Lies

What If One Was Born a Homosexual?

Let us say, just for argument sake, that one is born a homosexual, would this in any way change the fact that homosexuality is sin, wrong and immoral? No, it would not. Why? Simply because the Written Word of God says that all immorality is sin and homosexuality is included and specifically listed as sin, as immoral and therefore as wrong as well.

So, what if one was born a homosexual, shouldn’t we be more tolerant of this sin, this product of the fall? Well, the truth be known, No.

Everyone is born in sin and therefore is a sinner. As a result of this reality we are all born with a very real propensity to sin or as people like to say today, an orientation toward sin and sinful behaviors. Because humanity is born in sin, with a sin nature, that is a nature that is given over to sin and therefore sinful lifestyles, we are all in the same kind of boat as it were. Apart from the work of God’s grace as revealed in and through the Lord Jesus Christ, there are no exceptions here. While there are many different kinds of sin, there is only one sin nature and each of us is born with it. This sin nature is reflected in a wide variety of evidences, forms, heart conditions, attitudes, and behaviors, but regardless, they are all rooted in the same base. This base is called the sin nature, the fallen state of humanity. It is in man’s nature to sin and thus to it is in man’s nature to rebel against the will, word and ways of the Lord God Almighty and therefore to do and be what the Lord God has called for us to not do and be.

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Categories: Accountability, Boundaries, Deliverance, Dependency, Empowerment, Homosexuality, Lies, New Beginnings, Presumptions, Regeneration, Righteousness, Salvation, Saving Faith, The Lord Jesus, Victory, Work of God | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

The Miracle and Mystery of Regeneration

I want to write about something that near and dear to me and that’s the truth of the Lord’s miracle and mystery of regeneration. To understand this precious and most holy work of the Lord even a little bit is such a blessing beyond mere words. While in so many ways it is a mystery, it is also a miraculous reality without which no one can truly be saved in the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me try to tell you about this wonderful work of God’s awesome and sovereign grace.

It begins for each of us when we were chosen in the Lord Jesus Christ before the world’s foundation was even laid. That’s right, we were chosen (elected) in the Lord Jesus Christ clear back then (Eph 1:4). We were even then blessed of God.

Adam and Eve lived out their existence before the living God and before the fall, that is so very much different from ours. They were pure yet neither righteous nor unrighteous. They were given a single command, to not eat of the one tree in the middle of the garden, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

They were naïve and vulnerable, to sin, darkness, and the power of Satan to tempt and deceive them. They didn’t have to walk in faith regarding God, for God simply was and they simply were, because of Him. They walked with Him, talked with Him and fellowshipped with Him daily, in the cool of the evenings. There was no unbelief that had to be overcome, yet. There was no sin nature that had to be conquered, yet. There was nothing in them yet that was fallen and therefore dead. They only had the command of the Lord God Almighty to not eat of this one tree. This command was an opportunity for both faith, faith in God and His Word, and righteousness, the result of adherence or obedience to God’s direct command.

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Categories: Absolute Dependency, Adoption, Calling, Election, God's Faithfulness, God's Love, Grace, His Chosen, Hope, illumination, Imputation, Lies, Mercy, Obedience, Reformed Theology, Regeneration, Resurrection Life, Righteousness, Salvation, Sanctification, Saving Faith, The Power of God, Transformation, Work of God | Tags: , , , , , | 2 Comments

Not Everyone…

Matthew 7:21-23 (ESV) Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Let us have a brief look at this very disturbing text. I do not know about you but whenever I read this text it is convicting and confronting. It convicts me to never, by the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ, presume upon my relationship in and with the Lord Jesus Christ. It also confronts me in the area of obedience. Am I genuinely doing the will of the Father God Almighty? It is a text that stirs up within, a very real and genuine re-examination of my heart and personal faith, in and with the Lord Jesus Christ. And, this isn’t a bad thing at all. No, it absolutely isn’t.

Not everyone who simply says, repeatedly, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven; how convicting, how confronting, how challenging. This is especially true when you consider what the Lord then goes on to address. Even though there were mighty things seemingly being done through them, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, He will still drive them away because He did not actually know them. There was never any genuine relationship, of  God faith, saving faith or righteous repentance. It was simply a profession, of words rooted in presumptions.

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Categories: A Genuine Heart Cry, A Simple Faith, Abiding, Alone, Authenticity, Belief System, Believer, Churches, Commands, Communion, Confidence, Disobedience, Dying to Self Will, Exhortation, Foundations, Genuineness, God Faith, Grace, Hope, Humility, illumination, In Spirit and In Truth, Lies, Man's Faith, Obedience, Openness, Presumptions, Priorities, Repent, Repentance, Righteousness, Salvation, Saving Faith, Self Justification, Selfishness, Signs & Wonders, Simplicity, Spirit of Truth, Spiritual Barreness, Surrender, The Power of God, Transformation, True Love, Unrighteous Ambition, Word, Work of God | Leave a comment

There Is Always More Than We See, Hear, Or Know

This post is a bit different than I would normally write. Well, I think it is anyway. I am going to share with you what I received from the Lord Jesus Christ one morning, some time ago, while we were at church. We were not attending our church, rather we were visiting another church where we had been to only once before.

All too often we settle for far less than the fullness of the Lord’s intended purpose for us in any given service or even moment in His timing. For there is always more than we see, hear, or know, that He desires to accomplish. Yet too frequently we stop with just a taste and have seemingly lost our thirst and hunger for the more of His Fullness. This is a true story of such a time.

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Categories: A Genuine Heart Cry, Abiding, Being Built Up, Benefits, Body of Christ, Boundaries, Breaking Forth, Calling, Character, Church, Church Forms, Encouragement, Fields of Ministry, Finding the Right Church, Following Through, Gifts of the Holy Spirit, God's Faithfulness, God's Love, Grace, Healing, Holiness, Holy Spirit, Hope, Humility, In Spirit and In Truth, Inspiration, Intimacy, Lies, Light, Ministry, Noise and Distractions, Open Ears, Open Eyes, Paradigm Shift, Prayer, Priorities, Process, Prophetic, Prophetic Revelation, Protection, Seeking The Lord Jesus, Signs & Wonders, Spiritual Barreness, Spiritual Desperation, Spiritual Hunger and Thirst, Stirrings, Surrender, Teaching, The Lord's Fullness, Transcendence, Truth, Vulnerability, Waiting on the Lord, Wind of the Spirit, Witness, Work of God | Leave a comment

Worship Plagiarism, Part One

Below is Part One of a series on today’s worship. It is written by my son in-law, Chris Summers. He has been on staff with me in the past and has a wonderful revelation, anointing and heart for true worship in, of, and before, the Lord Jesus Christ, under the direction and power of the Holy Spirit. I gladly present him to you and pray that you are challenged and blessed by all that the Lord would write through him in this series.

Worship-plagiarism Part One (by Chris Summers)

Worship music, as we know it today, has come a long way in the last thirty-some years.  What began as simple recordings of worship services mailed out on tapes has spawned into an impressive industry.   It now consists of heavily produced albums from “big name” worship leaders and bands from around the world.  In churches, we also see a much greater level of quality, professionalism and musicianship during the worship services across various denominations.  There are many churches that are putting on very high-quality performances every Sunday morning, introducing the newest songs with impeccable vocals, impressive musical talent, and seamless technical support for sound, lighting, and visual effects.

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Categories: Abiding, Absolute Dependency, Anointing, Awakening, Benefits, Body of Christ, Boundaries, Breaking Forth, Calling, Character, Church, Church Forms, Churches, Communion, Core Values, Dependency, Disobedience, Exhortation, Faith, Fields of Ministry, Foundations, Holiness, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit Benefits, Humility, Intimacy, Lies, Man's Faith, Ministry Motivation, Paradigm Shift, Plagiarism, Priorities, religious idolatry, Repentance, Revelation, Righteousness, Seeking The Lord Jesus, Simplicity, Songs, Source, Spirit, Spirit of Truth, Surrender, The Power of God, Truth, Vulnerability, Waiting on the Lord, Worship | 3 Comments

The Need For Wisdom

How do I explain what it is that I feel the Lord is doing within me? I mean, there is certainly a moving, a realigning, a reasserting of the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ within me and I believe will also be manifested through me as well.

We have been on the shelf for a rather lengthy and extended period of time. Yet, all of a sudden there is once again, a fresh resurgence of the prophetic within me as well as a fresh leadership dimension awakening up within me. This is all serves to make doing what I need to do, each and every day, to continue to pay the bills, all that much more difficult. I know that for now, however, I must keep doing it but my heart is less and less into it. The Lord knows.

There is the expectation that the Lord is going to re-release me to move out again in the ministry for which he has chosen me, yet, only He knows when, where, and how, that will take place.

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Categories: A Simple Reminder, Anointing, Awakening, Boundaries, Breaking Forth, Calling, Character, Disobedience, Dying to Self Will, Fields of Ministry, Grace, Holiness, Holy Spirit, Humility, Intimacy, Lies, Light, Mercy, Metron, Ministry, Ministry Motivation, Noise and Distractions, Now Word, Obedience, Priorities, Process, Prophetic, Prophetic Revelation, Protection, Repent, Repentance, Rock, Seeking The Lord Jesus, Self Justification, Selfishness, Simplicity, Spirit, Steadfastness, Timing, Unrighteous Ambition, Vulnerability, Waiting on the Lord | 2 Comments

Saved, Yet Suffering Loss in Glory?

I was sharing with someone some time ago, that there are times when the thought of going to heaven doesn’t always excite me. They of course wanted to know why I felt this way. So, I explained to them that when I think about the accountability that I will have before my Lord and God, concerning what I have done or not done with what I have been given in the Lord Jesus Christ, well, I am not always too thrilled about this. I mean when I think of the accountability that hell reflects I am certainly excited about being in and with the Lord Jesus Christ in glory and therefore would most definitely choose heaven. If in truth, it was just that simple. However, the reality of our accountability before the Lord God Almighty, still remains and at times it bothers me, a lot. The one with whom I was speaking explained to me that they felt that it was the fear of the Lord in me that made me think in this manner.

I would have to say yes it is a very genuine sense of the fear of God that I have, that concerns me.  The day when I will have to stand before my Lord God and King, to give an account for what I have done or not done with what I have been given in the Lord Jesus Christ, is most definitely a reality to be concerned about. I wonder why there isn’t much more of this fear of the Lord within the Body of Christ. Is it that people just do not believe or even reflect on the reality of our judgment before God as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ? The scriptures have much to say regarding this reality of accountability before the Lord God Almighty, for one and all, including those who are the elect of God.

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Categories: A Simple Reminder, Awakening, Being Built Up, Believer, Dying to Self Will, Edification, Exhortation, Foundations, God's Love, Grace, Growing in Faith, His Chosen, Humility, In Spirit and In Truth, Intimacy, Lies, Light, Ministry, Ministry Motivation, Obedience, Prophetic Revelation, Repentance, Self Destruction, Steadfastness, Surrender, The Power of God, Training, Truth, Unrighteous Ambition, Vulnerability, Word | Tags: , , , , , | 2 Comments

Holy Spirit Baptism & Godly Character

In light of my having shared with you our three part series on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and with another series on the Benefits of Speaking in Tongues (Pt One and Two) soon to follow this post, I just felt that I should share with you this post on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the issue of Godly Character right in the middle of them. It has been the severe lack of a Godly Character that has done more harm to the church and its witness of the Lord Jesus Christ in and before the world, than any other weakness we as the people of God have.

I, for one, believe that we need not have to choose between our needing and thus becoming a people of Godly Character and the Holy Spirit anointed power of God. I believe the Lord God Almighty has intended for us both. However, a Godly Character comes more slowly, through the fires of refinement and discipline, healing and deliverance, and a righteous inculcation of the Holy Word of God. It is this reality, this all too often painful process over time and growth in the Lord Jesus Christ, that most seem not to desire nor embrace, let alone seek after. We all too often seek the power without the heart and character of God, to our shame and error. While this is a lengthy post, I pray it is of value to all who take the time to read it with an open heart to the Lord Jesus Christ and what He is saying through us, each and every one.

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Categories: Absolute Dependency, Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Believer, Body of Christ, Character, Church, Commands, Dependency, Dying to Self Will, Empowerment, Exhortation, Flesh, Gifts of the Holy Spirit, God's Righteousness, God's Love, Holiness, Holy Ghost Burdens, illumination, Lies, Ministry, Ministry Motivation, Obedience, Preaching, religious idolatry, Repent, Repentance, Seeking The Lord Jesus, Self Destruction, Selflessness, Simplicity, Speaking in Tongues, Spirit, Surrender, Training, Transformation, True Love, Truth, Unrighteous Ambition, Word of God | Leave a comment

Simple, Essential, But Not Always Easy

From the very beginning, the old paths have always been the same: Listen to the voice of God, Obey the voice of God, walking in all that He commands and there, He will bless us His people. It is so very straight forward and simple. We’re to Listen, Obey, doing the Will, Word and Ways of God and He will be our God and we will be His people, prospering under His righteousness.

Jeremiah 6:16 (NKJV) Thus says the Lord: “Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Exodus 15:26 (NKJV) and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”

Jeremiah 7:23 (NKJV) But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’ (cf Jer 11:4.7)

Luke 6:46 (NKJV) “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say?

1 John 2:3-6 (NKJV) Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

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Categories: Abiding, Anointing, Believer, Character, Commands, Confidence, Core Values, Empowerment, Flesh, Following Through, God's Righteousness, Grace, Growing in Faith, Holiness, Holy Spirit Hearing, In Spirit and In Truth, Lies, Mercy, No Other Name, Obedience, Open Ears, Repent, Repentance, Righteousness, Salvation, Seeking The Lord Jesus, Self Destruction, Simplicity, Spirit of Truth, Steadfastness, Tenaciousness, The Lord Jesus, The Power of God, Transformation, Word of God | Leave a comment

“Until Christ is Formed in You!”

Gal 4:19 my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! ESV

Most of the Apostle Paul’s letters were written to correct or clarify issues as they arose within the church he had planted and oversaw. We see that the Epistle of Galatians is no exception to this.

When this epistle was written, Paul had not too much earlier left behind in Galatia a young body of believers, young in their understanding and experience of what it meant to be “in Christ Jesus”. A concerted effort from those in Jerusalem, Judaizers, most probably Christ professing Pharisees, was being made to undo the work that Paul had seen accomplished through Christ Jesus in Galatia. They wanted to bind the Galatians to living out their faith according to the Torah/Law. Their hope was to affirm their faith in Christ Jesus but also to call them into obedience unto the Torah, the Law. It was to be a faith in Christ Jesus plus an adherence to the Torah/Law that sealed their salvation in and before God Almighty.

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Categories: A Simple Faith, A Simple Reminder, Abiding, Awakening, Belief System, Believer, Confidence, Covering, Darkness, Death, Dependency, Empowerment, Faith, Family, Father, Fields of Ministry, Flesh, Following Through, Foundations, Grace, Growing in Faith, Hope, Inspiration, Lies, Loving One Another, Ministry, Now Word, Obedience, Protection, Seeking The Lord Jesus, Source, Spirit, Spirit of Truth, Standing in Faith, Steadfastness, Surrender, Teaching, The Lord Jesus, Truth, Victory, Vulnerability, Word of God, Worship | Leave a comment

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