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.

CLARION CALL

“GET BACK TO THE BIBLE”

The whore of Babylon has risen to power as a political organization living on the blood of the saints.

From my Book Babylon must fall!: “The New Testament Ecclesiastical Management Structure for Successful Growth”

https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Babylon_must_fall.html?id=d3YkDwAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y

Why the title of this book? “Babylon must fall!”

It is simple that many church groups are running a hierarchical centralized dictatorship form of management which runs many little churches, like the Roman church did. The local church is under attack with Summit Fever; and in many cases it does not even know that it is! Summit Fever has gripped many local churches with denominational thinking and they are committing whoredom.

Summit Fever is defined as the dangerous state or compulsion to reach the summit of a mountain in spite of the costs. It is a mental condition which tells climbers they have come too far to turn back, despite exhaustion or ignoring danger signs that would be normally observed when a person is not so tired or having more oxygen.

We are getting closer to Christ’s return and it is time to get back to the structure that is set out in our Bibles, which we call the Apostolic model.

Parts of the local and universal Church are being raped and pillaged while some believers are gazing upon the victim, (as in the parable of the “Good Samaritan”) as they walk by doing nothing. Who will stop to bind up the wounds and comfort the distressed victim?  Some may say “That’s life” and that is the way it has been for a long time and that is the way it must be in a contemporary church too. As the Samaritan poured in oil and wine into the victim, so the anointing of the Holy Spirit is the presence of Christ.

Summit Fever has led to some groups and fellowships of churches to commit spiritual whoredom to become popular, rich and powerful. Many gimmicks are in operation; windows painted out, walls darkened, flashing lights, smoke machines, unscriptural songs, and unrepentant tattooed leaders, acceptance of homosexuality, sin and crass talking ministries (Ephesians 5:3-5). I have even seen and heard at a conference leader making an offer of a gift to get people to take on Bible college study. What is wrong with this thinking and their relationship with Christ?

Anointed is anointed! No need to throw away what is anointed for something new because it is new. Hay! The walls can be bright; the lights can be on, and with no smoke machine. It’s the anointing of Jesus, not the gimmicks that brings people.

Something must be done to stop the degeneration within the Church. This cancerous growth must be cut out!

Let us push onto the summit in God when the conditions are right and they are right; that is to Say, “BACK TO THE BIBLE!”

If we bring into the Church; businesses, pyramid marketing, politics, a centralized management structure for all the member churches in a denomination, we have veered away from a holy life. Then we may hear, “away from me I know you not”.

Do not be blinded by structures of government, programs or plans to achieve fame, power, control and fortune for financial security in the church. It is with all certainty that these goals will compromise the fabric of the Church and the quality of your Christian walk. But we can have the popularity; power and financial security that Jesus wants us to have, but without Jesus, any other way is a compromise!

You have “Summit Fever” when you bring your work, political views, ego, and thirst for power into the Church. Many die from summit fever, blinded by the conditions, so close to the top but not quite there; because the conditions have turned bad, they think that they are so close to the top and that they push on forgetting the plan of safety to stop in bad conditions, and then die on the ascent. As in the world when these things happen so it is in God’s Kingdom if you don’t stick to His plan you will certainly not reach your goal. We need to take a stand for holiness by getting rid of the abominations in the Holy place and follow the Godly order as set out in the New Testament.

Let us get BACK TO THE BIBLE and see Babylon fall as Christ’s Kingdom rises. Simply organise your church based on the Bible and not the tradition you may think is Biblical and then watch and see your church grow.

Pentecostal churches are also following traditions which are not Biblical. By following the New Testament Ecclesiastical Management Structure for successful growth, as outlined in our Bibles and explained in this book you will find it very helpful and beneficial as you listen to the Holy Spirit of God.

When the whole teaching of the Bible is considered, it has to be consistent!

Let us get back to the Bible and have fellowship one with another.

CLARION CALL

“GET BACK TO THE BIBLE”

Is it not our own fault if we are DELUDED?  Yes, if we form our opinions on someone else’s opinion without checking it out in the Bible.

If something is sinful, according to Scripture we cannot say, “I am prayerfully considering my position on this topic.” The plain unequivocal statements of Scripture are not things we need to pray about.  They are to be accepted and obeyed, to do otherwise leads only to being in a state of deception and/or denial.

We then become “cherry-picking”, cafeteria, carte blanche Christians, with wishy-washy theology”. We cannot pick and choose which scripture to accept, reject or modify to suit our individual tastes. Anyone aspiring to be a leader has to accept the Bible as it is written, or they are not leaders in the Word of God.

In fact, they have become tools in the enemy’s hands. They put themselves in God’s place and make their own opinions of greater authority than the Word of God.

Let me say it another way. When we say;

One. It’s the Word of God,

Two, I believe it

Three, that settles it.

It sounds great but in this equation we are the central factor because if we do not believe it, we will not accept the Word of God nor obey it.

The correct synergistic equation understanding of the Bible requires a three-point perspective in a different order to compare to the above.

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.

In this equation the Word of God and God factors are first and second while the personal factor is last.

There is a big “I” in the middle of “SIN”. My acceptance of the Bible as the key factor, rather than the result is idolatry of self-worship!

Many liberal[1] theologians believe:

1) That the Bible is not “God-breathed” and has errors

2) The virgin birth of Christ is a myth

3) Jesus did not rise from the dead in the tomb in a bodily form

4) Jesus was only a good moral teacher and there were no supernatural miracles

5) Man is not lost in sin and going to Hell, as Hell does not exist.

6) Moses did not write the first five books of the Bible

7) They decide what is good towards their neighbour (Love or not)

Some liberalists say they believe grace can cover the sin of Christians while the unsaved do not have this benefit. They advocate God can change His position based on their statement, “We are not under law but under grace”, which is correct up to a point. My answer is that we are only under grace if we ask for it.

If we hope that unlimited Grace without our repentance, we are bound for Hell.

If we trust in Unlimited Grace plus our repentance Heaven is our destination.

Grace is part of God’s nature and was in God at the time of killing the animal when He covered man’s sin in the Garden. Grace was in God when Jesus died on the cross to take away our sins. Grace has always been a part of God, but it comes to its full fruition with our act of repentance. Without repentance we will not receive Grace. Grace is not just a New Testament concept; it is throughout the Bible.

The laws of God are in the Old Testament; but there are more laws in the New Testament. Understanding the grace and law of God can be summed up in one word, “Obedience”. It is obedience; because you obey God; not because you have to, but you want to!

God’s grace is there for all, but so is His judgment there for all too. If you live your life without reflecting on the Word of God, then God will be a Terrible Judge.

Adam’s and our problem is the unwillingness to repent. Then add to this the Christians who add a “get out of jail” clause by saying, “We (Pastors/Leaders) are hoping for grace to cover this sin in a person who is serving in the church.”  Do you want to know something about this type of grace? There is no such grace in the Bible!

Sin is not covered or removed by grace, unless associated with repentance!

“Be holy”

“Be holy” is a command to obedience, but it has two dynamics; one is imparted from God through Jesus which is imputed to us. The “be” is the command that we are to take an active role in the process of being holy. We must make an effort to achieve the state of holiness even though we may be feeble at it. But the answer is very simple as you will see.

God had passed judgment on sin (ALL SIN) at the beginning of time and sin cannot be found in a Holy God and He desires for us to be holy too. His judgment on sin is settled for all time and that is sin cannot stay in His presence. Judgment on sin was before Satan’s fall which was some time before Adam’s fall and is with us every time we sin too.

We need to face the fact that it is not only sin but the lack of repentance born of self pride that keeps us separated from God. If our iniquities have come between us and God along with our complaining, what restores us back to God? Repentance and the appropriation of Jesus’ blood if only we would listen (Isaiah 59:2).

Man died a spiritual death, but it did not stop God from loving him (us). He is still our Father even when we are in sin. He so loved the world that He sent His Son to save us. Do you think God knew that we were going to sin? All He is waiting for is for us to say is, “Sorry”, and so is all of creation waiting for us to do that. Repentance is turning away from sin to God; showing by action that one is truly sorry. That means if the Bible says no more of this and that, it means that.

We may read these Scriptures 1Peter 1:15 and Leviticus 11:44 and feel defeated as we struggle with issues in our lives. But God sent His Son to make atonement for our sins clearing the debt of sin once and for all.

God is Holy and in Him there is no shadow of darkness and we need to understand that holiness means ‘to be separated from sin’; holiness is directly related to God’s righteousness. Holiness is the pure, loving nature of our God who has sent His Son to make atonement for sin, clearing the debt of sin once and for all.

1Peter 1:15 but according to the Holy One who has called you, you also become holy in all conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” (MKJV)

We see clearly in these two scriptures that God is saying He is holy.

Leviticus 11:44 For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (MKJV)

God is not asking you to prayerfully consider your position on whether you want to or not want to be holy; it’s a command “Be holy, for I am holy.”

Take heart, God stood with Adam when he had sinned in the Garden. He also stood and talked with the serpent in the Garden (Genesis chapter 3). He allowed Satan to stand before Him and ask permission to test Job (Job chapter 1 & 2). He permits Satan to accuse the brethren. (Revelation 12:10) That might explain why the unrighteous can come into the Church and not be struck down by the power of God. Satan can make requests to God to test and sift us, just as he had done with Peter (Luke 22:31). Zechariah 3:1 also states that God can stand where sin is.

God waits for us to repent and have a life attitude of repentance.

A life-attitude of repentance

Our battle is in the mind which can be called the middle ground between the body and the spirit. Our body is still literally outside the presence of God, therefore if our mind and body agree to sin, then we will sin. Our revelation in the working of God in us and around us will help in our defence, but not only that; it can aid us in our advancement as we serve an all powerful God.

Now it is another matter in the born-again Christian. The new spirit of man has more to say because it is being influenced by the Holy Spirit. We also have the mind of Christ. It takes a conscious decision for the Spirit-filled Christian to sin. In the believer, sin still wants to have control, but if he listens to the Holy Spirit and his new spirit, then his mind needs to make a decision on whether or not to sin. If the believer comes into agreement with the Holy Spirit, his body will come into subjection to his renewed spirit.

It is at the initial act of salvation that we are born-again. This experience is where we receive His righteousness and are no longer sinners. We have attained a holy life, not by our efforts but by Jesus’ efforts: “we are saved by this plus nothing” instantaneously.

We have been saved at the cross by Jesus’ act of justification (Hebrews 2:9, Romans 5:18, Colos­sians 2:13-14, Eph­esians 2:5&8 and 2Corinthi­ans 5:19).

We are also being saved day by day in the process of renovation (regeneration) and sanctification through the Word of God and His Spirit (1Corinthians 15:2, 2Corinthians 2:15, 2Timothy 4:18).

We will be saved at the end of our life too, when He takes us home.

A life attitude of repentance is a work of faith, but not a work to gain salvation, that has happened not by works but by Jesus’ faith in us, but to maintain our life in Him.

Maintaining our spiritual life is a work of faith. If we are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, and we are, then the onus is on us to be pure. Consider this; if the Temple is filthy, would a holy God be content to dwell in it? The Holy Spirit in us would be grieved. Blessed is the person who has within him an un-grieved Holy Spirit.

To say, “I am prayerfully considering my position on, homosexuality, tattoos, body piercing, lying, steeling, speaking against others and the list goes on in our Bibles” is nothing short of a great copout. That is to say some suffer from the sin of unbelief. The Bible says no to them all. Grace is with God eternally; but it requires a response of repentance from a sinful person, unsaved and Christian alike.

We cannot defeat sin by our efforts; we need God to help us. Associated with His help is our willingness to act with repentance when we have sinned.

Prayerful ask God for a revelation on His justice.

Jesus said I will build my people (Church), so why do people soften down the Word of God and expecting revival? Christians need to stop having a sliding scale on sins.

All sin receives the same punishment.

We should not preach about sin as an emphasis; but the emphases should be the Christian’s life of repentance; as we will lose our salvation if we stay in sin.

What did Adam do that was so bad? He took a piece of fruit. Taking a piece of fruit is the same as a mass murder in God’s eyes.  He loves us all. But because He is a JUST GOD, only the repentant believers will He be pleased in and they will enter into His rest.  Remember many Christians will hear these words from Jesus because they have sinned and not repented; “Away from Me I know you not” Yes read it in context and see He is talking to so-called Christians. Matthew 7:21-23

Is it a lie to say, “Grace will cover sin?” Yes and No!

In the Old Testament God’s grace could only cover sin.

In the New Testament God’s grace will remove it.

BUT in both cases man’s repentance was the only catalyst that activated God’s gift of mercy.

We need to call God and ask for forgiveness.

Judgement on sin begins in the house of God, thus repentance needs to start in the Church.

Failing to follow proper rules will produce a phoney “cherry-picking, cafeteria Christian philosophy, which results in Carte Blanche soft theology that leads people on the way to hell.”

When the whole teaching of the Bible is considered, it has to be consistent!

Let us get back to the Bible and stop sinning even if it is fashionable.

[1] What is liberal Christian theology? Questions. Org. © Copyright 2002-2010 Got Questions Ministries, Accessed 2010-05-21, http://www.gotquestions.org/liberal-Christian-theology.html.

CLARION CALL

“GET BACK TO THE BIBLE”

Many of us who are Christians have heard this many times in church.

“God is going to do a new thing!”

The delusion is that many believe this.

“God does not do new things, out of left field!”

“Out of left field.” is American slang meaning “unexpectedly”, “odd” or “strange”.

“He does not want his people to walk in fear of not being accepted, or a fear of the lack of provision or a fear of a powerless life.”

“He wants you to know His will!”

“If you are DELUDED it is not your fault!” the answer is, “YES” if you have not read and studied your Bible.

Remember in our last post we mentioned Carte blanche Theology which was a combination of cherry-picking certain Scriptures and then with cafeteria Christianity attitude to exclude parts of a Scripture or other Scriptures that do not fit with the perspective you want to present.

We said, “A carte blanche theory has very little scholastic investigation that produces views which are very narrow and limited in understanding to the whole view of Scripture. We would call them a heresy of doctrine.”

“NOW,” we have a Carte Blanche Prophecy in the Church today. Namely that, “God is going to do a new thing!”

Carte Blanche Prophecy

Failing to follow proper rules will produce a phoney “cherry-picking, cafeteria Christian philosophy,” which results in Carte Blanche theology and Carte Blanche Prophecy.

Prophetic pedigree should be the endeavour to maintain the view of Scripture and allow history to prove that the words spoken have a Biblical synergy. The prophet’s pedigree is portrayed in the use of Biblical themes, verified by historical events and the qualities of his or her trained life.

The rules to interpret the Bible

We must look at any revelation in its historical setting.

It is to be read in context of the whole passage.

This revelation needs to have Old and New Testament Synergistic Scriptural support and that the Scripture does not contradict another Scripture.

On the other hand, you may want say it in another way, that being, “when the whole teaching of the Bible is considered, it is found to be consistent without contradiction.”

When the whole teaching of the Bible is considered, it has to be consistent!

A New Thing

A prophet of God must be a student of God’s Word; as a basic requirement; so that the prophets would prophecy according to the Word of God. Thus we then would see a balanced approach and a church that is not prone to extravagant behaviour as a result of false prophecies. Prophecy comes from and by the Word of God.

2Peter 1:20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture came into being of its own private interpretation. 21 For prophecy was not borne at any time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke being borne along by the Holy Spirit. (MKJV)

Example of an almost correct prophecy

A saying that we frequently hear is, “God is going to do a new thing”, or “God is doing a new thing”. I have been around long enough to know that this is not totally correct. We need to understand the two new things God has said, He would do, one has already happened and the second one is after Jesus’ return.

Quickly as we look at the second new thing, first. It is yet in the future. In Revelation 21:1-27 “Behold I make all things new”. There are seven new things spoken of in Revelation; the New Heaven, New Earth, New People, New Jerusalem, New Temple, New Light and a New Paradise.

The first is second in our explanation and that is salvation will be through Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 43:19). They are a new heart, a new spirit, His Holy Spirit, His Word in our hearts, the Mind of Christ and He has given us a new name. The living life of God has comes into the believer in the form of the Holy Spirit who gives us Zao living active life which brings about six major changes. This is the first miraculous thing mentioned in our Bible.

Isaiah 43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall sprout; shall you not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert. (MKJV)

The Book of Isaiah portrays the nature of the Messiah the life of Jesus, as an unchanging God by saying four descriptive things about God.  He is The Saviour-Redeemer, Maker-Creator, and the Holy One.

Our God is stable, changeless, perpetual, never changing or varying; unchangeable, He is not susceptible to change or does He lie.

Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. (KJV)

Because He permanently exists in eternity, He shows no partiality. His Word or the judgments are set for an eternity. He is a just God. Don’t expect Him to be fair if you are acting outside of Christ and saying His grace will cover your sins as you a Christian.

Hebrews 6:17 In this way desiring to declare more fully to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, God interposed by an oath, 18  so that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us, (MKJV)

Immutable does not mean that God doesn’t have free volition, He does but He has chosen to never change the dynamics of His kingdom because He is unchangeable.

Therefore when we hear so called prophets saying, “God is going to do a new thing!” we can say this is a contradiction as He changes not.

The danger comes in when people want to reorganize the way in which we have Church. In other words they want to bring in something to the Church that they think is good and in most cases it’s not Biblically acceptable.

The safe way to prophesy is by Scripture but outside of that it must come to pass for a prophet to be recognised as a prophet.

Anyone prophesying or interpreting prophecy has to know the Word of God and understand the rules involved to be able to understand the evidence presented so that a true interpretation will unfold. God gets His prophets to write down their visions for all to see (Isaiah 8:1, 16; 30:8; Habakkuk 2:2; Revelation 1:19; 14:13; 21:5). Rule one – by faith a prophet believes what God has revealed to him, and then he must pronounce, record and publish it so all may see and assess it as it unfolds. The evidence of the prophecy is that it will come to pass.

Prophecy is not the will of man but the Spirit of God who brings inspiration through HIS Word on to man to utter God’s words.

2Peter 1:20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture came into being of its own private interpretation. 21 For prophecy was not borne at any time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke being borne along by the Holy Spirit. (MKJV)

We cannot say, “I think or feel it means this or it means that!” We need to see that it does not conflict with the Word of God. We need to investigate any prophecy to see that it matches the Word of God, thus not allowing us to colour the prophecy with our own pre-conceptions.

1Peter 1:11 searching for what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ made clear within them, testifying beforehand of the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow. (MKJV)

Be careful when you hear this, “God is doing anything new” someone may try to trick you.

God is not doing anything new; He is doing the same old thing. The new thing that is happening in the Church is in us who are coming to the new revelation of what is in God’s Word. The encouraging factors that we see today are the development of theology based on sound study and hermeneutical rules without the fear of death.

When the whole teaching of the Bible is considered, it has to be consistent!

Let us get back to the Bible and stop chasing after what is not in the Bible.