CLARION CALL

“GET BACK TO THE BIBLE”

He Touched Me

Shackled by a heavy burden,
‘Neath a load of guilt and shame.
Then the hand of Jesus touched me,
And now I am no longer the same.

He touched me, Oh He touched me,
And oh the joy that floods my soul!
Something happened and now I know,
He touched me and made me whole.

Since I met this blessed Savior,
Since He cleansed and made me whole,
I will never cease to praise Him,
I’ll shout it while eternity rolls.

He touched me, Oh He touched me,
And oh the joy that floods my soul!
Something happened and now I know
He touched me and made me whole.

This song, written by William J. Gaither clearly portrays the importance of being touched by Jesus to be made whole, not only for your salvation but for the empowering to live the Christian life.

When I contemplate this I am reminded of John Wesley who had served the Lord with nothing more than his own power of obligation and own strength to do good works in an effort to gain entry into heaven. It wasn’t until he received a touch from God did he truly understand the state of sinner and saint.

Prior to this touch he had an elitist state of mind because he could maintain a very high level of holiness in his own eyes, which caused him to look down upon sinners. When he had his epiphany he changed direction and taught with liberty his understanding of grace, faith, and salvation which caused great controversy when he first presented it, but in time and through the proof of revival around this teaching it became as acceptable teaching for that period.

On the 10th of October 1821 Charles Grandison Finney had been drawn to study the Bible. His aim was to see if he could attain or work out his own salvation. After reading the Bible in his office, he wandered in the forest and encountered God in a new way. While he was in prayer in the woods, he came to realise that he had been justified by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This was followed by an overpowering sense of peace, and by an infilling of the Holy Spirit. Knowing that all condemnation had fallen away, he returned to his office with all sense of guilt gone.

Evens Roberts was touched by the Holy Spirit and God used him in the Welsh Revival that changed a nation.

We believe today that all believers need to yield their lives as a living sacrifice consecrated to God and also that the infilling of the Spirit would empower us for service and not only that, but all believers would be bolder about their faith. Simply when we are talking about John Wesley, Evens Roberts and Charles Grandison Finney and many other great servants of God; we can say they were touched by God and transformed. This may not be a salvation experience, but it is a hunger for more of God. We need to cry out to God and seek the same touch.

We the invisible Church, that is to say true believers from right across the Body of Christ who are the called-out people will identify once again that we are in need of preaching like John the Baptist. Then as sons of God we will be visible. We need to teach Repentance!

If we get back to the Bible and preach from the Old and New Testaments holding a fundamental position, then we will be criticized by people who say such things as;

*“God knows your heart, even if you are in sin”

*“God’s grace covers your sins”

*“It’s covered by grace”

*“You need to show grace”

* “You’re pushing people away from Christ”

* “You’re a legalist”

*“You’re judging people”

*“Who made you judge?”

*“You’re not Christ-like”

* “You need to show love”.

All this sounds right, but those who say these things are only cherry-picking, cafeteria philosophical, carte blanche Christians who want to gloss over sin that they want to close their eyes to the perilous position they are in. For example, some churches compromise and tolerate

*same sex marriage,

*tattoos,

*body piercing,

*profane worship,

*drinking alcohol,

*loose talking,

*gossiping

*etc.

They do so because they generally have a sliding scale on sin, maintaining that one kind of sin is worse than another. They also say that the Old Testament does not apply to us who live in the New Testament Church, which is quite ironic as Jesus only quoted the Old Testament!

Remember: We have to be consistent and apply the whole teaching of the Bible to our lives. And “whole” means Old and New Testaments alike.

The scriptures say we can judge what is holy and unholy.

John 7:24 Do not judge according to sight, but judge righteous judgment. (MKJV)

1Corinthians 6:2 Do you not know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels, not to mention the things of this life? 4 If, then, you truly have judgments of the things of this life, set those who are least esteemed in the church to judge. (MKJV)

1Corinthians 2:15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged by no one. (MKJV)

I am sorry to have to warn you that if you continue in sin you are in danger of losing your salvation; or you have already!  So you don’t like that; then answer this question, “Which is worse, taking a piece of fruit or murder?  Nothing in the eyes of God, both carry the same penalty; eternal separation from God. So who are you to say it’s only a little sin? You are suffering from idolatry where you have made yourself into your own god, approving or disapproving what it says in God’s Word.

The correct synergistic equation understanding of the Bible requires a three-point perspective in this order.

One, The Bible is God’s Word.

Two, The Bible is settled (Finished work) whether I understand it or even believe it.

Three, I am blessed if I believe it and follow its direction and commands for my life

Hosea_4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. (KJV)

Yes, we are saints now; but to be a true saint you have been a sinner who has repented and believed in Jesus. If you say you have not sinned, you are a liar because God has said ALL have sinned. But it gets worse if you say you have no sin you are calling God a liar; the truth is not in you. That means we cannot overcome our sins without God’s help, but He is waiting for our brokenness of heart and the act of repentance. To be in Christ Jesus we need to live with an awareness of the dangers of sin and the liberty that can be found in a God that pours out forgiveness by an act of grace and mercy. All we have to do is to ask Him. Yes, when we come to God and ask Him for forgiveness, He readily receives us. And why should He not; He has already paid the price Himself?  We are repentant believers who He calls “saints”.

Anyone who preaches holiness and righteousness will get fewer invitations to preach. People like to hear a soft “gospel” that does not challenge them to live a holy life; they prefer to remain in their sin, like a pig that likes to roll in the mire!

For a person who holds a righteous understanding of God’s Word the rejection is a state that can be overcome by a quickening and confirmation in our hearts that we are saved and on our way to heaven.

1Corinthians 4:10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honorable, but we are despised. (MKJV)

I believe that many in the Church are fed-up with compromise and are about to rise up and make a stand. Have you reached the limits of tolerance or patience with somebody or something that is happening in the Church? Then you are ready to make a move.

Not only does the individual need to be touched by God but so does the whole Church.

When the whole teaching of the Bible is considered, it has to be consistent! This will produce a consistent Christian.

Let us get back to the Bible and be obedient to the commandment, then we will go in power.

 

 

 

 

CLARION CALL

“GET BACK TO THE BIBLE”

The Merry-Go-Round goes round and round

The children laugh and laugh and laugh

So many were on the merry go round

The merry go round collapsed

Fishies in the ocean, fishies in the sea

We all jump up with a 1 2 3!

As a little child I could remember riding on a Merry-go-round with great joy, but as I got older I wanted to experience other rides. That is rides for older kids. I was so impressed by the rocking horses that when I was got married and had kids of my own I made a rocking-horse for my son. It was the look on his face when he saw it the first time that lasts in my memory.

The Merry-go-round in an amusement park ride has rides, often in the form of animals (such as horses) or swans. Each seat revolves about a fixed centre. It is starts from a stationary position and gains speed and the animals in the coach-rides go up and down. It is like a wheel; we go round and round again and again. You cannot change direction. You have to stay with the structure until it stops, then the people get off and others get on for their turn. Children are thrilled by the by flashing lights, bells, clamour of the music and the overall atmosphere.

It sounds a bit like many churches of today who are looking for special man-made effects instead of Holy Spirit effects. But you need to remember this line, “The merry go round collapsed”, because if all we build is in our own flesh and strength, it will collapse and we may hear the frightening words from Jesus, “And then I will say to them I never knew you! Depart from Me, those working lawlessness!” (Matthew 7:23) The Church has become like the Merry-go-round with flashing lights, smoke machines, bubble machines, a clamour of the music and the overall atmosphere to try and entertain people without challenging them to leave their comfort zone.

The purpose of the Church is to “feed the sheep” – not to entertain the goats!

When something collapses we have to rebuild it, but just before the collapse of any church God will have had already started moving in believers who want something more for the Church than the froth and bubble of entertainment. We must pattern our worship according to the Word of God. We may think we are the only one with this new understanding but God has always held a reserve, a remnant of true believers, who function not on fads but solely on the burden for righteousness and holiness found in the Word of God with a desire for the patterns of the Church found there in the Word.

You can be sure that a church group has problems when it claims to be the ‘True’ or ‘The Only’ Church or other terms, as this indicates exclusivity. However, we cannot claim that our doctrines are absolutely 100% true and faultless, as we are the human component in God’s Church thus we are prone to error. But as the latest generation we need to consider what has gone before, so that we understand what we believe and why we believe it. It will be the next generation who will look at what we present and bring their new understanding to the ecclesia. Each successive generation of Christians’ will bring a fresh new understanding of what God has been doing from the beginning when He was about building His people.

1 Corinthians 14:26-40

For example, Paul starts here with an exhortation to think through a question and then opens up his answer to the order of service. He knew the answer of course. In 1Corinthians 14:26-39 with find six gifts.  Paul starts with verse 26, “Then how is it, brothers? When you come together, each one of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be for building up.”

Therefore, within the area of interpretation of this verse we find six gifts.

Each one

1. has a psalm.
2. has a teaching
3. has a tongue
4. has a revelation
5. has an interpretation
6. Let all things be for building up

My question is how many churches today are allowing these gifts to be in operation?

You may say your structure will not allow this. They may say, “I have too many people in my church, and my leadership are not trained to do this. My people are not smart enough.” My question to this, ‘why are you having church in a different mode compared to the Word of God? Is that not a sin?’

I am left with another question; why are you following the Roman Catholic structure of have church albeit only in part? No matter what denominations you are from you are most likely following for corporate fellowship a Catholic structure in some form of your structure. We need to get back to the way Jesus and the apostles did it.

What have we learned from Church History? That is that the Church receives a new understanding of God’s Word of what God wanted or did in the first place in His people (Church). This new understanding brought by a few has a sense of freedom at a different level than the contemporaneous Church. Perhaps the church that is running on a previous understanding of God Word that in many cases had become a denomination will show the greatest resistance and be a source of persecution. However, some people who have seen two or three previous generations’ methodology may be more open to the new understanding.

God is not pleased with certain crystallizations within His Church as it goes against His word.

Zecharriah 1: 2-4; “I, the Lord, was very angry with your ancestors. ³ Therefore, say to the people, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.’ ⁴ Don’t be like your ancestors who would not listen or pay attention when the earlier prophets said to them, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Turn from your evil ways, and stop all your evil practices.’ (NLT)

Zechariah stresses the need for divine forgiveness but he fears that the people will refuse to listen, just as their fathers did.

So let us get off the Merry-Go-Round, repent and move ahead by studying the Word of God and know what we believe about how to have church.

We have to consider the whole teaching of the Bible and be consistent! This will produce a consistent Christian.

Let us get back to the Bible and be obedient to the commandment, then we will go in power.

Please get my book to learn more.

https://books.google.com/books/about/Babylon_must_fall.html?id=d3YkDwAAQBAJ

 

 

CLARION CALL

“GET BACK TO THE BIBLE”

After 18 years of being a missionary living in China, we are making our plans to relocate to Australia in the New Year or a little bit before that. I will be in Australia first at the end of September. That does not mean the work here in China will stop. It means we will travel from Australia to here and other countries. This has thrown up many questions for me. Where are we going live (home) so our daughter can go to school? What can I do for income? And the list goes on. So many questions, thus, ‘am I wanting too much’. Like all of us we want to know things now, but God says, “Wait”

Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God! I will be praised among the nations, I will be praised in the earth. (MKJV)

Christians and non-Christians alike want things; and we want them now! Like little children we hate the words, “No wait”

This attitude is a major component of dissatisfaction.  Or could it be a factor in change?

We are always looking for things to do that we think (or hope) is what God wants us to do. While the world is falling apart we want some power over our lives. When we face despair we can easily fall into deep anguish. Where can we turn for help?

As Christians we know that is Jesus whom we are seeking, but sadly some do not believe the Bible is relevant for today.

Mary and Martha faced despair and deep anguish after their brother Lazarus, fell sick and died John 11:20-21. Martha said to Jesus “… Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died”

Did Martha have unbelief or belief in Jesus?

They were downcast and at loss because of their brother’s death.

Martha had a belief in Jesus, but her desire was not met in her time-frame.

Many of us miss out on the fullness of what God had been teaching us through His Word in our situation. We want God; and we want Him the way we think He should be right now.

Why did Martha not know that when the Lord Jesus spoke a word all would be in the will of God?  She believed in Him but lacked confidence and inner knowing confirmation.

To know God’s inner confirmation, you need to hear Him in your heart.

In the Old Testament

Psalm 121:1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where shall my help come from?

Remember Psalm 121:1 was before the Day of Pentecost thus the New Testament Church had not started; where 1John 4:4 after the Day of Pentecost.

In the New Testament

1John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and you have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

The infilling of the Holy Spirit is essential for the building up of our knowledge of our faith. We have full measure of the Holy Spirit and faith we need, given to us by God. God is no respecter of persons as He treats everyone the same, so He gave us all the same Holy Spirit and the same measure of faith. It is not the Holy Spirit or our faith that grows; it’s our understanding of the workings of Him and our faith in Him that is growing in us. Our situation is the activator that brings into focus the measure of faith and the relationship with the Holy Spirit we need to step up to, to see victory.

Many professing Christians today are running on a half-a-tank, because they have not asked or received the Holy Spirit in His full manifestation according to Scripture.  Scriptures are as relevant as they were when they were first written. Nothing has changed.

One of the great benefits of the infilling of the Holy Spirit with all His manifestation is that we will be more physically alert and run our engine longer. Fifteen minutes praying in tongues along with God will build us up.

Let us get back to the Bible and be filled with the Holy Spirit in His full measure.

Running on a half-a-tank can be caused by lack of teaching or the experience of encountering Him in a living way. Let me say here you will receive the Holy Spirit at your salvation, but sadly we put Him away in the back of the cupboard, so to speak, and say, “I have Him now and I will do it my way the only way I know how to.” This to me sounds normal, in most cases, but that is not what the Lord wants. He wants us to constantly be in communication with the Holy Spirit.

Presumption or hyper-faith is a practice that many Christians in service to the Lord are practicing every day or week. I hear so many godly people saying, “I am so tired!” My question is, “Why?”  My answer to that is many do not want to walk in the full counsel of God’s Word and select a few favoured Scriptures.  I have said this before, “When the whole teaching of the Bible is considered, it has to be consistent!” Please do not select a set of Scriptures which may be out of context to support your unbelief which is in conflict with other Scriptures.

The way to overcome this problem is to “get back to the Bible!” Why do I say this? If Jesus has not changed then He is doing His work today in the believers and will continue to do so.

Simply if you believe in Cessationism, that is to say the Holy Spirit is not working in the believers as He did in the Book of Acts, then don’t go any further. Why, because we would need to tear out one third of the pages in the New Testament because of your unbelief. Cessationism is “cherry-picking, cafeteria Christian philosophy, which results in Carte Blanche theology which results in unbelief.

I cannot find the Scriptures which say either, God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit has stopped operating in and through the believers.

Some Christians called Cessationist have developed unsupported Carte Blanche theology believing that the gifts of the Holy Spirit had stopped with the ascension of Jesus and the death of the Apostles. The two main reasons that Cessationist views are weak are: -. One; they have not experienced these manifestations and two; their poor understanding of Scripture in failing to produce one Scripture in support of their position.  Remember if God is no respecter of persons He must treat all believers the same, so why would the gifts not be for today?

The Holy Spirit is our inner confirmation

Once you are saved please do not rush into your ministry as that would be a bad thing for you and will be for all the people that you will lead.

Many would-be prophets prophesy over new convert about the great call of God in that person’s life. This may be correct, but also it could set in place a mindset that is destructive. Why I say that is because it has its focus on what the person can do for God. In other words, it is all about works as a repayment for being saved. Many operate in ministry out of presumption. Do not misunderstand me because out of a deep love afire with God, in time works of faith will come.  We need to have an inner confirmation by the Holy Spirit prior to any word spoken over us. If it’s a new thing spoken by a person, there is no need to throw it away, but be careful and place it “on the shelf” for a future date.

Power comes from Sitting

We should consider a pattern that can be found in the Bible.

One: (COME) God calls a person to salvation.

Two: (SIT) God says to that person sit in fellowship with the saints, pray and read your Bible and then learn. Another way to say this is for the convert to wait until he or she gained enough knowledge to go out and serve in the ministry God is call them to.

Three: (GO AND BRING) When we have been prepared we will ready to go or be sent and bring others to God.

Number two: (SIT). This is where many go wrong because of impatience or self belief in what they can do without listening to God. Running before walking or even sitting just waiting is what God wants.

In Luke 24:49 to 53 we can see clearly that we are to sit waiting while worshiping the Lord because we will know what to do which has a joyful outcome as we are dressed in power.

Luke 24:49 And behold, I send the promise of My father on you. But you sit in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high. 50 And He led them out as far as Bethany. And lifting up His hands, He blessed them.  51 And it happened as He blessed them, He withdrew from them and was carried up into Heaven.  52 And worshiping Him, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy.  53 And they were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

Do not think for one moment that power from God is only for a few! It is not a request from you to God to get the power but a gift from God. The only thing you need to do to get this power is a command made by God in Acts 1:4-5, “He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to await the promise”

Acts 1:4-5 And having met with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to await the promise of the Father which you heard from Me.  5 For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.

WAIT is a command from God. Impatient people try to run off and start a ministry, but it is doomed for failure. I say this because I have seen many get a “word” from some well-meaning believer and run too quickly into trouble.

Authority comes because Jesus gave that to all believers, but power comes from waiting to hear from God so that we can go directly to the appointed moment in our lives.

When we consider the day of Pentecost, ‘ALL’ the disciples were filled with a powerful anointing  of the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues such that had never seen before. It is still the same today for all believers.  My recommendation is to sit and wait on God for the gift.

Matthew 6:8 Therefore do not be like them, for your Father knows what things you have need of, before you ask Him.

God knows what you need better than you do!

Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Sitting and waiting on God runs counter to our flesh as we want to do things to achieve a good thing. We say, “God give me patience, RIGHT NOW!  But consider this; if we put aside our fleshly desire to do work down, and just sit with God we will learn to listen to the still small voice that will bring to us an understanding to what God wants us to do.

Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision who worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh;

Having confidence in our own self will always work against the things of the Spirit.

The Scripture tell us to put our confidence in God not by doing things but by waiting upon Him to hear the thing we should do.

Read carefully “A God driven purposeful life”.

Our life is not “a purpose driven life (cafeteria Christian philosophy)” but “a God driven purposeful life” (Balanced Theology).

Do not allow a purpose to drive your life; let God “the Good Driver” drive it! Sit and listen to the Driver and wait. That is the only sure way to get to your destination.

Many things are good ideas in the eyes of man but that might not be what God wants you to do.  Put your trust in God and look to Him waiting and listening for His direction. If nothing comes keep waiting, and when you hear from Him – then move.

Before we move we need to have an inner confirmation from the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 118:8 It is better to trust in Jehovah than to trust in man.

Micah 7:5-7 Put no trust in a friend; put no hope in a guide; keep the door of your mouth from her who lies in your bosom. 6 For the son dishonors the father; the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies are the men of his own household.

God has chosen us not because of our abilities but our inabilities. He will use our abilities but it’s the work in area of our weakness where He gets all the glory.

1 Corinthians 1:27-29 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 and God has chosen the base things of the world, and things which are despised, and things which are not, in order to bring to nothing things that are; 29 so that no flesh should glory in His presence.

Self-will and self-strength can hold us back. We need to have knowledge of what the Holy Spirit is doing in us and through us. So WAIT!

Hebrews 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,

1 Peter 5:7 casting all your anxiety onto Him, for He cares for you.

When the whole teaching of the Bible is considered, it has to be consistent! This will produce a consistent Christian.

Let us get back to the Bible and be obedient to the commandment to wait for the Holy Spirit to come upon us. Then go in power.