tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36111372196937022552024-02-18T19:25:38.966-08:00Apostolic VisionAbraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.comBlogger133125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-72963149160227400672019-10-24T23:24:00.000-07:002019-10-24T23:24:13.424-07:00God Loves To Surprise You With Suddenlies!!! Get Ready!!!!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">The Suddenlies of God</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">by Russell Durose [ radurose@aol.com ] </span></b><br />
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<a href="http://www.prayer-revival-initiative.com/">www.prayer-revival-initiative.com</a><br />
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<b><span style="color: #444444;">Malachi 3:1</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #444444;">1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">The "suddenlies" of God are wonderful. They come with promise, that is we are assured of God's faithfulness, but we are never prepared for the WAY God will do it!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">But we notice that God sends a prophet before He performs His Suddenly. To prepare the way.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><b>What does He prepare?</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">1. He prepares us by leading us in repentance.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">2. He prepares us by leading us in forgiving.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">3. He prepares us by surrender.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">Who is this Messenger? Could be a prophet, can be the Holy Spirit coming to us with great preparation.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">I am not sure about you, but I have noticed a great dearth in our lives the last 2 weeks. It was as though what was full of water was emptied, and God started digging around and digging out a deeper foundation so that what God builds will be far greater.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">But this preparation prepares a road a highway into our ministries, our businesses and our lives, so that Jesus can come in and do what He desires.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">What the Lord told me today is that He is about to do a suddenly in your life. He is about to SUDDENLY visit His Temple. He is about to show up!!!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">" The Lord, whom you seek," are you seeking for Him? Are you seeking Him alone?</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #444444;">Whatever you seek shall manifest!!!</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">There is something happening as I write this, the Presence of the Lord has come into this place, I know that this is what God is speaking from His Throne.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">What do you seek? If you seek what is temporal, it shall indeed be given in this season, but it shall pass.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">The Lord says, "If you seek Me, Me alone, what I shall do in you shall never pass." Yes Jesus shall suddenly show up.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">Imagine the scenario, you are doing your regular house meeting, childrens or youth meeting, your sunday meeting, and all of a sudden you note a change. The people start to cry out, begin to worship Jesus in a new way. Indeed Jesus suddenly CAME into His Temple. You note the intense Presence of the Holy One. You note the very core of your being challenged to be humbled before Him. The angels exhort you in a loud voice to ACKNOWLEDGE Him, the King of Glory!!!!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">You note in your business that what was merely maintained is now accentuated with a new invention that God put in your being. Now you make so much finance that you sow into the end time harvest.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">Imagine also a couple at home, having the usual argument, then the atmosphere changes, and the FEAR of the Lord hits them both, they fall to the floor and worship the Lord.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">Imagine an ordinary prayer meeting, then the atmosphere changes, they are drawn into the Presence of the Suddenly Presence of the Holy One. They stay there hours.</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #444444;">This is the suddenly that is coming!!!!</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">It is something that shall make society stop, with even greater moment than that of 11th September 2001.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">" The Messenger of the Covenant whom you delight in..." Yes He suddenly comes to administer a reinforcement of the covenant, both the requirements and the blessings. He is coming to restore us and initiate in and through us the covenant He made with us!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">You know your personal covenant with God?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">Yes He made a covenant with you, its personal, its with you by name.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">If you have no idea of that covenant, how can you precisely pray in, prophesy in the covenant?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">We cannot forget, and it is engraved on my mind the story of the beginning of the Hebrides Revival in 1949. Kathie Walters had the privelege of visitting Barvas, on the island, and reciting in her book: " Bright and Shining Revival" .</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">She relates that the people, a small group got a burden of the spiritual condition of the people and they prayed according to Psalm 24 and Isaiah 64. They prayed in a stone barn for 5 months. They knew their covenant with God with them THROUGH His Word, and they gained boldness to remind God of His Promise. This particular night in such a prayer, where God's faithfulness to His Word was reminded in prayer suddenly the Glory of God appeared and impacted the island of Lewis for 4 years at least, bringing thousands to Christ!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><b>God loves "suddenlies." And He is about to bring one into your lives. Be prepared, receive and pray the Covenant, and watch God bring His Suddenly...</b></span></div>
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Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com0694, EVN Rd, NGO Colony, Erode, Tamil Nadu 638001, India11.3344425 77.718444399999953-19.073175499999998 36.409850399999954 41.7420605 119.02703839999995tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-32257168474982969122017-09-03T05:53:00.000-07:002017-09-03T05:53:00.367-07:00A Vision About Apostles And Apostolic!<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">What is God Doing? Concerning Apostles, the Apostolic! </span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">By Roy Sauzek</span></b></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Jr5xKxy4_e94jDBJ2vGlioNztSKxMTd4-BHsQEHvjfIma9IFtFalSEWK2thGjjx9iR6D9uX8tYXyS-JZwbLSCvTtyeWG2ImSU3ozkGf7JpmvI6epoMj4O5tDGXaTZEHhepDxRJ1aO_CB/s1600/imgcity_ATS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="400" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Jr5xKxy4_e94jDBJ2vGlioNztSKxMTd4-BHsQEHvjfIma9IFtFalSEWK2thGjjx9iR6D9uX8tYXyS-JZwbLSCvTtyeWG2ImSU3ozkGf7JpmvI6epoMj4O5tDGXaTZEHhepDxRJ1aO_CB/s320/imgcity_ATS.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Friday, October 6, 2000 (From Flow Chart)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Scene,</span></b> This whole scene was in technicolor. <b>The apostles were gathered in an area outside of some structures.</b> I was walking around among the apostles, but the focus was on the Lord and what He was doing. The Lord was walking among the apostles and every once in a while He would do something, a work among/between them. At one point He took a stick and drew in the sand or earth; between two, maybe three apostles. It seems that He would do something between two apostles and then move to another two, and so on. He didn't seem to be in a hurry (rush) doing things among the apostles, although He seemed to be deliberate or precise in every thing He was doing. (I would call it a steady pace.) The gathered apostles were in clothes, like we wear these days. Some were in suits and some were not. Anyway, time passed and finally there came a time when the Lord gathered the apostles He had worked among and we were going to move out to go somewhere or do something. The Lord was leading. In the scene, I was excited that this was happening. (Jesus was dressed in a robe, had long hair and facial features that remind me of the Shroud.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">2nd Scene,</span></b> I was looking at a woman who was leaving a man and going to follow a new man in her life. She was divorcing the man to marry the new one. She was dressed in a suit that was off white, towards a gold-ish color. I was watching her pick up a bouquet of red crimson flowers to take with her with this new man. She was excited. <br />
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Suddenly this scene changed into a <span style="color: #38761d;"><b>3rd Scene</b></span> where the Lord was leading a large crowd of people across a huge, huge (brown colored) massive steel bridge. The crowd had gathered at the entrance to the bridge. The Lord was moving into the opening of the bridge. The crowd was following Him into the mouth of the bridge when this part of the scene ended. (This crowd included men, women and children.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are some facts in these scenes that take no interpretation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>1.</b> There are apostles outside of structures.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>2. </b>There is a time period where Jesus is to work between the apostles and then a time when He goes somewhere with these men.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>3.</b> There is a woman who will go with her new "to be husband," leaving the old man.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>4. </b>The bridge is a new structure.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Based on the Flow Chart, here is my insight on the above scenes. The Lord has gathered His apostles outside of the structured church. Now He must do a work between those apostles, building relationships and revealing His perfect will for the whole. From what God has taught me this seems to me to indicate that there must be some interaction between certain individuals concerning the "things the Spirit" of what God has given in the past, and is going to give among His apostles for direction and ways of doing things. (Possibly some correction of doctrines?) When He gets this done He will then take us into what He has for us to do.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The second scene is a woman who represents a part of His church who has been following man unknowingly. She will completely leave that structure and ideas, etc., to follow after the Lord into marriage (after she's rid herself of spots). The fact this scene turned into the last is significant and means that both are different pictures of the same and/or one leads to the other. This woman represents a cross section of people, much larger than this group of apostles, who will follow after the Lord into the unknown (like Israel crossing the Red Sea). There will be no miracle to cross this sea but He will take them across on a very stable piece of equipment, a massive steel bridge. This bridge represents a very stable structure, God's structure . </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Symbolically, brown represents earthly, so we get the picture of a stable earthly structure whereby the Lord can bring us into the future (end time events), obedient to His will. The structure is His way and order of doing things which we (the group here) have found to produce much more fruit than the structures we came out of.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Original Source from Website :</b> <a href="http://www.takehisheart.com/whatisgoddoingapostles.htm">http://www.takehisheart.com/whatisgoddoingapostles.htm</a></span></span></div>
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<br />Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com0HBR Layout, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India13.0377347 77.62882790000003312.975856199999999 77.548146900000035 13.0996132 77.709508900000031tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-79065878613460231922017-09-02T03:22:00.000-07:002017-09-02T05:21:21.705-07:00GOD'S TRAIN READY To Come And Go, ARE YOU READY?<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>A Train, a Symbol in the Spirit Realm!</b></span></span></span><br />
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</b></span> <span style="color: #990000;"><b>By Roy Sauzek</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><b>God uses a train to symbolize the church in the spirit realm.</b></span><br />
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</b></span> <span style="color: #666666;"><b>One was the spotless bride train and others were the trains representing the church in the world run by man!</b></span> </blockquote>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is an updated article I wrote years ago about different scenes and things the Holy Spirit has shown people about trains. Understanding is important so I am sharing some of the symbolisms I have learned relating to this. The Holy Spirit gives interesting pictures concerning the Spotless Bride in the familiar analogy of the train. I will start with this poem He gave me during the time I first worked on this writing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is a train coming, and will pass by.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A time appointed, for you and I.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's sounding its whistle, will you hear?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The whistle, an alarm, telling you it's near.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Will you get on? Will you realize it's here?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The train from Heaven, suddenly manifest and dear.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here a while, opposed by many.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The traditions of man, it won't have any.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's a train different, but of the same form.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A different set of tracks, not the norm.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A definite direction, a purpose in mind.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To serve Him, and Him only, what a find!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Will you see this train, will you hear the alarm?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sadness and joy, not a toy, nor a charm.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As suddenly it came, only suddenly depart,</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The question is, will you be a part?</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm going to share some train scenes shown to others and myself. I will explain some of the scenes and some of the symbols later; it's the pictures we are after. I have counted over 50 scenes in the Corporate Flow Chart that have something to do with trains since 1997.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Scene</span>, I was standing in a park by a beautiful lake when I saw a train coming down out of the sky. It was massive, long, and every part was clean cut. It came down and circled within 4 feet of my head. At first I thought it was going to run into me, but it landed perfectly on its tracks. These tracks were bigger (higher and thicker) in size than those we are familiar with. This train was from heaven and represents the Spotless Bride</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Scene</span>, I saw a train and a track, stronger and larger than man's. Man had built a barricade across this larger track to stop this train. The barricade was built in a wood trestle of man's train tracks. The trestle crossed at a 90-degree angle to these new and bigger tracks. I knew that when this big train came through it would tear up the barricade, taking with it the trestle and man's train tracks. (This will happen only because the church in the world tried to stop the train from heaven. I am seeing evidence of this now, even with some well-known names.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Scene</span>, Another person was shown a train circling. People would put things on it as it came around. People were working together in pairs putting things on the train, so the work was evenly distributed. The train kept widening its circle and increasing its speed. The train was growing as the people worked faster and faster and finally the people were able to put train cars on top of train cars.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Scene</span>, I saw a train going down the tracks. Hidden under one of the cars was a package containing wealth. It stopped and I went under the train car to retrieve the package.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another person told me the cars of a train were ministries being hooked together and that ministries would hook onto this train as it passed.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Scene</span>, I saw a train circling a hilltop. It circled repeatedly and then suddenly left the Hill - going straight across the country on a single track. There were no sidetracks. It was headed around the world.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Scene</span>, I saw a depot with a train sitting along its side. The depot was lit with glorious colors inside. There was much going on (activity) and the train was preparing to leave. As I looked I knew I had to be there when it left. It was like a command!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Years ago the Lord showed me a lot of different kinds of train engines and trains, both old ones and new ones. He has shown me trains derailed, train wrecks, and trains doing the impossible. Looking back it is easy for me to understand the meaning of a derailed train. When God brought people together here at THH minisries, for His purposes, we started to build a church because that’s what we thought God wanted. (Why else would He bring us together?) Having a scene of a derailed train simply said, “You are off track!” I must say that what we have functioning here now is completely different than anything we would have dreamed of at that time and is different than anything we had experienced before. So it's easy to see that a picture of a train being derailed simply means, “off track.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Trains are generally symbolic of ministry. From a distance they look alike but up close they look very different. The larger train from heaven represents the spotless church while a natural train represents the church in the world that is spotted. A train represents collective power, which is the corporate church. Theoretically, because it can be added to, it has the potential to become the most powerful moving thing on the earth: with more power than the space shuttle, any sea-going ship, or any other man-made object. It can start out in one place and be added to or subtracted from. It can carry different forms of almost anything. I might add, however, it's not much good unless it's moving! The reason God does not use things such as the power of a volcano to symbolize the church is because that's nature and man isn't involved with those kinds of power.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The church is a corporate body made up of men and women; the people are "the church." Men of the past, such as Steven and Philip, had power to be able to perform miracles, as some have even today. This is not the power God is talking about when He refers to trains. A train is made up of different parts all working together for one purpose. Even if they are different types of cars or engines they present a picture of unity in purpose (there is power in this kind of unity), just as different giftings and ministries make up God’s functional church. Each train car has its specific job but it is also designed to be correctly hooked together with other cars that have specific jobs. These different cars cannot carry the same material. This represents the fact that everyone in the church has different functions (ministries) and when someone tries to carry out a function that is not theirs, problems arise. It won't work and creates an open door for the enemy. I once knew of an evangelist who took on the “office of a prophet’s” job and that brought great trouble to his life and ministry. God had not equipped him to be a prophet!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I want to make it clear that when I talk about the train from Heaven being bigger than the train (church) in the world, I am not talking about length in particular but rather its more massive scale. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This seemed to be mainly, though not exclusively, in the engines and probably signifies all of the five-fold ministries being there functioning God’s way, not man’s way; although I would not limit the symbolism of train engines to represent only the five-fold ministries.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The most notable difference regarding the train from heaven is in the stronger, thicker tracks and the way they are laid out across the country. There were no spurs (side tracks) from the mainline.There was only one main line. There is a specific path for the spotless church and there are no side tracks to take her from her purpose! God has that path, not man. These straight tracks for the church are laid out by following a written record --a corporate Flow Chart-- of all the "things of the Spirit" God gives through words, visions, dreams, revelation, etc. It is this corporate record of His words that keeps the church on track! It is the way we walk in the Spirit. The wrong way of walking in the Spirit is one of the three spots on the Body of Christ that needs to be cleansed to become part of the Spotless Church.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As to the tracks themselves, <u>the railroad ties represent God’s tithe</u>. <u>The steel rails represent the law</u>. The reason the rails of the Bride train are more massive than the rails of the church in the world is because the law carries more weight (is more important) with the Spotless Bride. <b>The Spotless Bride will fulfill the righteous requirements of the laws of God.</b> The church in the world has never had, and generally does not want, anything to do with the law.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Scene</span>, I was looking at a person I know who has, in real life, a serious liver disease that could take her life at any time. In this scene there were train rails standing upright 4 to 6 inches in front of her. These rails were taller than she is and ties were being added one at a time. They were placed close together but I could still see her through the spaces between the ties. The rails and ties were soaked with gasoline and all it would take would be a spark to engulf her in flames. Obviously, death would occur. The rails represent "the law" and according to God's Word we are <u>already judged</u> by God's law, His Word. The thing that was missing in this scene were the railroad ties representing the fact that in real life she was not tithing correctly. This scene reveals that if she were to tithe correctly she would not be in this predicament; she would have the protection God affords from disease (in her case the liver disease) when we see to it that His funds get to the correct place as revealed in His law.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Scene</span>, I was in a depot dressed in a conductor’s uniform. I was the ticket taker, the one checking to see who was eligible to board the train. The tickets were not the regular tickets you would buy to get on a train. They were like credit cards, but actually licenses. A license is different than a ticket in that you have to take a test to prove you have learned what is required to have the license. I was the one checking the tickets because I knew what the license requirements were to be able to get on the train.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Scene</span>, In another scene I was walking through two train cars that had wrecked or derailed. The two cars had come unhitched from the cars in front that were not derailed. They were lying on their side at about a 45% angle. I was dressed as a conductor and was walking through to see who was hurt and who was not. I was also checking whether or not these people were going to get in the train cars in front that were waiting to go on.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The train scenes are simple to understand when we understand what the trains symbolize in the spirit realm. God uses the train symbol because it is something we are familiar with. I believe the word “train” also symbolizes “being trained” but God has not confirmed this to me. Training people is one of the church's responsibilities, but not training in the ways of man. The Spotless Bride trains people to do things God's way. The difference between the ways of man and the ways of God are in what we do--faith is an act. In the natural the difference between a harlot and a bride is in the “acts” of the individual woman. In the spirit realm it is the "acts" of a church that determine whether she is a harlot or a spotless bride, not her name.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is a train circling that will soon be leaving to run throughout the earth. It will be going a predetermined direction with a predetermined purpose that cannot be changed. This (Spotless Bride) train, what it is to be, was established in heaven by God from the beginning. It is sounding its whistle, an alarm, saying, "Come on, get on." I believe it will sound its whistle many times before and after it leaves on its journey around the earth. It will sound its whistle of warning all around the earth. It’s like the Bride Spotless saying, “Come!” The train representing the churches in the earth today will have to change to be able to hook up with and get on track with the Spotless Bride train. It is the spotless church that will have a more effective ministry for the Lord because it is His church, built by Him!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is a train coming, and will pass by.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A time appointed, for you and I.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's sounding its whistle, will you hear?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The whistle, an alarm, telling you it's near.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Will you get on? Will you realize it's here?</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The train from Heaven, suddenly manifest and dear.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here a while, opposed by many.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The traditions of man, it won't have any.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3611137219693702255" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3611137219693702255" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3611137219693702255" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3611137219693702255" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's a train different, but of the same form.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A different set of tracks, not the norm.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A definite direction, a purpose in mind.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To serve Him, and Him only, what a find!</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3611137219693702255" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3611137219693702255" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3611137219693702255" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3611137219693702255" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Will you see this train, will you hear the alarm?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sadness and joy, not a toy, nor a charm.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3611137219693702255" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3611137219693702255" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3611137219693702255" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3611137219693702255" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As suddenly it came, only suddenly depart,</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The question is, will you be a part?</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is time for the Spotless Bride to be manifested!</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">The Lord's Bride Train! </span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">[given 4-21-2017]</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Pick up your pen and write</i>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The whistle blows, the whistle blows, far and near.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Bride Train ever so true. My hand, My doing, clearly so!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Which way will the people go? Catch a ride or let it go?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My timing at every bend in the tracks. My Word so true and full of facts!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The earth shakes and trembles at My Train a passing!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Who will go, who will stay? A choice, a choice, make it clear!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My Bride Train coming near! Feel it, see it, hear it, the whistle passing by.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Don’t be shy, step on up! There’s room within!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What a ride, what a ride it will be. Step on up, come and see!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am the Lord, the Engineer. Be sure and make that clear!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All aboard! All aboard the conductor shouts, the trains a movin' without a doubt!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Original Source from Website :</b> <a href="http://www.takehisheart.com/trainspiritrealm.htm">http://www.takehisheart.com/trainspiritrealm.htm</a></span></span></div>
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<br />Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com0HBR Layout, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India13.0377347 77.62882790000003312.975856199999999 77.548146900000035 13.0996132 77.709508900000031tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-41658199234075068162015-08-21T10:18:00.000-07:002015-08-21T10:18:01.076-07:00Follow Me As I Follow Christ!<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Should We Follow Godly Men or Only Follow Jesus?</b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b>By Zac Poonen</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Under the old covenant, the Israelites could only follow the written Word that God gave them through Moses and the prophets. No-one could say, “Follow me” – not even the greatest prophets like Moses or Elijah or John the Baptist. God’s Word alone was the light for their path (Psa.119:105).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">But Jesus came and initiated a new covenant. And He gave us not only the Word of God, but an example to follow, by His own life. He was the first person in the Bible to say, “Follow Me” (Mt.4:19; Jn.21:19; Lk.9:23). So in the new covenant, we have both the written word and also the Word made flesh in Jesus – or in other words, the written word made visible in a human life – to guide us.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for merely studying the Word of God but not coming to Him: “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life. But they testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me to have life.” (Jn.5:39,40). </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">The life of Jesus is now the Light for our path (John 1:4) – and not just the written Word. If we are unable to find clear guidance in God’s Word in some matter, we can look at the life of Jesus (as revealed by the Holy Spirit to our hearts) and we will always find an answer.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Further: In the new covenant, the Holy Spirit also inspired a godly man like Paul to say, “Follow me – as I follow Christ”. And the Holy Spirit made him say that three times – to emphasise the fact that we should also follow the example of truly godly men who follow in Christ’s footsteps. (1 Cor.4:16; 1 Cor.11:1; Phil.3:17).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">A true new-covenant servant not only proclaims God’s standard in the written Word, but also says, as Paul said, “Follow me as I follow Christ”.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Some Christians say, “We must not follow any man. We must only follow Jesus”. That sounds like a spiritual statement. But it is totally contrary to the Word of God. Because, as we have just seen, Paul (inspired by the Holy Spirit) told us to follow him.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">The reason why Paul told the Christians in Corinth to follow him and to imitate him, was because he was their spiritual father. He said, “If you were to have ten thousand teachers in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I exhort you, be followers of me.” (1 Cor. 4:15,16). One cannot follow a Bible-teacher – because even if his teaching is good and accurate, he may not be a good example by his life. According to the above verse, one spiritual father is better than 10,000 Bible-teachers. So it is good for all Christians to have a spiritual father like Paul, whose example they can follow. Following such a spiritual father can save us from sin and from false teaching.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Paul urged Christians to follow other godly men also, who were “following Christ’s example”, as he was doing. He said, “Pattern your lives after mine, and learn from others also who follow our example”(Phil. 3:17- NLT).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">The Word of God also commands us to obey our leaders and to imitate their faith.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">“Obey your leaders and submit to them” (Heb. 13:17).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">“Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; consider the result of their conduct (their life), and imitate their faith” (Heb. 13:7).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">We are NOT called to follow a person’s ministry, because God gives each of His children a unique ministry that others cannot have. Christ’s Body has members with different functions just like our human body has. When Jesus called people to follow Him, He did not expect them to do miracles or even preach as He did. That was His ministry. He called people to follow the example of His life – that is, to live by the principles by which He lived. Likewise, when Paul called believers to imitate him and follow him as he followed Christ, he was not asking them to be apostles or to heal the sick, but to live as he lived – by the principles by which Christ lived.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">It is the Holy Spirit Who has commanded us in the above verses to follow the examples of godly men. Those who are too proud to follow the examples of godly men usually end up following carnal men, or the promptings of their own Self-life. Then the results can be disastrous.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Immediately after telling the Philippian Christians to follow his own example and the example of other godly men (Phil.3:17), Paul warned them not to follow the example of some others: “For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ (Phil. 3:18,19).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">If however they followed Paul’s example, they would be saved from being deceived by those other ungodly men.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Here are seven tests by which you can evaluate whether a man is a truly godly man worthy of being followed:</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><b>1.</b> Is he a humble man – easily approachable and easy to speak to? Jesus told us to learn humility from Him (Matt.11:29). A godly man is one who has learned humility from Jesus.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><b>2.</b> Is he free from the love of money and one who never asks anyone for money (as far as you know)? A godly man will follow Jesus’ example, Who never asked anyone for money even for His ministry. Jesus said that one who loves God cannot love money and that one who holds on to God will despise money (Luke 16:13).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><b>3.</b> Is he pure in his life – and especially in his dealings with women (as far as you know)? A godly man will not just avoid the temptation to sexual lust but will flee from it (2 Tim.2:20-22).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><b>4.</b> If he is married and has children, has he brought up his children in godly ways? A godly, married man will be one whose children are believers who have been brought up in a disciplined way (1 Tim.3:4,5; Tit.1:6).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><b>5.</b> Have his closest co-workers become godly men through their association with him? Godly men will produce other godly men. Timothy became a godly man through being with his spiritual father, Paul (Phil.2:19-22).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><b>6.</b> Has he built (or been active with others in building) a local new-covenant church? Jesus came to earth to build His church (Matt.16:18). He gave Himself up to death to build the church (Eph.5:25). Godly men will not only bring people to Christ but will then build them up as a local church.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><b>7.</b> Does he connect you to Christ and not to himself? A godly man will connect you to Christ, so that you in turn, can become a godly example for others? (Eph.4:15; 2 Cor.4:5).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">We cannot follow most Christian leaders, because they fail in one or more of the above areas.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">If however, you find a godly leader who has the above qualities, it will be good for you to follow him as a spiritual father, because he will help you to come closer to the Lord and thus be saved from sin and false teaching.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><b>Article Source :</b> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;"><a href="http://www.cfcindia.com/wftw" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">http://www.cfcindia.com/wftw</span></a></span></span></span></div>
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Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com0HBR Layout, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India13.0344841 77.63184649999993812.9726056 77.551165499999939 13.0963626 77.712527499999936tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-40623958890822839662015-08-16T10:07:00.001-07:002015-08-16T10:07:36.307-07:00Will God Touch People And Save Them From Sin Through Trance Too?<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Is 'Trance Evangelism' Coming Back In Vogue?</span> </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><b><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">By Jennifer LeClaire</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I've never fallen into a trance but I know people who have—and it's totally biblical. We only see people falling into trances a few times in the Bible, but there is enough evidence from the Word of God and from modern expressions to back up this scriptural supernatural experience.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A trance is a state of one who is "out of himself," according to Easton's Bible Dictionary. The word trance comes from the Greek word "ekstasis," form which the word ecstasy is derived. Peter fell into a trance in Acts 10:10 that opened his eyes to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. Paul fell into a trance in Acts 22:17 in which the Lord gave Him a warning and a commission to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. I suppose it's hard to describe it if you've not experienced it, but Smith's Bible Dictionary goes a little deeper, saying a trance is:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"The state in which a man has passed out of the usual order of his life, beyond the usual limits of consciousness and volition, being rapt in causes of this state are to be traced commonly to strong religious impressions. Whatever explanation may be given of it, it is true of many, if not of most, of those who have left the stamp of their own character on the religious history of mankind, that they have been liable to pass at times into this abnormal state."</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Trance Evangelism?</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Since we're looking back at historical figures in the body of Christ during Charisma's 40th anniversary month, I though it fitting to offer a look at Maria Woodworth-Etter, a powerful voice from the late 1800s and early 1900s that was moving in the supernatural before Asuza Street or the charismatic movement made its mark on church history.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Indeed, Woodworth-Etter was a Pentecostal forerunner. She saw great outpourings of God's Spirit in the Midwest before entering the West Coast to win souls for God. In Oakland, California, she bought an 8,000-seat tent in 1889 and packed it out with people hungry to watch God move. He didn't disappoint. Healings, signs, wonders, miracles were commonplace in Woodworth-Etter's meetings.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Of course, miracles always draw crowds and critics and it was no different for this female pioneer. However, she didn't see the attacks from fellow healing evangelist John Alexander Dowie coming. Dowie, himself moving in miracles, at first praised Woodworth-Etter but soon accused her of propagating a great delusion because people were falling into trances left and right under her tent. He called it "trance evangelism."</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Woodworth-Etter also drew attention from the media. The Salem report documents her falling into a trance on March 24, 1904, and she "had to be laid on the platform for over an hour." The Indianapolis Star also reported "Woodworth-Etter Goes into a Trance" in a 1904 edition. In 1913, The Boston Globe reported, "Took No Money for Healing; Mrs. Etter Gave God Credit for Cures." Those are just a few of the articles written about this pre-Pentecostal minister.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Standing Like Statues</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are accounts of Woodworth-Etter falling into a trance at a St. Louis meeting and standing like a statue for three whole days as attendees of the World Fair looked on in amazement. It's not clear if the trance actually lasted that long, but she was known to fall into trances that left her frozen for hours at a time—and so did many others who attended her meetings.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"People fell into trances, experienced visions of heaven and hell, collapsed on the floor as if they'd been shot or had died," reports Revival Library. "Thousands were healed of a wide variety of sicknesses and diseases and many believers, even ministers, received mighty baptisms of the Holy Spirit."</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Often times, unbelievers who came in to disrupt the service were encountered by the power of God and themselves fell into a trance. Reporters ridiculed her, her husband lashed out at her in a public letter, she lost the support of well-known ministers in her day, but she continued preaching the gospel and people continued getting saved—and falling into trances. Woodworth-Etter pointed people to scriptural references of trances and believed it was the power of God.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Criticized in her day, she goes down in Pentecostal history as a pioneer, a forerunner who withstood strong persecution to steward the glory of God in her meetings. We need more like Woodworth-Etter in this hour.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In the Weekly Evangel, Robert J. Craig, an early Pentecostal leader and pastor of Glad Tidings Temple in San Francisco, honored her and encouraged ministers to study her life and ministry: "If the Pentecostal ministry would study her life and count on God, expecting the supernatural to be revealed in each meeting, what a mighty agency ours would be in the hands of God."</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Amen. And think about it for a minute. What would happen if skeptics of the gospel entered a Holy Ghost meeting and fell into a trance and saw visions of hell? Maybe trance evangelism isn't such a bad idea.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Jennifer LeClaire is senior editor of Charisma. She is also director of Awakening House of Prayer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, co-founder of AwakeningTV.com, on the leadership team of the New Breed Revival Network and author of several books, including The Next Great Move of God: An Appeal to Heaven for Spiritual Awakening; Mornings With the Holy Spirit, Listening Daily to the Still, Small Voice of God; The Making of a Prophet and Satan's Deadly Trio: Defeating the Deceptions of Jezebel, Religion and Witchcraft. You can visit <a href="http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/" target="_blank">her website</a> here. You can also join Jennifer on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/propheticbooks" target="_blank">Facebook</a> or follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/propheticbooks" target="_blank">Twitter</a>. Jennifer's Periscope handle is @propheticbooks.<br /><br /><b>Source Website :</b> <a href="http://www.charismamag.com/blogs/the-plumb-line/24037-is-trance-evangelism-coming-back-in-vogue" target="_blank">http://www.charismamag.com/blogs/the-plumb-line/24037-is-trance-evangelism-coming-back-in-vogue</a></i></span></span></div>
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Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com0HBR Layout, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India13.0344841 77.63184649999993812.9726056 77.551165499999939 13.0963626 77.712527499999936tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-77178911300913500972015-07-23T00:19:00.001-07:002015-07-23T00:19:22.831-07:00Slain In The Spirit, How To Handle It?<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><b><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">By Kathy DeGraw</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I've fallen in the Spirit – What do I do next?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What happens when we fall in the spirit and what should be our reaction?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Our first reaction when we have fallen in the spirit and aren't familiar with this can be, "Oh great I have fallen in the spirit and everyone is looking at me. What do I do next?" What happens when we fall in the spirit and what should be our reaction?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The best explanation I've heard of falling in the spirit is that when the supernatural (God) meets the natural (us) something has to give and it is us that gives. What should be our response? We should embrace it and discover what God has for us.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When we fall in the spirit there can be many reactions such as:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Why is this happening to me?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What just happened?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Why did I feel woozy and fall?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Did the person praying over me push me?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Everyone is looking at me.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">That hurt.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I feel/look silly.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What do I do next?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">These can be some of the realistic thoughts that go through your mind. The first thing you should do is just relax and rest in the presence of the Lord, after all you just fell under the power of God. If you fell under the power of God, obviously there is a reason. Relax and enjoy the state of rest you are in and most of all don't be in a hurry to get up. Stay on the floor and focus on the Lord. Try not to think about what to do next or what is happening and most of all don't worry and concern yourself with what people around you are thinking.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While we are in the presence of the Lord there can be many things that are happening:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We can be in a place of rest.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Receiving impartation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Receiving healing and deliverance.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Receiving instruction, revelation and knowledge</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Receiving something, but we don't know what.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Having a vision or encounter with Jesus.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Receiving the answer to a prayer.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The most important thing is not to get up until you feel the presence lift off of you or until you feel released by the Spirit of the Lord. When we fall in the Spirit sometimes God just plain needs to get our attention, because we have been too busy to slow down and listen to him. This is a way he communicates with us. We may get up and feel as if we received nothing, it is in those times rest and impartations happens. We can't explain it at the moment, but we know we were in the presence of the Lord.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I remember a time I had prayer for a tooth that needed a root canal and crown. I went down in the spirit and laid there and didn't really feel anything. I didn't receive revelation, but as I stood up all of a sudden I felt the power of God on me so strong I had to be assisted walking to my vehicle. I went home and continued to be in the presence for hours. At my surgeon's appointment the dentist said, "What are you doing here, there is nothing wrong with your tooth, go home." The reaction wasn't at that moment, but subsequent, I basked in the presence of the Lord until I felt released to get up. You don't always know what you get at the moment, but you need to trust God that you are getting something and He knows best.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As you are prayed for and as the Spirit comes upon you, don't be scared or hesitant to be in the presence of the Lord it is wonderful. Focus on the Lord and remember for that moment of time it's just you and him and nothing else matters.</span></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Kathy DeGraw is the founder of DeGraw Ministries a ministry releasing the love and power of God. She travels hosting conferences, teaching schools and evangelistic love tours. Kathy enjoys writing and is the author of several books that educate, empower and equip people, including A Worship Woven Life and Flesh, Satan or God. Connect with Kathy at <a href="http://www.degrawministries.org/" target="_blank">www.degrawministries.org</a>.</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Source Website :</b> <a href="http://www.charismamag.com/spirit/spiritual-growth/23843-what-is-next-after-you-have-been-slain-in-the-spirit" target="_blank">http://www.charismamag.com/spirit/spiritual-growth/23843-what-is-next-after-you-have-been-slain-in-the-spirit</a></span></span></div>
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<br />Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com0HBR Layout, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India13.0344841 77.63184649999993812.9726056 77.551165499999939 13.0963626 77.712527499999936tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-34489964378350867182015-04-21T02:12:00.000-07:002015-04-21T02:12:11.751-07:00Desperation Brings Revival!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Why We Don't Have Revival?</b></span></span></span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b>By Leonard Ravenhill</b></span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4xgLjPbmg3Xvzx8bWi_yLqjhcah-nwcRzYKsKOW8SrKH4i7mzDwVGe5_B72Ni7IzNorwaQ3qwtR3s9O7wy9A8GlRGFokvT0T6pxq__wPu3jbour2SlZKVfc9xxV1znqlw0ZsWAbBqktP/s1600/Leonard+Ravenhill.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4xgLjPbmg3Xvzx8bWi_yLqjhcah-nwcRzYKsKOW8SrKH4i7mzDwVGe5_B72Ni7IzNorwaQ3qwtR3s9O7wy9A8GlRGFokvT0T6pxq__wPu3jbour2SlZKVfc9xxV1znqlw0ZsWAbBqktP/s1600/Leonard+Ravenhill.png" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">In an old town in Ireland they'll show you with reverence a place where four young men met night after night after night praying for revival. In Wales, there's a place in the hills where three or four young men only 18 or 19 years old met and prayed night after night. They wouldn't let God go; they would not take no for an answer. As far as humanly possible they prayed a revival into birth. If you're thinking of revival at your church without any inconvenience, forget it. Revival costs a lot.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">I can give you one simple reason why we don't have revival in America. Because we're content to live without it. We're not seeking God - we're seeking miracles, we're seeking big crusades, we're seeking blessings. In Numbers 11, Moses said to God, "You're asking me to carry a burden I can't handle. Do something or kill me!" Do you love America enough to say, "God, send revival or kill me"? Do you think it's time we changed Patrick Henry's prayer from, "Give me liberty or give me death," to "Give me revival or let me die"?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">In the 30th chapter of Genesis, Rachael goes to Jacob and throws herself down in despair. She says, "Give me children or else I die." Are you willing to throw yourself down before God to seek the spiritual birth of spiritual children in our country?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">People say, "I'm filled with the Holy Spirit." If the coming of the Spirit didn't revolutionize your prayer life, you'd better check on it. I'm not so sure you got what God wanted you to get.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">We've said that prayer changes things. No! Prayer doesn't change things. Prayer changes people and they change things. We all want Gabriel to do the job. God says do it yourself - with My sufficiency and My strength.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">We need to get like this woman, Hannah. What did she do? She wept, she was grieved, she said she had a complaint, she fasted - and she prayed.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Jesus, the anointed of God, made prayer His custom. Paul, with his background and intellect, depended on prayer because he said he was weak. David, the king, called himself a poor man and cried to the Lord. Hannah prayed for a son and gave birth to a prophet. The prayers of a handful of young men sparked revival.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">There's nothing more transfiguring than prayer.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br />
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</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Copyright (C)1995 by Leonard Ravenhill, Lindale, Texas.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div>Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com0HBR Layout, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India13.0344841 77.63184649999993812.9726056 77.551165499999939 13.0963626 77.712527499999936tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-11188632427373193952015-02-19T23:16:00.001-08:002015-02-20T07:53:24.425-08:00The Nonconfronting Message Of The New Gospel<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">The Dangers of the Gospel of Accommodation</span></span></b></span><br />
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<span id="goog_1428168623"></span><span id="goog_1428168624"></span><b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">A sermon given by David Wilkerson at an Assemblies of God headquarters chapel service.</span></span></b><br />
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</span> <span style="color: #990000;"><b><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">By David Wilkerson</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">I am not coming to you as a pastor but with a prophetic word. God so shook me recently with this message that I should bring it somewhere, sometime in Springfield. This morning the Lord, by His Spirit, spoke to my heart that this is the time. He has called me to be one of His watchmen, and I have wept over this and prayed that He will help me deliver the message in a spirit of love. This is not a chastisement but a warning for the Assemblies of God.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">A New Gospel</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Accommodate means to adapt, to make suitable and acceptable, to make convenient. A gospel of accommodation is creeping into the United States. It's an American cultural invention to appease the lifestyle of luxury and pleasure. Primarily a Caucasian, suburban gospel, it's also in our major cities and is sweeping the nation, influencing ministers of every denomination, and giving birth to megachurches with thousands who come to hear a nonconfronting message. It's an adaptable gospel that is spoon-fed through humorous skits, drama, and short, nonabrasive sermonettes on how to cope—called a seeker-friendly or sinner-friendly gospel.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">To begin with, those terms are unscriptural. The gospel of Jesus Christ has always been confronting—there is no such thing as a friendly gospel but a friendly grace.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">This new gospel is being propagated by bright, young, talented ministers. They have come upon a formula which states you can go into any town or city; and if you have the right formula, within a short time you can raise a megachurch.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">If you are a young man and have certain skills, you find those skills and a part of the city that would best suit you. You move into that area, poll it, and find out what the nonchurchgoers want:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">"You don't like choirs. Well, would you go to a church that didn't have a choir?" Yes.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">"You don't like to wear suits. Would you go where it's informal?" Yes.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Then you go to your computer and design a gospel that will not confront but will shoot out the desires and the needs of the people. After you have gathered a handful of people, you keep interviewing them to find out what they want; then you design your message to help people cope with their needs. The program you design is intended to make the church comfortable and friendly for all sinners who wish to attend.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">This gospel is fast becoming the most prosperous and flourishing of all religious movements. Thousands attend these churches. The pastor is the CEO, and it becomes a business. They make no bones about it: They are following Madison Avenue tactics and can make a success of it. Their formula for quick church growth is cleverly packaged and is being sold especially to young ministers—those who want to be a part of the big boys and what's happening on a fast track. They want it to happen quickly.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Paul's Warning</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Paul warned of the coming of another gospel and another Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:4). He warned the church that it's really not another gospel but a perversion of the true gospel of Jesus Christ. If you hear any other gospel, he said, let that preacher be accursed. In other words, no matter how pleasant, how pious, or how sincere, if the message is not the death of sin through the cross of Jesus Christ, let it be accursed.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">I tremble when I read in the Scriptures that in the last days Satan is going to come right into the church posing as an angel of light. He's going to take ministers who, at one time, had the touch of God, and he's going to transform them into angels of light to become his tool of deception. That's frightening. It causes me to fall on my face before God for such false, deceitful workers transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. No marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore, it's no great thing if ministers also are transformed as the ministers of righteousness whose end shall be according to their works.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Paul said they are going to glory in the flesh, in their bigness, their numbers, their influence, and their contemporariness. They will boast they are contemporary, that there is a gospel that is out of style that doesn't reach human need anymore. They will glory in the world's acceptance. Jesus warned, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves" (Matthew 7:15). The context of that warning was: "Straight is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth to life, and few there be that find it" (verse 14).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">His warning was to beware of the wolves who are going to say it's really not that narrow and straight—they are going to come posing as submissive sheep. Jesus put His finger on the cause: ambition—ambitious ravening wolves. In the Greek it means "starved for recognition and quick gratification, quick growth."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Jesus left no doubt about His meaning. For example, He was addressing a struggling pastor who has worked for years and hasn't seen the kind of growth he wants to see. A young man with an accommodating gospel moves into town and and within a very short time has a megachurch. People are flocking there because there is entertainment; it's a gospel of fun. I've been in some of them. It's the gospel of entertainment that has no conviction whatsoever. There is very little in their gospel that speaks to sinners of repentance, brokenness, and cross-bearing. A Christ is preached, Jesus' name is mentioned, but Paul said their's is another gospel, another Jesus.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Paul warned that if you are caught in this trap, if you want that hook of entertainment, that hook of sudden growth, this is the hook: The enemy will put in your path a teaching.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">I have two preacher sons. One of them confessed to me, "Dad, I was that close to being sucked in because I fasted and prayed and didn't see the growth I wanted to see, and I saw these others grow. That hook was there, and I almost bought it."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">That is something this Movement and every movement is going to have to look at and deal with: It is possible, through unholy ambition, to be transformed from a man of God, who has been seeking God and getting a word from heaven, to an unholy ambition and a tool of Satan. Let every pastor heed this warning: The moment you begin to consider the "competition," seeds of accommodation will be planted in your heart. Suddenly, Satan will put in your path a wolf in sheep's clothing—a man who will try to seduce you into ungodly ambition and achieving church growth at any cost. Yet the truth is, it could cost you your soul.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">The Right Formula</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">If you find the right formula, according to the accommodation gospel, you can succeed in any field of endeavor.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">An editorial in the New York Times (March 1, 1998) was entitled, How To Manufacture a Best-Seller. It told the story of John Baldwin, a 53-year-old carpenter and a would-be writer, who had struggled for years to make a living from writing. He determined to become famous and rich overnight by writing a best-selling medical thriller. He studied five or six best thrillers. After 7 years' research he found 10 steps to producing a best-selling medical novel. He honed it with some Hollywood writers and agents, and here is the 10-step formula he used:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">The hero is an expert.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">The villain is an expert.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">You must watch all the villain's activities over his shoulder.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">The hero has a team of experts behind him, working in various fields.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">The villain must turn his attention from his initial goal to the team.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">The villain and the hero must live to do battle again in the sequel.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">John Baldwin had the formula but no story, so he read of research by John Marr who was studying the epidemiological causes of the 10 plagues, hoping to explain their causes scientifically. The two men formed a partnership, and using Baldwin's 10-step formula, together wrote a 640 page manuscript called The Eleventh Plague. Harper Collins bought it for almost $2 million.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Baldwin, who has no passion for writing, said, "If I get the formula, I'm going to be a multimillionaire and famous." Well, he's going to make another $3 million on the movie rights, and he's laughing all the way to the bank. His philosophy: "If you have the right formula, you can be a success at anything."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">You see, this is the gospel of accommodation—the formula. You get the formula, you get what people want, and you can be a success. I am here to tell you that a formula-based, accommodating gospel is contrary to everything in the Scriptures.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">God's Method</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Certain men of God met at Antioch to send out men to preach the gospel and establish churches (Acts 13). Here is God's method:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><b>1. They ministered to the Lord and fasted. </b>This was their planning session—worshiping, fasting, waiting on the Lord, and calling for direction from the Holy Ghost. They did not move until the Holy Ghost spoke. There were no formulas, no surveys, no door-to-door asking people what they wanted and then serving it to them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><b>2. They prayed—no strategizing, no network, and not one step until the Holy Ghost spoke His mind.</b> Then and only then did they lay hands upon them, anoint them, and send them out in the power and demonstration of the Holy Ghost.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Paul lived his whole religious life on religious formulas, and he said they didn't work. He gave up on formulas and said, "I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2). Paul boasted unashamedly, "We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness" (1 Corinthians 1:23). He was saying, "Gentlemen (he was talking to his peers), they want us to accommodate. The Jews are looking for signs in our gospel. The Greeks want the wisdom. They want to know how to cope, but I'm not compromising. There's only one message. Our gospel has been and will be the Cross and its demands as well as its victories. As for me, I'm determined to preach nothing among you but Christ and Him crucified."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">What the Gospel of Accommodation Does (1)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">I see three things in the gospel of accommodation:</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">1. It is the accommodation of man's love for pleasure.</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers...of pleasures more than lovers of God" (2 Timothy 3:1–4). The Greek for pleasure is "sensuous, lustful, voluptuous, exciting, gratifying, sensual pleasure." If you move toward this gospel of accommodation, you are going to have to accommodate the people's lust because they are not going to give up their love for excitement. They've made gods of sports, pleasure, and lust. Unless that is confronted by the gospel of Jesus Christ, unless there is a truth that comes forth, you have to accommodate this lust that is in the American lifestyle.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">I was shocked by an article in the New York Times.1 Philip Wogaman, President Clinton's pastor, said, "Sexual misconduct does not automatically render a leader immoral. Morality should also be judged by indicators like courage, concern for the poor, fostering world peace, running the economy responsibly, and furthering racial equality. Heterosexuality and homosexuality are merely cultural expressions." In other words, Mr. Clinton has been told that he has enough good indicators to overrule another that would be immoral in his life.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">God said that men who preach doctrines like these resist the truth; they are men of corrupt minds counterfeiting the faith.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">In disbelief I watched a televised Sunday night service of a seeker-friendly church—seeker-friendly by its own admission. To a packed church where thousands attend, the pastor said, "This is fun night, a David Letterman night." The youth pastor came out and did his monologue as David Letterman. Then they showed 10 of the most boring things teenagers do during preaching. Three of the 10 were throwing spitballs, yawning, and picking their noses. The crowd went crazy. After the service, the pastor brazenly announced, "We're not here to offend people, but to make church comfortable for everyone." I wept.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">I ask you, how long do you think that audience would stay in church if the pastor was gripped by the Holy Ghost, convicted for "entertaining" people toward hell, and suddenly preached a message entitled, "Be sure your sins will find you out"? How long would people keep coming back if a gospel of holy living and separation from the world was preached? Two things would happen: (1) Those who are misguided, hungry, and didn't know any better would weep and run to the altar. (2) Those who are judiciously blinded by their pleasures in madness would flee from the church and never come again. The church doors would close.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">I keep this foremost in my mind and before my eyes, because every minister of the gospel one day has to face it when he stands before the Lord. He will say, "Son of man, I made thee a watchman. You were to hear the words of My mouth and give them warnings from Me. You were to tell the wicked, 'Thou shalt surely die.' And you gave them no warning nor spoke to warn the wicked to turn from their wicked ways to save their lives. These same wicked men died in their sins, but their blood I'll require at your hands."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">What the Gospel of Accommodation Does (2)</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">2. This gospel of accommodation accommodates all man's aversion to self-denial.</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">The gospel of Jesus Christ is one of self-denial. Jesus said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). Self-denial is not something you give. It's someone you give up—the giving up of yourself, giving up everything you are. It's a living sacrifice to the Lord Jesus Christ to present your body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. God has every right to say to His church, "If you expect to give Me your body, your resurrected body, all through eternity, I have every right—it's only reasonable of Me and your reasonable service—to ask your body why you're here on earth. I want every part of you. I want you to be spiritually minded. I want to possess you."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">The gospel we preach must bring people under the total possession of the Lord Jesus Christ. Otherwise, it's a gospel of accommodation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">The seeker-friendly gospel accommodates the body. The human body belongs to Him. What we see in America is a neognosticism where you take your physical body on one side and do as you please as long as your spirit is right with God. This is coming even out of the White House, this dividing of personality. No, we are one personality, and it all belongs to Jesus Christ. This neognosticism is destroying the faith of many throughout the nation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">What the Gospel of Accommodation Does (3)</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">3. There is an accommodation of man's offense to the gospel.</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">The Scriptures state, "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumblingstone and rock of offense." Paul spoke of the offense of the Cross. This is the heart of God's anger. We're not called to the Cross but to go through the Cross—to experience the same thing Jesus did, not only coming to the Cross but dying and going into the grave with Jesus Christ and then being raised from the dead to a newness of life.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">It's cruel, pastor, to lead sinners to the Cross, tell them they are forgiven by faith, and then allow them to go back to their habits and lusts of the flesh, unchanged and still in the devil's shackles. If the preaching of grace doesn't have as its goal the producing of a walk of righteousness, then it's another gospel, another Jesus.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">I listened in horror to a man, who attended one of the largest seeker-friendly churches, being interviewed by CBS. He said, "I come to this church because I'm comfortable. I'm never made to feel uneasy. I bring my Jewish friends and my business friends, and I know nothing will ever be said that will offend them. The best part of it is, the whole thing only lasts an hour."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Take it from me: You can get your big church and be one of the big boys, but it's going to cost you your soul if you preach with a focus only on earthly things, rather than on the things of God.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">I've lived in New York City 35 years. We have 103 nationalities from all walks of life—from the poorest to the richest. Probably 300 or more from the United Nations live there. But I look over a congregation (so does my dear friend, Jim Cymbala, in Brooklyn) and see men who have just walked in from the porno shops and are wild animals. I see a businessman friend who was CEO of a multimillion–dollar company, but he started snorting coke, lost everything, and is now a bum on the street. He sits in the congregation. A little 14-year-old girl with AIDS is up on 8th Avenue performing lewd acts before dirty old men. She comes to church and keeps saying, "Pastor Dave, I've got to get out. I've got to get help."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">I'm not about to put up a silly skit and preach a 15-minute message on how to cope to a multitude of people who are dying and going to hell. I tremble at the thought.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">People don't like to hear this, but we're headed for perilous times—just a few years away from a collapse like the world has never known. When that happens, all who preached prosperity are going to disappear because the people will say, "Your gospel has failed me." When that time comes, I want to grasp onto Jesus, and I want everyone I've preached to to have faith in the keeping power of Jesus Christ. I want them to know Him in His fullness. I want to know that I've done it in love, in grace, that they would know the difference between the holy and the profane.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">May God, in Jesus' name, spare the Assemblies of God forever. If I have ever given a prophetic message in my lifetime that God intended for a purpose, it is now.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Many are being deceived. If they are not awakened, what I warn you about will happen.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">I pray that God will keep the Assemblies of God in its original purposes. In New York City, He has proved that the people come to hear a straight gospel, and thousands will come where the Word of God is being preached without compromise and yet with grace. May the young men who are discouraged in the Movement not try for a shortcut but be broken and on their faces before the Lord.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">May we get our eyes off growth and onto a new revelation of who Jesus is.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Endnote</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">1. New York Times, 1 March 1998, sec. A, p. 16.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><b>Website Source :</b> <a href="http://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/199901/078_accommodation.cfm" target="_blank">http://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/199901/078_accommodation.cfm</a></span></span></div>
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Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com0HBR Layout, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India13.0344841 77.63184649999993812.9726056 77.551165499999939 13.0963626 77.712527499999936tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-15884013158348166272015-02-12T09:52:00.000-08:002015-02-12T09:52:40.485-08:00The Cross-Carrying Christian Who Is Incredible<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Incredible Christian!</span></span></span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>By A.W. Tozer</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">The current effort of so many religious leaders to harmonize Christianity with science, philosophy and every natural and reasonable thing is, I believe, the result of failure to understand Christianity and, judging from what I have heard and read, failure to understand science and philosophy as well.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">At the heart of the Christian system lies the cross of Christ with its divine paradox. The power of Christianity appears in its antipathy toward, never in its agreement with, the ways of fallen men. The truth of the cross is revealed in its contradictions. The witness of the church is most effective when she declares rather than explains, for the gospel is addressed not to reason but to faith. What can be proved requires no faith to accept. Faith rests upon the character of God, not upon the demonstrations of laboratory or logic.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">The cross stands in bold opposition to the natural man. Its philosophy runs contrary to the processes of the unregenerate mind, so that Paul could say bluntly that the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness. To try to find a common ground between the message of the cross and man's fallen reason is to try the impossible, and if persisted in must result in an impaired reason, a meaningless cross and a powerless Christianity.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">But let us bring the whole matter down from the uplands of theory and simply observe the true Christian as he puts into practice the teachings of Christ and His apostles. Note the contradictions: The Christian believes that in Christ he has died, yet he is more alive than before and he fully expects to live forever. He walks on earth while seated in heaven and though born on earth he finds that after his conversion he is not at home here. Like the nighthawk, which in the air is the essence of grace and beauty but on the ground is awkward and ugly, so the Christian appears at his best in the heavenly places but does not fit well into the ways of the very society into which he was born.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">The Christian soon learns that if he would be victorious as a son of heaven among men on earth he must not follow the common pattern of mankind, but rather the contrary. That he may be safe he puts himself in jeopardy; he loses his life to save it and is in danger of losing it if he attempts to preserve it. He goes down to get up. If he refuses to go down he is already down, but when he starts down he is on his way up.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">He is strongest when he is weakest and weakest when he is strong. Though poor he has the power to make others rich, but when he becomes rich his ability to enrich others vanishes. He has most after he has given most away and has least when he possesses most.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">He may be and often is highest when he feels lowest and most sinless when he is most conscious of sin. He is wisest when he knows that he knows not and knows least when he has acquired the greatest amount of knowledge. He sometimes does most by doing nothing and goes furthest when standing still. In heaviness he manages to rejoice and keeps his heart glad even in sorrow.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">The paradoxical character of the Christian is revealed constantly. For instance, he believes that he is saved now, nevertheless he expects to be saved later and looks forward joyfully to future salvation. He fears God but is not afraid of Him. In God's presence he feels overwhelmed and undone, yet there is nowhere he would rather be than in that presence. He knows that he has been cleansed from his sin, yet he is painfully conscious that in his flesh dwells no good thing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">He loves supremely One whom he has never seen, and though himself poor and lowly he talks familiarly with One who is King of all kings and Lord of all lords, and is aware of no incongruity in so doing. He feels that he is in his own right altogether less than nothing, yet he believes without question that he is the apple of God's eye and that for him the Eternal Son became flesh and died on the cross of shame.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">The Christian is a citizen of heaven and to that sacred citizenship he acknowledges first allegiance; yet he may love his earthly country with that intensity of devotion that caused John Knox to pray "O God, give me Scotland or I die."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">He cheerfully expects before long to enter that bright world above, but he is in no hurry to leave this world and is quite willing to await the summons of his Heavenly Father. And he is unable to understand why the critical unbeliever should condemn him for this; it all seems so natural and right in the circumstances that he sees nothing inconsistent about it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">The cross-carrying Christian, furthermore, is both a confirmed pessimist and an optimist the like of which is to be found nowhere else on earth.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">When he looks at the cross he is a pessimist, for he knows that the same judgment that fell on the Lord of glory condemns in that one act all nature and all the world of men. He rejects every human hope out of Christ because he knows that man's noblest effort is only dust building on dust.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Yet he is calmly, restfully optimistic. If the cross condemns the world the resurrection of Christ guarantees the ultimate triumph of good throughout the universe. Through Christ all will be well at last and the Christian waits the consummation. Incredible Christian!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><b>Website :</b> <a href="http://www.awtozerclassics.com/articles/article/4938678/86406.htm" target="_blank">http://www.awtozerclassics.com/articles/article/4938678/86406.htm</a></span></span></div>
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<br />Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com0HBR Layout, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India13.0344841 77.63184649999993812.9726056 77.551165499999939 13.0963626 77.712527499999936tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-26498345461001628962015-01-30T01:32:00.000-08:002015-01-30T01:56:33.579-08:00Grow The Real Church Beyond The Walls<span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />
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</span> <span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>TAKE TIME TO READ THIS AND YOU WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CHANGE YOUR WHOLE OUTLOOK ON CHRISTIANITY.</b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Have you ever wondered why the Christian church is so divided? Have you ever wondered why man-made traditions are rampant in most churches; whether it's old denominational traditions or newer Charismatic traditions?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What do I mean by traditions? It's really following the ways of how it's being done in our lifetime. Some churches follow after what was done during the Reformation. Others follow the Wesleyan period. Others follow the Roman Catholic traditions or the Anglo Catholic traditions. Some follow the Presbyterian traditions and others like to modernize to go with the times. Whether it's a Mega Church or a small country church, they all follow similar patterns. Church buildings are structured to accommodate these traditions. Older building (places of worship) usually have older style church services where newer buildings are usually more contemporary.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Of course we have Missionaries and Evangelists that hold crusades and street preachers who win sinners, but many of their converts are left to themselves and fall away or end up becoming Sunday morning pew warmers in a church.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Whenever a new church is established, or a larger facility to accommodate growth, the people involved hardly ever go back to the source to see what a church really is. They make comparisons to see what others have done. They go to a reputable church architect to have a building built that will attract people. Then they are taken up with building structures, furniture, pews, or comfortable chairs, lighting, sound, altar or platform, pulpit or podium; organ, piano, or worship team. Less wealthy congregations will either rent a building, a shop front, or buy an old empty denominational building before it's turned into a Mosque.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Why all this emphasis about buildings or (houses of worship) anyway. What is the source that I'm talking about? The answer is the New Testament. In a moment you will read an article that could change or even revolutionize your whole approach to what church really is in God's eyes.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We had something very much like this back in England in the early seventies,but it never grew to the size depicted in the following article, although it did developed into a large network of house churches all over the country,where God opened the door in many schools and colleges in different towns and large numbers of students were saved and filled with the spirit and joined the movement. Our book, "Living in Revival," by David and Kathie Walters (Author) tells this story. Here is the article. Twenty one steps to revolutionize our churches.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Mega Church To Meta (Beyond) Church</b></span></span><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>By Victor Choudhrie</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">21 Steps to transit from being a barren church to a millionaire of souls.</span></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHYHyhWkNzZtNnCxy-Fy9LgX9VEgh9Pb5Wnh_VYXRVQXUTUzPOpojUfYv_JWGHgmukodRTGkrfrmoEJtxox_upo4116Zf3p4jE-CeS512_z2qxuErKsxUrAR2l1SSxbJwqYTG2QkEeGctE/s1600/VICTOR+CHOUDHRIE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHYHyhWkNzZtNnCxy-Fy9LgX9VEgh9Pb5Wnh_VYXRVQXUTUzPOpojUfYv_JWGHgmukodRTGkrfrmoEJtxox_upo4116Zf3p4jE-CeS512_z2qxuErKsxUrAR2l1SSxbJwqYTG2QkEeGctE/s1600/VICTOR+CHOUDHRIE.jpg" height="111" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>1.</b> Rewrite the job description of the professional clergy from that of a pulpit orator, sacrament dispenser and tithe gatherer, to that of a shepherd who feeds his flock to be healthy and reproducing, by encouraging them to practice the priesthood of all believers with authority to baptize, break bread and equip fishers of men. He must model a flat church structure wherein brothers and sisters submit to one another, pray one for another, serve one another, exhort, forgive and love each other. John 13:34-35; Matt.18:21-22; Eph. 5:21</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>2.</b> Move from meeting in temples to gathering in 'houses of peace'. 'God does not dwell in temples made by human hands'; rather He dwells in human hearts. For we are the mobile walking and talking temples of the living God, with a maximum of organism and a minimum of organization. Luke 10:5-9; Matt. 10:11-13; Acts 7:48-49; 2 Cor. 6:16</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>3.</b> Phase out programmed Sunday 'services' while implementing informal, small gatherings. The Bride of Christ must have intimacy with her Lord every day,not only for a couple of hours a week, lest she become unfaithful. However,discourage cross-gender disciple-making, lest chemistry foul things up. Acts2:46-47; Heb. 3:13</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>4.</b> Replace Mosaic tithing with Christian sharing, thereby harnessing the enormous, financial resources, hospitality and goodwill available in Christian homes. Believe that God is going to work a work among the nations through you, which will leave you utterly amazed, and also provide resources for it. Deut. 8:17-18; Acts 5:32-34; Hab. 1:5</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>5.</b> Dispense with wafer-and-sip Holy Communion and promote breaking of bread with simple Agape meals (love feasts) from house to house, that believers take with glad hearts, 'and the Lord added to His numbers daily'. The Lord served roast lamb, bitter herbs, bread and wine 'in a house' for the Last Supper. Father God had lunch with Abraham under a tree and discussed Sarah's pregnancy, Sodom's ruin and Lot's rescue plan. Acts 2:46-47; 1 Cor.11:20-23;Gen Chap 18.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>6.</b> Replace professional music with believers speaking to each other in psalms and spiritual songs, making melody in their hearts to the Lord. OT worship required the sacrifice of four-footed beasts; the NT celebrates by offering two-legged Gentiles as a living sacrifice. The meta-church is a discipling hub and not a singing club. Eph 5:19; Col 3:16; Rom. 15:16</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>7.</b> Shift from being a spectator-oriented church to a 'metastasizing',interactive, participatory, prophetic church. Empower men, women and youth, to get the dragon off the driver's seat. We, the seed of Abraham are blessed; "with multiplying I will multiply you and your seed will possess the gates of the enemy". It is time Abraham's seed got on the driver's seat.1 Cor.14:26-31; Acts 13:13; 18:4; Gen. 22:17-18; Gal. 3:27-29</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>8.</b> For a powerful synergy, metamorphose mega-churches into city, regional and national networks of 'meta' (beyond) churches. Instead of gathering under one roof, have them gather under a thousand roofs, just like the mega church at Jerusalem planted meta-churches across Judea, Samaria, Antioch, Corinth, Rome and beyond (Gk. meta) that grew in faith and in numbers (both quality and quantity), daily. Rom. 16:3-15; Acts 1:8; 16:5.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>9.</b> Infect the barren Bride with the multiplication virus. A healthy mature female (Bride) implies that she is ready to have babies. Rebecca, the Bride of Isaac, was blessed by her family to have millions of children. The time has come for the Bride of Christ to stretch her tent to the left and to the right, to the north and to the south, to produce millions of meta-churches,and fill the earth. Gen. 24:60; Isa. 54:1-5; Acts 1:8</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>10.</b> Know your identity in Christ: You are a royal-priest, made so by the blood of the Lamb. Dismantle the 'Reverend' culture that divides clergy from layman. Like Melchizedek, the royal-priest of Salem (City of Peace), who served bread and wine, took a tithe and blessed Abraham, bring godly governance to your city. Catch the vision of cloning royal-priests for every city, and run with it. 1 Pet.2:9; Rev.5:10; Hab.2:1-3; Isa. 9:6-7; Gen. 14:18</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>11.</b> Challenge purposeless churches to enunciate a clear vision and to lay out a road map to translate that vision into action plans to 'do greater things than these'. Armed with maps, stats and the Great Commission go two by two and teach the divine arithmetic of planting just one multiplying church every month. In ten short months, even the least shall plant a thousand meta-churches. John 14:12; Acts 16:5; Luke 10:1-2; Isa. 60:22</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>12.</b> Unglue from their pews all those Christians who sit, soak and stagnate,and send them to heal the sick, raise the dead, tread on snakes and scorpions (expel demons), bind the 'strongman', plunder his possessions, and demolish the gates of Hell. Doggedly pursue demon demolition drive until 'the kingdoms of this world have become the Kingdom of our Lord and His Christ.' Matt.11:12; 12:29; 16:18-19; Mark 16:17-18; Luke 10:19; Rev.11:15.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>13.</b> Resurrect from being a dead organization to a living organism. Replace all extra-biblical, cosmetic titles like Director, Chairman, CEO, and Secretary by appointing fivefold ministry- gifted Elders, like apostles,prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers, as equippers. Healthy feeding and leading will keep the flock thriving and fertile and build bridges with the 'other sheep which are not of this fold'. Eph.4:11; Tit. 1:5-9; John 10:16.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>14.</b> Empower every Sunday school, Bible school, prayer cell, women's fellowship, and cottage meeting, by calling them full-fledged, authentic churches. They must make disciples who baptize, break bread, equip laborers and send missionaries, and, like the school of Tyrannus, change the spiritual demography. 1 Cor. 16:19; Col. 4:15; Acts 19:8-12</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>15.</b> Filter out non-performing goats who come only for hatching (baby baptisms), matching (weddings) and dispatching (funerals), and replace them with sheep who take care of the hungry, thirsty, naked, strangers, sick and prisoners. Culling the non-productive sheep is an integral part of the 'best practices' of sheep rearing. God chose David to shepherd Israel because he took care of "the ewes great with young". Matt. 25:31-46; Ps. 78:70-72</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>16.</b> Simplify disciple making. Get a Bible and invite a couple of truth-seekers for a meal where the main dish is - The Lamb. Redefine authentic church as wherever two or three friends meet to eat, to gossip the gospel, and to multiply. Meta-church is the most cost effective strategy for city penetration and reaching the ends of the earth. Acts 2:46-47.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>17.</b> Replace seminary training with sharing the whole wisdom of God from house to house. Sound doctrine is the ability to convince those who oppose. The lost of this world do not need scholars as much as they need spiritual fathers and mothers who bring many spiritual sons and daughters to glory. Acts 20:20, 27; Tit. 1:9; 1 Cor. 4:15; 2 Tim. 2:2; Heb 2:10.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>18.</b> Reorient your personal paradigm. Your business, workplace or home,wherever you spend most of your time, is your 'primary nuclear church'. It matters little whether you are the CEO, or the janitor or the kitchen queen; you are a full-time minister there and accountable. Adam and Eve were accountable for the Garden of Eden, and they failed.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>19.</b> Recognize 'Hi, there,' 'Hello,' handshaking, Sunday church as your 'secondary, optional church'. A church that does not send you out to 'raise your holy hands to pray everywhere ' and equip you to make Christ 'high and lifted up' in your home, workplace and neighborhood is not worth going to. 1Tim. 2:8; Isa. 6:1</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>20.</b> Re-set your priorities to preach Christ where He has not been named. For this you do not have to go to church from Sunday to Sunday nor work from paycheck to paycheck. You are "ordained" to be fruitful, to multiply, and to fill your home, workplace, neighborhood and the city with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. Matt. 6:33; Rom. 15:20;John 15:16; Gen. 1:28; Hab. 2:14</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">21. Adopt a 'completion mindset'. Evaluate your ministry by the Great Commission as its mandate, and for benchmarks the numbers of disciples made, baptized, equipped and sent out. Aim to become a millionaire of souls. Why not? After all, you believe in a great, awesome God for whom nothing is impossible. At the very least, like Peter, shoot for 3000 baptisms by every Pentecost. Or like Paul, plant a multiplying church every day, till you can claim that there are no more places left here for you to 'fully preach the gospel', not just with words, 'but with signs and mighty deeds'. Acts 2:41; 16:5; Rom.15:19, 23.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Shalom and Shalom again.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">*Victor Choudhrie is a cancer surgeon by profession. He is a Senior Fellow of the American and British Colleges of Surgeons. He left his position as Director and CEO of the Christian Medical college, Ludhiana, Punjab, India, in 1992, to take up a full-time Church planting ministry in central India. His wife, Bindu, is also in a full-time church planting ministry, equipping women to be house-church leaders and trainers. They now have disciples making disciples in some forty countries. Theirs is presently amongst the fastest growing movements deploying volunteers with no paid workers in the field. God has blessed this ministry abundantly. In the year from Pentecost 2009 to Pentecost 2010, over one million underwent a ‘holy dip’ through their ministry partners. Large numbers of grassroots level leaders have been trained, who, subsequently, have planted tens of thousands of house churches across India and abroad.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Website :</b></span><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.indiagateway.net/operation/index.htm" target="_blank">http://www.indiagateway.net/operation/index.htm </a></span></i></span></div>
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<br />Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com0HBR Layout, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India13.0344841 77.63184649999993812.9726056 77.551165499999939 13.0963626 77.712527499999936tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-91800926397720415052014-10-16T10:36:00.000-07:002014-10-16T10:40:29.266-07:00True Salvation Vs Motivational Drama<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>The Curse Of Motivational Speaking </b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>By </b></span><b>Conrad Mbewe</b></span> <br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Last Sunday, a young man came to see me after our church service. He is the kind of guy who shows up at church once in a while and then disappears for a season. My guess is that he goes around churches sampling sermons and looking for answers. On this visit, he asked that I help him to overcome a failure in his life, and it was a failure to progress. He said that his greatest problem is that he does not believe in himself. Could I help him believe in himself so that he could become successful?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">I asked him whether he was a Christian. His answer was, “Do I really need to be a Christian in order to be successful? Are you telling me that all those successful people out there are Christians? Aren’t there general principles that I can apply to my life—whether I am a Christian or not—that can catapult me to success?” I challenged him to answer that question himself. After all, I was sure he had done enough rounds among motivational speakers to have the answer.<br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">“That is the problem,” he said, “I have been told that such principles exist and I have tried them. They seem to work for a while and then I am back to my old self again. I want you to help me find that formula that will help me go forward and never slide back to the place where I do not believe in myself.” To cut the long story short, I finally persuaded him of the need for reconciliation with God before anyone can break free from the frustrating rut that God locks unreconciled sinners in.<br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">I gave him a booklet to read, entitled, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What is a Biblical Christian? </i>When we met the following day, he was honest enough to tell me that he was disappointed with what he read because it was not telling him what he wanted to hear. “What I want to know is how I can be successful. This booklet did not say anything about that.” I repeated what I told him earlier. What he needed was not belief in himself but belief in a Saviour sent from heaven. He needed forgiveness as a foundation for his life.<br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB"> Yesterday, a church member told me that he met the young man in the local market. He had two booklets in his hands. The first was the one I had given him and the second one was by Joel Osteen. He told our member, “Pastor Mbewe gave me this book but I don’t like it because it makes me feel guilty. I prefer this one by Joel Osteen because it lifts me up. It motivates me.” I am very concerned about this and so I decided to put some thoughts together about the curse of motivational speaking.</span></span></span></div>
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Sadly, motivational speaking has become the staple diet of many evangelical pulpits. The message being heard is, “God has put the potential in you and all you need to do is believe in yourself to unlock that potential. Have a grand vision and live out that vision. You must be a man or woman of destiny and the sky will be the limit for you. Don’t let your past failures get in your way of success. Look beyond them, as Jesus looked beyond the cross and thus overcame it. You are the head and not the tail. ”</span></span></span></div>
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In the light of the plethora of motivational speaking, it begs the question, “Is this how Old Testament and New Testament preachers preached?” If I summarise the preaching of Noah, Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, Jonah, Paul, Peter, etc., in the Bible, is this the kind of message that I will find there? I do not think so. Granted, motivational speakers borrow words from these men, but borrowing someone’s words is not the same thing as saying what he is saying. “A text without a context is a pretext.” </span></span></span></div>
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My chief quarrel with motivational speaking is that it reduces God to a means rather than an end. Men and women are not made to see that the nature of SIN lies in the letter “I” in the middle of the word. Instead, motivational speaking feeds that same ego and points to God as the one who can spoil it to the point of intoxication. That is a lie! It is God alone who must be at the centre of our lives. Christianity demands a dying to self, a taking up of one’s cross, and a following after a suffering Saviour.</span></span></span></div>
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Whenever I listen to motivational speaking, I seem to hear the message, “Peace, peace,” where there is no peace. It sounds to me like a doctor assuring a patient who has terminal cancer in its final stages that he should not worry because all will be okay if he only believes in himself. The guy is dying, man, for crying out loud! It is the height of insincerity if a preacher knows that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and instead makes those heading for the slaughterhouse feel nice.</span></span></span></div>
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Motivational speaking makes people feel good, whereas the gospel first makes people feel bad—until they find their all in Christ. True preaching must make people face the fact that they are living in rebellion against God and that they need to repent or they will perish. It is only as people recognise this and cry out, “What shall we do to be saved?” (Acts 2:37, 16:30) that true preaching gives them the good news, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).</span></span></span></div>
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Motivational speaking is an attempt at trying to kill a charging lion with a pea-gun, using freshly cooked peas, spiced with the most aromatic seasonings. The aroma may be tantalizing to the taste buds, but it is totally useless in bringing down that ferocious beast. Men and women outside Christ are DEAD in trespasses and sins. Exciting their senses with nice-sounding platitudes will not give them life. They need the law to kill their fallen egos and the gospel of Jesus Christ to give them life.</span></span></span></div>
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I know that motivational speaking is filling up our church buildings until they look like football stadiums. In this world of misery and gloom, we can all do with some encouragement. But is that all that we were called to do as preachers? What good is it if men feel inspired and motivated, and then go back home to live a life of sin and selfishness? Sadly this is the norm in so many evangelical churches. The churches are filled to capacity with people determined to drink sin like water the whole week.</span></span></span></div>
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Motivational speaking is not biblical preaching. It is a blight on the landscape of true evangelicalism. It is filling the churches with dead people who are being told to live as if they are alive. We need to return to the good old gospel that truly gives life to the dead and sets men and women free. Like Paul of old, every truly evangelical pulpit must sound out the clear message of “repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21). Let us get rid of this curse of motivational speaking!</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Source Website :</b> <a href="http://www.conradmbewe.com/2012/06/curse-of-motivational-speaking.html">http://www.conradmbewe.com/2012/06/curse-of-motivational-speaking.html</a></span></span><a href="http://www.conradmbewe.com/2012/06/curse-of-motivational-speaking.html" target="_blank"><br /></a></div>
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Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com0HBR Layout, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India13.0344841 77.63184649999993812.9726056 77.551165499999939 13.0963626 77.712527499999936tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-29945848600808204272014-05-18T22:57:00.000-07:002014-05-18T22:57:02.867-07:00Strange Doctrines And Practices<br />
<b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">6 Really Bad Charismatic Doctrines We Should Retire</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">By J. LEE GRADY</span></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1vVKtFwSCi5nYHNYv90kjuRBg0qb1lukFo79SZV9ZCFjJFrPh59iG3JIhg6mYpCKommLSs2jStJaugJnazVRvOiPBIq5UMPqLoU18uDnE0DSlwLfvw14t0qNXcoGioc1OPpqnpQMuZrS/s1600/LeeGrady.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1vVKtFwSCi5nYHNYv90kjuRBg0qb1lukFo79SZV9ZCFjJFrPh59iG3JIhg6mYpCKommLSs2jStJaugJnazVRvOiPBIq5UMPqLoU18uDnE0DSlwLfvw14t0qNXcoGioc1OPpqnpQMuZrS/s200/LeeGrady.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will never apologize for being a charismatic Christian. I had a dramatic experience with the Holy Spirit many years ago, and nobody can talk me out of it. I love the Holy Spirit’s abiding presence in my life and His supernatural gifts. I love to prophesy, speak in tongues, pray for the sick and see people changed by the Spirit’s power.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the same time, I’m aware that since the charismatic movement began in the 1960s, people have misused the gifts of the Spirit and twisted God’s Word to promote strange doctrines or practices. Seeing these errors never caused me to question the authenticity of what the Holy Spirit had done in my life. But I knew I had to stay true to God’s Word and reject any false teachings I encountered.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My simple rule is based on 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22: “But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil” (NASB). In other words: Eat the meat and spit out the bones.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I have traveled throughout the body of Christ in recent years, I’ve experienced the good, the bad and the ugly. I love God’s people, and I know there is a healthy remnant of Spirit-filled churches that are striving to stay grounded in biblical truth. But I also know we have reached a crossroads. We must clean up our act. We must jettison any weird doctrines we might have believed or practiced that are hindering our growth today.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are a few of the worst errors that have circulated in our movement in the past season. You may have others that need to be added to this list. I believe we are grieving the Holy Spirit if we continue to practice these things:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1. "Touch not My anointed."</b> Chances are you’ve heard this weird doctrine based on 1 Chronicles 16:22. In an attempt to discourage any form of disagreement in the church, insecure leaders tell their members that if they ever question church authority, they are “touching the Lord’s anointed” and in danger of God’s judgment. Let’s call this what it is: spiritual manipulation. It creates worse problems by ruling out healthy discussion and mutual respect. Church members end up being abused or controlled—or even blacklisted because they dare to ask a question.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2. Dual covenant.</b> We charismatics love and respect Israel. Some of us even incorporate Jewish practices in our worship—such as wearing prayer shawls, blowing shofars or celebrating Hebraic feasts. These things can enrich our Christian experience—but some leaders go too far when they begin to teach that Jews don’t need to believe in Jesus Christ to experience salvation. They imply that Jews have special access into heaven simply because of their ethnic heritage. This is a flagrant contradiction of everything the New Testament teaches.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>3. Inaccessible leadership.</b> In the 1980s, some charismatic ministries began to teach pastors and traveling ministers that in order to “protect the anointing,” they must stay aloof from people. Ministers were warned to never make friends in their congregations. Preachers began the strange practice of skipping worship on Sunday mornings—and then appearing on the stage only when it was time for the sermon in order to make a dramatic entrance. Shame on these people for attempting to justify arrogance. Jesus loved people, and He made Himself available to them. So should we.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>4. Armor-bearers.</b> The same guys who developed item No. 3 started this strange fad. Preachers began the practice of surrounding themselves with an entourage: one person to carry the briefcase, another person to carry the Bible, another to carry the handkerchief. Some preachers hired bodyguards … and even food-tasters! The armor-bearers were promised special blessings if they served preachers who acted like slave-owners. Reminder: True leaders are servants, not egomaniacs.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>5. The hundredfold return.</b> Before his death in 2003, Kenneth Hagin Sr., the father of the faith movement, rebuked his own followers for taking prosperity teaching to a silly extreme. In his book The Midas Touch, he begged preachers to stop misusing Mark 10:28-30 to suggest that God promises a hundredfold return on every offering we give. Hagin wrote, “If the hundredfold return worked literally and mathematically for everyone who gave in an offering, we would have Christians walking around with not billions or trillions of dollars, but quadrillions of dollars!” Hagin taught that the hundredfold blessing refers to the rewards that come to those who leave all they have to serve God in ministry.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>6. Money cometh.</b> Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for giving money publicly to be seen by others. Yet in the 1990s, some charismatics got the wild idea that God would release a magical blessing if we would drop wads of dollar bills at the preacher’s feet while he was in the middle of his sermon. Leroy Thompson of Louisiana popularized this flamboyant practice with his infamous 1996 sermon, in which he encouraged people to shout in King James English, “Money! Cometh to me now!” Then the people would run to the front of the auditorium to pour cash into his coffers. The money came, for sure, and more cash-hungry preachers jumped on the bandwagon. Taking an offering became a form of exhibitionism, and Christians began viewing their offerings like lottery scratch-offs.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>God requires holiness not just in our behavior but also in our doctrine. Let’s discard these and any other foolish teachings that have brought confusion and dishonor to the body of Christ.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma. You can follow him on Twitter at @leegrady. He is the author of The Holy Spirit Is Not for Sale and other books.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com1HBR Layout, Bangalore, Karnataka, India13.0397283 77.63356590000000812.9778508 77.552884900000009 13.1016058 77.7142469tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-83550431116733676732013-10-27T10:41:00.000-07:002013-10-27T10:41:42.645-07:00Cessationism Is Nothing But Unbelief <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">An Open Letter to John MacArthur From A.W. Tozer: He Being Dead Yet Speaketh</span></h1>
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That every Christian can be and should be filled with the <strong>Holy Spirit</strong> would hardly seem to be a matter for debate among Christians. ... I want here boldly to assert that it is my happy belief that every Christian can have a copious outpouring of the <strong>Holy Spirit</strong> in a measure far beyond that received at conversion, and I might also say, far beyond that enjoyed by the rank and file of orthodox believers today.</div>
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It is important that we get this straight, for until doubts are removed, faith is impossible. God will not surprise a doubting heart with an effusion of the<strong>Holy Spirit</strong>, nor will He fill anyone who has doctrinal questions about the possibility of being filled.</div>
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In light of this, it will be seen how empty and meaningless is the average church service today. All the means are in evidence; the one ominous weakness is the absence of the Spirit’s power. ... The power from on high is neither known nor desired by <strong>pastor</strong> or people. This is nothing less than tragic, and all the more so because it falls within the field of <strong>religion</strong>, where the eternal destinies of men are involved.</div>
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<strong>Fundamentalism</strong> has stood aloof from the liberal in self-conscious superiority and has on its own part fallen into error, the error of textualism, which is simply orthodoxy without the <strong>Holy Ghost</strong>. Everywhere among conservatives we find persons who are Bible-taught but not Spirit-taught. They conceive truth to be something which they can grasp with the mind.</div>
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If a man holds to the fundamentals of the Christian <strong>faith</strong>, he is thought to possess divine truth. But it does not follow. There is no truth apart from the Spirit. The most brilliant intellect may be imbecilic when confronted with the <strong>mysteries of God</strong>. For a man to understand revealed truth requires an act of God equal to the original act which inspired the text. ... "Now we have received, not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things which are freely given us of God.”</div>
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For the textualism of our times is based upon the same premise as the old line rationalism, that is, the belief that the human mind is the supreme authority in the judgment of truth. Or otherwise stated, it is confidence in the ability of the human mind to do that which the Bible declares it was never created to do and consequently is wholly incapable of doing.Philosophical rationalism is honest enough to reject the <strong>Bible</strong> flatly. Theological rationalism rejects it while pretending to accept it and in so doing puts out its own eyes.</div>
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Few there are who without restraint will open their whole heart to the blessed Comforter. He has been and is so widely misunderstood that the very mention of His name in some circles is enough to frighten many people into resistance.</div>
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It is no use to deny that Christ was crucified by persons who would today be called fundamentalists. This should prove to be disquieting if not downright distressing to us who pride ourselves on our orthodoxy. An unblessed soul filled with the letter of truth may actually be worse off than a pagan kneeling before a fetish. We are saved only when our intellects are indwelt by the loving fire that came at <strong>Pentecost</strong>. For the <strong>Holy Spirit</strong> is not a luxury, not something added now and again to produce a deluxe type of Christian once in a generation. No. He is for every child of God a vital necessity, and that He fill and indwell His people is more than a languid hope. It is rather an inescapable imperative.</div>
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Now the <strong>Bible</strong> teaches that there is something in God which is like emotion. ... God has said certain things about Himself, and these furnish all the grounds we require. “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing” (Zeph. 3:17). This is but one verse among thousands which serve to form our rational picture of what God is like, and tell us plainly that God feels something like our love, like our joy, and what He feels makes Him act very much as we would in a similar situation; He rejoices over His loved ones with joy and singing.</div>
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Here is emotion on as high a plain as it can ever be seen, emotion flowing out of the heart of God Himself. Feeling, then, is not the degenerate son of unbelief that is often painted by some of our <strong>Bible </strong>teachers. Our ability to feel is one of the marks of our divine origin. We need not be ashamed of either tears or laughter. The Christian stoic who has crushed his feelings is only two-thirds of a man; an important third part has been repudiated. Holy feeling had an important place in the life of our Lord. “For the joy that was set before Him” He endured the cross and despised its shame. He pictured Himself crying, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.”</div>
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The work of the <strong>Holy Spirit</strong> is, among other things, to rescue the redeemed man’s emotions, to restring his harp and open again the wells of sacred joy which have been stopped up by sin.</div>
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<strong>Aiden Wilson Tozer</strong> <em>(April 21, 1897–May 12, 1963) was an American Christian pastor, preacher, author, magazine editor and spiritual mentor. This article is an excerpt from </em>The Divine Conquest.</div>
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Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-16684514969226928122013-05-25T21:37:00.000-07:002013-05-25T21:45:34.861-07:00Less Is More In God's Kingdom Because God Considers Quality And Not Just Quantity<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Quit Trying to Be Big … and Just Be Faithful</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">By J. LEE GRADY</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0sTpe1BXtZ8SE98hVRLLrSd9GXdep9vL9xF46J2dYH99fVz3a1phRqvZJqgCHx7oT8CHBa5amJaC82l_eNeCNcrjjnMayVHOSgpn-SH91oCuEaKYfuxLi9o9jZXVS0V0VQa37TsB196rC/s1600/LeeGrady.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0sTpe1BXtZ8SE98hVRLLrSd9GXdep9vL9xF46J2dYH99fVz3a1phRqvZJqgCHx7oT8CHBa5amJaC82l_eNeCNcrjjnMayVHOSgpn-SH91oCuEaKYfuxLi9o9jZXVS0V0VQa37TsB196rC/s1600/LeeGrady.jpg" /></a><b><span style="color: #666666;">Our culture says bigger is better. But in the kingdom of God, less is often more.</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">There’s nothing more disheartening to a preacher than to see empty seats in a church service. I’ll be honest—I like meetings where you have to pull out extra chairs and put people in the aisles. Why? Because I assume if God’s blessing is on a meeting it will be packed. I like numbers because, in my carnal thinking, crowds are more significant.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Our culture puts value on things depending on how popular they are, and we are guilty of applying this rule in the church. We like big. We even rate churches based on size. We know that the three largest churches in America in 2013 are (1) Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church, (2) Andy Stanley’s North Point Ministries and (3) Bill Hybels’ Willow Creek Community Church. The assumption is that these churches are leading the way in making spiritual impact.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">But God doesn’t evaluate us based on numbers, nor does He rate our effectiveness by comparing us to someone else. Many pastors of small or mid-size churches get discouraged because they evaluate their ministries by counting the number of rear ends in seats or the amount of money in offering plates. But God’s ways are not our ways! Remember these kingdom principles:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><b>Less is sometimes more. </b>Jesus attracted big crowds, but the numbers didn’t impress Him because He knew many who were healed in His meetings wouldn’t follow Him to the cross. He even told one of His crowds that the gospel seeds He was sowing would be eaten by birds, scorched and withered, or choked by thorns (see Mark 4:3-8). Only a small percentage, He said, would bear fruit. Jesus was looking for quality, not quantity.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">In the end, after thousands heard Jesus’ messages and ate His free lunches, only 120 of His followers gathered in the Upper Room on the day of Pentecost. That is not an impressive number, and today’s church growth specialists might say Jesus failed to break the 200 barrier within three years of ministry!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><b>Follow the cloud, not the crowd. </b>There are a few crowd shots in the book of Acts. But most scenes of the early church are less impressive. An Ethiopian is converted on a desert road. The Holy Spirit falls on members of an Italian family gathered in a home in Caesarea. A woman named Lydia comes to Christ at a small prayer gathering by a river in Philippi. She becomes the first convert in Europe.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Why are these seemingly inconsequential stories highlighted in Scripture? Because God moves as powerfully in one-on-one conversations and small group gatherings as He does in big meetings. When we follow the cloud of His presence, He often leads us to the one instead of the many.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">The book of Acts ends with a scene of Paul ministering quietly to people in a small apartment while he is under house arrest (see Acts 28:30-31). Paul certainly didn’t measure His impact by large buildings, big mailing lists, media exposure or book sales. (His writings didn’t become popular until he was dead!)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><b>Make disciples, don’t entertain audiences.</b> Every man’s work will be tested by fire, and every ministry will be evaluated not by church-growth experts but by God’s holy standards. Sitting in a church does not make a person a faithful follower of Jesus. Don’t confuse disciples with pew-warmers. He will not evaluate us by how many people were in attendance, or even by how many danced in the aisles or shouted when we preached, but by how many disciples we made.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><b>Stop trying to be popular.</b> The three largest concerts in history were performed by (1) Indian singer Babbu Maan, who recently attracted 4.8 million fans; (2) raspy-voiced British rocker Rod Stewart; and (3) French New Age composer Jean Michel Jarre. If you asked, “Who in the world is Babbu Maan?” then you prove my point. Crowds or fleeting popularity do not determine significance.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Justin Bieber has more Twitter followers—37.3 million—than anyone on the planet. He is followed by Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. We are supposed to be impressed, because in our culture, value is determined by star power. But you have to wonder: Is this 19-year-old pop singer the world’s most powerful man? No, because in the light of eternity the size of Bieber’s fan base is as meaningless as how frequently he changes his hairstyle.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Let’s stop evaluating our own effectiveness—and each other’s—by crowd size. Be faithful with the people you have, whether it is a home church of seven, an office Bible study of 10, a rural congregation of 30 or a megachurch of 2,000. Whether you are ministering to a handful of inmates, a roomful of Alzheimer’s patients, a dozen orphans or one depressed friend, forget your need for the spotlight. Just let Jesus use you, and make Him popular.</span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #666666;">J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma and the director of The Mordecai Project (themordecaiproject.org). His latest book is Fearless Daughers of the Bible.</span></i></div>
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<br />Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com3HBR Layout, Bangalore, Karnataka, India13.0397283 77.63356590000000812.9778508 77.552884900000009 13.1016058 77.7142469tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-61206981679109918832013-03-13T01:07:00.001-07:002013-03-13T01:08:47.884-07:00Destroying Hindrances<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhme4V2y_xSXniLS5vWGxbq5fPCSbHWWaVocVJBvwyw3J9qRZrxO8lB0V3bTlKnHX9jB2-lSPIDtlEdqZBzNq8Up6370nzar5CtRLnVAbNCkTpgu0Cy0UPllrjrs_u6FNDk18GEtwlIoizd/s1600/goforth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhme4V2y_xSXniLS5vWGxbq5fPCSbHWWaVocVJBvwyw3J9qRZrxO8lB0V3bTlKnHX9jB2-lSPIDtlEdqZBzNq8Up6370nzar5CtRLnVAbNCkTpgu0Cy0UPllrjrs_u6FNDk18GEtwlIoizd/s1600/goforth.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">All Hindrances to Revival are Due to Sin</span></b><br />
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</span></b> <b><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">By Jonathan Goforth</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></b> <b><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">[Revivalist & Missionary in Manchuria and China, 1888-1935]</span></b><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Upon returning to China in the fall of 1901, after having recuperated from the harrowing effects of the Boxer Rebellion, I began to experience a growing dissatisfaction with the results of my missionary work.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the early pioneering years I had buoyed myself with the assurance that a seed-time must always precede a harvest, and had, therefore, been content to persist in the apparently futile struggle.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But now thirteen years had passed and the harvest seemed further away than ever. I felt sure there was something larger ahead of me, if I only had the vision to see what it was, and the faith to grasp it.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Restless and discontented, I was led to a more intensive study of the Scriptures. Every passage that had any bearing upon the price of, or the road to the enduement of power, became life and breath to me. There were a number of books on revival in my library.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These I read over and over. So much did it become a burden on my mind that my wife began to fear that my mind would not stand it.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of great inspiration to me were the reports of the Welsh Revival of 1904-1905, for they made me to know that revivals were not a thing of the past. Late in the fall of 1905 a pamphlet containing selections from Charles G. Finney’s Autobiography and Revival Lectures were sent to me by a friend in India. It was the final something that set me on fire!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the front page there was a statement to the effect that a farmer might just as well pray for a temporal harvest without fulfilling the laws of nature, as for Christians to expect a great ingathering of souls by simply asking for it, and without bothering to fulfill the laws governing the spiritual harvest.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“If Finney is right,” I vowed, “then I am going to find out what those laws are, and obey them no matter what it costs!” Later a brother missionary loaned me the full “Autobiography of Finney.” It is impossible to estimate all that book meant to me.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now I began to see stirrings in the hearts of the people, so much so that a native evangelist said in an awed whisper, “Why the people are being moved on just as they were by Peter’s sermon at Pentecost.”</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At one meeting as I spoke on “He bore our sins in His own body on the tree,” conviction seemed to be written on every face and when I called for decisions, the whole audience stood up as a man crying, “We want to follow this Jesus Who died for us.”</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">About this time our Foreign Mission Secretary asked me to visit the revival in Korea. Witnessing the Lord at work in the Korean revival was of incalculable significance in my life because it showed me at firsthand the boundless possibilities of the revival method. Korea made me feel, as it did many others, that Revival was God’s plan for setting the world aflame.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The missionaries in Korea were just ordinary people. I did not notice any outstanding people among them. It was in prayer that they were different. Never have I been so conscious of the Divine Presence as I was in these Korean prayer meetings. Those missionaries seemed to carry us right up in prayer to the Throne of God. One indeed had the feeling they were communing face to face with God.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What impressed me was the practical nature of the revival. It was no wild gust of “religious enthusiasm” dying with the wind upon whose wings it had been borne. There were the usual outward manifestations that accompany such miraculous outpourings of spiritual power. But beyond that there were tens of thousands of Korean men and women whose lives had been completely transformed by the divine power.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every one seemed almost pathetically eager to spread the “Glad Tidings.” Even little boys would run up to people on the street and plead with them to accept Christ as their Saviour. Everywhere I saw an evident devotion for the Holy Word. Everyone seemed to carry a Bible. And permeating it all was that marvelous spirit of prayer.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On my return to China, I was asked by the missionaries of Kikunsghan to tell them the story of the Korean Revival. On Sunday evening as I drew to a close my account of the Spirit’s outpouring on the churches of Korea, it seemed the stillness of death pervaded the assembly. The suppressed sobs became audible here and there. In a little while missionaries were rising to their feet and in tears were confessing their faults one to another.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Revival Is The Beginning Of A New Obedience Towards God</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the autumn of 1906, I was preparing to set out to see what could be done about reviving the outstations. There was a matter, however, between a brother missionary and myself that had to be made right. I honestly felt that I was right. Nevertheless I felt it would please the Lord for me to go and make this matter absolutely straight. But I argued with the Lord, saying it was the other missionary’s fault, not mine, and that it was up to him to come to me, not for me to go to him.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the pressure continued until I cried out to the Lord saying, “He came to my study and in tears confessed his fault. Does that not settle the matter?”</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“You hypocrite!” I seemed to hear Him say, “You know you are not loving each other as brethren, as I have commanded you to do.”</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Still I would not yield.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then came the final word from the Lord, “If you do not straighten this thing out before you go on that trip, you may expect to fail, for I cannot go with you.” That humbled me. I did not want to go on that difficult trip without His help.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The night before I was to start on the trip I had to lead a prayer meeting for the Chinese Christians. All the way to the church the pressure continued: “Go and straighten this thing out, so that I may go with you to the outstations.”</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Still I would not yield. I started the meeting. It was all right while they sang, and during the reading of the Scripture. But as soon as I opened my mouth in prayer I became confused, for all the time the Spirit kept saying: You hypocrite! Why don’t you straighten this thing out?” I became still more troubled while delivering a short talk on prayer. Finally, when halfway through my talk, the burden became utterly intolerable and I yielded.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Lord,” I promised in my heart, “as soon as this meeting is over, I’ll go and make the matter right.”</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instantly something in the audience seemed to snap. In a moment the whole atmosphere changed. Upon the meeting being thrown open for prayer, one after another rose to their feet to pray, only to break down, weeping. For almost twenty years we missionaries had longed to see a tear of repentance roll down a Chinese cheek.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was late at night when the meeting closed. As soon as I could I hastened over to the house of my brother-missionary…the difficulty was settled, and because I was led of the Spirit and obeyed the Lord, the blessings on my tour of the outstations far exceeded anything I had dared to hope for.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At each station the Spirit of judgment was made manifest.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wrongs were righted and crooked things were made straight. At one station, I was only able to spend one night but that night the whole audience broke down before the Lord….</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Often during the meetings, great waves of prayer would sweep the congregation. Some one would cry, “Pray for my outstation, we are so cold and dead.” Or another would ask prayer for their unsaved loved ones and plead with the people to join them in prayer. Instantly scores all over the audience would respond.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It seemed nothing could resist such importunity. A number of influential Chinese leaders had opposed the meetings and declared they would not attend them. Special intercession was offered upon their behalf, and some of the most broken confessions during these meetings came from them.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hindrances To Revival</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We cannot emphasize too strongly our conviction that all hindrances to revival in the Church are due to sin! The appalling fact is that every sin found without the Church is found also within the Church although perhaps to a lesser degree.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is sin in individual Church members, whether at home or on the foreign field, which grieves and quenches the Holy Spirit! I imagine that we would lose much of our self-righteousness if we were to find that pride, jealousy, envy, greed, bad temper, backbiting, gossip, talebearing, and all their kindred are just as heinous in God’s sight as the so-called grosser sins.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All sin in the believer, of whatever kind, mars the redemptive work of Christ. The filth and bloodguiltiness of the churches can only be swept away by the Spirit of Judgment, and the Spirit of Burning.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In view of the prominence that is given to confession of sin in this article, perhaps I ought to make plain my own views on the subject.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have a strong feeling that sins committed before conversion are under the blood of God’s Son and never should be confessed.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To do so is to bring dishonor upon Christ’s Calvary sacrifice.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We believe that as regards secret sin, that is sin which is only known to the individual soul and God, to confess it at the private altar is, as a rule, sufficient to ensure pardon and cleansing. Yet there are times when secret acknowledgment of secret sin is not sufficient and public confession is the only way to secure relief…</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As to sin against an individual, the Scriptures are quite plain.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“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” (Matt. 5:22,24).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is vain for us to pray while conscious that we have injured another. Let us first make amends to the injured one before we dare approach God at either private or public altar.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am confident revival would break out in most churches if this was done. Then again, as regards public sins, experience has shown us that those can only be swept away by public confession.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">True, this amounts to crucifixion; but by our willful disobedience, we have put the Lord of Glory to open shame, and it is the price we must be willing to pay if we are to see revival sweeping through our churches.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-24208246188127973632013-03-01T08:04:00.000-08:002013-03-01T08:04:26.302-08:00That Is Victory!!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Others May : You Cannot</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">By G. D. Watson (1845-1924)</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If God has called you to be really like Jesus He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility, and put upon you such demands of obedience, that you will not be able to follow other people, or measure yourself by other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other people do things which He will not let you do.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other Christians and ministers who seem very religious and useful, may push themselves, pull wires, and work schemes to carry out their plans, but you cannot do it, and if you attempt it, you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Others may boast of themselves, of their work, of their successes, of their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing, and if you begin it, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Others may be allowed to succeed in making money, or may have a legacy left to them, but it is likely God will keep you poor, because He wants you to have something far better than gold, namely, a helpless dependence upon Him, that He may have the privilege of supplying your needs day by day out of an unseen treasury.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Lord may let others be honored and put forward, and keep you hidden in obscurity, because He wants to produce some choice fragrant fruit for His coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade. He may let others be great, but keep you small. He may let others do a work for Him and get the credit for it, but He will make you work and toil on without knowing how much you are doing; and then to make your work still more precious He may let others get credit for the work which you have done, and thus make YOUR REWARD TEN Times GREATER when JESUS COMES.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch over you, with a jealous love, and will rebuke you for little words and feelings or for wasting your time, which other Christians never feel distressed over. SO make up your mind that God is an Infinitely Sovereign Being, and has a right to do as He pleases with His own. He may not explain to you a thousand things which puzzle your reason in His dealings with you, but if you absolutely sell yourself to be His love slave, He will wrap you up in Jealous Love, and bestow upon you many blessings which come only to those who are in the inner circle.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Settle it forever, then that you are to DEAL DIRECTLY WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand, or closing your eyes, in ways that He does not seem to use with others. Now, when you are so possessed with the living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this PECULIAR, PERSONAL, PRIVATE, JEALOUS GUARDIANSHIP and MANAGEMENT OF the HOLY SPIRIT OVER YOUR LIFE, then you will have found the vestibule of Heaven.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">WHEN YOU ARE forgotten, neglected, or purposefully set at naught, and you smile inwardly, glorying in the insult or the oversight, because thereby you are counted worthy to suffer with Christ, THAT IS VICTORY.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">WHEN YOUR GOOD is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, when your taste is offended, when your advise is disregarded, when your opinions are ridiculed, and you take it all in patient, loving silence, THAT IS VICTORY. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">WHEN YOU ARE content with any food, raiment, climate, society, solitude,or any interruption by the will of God, THAT IS VICTORY</span>.</span></div>
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<br />Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-2062538924092172862012-09-06T04:14:00.001-07:002012-09-06T04:21:22.639-07:00Which One is Babylon?<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">B A B Y L O N</span></b></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqMjMEfmXNAj-WUbrWCFTNIspOtWdxVvURrMS9I1eZfLam1Vz-7vFWhtwj-_ftPRDeiWN_98n_ymYVm-gV83Jg4FJCIHrt_9u1vM8gH43fR370PAHnSnS1NFA_2f8JDjddczu7_SSRxfv/s1600/Babylon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqMjMEfmXNAj-WUbrWCFTNIspOtWdxVvURrMS9I1eZfLam1Vz-7vFWhtwj-_ftPRDeiWN_98n_ymYVm-gV83Jg4FJCIHrt_9u1vM8gH43fR370PAHnSnS1NFA_2f8JDjddczu7_SSRxfv/s400/Babylon.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is it organized churches?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is it independents?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In recent years the number of church drop-outs has been increasing. Young people especially have become more dissatisfied with established Christian institutions. Youth movements, home prayer groups and underground churches have been increasing rapidly, while attendance at formal worship services has dropped off.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many revolutionary voices have been raised. The cry, "Come out of Babylon!" has been heard again and again. Any by Babylon, the voices generally mean the institutional, organized churches. Down through the centuries the voices of reformation have repeatedly tagged the existing order of things with this label. The Reformers in the days of Luther and Calvin saw the Roman church as "Babylon" and the "Come-outers" of every generation since have seen the groups they left as Babylon.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today, some who emphasize freedom and simplicity say any organized, institutionalized church is part of Babylon, while others who place a strong emphasis on the unity of the body point more to all divisions of the church—even down to the independent home meetings—as representing Babylon. Either of these groups would tend to equate denominations with Babylon, and urge all Christians to come out.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is this right? If it is, then sincere Christians in denominations had better get out before the judgment falls, and those outside should even more zealously urge this action upon their brethren. But if this view is not right, then what is Babylon? For there is something meant by God when He says, Come out of her my people." Could it be that both denominational and un- (or anti-) denominational Christians are missing the real point?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The Testimony Of History</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The history of all Christians who have dropped out of the existing church structure to begin a new thing in their day shows one of two things: either they disintegrated or in their success they formed another institution. Certainly Luther and Calvin did so, although in their case they apparently did so deliberately. Others, such as John Darby and the "Plymouth" Brethren, for all their strong willed intention not to do so, only formed another denomination. Of course, many in that group even today will deny this, but how are they different? Merely saying we are not a denomination (or division) does not make it true! The fact remains that all the marks of a sect or denomination are obvious.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The early Pentecostal movement was universal and truly catholic, including any and all. But it quickly became as sectarian, institutionalized and divisive—if not more so—than the rest of Christendom. It seems no matter what the intentions are of those who "come out of Babylon", they themselves wind up being Babylon for the next generation of come-outers!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Is Babylon "Division"?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the Spirit of God moved in many hearts with a longing for manifest Christian unity, many groups have sprung up claiming to be or to represent the true Church, separate from all division. Their ground of meeting is simply unity in the Body of Christ. Such groups range from non-denominational churches, virtually indistinguishable from any denominational evangelical congregation, to little, fiercely independent, home meetings.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of these refer to the historic captivity of the Jews in Babylon, pointing our that God’s call to His people then was to come out and return to Jerusalem. They say God had only one place where Jews were to worship, and that was Jerusalem. There were many synagogues built in captivity but only one temple in Jerusalem. To remain in Babylon when God was calling to return was an act of divisiveness. Likewise today, they say, where Christians are scattered among the various denomination, God is calling us to unity, to come out of the divisions—which are Babylon—and return to the ground of unity.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the surface, this is a powerful argument. It seems true to the Scriptural type. But it depends on one assumption: that Babylon represents divisions. If this can be proved, the argument stands. We will return to his point in a moment.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Objections</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These views of coming out of Babylon is that they tend to created spiritual pride in those who hold them. "WE" have come out; "you" have not. "We" have seen the light; </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"you" have not. "We" have come out and will be blessed; "others" will be cursed or fall into limbo.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even the move toward unity tends to create the very division it vocally deplores. "We" are on the ground of unity; "you" are not. "We" have the truth; come and join us. There is a pronounced awareness that some are "in" and some are "out".</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every attempted move to recover the true church, the New Testament church, seems to have ended in splintering, sectarian division. Somehow no one seems to have found the right combination, but there is always someone who thinks that he has at last uncovered the key and so makes another attempt, only to fail again.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>A Misunderstanding Of Babylon</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If every attempt to follow the divine injunction to come out of Babylon results in only more confusion and division, we must be misunderstanding what it is we are to come out of; we must be misunderstanding Babylon. The conclusion is inescapable, so I suggest that we re-open the question. Just what is Babylon?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The origins of Babylon date back to the eleventh chapter of Genesis and the tower of Babel. "Babe" means confusion, or division, and so some find further ground here for identifying Babylon with division. A closer look at the text however, tells a different story.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And they said one to another. Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime hand they for mortar.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And they said, Let us build us a city and a tower whose tope may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the children of men builded.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And the Lord said, Behold, the people are one and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained (or withheld) from them, which they have imagined to do.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let us go down and there confound their language, and that they may no understand one another’s speech.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did confound the language of the earth; and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth."</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The People Were One</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note verses 1 and 5. All the people of the earth had one language and one speech. They gathered together in the land of Shinar. God Himself said, "The people are one"! And they began to build a tower "unto heaven". There was a unity there more profound and complete than any unity mankind since has ever known.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Everybody had one language with one pronunciation. All linguistic research tends to bear out this fact that once only one language existed on earth, enabling mankind in the flesh to be perfectly united.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Man desired to build a tower whose primary purpose (vs.4) was to preserve this unity. What that tower was is debatable. Some infer from the Hebrew text translated "whose top…unto heaven" that it was the culmination of astrological knowledge of the ancients. The similarity of the signs of the Zodiac the world over, adds support to this theory. Whatever the tower was, it surely demonstrates the advanced degree of civilization at that time, for it contained bricks backed in ovens cemented together with asphalt ("slime"). It clearly dealt with some kind of knowledge, for in order to destroy it God destroyed communication; he confused languages so men could no longer communicate. The tower must have been a thing of titanic importance, for God Himself said, "This they begin to do" (or "This is only the beginning"): and now nothing will be withheld from them, which they have imagined to do." (vs.6).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Utopia Achieved</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If man had built the tower, everything he could imagine would have been his! Nothing would be withheld! Without God, in the power of the flesh, operating solely by the knowledge of good and the evil, mankind would have unlocked all the secrets of nature, conquered the earth and achieved the perfect society. Utopia would have arrived. This tower was to be the consummation of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil, the highest accomplishment of carnal man. If men reached this stage, they would have become almost, if not completely, unredeemable if God had so allowed.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In His mercy God did not let it happen. He stepped down, confused their language so they could not understand each other, and scattered them over the earth. Acts 17:26 tells us he sets the boundaries of the nations so that men cannot join together.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">National boundaries and thousands of languages still stand as the two most formidable obstacles to world unity. It is not without significance that, despite the many fantastic accomplishments of modern computers, computer language translation has been almost completely abandoned as virtually an impossible task.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Much damage has come as a result of confusion, misunderstanding of speech and national differences. Wars result almost entirely from these roots. Man tends to regard these barriers to unity as a great evil—yet it was God who ordained them! Get that: God ordained the confusion. God scattered the people. God destroyed the unity.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To sum up then: the city of Babel is a symbol of fleshly unity, man’s attempts to be one apart from the Spirit of God. Such attempts at unity God destroys. The confusion which followed was not Babel; it was the result of God’s destruction of Babel. The story of the tower of Babel is a story of God’s destruction of carnal unity.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Babylon Is A False Unity</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is this picture of Babylon as representing a false unity borne out by the rest of Scripture? Assuredly yes! In the first chapter of Daniel we see how Babylon was attempting to unite the earth under one great empire. Defeated nations were razed and their cities leveled. The intelligent youths of these nations were re-named with Babylonian names, taught Babylonian science and Babylonian language, and given Babylonian food. It was history’s first world empire, attempting history’s most ambitious brainwashing project, with an aim to produce a united earth by institutionalized force.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Right down to the book of Revelation we see Babylon as a unifying, building power attempting to set up the kingdom of man. Babylon is the utter antitheses of division! And throughout history God has continually stepped in, time and time again, to smash, scatter and destroy a whole succession of Babylon’s. In the end, however, prophecy tells us political Babylon will apparently succeed in uniting the earth under antichrist, but "the stone cut without hands" (Christ in his many-membered body) will pulverize the "image of a man" and will break them with a rod of iron.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">WHAT HAS ALL THIS TO DO WITH DENOMINATIONS AND OUR COMING OUT? Simply this. As startling as it may seem, denomi-nations in a very important sense are ordained of God! What? Yes, denominational confusion and division, the scattering of Christians over the face of the earth, the theological confusion and contradiction of terminology and language, is all a direct result of God’s will! He is not opposed to denominations: He caused them.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wait! Don’t quit reading here or you’ll miss the main point.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Denominational division is the result of God’s merciful stepping in to break up a false Christian unity. It is God’s way to keep us from going too far in the wrong direction.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Fleshly Christian Unity</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From the end of the First Century, Christians began to try to "protect and preserve the unity of the Body" by fleshly, worldly means: institutions, creeds, laws and official leaders or priests. That was the beginning of religious Babylon. Eventually it got so bad that God simply had to break it up. The result was divisions and denominations.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every time man takes it upon himself to build, "the true church", God breaks it up! That’s why every attempt has, and always will, end in failure. God is opposed to it. That isn’t His way. It is simply not in the power of man to build the Church: it is not man’s responsibility. Man is not capable of doing the job, and the minute we think we are, we begin to exercise our flesh. We get trapped in a kind of corporate salvation-by-works.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even the best "New Testament Church" can be just another Babel to God, more dangerous than most because it looks more like the real thing. So God breaks it up even quicker. Haven’t you noticed that? The more "right" we are, the faster the failure, the more drastic the division.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Man is Not to Build the Ecclesia</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Man is not supposed to build the ecclesia. Jesus said, "I will build my church" (Gk."ecclesia"). The very word "church" is so tainted with man’s carnal efforts that I prefer to use the transliteration of the Greek, "ecclesia", to help us toward new and fresh thought. There-fore, from now on I will use the term "church" to indicate what man builds and the word "ecclesia" for reference to what Jesus Christ has built.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When God sends division, what does He divide? He divides the churches. The ecclesia is never, has never, and will never be divided. If Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, prayed that we all may be one, I believe God answered and still is answering. If we for one moment admit that division among the churches represents real division in the ecclesia, we are saying that millions of Christians have been left out of Jesus’ prayer.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If the ecclesia (not just the churches) is truly divided today and I died tomorrow, then Jesus should have prayed—for my sake—that all except myself may be one. And He should likewise have excepted all who have died in ages gone by.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But He prayed for all "that they all my be one". God hears His Son. If the Father does not answer the prayer of Jesus, we may as well give up! No, all are one; the ecclesia is not divided.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Division Exists in the Flesh</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Division exists only in the flesh. Come out of the flesh, and for you the divisions cease to exist. This has been the great discovery (but little understood) in the charismatic renewal. Enter into real spiritual experience and denominational barriers seem to melt. The Holy Spirit has been able to break down that great wall of partition between Protestant and Catholic. Truly, in experience, thousands have found that "in one Spirit" we are all baptized "into one body" (1Cor.12:13).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, coming out of Babylon does not necessarily mean leaving institutional Christianity. It does not necessarily mean leaving divisions. It means leaving every attempt to build "the true church." It means ceasing from every effort to do something that God has already done. It is essentially an inner, spiritual move, a heart move.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, denominations are in the will of God, but they are not even part of the ecclesia. We cannot leave a denomination to join the ecclesia. We don’t have to leave, for we are already in the ecclesia by the fact of new birth. To the degree we live our lives for a denomination or church, to that degree we are in Babylon. But it is quite possible that we could be members of a denomination and yet be living for the ecclesia. Our hearts would simply refuse to be limited by a denominational structure, but would reach out and include all who are born of the Spirit.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Leaving Denominations</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So you don’t feel that God wants you to leave your denomination? I’ll buy that! I can believe it. Many in the denominations are probably more free of the spirit of Babylon than some of those shouting loudest about coming out! But beware, my brother. Don’t confuse that "church" you belong to with the ecclesia of Jesus Christ!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Others of you feel you cannot be bound or limited by human institutions any long, you have to break free? I’ll buy that! That’s where I find myself. But beware, my brother. Don’t confuse this physical departure with a true departure of your heart. Have you ever witnessed an encounter between a denominational Christian (Mr. In) and one who has "come out" (Mr. Out)? The conversation eventually comes to this:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mr. In: What church or denomination do you belong to?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mr. Out: I belong to none.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mr. In: That sounds awfully independent to me. Do you think you’re superior or something?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead of "I belong to none", Mr. Out could have more wisely answered, "I belong to all of them". It expresses the spirit of Paul when he said, "All are yours", and "You are all members, each one of the other." True., I don’t belong to any denominational organization, but I do belong to my brothers and sister who are in them! And they belong to me, regardless of whether or not they realize it.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That’s who Paul argued with the Corinthians. They were saying, "we are of Paul, we are of Apollo, we are of Cephas, we are of Christ". They were saying they were divided. Paul replied, "You cannot be divided! Is Christ divided? If you say you are divided, you are being carnal, behaving like ordinary men. You are looking on things with the eyes of the flesh. All of these leaders belong to you all, and together you all belong to Christ." (1Cor.1:12,13; 2:3,21-23).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Is Christ divided?" If we can admit to a divided Christ, then and only then can we admit to a divided Body of Christ. To admit to the division of the Body is to admit to the division of the Head! Let go of that fleshly viewpoint! See and confess that there is one Lord, and one Body.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I say again, it is not the ecclesia which is divided; it is the human additions and mutations. I am no longer striving for Christian unity. I am celebrating it. Why should I strive for something already accomplished? "Henceforth know we no man after the flesh. "I simply refuse to see that any brother is divided from me. I confess the fact of our unity. He may think he is separated from me, but I will never believe that lie; I will never look on the fleshly separations; I will look on the unifying life of God we both share.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>How the Ecclesia is Made Visible</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maybe you are thinking as you read this, "I agree that in spirit we are all one Body, and that this must be emphasized; but what about the expression or manifestation of that unity? How can this unity be made visible and practical? Don’t we need to leave all divisions behind and come together in a united testimony of oneness?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, brother, first of all, if you do that you are in danger of repeating the mistakes of others, merely starting another tower with will end in confusion. You will be confessing your unity with all the people who share your vision, but what about all the ones you leave behind? You’re separated from them. What then?, you say, "Do you believe just in some ethereal, invisible church?"</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No, I intensely believe the ecclesia must be visible and that the oneness of the Body of Christ must be seen. Once again, however, we are clouded with an age old misunderstanding. That misunderstanding relates to how the ecclesia is to be made visible.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I say, "one church", what do we immediately think of? One institution, one type of meeting, on type of church order, one set of beliefs. We think of some kind of human body which ties us together much like the Masonic order. And this is exactly what the ecclesia is not.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The Fellowship of Love</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus declared that we would be seen and known as His disciples. He said, "By this will all men know that ye are my disciples, (my company of called-out ones, my ecclesia), if ye have love one to another" (Jn.13:35). In Acts the unbelievers said, "Behold how they love one another." They noticed this: "These men have been with Jesus." Paul declared in 1 Corinthians that if an unbeliever walked into the Christian meeting he would confess, "God is in your midst." John, in his first epistle said, "These things declare we unto you that ye may also have fellowship with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ."</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The ecclesia is made visible and known by two things: the fellowship of love to one another and the fellowship of the present communion with God. Not by meetings, organization, or doctrinal creeds, but by the fellowship of love. When I love God and my brother, and express that love in action, that is the ecclesia made visible. There is a unity and communion which is unearthly and inimitable. We may be of different races, different social levels, different educational backgrounds, and different cultures—even different doctrinal beliefs—but in a living way we are manifestly united. That’s the ecclesia.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It can happen within denominations, without them, or across denominational barriers. The ecclesia is a happening! It has utterly no relationship to "churches". It is like the air; regardless of where you are, it is available. The Spirit is like the wind, and He it is who unites the ecclesia.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or when two or three believers get together for fellowship with Jesus, and He meets with them, that’s the ecclesia. An unbeliever, seeing this, senses something real. He senses Someone who is present. That’s the ecclesia. Don’t you See. We could build a huge auditorium and gather every Christian in the world, we could all elect the same leaders and recite the same creed, participate in the same kind of worship and what would we have? It would be impressive, but not much more impressive than world Communism today. They have that kind of unity.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The ecclesia is not just the sum total of all believers. It involves the inter-action of those believers through which and by means of which God expresses His life to the world., just as a man expresses his life through the inter-acting members of his body.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 1 John 4:12, we read, "No man hath seen God at anytime. If we love one another, God dwells in us, and His love is perfected in us." In other words, God is seen in our love, and John always understands love as in action ("in deed and in truth").</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Relax and Enjoy</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The unity and oneness we have is visible only in our loving fellowship with each other and with God. Institutions of any sort, small or large, are not necessary to this fellowship—but neither do they prevent our enjoying it! I personally believe that as more Christians see the ecclesia, realize that "it is finished", and relax and enjoy it, the institutions will, for the most part, simply wither away because they will have lost their significance. I am not however, going to waste my time fighting a straw man, trying to make it happen. That is the technique of Babylon. I can enjoy the ecclesia now irregardless, of my "religious" surroundings.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, hallelujah! The reality of the ecclesia is changeless and unchangeable, and we can tap into it at will, by faith and enjoy the great throbbing, pulsing life of a universal Body. We can touch any Christian or group and touch them as one with them, perfectly and totally, in spirit! We can, as regards the ecclesia, simply cease from our labours and enter into His rest.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As for the practical questions of "Where do we fellowship?" and "What form shall our fellowship take?", we can see from the preceding that the answers are almost irrelevant to a true expression of the ecclesia. Our true worship is "in spirit and in truth", not "in a certain place with certain forms."</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That is not to say the questions are unimportant, only that they have no pat answers. For myself, I will always seek the place or group where I feel most freedom is given for the practice and affirmation of the unity and fullness of the Body of Christ in love. But the very nature of the ecclesia means that I cannot ever be limited to any group no matter how perfectly it seems to accord with the New Testament pattern, for there is no group that includes all of this tremendous ecclesia to which alone I ultimately belong.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the end, it comes down to our primary motivation. Are we giving our selves to building a human institution which includes only a portion of the Body of Christ, or are we first of all concerned with the edification in love of the whole Body? Are we furthering a thing, an"it", a tower of Babel., or are we developing a fellowship in spirit? Are we building a synagogue in which men meet, or the temple in which God dwells? To build synagogues is to live in Babylon, but to build the Temple..is to truly obey God when He says, "Come out of her my people."</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</b></span></div>Source : <a href="http://www.sigler.org/mckay/babylon.htm" target="_new">http://www.sigler.org/mckay/babylon.htm</a><br />
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Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com0HBR Layout, Bangalore, Karnataka, India13.0337976 77.627837713.0183281 77.6080967 13.0492671 77.6475787tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-51451669276525494172012-08-29T02:06:00.000-07:002012-08-29T02:16:09.280-07:00The Lord's Process In Making Of All True Leaders<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br />
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</b></span> <span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>THE MAKING OF a TRUE LEADER</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>By T. Austin Sparks.</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJFawGn_ZCgsIPprBM8XWOvCIZ8OIfYM7MTaX-ulYgX7eX-0znXwOA73UX5Gbs8RFOfB4CD5JpHKxTwIGi5qhPhqMhPXxq1dAjByj5SJAqGVwN7F4hfLwLK4-wunXyr_Yb2E46bqswo2Cj/s1600/A+sparks.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="109" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJFawGn_ZCgsIPprBM8XWOvCIZ8OIfYM7MTaX-ulYgX7eX-0znXwOA73UX5Gbs8RFOfB4CD5JpHKxTwIGi5qhPhqMhPXxq1dAjByj5SJAqGVwN7F4hfLwLK4-wunXyr_Yb2E46bqswo2Cj/s400/A+sparks.gif" width="138" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We gather from this book of Judges that those who are going to be instrumental in the Lord’s hands in helping others out of their bad condition must themselves have shared that bad condition. They do not stand apart from it, but are equal to the state of things by reason of knowing in their own experience what that state of things means. It is necessary for a spiritual leader to have suffered in the same trials as those being led; to have known the same depths of misery, to have been in the same complicated circumstances, to have passed through those very problems, and to know what it is to emerge from a dark, dismal and wretched state. All that makes a leader, but that also represents the cost to begin with.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We will analyse that more, and deal with it in a different way. The cost of leadership is</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>a) All that is involved in the transition from the natural to the spiritual</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have spoken of spiritual understanding. There must be, then, a spiritual transition from natural understanding to spiritual understanding. What is the transition? By what course, by what road, is this transition made? Always through the grave. Before we ever come to spiritual understanding we shall have all our own understanding pulverized, ground to powder, so that we do not understand anything, and we know it. If we are asked to explain we can give no explanation. It is not in us to explain. All understanding has gone. God breaks down the natural to make way for the spiritual. That transition is through death, through the grave. Then presently we emerge, and we are seeing things now from God’s side, we are understanding with a faculty and capacity that we never before possessed. Somehow or other a resurrection work has been done; that is, something has been quickened which we never had before. We are made alive to that of which we had no knowledge before. We have a new standard of judgement now, a new standard of values, a new sense of differences. It is just something done, not something which we have created or made. It comes, as it were, to birth, and we know it, and as we move accordingly, in obedience to it, it grows. There is all the difference between natural understanding and spiritual understanding, and the difference is between death and life, and a grave is between. Oh, those dark days, when we lost all natural understanding and there was no light. It is a terrible cost.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are not speaking about just understanding certain events. It may have to do with trials of a certain nature through which we pass, but it is the general faculty to which we are referring. There is all the difference between a natural faculty for understanding things and a spiritual faculty for understanding the things of the Lord, which cannot be defined, but can be declared as a fact. That cost is the cost bound up with spiritual leadership.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>b) The assurance of understanding</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There was a time when some of us were most sure. Oh yes, we knew, no one could tell us. We were the most sure people. We could lay down the law to anybody as to what they ought to do. The Lord has taken in hand and has ground to powder, made pulp of all that assurance. We have lost all self-assurance. We have come to the place where we feel that we could question everything in ourselves, doubt everything about ourselves. We have come to the place where, when we tell the Lord that we mean to be all for Him there is something inside which says we meant it, but come up against the test and we find that we are not that. Peter was a most self-confident man; “Lord, I will follow thee even unto death.” I am certain that if we had met Peter later on, after the cross, we should have found him a man who would never for a moment say a word about his own certainty or self-assurance. Yet you find the man marked by boldness; there is nothing more sure than his statement on the day of Pentecost; but he is a different man. He has gone through the grave, and self-assurance has been broken in him and replaced with the assurance of God. There is the full assurance of understanding of the Lord. It is costly, but it is the way of spiritual leadership, the way to spiritual values.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>c) Active faith</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We spoke of active faith. It comes the same way. The time through which we pass is a time when we lose all. There are times when we feel that the bottom has fallen out of everything. What have we to rest upon? Faith. Where is our faith? If God is not merciful to us it is a poor lookout for us. If this whole thing depends upon our faith today, the Lord help us!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, these are dark, strange experiences, things you may not say to the unconverted. They are not bound up with our salvation, our acceptance before God. It is another side, the side of our usefulness to the Lord, the measure of our spiritual value to the Lord for the sake of others. The cost of spiritual leadership and a faith of this true, pure kind is borne out of a grave. It grows like a new child; it is quiet, steady faith in God. You have been through the depths, and you have found the Lord faithful, and you have had to say, “It was not because of my wonderful faith in God, not because of my saying I am able to hold on, to persist! God was faithful to me when I had nothing of faith as far as I was concerned.” That comes back from the grave. It is the cost of leadership.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>d) Initiative</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is quite true also in the matter of initiative. Naturally there was a time when initiative was not difficult to some of us. The bigger the proposition the more we gloried in tackling it, and lacked no initiative in these things. Then the Lord took us in hand and broke all that natural force, or began to break it, and we came steadily to the place where, so far as we were concerned, the initiative left us: that is, the natural initiative, the taking of big responsibility, and we became deeply conscious that we were needing a divine energy to move in relation to the Lord’s interests. And now to some extent we do know that energising of God in relation to His interests. When we have no natural energy, when it does not spring from ourselves, and if it were left with us, we should not do it, we would not move, but just lie there, refuse, decline, and yet we know that for the Lord’s interests there is an energy which we have not got. We lay hold of that divine energy, and the initiative of God is appropriated by faith, and there are accomplishments.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is all the difference between that natural go-ahead attitude in the work of God, and that energising of the Holy Spirit; that initiative which is of the flesh, and that initiative which is of the Holy Spirit. You have to pass from the one to the other in a deep experience, when all that is of nature is broken down, and you come on to the ground where it is all and only of God. It is a new creation in Christ Jesus, where all things are out from God, as manifested in the Lord Jesus Himself.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>e) Humility and dependence</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The same law holds good. We may have been very independent or self-dependent, or dependent upon others. The Lord has dealt with all that, or will deal with it in us, and bring us to a place where every other kind of support is removed, where all our independence is dealt with, where our self-dependence is destroyed, where our dependence upon others is cut away. And we come out to a place, through trying and painful experiences, where our dependence is upon God.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Paul is an outstanding illustration of this. There is no character more self-confident than Saul of Tarsus. In the long-run there is no one more dependent upon God, and confessedly so. He said: “We despaired of life.” The sentence of death was upon him, so that he should not trust in himself, but in God who raises the dead. The way through is a deep, dark, and painful way, but this is all the way to spiritual leadership. It is all that is involved in the transition from the natural to the spiritual, and it all leads to values for others.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your value to others in the Lord entirely depends upon your own measure of knowing the Lord for yourself as your very life, your wisdom, your strength.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There may be a little weakness in what we have been saying, that we have dealt with positives rather than negatives. Some are not in much danger of strong, natural, go-ahead-ness. Perhaps some are lacking altogether in any kind of strength like that, and may be saying, “Well, I do not have to be broken down very much, therefore I cannot come through to very much for the Lord.” Do not say that, because your painful experience will probably be from a negative to a positive, not from one positive to another positive. We mean this, that some timid people will go through an agony when God brings them out to take initiative. It is an agony for reticent people to be made to stand on their feet and take responsibility. They would sooner shrink into a corner, but the Lord will not let them get away with that. In effect He says, “You have got to be of value, you have got to count; it is no use your hiding in a corner, I want values in you for My people.” Then comes the agony of perhaps having to talk to someone, having to take initiative for the spiritual help of somebody, when you would rather be somewhere else, doing something else. It is the transition from the natural, whatever the natural is - whether positive or negative - to what is spiritual. It is costly, but it is the price of leadership, and after all, it is that the Lord should have His full measure in us, “...each several part in due measure” (Eph. 4:16). There is a “due measure” from each several part.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>f) Loneliness</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The cost of leadership is always loneliness. When you are going through a thing in the hands of God, your one sense is that no one has ever been through this before. The Lord sees to it that you do not escape by having someone come along who has just been through it so that you may throw yourself on them and they carry you. The Lord allows isolation. But, however it is, it is always loneliness. That is bound up with leadership. It is as though you were pioneering and no one has ever gone this way before; you are alone. It is part of the price, but it must be. No doubt you have longed for somebody who has been that way to be alongside of you while you are going through, but the Lord has not allowed it. We say in effect, “If only we had their experience in this thing to appeal to!” But somehow or other the Lord cuts it all off from us, and takes us through with Himself alone. If we refuse to go through with Him alone, we are going to miss the Lord’s object.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>g) Misunderstanding</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So often accompanying the loneliness is misunderstanding, and that is the more bitter side. It is the more positive or active side. Think of Nehemiah. He had to take the lead, the initiative. But it was not long before not only in his loneliness, but in misunderstanding and misrepresentation he discovered the cost of that leadership. All around things were being said: “He is building this thing to make himself a name! He is going to appoint prophets to preach about him! He is starting a new movement!” All the things which were said were lies, false; it was misrepresentation, misunderstanding. That is simply because a man or woman has come to know the will of God as it applies to them, and they are going on in that way of God.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is strange how people will very rarely give another credit for walking with God. Others always seem to interpret their movements as though they had been captured and led astray. They never give them credit for really walking with God themselves. They blame someone else, and then blame them for getting into the hands of someone else. It is a part of the price.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>h) Selflessness</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is necessary when counting the cost of leadership to be selfless and disinterested in the matter. Leaders may labour for perhaps another generation, for others to enter into their labours, and they may never see the fruit of their own labours.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Look back over the history of all who have really been used of God in the lives of His people. Very rarely has their life borne fruit until they have gone. They have laboured, and other men have entered into their labours. It means that there is to be no present glory, nothing for self, no present reward. It is a Moses leading through the wilderness, up against the real hard, tough side of things, and then passing out without seeing the fruit. That is the price of leadership so often; selfless disinterestedness, being willing to labour, to give one’s life, to suffer, to come to a place of value for others and never see the full result of it.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That is all we shall say for the time being. It has all come out of that expression of Deborah: “For that the leaders took the lead in Israel”. That is the explanation of such deliverance, of a mighty emancipation, of glorious victory, the changing of the whole face of things from servile slavery, depression and oppression, to ascendancy, liberty and progress.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do remember, again, that this is spiritual and not official; it has nothing to do with persons as such. It is a spiritual condition which the Lord would find in us all.</span></div><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Original Source :<br />
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</span> <a href="http://www.austin-sparks.net/english/books/004231.html" target="_new">http://www.austin-sparks.net/english/books/004231.html</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoa3d-VLqsHtOQw6jyuqPD86MBVNoKwMvSfnBWwLw0X25G4Ui0HUAhtz-pucKZbJQwXOM-IO3OjMMM4bP8pQt2cpnAvpaqwl2BQ7hYPDt1usAuR9p_O2k_46rfWDerOkROHqbuMftzBbq/s1600/EndLine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="18" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoa3d-VLqsHtOQw6jyuqPD86MBVNoKwMvSfnBWwLw0X25G4Ui0HUAhtz-pucKZbJQwXOM-IO3OjMMM4bP8pQt2cpnAvpaqwl2BQ7hYPDt1usAuR9p_O2k_46rfWDerOkROHqbuMftzBbq/s400/EndLine.jpg" width="50" /></a></div><br />
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Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com0HBR Layout, Bangalore, Karnataka, India13.0337976 77.627837713.0183281 77.6080967 13.0492671 77.6475787tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-52278497567567174752012-03-29T01:47:00.000-07:002012-03-29T01:47:44.644-07:00A Walk With God — Loneliness Inevitable<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfg0Uu-I30tDiUdonBBUS6x0QJ_eTG9cun90SGmrOangyanXf9s3we0avp-NzC9Pq5Zyc5DP3wVI5u6-eK9GQy6PPtQf8QjwEoqmOeVjqVBDklHJJXCtGLKzodg3cmDGicy0S82lZ5RFad/s1600/aw-tozer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfg0Uu-I30tDiUdonBBUS6x0QJ_eTG9cun90SGmrOangyanXf9s3we0avp-NzC9Pq5Zyc5DP3wVI5u6-eK9GQy6PPtQf8QjwEoqmOeVjqVBDklHJJXCtGLKzodg3cmDGicy0S82lZ5RFad/s1600/aw-tozer.jpg" /></a><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">The Saint Must Walk Alone</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>A.W. Tozer</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most of the world's great souls have been lonely. Loneliness seems to be one price the saint must pay for his saintliness.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the morning of the world (or should we say, in that strange darkness that came soon after the dawn of man's creation), that pious soul, Enoch, walked with God and was not, for God took him; and while it is not stated in so many words, a fair inference is that Enoch walked a path quite apart from his contemporaries.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another lonely man was Noah who, of all the antediluvians, found grace in the sight of God; and every shred of evidence points to the aloneness of his life even while surrounded by his people.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Again, Abraham had Sarah and Lot, as well as many servants and herdsmen, but who can read his story and the apostolic comment upon it without sensing instantly that he was a man "whose soul was alike a star and dwelt apart"? As far as we know not one word did God ever speak to him in the company of men. Face down he communed with his God, and the innate dignity of the man forbade that he assume this posture in the presence of others. How sweet and solemn was the scene that night of the sacrifice when he saw the lamps of fire moving between the pieces of offering. There, alone with a horror of great darkness upon him, he heard the voice of God and knew that he was a man marked for divine favor.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moses also was a man apart. While yet attached to the court of Pharaoh he took long walks alone, and during one of these walks while far removed from the crowds he saw an Egyptian and a Hebrew fighting and came to the rescue of his countryman. After the resultant break with Egypt he dwelt in almost complete seclusion in the desert. There, while he watched his sheep alone, the wonder of the burning bush appeared to him, and later on the peak of Sinai he crouched alone to gaze in fascinated awe at the Presence, partly hidden, partly disclosed, within the cloud and fire.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The prophets of pre-Christian times differed widely from each other, but one mark they bore in common was their enforced loneliness. They loved their people and gloried in the religion of the fathers, but their loyalty to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and their zeal for the welfare of the nation of Israel drove them away from the crowd and into long periods of heaviness. "I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children," cried one and unwittingly spoke for all the rest.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most revealing of all is the sight of that One of whom Moses and all the prophets did write, treading His lonely way to the cross. His deep loneliness was unrelieved by the presence of the multitudes.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'Tis midnight, and on Olive's brow</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The star is dimmed that lately shone;</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'Tis midnight; in the garden now,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The suffering Savior prays alone.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'Tis midnight, and from all removed</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Savior wrestles lone with fears;</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">E'en the disciple whom He loved</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heeds not his Master's grief and tears.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- William B. Tappan</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He died alone in the darkness hidden from the sight of mortal man and no one saw Him when He arose triumphant and walked out of the tomb, though many saw Him afterward and bore witness to what they saw. There are some things too sacred for any eye but God's to look upon. The curiosity, the clamor, the well-meant but blundering effort to help can only hinder the waiting soul and make unlikely if not impossible the communication of the secret message of God to the worshiping heart.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sometimes we react by a kind of religious reflex and repeat dutifully the proper words and phrases even though they fail to express our real feelings and lack the authenticity of personal experience. Right now is such a time. A certain conventional loyalty may lead some who hear this unfamiliar truth expressed for the first time to say brightly, "Oh, I am never lonely. Christ said, `I will never leave you nor forsake you,' and `Lo, I am with you alway.' How can I be lonely when Jesus is with me?"</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now I do not want to reflect on the sincerity of any Christian soul, but this stock testimony is too neat to be real. It is obviously what the speaker thinks should be true rather than what he has proved to be true by the test of experience. This cheerful denial of loneliness proves only that the speaker has never walked with God without the support and encouragement afforded him by society. The sense of companionship which he mistakenly attributes to the presence of Christ may and probably does arise from the presence of friendly people. Always remember: you cannot carry a cross in company. Though a man were surrounded by a vast crowd, his cross is his alone and his carrying of it marks him as a man apart. Society has turned against him; otherwise he would have no cross. No one is a friend to the man with a cross. "They all forsook Him, and fled."</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The pain of loneliness arises from the constitution of our nature. God made us for each other. The desire for human companionship is completely natural and right. The loneliness of the Christian results from his walk with God in an ungodly world, a walk that must often take him away from the fellowship of good Christians as well as from that of the unregenerate world. His God-given instincts cry out for companionship with others of his kind, others who can understand his longings, his aspirations, his absorption in the love of Christ; and because within his circle of friends there are so few who share inner experiences, he is forced to walk alone. The unsatisfied longings of the prophets for human understanding caused them to cry out in their complaint, and even our Lord Himself suffered in the same way.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The man who has passed on into the divine Presence in actual inner experience will not find many who understand him. A certain amount of social fellowship will of course be his as he mingles with religious persons in the regular activities of the church, but true spiritual fellowship will be hard to find. But he should not expect things to be otherwise. After all he is a stranger and a pilgrim, and the journey he takes is not on his feet but in his heart. He walks with God in the garden of his own soul - and who but God can walk there with him? He is of another spirit from the multitudes that tread the courts of the Lord's house. He has seen that of which they have only heard, and he walks among them somewhat as Zacharias walked after his return from the altar when the people whispered, "He has seen a vision."</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The truly spiritual man is indeed something of an oddity. He lives not for himself but to promote the interests of Another. He seeks to persuade people to give all to his Lord and asks no portion or share for himself. He delights not to be honored but to see his Savior glorified in the eyes of men. His joy is to see his Lord promoted and himself neglected. He finds few who care to talk about that which is the supreme object of his interest, so he is often silent and preoccupied in the midst of noisy religious shoptalk. For this he earns the reputation of being dull and overserious, so he is avoided and the gulf between him and society widens. He searches for friends upon whose garments he can detect the smell of myrrh and aloes and cassia out of the ivory palaces, and finding few or none, he, like Mary of old, keeps these things in his heart.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is this very loneliness that throws him back upon God. "When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up." His inability to find human companionship drives him to seek in God what he can find nowhere else. He learns in inner solitude what he could not have learned in the crowd - that Christ is All in All, that He is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption, that in Him we have and possess life's summum bonum.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two things remain to be said. One, that the lonely man of whom we speak is not a haughty man, nor is he the holier-than-thou, austere saint so bitterly satirized in popular literature. He is likely to feel that he is the least of all men and is sure to blame himself for his very loneliness. He wants to share his feelings with others and to open his heart to some like-minded soul who will understand him, but the spiritual climate around him does not encourage it, so he remains silent and tells his griefs to God alone.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The second thing is that the lonely saint is not the withdrawn man who hardens himself against human suffering and spends his days contemplating the heavens. Just the opposite is true. His loneliness makes him sympathetic to the approach of the brokenhearted and the fallen and the sin-bruised. Because he is detached from the world, he is all the more able to help it. Meister Eckhart taught his followers that if they should find themselves in prayer and happen to remember that a poor widow needed food, they should break off the prayer instantly and go care for the widow. "God will not suffer you to lose anything by it," he told them. "You can take up again in prayer where you left off and the Lord will make it up to you." This is typical of the great mystics and masters of the interior life from Paul to the present day.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The weakness of so many modern Christians is that they feel too much at home in the world. In their effort to achieve restful "adjustment" to unregenerate society they have lost their pilgrim character and become an essential part of the very moral order against which they are sent to protest. The world recognizes them and accepts them for what they are. And this is the saddest thing that can be said about them. They are not lonely, but neither are they saints.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrxOYYObLP043Ku9CxPz1KlZ0wbjHsDkEMJUMU-L0pTEks7G_Dw78OAk6LJ96sKTGOyqCMp2_8W0HMMk0xLMJstdUEb-4P6MAQMHFt8SBy5hpK7iezk77IwDc9CcKZ7bSz6nXiCH_cYWJ/s1600/EndLine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrxOYYObLP043Ku9CxPz1KlZ0wbjHsDkEMJUMU-L0pTEks7G_Dw78OAk6LJ96sKTGOyqCMp2_8W0HMMk0xLMJstdUEb-4P6MAQMHFt8SBy5hpK7iezk77IwDc9CcKZ7bSz6nXiCH_cYWJ/s1600/EndLine.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Source Link :</b> <a href="http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/a-w-tozer/read/articles/saint-must-walk-alone-9431.html" target="_new">www.oneplace.com/ministries/a-w-tozer/read/articles</a><br />
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<br />Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com1HBR Layout, Bangalore, Karnataka, India13.0337976 77.627837713.0183281 77.6080967 13.0492671 77.6475787tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-16426609348106847112012-02-09T01:09:00.000-08:002012-02-09T04:44:20.717-08:00The Death of Apostles<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglvDNLdHPywrW04qZr9S1oK_8y6fhyaLl45E6W4wMUDb9qQL9kMLf-BVpanCBWzE1fsodDympsZGbrEja48u5LgMJ0dkKmh6A_E6EdgCkyTxq0HQ0_78cyuYFb1e1VrQqgUZ6yTy_aWo2y/s1600/The+Twelve+Apostles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglvDNLdHPywrW04qZr9S1oK_8y6fhyaLl45E6W4wMUDb9qQL9kMLf-BVpanCBWzE1fsodDympsZGbrEja48u5LgMJ0dkKmh6A_E6EdgCkyTxq0HQ0_78cyuYFb1e1VrQqgUZ6yTy_aWo2y/s400/The+Twelve+Apostles.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">HOW the APOSTLES DIED</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">According to both tradition and church history...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>_1_ Matthew</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia , killed by a sword wound.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>_2_ Mark</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Died in Alexandria , Egypt , after being dragged by horses through the streets until he was dead.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>_3_ Luke</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous preaching to the lost.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>_4_ John</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Faced martyrdom when he was boiled in huge basin of boiling oil during a wave of persecution in Rome. However, he was miraculously delivered from death. John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison island of Patmos. He wrote his prophetic </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Book of Revelation on Patmos . The apostle John was later freed and returned to serve as Bishop of Edessa in modern Turkey. He died as an old man, the only apostle to die peacefully.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>_5_ Peter</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He was crucified upside down on an x-shaped cross. According to church tradition it was because he told his tormentors that he </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">felt unworthy to die in the same way that Jesus Christ had died.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>_6_ James the Just</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The leader of the church in Jerusalem, was thrown over a hundred feet down from the southeast pinnacle of the Temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he survived the fall, his enemies beat James to death with a fuller's club. This was the same pinnacle where Satan had taken Jesus during the Temptation.*</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>_7_ James the Great</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Son of Zebedee, was a fisherman by trade when Jesus called him to a lifetime of ministry. As a strong leader of the church, James was ultimately beheaded at Jerusalem . The Roman officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">his trial. Later, the officer walked beside James to the place of execution. Overcome by conviction, he declared his new faith to the judge and knelt beside James to accept beheading as a Christian.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>_8_ Bartholomew</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also known as Nathaniel, was a missionary to Asia. He witnessed for our Lord in present day Turkey. Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching in Armenia where he was flayed to death by a whip.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>_9_ Andrew</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Patras , Greece. After being whipped severely by seven soldiers they tied his body to </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the cross with cords to prolong his agony. His followers reported that, when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words: 'I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it.' He continued to preach to his tormentors for two days until he expired.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>_10_ Thomas</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church in the sub-continent.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>_11_ Jude</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Was killed with arrows when he refused to deny his faith in Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>_12_ Matthias</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot, was stoned and then beheaded.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>_13_ Paul</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67. Paul endured a lengthy imprisonment, which allowed him to write his many epistles to the churches he had formed </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">throughout the Roman Empire. These letters, which taught many </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of the foundational doctrines of Christianity, form a large portion of the New Testament.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perhaps this is a reminder to us that our sufferings here are indeed minor compared to the intense persecution and cold cruelty faced by the apostles/disciples during their times for the sake of the Faith. "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake:"</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"But he that endureth to the end shall be saved." - Matthew 10:22. Yes those who are saved by grace through faith in Jesus will only have the endurance to stand faithful to the end by the power of God. It is God's strength working in us to make us stand faithful to what we are called for by God. My prayer for you today is that you might receive the awesome grace of God like the apostles did in the first century and live your life for HIS GLORY! Even in our death, the life of God within us should speak out loudly for JESUS who has given us His all for us.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blessings.....</span></div>
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</span></div>Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com1HBR Layout 4th Block, HBR Layout, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India13.0337976 77.627837713.0183281 77.6080967 13.0492671 77.6475787tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-15816575308483014612011-11-30T09:28:00.001-08:002011-11-30T09:59:05.481-08:00To Be A Great Preacher, Learn From Jesus!<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
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</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">Jesus – Our Example As A Preacher</span></b><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mjsEEvxMublrKe2mlUbQXEKbvSJ-7gS0QTMIwyA03SYL3v638aNUsYN5K7gGYrY9zCkDewoXE-DHKGUnsZnagmM6RLsMf9hKx-7cKkQKCSeScmVE-2H-f1ikTkSLlXAswkV8gQ66ceG3/s1600/Zac-Poonen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mjsEEvxMublrKe2mlUbQXEKbvSJ-7gS0QTMIwyA03SYL3v638aNUsYN5K7gGYrY9zCkDewoXE-DHKGUnsZnagmM6RLsMf9hKx-7cKkQKCSeScmVE-2H-f1ikTkSLlXAswkV8gQ66ceG3/s1600/Zac-Poonen.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The world has never seen a better preacher than our Lord Jesus Christ. It should be the aim of every preacher to preach like Him, as far as possible.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is an old book on the preaching style of Jesus that was published in 1910, titled “The Master Preacher” (It is out of print now and not available). It is an excellent study but a very large book and heavy to read (319 pages). Some of the main points mentioned in it are listed below.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have also attached an article that I wrote some years ago about my own style of preaching – as I have sought to follow Jesus’ example.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Studying the preaching style of Jesus will challenge you to change your preaching style. Don’t hold on to your own style or the style of preaching found in Christendom today, where you see that Jesus’ style was different. Be bold and humble enough to change. Determine to follow Jesus’ example radically. You will then find that God supports you mightily and blesses your ministry.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We need more examples today of preachers who preach like Jesus did.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Zac Poonen</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">THE MASTER PREACHER </span></b></div><b><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">By A.R.Bond </span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>(Published - 1910) </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>(Now in public domain) </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>(Some quotes from the book)</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus did not have any fixed hours for His preaching. He was at work at all times of the year and was intensely active throughout His public ministry. All classes of people made up His audience and He had an appropriate message for each one. He preached to the multitudes publicly, but much more to His twelve disciples privately. He travelled all over Israel and addressed the village and town crowds with equal ease. Individuals received the same care from Him as the multitudes did. He did not prefer the poor simply because of their poverty. The rich could come to Him too if they humbled themselves.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the first three gospels, we read of 31 conversations that Jesus had with 28 persons on 24 occasions. In John's gospel, we read of 24 conversations that he had with 17 people. 8 conversations that He had with Peter are highlighted.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus saw the importance of every opportunity and never let any of them slip. John 3:10 & 4:18 are instances of His making use of the times of sensitivity to religious truths, and reaching each person with an appropriate message (not just a standard one).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus was always freely approachable and He made much of the individual. He had a special consideration for women and children, even if it meant that at times he had to go against the social norms of His day (as in John 4). He was the friend of sinners – right up to the end.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus preached in the temple, in the synagogues and in the open-air. He preached in the homes of people – disregarding their social position, their financial standing and their purity.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He always got the attention of people when He preached. His preaching was always serious and passionate. He avoided joking and lightheartedness in His messages and never trifled with the great truths of eternity. He was always dignified. His preaching was conversational in style and He encouraged people to ask questions. His personality was authoritative and His insight into man's thought-processes was remarkably accurate. Each message He preached fitted the occasion.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>HIS METHODS</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His home at Nazareth brought Him in touch with the middle-class of society, and His sympathetic heart led Him to discover the condition of the poor and the unfortunate in society. He used the religious ideas of His day as a starting point and then exposed their errors.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Intellectually,</b> Jesus made His preaching understandable to His audience and adapted it to the level of His hearers (Mark 4:33). He was simple, yet deep, and never used fancy words. The mind being the door to the emotions and will, He touched the mind first.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The emotions</b> of His audience were aroused by Jesus’ preaching. Amazement is recorded on 34 occasions on the part of the audience. On 18 occasions, sorrow is mentioned as being caused or alleviated by Him. There was also, anger, joy, jealousy, hope and hatred. His aim in arousing such emotions was never to satisfy Himself or for sensationalism, but always to lead people to right living.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The will </b>was what Jesus finally sought to move in men in all His preaching. He worked towards this goal – to get men to submit totally to the will of God.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>His logic.</b> He established his points step by step. Matthew 19:17; 6:28ff; 10:25; 11:16ff; 12:24ff; 7:9ff; 12:11; Luke 11:5ff; 14:28; 15:4; 17:7; John 3:2ff; 4:7ff; 8:3ff' 8:17ff; 10:34ff.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Illustrations.</b> He used many figures of speech. There are 62 of them in the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ alone - e.g. salt, light, bread, etc., A wide range of life was covered. Jesus entered into the full life and interests of men and was not a hermit. He used many illustrations from agricultural and home life. The physical world gave him many themes for spiritual realities. His word-pictures were simple and brief. His illustrations did not always tell the full story. He left something to the imagination of the hearers, because He wanted men to think. Jesus always used clear, simple words. He never used any abstract, difficult words. He used word-pictures only where they made the truth clearer.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Interrogation. </b>There are 237 distinct questions recorded that Jesus asked. This is undoubtedly the best method of preaching. But one must be in touch with God and must know God’s Word thoroughly, to be able to have a ready answer always. Jesus knew the thought-processes of men so well that even when people never said anything, it is written that "Jesus answered and said".</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Denunciations.</b> Jesus denounced wickedness without any respect of persons. He never sought acceptance through name or position in society. He used sharp irony and sarcasm and thus made many enemies – who finally killed Him. But His denunciations were totally free from any personal venom or hatred.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Repetition.</b> Jesus repeated His messages often in different places. He was more concerned to meet the needs of men than to earn a reputation for saying some new thing on each occasion. He also repeated messages and themes to the same audience – about the kingdom of God, God as a Father, love, watchfulness, self-denial, the cross, etc.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus always packed much into a few words.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Jesus never sought to move people by the power of oratory. He wanted people to be moved by the content of His message.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Posture.</b> Jesus preached standing as well as sitting. He prayed standing while in public, and kneeling in private devotions. He touched many whom He healed and also little children. These touches brought Him nearer to those people in spirit as well. He used His hands while speaking too (Matt 12:49). He looked up (Mark 6:41; 7:34; John 11:41; 17:1), and also at times looked at certain people directly (Mark 3:5, 34; 8:33' 10:21; Luke 6:20; 20:17; 22:61).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Humour and irony.</b> Jesus was a master of irony. He used figures that the common man could appreciate. He could turn an occasion of embarrassment into one of profit (Matt 22:21). See also Matthew 7:1-5; 11:17; 23:24; Luke 11:37-41; 14:12-23.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Startling sayings.</b> Jesus sometimes made startling statements to make the audience think. See Matt 5:29, 30; 6:24; 9:11ff; 11:11; 15:14; 16:28; 16:7, 21ff; 24:42,43; Mark 9:10; 10:26, 30; Luke 2:41ff, 12:51; John 2:19; 6:60.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At times, Jesus would walk away after saying something – Matt 13:53; 15:21; 16:4; 19:1,15. Compare Luke 12:51 with John 14:27; and John 9:39 with 12:47; and John 6:37 with 44.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>HIS THEMES</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus used specific occasions to emphasise certain specific truths (Matt 12:46-50; Mark 12:41-44; Luke 22:24-30; John 4:35). He taught truth that could be understood fully only gradually - as one grew in Christlikeness.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He spoke mainly on these seven themes:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The kingdom of God (78 references)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God the Father.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eternal Life</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Self-denial</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sin and righteousness</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His death and resurrection</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He referred to Himself as the Son of man 52 times.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He also spoke on minor themes – such as the evangelization of the world, fasting, alms-giving etc., Jesus never lost the true relation of truths one to another.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus laid down principles to guide men in every relationship and duty in life. In His preaching, He embraced all classes and ages of people and all contingencies.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He spoke on subjects of supreme importance and not on the trivial topics that the rabbis discussed (cf. Matt 23:23). He <b>never</b> spoke on philosophy, reform or politics.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus spoke logically and did not wander from His theme. He used exhortation, parables, interrogation, teaching etc., to make the presence and love of God real to men and to impress their responsibilities upon them.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His message reflected His own experience and He lived His message before preaching it (Acts 1:1).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The Old Testament.</b> In the gospel records, there are 34 direct quotations from the Old Testament and 23 allusions to Old Testament events in the teaching of Jesus. He had learnt the Old Testament at home, in the village school and in the synagogue. Portions of Scripture had to be memorized by Hebrew boys. His mother must have taught Him too. Jesus accepted the Divine inspiration of the Old Testament without any question. The Old Testament was a formative force in the spiritual life of Jesus.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus lived in a day when everyone blindly followed the opinions of dead scholars. The rabbi was superior to Scripture. Originality and freshness were unknown. In the midst of all this, Jesus was original (Matt 7:29). He interpreted the Old Testament spiritually, replacing the customary ceremonial interpretation, and raised its standards (Matthew 5).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Jesus’ preaching was always topical</b> – and this is the way the apostles also preached, following His example.He quoted from the Old Testament, but never any long passages. In 29 out of the 34 quotations Jesus used some sign of quotation, such as, "It is written". He made sword-thrusts at times with pointed verses from the Old Testament. The 34 quotations He made were taken from 46 texts in the Old Testament (28 from the first 5 books of Moses, 7 from the Psalms and 11 from the Prophets). The words of Jesus were filled with the spirit and phraseology of the Old Testament. He used Old Testament examples to rebuke the traditions of the people (Matt 12:1-5).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Controversial Issues.</b> The Jews were more concerned with their privileges as God's chosen people than with their corresponding responsibility to the nations. Jesus preached the necessity of a personal, vital relationship with God. The Jews gave undue importance to the historic opinions of dead rabbis. Jesus emphasised the spirit of the Word and rebuked their Bibliolatry. The Jewish Messianic hope included worldly honour and power. Jesus attacked this.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His enemies considered Jesus mediocre, because of His humble origin. But His popularity aroused their envy (John 7:12; 11:48) and His giving more attention to the cheating tax-collectors irritated them. So they accused Him of blasphemy and of being in league with Satan.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Six times they charged Jesus with desecrating the Sabbath. Jesus taught that the traditions of the elders were a hindrance to faith and to the true service of God.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We read of 22 instances where Jesus argued with His enemies defensively (as in John 8:7; Matt 22:21). On 4 occasions Jesus kept silent against the charges levelled at Him – and this enraged His enemies. He refused to show signs, but occasionally used miracles to defend His message (Matt 9:6; Luke 14:1-6).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>HIS MIRACLES</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The records in the gospels mention 26 miracles of healing and 8 miracles of nature that Jesus did up to the time of His death. (12 miracles of healing were done with physical contact). The miracles of Jesus were not meant to be spectacular demonstrations. Five times He refused to do a miracle when asked to (See Matt. 12:38,45; 16:1-4; Luke 23:8-12; John 2:13-22; 6:22-59).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The miracles of Jesus were not meant to create an audience. Only once (Luke 8:39) did Jesus ask the healed person to tell others; and on that occasion it was because Jesus Himself was going away from there immediately. Four times, He clearly forbade it (Matt 8:2-4; 9:27-31; Mark 7:32-37; 8:22-26). The temptation to draw crowds through miracles might have been too strong for one who was less confident in the power of his truth, less consecrated to his sacrificial mission and less acquainted with the vacillating nature of people.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus' miracles were a response to human need. He never once failed to respond to real need. He always acted in the interest of others. He never profited by His own miracles except in Matt 14:13-23; 15:32-38; (multiplying the loaves and fishes); and 17:24-27 (finding a coin in a fish’s mouth) – and in all these cases it was for the benefit of others also. The miracles were manifestations of the Divine compassion.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The miracles also had an evidential value in that they attested the Person of Jesus (John 2:11, 23; Mark 2:10, 11; but compare John 12:37). The greatest number of miracles were performed during the middle period of His ministry - the time of maximum opposition.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spiritual truth was always meant to be central (see the ascending order in Matt 11:5) (John 10:37, 38). Jesus taught that some diseases came through sin (John 5:14), but not all (John 9:3).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus often used the occasion of His miracles to teach some truth.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>HIS GENTLENESS</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gentleness is the mark of the great soul (Matt 12:20). Jesus could never look unmoved at the struggling masses of people. His interest in people was a master passion. His heart was full of compassion (Matt 9:36; 14:14; 18:27; Mark 1:41; 6:34; John 11:35). Being tempted like all other men increased His sympathy (Heb 2:18; 4:15).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus always maintained a lovable disposition in spite of other pressures. He was never once in a bad mood. There is not one case of rejected requests for healing. He was gentle and friendly towards despised sinners (Luke 7:34; Matt 11:28). He cared for the lowly - the lepers, the insane, the blind and the demoniacs. He elevated woman to the side of man. He was truly chivalrous.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His gentleness however did not prevent him from being firm where the will of God was concerned (John 6:15; Matt 16:23; John 7:3-8;Luke 9:51). He knew how and when and whom to rebuke and to comfort. He had an appropriate word for each person and for each occasion (Matt 8:26 with John 14:1; and Luke 7:44-46 with 48, 50; John 12:3-8).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His gentleness was reflected in the tone of His voice. He never spoke in harsh, cruel or repulsive tones - though He knew how to rebuke sternly. Children were attracted to Him, and not frightened by His voice or appearance. Jesus dispelled the shadows and chased away gloom and despair wherever He went.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>HIS SIMPLICITY</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus' personal appearance was simple. He followed the manners of His people in matters of dress. The middle-class family to which He belonged normally wore white clothes (as men do even today in the villages of India).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The style of Jesus preaching was free from adornment, from complex construction and from obscure thoughts. He did not seek to obtain a reputation for learning either through a mystical unintelligible message or through quoting the great writers of history. The only Book He ever quoted was the Old Testament.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His message was clear and simple and He was totally confident of what He taught. There was never any revision of teaching or correcting of earlier errors. Men of all classes could understand Him – if they were willing to do the will of God alone (John 7:17). He always spoke in the language of the common man. His illustrations were always from the life that the common people were familiar with.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His personal life-style, like His message, was simple. His personal needs were few. He took His rough fishermen-disciples with Him to social functions without the slightest embarrassment. He was humble enough to accept invitations for meals, even when He knew that He could not return their hospitality. He had no desire to be quoted by others or by future generations as a scholar. His only ambition was to do His Father's will. His motives were crystal clear, and therefore His face and particularly His eyes were clear (for a man's face and eyes reflect his inner soul).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>HIS INNER LIFE</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus was a very observant man - a keen watcher of life around Him. This is evident from His parables and word-pictures.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He was well balanced intellectually and emotionally. He was intensely emotional, but He never allowed that to disturb His serenity of purpose. He was idealistic, but His idealism did not make Him forget the conditions in which men lived. His words to the Pharisees and to repentant sinners show His perfect poise. <b>He never got irritated or upset with anyone, nor did He allow Himself to be carried away emotionally by the sight of human need.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He lived in the fear of God and without committing sin, and so His mind, emotions and will functioned perfectly. His inner life was totally free from the fear of the accidental. <b>His mind made judgments not according to the information fed to it by His senses, but by actively seeking to hear His Father's voice (Isa. 11:3,4).</b> And so any criticism He made was always right and always constructive.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus used His imagination (Mt 9:36; Lk 10:19), but it always resulted in deeds of service. He thought in terms of concrete realities rather than abstract truths. He controlled His mind to think clearly, logically and positively. Yet as a Man, His mind had all the limitations that the normal human mind has (Mk 11:13, 13:32).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus’ emotional life was involved in the interests of other people - never self-centred. As a Lover of men He shared the sorrows and joys of those around Him. He spoke the truth - but always in love. He entered into human suffering and is called “a man of sorrows” (Mk 7:34; 8:12). His preaching was full of emotional optimism. <b>He was never discouraged.</b> He rejoiced (Lk 10:21; Jn 15:11; 17:13); He was angry (Mk 3:5; 10:14; Mt 9:30; 16:23;21+12-17; Jn 2:13-22) and He was amazed twice – Matt. 8:10 (at someone’s faith) and Mark 6:6 (at the unbelief of some).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His will was set on seeking the glory of God alone. He controlled Himself in exciting situations. <b>The enmity of His enemies and the advice of his friends never affected His decisions. Though possessing a strong will, He never once imposed His will on others. He never compelled anyone to do anything. He did not hold people to Himself by His soul-power.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus was a man of prayer. There are 16 recorded instances of this in the gospels. These include prayers of thanksgiving (Mt 11:25; 26; Jn 11:41), intercession (Lk 22:32; 23:34; Jn 17), prayers for spiritual strengthening (Lk 3:21; 5:15-26; Mt 14:15-23; Jn 12:27; Lk 22:42) for wisdom (Mk 1:35ff; Lk 6:12,13), for revelation to be given to others (Lk 9:18-27; 28, 29; 11:1).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus taught that prayer must be offered in humility (Lk 18:10-14), in sincerity (Mt 6:5-15), with obedience (Jn 15:7), with faith (Mk 11:24), and with fasting (Mt 17:21).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>HIS POWER AND HIS AUTHORITY</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus spoke as a King and with impassioned seriousness. He never spoke in the hesitating tone of a seeker after truth. His delivery was confident and authoritative and He compelled notice even by His tone.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His personal bearing and demeanour were authoritative. He never demeaned Himself to seek the goodwill of those with social or religious power. <b>He carried Himself with the air of one whose resources would not fail even under the most critical and severe demands.</b> His serenity was unbroken. His manner awed others (Lk 4:30; Mk 1:22; Jn 18:6).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>He was careless of personal dangers (Lk 13:32) and courageously attacked sin. He even pointed out faults in His friends and His disciples. He always spoke directly to the heart.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He was definite in His own mind about the message He preached, and He knew how to adapt it to each opportunity. He read the signs of the times, sought the right moment for His message and knew when and what to speak. He never misplaced His anger. He knew how to meet each case upon its own merits. He adapted His ministry to the real issues of life (Mt 6:33), He never wasted His time talking about politics, science or poetry.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His power also lay in the fact that He was perpetually accessible to all men for their varied needs. People felt that they thus shared His life and that their burdens could be placed on Him. His graciousness drew others to Himself and His physical touch brought Him near to the sick.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet, in spite of His authority and power, He respected the dignity of man as a free moral agent having a freedom given him by God to choose. Jesus never used His power or authority to violate this freedom.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so,<b> the authority of Jesus came from</b></span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The anointing of the Holy Spirit that He received at His baptism.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>His relationship with His Father, in which there was a perpetual poverty of spirit, a pouring out of His soul-life unto death, and a life of absolute purity and total obedience.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>His sympathy with the needs of men.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>THE RESULTS</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The earthly life of Jesus lay between a birth in a cattle-shed and a death as a criminal. Neither of these would suggest a successful career in the eyes of the world. <b>He never sought to be appreciated or recognized by any man.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Jesus made no effort to draw crowds to hear Him.</b> When the crowds came (Lk 4:37; Jn 12:19) spontaneously He was not deceived. There were those who followed Him wholeheartedly and those who hated Him. There were conversions, discipleship, worship, loving ministries and appreciation, as well as defections, abuse and misunderstanding.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But He re-incarnated His message and Himself in the lives of His followers and turned them into the way of the cross. <b>This was His success.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>ARE YOU WILLING TO CHANGE YOUR PREACHING STYLE NOW?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To read the source click the following : </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cfcindia.com/web/mainpages/articles.php?display=article29" target="_new">http://www.cfcindia.com/web/mainpages/articles.php?display=article29</a></span></div><br />
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<br />Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com0Erode, Tamil Nadu, India11.342235 77.72747711.279959 77.648513 11.404511000000001 77.806440999999992tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-81994644761427887122011-11-10T00:48:00.000-08:002011-11-10T00:48:03.382-08:00It Is Time!<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">It’s (Past) Time for a Charismatic Reformation</span></b><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">By J. Lee Grady</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJCw9s-tA0S797jUIV5n0B8coNJoMgAE2q8EOl3dcE-1cyyhc2VqADjTNGs-ASlMpwy930nLjYNIH4IvlPTF6LZYblMmjiOMySOmcPeTIYddOcVUj0uGfgL5k_cmFK4xKlbt75NDruA1P/s1600/J_Lee_Grady_MD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="109" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJCw9s-tA0S797jUIV5n0B8coNJoMgAE2q8EOl3dcE-1cyyhc2VqADjTNGs-ASlMpwy930nLjYNIH4IvlPTF6LZYblMmjiOMySOmcPeTIYddOcVUj0uGfgL5k_cmFK4xKlbt75NDruA1P/s400/J_Lee_Grady_MD.jpg" width="143" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In honor of Reformation Day, here are some complaints I’m nailing on the Wittenberg door.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Long before there was an Occupy Wall Street, Martin Luther staged the most important protest in history. He was upset because Roman Catholic officials were promising people forgiveness or early escape from purgatory in exchange for money. So on October 31, 1517, Luther nailed a long list of complaints on the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Luther’s famous 95 theses were translated from Latin into German and spread abroad. Like a medieval Jeremiah, Luther dared to ask questions that had never been asked, and he challenged a pope who was supposedly infallible. Through this brave monk, the Holy Spirit sparked the Protestant Reformation and restored the doctrine of grace to a church that had become corrupt, religious, dysfunctional, political and spiritually dead.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am no Luther, but I’ve grown increasingly aware that the so-called “Spirit-filled” church of today struggles with many of the same things the Catholic church faced in the 1500s. We don’t have “indulgences”—we have telethons. We don’t have popes—we have super-apostles. We don’t support an untouchable priesthood—we throw our money at celebrity evangelists who own fleets of private jets.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In honor of Reformation Day, I’m offering my own list of needed reforms in our movement. And since I can’t hammer these on the Wittenberg door, I’ll post them online. Feel free to nail them everywhere.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1. Let’s reform our theology. </b>The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He is God and He is holy. He is not an “it.” He is not a blob, a force, or an innate power. We must stop manipulating Him, commanding Him and throwing Him around.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2. Let’s return to the Bible.</b> The Word of God is the foundation for the Christian experience. Any dramatic experience, no matter how spiritual it seems, must be tested by the Word and the Holy Spirit’s discernment. Visions, dreams, prophecies and encounters with angels must be in line with Scripture. If we don’t test them we could end up spreading deception.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>3. It’s time for personal responsibility.</b> We charismatics must stop blaming everything on demons. People are usually the problem.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>4. Stop playing games. </b>Spiritual warfare is a reality, but we are not going to win the world to Jesus just by shouting at demonic principalities. We must pray, preach and persevere to see ultimate victory.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>5. Stop the foolishness.</b> People who hit, slap or push others during prayer should be asked to sit down until they learn gentleness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>6. End all spiritual extortion now. </b>Christian television ministries must cease and desist from all manipulative fundraising tactics. We must stop giving platforms to ministers who make outlandish claims of supernatural financial returns, especially when Scripture is twisted, deadlines are imposed and the poor are exploited.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>7. No more Lone Rangers.</b> Those who claim to be ministers of God—whether they are traveling evangelists, local pastors or heads of ministries—must be accountable to other leaders. Any who refuse to submit their lives to godly discipline should be corrected.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>8. Expose the creeps. </b>Churches should start doing background checks on traveling ministers. Preachers who have been hiding criminal records, lying about their past marriages, preying on women or refusing to pay child support should be exposed as charlatans and shunned if they do not repent.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>9. Stop faking the anointing. </b>God is God, and He does not need our “help” to manifest Himself. That means we don’t sprinkle glitter on ourselves to suggest God’s glory is with us, hide fake jewels on the floor to prove we are anointed or pull chicken feathers out of our sleeves to pretend angels are in the room. This is lying to the Holy Spirit.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>10. Let’s return to purity. </b>We’ve had enough scandals. The charismatic church must develop a system for the restoration of fallen ministers. Those who fall morally can be restored, but they must be willing to submit to a process of healing rather than rushing immediately back into the pulpit.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>11. We need humility.</b> Ministers who demand celebrity treatment, require lavish salaries, insist on titles or exhibit aloofness from others are guilty of spiritual pride.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>12. No more big shots. </b>Apostles are the bondslaves of Christ, and should be the most impeccable models of humility. True apostles do not wield top-down, hierarchical authority over the church. They serve the church from the bottom up as true servants.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>13. Never promote gifts at the expense of character. </b>Those who operate in prophecy, healing and miracles must also exhibit the fruit of the Spirit. And while we continue to encourage the gift of tongues, let’s make sure we don’t treat it like some kind of badge of superiority. The world needs to see our love, not our glossolalia.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>14. Hold the prophets accountable.</b> Those who refuse to take responsibility for inaccurate statements should not be given platforms. And “prophets” who live immoral lives don’t deserve a public voice.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>15. Let’s make the main thing the main thing.</b> The purpose of the Holy Spirit’s anointing is to empower us to reach others. We are at a crossroads today: Either we continue off-course, entertained by our charismatic sideshows, or we throw ourselves into evangelism, church planting, missions, discipleship, and compassionate ministry that helps the poor and fights injustice. Churches that embrace this New Reformation will focus on God’s priorities.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(¯`'·.¸(♥)¸.·'´¯)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>J. Lee Grady is contributing editor of Charisma. You can follow him on Twitter at leegrady. He expounds on these topics in his 2010 book The Holy Spirit Is Not for Sale (Chosen).</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Original Source : <a href="http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/32228-its-past-time-for-a-charismatic-reformation">http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/32228-its-past-time-for-a-charismatic-reformation</a></span></div>
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<br /></div>Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-58418870549610337142011-07-23T00:05:00.000-07:002011-07-23T00:05:43.683-07:00Who is an Apostle?<b><br />
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<div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Who is an Apostle?</span></span></span></b></div></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">By Abraham Israel</span></b></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"></span></b></span></span></b></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="color: black; 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margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></span></b></div><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b></b></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></span></b></div><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></span></b></div><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"></span></span></span></b></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></span></b></div><div style="display: inline !important; 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</span></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
Q: How does one know 'who' is an Apostle? I would like you to tell me, can a Pastor call himself an "Apostle"?</b></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Apostles exibit certain characteristics just like any other member of the 5-fold gifted ministry office that is given by the Jesus for the equipping of the saints, work of the ministry and edifying fo the body of Christ </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Eph 4:11-12)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.<br />
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Some people do not like the fivefold ministries to be called as office and want to be called as a function. It is just a semantic play because </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">'function'</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> means </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">'The action for which a person or thing is particularly fitted or employed, assigned duty or activity, a specific occupation or role'</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> and the word </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">'office'</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> means</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> 'A duty or function assigned to or assumed by someone, a position of authority, duty, or trust given to a person, as in a government or corporation.'</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> With out authority in the hand of a person, nobody can be a leader. Paul has spoken a few times in his epistles about the apostolic authority that God has given to him to build the saints spiritually </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(2 Cor 10:8; 13:10)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. The only difference in the arena of spiritual leadership is that, even though these five-fold ministers have the Holy Ghost authority in their hand, they serve the people of God with a servant heart attitude that Jesus Himself displayed through out His time of ministry on earth </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(1 Thes 4:7-8; Tit 2:15; Matt 20:25-28)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.<br />
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The word </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">'apostle'</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> in the Greek is apostollos or </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"one sent forth"</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> as an ambassador of the Gospel. An apostle is a minister who is sent directly by God to do a specific work, in a specific place, to a specific group of people and for a specific time.<br />
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Jesus Himself is the chief apostle of all apostles and saints alike because he is the one apostle sent by the Father God to all the humans on earth and have become their one and only Mediator and Saviour between God and men </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Heb 3:1; 1 Tim 2:5-6; John 17:18)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Jesus is the only and only apostle of the Father </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(John 6:57; 8:16, 18)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Just like Jesus was sent in to the world to do a specific work of fulfilling the salvation of all men </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(John 3:16-17)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, Jesus chooses apostles to do a particular type of work and then sends them in to the world to fulfill his purpose </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(John 20:21-23)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Jesus chose twelve disciples for special training to do a great apsotolic work of proclaiming His goodnews of salvation after His depature from planet earth </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Luke 6:13; 9:10)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Judas fell out of this list because of transgression and Matthias was listed as a substitute to fill the apostolic office of Judas </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Acts 1:26)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. These twelve apostles cannot be replaced by any other person as they were eternally honored to be the twelve foundations of the city of God which is New Jerusalem </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Rev 21:14)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Then apostle Paul who was chosen by God and commissioned directly by Jesus Himself, after His Ascension, to carry the Gospel to the Gentiles </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Acts 9:3-6, 15-16)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. In the above list Peter had a dominant primary apostolic call to touch the Jews and then a secondary call to the Gentiles along with it. Paul just had it vice-versa to Peter </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Gal 2:8)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.<br />
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After this the Holy Spirit chose Paul and Barnabus and sent them forth as apostles in action </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Acts 13:1-4)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Even though they had the apostolic call over their lives, till then they were just working as evangelists </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Acts 9:20, 22, 29; 11:23-24)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, pastors, teachers and prophets in the Antioch Church </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Acts 11:25-26; 13:1)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. But once separated and sent out by the Holy Spirit </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Acts 13:4)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, they were first called apostles only later when God began to do great miracles, signs and wonders at Iconium </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Acts 14:3-4)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. What does this show, a person might have an apostolic calling but that does not mean they can start this apostolic ministry once they decide to start their ministry. An apostle in realeased in to the fulness of his apostolic ministry only after much training is received from the Lord through working as a pastor, teacher, evangelist or a prophet. In other words the apostles must be mature men of God who were already trained for years together by the Lord in other offices of ministry until the time for apostolic work comes and they start to do great signs and wonders </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(2 Cor 12:12)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.<br />
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The apostles were able to do signs and wonders directly during the ministry time of Jesus on earth because they were sent out with the very own anointing of Jesus over them </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Luke 9:1-2, 6, 10; 10:1, 17-19; 17:14-21; Matt 9:15; Mark 2:19-20; Lule 5:34-35)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.<br />
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This brings us to another question, can a pastor, evangelist, teacher or prophet can be apostle. The answer is yes and no. It is yes, if the other four five-fold ministry members also have a calling of an apostle in his life and a strong no if they does not have it in his life. If a pastor, evangelist, teacher or prophet does not also have a calling of an apostle, they can become apostolic by coming under a strong apostle's influence in their life </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Acts 2:42-43; 4:33; 6:5-7)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.<br />
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Many others were also named as Apostles in the New Testament like Silas and Timothy </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2:1, 6)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, Andronicus and Junia </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Romans 16:7)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, Titus and two unnamed brothers </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(messengers=apostolos)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(2 Corinthians 8:23)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. And we know that this above list cannot fit in to Peter's requirement for an apostle, who he demanded to have been with Jesus right through his earthly ministry from John's baptism until His ascension </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Acts 1:21-23)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Even apostle Paul do not fit this category because he came to know Jesus only after His ascension and saw Jesus in a vision, as a result he was comissioned to be an apostle directly by Jesus </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Acts 26:13-19)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. So these above apostolic call is neither part of the 12 original apostles of Jesus, nor the foundational apostles who wrote the New testment oracles by revelation of Jesus </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Gal 1:11-12; 2:1-2; 1 Cor 11:23; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Luke 1:1-4; Acts 1:1)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. But these above apostles are the apostolic gifts of Jesus that he gave to the Church when he took captivity captive and then went to heaven. These men are gifts in order to empower His people and thus extend His kingdom through out the whole world </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Eph 4:7-11)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. These apostolic men are called specifically for enlarging of God's kingdom, whether man acknowledges the calling or not. These category of apostles have been continuing for the last two thousand years and no where did Jesus revoke just the category of apostles and then prophets. It is true that the Church has not recognised many apostles and prophets in spite of knowing that they were sent by God with a specific message to turn the Body of Christ towards him. The ministry of these mighty men of God has been neglected and thus have grieved the Holy Spirit of God greatly. Many of them have been killed and persecuted in the past because of their audacity to point out sin in the life of men in the Church like John the baptist </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Luke 11:49; Matt 14:3-5)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.<br />
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So once again God is sending specific apostles in our end time generation with a specific end time message before the second coming of Jesus, to do a great thrust in order to fully harvest the fullness of souls in this end time harvest </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Rom 11:25-26)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.<br />
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So we can use these following characteristics to check and evaluate to identify these above apostles of Jesus to the Church in our generation,<br />
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</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1) Signs and Wonders</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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Apostle Paul told that the clear sign of an apostle is the accomplishment of all signs, wonders and mighty deeds through the patient perseverance of following the Lord, even at a great personal price for His great apostolic anointing to flow through them. This is a aunthentic requirement and a must for all apostolic ministries and apostles. Paul says, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"... in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing. 12 Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. 13 For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong!" (2 Cor 12:11-13)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. The other thing that the apostles will be doing is to make the saints believe that miracles are possible through faith and will activate the saints to replicate the miracles through their lives to affect many people around them with the message of the gospel </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Gal 3:5, 1-2)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.<br />
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</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2) Visionaries</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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The Bible says</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> "Where there is no vision, the people perish..." (Prov 29:18, KJV)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. The apostles are the master builders of men in the kingdom fo God </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(1 Cor 3:10)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Because of clarity in vision, word and direction, they will be able to raise up believers in strong foundational faith. The apostles will have a clear blue print and a picture in their mind, of what they will be doing in a particular period of time. They are not men without direction. By having clear vision they will be directing the apostlolic saints to be responsible men for the fulfillment of the apsotolic vision from God. This vision from God will drive apostles and will dominate them. Even apostle Paul was a vision driven man, this is the reason a few years before the end of his life when he was brought before a king to defend his life activities, he boldly said, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">" 19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance." (Acts 26:19-20)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.<br />
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</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">3) Pioneers</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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The apostles are pioneers who will have an audacious and contagious faith to propagate a new vision and a direction of God. This will bring new moves of God and new revelation from the Word of God. They will start a new work rather than join in a existing work of God which will not be flexible enough for them to fulfill the God-given vision in their lives at the appointed time. Apostle Paul's open hearted talk in his epistles to Romans reveals this pioneering spirit that was dominantly influencing him until his end. Hear what he is saying regarding this, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient— 19 in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 20 And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation." (Rom 15:18-20)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.<br />
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</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">4) Lead by Example</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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Apostles always lead the saints by example rather than just empty words. Apostle Paul says, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ." (1 Cor 11:1)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"...I urge you, imitate me." (1 Cor 4:16)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. The apostles eyes will always be on learning Christ and His ways only </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Heb 12:2)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. The one and only hero for them will be Christ only. The sacrificial life that they lead will always inspire the apostolic followers to be inspired for a similar walk in their own lives. They will be servant hearted leaders rather than a fleshly and a lording </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">[i.e. bossy]</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> leader who uses authority to manipulate peoples lives </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Matt 20:25-28; Mark 10:42-25)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Hear what the apostle Paul is saying regarding the apostolic attitude with which he was serving the saints of God, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">" 19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; 20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; 22 to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23 Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you." (1 Cor 9:19-23)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. The apostle Paul also exhorted his apostolic son in the Lord </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">[i.e. Timothy]</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"...be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity" (1 Tim 4:12)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> in order to inspire them to live godly apostolic lives and also keep himself from being accused of wrongdoings which will make the message he preaches to be despised by them.<br />
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</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">5) God-Pleaser's and Not Man-Flatterer's</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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The apostles will never try to please the crowd no matter how large it is. They will be men whose only satisfaction in life comes to them only when they knew deep inside their heart that they have pleased God for whom they have given their whole life as a sacrifice</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> (Rom 12:1)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Apostles are God's voluntary bond-sevants. Servants earn their wages and will stop to work for their master if they are not paid. But bond-servants have no rights of their own and will have their ears pierced by their master as a sign that he will forever be the master's slave with no rights of his own. In the Old Testament times after Exodus from Egypt, under the law the ear was bored, or fastened with an awl to the door, in order to express that the Israelite was attached to the master's house as a slave, to obey forever </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Exod 21:5-6)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. This piercing cannot be done easily unless the master is pleased with that servant and that servant loves his master heartily. In the Book of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Hebrews 10:5-7</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> is a Old Testament verse that was originally taken from </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Psalm 40:6-8</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> by the writer to the Hebrews. But a important line has not been written in the book of Hebrews which comes inbetween </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Heb 10:5</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Heb 10:6</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, and that is the phrase </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"My ears You have opened" (Psa 40:6, b)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. These verses actually refers to Jesus becoming a slave of God to fulfill His will on earth </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Isa 50:5, 4)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Actually in the spiritual realm once Jesus gave Himself to fulfill the will of God voluntarily, His spiritual ears have been pierced by God as a sign of being a bond-slave. And thus Jesus was able to hear God clearly in order to obey His every word on earth, this is what Jesus described in</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> John 8:26</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> as </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"... I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him"</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Hearing God, obeying it and pleasing Him will be the first priority of all the true apostles </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(John 8:29; Gal 1:10)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. True apostles will not flatter men but will truly be sold out God-Pleasers.<br />
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</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">6) Exhibit Fatherly and Motherly Love</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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The apostles will have a heart of a father and a mother. A father's heart will have a quality to discipline and chastise to make their sons and daughters to become more and more like him in all things </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Heb 12:7-8, 10-11)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Even during the chastenings time the father will feel pity inside him for their children, but will feel great to see the change and tranformation in their bad behaviour at the end of it </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Ps 103:13)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. The more a child becomes molded in to his own image the greater will be the satisfaction of the father. Apostles will always discipline and rebuke the saints with a spiritual father's heart of love</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> (Prov 9:8; 15:31; 24:25; 28:23; 1 Cor 13:4-7; 1 Thess 2:11)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. The apostles will also have a mother's gentle heart of nourishing, caring and comforting the saints in all their troubles </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(1 Thess 2:7; 2 Cor 1:3-4, 6)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.<br />
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The apostles will feel happy when their spiritual sons and daugthers become established in the faith and become exceedingly great with the glory of God. They will not feel insecure, fearful and envious to see their childrens display greater gifts and accuracy than them in spiritual things. There is no greater satisfaction to them than seeing their spiritual sons and daughters to become greater than them. Elijah must have been greatly happy to see his spiritual son Elisha live with the double portion of the anointing with which he himself lived while on earth. This will be the same with all true apostolic spiritual father's.<br />
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</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">7) Endure Hardships and Persecutions</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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The apostles will always have a great enduring character to depend absolutely on God to sustain them in their calling. They wil not be detered by anykind of harship, no matter whether it is demonic or from people. But the apostles will always have their eyes on Jesus as the captain of their salvation and deliverance </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Heb 12:2; 2:10)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Jesus will strengthen their heart personally when in discouragement or God may send angelic impartation of great heavenly strength to them supernaturally as he gave strength to Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Acts 22:17-21; 27:23-25; 18:9-10; 23:11; Matt 26:37; Luke 22:43)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.<br />
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Hear from the mouth of one of the most exemplary and eminent apostle of all time of how much he endured extreme hardship and persecution to fulfill his apostolic call to completion, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"11 To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. 12 And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; 13 being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now." (1 Corinthians 4:11-13)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Paul the Apostle commended his apostolic ministry as genuine by the kind of persecution and harship he endured, rather than by the kind of special miracles that happened through him </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Acts 19:11; 15:4, 12)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. He said,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> " 23 Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. 24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— 28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation? 30 If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity. 31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying." (2 Corinthians 11:23-31)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Inspite of all the harships they endure, the concern for all the churches becomes the top priority for the true apostles.</span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixC7sJryQzmDzbgSzzlMqiFRiUYVkq6cnrHOH5ODKEa511sBA8dAOKl5LdUXET8XDsors7R5ujZ6A8XlTxAQ3rCgfcmursVgTo2RAhVS777ScqGO9VYTttatvWqJUROXUXlkzkilNCeN12/s1600/household-faith.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="86" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixC7sJryQzmDzbgSzzlMqiFRiUYVkq6cnrHOH5ODKEa511sBA8dAOKl5LdUXET8XDsors7R5ujZ6A8XlTxAQ3rCgfcmursVgTo2RAhVS777ScqGO9VYTttatvWqJUROXUXlkzkilNCeN12/s200/household-faith.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Dear precious family members of the 'Household of faith",</b></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You are someone special in the sight of the Lord.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Lord has chosen you all to be an end time apostolic warriors for His glory.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are not called to wage war physically like all the religious people who do and increase hatred against one another as Jesus had already predicted in this end time generation of ours <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">(Matt 24:12)</span>, but we wage spiritual warfare against Satan and his demonic cohorts to exhibit the power of God to the whole world in the spiritual realm which always affects the natural<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"> (Eph 6:12)</span>.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I want this group to understand that we are the 'Household of Faith' and are one family in Christ beyond denominational, demographic and geographic boundary of the nations. I want all the apostolic's to understand God's perspective in segmenting nations. The Apostle Paul says, <i><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd;">"26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us." (Act 17:26-27)</span></span></i>. The things we can glean from the above scriptures are,</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1)</b> Around the world we as the people of God in the 'Household of Faith' are made from one blood. God started our life through our ancestral father Adam and Eve <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">(Gen 2:7, 20-25; 3:20; 1 Peter 2:10; Gal 6:10)</span>.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2) </b>We are made to dwell or live peaceably and joyfully in the Lord on all the face of the earth <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">(Rom 13:10; 12:18; Phil 4:4)</span>.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>3)</b> You must understand that in this century at this time and the place where you are living are not at all by chance, but God determined you to be born in our generation for His glory. You are in your nation because God has preappointed you to be born in it. God says that even before you were born I know you and it I who formed you in your mothers womb <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">(Jer 1:4-5)</span>. This is why the Bible says, "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men" <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">(Col 3:23)</span>. This shows that you have a purpose in God to fulfill before you leave this earth and you are uniquely gifted to fulfill a particular thing for God's glory which no other person in the entire universe can replicate or compete <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">(James 1:17; 1 Peter 4:10-11; 1 Cor 12:7)</span>. All are gifted but each of us are called to different function in this 'Household of Fatih' <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">(Rom 12:3-8)</span>.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>4)</b> The purpose of being born and be present in this earth in such a time as this is to grope and search for the Lord our Creator, Sustainer, Father, Friend and our everything in this life and in the life to come, and find Him more and more progressively before we die to be with Him forever. This is the only place and time God has given us to <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">"walk by faith and not by sight" (2 Cor 5:7)</span>. But the fact is, even though we do not see Him now with our physical eyes, He is closer than the very air we breathe. In Him we live and move and have our being and have become His dear children because we have received Jesus Christ the Son of God as our Savior and Lord of our lives <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">(Acts 17:28; John 1:12)</span>. What a privilege to live in this God's garden of planet earth as His dear children. Love Him and live for Him by fearing our lover of our spirit, soul and body, this is all man's all <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">(Eccl 12:13)</span>. Praise the Lord!</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is this apostolic journey with a prophetic edge that I envision, where I will share edification, exhortation and comfort like this in the coming days <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">(1 Cor 14:3)</span>. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Feel free to write to me for prayer request or anything regarding the word of God. I want you to understand that together we grown in the Lord. Thank you. Never forget, "I love you all and Jesus loves us all."</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Apostolically Yours in Christ,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Abraham Israel</span></span></span><br />
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</span></div>Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611137219693702255.post-16687424481655081482011-07-22T23:43:00.001-07:002011-07-22T23:57:28.887-07:00So What Do You Mean By Apostolic?<b><br />
</b><br />
<div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Define and Explain, What is Apostolic and its Characteristics?</span></span></span></b></div></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">By Abraham Israel</span></b></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"></span></b></span></span></b></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></span></b></div><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></span></b></div><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b></b></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></span></b></div><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></span></b></div><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"></span></span></span></b></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></span></b></div><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: 900;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Define Apostolic in One Sentence?</b></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">"It is the legitimate Govermental means for birthing babies in to the kingdom and then bringing them to maturity as Sons" - Jubal Johnson</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></span></b></span><br />
<b style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></span></b><br />
<b style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What is Apostolic?</b></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></b></span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Apostolic</b> : <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">"Pertaining to an apostle, or to the apostles, their times, or their peculiar spirit, pioneers of a new move of God."</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></b><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Apostolic is an adjective of the word 'apostle'. It is usually used in the way a group of people draw the grace of God that is given to an apostle.</span></span></span></span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>1)</b> Apostolic is God's ordained and a legitimate governmental means of God on earth through which He builds his Church family and dwells among them in His glory </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">(Luke 11:49; Eph 4:11; 1 Thess 1:1; 2:3-4, 6; Matt 16:18; 18:20)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>2)</b> It is the means through which babies are birthed in to God's Kingdom </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">(1 Cor 3:1-2; 1 Cor 4:15; Gal 4:19)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>3)</b> It is the process in which the spiritual babies are trained to become as a sons and daughters of God in His kingdom </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">(Gal 3:26; Rom 8:15; Eph 4:12-16; Heb 5:12-14)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>4) </b>The Bible says, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">"Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, and He shall build the temple of the LORD;" (Zech 6:12)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">. So from the preceding Scripture we can see and understand that Jesus is the chief apostle who is the ultimate example of all apsotolics and from Him we derive an apostolic anointing to build the temple of the Lord which is our body </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">[i.e. spirit, soul and body </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">(1 Thess 5:23-24)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">]</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">(Heb 3:1; Matt 10:25)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>5)</b> Jesus is the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">"cheif cornerstone"</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> and the only foundation</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> (1 Peter 2:6-8; 1 Cor 3:11)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> on which the twelve apostles were the foundations who later built themselves on Jesus through all the Old Testament prophets who acted as a cement mortar to build </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">"New Jerusalem Temple"</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> higher and higher for His glory </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">(Rev 21:22; Eph 2:20; Matt 7:24-29)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">. The Lord Jesus is building the New Jerusalem not with a material stone like the temple Solomon built in Israel, but with </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">"living stones" </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">of believers lives. They are all </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">"being built up</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> [together]</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> as a spiritual house" (1 Peter 2:5)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The Characteristics of an Apostolic</b></span></span></span></span></span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>1)</b> The Apostolic believers live beyond religion in a day to day intimate relationship of joyful intimacy and ecstasy with GOD THROUGH CHRIST in a NEW and LIVING WAY</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> (Heb 4:14-16; 10:20; James 4:8; 1 John 1:3-4)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> The Apostlic believers do not care much about tradition and dead letter of doctrines which always is with out the breath of the Spirit present in it </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">(Mark 7:13-16; 2 Cor 3:6)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">, instead the law of God will be written inside their hearts which the Holy Spirit will consistently bring in to their mind according to the need of the situation they are in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">(2 Cor 3:2; Heb 10:15-18; 1 Cor 9:2; Matt 4:1, 4, 7, 10)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> The Apostolics have a passion not only to live a godly apostolic lifestyle but also a intense desire to see the kingdom of God spread in all the world like a wild fire and turn the world upside down by the power of God </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">(2 Tim 4:7; 1 Tim 4:6-7; Acts 17:6; Rom 15:18-20)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">. The apsotolics deal the fire of persecution from Satan and his minions with the fire of God's persistence, sovereign protection, and a spirit of rejoicing and praise for the opportunity that God has given them to go through hardship in this only life and as a result of it receive His superabundant and satisfying grace in exchange </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">(2 Tim 3:12; Acts 4:19; 5:18, 29, 40-41; 16:25; 1 Peter 4:14; 2 Cor 12:9-10)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> Apostolics are partakers of God's grace given to the apostles by a relational family bonding of sharing and caring for each other </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">(Phil 1:7; 2 Cor 12:14-15; 1 Thess 2:7, 11; 1 Tim 1:2)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5) <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Apostolics are also those who are in touch and connection with a person who has a calling of an apostle </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">(2 Tim 1:1; Eph 4:11)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">, and follow the ways that they teach to receive an apostolic grace to come upon their lives </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">(Acts 2:42)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">. God gives much grace to all the real apostles whom he chooses to mainly bring a restructuring in faith that will always establish a believer in Christ </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">(1 Cor 3:10; 15:10; Rom 12:3; Eph 3:2, 7-8; Gal 4:19; 1 Cor 4:15)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">. Then once the grace is received, each one is expected to walk in it and be blessed like the apostles are blessed in their lives </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">(1 Cor 4:15, 17; Eph 3:17; Phil 3:17; 4:13)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> The apostolic </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">believers who are sent</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> in to the world </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">[i.e. </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">apostolic</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">]</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> by Jesus as his disciples </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">(Mark 16:15; Matt 28:19-20; John 20:21)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">, learn to live in it but not of it </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">(John 17:11, 16)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">. The power of God's abundant apostolic grace will move a apostolic believer to make an impact in the part of the world where they live, not just by the message they preach in these end of end times, but by their lifestyle </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">[i.e. just like Jesus]</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> (Acts 1:1, 8; 8:1, 4)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Of course these cycles never end in the life of an apostolic because it is not an event but a process that leads to the fulfillment of their GLORIOUS DESTINY, unfolding bit by bit even as they walk ahead in it with Jesus daily </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">(Mark 16:20)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">. Amen!!!</span></span></span></span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Apostolic Blessings......</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Abraham Israel</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></div></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span> </span></span></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: 900;"></span></span></b></div></div></div>Abraham Israel Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01325600968521011426noreply@blogger.com0