Saturday, January 2, 2016

"I love my church" – Oh, really?


John F. McArthur concludes his book “Faith Works – the Gospel according to the Apostles” (a) with the following quote:

“Today’s ‘Christianity’ is in a state of disarray and decay, and the condition is deteriorating year by year. The truth of God’s Word has been watered down and compromised to reach a common denominator that will appeal to and accommodate the largest number of participants. The result is a hybrid Christianity which is essentially man-centered, materialistic and worldly, and shamefully dishonouring to the Lord Jesus Christ. This shameful degeneracy is due in large part to the erroneous gospel that is presented by many today around the world”

The slogan “I love my church” fits exactly into this context with its emphasis on “my church”. The focus of love and dedication is no longer Christ the Lord, but “my” ‘Christian’ club that allows me to live out my lifestyle without offending me. My club offers me professional music, theatre, entertaining speakers, positive thinking messages and a community where I belong and can receive recognition and praise. My club offers me all this and the promise that since I have accepted Christ as Saviour, God loves me, makes no moral demands on me, He is looking out for my best interests, will prosper me  and gives me the assurance of heaven awaiting me when I die. Is it no wonder that “I love my church”?

And that part where Christ is Lord? Well maybe that will happen to some members over time, first and foremost we are seeker friendly – measuring the success of our leadership by the number of members in our club and the number of participants and new visitors on a Sunday.

To be successful at this we do not want to offend anyone by taking about sin, the need to repent, the Judgement that is to come. We just separate sanctification out of the equation – and we meet our obligations in this regard by offering courses for those who are more interested in that type of stuff.

If the Gospel has been watered down in this way, then we are viewing a system where the Grace of God is pedalled for profit. (2 Corinthians 2:17)

Where are the days that the Holy Spirit was present in Meetings to “convict the world of its sin, and of God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment.” (John 16:8) If He is allowed in our meetings today, His role is been mainly reduced to giving us goose bumps. In some special situations He may even come and heal someone of some body pain.

“I love my church” tends to ignore the scripture that warns us against such thinking: “For whenever each of you says, “I am of Paulus”, and another says, “I am of Apollo”, behold, are you not carnal?” (1 Corinthians 3:4) – but then maybe the shoe fits?

Jesus Christ is head of the Church – He said “I will build my Church” (Matthew 16:18)

Jesus Christ is Lord! Today and now and for all eternity. His Church are those that listen to His Voice and obey Him!

 We are called to love Him 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' (Matthew 22:37)

I conclude with a quote from Tozer (b):

“Now what is to accept Christ? Well, let me define it for you a little more closely. Acceptance of Christ is to form an attachment to the person of Christ; to the person of Jesus Christ. It's not to fall in love with a tender-faced Jesus. It is to realize that this tender-faced Jesus is also Lord and God! That God has made Him Lord over all things and Head of the Church and that He has the keys of death and hell and that He will sit upon the throne judging all mankind and that God has given all power into His hand - this mighty Lord Jesus! It's to form an attachment to Him that is revolutionary, reversing and transforming the life. If your Christian conversion did not reverse the direction of your life; if it did not transform it then you're not converted at all, you are simply a victim of the 'accept Jesus' heresy!

For me to accept Christ means that I am to accept Him in every part of my being and that I am to form an attachment to Him, an emotional, an intellectual, a volitional attachment which is complete, leaving no part of the life unaffected. If He cannot control you, He cannot save you. And if He cannot control all of you, He cannot control any of you!”

Let us depart from lukewarmness as we heed the Words of our Lord:
“Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near.  Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”
(Revelation 22:10 - 11)


Sources:
(a)     http://www.amazon.com/Faith-Works-Gospel-According-Apostles/dp/0849908418
(b)     http://www.neve-family.com/books/tozer/AcceptChrist-1.html

Saturday, October 31, 2015

Is homosexuality a sin?



Much has been written about homosexuality in recent months, and in response to a post of mine on Facebook an old school friend wrote the following comment “Homosexuality is not a sin!” I promised that I would take the time to write a reply, and here it is …

Sin, why should we be concerned about sin? and why should a non-Christian, someone who does not believe in God, care? Well, we all have a conscience and we do care about what is right and wrong. So I assume that my friend is expressing that he does not think that homosexuality is wrong. By using the word “sin”, I assume, that he adopts my Christian terminology to communicate his position more effectively to me.

The decision of what is right and what is wrong is so often temporal, influenced by a mired of factors from culture, media, language, education and generation. An example relevant to homosexuality is how, due to cultural pressure, the American Psychiatric Association (APA), the main professional organization of psychiatrists in America, in the early 1970's revised their DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), to remove the classification of homosexuality as a mental disorder. THE DSM, which codifies psychiatric conditions and is used worldwide as a guide for diagnosing disorders, made this change at the time through a majority vote of 58%.

The message is clear, with enough activist activity and “authoritative influence”, we can secure a majority and change our definition of what behaviour is wrong and what is right. This is of course a hugely positive aspect of western societies that has led to positive changes in attitudes to slavery, child labour, racism and other forms of discrimination. But it at the same time shows how temporal and malleable our understanding of right and wrong can be.

The Jewish Bible describes how mankind was tempted and deceived with the sentence “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5)

How desirable is it to us to be able to determine what is wrong and what is right? Does it give us the feeling of power and of control over our lives and situations? The feeling that we are like God?
When we use the word sin though, we should be meaning that which is not right in God’s eyes, i.e. from His perspective. The Apostle Paul makes it clear in Romans 3: 23 that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.

This understanding somehow stunts our “godlike” activity to want to define certain actions as sin and others not. We have all sinned and in this state we deserve the eternal condemnation of separation from God, as the path we have chosen for ourselves.

Looking at the context of Romans 3:23 though, we make an amazing discovery:
But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. (Romans 3:21-25a)

God so loved the people in the world that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take sins of all people upon Himself and pay the penalty for this sin himself. In return we have to be able to acknowledge our sinful state and be willing to accept this sacrifice. Through our faith in Him, God clothes us with His Righteousness, which allows us to once again enter into an eternal relationship with Him.
God once again responds by cleansing us from our sins, putting His Spirit in us and through this, the transformation begins where we start to get and submit to His perspective on what is right and what is wrong.

So, my dear friend, the real issue is not about what you or I may believe to be right or wrong, but what the state of our relationship before our God is! We will all one day appear before the Judgement Seat and will be judged according to His standard of perfect righteousness. Either we will, through our faith in His sacrifice, be able to stand in His Gift of Righteousness to us, or we will stand in our own unrighteousness. Having failed to attain His standard we will have to accept the penalty for our decisions made on this earth, that were so often motivated by our desires to be in control of our own lives and by our rebellious refusal to submit to His Lordship in our lives!

The deeper issues of the heart darkened by sin are therefore the real issues. From them we see the manifestations of lust, adultery, divorce, immorality, selfishness, hate and greed to name but a few.
I know that I stand guilty of all these charges and I know why, but I also know that I have been given Grace to accept the Gift of Righteousness and through that entry into an eternal Kingdom, characterised by love, peace and joy. I pray that you too, may be given the divine Grace to make this decision!

We have enjoyed some good times in the past, but I look more forward to spending time with you in that kind of Eternity!

Your friend,
Mark

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Confession of Healing


Read this prayer out loud every morning and every evening (as you would take medicine) - let these Words build faith and become a reality in your life and you will witness how the Lord will bless you with health and strength! 


Confession of Healing

Father, I thank you that I am prospering and that I am in health, even as my soul prospers. My body is blessed because it is the temple of the Holy Spirit. You keep satisfying me with good things and You keep renewing my youth like the eagle's. [Psalm 103:5] You are Jehovah-Raphe and have taken sickness and disease away from the midst of me. I will bless you my Lord and I will not forget all Your benefits, for you have forgiven me all my sins and healed me of all my diseases! Thank you that you have commanded Your angels concerning me!

I confess and believe that which is written, that I am healed by the stripes of Jesus Christ my Lord, who has carried all my sicknesses, diseases and infirmities. [Matthew 8:17] I also believe because it is written, that all my sins are forgiven and every written code against me has been cancelled. [Colossians 2:14]  Further, as it is written, that the Son of God was manifest to destroy all the works of the devil. [1 John 3:8]

I therefore command that all written code against my life be immediately cancelled and all works of the devil against my life be destroyed. Because I have been washed in the Blood of the Lamb, I command that every spirit causing sickness, disease and infirmities remove itself from my life right now, and I command the full and complete restoration of my soul and healing of my body, in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. I cut and destroy all soul ties to people, activities and addictions and cancel all curses that would try to cause damage to my physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health. I say to all my body parts such as my bones, muscles, joints, organs, head, eyes, throat, glands, blood, marrow, lungs, kidneys, liver, spleen, spine, pancreas, bladder, ears, nose, sinuses, mouth, tongue, knees and feet, “I command you, come into divine order, be healed, restored, and strengthened in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth”.   

Holy Spirit, fill me with the power of divine health, surround me, keep me, preserve me, and purify my entire system. I declare that my immune system is strong, and every internal organ performs a perfect work. I am loosed from the bondage of sickness, disease and infirmity forever. My health has sprung forth; there is no trace of sickness, disease or infirmity in my body, and I will enjoy perfect health all the days of my life. I declare this all in the Name of my Lord, Jesus Christ of Nazareth!


AMEN!

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Further insights into the System of Babylon


When Ana Mendez Ferrell visited the island of Patmos in 1999, she received some visions that gave her deeper insight into some aspects of the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the last book in the Christian Bible. In a third vision she received an insight into Babylon, the system of man that attempts to destroy the spiritual life of the believer (Detailed in Revelation Chapter 17 and 18). This vision correlates so closely with insights from other prophetic people (e.g. Patrick Fountaine) that it demands that we should take careful note of it. In this vision a man dressed in white garments appeared to Ana holding a little book in one of his hands and a key chain with many keys in the other. On page 122 in her book titled “Apocalypse: The Revelation of Jesus Christ, 2012”, she describes what then happened as follows;

I asked who he was and why had he come, and he answered me, "I am one of the prophets of the Most High and I have been given the keys to open the prophecy. Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy, and many Words have been closed up, and it has been granted us as prophets to open them." He then opened the little book and handed me a key. When I touched his hand to take it, a very bright light lit up my eyes as if they had their own light, and suddenly we were transported to desert plain in the midst of which was a very prosperous city. Although we were at a distance, we could see what was happening inside in full detail


The city had a grotesque and abominable queen living in her palace with her son, and both had cast hexes and spells to ally themselves with the powers of the kingdom of darkness. The greater principalities gave them strength to extend their empire. Kings and peoples from the four corners of the Earth would come to them; big and small were entered into covenant and made to drink from a chalice that would inebriate them and have them believe their lies.


Upon drinking it, they were immediately surrounded by shadows that would speak to them while covering their eyes and ears. They laughed and felt happy because of the beverage that affected their reasoning and gave them great dreams, visions, and strength.


Their empire filled the whole Earth, and men would bring their wickedness as a tribute to them by doing this. Their empire became progressively enlarged and made more powerful. Then an opening above the city appeared as what seemed to be a different heaven from the one we were in; it was like a black hole, and it was horrendous.


In an instant, the prophet and I were there. This place was the same city but seen in another form. It no longer had the splendour and prosperity of the former one. It had turned into an enormous building in the shape of a dark and sinister pyramid; there were birds of prey and ravens everywhere. Inside and out there were prisons filled with millions of persons. The city had what looked like tentacles and highways that that came out of it and reached thousands of cities arranged in a similar fashion. These were the spiritual cities of deep darkness that are above each of Earth's metropolises.


Both above and below the city there were several dimensional planes. Some would sink to a horrid depth, and others appeared to be different levels above. I asked the prophet what those places were and where we were. He told me, "This is the abominable city, the great harlot that has held the nations and the peoples captive. She captivates them through commerce, religion and politics." He then added, "Here the dimensions of the spirit are not like those on Earth where only one apparently solid existential plane in three dimensions is visible. There are many more dimensions here, like the ones you saw in Heaven, the multiple dimensions of the Most High."


There were seven high mountains around the city, which were reflected in each of the different planes, like when you put one mirror in front of another. The roadways joined the mountains of the great city and served as supply routes from the seas, hell, from sinfull men, and from the moon, the sun, and the constelations.


We entered through the city gates, which were cluttered with masonic and witchcraft symbols. There was a curtain at the entrance made of something like a liquid cloud; everyone who entered had to go through it. I saw millions of persons cross it. They came through in chains and in yokes. Others came s0 burdened by demons they could barely walk. As they cross, an aqueous, imperceptible mask that affected their whole reality came over them and covered their faces. The mask enabled them to feel good and to view the abominable as precious. They called evil good and good evil, yet they were nothing more than robots in a system.


Upon seeing this, I was afraid to cross over, but the prophet took one of his keys and extended it in front of the watery door that opened without touching us. I then noticed that a magnificent covering of light surrounded us. The prophet told me, "Fear not for those who have the Spirit of Prophecy can cross through here without being touched. Jesus is the Truth and he who walks in it, walks in His Light."


After crossing, we entered a deep murk. Inside was a city with streets and public squares, but all over there were prisons at differing levels of depth and darkness. We walked a long way until we reached an avenue that led to one of the mountains. The name of this mountain was Religion, and the avenue was Jezebel. An enormous demon was guarding it and directing the people towards the mountain. There were many dining areas along the avenue where people delighted themselves in getting fat. Some never reached the mountain; instead, they fell into the abyss where thev continued getting fat and worshipped a horrible demon whose appearance was like that of a toad whose skin overflowed with food of all sorts. It was the spirit of gluttony that served the queen prostitute next to the other two toads. One was Mammon, the god of riches, and the other was Pharmakeia, the goddess of sorcery.


When we got to the mountain, I was jolted by the sharp resemblance it had to the mountain of God that I had seen in His glory, full of small mountains where all of them comprised Jesus.


The mountain here was a great pyramid and full of small pyramids. Each one had the name of a kingdom, and a man was exalted at the summit. The pyramid was made of partition walls that formed prisons, all of which were grounded from a dark substance full of lettering. All of the prisons were conformed to the image of the man at the summit, and they all wore masks from the water cloud. They were continuously fed contaminated food, but they perceived it as delicious due to the mask and because they yearned to be a pyramid.


Inside the prisons, everyone felt they were dying; they were thirsty and hungry but couldn't leave because they were tormented by demons of fear and guilt. There were pyramids from all religions and unfortunately also from Christianity.


Then the prophet showed me something that filled me with great pain. We were facing the pyramids filled with Christians - children of God -, and in the hands of every man at the summit was an oil lamp, many of which were out. They spoke about Jesus; men and women called by God and anointed by God, but they had allowed their own names to grow more important in their own lives than Jesus'. People inside the prisons clamoured the names of these men and women and relied on them to ease their pains.

I wept because I saw us, millions of Christians there; either one way or another, we had been made captive to Babylon's system. I also saw myself; I was on a throne judging others and covered by the filthiness of my own righteousness. When I saw myself, I fell prostrate before Jesus in deep repentance. I then saw a vision within a vision, and I was taken to another place for a moment. Jesus wanted to show me what would give me the standard by which to never again judge others and to begin my own exit out of Babylon.


I found myself facing a gigantic mouth like that of a whale. From inside it a force would come out and suction me to the inside while I was crying out the name of Jesus. Suddenly, the force stopped and I heard the voice of the Lord speaking like thunder: 
"Tell me, what is more powerful than death and fear?"
I don't know Lord, I don't know" I answered Him trembling.

Then He told me, "It is temptation!" He then added, "If you are still standing, it's because of my grace. I know the heart of every man, and if I caused you to face what you could not overcome, you would fall like the rest of them. All men can fall into the same abomination; no one is better than the next. If they have not fallen, it is because of My grace and My love that sustain them."


I clearly understood how all of us can err and fall. Even having the best of intentions, we can fall victims of Babylon. I began a process in which I asked God to show me how much of Babylon was in me, and how to exit that system, which kills the life of God within us.

I returned from that vision to the city where the prophet was waiting for me. At that moment I heard the voice of the Father pleading, "The doors of Babylon are open to allow all of those who hear My voice to leave. I am calling out from My holy mountain, Come out from there, MY PEOPLE! Only those who humble themselves can exit. Only those who love My name more than theirs can see the way out. Many of them touched my heart deeply as they cried for their cities and their nations. I have next to me a flask filled with their tears, and each one is a treasure to Me. But when I raised them up and gave them a name, they extolled themselves and formed a kingdom for themselves. They laid down laws I did not give them, and they confiscated my flock. They were imprisoned by Babylon who gave them a name to be recognized among the nations. Their lamps have not been extinguished by reason of My love, but not much time is left."


As the Father spoke, I remembered something I had heard inside His heart, in that place like the Holy of Holies where all the wounds against love are. His heart overflowed with intense pain coming from a sore that bled incessantly. My body cramped just by looking at it. I heard the voice of the Holy Spirit telling me, "My people have gotten so accustomed to saying, 'I am from such and such church, or from Apostle so and so, or from the such and such network, or from this denomination or that,’ which seems like something normal, permissible and even blessed by Me, when this is an abomination that hurts Me deeply." The Father then said: "I will not put up with this anymore."


I wept a lot because I am guilty of those wounds. However, ever since that day I decided to dedicate my life to love and to do whatever is required so that God sees His Church united by the bonds of the Spirit and free from the system that separates and destroys us.

AMEN!!!