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About 33 years ago I was in fellowship with a number of preachers and churches who were drawing from sources in what is now commonly known as the New Age movement. Let me explain. Popular Christian teachers had been emphasizing the power of words, and some were finding that Christian Science, Unity, and other groups under the banner of “metaphysical” had been teaching this long ago.  We were already excited about the Scriptures teaching “Christ in you,” the Spirit of God living in us, and that we are the children of God by virtue of the New Birth. These New Age groups found different and modern ways of expressing these ideas and concepts, so it seemed we had something else in common with them.

Some Christian televangelists had been explaining that Christians need to abandon sin consciousness in favor of righteous consciousness. “For he (God) has made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) These metaphysical groups had long used philosophical phrases like “higher consciousness” to describe the state of being they were seeking. Could there be similarities? Likewise, the belief in modern day miracles among Christians found a counterpart in a popular book entitled, “A Course in Miracles.”

Because of the influence of some or our respected teachers,  I decided to investigate this movement and several of their writings. About the same time a very popular day-time talk show host was promoting several New Age teachers who gained a huge following with a non-threatening, affirming message. I would sum it up by saying it goes very far beyond the idea of  “I’m Okay, You’re okay!” In fact, many of them espouse that “You are Divine,” “You are God,” “You are the essence of the universe,” “You ARE the universe,” and so on.

At this point one must choose between what Jesus and His apostles taught according to the Scriptures, and what these modern spiritual leaders believe and teach. Do the Scriptures teach that we are partakers of God’s divine nature? Yes. Do they teach that we can supernaturally rise above situations in this world? Yes. Do they teach that we are to take on some of the attributes of God? Yes. Do they teach that we are equal with God? According to some Christians today, they do, but I can very easily prove that while Christ Who is within us is equal with God, we ourselves are not. He is the Creator, and we are His New Creation in Christ!

The point at which I had to finally break with the Christians who were being influenced by these teachings was when the deception became clearly obvious. In only confessing the Scriptures where we are positionally righteous before God through Christ and His Cross, they chose to either ignore or explain away those passages that revealed our current place on the path of our spiritual growth. To some of them sin and death were no longer real! This is directly from “A Course in Miracles” and other metaphysical teachings. Here is a statement in “A Course in Miracles” that is supposed to sum up the theme of the book: “Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God.” From that foundation it goes on to say that sin and death could not be real.

So what do you think about this statement? Is human life threatened? Of course it is! Therefore, according to “A Course in Miracles” it must not be real. This concept that the physical universe is not truly real traces back to the ancient Greek philosopher, Plato. So now,  according to the New Age, Jesus came to show us that all the sin, sorrow, pain and death in the world is not real. By accepting that, they say, we find true inner peace.

This redefinition of Christian faith is nothing new. Many in the early centuries tried to blend some of the wisdom of Greek philosophers with the teachings of Christ. At several points they seem to agree, but at one crucial point they are definitely not compatible. If Jesus thought He could just teach an enlightened message to the world by which we could all evolve into a higher level of divine consciousness, there would have been no need for Him to sacrifice His life on the Cross for our sins. His resurrection, which all true Christians believe in is among other things a vindication of the importance of the physical body, which God in the beginning created, and declared to be very good.

Have I misunderstood this new hybrid of Christian and New Age doctrine? It may seem so by the way I have oversimplified the situation. I don’t think this is the case. Here and now I can honestly say that I tried my best to understand what was being said. I wanted to agree with my friends and the other leaders who I respected. For a time I too was deceived until I saw through the most blatant error – denying the very existence of sin. Another thing that would not let me continue was my concern for the complacency I saw in those who proposed this mixture of Gospel and New Age concepts.

Mind Over Matter

Quite frankly I am puzzled at how many from that time can possibly continue to rationalize their beliefs, seeing they are unable to reconcile them with their own experiences. The core of truth which lends any credibility to all of this is the fact that what we think, believe and speak does impact our lives and the lives of others. Examples of this are found throughout the Bible. Even humans in history whose faith was in nothing more than in themselves have accomplished amazing things!

But there are limits. Some of the people who believed their faith would not let them die physically have died. Many grand declarations have gone out into the air and have fallen to the ground. We have faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love. Love does not set up those we love for failure. Instead of “naming and claiming” instant sinlessness, we should be confessing our faults and failures and pressing on to the mark of the high calling of God in Christ  — as did our beloved apostle and teacher Paul. (Philippians 3:14).

This is not “sin consciousness,” but Word of God consciousness. It is one of the keys to victorious living in Jesus Christ. The way up is down. By humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of the only true God, we enable Him to lift us up in a way we could have never accomplished ourselves.

My life began in one of the poorest parts of town, Columbus’ south side. My mother moved in with her parents after my father left. All this was before the three of us children entered grade school. Mom brought us up in church and we all trusted Christ and were baptized in our teens. I drifted from the Lord and tried to go my own way for several years, but He always kept His Hand on me. After years of struggling, never getting ahead, I found myself a single parent and overwhelmed with debt.

The Lord persistently dealt with me until I finally gave in. What sweet surrender! What overflowing peace! What amazing patience and grace!

The material problems in my life did not immediately cease, but the change within made all the difference. Better job opportunities soon came and to make a long story short, today I have a new wife of 47 years, two homes paid off, three adult children, eight grand children, and six great-grandchildren! All of this I attribute to humbling myself under the might hand of a great, powerful, gracious and loving Father God! (1 Peter 5:6). God has brought prosperity and protection to me and my family.  Not because of a guru or preacher, but because we strive to “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness!”

Forgetting Those Things that are Behind….

What is the point of this message? Why am I bringing all this up now? Wasn’t that all in the past? Yes, but something else has come up since then. Present day Christian “Word of Faith” preachers on television have reformulated and repackaged this man-centered perspective of God and His Gospel. They have skillfully avoided connections with the New Age doctrines and have twisted Scriptures to mean basically the same thing. It is all about what I want. I want peace of mind, even though I sin, so I teach that the Cross of Christ has erased all sins even before I commit them. I do not confess my sins, because that would be “denying the Finished Work of Christ on the Cross.”

There is true peace with God through Christ and His death on the Cross, that much is true. It is a finished work. But when we sin, that inner peace is broken and we know it. There is a simple way to restore that inner peace, but the new Christian psychology of some has deprived millions of it! That is to confess our sins, for He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness! (1 John 1:9). We can have a righteousness consciousness because we then have a clear conscience before Him! Humble yourself before Him and stay humble!

In our day, the slogan seems to be: “At all costs, we must FEEL GOOD about ourselves, even if we have to lie to ourselves!”

This requires a dogged determination to rationalize our behavior and the behavior of others, to close our eyes to anything that unsettles us, including those things that we are called by God to change!

Everyone of us has the choice as to what system of belief we follow. Not all people who claim to be Christians truly believe the Bible to be the Word of God. That is their choice. But at least admit it. Do not use the Bible to communicate only what you are teaching and lead people to think that you believe all of it. If you believe in these New Age teachings then quote your philosophers instead of Paul, who would shut you down in a heartbeat!

But —  If you believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, then receive it, even when it goes against your pride and vanity, even when it convicts you of wrong doing, even when it challenges you to take a stand against the evils of this world!

Some of my friends enjoy the teachings of one main purveyor of this distorted version of the Gospel of Grace. Some are even openly following the New Age gurus. I have already attempted to share my concerns with them, and the result is out of my hands. But having known the call of God on my life for 40 years, and the concern He has placed on my heart for all of His people, I am compelled to exhort and warn the greater community in any way I can.

This so-called “Hyper-Grace” message has the potential of creating an overly comfortable self-centered attitude in many, with very little concern for the purposes of God in this earth. At the very least it is setting a bad example of how the Bible is to be studied and understood. At the worst, some might be tempted to use it as a license to sin. I pray that none of these conditions come upon any of you. Most of all, I pray that you too will find Bible teachers who come from a God-Centered position, and who are not afraid to declare unto you the whole, full counsel of God. (Acts 20:27).

Today’s Bible readers have many advantages that were not available to previous generations. Dictionaries, concordances, encyclopedias of Biblical information abound, not to mention the many modern translations which we have available to us.

For this reason many of you are already familiar with the definition of the word we will be discussing in this article. It is the New Testament word for “sin,” a Greek word that literally means “to miss the mark.” Often when considering the context in which this word is normally used, we tend to think of “the mark” in this instance as moral and spiritual perfection.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul seems to affirm this thought in the statement: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23).

The issue of sin continues to plague many today. We might either live under the fear that we will sin, the guilt that we have, or in denial that we even partake of it at all. But today I hope we can deal with this subject in a very positive light, which is of course, the Light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ!

The mark of which we speak, the moral and spiritual perfection which we desire, is actually Jesus Christ Himself! In other words, to sin is mainly to “miss Christ.”

Listen to the hearts cry of the great apostle, Paul:

Philippians 3:7-8:

Paul speaks here of winning Christ, as though He was some sort of prize! But how could this be? Let us continue reading:

Philippians 3:9-11:

Taking this a bit further, he now deals with knowing Christ. His desire is to experientially know every aspect of Him, His righteousness, His faithfulness, His power in resurrection and even His suffering in death! He also very candidly reveals his own condition, and the process which he was then going through:

Philippians 3:12-14:

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

The question that we need to ask ourselves today is: “Are we working very hard at not sinning, or at winning Christ?” And even if we are not seen by many to commit obvious sins, could we still on a regular basis be actually missing Christ?

Paul believed that the possibility existed for born-again believers to fully experience the resurrected Christ while still in these bodies! He saw how every day is filled with opportunities to share in both Christ’s sufferings and triumphs, and to know His righteousness, His peace, His joy and love!

He confidently proclaimed that there is no law against the following: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, faith and self-control! Why? Because these are all attributes of His nature and character! When we “win Christ” we win all of these! Or shall we say, as we walk in the Spirit, producing the fruit of the Spirit, we are truly “winning Christ!”

Are you pressing towards the mark? Are you pursuing Christ in your daily life? You may say, “I have too few opportunities. You don’t realize how many responsibilities I am laden with. I am not able to devote the time to prayer and Bible reading that others are.”

But wait. I submit that your responsibilities themselves afford opportunities to win Christ! They also present the possibility of missing Him as well! If as unto the Lord, you work hard for your employer, producing the highest quality work of which you are capable, you are actually winning Christ!

But on the other hand, if you slow down when no one is looking, or allow substandard results, you could very well be missing Christ, who is the personification of moral excellence!

Should you feel guilty or shamed by these words? I would rather you feel as though you have cheated yourself and the Lord. The nature, power, glory and presence of Christ is your reward, your prize. But you yourself must pursue Him!

As long as we are pursuing Christ, our attention will not be on ourselves, our weakness or our strengths. We now understand how even in our trials and sufferings we can experience Him!

When we are lied to, misused, misunderstood, or rejected, we have a choice. We can react to these injustices, or we can pursue Christ. When we give the normal human response, we usually miss the mark of expressing His life at this time. But by repentance, committing ourselves unto Him, trusting in His power and love, we can obtain the confidence that the next time will be different! We are in practice! We are not practicing to miss the mark but to reach it!

Our relentless pursuit is for Him! In this race we may trip, stumble and fall, but with our eyes upon Him we will get back up! If we have to even crawl for a season our advancement will continue. We are all pressing towards the mark! That mark is Him, His light, His grace, His power, His righteousness, His love!

The next time will be different! We will begin to feel as He feels, think as He thinks, act as He acts. We have received great and precious promises by which we are made partakers of the divine nature! It is becoming natural for you to express the nature of the Son of God to this world!

You have been begotten of that incorruptible seed, the Word of God which lives and abides forever! That Seed remains in you and you cannot practice sinning any longer! Your heart, your hunger is for more of Christ. You live by every Word that proceeds forth from the mouth of God!

Heavenly Father,

You have set the goal before us — the very life of Jesus your son. Help us to fix our gaze upon Him. Cause us to continue to behold His glory, His grace, His kindness, His holiness and perfection, and so become transformed.

Continue to save us from our sin, our missing the mark of His excellence until that Day when we are found in Him, not possessing any good thing that is our own. For He alone can satisfy our hearts desire! In Him alone we are fulfilled and able to give You true pleasure.

May we follow our front runner with patience, seeing that same joy which was set before Him. And in the end may all the glory and honor and praises go unto Your wonderful Name.

For Jesus sake,

(Original radio broadcast from May 22, 1998)

As history continues to unfold before our very eyes, it is becoming increasingly necessary for those who name the name of Christ to truly know their King. These are days to sit at His feet, and hear His Word! This is a time to look into His glorious Face and behold His glory! These are the days to begin to discern the Lord’s Body, and experience His Lordship TOGETHER!

The Spirit of the Lord is calling out, not just individuals, but a PEOPLE for His Name! These are those who will one day stand up in this earth to fully and openly represent His power and authority to all. In fact, they already represent His authority now — to the degree that they presently know Him as their Lord!

Hear this warning! If we are not acknowledging His Lordship now, we have no reason to expect to reign with Him tomorrow! And if we are not already coming into an intimate union with Him and His Love, we have absolutely NO HOPE of truly knowing the beauty, the majesty, the wonder, the glory, the awesomeness of our Lord Jesus Christ as He already is NOW!

Beloved, my heart is grieved at the years that I have and so many others have wasted, in the preaching of religious doctrines that divide the Body of Christ, when in fact we should have been preaching Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. Instead of proclaiming His Lordship, many of us have labored to bring others under our own influence instead! We thought that somehow WE could discourage sin and disobedience, worldliness and selfishness by our own efforts! Instead the pressure of human authority has eventually distanced many poor souls from the marvelous and liberating authority of the only true Christ!

Even though warnings, exhortations, corrections and instructions have their place in the family of God, we must never forget the proper context in which they are exercised! The context is always under the umbrella of our King and His Word!

Ephesians 6:4:  “And, you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

In all things and at all times, we who dwell in the kingdom of God are under the rule, the care, the security and protection of our King! Therefore, we must come to the place that we are ever conscious of Him

Are you weary of being subject to the power of circumstances and your own human weaknesses? Is there a hunger in you towards the dominion and rule in life that was originally given to Adam? Are you frustrated by the constant evidence that Satan appears to be gaining more ground in your life than Christ Himself?

Listen to me. This is not your inheritance! You are destined to rule and reign with Christ! The privilege of reigning in Life is available to you NOW! (Romans 5:17)

The people that KNOW THEIR GOD shall be strong, and do exploits (Daniel 11:32), but the real key here is in KNOWING OUR GOD!

Yes, we seem to keep coming back to this place again and again, and this we will do as the Lord directs. The great need of the hour is for the people of God to return to Him! It is time to forsake our plans, programs and schemes, and return to our first love! It is time for us all to fall in love with Him over and over and over and over again!

Preachers must preach Jesus Christ — His glory, His Wisdom, His Love, His Lordship, His ultimate triumph over sin and the devil, and His endless reign over this vast universe! He is the key, the alpha and omega, the beginning and ending, the first and the last, He Who was, and is, and is to come — THE ALMIGHTY!

He is the Head of His Body — the Church! In all things He is absolutely preeminent! All things were made by Him and without Him NOTHING was made! He is before all things, and by Him all things consist!

Such a simple truth, but oh how complicated things have become for us! This complicated state of affairs is the work of the serpent, who continually strives to allure us from the simplicity that is found in our intimately knowing Christ. He apparently knows how badly this event alone will impact his kingdom!

But what of the fallen nature of man? What of the disobedience of God’s people? Do not these also prevent the knowledge of the glory of God from sweeping across the land?

Oh how little we regard the power of ONE who simply and truly becomes wholly devoted to Jesus Christ and His Lordship! And how this ONE can impact the lives of so many that remain in darkness!

Do you want to reign with Christ? Do you believe in His ability to work through anyone who surrenders completely to His Love? Can you trust in His willingness to stimulate the growth of that mustard seed of belief that you do possess, and help you to overcome all doubts?

Did He not create you? Can He not heal, restore and use you for His glory? Is He not able to transform you into His image from glory to glory — by the power of His Spirit? Is not His Word alive and at work in you at this very moment — changing and molding and working in you His perfect will?

Praise Him! Declare His goodness! Worship His Name! Behold His glory! Stand and behold the wonderful salvation of your God!

And most importantly, respond unto Him in obedient devotion. Herein is the power to reign with Him revealed.

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.

Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”

In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:15-2:22)

Yes, there is hypocrisy. Yes there is corruption all around, even among those who call themselves Christians. But these are not your concern. You and I are pressing towards the mark for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Our eyes are fixed upon Him. We desire to be vessels of honor, useful to the Master for every good work.

We are fleeing youthful lusts, and following after righteousness, faith, love and peace. Our hearts are joined with those who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart! Together we have hope for the reign of Christ in this earth. And together we expect to see Him in His fullness!

Ephesians 3:14-19:  “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

Heavenly Father,

Today we have considered the immensity of your power towards us who believe. We have seen how you have raised us up together, to be seated in heavenly places in Christ. We are overwhelmed at your amazing grace and your infinite Love, by which we have become a new creation.

May everyone of us commit ourselves into your trust, in order that we will walk worthy of this holy vocation, to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, giving pleasure to your great and loving Heart.

In this marvelous union with you, may our lives become living examples of your righteous reign in the earth, to become more than conquerors through your Love!

In Jesus Name,

Amen

(Original radio broadcast from May 15, 1998)

Today we are entering into the 8th week of teachings concerning the Kingdom of God, and no doubt this could go on almost indefinitely. The universal reign of God in Christ is a vast subject, and here we will do well to just scratch the surface.

But the encouraging thing is that your spiritual life is not solely dependent this one podcast, or any single human teacher for that matter! All things are working together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose!

Every moment of every day of our lives are filled with challenges and possibilities for participation in the Kingdom of our God! He is at work in you right now, to plant His desires in you to will and do His good pleasure! Yield to Him! Surrender to Him! Say “amen” to Him — but first of all confirm that you are giving yourself to the power of the Living Word of God, and not the lies of Satan!

Yes, there is a struggle to enter into the Kingdom of God! The Gospel is preached, and every man presses into it!

In Acts 14:22:  “Paul confirmed the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much pressure enter into the kingdom of God.”

But what of salvation? What of the free gift of God’s grace? Here is where the confusion begins, and here is where we must find clear answers.

From the time Jesus began His public ministry, people began to be set free. The Spirit of the Lord was upon Him, anointing Him to preach good tidings to the poor. He was sent  to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, and to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18,19)

Jesus Himself IS the year of Jubilee! He is God’s gift of grace to mankind! Untold millions have known his salvation, and thousands more are discovering it unto this day!

But the reign of God is another matter. The slave to sin must first be set free, but what will he do with that freedom? God is looking for those who will voluntarily come under His authority, and how many even understand this fact?

The Gospel of the Kingdom is greater than the popular Gospel of salvation! This is the Good News of God’s wonderful reign of righteousness, peace and joy in the earth! This is the power of God to save us from our own ways, and bring us into a full understanding of the way, the life, the love and the service of God to mankind!

What a gracious, giving God we serve! What an awesome offer He has given us — to rule and reign with Him! What joy we have in knowing that He lives within us to accomplish His purpose through us! What a thrill it is to begin living Kingdom life — today!

Truly, the world at large has yet to see the Kingdom of God, but many of us are like His disciples, who did not taste of death until they saw the son of Man, coming in His Kingdom! (Matthew 16:18)

Those who are born from above have special, heavenly vision! By the Spirit of God, they are enabled to see the kingdom of God! (John 3:3) But entering the Kingdom of God is a process in which salvation and regeneration are just the beginning!

Jesus said we must be born of the water and the Spirit to enter into the Kingdom or reign of God. Some believe this to be a reference to water and Holy Spirit baptism, but please bear with me in this for a few minutes. Water has often been used to symbolize the Word of God.

“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:25-27)

Water baptism is important in many ways. It is used to represent our identification with the death of our Lord, and our personal death to the old life. It is very possible that Jesus was speaking of water baptism, but also of the part that His Word plays in our cleansing, as we are brought under the wonderful reign and purposes of God!

John 15:3:  “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.”

Peter also wrote that we are “being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” (1 Pet 1:23)

Oh to search out the miracle of our new birth, and our new life in Christ! Who can comprehend it? How does His marvelous Eternal Word begin to transform us from within? How do we then begin to walk in newness of Life by the power of the Holy Spirit?

And how do we continue in His Word, becoming His disciples indeed! Growing in the Grace and knowledge of Jesus our Lord — from faith to faith, from glory to glory — being transformed by the renewing our minds to prove His good, acceptable and perfect will, demonstrating the reality of His Kingdom to the world!

Do you feel yourself beginning to enter into this higher dimension of Life, where righteousness, peace and joy prevail, where the will of God is done as if heaven has come down? This is the power of the Gospel of the Kingdom, the cleansing of His Word, and the renewing of His Spirit! This is your entrance into His realm today!

You and I are daily learning of the Lordship of our Saviour Jesus Christ! By His Hand we are being conformed to His image, while all of creation awaits our completion! The faithful apostle Peter continues to exhort us unto this day, concerning this amazing progression!

2 Peter 1:5-11:  “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if you do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”

Many do not like these words, “if,” and “do.” They fear that the Gospel of His Grace can so easily be undermined. But I declare unto you that His Grace “has appeared to all men, teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, to live soberly, righteously and Godly, IN THIS PRESENT WORLD, Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:12-14)

It is time for some of us to begin to take responsibility for the gifts that God has given us, and begin to bear fruit today in the Kingdom of God!

Heavenly Father,

These great mysteries of your Kingdom are too wonderful for us to comprehend. How can we fully understand, much less describe them? But we do have the assurance that you will surely bring us forth unto maturity in your purposes.

Bring to birth that heavenly life within each of us, and then continue to manifest your majesty both to us and through us today.

In Jesus Name we ask,

Amen

(Original radio broadcast from May 8, 1998)

Today we would like to discuss the singlemost important issue in your life and mine! Does this arouse your curiosity? Should any ordinary man make such bold statement? We would like to invite you to stay tuned, and answer this question for yourself!

It is becoming increasingly evident that we are heading into a time of great expansion for the Kingdom of God. Pressures from every side are moving against the people of God, and these pressures must of necessity force us out of our comfort zones. Passivity and complacency have captivated us for much too long, while our enemy has continued to thrive in this earth.

Our Great Commander and Chief is presently mobilizing His forces. The question we must ask ourselves today is, will we be in that number?

No effort will be made here to incite fear into your hearts, and none will be necessary. Many of you are already overcome with fear for the days that are upon us, but our only purpose is to instill hope! Our hope is found in only one place and one person. That person is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself!

The crucial question of this hour is not if you should move into the country and hoard provisions, or invest your money in the gold market. If the Spirit of the Lord directs you to do certain things, by all means obey Him! But as I listen and observe the conversations of my fellow Christians, and even my own words, I am forced to ask this haunting question: Where do you and I stand in our relationship with Jesus Christ!

Many of us have been walking with the Lord for years and yet finding ourselves being shaken by daily events. We then begin to look to Christian leaders in church, and on the radio and TV, and these in turn point to specialists of every field. There are Christian psychologist, and counselors, doctors and scientists, all of whom have much wisdom and insight to offer us. But there is also the great danger of our ever learning, while never coming to the full knowledge of the Truth!

But what is the Truth? The question should rather be: Who is the Truth? Bible believing Christians have within their grasp the one greatest resource that has ever been given to mankind, but how we fail to avail ourselves of it! We have the most awesome and marvelous privilege of KNOWING THE LORD JESUS CHRIST intimately, but who has the time for that?

There are so many important projects to be involved in and works to accomplish! There are so many things to possess and pleasures to experience! There are so many problems to solve and answers to be sought! Who has the time to SEEK THE LORD?

Brothers and sisters, the present time, and every time, will always be the proper time to seek the Lord! Are any of us so familiar, so spiritually mature that we have actually outgrown our need to maintain an intimate relationship with Him? And what are we actually talking about, but finding our pleasure in and actually giving pleasure to the most awesome being in the universe! He is our Creator and Lord! He is our friend and lover! He has redeemed us from the curse, and brought us forth from the graveyard of fallen humanity! Why should we NOT desire Him! Why should we fail to seek Him first above all things — the One from Whom we draw our very breath and life?

May the Lord Jesus Christ use this entire broadcast today to draw us near unto Him! May we all receive a fresh revelation of His glory, which will fill us with an all-consuming desire and passion for Him!

If you are finding it difficult to love others — seek Him. If you are reluctant to give and sacrifice for His Kingdom — seek Him. If you lack the energy to even perform the simple and normal duties of life — seek Him!

If you are having trouble paying your bills — seek Him. If your children are giving you problems — seek Him. If your marriage is in danger — seek the Lord!

How can I suggest this course of action? Because I have found myself in each one of these situations, and have consistently proven by the Word of God that He is a rewarder of them that believe that HE IS, and who diligently SEEK HIM!

Be advised that we are not counseling anyone to seek rewards! We are exhorting one another to SEEK the Lord! In Him we find our purpose in life, as well as the means to succeed in that purpose. Any other goal or venture is vain — absolutely worthless, and not worth the waste of your time or God’s time in prayer for!

As in any relationship, our intimacy with Christ is progressive. There may be certain aspects of His Life and Nature that we have already fully experienced in our walk, but we must never settle down right there. One of the greatest testimonies of all time is found in the life of Paul and in his letter to the Philippians:

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Phil 3:7-14).

We would do well to adopt the attitude of the great apostle, Paul. With all the revelation he possessed, the mighty miracles he performed, and the countless souls he won to the Lord, the fire of his passion was not quenched! He knew there was even more of the Lord Jesus Christ to know! From the pain of His sufferings, to the joy of seeing His children walk in Truth! All of it was real, for Christ is ever real and alive unto us, and the challenge to live as He Lived remains ever before us!

We too must press towards the mark for the prize of the High calling of God in Christ Jesus! We too must hunger and thirst for His resurrection life above all things! Knowing that eventually every knee will bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father, our greatest desire is to know His Lordship in our lives today!

There is a freedom from fear and anxiety for one who knows the Lord. But there is a need for instruction in this area. Far too many understand Christianity as a list of do’s and don’t’s, or as a constant pursuit of Biblical knowledge. More of us need to understand how to correctly use the scriptures as a means for our spiritual growth. Jesus confronted some Bible scholars of His day for knowing the scriptures, but not realizing that they spoke of Him. We have a tendency to pick and choose the Scriptures that reinforce our own ideas and beliefs, but wholesome teaching involves the whole counsel of God. And Satan would love to keep our thoughts focused on theology, rather than our relationship with the Living Christ!

Man is not to live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds out of the Mouth of God. As sincere babes, we are to desire the milk of the Word, which feeds our inner man. As we grow in thought and practice, the meat of the Word becomes palatable unto us. In this we obtain the strength to perform the duties of a mature son in his Father’s House.

Before we close this teaching, we hope to leave you with both the desire for a deeper walk with Christ, and some direction that will aid you in your pursuit of Him.

First of all, you must know that it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. This whole plan was His idea! He gave Himself to reconcile you unto Him! Therefore we must understand that He is ready and willing for you to know Him experientially. He is actively drawing you into Himself at this very moment!

He has given us the Scriptures, the Gospel, His servants and the power of the Holy Spirit to bring us into completeness in Him! We even have an open line of communication unto Him in our prayers! Christ has torn away the veil, that we may boldly come before the throne of Grace!

All of these gifts must be received by us.

James 1:21-22: Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

There is no doubt that the Scriptures can be intimidating and challenging unto us, both mentally and spiritually. But that is not our concern. When we spend time in study and meditation on the Scriptures, our attitude is one of meekness and receptiveness. When we meet with the hard sayings, and difficult challenges, we must continue to receive with meekness the ENGRAFTED WORD. You see, this is how we become doers of the Word! The Word of God becomes a part of us — whether we mentally understand it our not!

The Scriptures become a means for us to receive the Life of God into our bodies! They also can convey the wonderful revelation of the Person of Christ unto us, as the Mighty Presence of the Holy Spirit enlightens our study of them!

Always remember. Whatever Christian discipline we practice –whether it is prayer, fasting, Bible study, church meetings; whatever offerings we give unto the ministry and the needy; whatever services we perform for humanity — in all things our ultimate desire is to KNOW HIM, and there is a beauty to be discovered in every one of these activities when we see Him in them!

This ONE THING I DO, forgetting those things that are behind me, reaching forth unto those things that are before, I press towards the mark for the prize of the upward call of God IN CHRIST JESUS!

Heavenly Father,

There are more than a million distractions both within us and from without us today, that strive for our attention. How easy it has become for us to simply forget you, your love, your life, and your purpose for our lives. Give us a new and fresh revelation of your Son, and His glorious Bride, the Church. And fill us with a consuming passion and love for you.

Our commitment today is to keep our faces towards you. Give us the strength to follow through in this commitment in turning away from any idols that have found places in our hearts. We lay our hopes, dreams, and fears before you. We lay our careers, hobbies and even our families on your altar.

Accept our bodies as living sacrifices unto you, and also our love which is merely a response to your great Love for us. Keep us on this path, for our trust is only in You.

In Jesus Lovely Name,

Amen

(Original radio broadcast from May 1,1998)

In Mat 24:14 We find these words of Jesus:

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

In Romans1:16-17, Paul writes: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Many believe that a spiritual intensity is building as we approach the end of this century. Forgive me for not giving speculations of coming world events here. These are not the concerns that Jesus has laid on my heart. But I do believe that many are hearing from the Lord and receiving direction concerning His will for His people in this hour!

There has always been that prophetic element of Christ’s church and She has always been His Voice and witness in the earth. He will proclaim His counsels to mankind as He has always done!

This is a day to bear and proclaim His message to all! It is also a day to seek the Lord, and receive His counsel to us, both as individuals, and as His people world-wide! Let all of heaven and earth, Hear the Word of the Lord! And may we who are His own be already actively tuned in to what He is saying, while the voices of fools vainly attempt to drown out His earnest cry!

The people of God need a new hunger and thirst for His Creative Living Word! But how difficult it is becoming to receive their attention! Many are becoming more accustomed to hearing and understanding the wisdom of men, thus the wisdom of God appears difficult and even foolish to them!

For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.

But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glories, let him glory in the Lord.

And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to naught: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. (1 Cor 1:26-1 Cor 2:10)

This is a day to give an ear to hear what the Spirit of God is saying to the church!

Jeremiah 23:18: But which of them has stood in the council of the LORD to see or to hear his word? Who has listened and heard his word?

Jeremiah 23:22: But if they had stood in my council, they would have proclaimed my words to my people and would have turned them from their evil ways and from their evil deeds.

How often do God’s people tend to be controlled by their circumstances? Why do we so frequently react in fear to the turmoil of our times, rather than in faith and trust in our Lord?

Is it because we have simply failed to hear Him? Have we so little regard to His Word, His Wisdom — His counsel? Or perhaps we are fearful of what He might say to us! He commanded one to sacrifice his son, and another to sell all his worldly possessions for the poor. Where could we find the faith and the courage to obey such a word?

2,000 years ago there were 12 men who also possessed such fears. In fact, some did fail the first great test and ran away during Jesus’ trial and execution. One of His closest associates even denied he ever knew Him, and another actually betrayed Him!

But wait! This is not the end of the story, Jesus prayed a prayer for them — and also for you and me! That prayer kept all but one of them in His care, until they could more clearly see His purpose and triumph in the resurrection! From this encounter with the resurrected Christ, they obtained the faith to wait in Jerusalem, where they came into perfect unity in Him. Then, when He began to fill them with power from on high — the mighty Holy Ghost, they became fearless witnesses unto Him, who rejoiced in the very sufferings that they once greatly feared!

My brother, my sister, you too can know the Resurrected Christ! You too can be filled with power from on high! You too can become a witness to His glorious resurrection! Here the Word of the Lord! Hear the good news, which is the power of God unto your salvation! Believe it!

Right now you can open up your heart and life unto Him anew! You can receive His resurrection life for the very first time, or you can begin returning to your first love in Jesus today!

Oh Praise the wonderful Name of Jesus! We rejoice today in your Lordship! We honor you, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords! Let all of creation sing and shout for joy unto your Name!

It is time for us to forsake the man-centered Gospel. In it everything is directed to our needs and interests. God forgives US. He saves US. He heals US. He prospers US – and all of these things are true, but when the focus begins with us, it often continues with us, and true abundant life is lost.

This is not about us! It is about God! He is both the center and circumference of our being! We need to become absorbed in His Heart, His desires, His purpose! It is for these that He has saved you!

If we are to become a testimony to His reign in the earth, we must experientially know His Lordship! We must not only call Him Lord, but we must also live under His wonderful and benevolent reign, dwelling in the secret place of he Most High, under the shadow of the Almighty!

What peace, safety and security! What love, joy and freedom! Today we are daily learning to trust Him, while our self trust freely melts away. We are forsaking our miserable, self-centered thinking to live and walk the Christ-centered life! He is the Alpha and Omega! He is the First and the Last! It is He Who was, is and is to come the Almighty! Know it! Believe it! His Spirit and Word are making this revelation real unto you today!

The Lordship of Jesus must be realized and proclaimed. This is the good news of the kingdom!

How big is your Jesus? Do you see Him in the fullness in which Paul, Peter, John and the others saw Him! Is He just the simple carpenter’s son, or the suffering servant on the cross? Or have you also caught the vision of His resurrection power, and His ascending Lordship?

Will He only offer you forgiveness, and take you to heaven by the skin of your teeth? Or will He manifest His fullness in your life, as Christ IN YOU the hope of glory? Do see His church as a weak man-made institution, or as His glorious Bride, the Heavenly Jerusalem, the Mother of us all!

It is high time for us all to catch a life-changing, all-consuming vision of Him, that will call us upward to the high call of God in Christ Jesus! It is time for us to be released from our petty arguments and disagreements, that we may join together in resounding praise unto the King of all the earth! It is time for us all to lay down our lives for one another, in expectation for what our Mighty God will do among us and through us! Can anyone say “amen” to that?

From the first installment of this broadcast we have attempted by God’s grace to challenge our listeners to the higher call of God in Christ Jesus. And may we continue to do so. We believe that these are days of renewal, revival, restoration and resurrection for His Church! We also believe that God is calling us all to return to our first love!

All of this can and will come as we lift up the wonderful Name of Jesus, Who is the very image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. By Him were all things made, and without Him nothing can have existence! Are you hearing the Word of the Lord? Is faith and trust in Him welling up within your soul?

If so, then know that God is working in you both to desire and to do His good pleasure! You are beginning to live the Kingdom Life!

Heavenly Father,

In Jesus Name,

Amen