Spirit-filled Christians be oppressed by demons? Watch deliverance minister Don Dickerman answer this question and offer guidance on casting out evil spirits in the videos below.

50 Things the Holy Spirit Does in Your Life by Frank Viola

Editor's Note: The following article comes from Frank Viola's new book,Jesus Now: Unveiling the Present-Day Ministry of Christ.

1. The Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8).

2. The Spirit guides us into all truth (John 16:13).

3. The Spirit regenerates us (John 3:5-8; Titus 3:5).

4. The Spirit glorifies and testifies of Christ (John 15:26; 16:14).

5. The Spirit reveals Christ to us and in us (John 16:14-15).

6. The Spirit leads us (Rom. 8:14; Gal. 5:18; Matt. 4:1; Luke 4:1).

7. The Spirit sanctifies us (2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:2; Rom. 5:16).

8. The Spirit empowers us (Luke 4:14; 24:49; Rom. 15:19; Acts 1:8).

9. The Spirit fills us (Eph. 5:18; Acts 2:4; 4:8, 31; 9:17).

10. The Spirit teaches us to pray (Rom. 8:26-27; Jude 1:20).

11. The Spirit bears witness in us that we are children of God (Rom. 8:16).

12. The Spirit produces in us the fruit or evidence of His work and presence (Gal. 5:22-23).

13. The Spirit distributes spiritual gifts and manifestations (the outshining) of His presence to and through the body (1 Cor. 12:4, 8-10; Heb. 2:4).

14. The Spirit anoints us for ministry (Luke 4:18; Acts 10:38).

15. The Spirit washes and renews us (Titus 3:5).

16. The Spirit brings unity and oneness to the body (Eph. 4:3; 2:14-18). Here the Spirit plays the same role that He plays in the Godhead. The Spirit is the life that unites Father and Son. The Spirit plays the same role in the church. When the Spirit is operating in a group of people, He unites them in love. Therefore, a sure evidence of the Holy Spirit working in a group is love and unity, not signs and wonders (those are seasonal and can be counterfeited).

17. The Spirit is our guarantee and deposit of the future resurrection (2 Cor. 1:22; 2 Cor. 5:5).

18. The Spirit seals us unto the day of redemption (Eph. 1:13; 4:30).

19. The Spirit sets us free from the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2).

20. The Spirit quickens our mortal bodies (Rom. 8:11).

21. The Spirit reveals the deep things of God to us (1 Cor. 2:10).

22. The Spirit reveals what has been given to us from God (1 Cor. 2:12).

23. The Spirit dwells in us (Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 3:16; 2 Tim. 1:14; John 14:17).

24. The Spirit speaks to, in and through us (1 Cor. 12:3; 1 Tim. 4:1; Rev. 2:11; Heb 3:7; Matt. 10:20; Acts 2:4; 8:29; 10:19; 11:12, 28; 13:2; 16:6,7; 21:4, 11).

25. The Spirit is the agent by which we are baptized into the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13).

26. The Spirit brings liberty (2 Cor. 3:17).

27. The Spirit transforms us into the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18).

28. The Spirit cries in our hearts, “Abba, Father” (Gal. 4:6).

29. The Spirit enables us to wait (Gal. 5:5).

30. The Spirit supplies us with Christ (Phil. 1:19, KJV).

31. The Spirit grants everlasting life (Gal. 6:8).

32. The Spirit gives us access to God the Father (Eph. 2:18).

33. The Spirit makes us (corporately) God’s habitation (Eph. 2:22).

34. The Spirit reveals the mystery of God to us (Eph. 3:5).

35. The Spirit strengthens our spirits (Eph. 3:16).

36. The Spirit enables us to obey the truth (1 Pet. 1:22).

37. The Spirit enables us to know that Jesus abides in us (1 John 3:24; 4:13).

38. The Spirit confesses that Jesus came in the flesh (1 John 4:2).

39. The Spirit says, “Come, Lord Jesus,” along with the bride (Rev. 22:17).

40. The Spirit dispenses God’s love into our hearts (Rom. 5:5).

41. The Spirit bears witness to the truth in our conscience (Rom. 9:1).

42. The Spirit teaches us (1 Cor. 2:13; John 14:26).

43. The Spirit gives us joy (1 Thess. 1:6).

44. The Spirit enables some to preach the gospel (1 Pet. 1:12).

45. The Spirit moves us (2 Pet. 1:21).

46. The Spirit knows the things of God (1 Cor. 2:11).

47. The Spirit casts out demons (Matt. 12:28).

48. The Spirit brings things to our remembrance (John 14:26).

49. The Spirit comforts us (Acts 9:31).

50. The Spirit makes some overseers in the church and sends some out to the work of church planting (through the body) (Acts 20:28; 13:2).

The Holy Spirit unites us to Jesus Christ and to His body. The Spirit reveals Christ to us, gives us His life and makes Christ alive in us. The Spirit takes the experiences of Jesus—His incarnation, ministry, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension—and brings them into our own experience.

Frank Viola is a speaker, entrepreneur, author and writer of the blog Beyond Evangelical.

Why You Must Kill Your Ambitions by Francis Frangipane

Spiritual fulfillment begins when we lay down selfish motives to pursue the heart of God.

When I first came to Christ, the Lord gave me a dream about my future. I was so excited! I thought everything He showed me in the dream would occur immediately. I didn't know I would have to go through a process of preparation that involved dying to self, learning patience and maintaining vision through testing before God's promise would be fulfilled.

In fact, I thought having a promise from God was the same as receiving a command from Him. I wasn't aware that I did not yet have what it took to step into His perfect plan.

Because of my desire to see God's promises come to pass, I became filled with ambition--the first motive that arises in the spiritually immature. I was like the disciples, who, a few days after Jesus' resurrection, were already asking, "'Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?'" (Acts 1:6, NKJV).

Webster's dictionary tells us that ambition is "an earnest desire for some type of achievement or distinction, as wealth or fame, and the willingness to strive for it." The word translated "ambition" in the New American Standard Bible is rendered "strife" in the King James Version.

Where there is ambition, the apostle James says, there is also "disorder and every evil thing" (James 3:16, NASB). Why? Because we try to accomplish the will of God through the strength of man. We are seeking a breakthrough, but God wants us to experience brokenness.

Ambition is very deceptive. It can seem just like obedience to us, but because we don't truly know the Lord, we find ourselves obeying our own voices rather than God's.

Ambition seeks to put to death what stands between it and spiritual fulfillment. Yet it is ambition itself that must die for us to reach fulfillment.

Today I am living in the spiritual substance of what was just a dream 30 years ago. My ambitions have suffered greatly, yet my dreams are being fulfilled. Though I have not yet stepped into the fullness of my calling, I understand the difference between ambition and ministry, and it is this: Ministry is a call, not to lead but to die.

Take Up Your Cross

Remember: A godly vision is not the same as a godly motive. Jesus preached that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. This is vision. But He also taught that if any man were to follow Him, he had to "take up his cross daily" (Luke 9:23, NKJV). Carrying the cross is the only way to die to the ambition that hinders us.

And it requires that our definition of success be transformed. Ambition defines "achievement" as "a well-known name and praise from man." God says success is becoming Christlike.

In order to develop the character of Christ in us, God provides opportunities for us to be transformed--opportunities for us to take up the cross. Often these challenges take the form of an offense.

When offense comes, you have the choice to pick up one of two things: either the offense or the cross. You will know you have chosen the offense if, when you look at the past, you remember more clearly how people hurt you than how God delivered you.

The Father allows offenses to come because His goal is not to start churches, take cities or have revivals; His goal is for you to become Christlike. He wants you to learn to forgive offenses and use them as an opportunity to grow in love.

"Why doesn't the Lord protect me from hardship?" you ask. He does. Your protection is to carry the cross. The cross represents the perfection of love in your life. If you don't carry the cross, you will lose your love. Jesus warned, "Because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold" (Matt. 24:12).

En route to your spiritual fulfillment, there will inevitably be many opportunities for you to stumble. I have heard that out of every 40 seminary graduates, only one retires as a pastor. Few are those who carry the cross throughout their lives. But only those who do will ever find true fulfillment.

True Ministry

On occasion, ministers approach me and confess they are jealous of how the Lord has used me. They see the outward signs of ministry: churches uniting, large conferences, travel and book sales. But they do not see the cost.

I have faced death threats from satanists. I have seen satanic graffiti on the street signs of churches that hosted me and witnessed the effects of the vandalism perpetrated against them.

I have also faced persecution from other Christians, particularly those who fear the idea of unity. As a result, I've had my name maligned in books and periodicals and been pegged by misguided Christians as a "false prophet."

One time a host pastor was murdered just before I went to speak for a conference. When I heard about it, I decided to take along my associate pastors, Bill and Tim, from River of Life. Tim shared with me recently that the first night there he had to search his heart to determine whether he would be willing to step between me and an assailant or to take a knife for me if I were attacked.

I was grateful that his answer was yes. But at a hundred other conferences, where there has been no one to stand between me and a crazed assailant, I've had to prayerfully consider, "Am I willing to die for the Lord by going to this conference armed only with the gospel?"

I've had to combat fears caused by threats and the possibilities of evil more terrible than most people ever consider. I've also had to wrestle with deep concerns about my children and their safety, wondering how to deal with their vulnerability to potential physical attack.

Any volunteers for my assignment? Like Paul, I've had to say, "I die daily." I have learned through experience that a call to ministry is a call to die. In fact, I have discovered that only to the degree that we die to self do we lead others. Everything else is just religion without power.

When He was on Earth, Jesus sought to prepare His disciples for the hardships that awaited them. He warned them that a time was coming when He would be mocked, scourged and crucified. Incredibly, right in the middle of His sober warning, the mother of James and John requested that Jesus fulfill her family's ambitions! She said, "'Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom'" (v. 21).

She was thinking advancement, position and place; Jesus was thinking scourging, mocking and death. She was looking for the crown; Christ was pointing to the cross.

Jesus' answer was intended to silence not only her ambitions, but ours as well: "'You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?'" (v. 22). The disciples said they were, but they hadn't the foggiest idea of the price to be paid.

Jesus answered them: "'You will indeed drink My cup...but to sit on My right and on My left is not Mine to give,'" (v. 23). He was telling them: "'I cannot fulfill your ambitions. I can only show you how to die.'"

We too must drink the cup Jesus described. Its contents fly in the face of ambition: "'Whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave--just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many'" (vv. 27-28). What are these contents? Elements that bring about suffering for the sake of love. This is the cup that leads to destiny.

Paul wrote of the source of power in his life. He said, "We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed...always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body" (2 Cor. 4:7-10).

What is this "dying of Jesus"? It is dying the way Jesus died, uttering "Father, forgive them." The only way ambition can be fulfilled is if we are ambitious to die for the redemption of others.

"For we who live are constantly delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you" (2 Cor. 4:11-12). This is the heart of the ministry every believer is called to: We are delivered over to death that the very life of Jesus, the actual substance of His character, may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

Ambition will fail us, but Paul says, "Death works in us." Death of self leads to the manifest life of Jesus. And this is true success.

Francis Frangipane is the founder of River of Life Ministries in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and has traveled throughout the world ministering to thousands of pastors and intercessors from many backgrounds. His heartfelt prayer is to see established in every city Christlike pastors and intercessors, united before God, revealing the love of Christ to their communities. Since 1985, Frangipane has written 14 books plus a number of study booklets. Over the past decades, he has served on a number of other ministry boards. However, in recent years he has gradually resigned from these various boards. As of June 2009, he has also retired from his position as senior pastor of River of Life Ministries. In his more simplified life, Frangipane is devoting himself to prayer and the ministry of God's Word.

9 Bad Charismatic Habits We Need to Break

I love the Holy Spirit’s gifts. But some of our “Spirit-filled” practices are questionable.

Anybody who has read this column before knows I’m unapologetically charismatic in my theology. I love the Holy Spirit, and I believe the New Testament calls us to make room for manifestations of the Spirit. The apostle Paul gave guidelines for the gift of prophecy; he saw dramatic healings; he experienced supernatural visions; and he told church leaders not to forbid speaking in tongues (see 1 Cor. 14:39). Paul was the epitome of charismatic spirituality.

But not everything we do today in the name of the Holy Spirit is a valid expression of His power. Over the past four decades, we charismatics have invented some lame practices that not only make us look silly but actually turn people off to our message. I figure we started these behaviors because of immaturity—and I can laugh about them because I’ve done some of them myself. But it’s 2013, and I think God expects more of us.

I realize this can be sensitive if you have one or more of these bad habits. But please pray over this list before you blast me for being critical.

1. The body slam. There are times when people feel woozy or weak-kneed when the Holy Spirit touches them. I leave room for that. But can we please stop pushing people to the floor? Any minister who hits, shoves or slaps people at a church altar is being extremely rude. He is also relying on his own swagger to demonstrate he has the power to “slay” people in the Spirit. If you pushed someone to the floor, God had nothing to do with it.

2. The courtesy drop. We’ve all done it. Many people fall while receiving prayer because they figure it’s the spiritual thing to do. But there is nothing in Scripture that says you have to fall to receive healing or an anointing. You receive by faith. It’s perfectly fine to stay standing. And you may actually protect yourself from getting stepped on!

3. The song that never ends. I used to love the chorus “Let It Rain” until some churches drove this tune into the ground by playing it 159 times in a row. After the first 30 go-rounds, I want to scream, “Change the channel!” God doesn’t listen to us more intently if we are repetitive, as if we were doing a rain dance to make Him hear us. It’s OK to end the song and start a new one!

4. The amateur flag corp. Banners and flags became a hot worship trend in the 1980s, and pageantry can still be effective when practiced and performed for an audience. But where did we get the idea that waving flags, sticks or other sharp objects within two feet of people’s faces was a smart idea?

5. The wannabe telethon offering. I have been in meetings where the preacher gave a 25-minute offering sermon (before the main message) and then asked everyone in the audience to parade to the front for the next 15 minutes. Yes, giving money to God is worship. But when the offering takes longer than any other part of the service, I start to wonder if we are being taken for a ride.

6. The sermon with seven endings. Speaking of money, I wish I had a dollar for every time a preacher has said, “I’m starting to close.” I don’t mind a long sermon, and I’ve been guilty of going over my time limit. But you are flat-out lying if you tell an audience you’re finishing when you actually still have half an hour to go.

7. The praise-a-go-go dancers. I love to dance in church—and it’s normal in many of the ethnic congregations I visit. But I fear we unleashed a monster when we encouraged amateur dance teams to hop around on stage in unitards—in front of visitors! It’s not unspiritual to ask: “Will this look goofy?”

8. The ear-shattering amp. When the early church prayed, the buildings shook. Today we shake our buildings by turning up the volume of our sound systems. You know they are too loud when church members pop in earplugs during worship. “Charismatic” does not mean “loud,” and our spirituality is not measured in decibels.

9. The "jump-start" glossalalia. I will never apologize for the gift of tongues, and I believe it is a wonderful gift every Christian can have. But someone got the idea they could “prime the pump” by asking people to repeat certain phrases in order to uncork a prayer language. Asking someone to say, “I tie my bow tie, I tie my bow tie,” is not going to prompt a miracle. Quit manipulating the Holy Spirit.

The apostle Paul, in laying down guidelines for charismatic gifts, told the Corinthians, “When I became a man, I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11). As we embrace the Spirit’s work, let’s allow Him to guide us into maturity so we don’t foolishly squander His power.

J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma and the director of The Mordecai Project(themordecaiproject.org). You can follow him on Twitter at @leegrady. He is the author of 10 Lies the Church Tells Women, 10 Lies Men Believe, The Holy Spirit Is Not for Sale, Fearless Daughters of the Bibleand other books.

Seven Steps to 'Sex-cess'

Live in a sex-charged culture, without getting zapped!

Jim is in my office one Saturday morning crying over the lust, guilt and terrible sexual choices that are destroying his life. I don't know whether to empathize with his pain or kick his butt for going to sleep on his watch!

I remind him that the battle for sexual integrity demands constant vigilance. It's a wrestling match with Satan, and any time you let your guard down, you get body-slammed.

Our society so bombards us with sex. With our male fascination for visual stimulation and our often-adolescent mindsets, this is very disconcerting.

It is easy to empathize with the early church father, Origen, who made himself a eunuch in a desperate step to achieve greater purity. But, God has also given us a wonderful gift in being sexually alive with exciting potential for deep, passionate intimacy.

The following are practical skills, actually disciplines, men need to practice as they grow up into sexual maturity and intimacy. "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline" (2 Tim. 1:7, NIV).

1. Bring Sexual Secrets Into the LightSeveral years ago, I can remember having trouble keeping my thought life disciplined around a certain woman who would occasionally cross my path. There was no inappropriate interaction, but I did not like the way she could ring my sexual chimes without even trying.

I finally told a friend of mine about her—the way I had coached others to confess their secret struggles. How interesting that the next time I saw this woman the sexual pull was gone.

Wow! Isn't it amazing how Satan's system thrives in darkness and secrecy? It is exciting to practice the discipline of bringing a secret into the light of day and to actually experience its power disappearing.

"Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible" (Eph. 5:11-13).

What a dynamic concept God created with His emphasis on confession and walking in the light. An important part of this discipline is seeking out appropriate confessors, groups and accountability buddies.

Wives cannot be in that role alone. We need male buddies to help us bring our secrets into the light.

2. Practice Pre-Zone ChoicesIn sexual addiction there is an interesting concept of being in "the zone." This is when sexual temptation and lustful desire have headed down the slippery slope and already given birth to sinfully following through on a behavior.

It would take a team of wild horses to stop you once you reach the acting-out zone. "But each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin" (James 1:14-15).

Carl stated the car had a mind of its own and turned into the parking lot of the convenience store that sells dirty magazines. Of course the car couldn't be stopped, Carl was already in the zone by the time he got near the store. The time for decisions was earlier.

That morning he could have called a friend for help. He could have called his wife before he left work. But he failed to make any of these pre-zone choices to preserve his sexual integrity.

Christian men often get angry with God and complain that He allowed sexual temptation that they couldn't stand up under (see 1 Cor. 10:13). No, we simply did not make a series of healthy choices until it was too late.

God didn't fail us. We failed to take the first choices He gave to keep us from sinning. The quicker you begin making decisions about sexual temptation, the more God can intervene.

3. Discipline Fantasies and Sexual Surges
Men usually think they are more highly sexed than their wives are. It is true that most men think about sex more and are more visually specific as they zoom in on female bodies. But I don't think it is higher testosterone or our sexual natures that make us more sexually aroused; it is our poor self-discipline of the environmental sexual cues.

Controlling sexual cues is an interesting discipline. It involves several ways of applying the wisdom of "take captive every thought" (2 Cor. 10:5) and "the eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light'" (Matt. 6:22).

Practicing the following really helps:

Don't close your eyes or give free rent. When seeing or hearing a sexual cue (for example, a guy in the locker room talking about a sexually charged movie he saw) keep from closing your eyes and visualizing or fantasizing about the sexual image.

You can't always avoid the sexual stimulation, but when a thought or visual cue comes into your mind, you can choose not to give it lodging rent-free. God gives us the ability to switch topics in our minds.

Direct your vision and practice the "one-second" rule. Try to discipline your vision to look at women's faces or see their bodies in a general way—don't do the elevator routine as your eyes roam up and down, stopping at favorite floors.

When seeing specific visual cues (for example, a tight sweater), do not allow your gaze to linger and further sexualize the cue. Move your eyes and mind on.

Do not run with cues. Noticing the cute runner may be natural. Following up that cue by almost driving off the road trying to check her out in the rearview mirror is a step into dangerous territory.

Now you're thinking, Wow, what a build! You are off and running in your mind as you take one cue and build it into seven. Choose to stop with one cue.

4. Work Inside OutDo you sometimes believe God doesn't hold up His part of the bargain with changing our sexual behaviors? You try so desperately to uphold the right sexual behavior and yet always seem to slip.

Quit trying to work outside in. Instead, start with God working His deeper changes in your heart and creating true freedom and redemption.

Real sexual integrity is not about what you aren't doing; it is about what you are doing. You may have stopped masturbation but haven't dealt with the deeper heart lust issues. Go deeper than the behavior.

How is masturbation affecting you and your relationships? Are you lusting, lazy, avoiding intimacy, feeding an addiction? Go deep into God's character and the heart of issues, and work inside out.

We will make better choices as God helps us b ecome appalled at how shallow, ugly, stupid and tragically destructive sexual sins are. Psalm 97:10 says, "Let those who love the Lord hate evil."

When we lust after another woman or are tempted to have an affair, we can better understand the damage we're causing by imagining instead an evil we could never see ourselves doing--such as taking a tire iron from our cars and bashing our wives with it.

This may seem over-the-top. But we each need to recognize just how cruel and mean God sees our sinful fantasies and actions.

5. Meet Nonsexual Needs Nonsexually
I recently asked my men's group: "It's Friday afternoon, and you got off work early. The wife and kids are not home, and you have time to relax and enjoy. How many of you might think of something sexual as a part of that recreation?"

All of them admitted that it would cross their minds.

We brainstormed on what were they really desiring at the end of an exhausting week: diversion, a chance to let down and play, and maybe some adventure and excitement. Sex can accomplish this, but we started listing alternatives: wandering around Home Depot, playing video games, biking or shooting hoops.

Men long for connection, meaningful physical touch and consolation when stressed. False sexual intimacy can seem helpful, but this shallow substitute can never become the real thing. One of my friends, Mark Laaser, keeps saying that the antidote to lust is good male friendships.

Letting God help us meet our needs, sexual and nonsexual, wisely and appropriately, is a critical discipline for sexual integrity.

We often think that we need sex when we are really searching for something else.

6. Quit Window-Shopping
We can summarize God's plan for our sexuality quite simply: Every Adam courageously waits for and erotically connects only with his Eve—all other women are his sisters.1 Timothy 5:2 tells us to treat "older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity."

A female client of mine recently asked why Christian men do so much window-shopping of women. She stated: "If they are godly men, why are they sizing up women for mental or sexual relationships? Aren't we sisters?" I couldn't agree more.

I fondly think of a pastor friend of mine, who upon seeing an attractive woman says to himself, "Thank you, Lord, for this woman." And then he adds: "But this isn't my woman, Lord. Thank you for mine."

7. Practice 3-D Sexuality
God teaches us that sexuality is three-dimensional. It can never be just a body thing (see 1 Cor. 6:13-19) but naturally involves our soul and spirit.

When you are at a mall and notice an attractive woman, look at her face and notice if she is tired.

Observe the packages she is carrying and think, I bet she's a great mom. Make the woman a person and give her a life.

Body: Look at less common but very feminine features such as hands, smile and ways of gesturing. Let her body communicate her heart, not just her sexuality.

Soul: Honor the needs of her mind and heart for respect and affirmation, not lust. She is very precious to God. Would you want someone looking at your daughter the way you are looking at her?

Spirit: Remember that she wants someone special in her life to connect with—and this is not you!

One of my clients, after seeing a great body and struggling with lust, starts praying for that woman that she will truly know Christ. Giving her a spirit gets him back on track.

Godly disciplines are not easy or natural. Keep practicing because it's a no-brainer choice. Do we want pain, guilt and failed intimacy, or do we want the fruit of the Spirit with love, joy and peace?

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" (Heb. 12:11). It's time to vigilantly protect your sexual integrity.

Dr. Doug Rosenau is a licensed psychologist and certified sex therapist in the Atlanta area (sexualwholeness.com).

Can We Build the Church By Being Against the Church?

by Daniel Darling   
It's hard to read a Christian book or blog post or to hear a sermon without hearing some overt or implied criticism of some part of the evangelical Church as a whole. That's not even counting the Twitter feeds of Christians.

 I'm reading a terrific book right on the centrality of the gospel by one of my favorite author/preacher/
bloggers. It's a book that is both challenging me and inspiring me. But even this favorite author can't resist the easy stereotype of "most churches" or "most Christians" or "The Church is ..." It seems nearly impossible for us to build up our ministries without having to use another expression of Christian ministry as a foil.

I know this because I do this myself. In my forthcoming book, I spend a considerable time pushing back against the pressure to be perfect among 2nd-generation kids. I felt (and still feel) it was a legitimate criticism. And yet I wonder at our motives. Are we genuinely concerned about the perceived blind spot in this generation's evangelical movement or are we simply trying to provoke so as to build our own tribes? Are we being truly prophetic or are we trying to position ourselves as more pure than our ministry brothers?

These are questions worth asking ourselves, I think. Now please understand that this is not a plea for squishy, doctrine-free tolerance. I loathe the progressive movements that advocate tolerance for everyone except those whose beliefs they despise. Doctrine is important. Warning our flock about the dangers of aberrant theology is vital for their spiritual lives.

But we could all do better at examining our motives and check our facts. Scoring cheap points in a message or blog post or book based on broad stereotypes of the Body of Christ is both intellectually lazy and it's an insult to the Bride Christ loves.

I want to be faithful in shepherding my flock, which includes speaking the truth about what's false. But I don't want to build my ministry on the foundation of someone else's failures (perceived or real). Let's build our ministries on the unchanging Word of God as our source, on the radical nature of the gospel message. And let's remember that we ourselves are fallible, flawed messengers easily prone to our own errors of judgment.

“Removing the Head of the Serpent” by Kay Winters

Recently I had a prophetic experience that clearly portrayed the condition of the church in America. My husband and I take evening walks that sometimes bring us through affluent neighborhoods. We enjoy viewing luxury homes with their beautiful waterfalls and fountains. Sometimes I venture to curiously peer into the backyards of these homes, finding exquisite pools, sports courts, fireplaces, and landscaping that mirror a Thomas Kincaid painting.
As we enjoyed our walk on this particular evening, suddenly my husband blurts out, “Snake!” After jumping in the opposite direction, I saw a three foot rattlesnake about a foot away from where we had been walking. Having been raised on a farm in Georgia, I am familiar with the behavior of snakes, especially poisonous vipers. Snakes react to ground vibration and I was mystified as to why the snake was not hissing or coiling to strike us. To our surprise, the snake ignored us, and slowly slithered in the opposite direction. The snake seemed to be right “at home” in the landscape of the neighborhood.

We decided to alert the homeowner regarding the snake. I rang the door bell and was greeted by a man in his 40’s. I said, “Sir, there is a rattlesnake in your front yard. Perhaps you might want to dispose of him.” He froze and didn’t respond. Knowing the snake could quickly escape, I continued, “Sir, this is a neighborhood with lots of children.” Finally, after another long pause, he replied, “Ok, give me a moment”. I could tell he did not want to be bothered, but my last statement provoked him to action. After what seemed like an eternity, the homeowner emerged from his garage with a six foot pole with a huge razor-like blade attached. I thought to myself, “I said ‘rattlesnake’, not ‘alligator’.”

As we approached the rattlesnake, I was amazed that it was still moving across the landscape at a snail’s pace. The homeowner looked terrified as he cautiously approached the snake from behind. He repeatedly raised his weapon high in the air, practicing his potential strike, yet hesitated to deliver the death blow. Not wanting to embarrass him, I kept silent, yet my thought was, “What is wrong with you? Remove that serpents head now”!

Serving God or Mammon

At that instant, I knew this experience paralleled the present condition of the American Church. The homeowner represents the Church and the rattlesnake represents Satan. Satan is not intimidated or threatened by the Church. In fact, he wanders in and out of the Body of Christ often without resistance or consequence. There is no need for Satan to hiss, coil or strike at us, since we pose little threat to him. He knows the focus of the Church at large is not Christ-centered, but instead self-centered. We have set our hearts on temporal treasures, in lieu of eternity, seeking the hand of God, instead of the face of God. Even our ministers have been deceived, esteeming the size of their congregations, offerings, and buildings as the measuring rod for success. A distorted “prosperity” gospel has taught us to use our faith almost exclusively to obtain larger homes, cars, and 401K accounts?

Our spiritual eyes have been encrusted with an infection that has distorted our vision. Blinded by materialism, we pursue Mammon, while Satan lies quietly at our feet. Our pursuits of pleasure have hardened us from not only the cries of the needy, but also the whispers of the Holy Spirit. We neither want to answer the doorbell, nor have our routine disrupted in any way. In effect, most of us are wearing a sign that says, “Do not disturb!” We have to be provoked to emerge from our comfort zones to serve at home, at church, or in our communities.

Like the church of Laodicea, the American Church has been deceived by riches, having become unaware of our spiritual poverty and blindness. As a result, many American Christians unknowingly worship the idol of Mammon. In His mercy, the Lord has used the downward spiral of our nation’s economy and monetary system to warn us not to trust in uncertain riches, but in Him who freely gives us all things to enjoy (Revelation 3:15-19, Luke 16:13).

Trampling on Serpents

We are destined to trample on serpents and scorpions, crushing Satan under our feet. However, one key element that enables us to triumph over the works of the devil is the depth of our repentance. Only profound repentance of our spiritual complacency and idolatry will cure our spiritual blindness, enabling us to identify the serpents in our lives. No longer ignorant of Satan’s devices, we can shake the kingdom of darkness, cause Satan to flee, and erect a “No trespassing!” sign on the landscape of our lives.

Luke 10:19 “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

We must become a generation of snake killers, as our battle is against principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness in heavenly places. As soldiers of the cross, we must exchange our cordial passivity for a violent militancy and remove the heads of the serpents in our lives. Indeed, His power working in us can break any yoke, cut through any chain, and His light in us can overwhelm any depth of darkness.

I John 3:8 “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil.”

The snakes we encounter will hiss, coil and strike in fear at the Greater One who lives within us. As we exercise our authority and God given power, many of these serpents will flee in fear. But what about those serpents who resist and refuse to exit our lives? We must say, “Off with their heads!” (James 4:7, I John 3:8).

Source: Prepared the Way International

Can A Christian Sing The Blues?

by Michael Spencer - Internet Monk

When someone says I’ve written something I shouldn’t have written, you can be almost certain that I’ve written something using the language of lament. L-A-M-E-N-T.

All of you that just said “huh?” please step into the side room. If you came in a bus, they’ll wait. It’s time for a lesson on some of the most important parts of the Bible that you won’t be hearing in church.

Lament is a form of language used THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE (excuse the shouting) when human beings respond to their experience of God seeming to not keep his covenant promises to them. Lament is “Where are you Lord? What are you doing? Why are you against me? How could you let this happen? I did what you commanded, and now this? My life is miserable. Where is God?” If you’re like most Christians, you know this stuff is in the Bible, but your pastor never gets near it at the risk of a deacons meeting to ask why he’s lost his faith.

Lament is a kind of mourning, and it’s a very legitimate and common Biblical form of prayer. It’s part of how the Bible teaches us to pray and worship. It sounds radical in the Bible, and it sounds downright dangerous in contemporary usage.

For example, read Jeremiah 20:7-18. Here are some some highlights, rephrased into the vernacular by me:

God, you’ve conned me. You’ve made me into a laughingstock. Your word is a cause of derision and rejection. I’d love to stop talking about you, but unfortunately I can’t. Cursed be the day I was born. It would have been better if I’d died in the womb, or my mother murdered, than to live this life.

Or try Jeremiah 15:15-21.

God, I did everything you asked me to, but it now appears you have just given me unceasing pain, refused to take it away and proven yourself to be deceitful.

Yes, he said deceitful. Lamenters don’t always get their theology right. In the midst of pain, our prayers and complaints are covered up in emotion, and that emotion often isn’t the kind of “everything in its place” theology smiley happy religious people need.

Similar material can be found throughout the Bible, from whole chapters in Job to long sections of the Psalms to statements by Jesus that we all know, like “Why have you forsaken me?” As I said, we all know it’s there, but we don’t like to think about what it means. We’re trained to stick with what won’t make anyone blink and wince.

Lament can be direct and blunt, full of anger, depression and bitterness, directed at God in direct address. It can be subdued and quiet, barely detectable. It can be complaints to other persons of faith, or it can simply be the lamenter talking to him/herself.

Abraham lamented. So did Moses. So did David. So did Job. So did most of the prophets and yes, even Jesus on occasion.

Communal laments are common in the Psalms, reflecting Israel’s experience of questioning the covenant and experiencing the dark side of their faith. You’ll never read the Psalms in a disciplined way without having to deal with the implications of lamentation and the goodness/sovereignty of God.
An entire book of the older testament laments the destruction of Jerusalem, the temple and covenant certainties.

So, how does this get a writer or preacher in trouble again?

When contemporary Christians, especially preachers and teachers, use the language of lament, it’s Biblical context is lost on some hearers, and all they hear is doubt and denial. (Trust me on that one. I have much experience.) In fact, what they are actually hearing is faith; faith finding its voice and regaining its foundation after distressing life experiences and disappointments.

The language of lament is not welcome in most contemporary Christianity. Evangelicals in particular must be held responsible for creating an atmosphere where a person in pain and loss cannot speak in the SAME LANGUAGE THE BIBLE USES (excuse the caps. Sorry.) without running the risk of controversy and heresy.

How many churches have people who need to have their own unspoken laments affirmed by the Biblical language of lament and the experiences of God’s people in lamentation, but are denied the opportunity to feel human because Christians are so invested in maintaining illusions.

Ironically, Christians specialize in the language of glory and triumph, gullibly believing any report of miracles and healings must be true in order to prove that God is still doing what they’ve been told he should always do, but it is the experience and language of lament- disappointment and sorrow- that would tell honest unbelievers that we live in the same world as they do, yet still believe in God. Our proficiency in triumphalism backfires with the genuine souls who want to know if God is still there when he seems so absent.

Calvin Seerveld has penned a contemporary congregational lament. Ask yourself if this reading could find a place in your church? Does it have a place in the faith journey of a Christian? Or are we destined to be a happy, clappy people despite the truths of our lives?

Why, Lord, must evil seem to get its way?
We do confess our sin is deeply shameful;
but now the wicked openly are scornful,
they mock your name and laugh at our dismay.
We know your providential love holds true:
nothing can curse us endlessly with sorrow.
Transform, dear Lord, this damage into good;
show us your glory, hidden by this evil.

Why, Lord must he be sentenced, locked away?
True, he has wronged his neighbor and has failed you.
Yet none of us is innocent and sinless;
only by grace we follow in your way.
We plead: Repair the brokenness we share.
Chastise no more lest it destroy your creatures.
Hear this lament as intercessory prayer,
and speak your powerful word to make us hopeful.
Why, Lord, must she be left to waste away?
Do you not see how painfully she suffers?
Could you not change the curse of this disaster?
Amaze us by your mighty sovereignty.
We plead: Repair the brokenness we share.
Chastise no more lest it destroy your creatures.
Hear this lament as intercessory prayer,
and speak your powerful word to make us hopeful.

Why, Lord, must broken vows cut like a knife?
How can one wedded body break in pieces?
We all have failed at being pure and faithful;
only by grace we keep our solemn vows.
We plead: Repair the brokenness we share.
Chastise no more lest it destroy your creatures.
Hear this lament as intercessory prayer,
and speak your powerful word to make us hopeful.

Why, Lord, did you abruptly take him home?
Could you not wait to summon him before you?
Why must we feel the sting of death’s old cruelty?
Come quickly, Lord, do not leave us alone.
We plead: Repair the brokenness we share.
Chastise no more lest it destroy your creatures.
Hear this lament as intercessory prayer,
and speak your powerful word to make us hopeful.

Why, Lord, must any child of yours be hurt?
Does all our pain and sorrow somehow please you?
You are a God so jealous for our praises
hear this lament as prayer that fills the earth.
We plead: Repair the brokenness we share.
Chastise no more lest it destroy your creatures.
Hear this lament as intercessory prayer,
and speak your powerful word to make us hopeful.
Text Calvin Seerveld, I986. c 7 986, Calvin Seerveld. Used by permission.

There are many excellent resources on lament. Evangelicals can learn much from the writings and music of Michael Card who has two books on lament- both excellent- and is now doing teaching on the subject. Here are two mp3s of Card teaching on lament, and particularly how lament changes our thinking about God.

Some excellent articles on lament are available on the web. Check out this one at Reformed Worship. Then do a search of back issues under the search term “lament.”

One of the ways the church makes itself expendable, even intolerable, to some serious Jesus followers is the rejection and devaluing of the language of lament. We are human beings and our experience of God is sometimes one of sorrow and pain. Such an experience becomes part of our prayer, our affirmation of faith and our corporate witness.

Michael Horton says the evangelical church has decided no one can sing or play the blues in church.
That’s a very bad, and dishonest, decision. Singing the blues to God is honest, and the ailing evangelicalism around us is dying for lack of honesty.

Christian - BIG ISSUES!

NOTE:  From a wife whose marriage has been damaged by these things...

BIG ISSUES - by Anon.

Dateline ran an episode regarding husbands who are addicted to video games which is causing about 48% of the divorce rate, even in the church.  50% is caused by P0-RN use.  The rest is financial or other issues.  Pastor Hagee's son preached on how many men in their church he has counseled because of the gaming addiction, leaving wives abandoned and children orphaned.  He suggested on TV that the wives should take a hammer to the PlayStations. When a husband protested, he said, "Brother you vowed to forsake all others for your wife and that includes Sony."

I myself have been guilty of throwing laptops in the pool or smashing them on the ground after finding P0-RN videos on my husband's computer. I got the DVD's "Helping Her Heal" by Douglas Weiss from a sex addiction program and my husband refused to watch it. Even him watching it would bring healing as it validates me and brings understanding to my behavior because of the damage he has done to my heart...

How do you address the issue of Christian husbands dabbling in the occult via these video games that involve divination, necromancy, spells, witchcraft, etc? I believe it opens the door to these demonic spirits. As I have had first hand experience in this matter and have seen manifestations of these demonic beings. This isn't something we want to bring into our homes or pass on to our kids. What about the excuse, "Oh it is only a game.  There is no sin in it."  Like going to a psychic or reading your horoscope.  Just fun and games, they say.  If it is so harmless or inocent, why are families being divorced over it?

How do you address people who recite a prayer confessing Jesus as being the son of God and the way, and never change?  Is this believing in their hearts, or are they giving mental accent to Jesus just as we would believe in "Abe Lincoln"?  I thought the baptism in water was to represent death to sin and self and living unto righteousness instead of a free hall pass to do as you please thinking you have purchased your fire insurance.  I was always taught that some receive the seed joyfully, but because of other things they fall away and never bear fruit. Are these the ones that get cut down because the axe is being laid to the root? Are these folks really saved even if they receive the word with joy and it never produces any fruit and they remain wallowing in the mud and eating their own vomit like a dog?  Real sheep don't do that.  Real Christianity is about death to self, picking up your cross and following Jesus in obedience... families and marriages are suffering because of this.

Dateline should not be the one leading the way in exposing these things.  The church should be.  If people could find help in these issues because it is being addressed, more would come to church. My biggest hurt, suffering and pain are coming from these issues and I need healing from the pain it brings, and you won't get that in a church that doesn't know about it or address it strongly.

Please help the women, children, marriages and families and wake these hypnotized men up.

-Please comment on these issues at the website below-
 http://www.johnthebaptisttv.com/

Evander Holyfield & Creflo Dollar - Proof That You Can't Buy God

by Preacher Bureau of Investigations

Atlanta Bureau - If there was ever proof that giving 10% of your income to a Prosperity Preacher is not a good idea then all anyone has to do is look at Evander Holyfield. In a climatic legal setting that once featured Evander Holyfield, Janice Holyfield (his 2nd wife), Judge Miller, and Creflo Dollar, the actual battle was over the amount of money that was donated to one church.

For those in the church community who may have missed this story, listed below you will find a brief summary of the legal battle that ensued over donations made to Creflo Dollar Ministries as reported to us.



Act 1 -Attorneys for Mrs. Holyfield requested a deposition from Creflo Dollar in order to determine the exact amount of donations made to Creflo Dollar Ministries by former Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield. Creflo Dollar refused to comply with the court order stating that the order was it in fact a violation of constitutional provisions for the separation of church and state and pastor-parishioner privilege. With Creflo Dollar’s refusal to comply with a court order, Judge Miller found the minister in contempt of court.

Act 2 – Creflo Dollar makes an appeal to the Supreme Court of Georgia but his case was eventually dismissed by the court. As part of a divorce and paternity case, Mrs. Holyfield's attorneys sought a line item explanation for the donations (tithes) that Evander Holyfield gave to Creflo Dollar during their marriage which totaled close to $7 million. Holyfield claims in an interview with ESPN that he will tithe before any other obligations such as paying his mortgage. The interview was from a show ESPN produced about the relationships between stars and televangelists.

Act 3 – In February off this year Candi Holyfield (Evander Holyfield’s 3rd wife) accused him of a violent act against her in the presence of the couple's two children. Candi Holyfield filed for a protective order against her husband. The protective order states that Mr. Holyfield is not allowed within 500 yards of Candi Holyfield, and that he have no contact with the couple's two children. The incident allegedly began because the heat was cut off in the couple's home, and Candi Holyfield attempted to discuss it with her husband. During this same time frame Evander Holyfield faced a foreclosure auction of his famous mansion which could have added to the problems during his brief marriage to Candi Holyfield.

The good news for Evander Holyfield is that he was able to get his house off in the auction block as confirmed by the lender. Despite the fact that Evander Holyfield’s 54,000-square-foot home is no longer in foreclosure it still brings into question the claims made by prosperity preachers that giving large sums of money to their ministries will gain you favor with God.

Whether Mr. Holyfield is actually flat broke is not the question. What really is at stake is the truth behind the prosperity gospel propaganda that your blessing is connected to the amount of money you give to the ministry. According to the top three prosperity preachers (Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, and Benny Hinn) if a believer faithfully gives 10% of their income to the church then blessings will start to pour in.

As we examine the Evander Holyfield story in which he has donated millions of dollars to Creflo Dollar ministries, it has many people asking where are the returns on investment for Mr. Holyfield.

Evander Holyfield's home = 54,000 Square FT

Evander Holyfield is just one in a long list of faithful members of prosperity preachers who donated millions of dollars only to discover that the only person who prospered was the Pastor of the Church. Ron Collins a spokesperson for the Church Folk Revolution says that prosperity preachers are doing more harm than good when it comes to the issue of tithes & offerings.

“This idea that you can buy your way into heaven by donating large sums of money to prosperity preachers has left the door open for all sorts of scams and cons. On one hand you can't claim that God is sovereign and powerful but on the other hand you present him as broke and in desperate need of money. We believe that God values our time in worship and charity far more than the money we donate to a charismatic preacher. “

The Church Folk Revolution’s website www.PimpPreacher.com, has experienced a nonstop flow of unique visitors to the site ever since the Bishop Eddie Long Scandal made breaking news. Ron Collins says that many of the people that visited the site had no idea that prosperity preachers were indulging themselves in lifestyles that many members could only dream of.

“If you really want to do something for the Kingdom of God then take the money that you would normally send to one of these prosperity preachers and pay the light bill for an elderly person within your own community. When you give money to these mega-churches you are actually funding their lavish lifestyles.”

If the claims of the prosperity preachers were actually true then Evander Holyfield would be a poster child for peace, prosperity and tranquility but based on recent court filings we now know that's far from the truth. Evander Holyfield has given over $20 Million to date to Creflo Dollar’s World Changers Ministries as reported by John Barr of ESPN.