If you missed church on Sunday...catch up with a teaching by Francis Frangipane. Take a few minutes to feed your inner spirit-man.
If you have no church to attend, check out the listings on the Directory page, perhaps there is one in your area of the world.
When
Average Men Follow Christ
By Francis Frangipane
Before we doubt whether we are the caliber of the first disciples, here is a
fact sheet compiled from over 200 New Testament Scriptures concerning those
whom Jesus first called.
THE DISCIPLES... came to Christ, believed in Him, followed
Him.
They...
dined with Him, often became hungry, often didn't have time to eat, twice
fed the multitudes.
They...
received special authority to heal and deliver, became Jesus'
confidants, were often rebuked and corrected, were entrusted with the
mysteries of God's Kingdom.
They...
did what was not lawful on the Sabbath, broke the traditions of the elders,
entered the Kingdom of God and walked in God's power.
They...
were frightened, fell on their faces, were much afraid, were very
astonished, they marveled, they were indignant and they rejoiced.
They...
became weary on a number of occasions, grumbled and withdrew, some stopped
walking with Jesus; even after the resurrection some still doubted, they
wrote the New Testament and died for their faith.
They...
were taught to pray for the Kingdom to come and for laborers for the
harvest, yet slept while Jesus prayed; they spent ten days in continuous
prayer before Pentecost, and prayed corporately every day afterward at 3:00
p.m..
They...
forgot provisions, made commitments they could not keep, individuals begged
them to heal people they could not heal, they attempted to exorcise demons
that would not leave, they rebuked parents bringing children to be blessed,
abandoned Jesus in His deepest need, they were frequently jealous and
ambitious, and they turned the world upside down after the resurrection.
They...
had a tendency to invent doctrines, tried to command fire to fall
on the Samaritans, put a limit on how many times to forgive, presumed John
would not die, wanted to build tabernacles for Jesus, Moses and Elijah,
became the tabernacle of God on earth after Pentecost.
They...
prepared cities for the arrival of Jesus, prepared the Passover for
the last supper, and were prepared by God to represent Christ; ultimately,
they were prepared to die for the Lord.
They...
remembered what Jesus taught, received the great commission, faced terrible
opposition from principalities and powers, Jews and Gentiles, yet they made
disciples of all nations.
Let us read the words of Christ as though we were sitting as Jesus’ feet
learning. What did Jesus say concerning love, spiritual authority, or the
power of faith? It is time to not be overwhelmed by our flaws and
weaknesses. Rather, let us obey all Jesus taught and be transformed by the
power of the Holy Spirit, even as His first disciples were.
The Full
Price
By Francis Frangipane
King David and the elders of
Israel were all dressed in sackcloth. They had come, each lamenting in deep
repentance, to a particular mountain overlooking Jerusalem. David had sinned
by taking an unauthorized census. His heart had drifted from its abiding
trust in God to trusting in the strength and numbers of men. This was a
serious rebellion for a man like David. Worse, David's sin had awakened the
Lord's wrath and the nation was under severe judgment (see 1 Chron. 21).
Yet, the angel of the Lord appeared to David and his men and instructed them
to build an altar to the Lord on a nearby threshing floor. This is not just
another passing event in Israel's history; David was about to step into a
pivotal moment in the unfolding of God's will in the earth. For this
particular mountain was actually Mount Moriah, the very place where
centuries earlier Abraham, Israel's ancestral father, came to offer Isaac in
an act of supreme worship to God. It is likely that David was actually
standing within a short walk of the very place where Abraham would have
offered Isaac to God had not the Lord stopped him.
So David isn't standing on just any mountain, but upon Mt. Moriah, where God
tested and proved the devotion of His servant (see Genesis 22). Six
centuries have passed, and while nothing visible remains of Abraham's altar,
the memory of Abraham and Isaac journeying to Moriah in unquestioning
worship is a living reality burning brightly in the heart of God.
The Jebusites
When the angel tells David to build an altar on the nearby threshing floor,
it must be noted that the land and the threshing floor belong to a man
identified as Ornan (1 Chron. 21:18; "Araunah" in 2 Sam. 24:18). Remarkably,
Ornan is a Jebusite. He is one of the few surviving Jebusites, who were
long-standing enemies of Israel, and he is living outside of Jerusalem on
Mt. Moriah.
When David became king, he conquered the Jebusites, captured their chief
city, Jebus, and renamed it Jerusalem. Only a few Jebusites still lived in
the area; among them is Ornan, who owns the threshing floor next to where
David is standing. Ornan was watching King David, along with Israel's
elders, as they knelt to the ground before God. Incredibly, this Jebusite
also beholds the angel of the Lord, with sword in hand, hovering between
heaven and earth.
It must have been an amazing scene. Terrified of both the angel and the
king, Ornan creeps out from the threshing floor and bows to the ground
before the king, willingly offering to David not only his threshing floor,
but also "the oxen for burnt offerings and the threshing sledges for wood
and the wheat for the grain offering." Ornan says, "I will give it all" (1
Chron. 21:23). Yet David refused.
Remember, Ornan is a Jebusite, not a Jew. He had no right to this land,
especially since God had given it all to Israel, including the land of the
Jebusites (see Exodus 13:5). As a conquering king, David could justify
taking the threshing floor, yet listen careful to David's words. He is
speaking to a Jebusite when he says, "I will surely buy it for the full
price; for I will not take what is yours for the Lord, or offer a burnt
offering which costs me nothing" (1 Chron. 21:24).
Just like Abraham before him, David will not offer to God that which cost
him nothing. He will pay the full price.
The Temple of God
"Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount
Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David, at the place that
David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite" (2 Chron.
3:1).
When Solomon built the temple, he chose this site: the place where Abraham
offered Isaac and where David, in sackcloth, paid "the full price." Today,
for true Christians, Christ Himself is our temple. Certainly, of all men,
Jesus paid "the full price."
Furthermore, through our union with Christ and one another, we too have
become a temple of God. Yet, let us not measure ourselves by lowered
standards, for God reveals the spiritual DNA of the temple as it manifest in
history---in Abraham, in David and in Christ, who all paid the full price of
surrender. Such is the standard for us as well.
Beloved, at the revelation of God even the gentile Ornan, a Jebusite,
willingly offers his property and, though refused, participates as an
example of those who truly become the temple of God.
Today, the spiritual temple of God is being rebuilt in the Messiah, Jesus
Christ, and Jew and Gentile are uniting in a holy habitation of the Lord.
Yet this unity is not just a gathering of peoples, but an ascending of the
nations up the holy hill of the Lord (Ps. 15, 24; Is 2:2). As our forebears
exemplified, let us not offer to God that which is superficial or costs us
nothing. For Jesus' sake, let us present ourselves to God as a living
sacrifice, which is our reasonable service of worship (see Romans 12:1).
In a world intoxicated with self-gratification and deception, I am saying
there are costs to becoming Christlike. Let us not offer to God that which
is another's nor present to God a sacrifice which costs us nothing. Yes,
salvation is free, but to possess Christ's life, let us put away a life of
compromise. By the grace of God, let us pay the full price.
Lord Jesus, I desire to be fully given to You. Forgive me for offering
borrowed gifts that cost me little. I want to pay the full price. Lord, make
me a willing sacrifice. May my life be a true sacrifice, born of Your grace
and appropriate in the building of Your house. Amen.
When
Kings Go Out to Battle
By Francis Frangipane
Beware of a Passive Spirit
There are many examples of David's valor. As a young man, for instance,
while others trembled, David was ready and eager to face Goliath. David
is an example of one whom God chose, whose passions for God sustained
him for most of his life.
Yet David also provides an example of what happens to good people when
they go passive when they should be fighting. For there was an occasion
when David did not pursue his enemies and the consequences were
grave. It happened because he allowed a passive spirit to subdue his
will.
"Then it happened in the spring, at the time when kings go out to
battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel,
and they destroyed the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David
stayed at Jerusalem" (2 Sam.11:1).
During a time of war, the king allowed a passive spirit to immobilize
his soul. Soon we find this great warrior king almost helpless to resist
the unfolding spiritual attack.
"Now when evening came David arose from his bed and walked around on the
roof of the king's house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and
the woman was very beautiful in appearance" (2 Sam. 11:2).
The woman was Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah. From the moment David
accepted the influence of that passive spirit, his resistance was
weakened; a paralysis of conscience occurred. Scripture says that "when
evening came David arose from his bed." Perhaps it was customary to rest
in the afternoon, but it strikes me as inconsistent for David to nap
while his men fought. It is possible that this nap was not a response to
a bodily need but an expression of the slumber that gripped his soul. He
was in bed until "evening."
This heaviness of soul resting on David was actually part of a larger,
synchronized spiritual attack. The other part of that battle was the
quiet, inner prompting that stirred Bathsheba to bathe in a place where
David could see her. Finally, unable to resist, and in defiance of his
noble qualities, David "sent messengers and took her, and when she came
to him, he lay with her" (2 Sam. 11:4).
Dear friend, remember: This terrible moral failure was not driven by
David's lust or flagrant rebellion to God. A passive spirit
introduced David to his sin! The problem was simply that, in a time
when the kings went forth to war, David stayed at home.
We ourselves are in a time of war. The Spirit of God is calling us to
fight for our souls as well as our families, cities and nations. Indeed,
God's Word reveals that "The Lord will go forth like a warrior, He will
arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will
raise a war cry. He will prevail against His enemies" (Isa. 42:13).
Is that holy fight in you? Is there a war cry in your spirit? If you are
born again, that cry is within you, even if it has been muted by
lethargy.
We will never succeed as overcomers without carrying in our spirits the
war cry of God. We must stop resisting the call to prayer; we must
embrace the reality of spiritual warfare; and we must fight with the
weapons of warfare that God has given us, both for our own progress and
also on behalf of those we love.
Know, however, that the moment you accept a passive spirit, you should
anticipate that a temptation appropriate to your weakness will soon
follow. It may not be Bathsheba; it may be pornography on the Internet.
Or it may be a coworker who begins to look attractive at a time when you
and your spouse are struggling. Whatever the area of weakness in your
life, Satan will attack that area. It will likely not be a bold frontal
assault; if you first drop your guard and relax your fight, he will
disarm you with a passive spirit. If the enemy succeeds in his assault,
you will find yourself wrapped up in something that can devastate you
and your loved ones.
One may argue, "I'm walking with God. I'm a bond-servant of the Lord.
I'm not vulnerable." Remember what the Lord warned the church in
Thyatira: "I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel,
who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My
bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat
things sacrificed to idols" (Rev. 2:20) .
Jesus was concerned, not only for the corrupting influence of Jezebel in
the world; He was concerned that the leaders of the church had grown
tolerant. More, her seductions not only targeted the wayward or new
believers, but she led God's bond-servants astray.
Although it does not identify this seductive spirit by name, Proverbs
warns of the temptations of the Jezebel spirit. Speaking of "the woman
of folly," she calls out "to those who pass by, who are making their
paths straight: Whoever is naive, let him turn in here" (see Prov.
9:14-18).
Who is this spirit after? Those "who are making their paths straight."
Beloved, it is springtime here in the northern hemisphere. It is that
time of the year when seduction begins to call out "to those who pass
by." Let us not become passive in a time of war. Rather, let us fight
for our nation, our cities, our families and, especially, our own souls.
It is time for kings to go to war.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The preceding message
is adapted from a chapter in Francis' book,
This Day We Fight
(published by Chosen Books). For more information on this book, please
visit the Arrow Bookstore at
www.arrowbookstore.com.
For reprint permission, please contact the publisher.
Grace Works!
By Francis Frangipane
Whether we realize it or not, most Christians of Protestant lineage
carry in their doctrinal heritage the revelation of Martin Luther, that
"the just shall live by faith." For whatever flaws may have otherwise
been in Luther's life, his contribution remains a living revelation in
the consciousness of the modern Church.
Today, we know we are saved by grace and justified by faith in the
atoning death of Jesus Christ. The Lord's grace remains a consistent,
liberating power in our lives. If I fall, grace does not retreat;
rather, it lifts me up. If I become virtuous, I know virtue is truly the
result of grace working in me.
We must never forget that salvation is the gift of God. As it is
written, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not
of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no
one should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9).
God knew us before we were born. Before we knew Him, He was working in
us in secret, drawing us to Himself. He led us to someone who then
helped us find Christ. Of course, we told others that we made a
"decision for Jesus," but in truth, it was God who made a decision for
us before the foundation of the world.
So, we can thank God in Christ for liberating us from a "works based"
salvation, thanking also Paul for explaining grace so well in his
epistles, and Luther for persevering to see this great truth restored.
It is obvious why "salvation by grace" is the inspiration behind most of
our greatest hymns.
Salvation and Good Works
Christ delivered us from a religion about God and brought us
into a family fathered by God. We are not working for acceptance or to
earn our salvation. Such a difference is profound.
Yet, the revelation that salvation is not based on our works should not
be interpreted as though the family of God is a "work-free zone." God
has not liberated us from the realm of works, only from self-generated,
religious "dead works." As new creations, the Holy Spirit dwells in us
in an eternal relationship. His presence is a living reality, capable of
speaking to us, inspiring and directing our lives to fulfill
God-inspired works.
Thus, just after Paul explained our salvation is not "of works," he
writes: "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good
works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Eph.
2:10).
We are not saved by our works, but neither are we saved from works. The
truth is, we have been "created in Christ Jesus for good works, which
God prepared beforehand." So we are saved by faith, but God has a plan
for us that requires we work with Him to see it come to pass.
Destiny
Our destiny doesn’t just happen; it is connected to our
fulfilling the "works, which God prepared beforehand." God is producing
something in each of us that fits into the grand scheme of His will on
earth. It may be a life vocation or a prayer ministry or feeding the
poor or developing spiritual gifts or editing for a Christian writer or
raising godly children. The list is as endless as it is varied.
But whatever God's will is for us, Paul says, "Work out your salvation
with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in you, both to
will and to work for His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:12-13).
"God is at work in you." This is such an amazing reality. It does,
indeed, inspire fear and trembling, yet it is also the source of great
confidence. For if it is God who is working in us, He will soon be
working through us. It will look like us working, but it will really be
God manifesting His works through us.
You see, our lives are the outworking of God’s grace. Our task is to
seek Him, to study His Word, to minister to Him through prayer and
worship, and to draw close to Him so we can discern what He is doing in
us. Then make His inner working visible through us.
This is exactly how Jesus revealed the Father. He said, ". . . the
Father abiding in Me does His works" (John 14:10). Again, "My Father is
working until now, and I Myself am working" (John 5:17). And again, "We
must work the works of Him who sent Me . . . " (John 9:4).
There should be God-inspired ideas, love-activated thoughts bubbling up
into our minds from the redemptive Spirit of God. His inner working will
ultimately affect every area of our lives. He will reach to others; He
will work through us to reveal Jesus. These are the "good works" that
God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
He whose grace led us to Christ will also conform us to Christ as we
obey Him. Yes, grace works!
WRESTLING WITH CHOICES
Lloyd Pulley, Calvary Chapel - Old Bridge, NJ
In high school, I learned at least one important lesson. I was a very successful wrestler at the time, largely due to my coach's influence. One day in particular, he gave me some prudent advice. I was trying to get down to a lower weight class and had been complaining about how hard it was to qualify in that class. Wisely, my coach never argued with me (it is hard to lose weight). He simply said to me,
- Am I abiding in the Lord, through His Word and prayer?
- Am I developing a deeper desire for the things of God?
- Am I filled, and being filled, with the Spirit?
- Am I experiencing victory over sin and temptation?
- Am I willingly yielding my life to His every day?
Francis Frangipane:
"A Door Opens
Before Us Into His Presence--When We Behold How HE LOVES US"
"Our healing comes when we behold how He loves us."
Our capacity to actually dwell in Christ's presence is based upon knowing the true nature of God. If we see Him as a loving Father, we will draw near; if He seems to be a harsh judge, we will withdraw. Indeed, everything that defines us is influenced by our perception of God.
If we do not believe God cares about us, we will be overly focused on caring for ourselves. If we feel insignificant or ignored by God, we will exhaust ourselves by seeking significance from men. However, once we realize that God truly loves us, that He desires we draw near to Him, a door opens before us into His presence. Here, in the shelter of the Most High, we can find rest and renewed power for our souls.
God's love is not a reality distant from our needs. The Bible reveals that the Lord is touched with the feeling of our infirmities (Hebrews 4:15). He feels the pain of what we experience on earth. He participates in the life we live, for "in Him we live, and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28). He is not removed from our need; we are His Body. He is one with us.
The truth is, we are not alone in our battles. However, if we believe we are alone--if we accept the lie that God does not care--our darkened thinking will isolate us from the loving commitment of God.
Beloved, even in our times of rebellion, the heart of God is not far. Consider the Lord's relationship with Israel. Though Israel had sinned and was suffering oppressive consequences, the Lord wasn't far. We read that when the Lord could bear the misery of Israel no longer (Judges 10:16), He raised up deliverers. God wasn't distant; He was with them, actually bearing their very misery!
At Lazarus' tomb, Jesus wept. Jesus knew He was going to raise Lazarus; He knew it six days before He called Lazarus back from death. He wept because they were weeping.
Do you know that the Spirit of God actually feels our heartache? He is with us in our conflicts and near us in our fears. At the tomb of Lazarus, some would suggest that Christ's weeping was really over the unbelief of His disciples. I think not. When the Lord wept over Lazarus, those who saw Christ saw a man touched by the sorrows of others. They remarked, "Behold how He loved him!" (John 11:36).
Our healing comes when we behold how He loves us. We are raised from the dead when He comes to our tomb and calls us by name out of death.
We must personalize God's love. He gave His Son for my sins, His word for my guidance, and His Spirit for my strength. If the Almighty is for me, who can be against me?
Dear friend, with wide-eyed wonder, let us behold how He loves us, and be healed of our isolation.
The Credibility Factor
by Francis Frangipane
I appreciate and defend the origins of our many denominations. Most were
born as godly men fought against the sin and spiritual apostasy of their
times. Their heroic stand preserved (or in some cases, restored) the truth
of God in an otherwise dark world. From my heart, I thank God for our
denominational heritage.
Today, however, the need to remain divided from other evangelical
congregations is unjustified. We can remain unique churches with unique
callings and a unique spiritual heritage, yet we can be united spiritually,
and even functionally, with other congregations in our communities.
Knowing Christ has called for unity in His church, many leaders today are
re-examining the legitimacy of division in the church. Today's heroes are
not isolating themselves from other churches; rather, they are working with
others to repair the breaches, seeking to build the citywide church on the
foundation of Christ alone.
Yet, our traditions of division have taken on the garments of orthodoxy;
they appear biblical, but they are not. The various divisions in the history
of the church were stages in restoration meant to preserve truth, not
isolate it.
Is Christ Divided?
Every true Christian believes the Bible is God's sacred, eternal word.
Indeed, heaven and earth will pass away, but God's word will endure forever.
What was relative and powerful in the first century ought to be just as
powerful today. Listen, therefore, to what Paul wrote to the Christians in
Corinth:
"Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you
all agree, and there be no divisions among you, but you be made complete in
the same mind and in the same judgment. For I have been informed concerning
you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you. Now
I mean this, that each one of you is saying, 'I am of Paul,' and 'I of
Apollos,' and 'I of Cephas,' and 'I of Christ.' Has Christ been divided?" (1
Cor. 1:10-13a).
How strange that we smugly look upon the divisions in the Corinthian church.
We boldly criticize their carnality. But why was it wrong in the first
century to say, “I am of Paul” (or Apollos), but permissible in these last
days to say, I am of Luther or Wesley or of the Baptists or Pentecostals?
Again, please remember, I am not suggesting we should strive for unity with
churches that do not believe in Christ or God's word or the Holy Spirit or
the virgin birth or the second coming. However, I am saying that, within the
sphere of the born-again, living church of Jesus Christ, divisions are
unbiblical and wrong.
The apostle later continued, "For since there is jealousy and strife among
you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?" (1 Cor.
3:3).
The credibility of the church is that we are not "mere men," creatures born
of women without spiritual vision or destiny. We have been born again of one
Spirit from above. Within our spirits is the actual spiritual substance of
Christ Himself.
"Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God
dwells in you?" (1 Cor 3:16).
We are the temple of God. Our churches, like the stones of the temple, are
to be laid side-by-side, building us together "into a dwelling of God in the
Spirit" (Eph. 2:22).
Paul went on to issue a warning which every Christian should heed. He said,
"If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple
of God is holy" (1 Cor. 3:17).
We have attempted to use this verse to condemn such things as cigarette
smoking and sexual vices, and on an individual basis, there are obvious
consequences to these sins. However, Paul is speaking here of more than the
sins of excess and immoral pleasure. The apostle is warning against allowing
division in the temple of God, the church. He says, "If any man destroys the
temple of God" (through jealousy and strife), "God will destroy him." The
context is plainly speaking in regard to divisions in the church!
When pure Christianity degenerates into divided camps of ambitious people,
it literally destroys the harmony, power and blessing of the "temple of
God." The individual who brings or supports such carnal divisions in the
church has positioned himself in a very dangerous place before God. The
temple of God is holy. Our unity together is holy. Our love for one another
is holy, for the Father Himself dwells in the resting place of caring
attitudes and loving relationships. Collectively, we are the dwelling place
of God on earth.
The warning is severe: "If any man destroys the temple of God, God will
destroy him."
Yes, there are times when church leaders sin and confusion enters the
dynamics of church life. So, let’s make room for failings and transitions.
But let us not lose sight of the fact that the living God is a God of order;
He will not dwell in ruins! Because He is a God of love, He will work with
us to rebuild, but He will not sanction our fallen condition with power. He
will not lend His credibility to our disorder.
How Does Disunity Affect You?
When Nehemiah, living among the Jewish exiles, heard of the condition of
Jerusalem and its temple, he "sat down and wept and mourned for days." The
fallen condition of the temple thrust him into an extended position of
"fasting and praying before the God of heaven" (Neh. 1:4). The modern Jews
also weep as they face the Wailing Wall, lamenting over the ruins of their
temple. Paul mourned when he saw the ruined condition in Corinth. He said,
"For I am afraid ... that perhaps there may be strife, jealousy, angry
tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances; I am afraid
that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn
over many of those who have sinned" (2 Cor. 12:20-21). And Jesus Himself
wept over the divisions of Jerusalem, lamenting, "How often I wanted to
gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her
wings, and you were unwilling" (Matt. 23:37).
This mourning concerning the disunified condition of the Father's house
ought to be in our hearts as well. Yet, for most of us, not only have we
failed to mourn our situation, we have not even grasped that our disunity,
jealousy and strife is a fallen state! How far we have fallen and how little
we know it!
While the redemption of man was always motivating Jesus, remember, His most
ardent desire was His zeal for His Father's house; He was consumed with it
(see John 2:17). Building the house of God --- the born-again, praying,
loving, citywide church --- is still Christ's highest priority. The world is
His harvest; the church is His bride. His love for the church was the basis
of His last recorded prayer: that we would be one. It is still His highest
passion today. For, until we are united in Him, and one with one another,
our testimony lacks credibility. The world will not believe that God has
sent Christ if our lives are splintered with the same divisions that infect
the world (see John 17:20-23).
Privileged To Become Christlike
There were many reasons why Jerusalem fell to Babylon during Jeremiah's day,
but underlying them all was the spiritual apostasy of the religious leaders.
God Himself would have defended a humble, praying city, but in Jerusalem the
spiritual leaders were corrupt. Listen, therefore, to Jeremiah's fearful
revelation:
"The adversary and the enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem" because of
"the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests" (see Lam.
4:12-13).
Do we see this? Israel's enemies entered Jerusalem because the spiritual
leaders were unrepentantly full of sin. Oh God, help us to see and accept
that the future of our cities exists in the corporate relationship the
spiritual leaders have with You and one another. Jesus said that any city,
any house "divided against itself" cannot stand (Matt. 12:25). The place of
spiritual protection of a community has its origins in the quality of life
that exists in the spiritual leadership of that community: a vibrant,
praying, united church will move that city toward the blessing of God; a
divided, sinful leadership will allow the adversary to enter the city's
gates.
The path narrows for leadership until our only choice is to become
Christlike in everything. However, Christlike leadership in the church can
transform the world around it! You see, our cities are in disorder because
the church is in disorder. James tells us that where there is jealousy and
strife, "there is disorder and every evil thing" (James 3:16).
Our selfish ambitions have taken our eyes off the will and purposes of God
for our cities. We have become jealous of one another. Consequently, the
"disorder," lawlessness and "every evil thing" we see in our society are, at
least in part, rooted in the soil of a misdirected and distracted church
community.
Because of this, the church has lost a measure of its credibility. How can
we expect the world to hear our message of love when we, as Christ's body,
fail to love each other? We have no right to condemn the world for its pride
and arrogance when we, the body of Christ, still refuse to humble ourselves
and work with the other churches in our neighborhoods.
Beloved, over the years the world has seen many incredible ministries.
However, the time of the "incredible" has passed; the hour for the credible
is being established.
* * * * *
The preceding message is adapted from a chapter in Francis' book, The House of the Lord (published by Creation House).
The Baptism of Love
by Francis Frangipane
To Dwell Upon God
It is hard for us in this anxious, fearful age to quiet our souls and actually
dwell upon God in our hearts. We can engage ourselves with Bible study or other
acts of obedience; in varying degrees we know how to witness, exhort and bless.
We know how to analyze these things, and even perfect them; but to lift our
souls above the material world and consciously ponder God Himself seems beyond
the reach of our Christian experience.
Yet, to actually grasp the substance of God is to enter a spiritual place of
immunity; it is to receive into our spirits the victory Christ won for us, which
is oneness with God in Christ.
Thus, we cannot content ourselves merely with the tasks we are called to
perform. Ultimately, we will discover that study and church attendance are but
forms which have little satisfaction in and of themselves. These activities must
become what the Lord has ordained them to be: means through which we seek and
find God. Our pleasure will be found not in the mechanics of spiritual
disciplines, but that these disciplines bring us closer to God.
Paul's cry was, "That I may know Him!" (Phil. 3:10). It was this desire to know
Jesus that produced Paul's knowledge of salvation, church order, evangelism and
end-time events. Out of his heart's passion to know God came revelation, the
writing of Scriptures and knowledge of the Eternal. Paul's knowledge was based
upon his experience with Christ.
On the other hand, we have contented ourselves not with seeking the face of God,
but with studying the facts of God. We are satisfied with a religion about
Christ without the reality of Christ.
The Bible is the historical record of man's experiences with the Almighty. Out
of personal encounters people had with the living God, our theological
perspectives have developed. But knowledge about God is only the first step
toward entering the presence of God. As much as the Bible is a book of truths,
it is also a map to God. As Christians, we study and debate the map yet too
often fail to make the journey.
Love Surpasses Knowledge
There is a place greater than knowledge; it is a simple, yet eternally profound
place where we actually abide in Christ's love. This is, indeed, the shelter of
the Most High.
Remember the apostle's prayer was that we each would "know the love of Christ,
which surpasses knowledge." As important as knowledge is, love "surpasses
knowledge." Doctrinal knowledge is the framework, the vehicle, that opens the
door toward divine realities, but love causes us to be "filled up to all the
fullness of God" (Eph. 3:19).
There is a dwelling place of love that God desires us to enter. It is a place
where our knowledge of God is fulfilled by the substance of God. Listen to the
Amplified Bible's rendering of this verse: "May Christ through your faith
[actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts!
May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, that you may have
the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's
devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and
height and depth [of it]; [that you may really come] to know [practically,
through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere
knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being]
unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine
Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!" (Eph.
3:17-19).
Is this not our goal, to be rooted deeply in love, to grasp the breadth, length,
height and depth of God's love and to know for ourselves the deep, personal love
of Christ? Can any goal be more wonderful? Indeed, to be filled and flooded with
God Himself is the very hope of the gospel!
You see, God cannot truly be known without, in some way, also being experienced.
If we had never seen a sunrise or a starry night sky, could any description
substitute for our own eyes beholding the expansive beauty? Awe comes from
seeing and encountering, not merely from knowing that somewhere a beautiful sky
exists.
Likewise, to truly know God we must seek Him until we pass through the outer,
informational realm about God and actually find for ourselves the living
presence of the Lord Himself. This is the "upward call" of God in Christ Jesus.
It draws us through our doctrines into the immediacy of the divine presence. The
journey leaves us in the place of transcendent surrender, where we listen to His
voice and, from listening, ascend into His love.
The earth's last great move of God shall be distinguished by an outpouring from
Christ of irresistible desire for His people. To those who truly yearn for His
appearing there shall come, in ever-increasing waves, seasons of renewal from
the presence of the Lord (see Acts 3:19-21). Intimacy with Christ shall be
restored to its highest level since the first century.
Many on the outside of this move of God, as well as those touched and healed by
it, will look and marvel: How did these common people obtain such power?
For they shall see miracles similar to when Jesus Christ walked the earth.
Multitudes will be drawn into the valley of decision. For them, truly, the
kingdom of God will be at hand. But for those whom the Lord has drawn to
Himself, there will be no mystery as to how He empowered them. Having returned
to the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ, they will have received the
baptism of love.
To Set
the Captive Free
by Francis Frangipane
During the last hours of this age a great army shall arise; it shall
consist of many who were formerly lame and spiritually oppressed. Indeed, a
multitude that is last now, will become first to enter His glory.
When we consider the waning hours of this age --- the times of judgment,
glory and terror --- we must keep our eyes upon the grace and purposes of
God. The Scriptures tell us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today,
and forever (Heb. 13:8). Christ never ceases to be the Redeemer of mankind,
even during times of divine judgment.
We may wonder, Isn't He coming with great wrath? Yes. But the
"Lion" who alone is worthy to "open the book" is always also a "Lamb
standing, as if slain" (Rev. 5:5-6). Christ will not cease being the
Redeemer, even in the day of His wrath; in wrath, He remembers mercy (Hab.
3:1-2).
In truth, many who have repeatedly failed the Lord during the past years
will discover a new grace in the days ahead. The coming days, for many, will
be days of restoration and healing.
‘"In that day," declares the Lord, "I will assemble the lame and gather the
outcasts, even those whom I have afflicted"' (Mic. 4:6).
We think, and fear, that the Lord's justice requires He mete out punishment
to those who have fallen into bondage; certainly sin itself has grievous
consequences. However, the Lord's mercy triumphs over judgement (James
2:13). God sees all things through the lens of restoration and redemption.
He says, "Behold, I am going to deal at that time with all your oppressors,
I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will turn their shame
into praise and renown in all the earth" (Zeph. 3:19).
You see, God deals not just with our sin, but He also confronts our
oppressors. We are not God's enemies, the devil is. We may, however, be a
primary battleground in the war between heaven and hell! Yes, when we sin we
must be responsible to repent, but it is the devil that seeks to steal us
from the Lord; and it is the Lord who desires to rescue us from the devil.
Ultimately, the war is really between them; we must choose whose side we are
on.
Consider: Jesus began His ministry with a prophecy that came from the
prophet Isaiah. The text He quoted perfectly defined both His mission and
His nature: "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me," He said, "because the
Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to
bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to
prisoners; to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord" (Isa. 61:1-2).
God, the Eternal Father, sent His Son to earth, He anointed Him with power
so that Jesus could proclaim liberty to captives and bring freedom to
prisoners. When one is incarcerated by sin, he is locked in a prison not
made of concrete and steel, but consisting of accusation, fear, shame,
regret, and the addiction of sin itself. Ruling this prison is a demonic
"strong man" (see Luke 11:21). When Jesus comes, He overpowers this
strongman. Christ pays our "fines," and sets us free. He did not come to
condemn prisoners, but to release them.
Note also that Jesus ended this prophecy from Isaiah in the middle of a
sentence. Isaiah's promise continues as it describes the complete purpose of
God in Christ. It reads, "To proclaim the favorable year of the
Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God" (Isa. 61:2). I love that
Christ proclaims a favorable year, but only a day of vengeance. Such is the
balance of Christ's heart: Anger lasts for a night, His mercy endures for a
lifetime.
Yet, there is a dimension to the vengeance of God that actually is born of
mercy. Indeed, for the victims of injustice or spiritual attack, the
vengeance of God is often a time when captives are set free. Consider: it is
specifically during the "day of vengeance" that Christ comes "to comfort all
who mourn . . . giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness
instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting."
It is also a time that our spiritual potential is released and destiny
accelerated, when those who were oppressed become "oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified" (Isa. 61:2-3).
God's wrath comes to destroy that which has been destroying us! The struggle
of many Christians has not just been with sin, but with the demonic
reinforcement of sin. The enemy robs us of joy, strength and health, leaving
us more vulnerable to depression and sin. Christ comforts our mourning by
disarming the demonic side of our struggle.
The Lord frees us so we can free others. Of those whom He has just
comforted, He says, "Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, they will
raise up the former devastations, and they will repair the ruined cities,
the desolations of many generations" (Isa. 61:4).
It is not as a theorist that I write, but as one who was, himself, a "former
devastation" whom God delivered. Today, I'm part of that army God is using
to spiritually rebuild the ancient ruins and help repair the ruined cities.
Do not give up on your loved ones. In the days ahead, addicts of all kinds
shall become some of the most effective witnesses of divine grace; many gang
members and homosexuals will pass through the regenerating work of the Holy
Spirit and, as new creatures in Christ, be used mightily by God in the days
ahead.
Whether the victim of oppression is a loved one, a friend or even yourself,
the Lord is here to bind up the brokenhearted and proclaim liberty to
prisoners. He has come, not to condemn, but to set the captive free.
W
Standing After The Storm
by Francis Frangipane
"If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Ps.
11:3)
Just as there are foundations that are dug and laid for buildings, so
there are spiritual foundations upon which we can build a stable
spiritual life. If our foundations are destroyed, or if we try to build
our lives upon an incomplete foundation, to that degree we compromise
our ability to stand during life’s storms.
I’ve known many people who could prophesy or pray for the sick or sing
beautifully in church, but inwardly their spiritual lives were unstable.
As soon as difficulties arose, they fell apart. Why? As "together" as
they seemed, they had something missing from their inner foundation.
They crumbled during the storm.
Jesus put it this way:
"Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will
show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug
deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the
torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had
been well built" (Luke 6: 47-48).
The question isn’t "if" a storm is coming, but when. Storms are part of
life. Everyone will experience them. Life has a way of going from calm
and peaceful to suddenly turning turbulent or adversarial. The only way
one’s house can stand during these times is if it is well built.
Jesus is saying that our "house" represents our spiritual life, and in
building this life, the foundation is the most important part of the
structure. Everything else we build, whether in ministry or gifting or
calling, is built upon the inner, hidden foundation laid by Christ.
The problem is compounded because you can’t build your house in a storm.
Your house must be built before the storm comes. Thus, Jesus concluded
His warning,
"But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man
who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent
burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that
house was great" (Luke 6:49).
I shudder when I recall the many people --- good people, mind you ---
whose house "collapsed" in the storm of temptation or adversity. How
true the Savior’s words are: "and the ruin of [their] house was great."
Storms Are Coming
As a spiritual father, I am concerned about the church. In America today
it has almost become a joke how dysfunctional we have become. People are
proud that their lives are unstructured, as though "undisciplined" was
synonymous with "humility." May I speak candidly? I think that God
defines "undisciplined", not as a form of humility, but a form of
disobedience.
I’m not becoming legalistic; I’m calling us to obedience. Jesus said in
His Great Commission to the church we were to make disciples "who obey
everything" Jesus "commanded" the first disciples (Matt. 28:20 NIV).
Yes, there is a time when people need to be loved and healed. However,
there is another time when we need to respond to God’s love. In fact, it
is His love that wants to rebuild our lives on a foundation that can
withstand the battles and be victorious!
What, specifically am I meaning when I speak of spiritual foundations?
Old attitudes must be excavated from our souls and Christlike attitudes
structured. Trusting in ourselves must go; trusting completely in Christ
must be established. Pride must be uprooted; true humility established.
Worry, fear and sin must go and prayer must be established. You see, God
calls us to walk as redeemers, patterning our lives after the example of
Christ. Upon these traits we can unite with other Christians in our
cities until, functionally, we become "a dwelling of God in the Spirit"
(Eph. 2:22).
I am talking about more than having right doctrines. I’m speaking of
right attitudes, biblically correct vision and theologically accurate
faith, so we actually reveal the life of Christ to the unsaved world
around us.
The vision of Christlikeness should be the focus of both leadership and
congregations. This has been the Father’s purpose from the beginning of
time and it remains His unchanging goal at the end of the age (See Gen.
1:26-27 and Rom. 8:28-29). If we build upon the foundations of Christ,
we will certainly be found standing after the storm.
Enter Their
Gates With Thanksgiving
By Francis Frangipane
For the last several messages, the Holy Spirit has been urging us to
deal with issues of the heart. We’ve focused on issues like cold love,
anger, grumbling and betrayal. Now, I’d like to share what I believe is
a means to discovering the life of God. I am speaking of possessing a
thankful heart. It is truly a place of immunity from the demonic and
fleshly storms that come our way in life.
Of course, there are some people that test not only our character but
also our sanity. I remember visiting a church and seeing a sign in the
pastor’s office over the door. It read, “Everyone who walks through this
door makes me happy: some when they enter the room and others when they
leave.”
Well, that’s one way to keep our spirits up, but it’s not exactly what I
mean. I’m saying we can be thankful that God is with us no matter who
walks through the door. In fact, the Bible tells us to “rejoice always .
. . [and] in everything give thanks.” (1 Thess. 5:16, 18). The Word
doesn’t say thank God for everything, but thank Him in
everything. In every battle there is a place where we can find God. In
every conflict there exists a spiritual means to ascend into God’s
presence, where we can ride out the storm.
A thankful spirit sustains us when we otherwise would faint. It makes us
alive to the awareness of God’s nearness. The truth is, that no matter
what trial we are in, God is there with us. A thankful spirit
acknowledges Him, identifying His blessings and appropriating His gifts;
gratitude escorts us into the presence of God.
Even Trouble-Makers
The value of gratitude goes beyond transforming our hearts, it can also
transform the people who are near us. Certainly, we can see what’s wrong
with people, but have we ever actually thanked God for them, even the
trouble-makers? You see, without them, we would never mature
spiritually! They thrust us out of ourselves, causing us to rely more
completely upon the help of God.
Yet, gratitude is actually a form of spiritual warfare, especially when
it comes to healing human relationships. True, there are times when, for
a variety of reasons, people are not open to us and they shun our
initiatives for peace or reconciliation. However, I believe if we were
more genuinely appreciative of them, in time they might relax their
guard and open up.
You see, not only is Jerusalem surrounded by walls and gates, our souls
also are protected by barriers; we too have walls and gates surrounding
our lives. We have “eye gates” and “ear gates” that allow influences
into our soul. But we are not open to everyone. We’ve learned to protect
ourselves instinctively from emotionally damaging people. On the other
hand, the words of loving, appreciative people inspire us to drop our
guard and let them in. Just as God requires we enter His gates with
thanksgiving, so it is with human nature, for we are made in God’s
image. If we expect others to open up to us, it is important we express
our gratitude for the good we see in them.
Of course, people do not have to be perfect for us to appreciate godly
elements in their character or personality. When I voice my gratitude
for a specific quality or virtue that I see in another, I affirm and
strengthen that virtue. By so doing, I also gain their trust.
For example, if you're not thankful for your teenagers, your
disappointment with them will push them away from you. The Bible says
that a “false balance is an abomination to the Lord” (Prov. 11:1).
Sometimes we can be so focused on the negatives in our kids that we
drive them away. We communicate with anger and disgust, weary of the
battle we’ve been having with them. Yet, if we take time and sincerely
communicate the things we appreciate about them (and those things are
there. You must just find them), your teens will relax their guard.
Parents, as an experiment, dismiss for several weeks the obligatory
criticisms you usually express when you and your kids are together.
Instead, tell them the things you appreciate about them. You see, each
of us needs to know we are appreciated at least for something. Even God
responds positively to praise! Such reinforcement empowers our desires
to do well and increases our sense of self-worth and value.
Acceptance: Oxygen For The Soul
Because God has designed us to be social creatures, we each enter the
world with an innate desire for acceptance. By appreciating our loved
ones, we affirm and help settle their quest for acceptance, without
which they might otherwise be compelled toward ungodly associations.
Just as when property appreciates it increases in value, so when we
appreciate our loved ones, destructive tendencies created by self-hatred
and fear of rejection diminish proportionally. By appreciating what we
see as right in people, their soul nurses on the life of love and
acceptance.
You see, there's something like radar inside the human heart that senses
the displeasure of others. Displeasure and ingratitude are like a
repellant to human relationships. People think, if I can't measure up –
if you can't see anything good in me – I'll go where people will accept
me as I am. Thanksgiving brings our loved ones closer to us rather than
driving them away.
At the same time, I know people in marriages that, every time they get
together, they wind up discussing what's wrong with their relationship.
Why not take a few weeks and shift the focus to appreciating what's
right in each other?
Some of us have been ungrateful, gossiping and grumbling. So, for those
in particular, I’m calling for a thirty-day fast. From what? Let’s fast
from ingratitude. For the next thirty days, each time you would have
complained, grumbled or been ungrateful about something or someone,
focus instead on things for which you are thankful. Make a list of at
least seven people in your world that you know fairly well and write
down seven things in each of their lives for which you are appreciative.
Over the next two or three weeks, tell them how much you appreciate this
or that quality you’ve observed in them. Finally, let’s see if most of
these very people do not begin to automatically open up when you draw
near; let’s see if you can’t enter their gates with thanksgiving.
Declaring War
on Ungratefulness and Grumbling
By Francis Frangipane
From my earliest Christian years I've heard
questions about Jesus' comment concerning Judas Iscariot: "Did I Myself
not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?" (John 6:70)
What did Jesus mean? Was Judas genetically a devil and not a man? (Jesus
didn't say Judas had a devil, He said he was a devil). Can a
devil actually live among people as a human? While I am no scholar in
ancient Greek, I think truth is better served reading the literal
translation of this verse. The word translated as "devil," diabolos,
is the same word translated elsewhere in the New Testament as
"slanderer" or "malicious gossip" (see 1 Tim. 3:11; 2 Tim. 3:3).
When Jesus says that Judas is a devil, He is saying one of you is a
"false accuser," a "slanderer," a "malicious gossip." Judas could not
keep his negative perspective to himself.
Remember, just before Judas delivered Jesus to the Pharisees, he was
offended that Jesus allowed a expensive ointment to be lavished on His
hair. Judas indignantly complained: "Why was this perfume not sold for
three hundred denarii, and given to poor people?" (John 12:5). His words
spread strife among the other apostles as well (Matt. 26:8). Judas said,
in effect, Who permitted this thoughtless luxury? Well, it was
Jesus. The woman had anointed Him for His burial. Yet, to Judas this was
an extravagance that Jesus shouldn't have taken. In the angry mind of
Judas Iscariot, here was justification to go to the chief priests. He
had grounds to break ranks with Christ (Matt. 26:14-15).
God Has a Problem With Grumblers
Betrayal is never a sudden thing; rather, it is an accumulative response
to the unresolved anger and disappointment one feels toward another. The
offenses we do not transfer to God in surrendered prayer inevitably
decay and become a venom we transfer to others through gossip. In the
process, we embrace slander, but we feel justified. We become malicious
gossips, but in our minds we're only communicating a "truth," a
character flaw, that we self-righteously "discerned."
To understand Judas' betrayal of Christ, we must unearth its source:
Judas Iscariot was grumbler. When we lose sight of the many things for
which we should be thankful, we become murmurers and complainers,
increasingly darkened by a thought-life engendered by hell.
Beware when your anger toward another Christian has led you to gossip
about him or her, especially if you are embittered and are now sowing
criticisms about him to others. Yes, beware: you are no longer being
conformed to Christ, but are actually becoming more like Judas than
Jesus.
Grumblers Everywhere
Of course, this grumbling attitude was not isolated to Judas'
betrayal of Jesus. Many would-be disciples and Jewish leaders were also
infected with murmuring. Consider: there were miracles everywhere,
Christ had just fed the 5000, when a very large crowd of His disciples
began to find fault. Yet, even though Jesus warned, "Do not grumble
among yourselves" (John 6:43), still the crowd persisted. Remember,
these were Christ's disciples, and they were not grumbling at a sinner,
but the only sinless man who ever lived.
"But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this," asked, "Does
this cause you to stumble?" (John 6:61). And then, the grumbling spirit
continued until "many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking
with Him anymore" (John 6:66).
Grumbling caused people to stop seeing and appreciating miracles. It
caused disciples to be offended by Jesus' teaching and stop walking with
Him.
As it was then, so it is today. Grumbling will ultimately cause you to
stop walking with Jesus. It is a killer. You see, incredibly, not just
the Pharisees and Judas Iscariot found fault with Jesus, even His
disciples grumbled at times. Heaven was manifest in their midst and all
they were focused on was what they perceived was wrong. That's what a
grumbling attitude can do.
This poison of ingratitude is prevalent in the church today. Paul warned
that, "in the last days . . . men will be lovers of self, lovers of
money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful,
unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips" (2 Timothy 3:1-9).
You get the point: "men will be . . . malicious gossips" or devils. They
will be given to destroying one another with their words.
The Thankful Heart
Personally, I've declared war on grumbling. An unthankful heart is an
enemy to God's will. Can you join me with this? Can you crucify a
murmuring spirit? We have received too much from God to allow ourselves
opportunities for ingratitude and unbelief! We have received too many
gifts and privileges to allow grumbling to disqualify us of our destiny.
The thankful heart sees the best part of every situation. It sees
problems and weaknesses as opportunities, struggles as refining tools.
My prayer is for each of us to possess the abundant life that Jesus came
to give us. I want to drive that little, ugly grumbling demon away from
our hearts, and replace it with a living awareness of the goodness of
God!
Paul warned,"Nor let us . . . grumble, as [Israel] did, and were
destroyed by the destroyer" (1 Cor. 10:9-10). The moment we open
ourselves to grumbling, we simultaneously open up to destruction.
"Whatever is true, whatever is honorable . . . is right, whatever is
pure . . . lovely . . . of good repute, if there is any excellence and
if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things"
(Phil. 4:8). Remember, Paul was writing to people in the ancient Roman
world. It was full of evil, full of injustice, full of reasons to
grumble and be upset; but instead, God calls His people to a higher
realm, where we dwell on the things that are above.
You say, "Who then will point out all the things that are wrong with
life?"
Oh, there are plenty of volunteers for that task. Better to ask, "How
can I attain the blessed life Jesus came to give me?"
You say, "But the world is wicked. We need to decry and defeat evil."
Yes, and I totally agree, I often decry evil myself. But I must live and
offer a better life if I am going to defeat evil. God doesn't
want His people to be grumbling about the difficult conditions of
existence. He wants us to be mercy-motivated, redemption-orientated,
prayer-empowered ambassadors of heaven.
If we are merely complaining about what's wrong with the people around
us, we should beware: we may actually be more like followers of Judas
rather than Jesus.
When Trust
is Established
by Francis Frangipane
The Problem With Anger
Unresolved anger can consume a soul; it can become a literal hell not only for
the embittered person, but for those who live with them as well. Thus, Jesus
strongly warned of anger's terrible impact. He said,
"The ancients were told, 'You shall not commit murder' and 'Whoever commits
murder shall be liable to the court.' But I say to you that everyone who is
angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever shall say
to his brother, 'Raca,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever
shall say, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell" (Matt.
5:21-22).
Anger is a systemic poison: it affects every area of our existence. Not only can
it destroy one's life on earth, it can make us "guilty enough to go into the
fiery hell." Who among us has not known the wrestling in our minds over an
offense? Who has never felt the unrelenting churning of wounded emotions or the
self-destructive tension generated by anger?
For some, anger abides brooding, yet hidden, beneath a polite veneer. Like a
vicious dog waiting behind the door of a nice home, so inner rage attacks
without warning when anyone gets too close. Yet, as awful as anger is, the
embittered person often feels anger is warranted in light of the threat of an
offense. The worse evil, however, is the spirit of deception that justifies the
angry soul, that presumes the anger of man is actually attaining the
righteousness of God, thus imprisoning the embittered soul, isolating it from
true repentance.
Jesus warns that unresolved anger is very grave. It threatens to drive the soul
into hell; it is physically depleting, and the person carrying anger feels
justified. According to Jesus, the angry person has, within his heart, committed
a sin equal to murder. Anger is a very serious offense indeed.
Reconciliation Is More Important Than Ritual
If you know someone who is carrying unresolved anger toward you or someone else,
Jesus tells us we are not to simply ignore their condition. In fact, He plainly
tells us He expects us to do something about it. Remarkably, just after warning
about anger's hellish consequences, in the very next verse He says,
"If therefore you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember
that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before
the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come
and present your offering" (v.23).
Jesus requires us to actually leave our offering, exit the "church service," and
do what we can to reconcile with our offended brother. To the Son of God,
reconciliation is more important than fulfilling our religious service.
The Lord knows that if we do not engage in some process toward healing, our
offended brother will transfer his anger to others. Hebrews 12:14,15 says,
"Pursue peace with all men . . . See to it that no one comes short of the grace
of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many
be defiled." One angry person not only jeopardizes their own soul, but their
root of bitterness can spread and "many be defiled."
Thus, when the church becomes a place of anger instead of redemption, it is not
a little thing to the Lord. Indeed, Scripture says the final result is “many
[are] defiled.” Unresolved anger is actually a primary tool which Satan uses to
break down marriages, destroy families, splinter churches and divide cultures
within a community.
The Lord calls His church to reverse the curse of injustice and anger upon our
society. We are heaven’s agents of transformation and reconciliation. In fact,
the Lord calls us not only to go to the one who, for whatever reason, may be
offended by us, but He desires we actually become ministers of reconciliation
who inspire others to bring healing to every strata of human relationships.
Wounded In Pursuit Of Oneness
When I speak of healing the riff between people, I realize there are some people
who are habitually offended. No matter what we do, they are irreconcilable.
Perhaps, in time, they will be more open. Still, the Lord commands us, “So far
as it depends on you, be at peace with all men” (Rom 12:18). Hebrews calls us to
“pursue peace with all men” (Heb.12:14). According to Jesus Christ, if we
remember someone has something against us, we are to actually leave our offering
at the altar and go be reconciled with our brother (Matt. 5:24).
Our inter-personal relationships are a primary concern to the Lord. Remember,
the issue is not limited to whether you have something against someone, but
whether they have something against you. You may be completely innocent. The
offended person may actually be the guilty party. But the Lord calls us to care
about relationships. Indeed, it is amazing how often a simple phone call, an act
of love or a gentle answer can soften the heart of an offended person.
The Bible says, “pursue peace with all men.” “Pursue” means we
aggressively take the initiative to make things right. It means we act
on behalf of heaven rather than allow another’s anger to serve the purpose of
hell.
However, we must be realistic. When we reach out to a deeply offended person,
they will likely be repulsed by our first efforts. Scripture tells us, "A
brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city, and contentions are
like the bars of a castle" (Prov. 18:19). If a person has been hurt, they will
need trust to be restored and this process of initiating trust can actually be
painful to both parties. A wounded person may lash out. You may feel like the
process of restoring the offended person is simply too great a price to pay.
Let me share an insight I recently received from the Lord about the basic nature
of relationships and reconciliation. My wife and I were bird-sitting our oldest
daughter's pet conure. A conure is about half the size of a parrot with similar
coloring. However, this creature was hostile. Each time I'd touch the cage, it
would squawk and try to bite me. After several initiatives at being nice, I
concluded, "Who needs this? If I'm going to be attacked, I can be attacked at
church." I made a silent evaluation that we had been given a “killer conure.”
Obviously, I concluded, this bird came from the wrong side of the tracks.
My wife, however, decided she was going to love this bird. Even though it was
just as aggressive toward her as it was with me, my wife relentlessly kept
loving the bird. Each time she fed it by hand, the bird attacked, taking chunks
of skin with each bite. Denise would yell in pain, then instantly return to
talking softly, reaching into the cage with food. After a week, the bird finally
began to relax. Her survival instincts, based on my wife’s gentle response to
being attacked, convinced the bird that Denise was not a predator, but a friend.
Soon, it permitted Denise to reach into its cage without attacking her; a couple
more days and I discovered this aggressive little finger-eater perched lovingly
upon my wife's shoulder, its little round head snuggled warmly against her neck,
cooing in her ear.
Denise won the heart of this little bird: it loved, because she first loved
it. You see, the problem with the bird was not aggression, but fear. My
wife allowed herself to be wounded so that trust could be established; when
wounded, she did not retaliate, and she won its trust. As I watched this little
drama unfold, I saw something basic, yet profound, concerning God's relationship
with us. Trust is not an accident; it is the result of love that pays a
price.
Isn't this the way of the Lord with our own hearts? He came to us, yet we
wounded Him. We crucified God’s Son. Yet instead of retaliating, Jesus forgave
us. He proved over and over again that His love was safe, that He is not our
enemy. We expect judgment but receive mercy; we sin, yet He works to restore us
to Himself. It is His kindness, the Scriptures say, that lead us to repentance
(Rom.2:4). He repeatedly shows Himself trustworthy, merciful and loving, knowing
that, in time, we will come to rest in His goodness. And as we do, we let Him
reach into our cage; we climb upon His hand, and He carries us on His shoulder.
I recognized that this attitude, which I saw in my wife, was actually the Lord's
heart. As He has been to us, so He wants us to be toward others, even those who
are hostile and alienated from us. Trust must be established before love can
heal. We must be willing to let ourselves be wounded, even repeatedly if
necessary, in pursuit of healing relationships. We must prove, not just in word,
but in deed, that we are trustworthy. Whether we face divisions in families,
churches or between races, only when trust is established, can healing begin.
Beware of the Stronghold of Cold Love
By Francis Frangipane
(En Español)
Is your love growing and becoming softer, brighter, more daring and more
visible? Or is it becoming more discriminating, more calculating, less
vulnerable and less available? This is a very important issue, for your
Christianity is only as real as your love. A measurable decrease in your
ability to love is evidence that a stronghold of cold love is developing
within you.
Guard Against Unforgiveness!
"Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold" (Matt.
24:12). A major area of spiritual warfare that has come against the church
is the sphere of church relationships. Satan knows that a church divided
against itself cannot stand. We may enjoy temporary blessings and seasonal
breakthroughs, but to win a citywide war, Jesus is raising up a united,
citywide church. An earmark of this corporate, overcoming church will be its
commitment to love. Yet, because of the increasing iniquity in the end of
this age, true Christian love will be severely assaulted.
There is no spiritual unity, and hence no lasting victory, without love.
Love is a passion for oneness. Bitterness, on the other hand, is
characterized by a noticeable lack of love. This cold love is a demonic
stronghold. In our generation cold love is becoming increasingly more
common. It shuts down the power of prayer and disables the flow of healing
and outreach. In fact, where there is persistent and hardened unforgiveness
in a person or church, the demonic world (known in Matthew 18:34 as
"torturers") has unhindered access.
The Scriptures warn that even a little root of bitterness springing up in a
person's life can defile many (see Hebrews 12:15). Bitterness is unfulfilled
revenge. Another's thoughtlessness or cruelty may have wounded us deeply. It
is inevitable that, in a world of increasing harshness and cruelty, we will
at some point be hurt. But if we fail to react with love and forgiveness, if
we retain in our spirit the debt the offender owes, that offense will rob
our hearts of their capacity to love. Imperceptibly, we will become a member
of the majority of end-time Christians whose love is growing cold.
Bitterness is the most visible symptom of the stronghold of cold love. To
deal with cold love, we must repent and forgive the one who hurt us. Painful
experiences are allowed by God to teach us how to love our enemies. If we
still have unforgiveness toward someone, we have failed this test.
Fortunately, it was just a test, not a final exam. We actually need to thank
God for the opportunity to grow in divine love. Thank Him that your whole
life is not being swallowed up in bitterness and resentment. Millions of
souls are swept off into eternal judgment every day without any hope of
escaping from embitterment, but you have been given God's answer for your
pain. God gives you a way out: love!
As we embrace God's love and begin to walk in Christlike forgiveness, we are
actually pulling down the stronghold of cold love in our lives. Because of
this experience, we will soon possess more of the love of Christ than we had
previously.
Love Without Commitment Is Not Love
And at that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate
one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because
lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold.---Matthew
24:10-12
Allow me to be perfectly clear: there is no such thing as love without
commitment. The measure of one's love is found in the depth of his or
her commitment to others. How often we have heard people say, "I loved
once, but I was hurt." Or, "I was committed to Christian service, but they
used me." When someone withdraws his commitment to a relationship, he is
withdrawing his love. It is not one's commitment that grows cold; it is
their love. It may not seem like they have become cold---they may still
attend church, sing and look "Christian"---but inside they have become hard
and separated from others. They have withdrawn from love. Because their
commitment is shallow, they will be easily offended.
Jesus said, "It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come" (Matt. 18:7). In
your walk there will be times when even good people have bad days. As long
as you live on earth, there will never be a time when "stumbling blocks"
cease to be found upon your path. People do not stumble over boulders but
over stones---little things. To stumble is to stop walking and fall. Have
you stumbled over someone's weakness or sin lately? Have you gotten back up
and continued loving as you did before, or has that fall caused you to
withdraw somewhat from walking after love? To preserve the quality of love
in your heart, you must forgive those who have caused you to stumble.
Every time you refuse to forgive or fail to overlook a weakness in another,
your heart not only hardens toward them, it hardens toward God. You cannot
form a negative opinion of someone (even though you think they may deserve
it!) and allow that opinion to crystalize into an attitude; for every time
you do, an aspect of your heart will cool toward God. You may still think
you are open to God, but the Scriptures are clear: "The one who does not
love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen" (1
John 4:20). You may not like what someone has done, but you do not have an
option to stop loving them. Love is your only choice.
What do I mean by love? First, I do not merely mean "tough love." I mean
gentle, affectionate, sensitive, open, persistent love. God will be tough
when He needs to be, and we will be firm when He tells us to be, but beneath
our firmness must be an underground river of love waiting to spring into
action. By love, I mean a compassion that is empowered by faith and
prayer to see God's best come forth in the people I love. When I have love
for someone, I have predetermined that I am going to stand with them,
regardless of what they are going through. I am committed.
We each need people who love us, who are committed to us in spite of our
imperfections. The fullness of Christ will not come without Christians
standing with each other in love. We are not talking about salvation, but
growing in salvation until we care for each other, even as Christ has
committed Himself to us.
Many people will stumble over little faults and human weaknesses. These
minor things are quickly pumped up by the enemy into great big problems. Oh,
how frail are the excuses people use to justify withdrawing from others. In
reality, these problems, often with a church or pastor, are a smokescreen
which masks the person's lack of love.
We need to overcome our hang-ups about commitment, for no one will attain
the fullness of God's purposes on earth without being committed to imperfect
people along the way.
"Well, as soon as I find a church that believes as I do, I will be
committed." This is a dangerous excuse, because as soon as you decide you do
not want to forgive, or God begins to deal with the quality of your love,
you will blame your withdrawing on some minor doctrinal difference. The
kingdom of God is not based on mere doctrines, it is founded upon
relationships---relationships with God and, because of God, with one
another. Doctrines only help define those relationships. We are not
anti-doctrine, but we are against empty doctrines which seem like
virtues but are simply excuses that justify cold love.
The Greatest Commandments
An expert in the Law once asked Jesus which was the greatest commandment.
His reply was wonderful: " 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your
heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your
strength.' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself' "
(Mark 12:30-31). Jesus said that the second commandment is like the first.
When you love God, your love for others will actually be like your love for
God. The more you unconditionally love God, the more you will
unconditionally love others.
To those whose attitude is, "I am content with just Jesus and me," I say it
is wonderful you found Jesus. But you cannot truly have Jesus and
simultaneously not do what He says. The outgrowth of love and faith in
Christ is love and faith like Christ's, which means we are
committed, even as He is, to His people.
You see, the kingdom of God is most perfectly revealed in our relationships
with one another. We are being perfected into a unit (see John 17). To have
the kingdom, we must be committed to one another as individuals and as
churches. If Christ accepts us while we are still imperfect, we must also
accept one another. The people who possess the kingdom of God in its reality
are people who overcome the obstacles of each other's faults. They help each
other become what God has called them to be: the living body of Jesus
Christ.
Remember, the goal of pulling down the stronghold of cold love is to see the
oneness of Christ's body revealed. You will be challenged in this, but if
you persist, you will discover the height and depth, the length and breadth
of Christ's love. You will become a body filled and flooded with God
Himself.
“This Time
I Will Praise the Lord”
Disappointments Are Inevitable
We cannot pass through life without getting hurt. Pain and
disappointment in this world are inevitable. But how we handle our setbacks
shapes our character and prepares us for eternity. Our attitudes are the
pivotal factor determining the level of our immunity from strife.
Regardless of the hardships we have faced, and in spite of the mistakes we
have made, the end of our lives can either be full of praise and
thanksgiving---or full of misery and complaint. In the final analysis, what
we have experienced in life will be as rich as the desires we have had
fulfilled or as painful as the things we regret.
The Bible tells us, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” (Prov. 13:12).
Those deep disappointments in life have a way of never leaving us; they
enter our hearts like fire and then harden into our nature like lava.
Setbacks can leave us cautious about new ventures and suspicious of new
friends.
Our woundedness restricts our openness. We are fearful we will be hurt again
by new relationships. Gradually, unless we learn to handle heartache
correctly, we become embittered and resentful cynics. We lose the joy of
being alive.
The Source of Fulfillment
It is our own desires and the degree of their fulfillment that produce
either joy or sorrow in our lives. Even basic desires for marriage or
friends can enslave us if they consume our attention. Are these desires
evil? No, but if having our desires fulfilled is the main reason we have
come to Christ, it is possible our lives simply will not improve until our
priorities change.
The Lord is concerned about fulfilling our desires, but to do so He must pry
our fingers off our lives and turn our hearts toward Him. Indeed, the reason
we are alive is not to fulfill our desires but to become His worshipers.
Personal fulfillment can become an idol; it can develop into such an
obsession that we are living for happiness more than living for God. Thus,
part of our salvation includes having our desires prioritized by Christ. In
the Sermon on the Mount, He put it this way: “But seek first His kingdom and
His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do
not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself” (Matt.
6:33-34). God wants to, and will, satisfy us beyond our dreams, but not
before He is first in our hearts.
A wonderful example of this can be seen in the life of Leah, Jacob’s first
wife. Leah was unattractive, unwanted, and unloved by her husband. Jacob had
served Laban, Leah’s father, seven years for Rachel, who was Leah’s younger
sister. On their wedding night, however, Laban put Leah in the nuptial tent
instead of Rachel. Although Jacob actually did marry Rachel a week later, he
had to work another seven years for her. So Jacob had two wives who were
sisters.
The Scriptures tell us that Rachel was loved by Jacob, but Leah was hated:
“And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated . . . ” (Gen. 29:31, KJV).
We must understand this about the nature of God: The Lord is drawn to those
who hurt. “The Lord saw . . . Leah.” What wonderful words! In the same way
water descends and fills that which is lowest, so Christ reaches first to
the afflicted to fill the lowliest and comfort them.
The Lord saw that Leah was unloved. He saw her pain, loneliness, and
heartache. Leah, though unloved by Jacob, was deeply loved by the Lord, and
He gave her a son. Leah’s reaction was predictable. She said, “Surely now my
husband will love me” (v. 32).
Worse than living your life alone is to be married to someone who hates you,
as was Leah. How Leah wished that Jacob might share the love he had for
Rachel with her. Who could blame her? Leah’s desires were justified. She had
given him a firstborn son. In her mind, if the Lord could open her womb, He
could also open Jacob’s heart. But the time was not yet; Jacob still did not
love her.
Twice more Leah gave birth to sons, and each time her desire was for her
husband. She said, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me,
because I have borne him three sons” (v. 34). Yet, Jacob’s heart did not
desire her.
For Leah, as well as for us, there is a lesson here: You cannot make another
person love you. In fact, the more pressure you place upon others to accept
you, the more likely they are to reject you instead. Leah’s concept of
fulfillment was based on attaining Jacob’s love and now her problem was
worsening. For not only was she unattractive to Jacob, but her jealousies
were adding to her lack of loveliness.
Three times we read in this text that the Lord saw and heard that Leah was
unloved. He had seen her affliction. Through all her striving for Jacob and
her disappointment with her marital relationship, the Lord was tenderly
wooing Leah to Himself.
As Leah became pregnant a fourth time, a miracle of grace occurred within
her. She gradually became aware that, while she had not been the focus of
her husband’s love, she was loved by God. And as this fourth pregnancy drew
near to completion, she drew nearer and nearer to God. She became a
worshiper of the Almighty.
Now as she gave birth to another son, she said, “This time I will praise the
Lord” (v. 35). She named that child Judah, which means “praise.” It
was from the tribe of Judah that Christ was born.
Leah had been seeking self-fulfillment and found only heartache and pain.
But as she became a worshiper of God, she entered life’s highest
fulfillment: She began to please God.
It is right here that the human soul truly begins to change and enter God’s
stronghold. As she found fulfillment in God, He began to remove from her the
jealousies, insecurities, and heartaches that life had conveyed to her. A
true inner beauty started growing in Leah; she became a woman at rest.
Likewise, we each have character defects that we are reluctant or unable to
face. Others have seen these things in us, but they have lacked the courage
to tell us. Both physically and personally, these flaws in our nature are
what leave us anxious, threatened, and unfulfilled.
It is not counsel or classes on success or self-esteem that we need; we
simply need to discover God’s love for us. As we begin to praise Him in all
things, we simultaneously put on the garments of salvation. We are actually
being saved from that which would otherwise have destroyed us!
Disappointments and heartaches cannot cling to us, for we are worshipers of
God! And, “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love
God” (Rom. 8:28). If we continue to love God, nothing we experience can
ultimately turn out harmful!
The Tree of Life
You will remember the verse we quoted, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick”
(Prov. 13:12). The verse concludes with, “but desire fulfilled is a tree of
life.” As our desires are fulfilled, we are fulfilled. Since it is the
fulfillment of our desires that fills us with satisfaction, the secret to a
rewarding life is to commit our desires to God.
Let Him choose the times and means of our fulfillment, allowing the Lord to
prepare us for Himself along the way. The truth is that in ourselves we are
incomplete; but in Christ we have been made complete (Col. 2:10).
You say, “That’s easy for you to say. You have a wonderful wife and family.
You are blessed. But you don’t understand my problems.” Yes, I do. My
wonderful marriage was very difficult for the first few years. We struggled
with many things in our relationship. My wife and I both came to the place
where we were unfulfilled in each other. But, like Leah, we both looked to
God and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” In fact, we named our
second child the very name Leah gave to her fourth---Judah.
For us, as for Leah, our lives were turned around as we chose to delight in
God in spite of being unfulfilled with each other. As we became His
worshipers, He began to work on our hearts until we were not only more
pleasing to Him, we were also pleasing to each other! What I am relating to
you is the very thing that saved and blessed our marriage!
Psalms 37:4 reads, “Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the
desires of your heart.” As you delight in God, you change. The negative
effects of disappointment and grief fall off. As love and joy from God begin
to fulfill us, our very souls are restored and beautified. Yes, delight
yourself with Jesus and your self-destructive tendencies will actually begin
to vanish. Christ will beautify your life from the inside out.
The Outcome Of Leah’s Life
What happened with Leah? Well, the long years came and went. In time, Rachel
and then Leah died. Jacob, on his deathbed, spoke to his sons: “I am about
to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave . . . which
Abraham bought . . . for a burial site. There they buried Abraham and his
wife Sarah, there they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah, and there I buried
Leah” (Gen. 49:29-31).
Jacob had buried Leah in the ancestral place of honor! Oh how those words,
though few, say so much! They tell us that God had beautified this afflicted
one with salvation. After Leah found fulfillment in God, God gave her
fulfillment in Jacob. Over the years, inner peace and spiritual beauty shone
forth from Leah; Jacob was knit to her in love. It is not hard to imagine
that when Leah died, she left smiling, with the praises of God upon her
lips.
Become a worshiper of God! As you surrender your desires to Him, as you put
Him first, He will take what you give Him and make it beautiful in its time.
He will take what has been bent and imbalanced within you and make you stand
upright in His light and glory.
Therefore, this day speak to your soul. Tell the areas of unfulfillment
within you that this time you will praise the Lord!
Lord, I am a Leah, unlovely and always seeking the love of those who have
rejected me. How foolish I have been. How blind. There is no love, no
fulfillment in this life apart from You. You are the Tree of Life that
satisfies all desires; You are the Healer of my heart. I love You, Lord
Jesus. Amen.
God’s Army of Worshipers
by Francis Frangipane
When the Scriptures refer to the “heavenly host,” we
usually think of “choirs of angels.” The word “host” in the Bible meant
“army” (Josh. 5:13-14). It is an important truth: the hosts of heaven
are worshiping armies. Indeed, no one can do warfare who is not first a
worshiper of God.
The Central Issue in Tribulation: Worship
One does not have to penetrate deeply into the Revelation of
John to discover that both God and the devil are seeking worshipers (see
Rev. 7:11; 13:4; 14:7,11). Time and time again the line is drawn between
those who “worship the beast and his image” and those who worship God.
In the last great battle before Jesus returns, the outcome of every
man’s life shall be weighed upon a scale of worship: in the midst of
warfare and battles to whom will we bow, God or Satan?
Yet, while this warfare shall culminate in the establishment of the
Lord’s kingdom on earth (see Rev. 11:15), we must realize the essence of
this battle is the central issue in our warfare today. Will we
faithfully worship God during satanic assault and temptation? True
worship must emerge now in the context of our daily lives, for no man
will worship through the great battles of tomorrow who complains in the
mere skirmishes of today.
You will remember that the Lord’s call to the Israelites was a call to
worship and serve Him in the wilderness (see Ex. 7:16). Indeed, when
Moses first spoke of God’s loving concern, we read that the Hebrews
“bowed low and worshiped” (Ex. 4:31). But when trials and pressures
came, they fell quickly into murmuring, complaining and blatant
rebellion. Their worship was superficial, self-serving and
conditional---a form without a heart of worship.
This same condition of shallow worship prevails in much of Christianity
today. If a message is given that speaks of the Lord’s great care for
His people, with eagerness do we bow low and worship. But as soon as the
pressures of daily living arise or temptations come, how quickly we
rebel against God and resist His dealings! The enemy has easy access to
the soul that is not protected by true worship of the Almighty! Indeed,
the Lord’s purpose with Israel in the wilderness was to perfect true
worship, which is based upon the reality of God, not circumstances. The
Lord knows that the heart that will worship Him in the wilderness of
affliction will continue to worship in the promised land of plenty.
Without true worship of God, there can be no victory in warfare. For
what we bleed when we are wounded by satanic assault or difficult
circumstances is the true measure of our worship. You see, what comes
out of our hearts during times of pressure is in us, but hidden during
times of ease. If you are a true worshiper, your spirit will exude
worship to God no matter what battle you are fighting. In warfare,
worship creates a wall of fire around the soul.
Protecting Your Heart Through Worship
Most of us understand the basic dynamics of the human soul. We
have been taught, and rightly so, that the soul is the combination of
our mind, will and emotions. Generally speaking, when the enemy comes
against the church, he targets any of these three areas. We must see
that the protection of these areas is of vital importance in our war
against Satan.
To further illuminate the nature of this battle, let us add that, in
addition to the mind, the will and the emotions, the soul is made of
events and how we responded to those events. Who we are today is the sum
of what we have encountered in life and our subsequent reactions. Abuses
and afflictions hammer us one way, encouragement and praise inflate us
another. Our reaction to each event, whether that event was positive or
negative, is poured into the creative marrow of our individuality, where
it is blended into the nature of our character.
What we call memory is actually our spirit gazing at the substance of
our soul. With few exceptions, those events that we remember the most
have also shaped us the most. Indeed, the reason our natural minds
cannot forget certain incidents is because those events have literally
become part of our nature.
Our soul, its strengths and weaknesses, has been shaped by how well or
poorly we handled our past experiences. When Scripture commands us to
not look back and to “forget . . . what lies behind” (Phil. 3:13; see
Luke 9:62), it is saying we must undo the consequences that have come
from our unchristlike reactions. With God, this is not impossible, for
although the events of our lives are irreversible, our reactions to
those events can still be changed. As our wrong reactions to the past
change, we change. In other words, although we cannot alter the past, we
can put our past upon the “altar” as an act of worship. A worshiping
heart truly allows God to restore the soul.
All of us receive a portion of both good and evil in this world. But for
life to be good, God, who is the essence of life, must reach into our
experiences and redeem us from our negative reactions. The channel
through which the Lord extends Himself, even into our past, is our love
and worship of Him.
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to
those who love God” (Rom. 8:28). The key for the fulfillment of this
verse is that we become lovers of God in our spirits. Bad things become
good for “those who love God.” When we are given to loving Him, all that
we have passed through in life is washed and redeemed in that love. Bad
becomes good by the power of God.
Therefore, it is essential to both the salvation of our souls and our
protection in warfare that we be worshipers. The ship which safely
carries us through the storms of adversity is worship.
Psalm 84 expresses in praise to God the wonderful effect worship has
upon the soul. “How blessed is the man whose strength is in You, in
whose heart are the highways to Zion! Passing through the valley of Baca
[weeping] they make it a spring; the early rain also covers it with
blessings” (vv. 5-6).
If you are “ever praising” God (Ps. 84:4), your worship of God will
transform the negative assault of the enemy into “a spring” of sweet
refreshing waters. No matter what befalls a worshiper, their “valley of
weeping” always becomes a spring covered “with blessings.” You cannot
successfully engage in warfare, nor pass safely through the wilderness
of this life, without first becoming a worshiper of God.
Worship: The
Purpose of Creation
We were created for God’s pleasure. We were not created to live for
ourselves but for Him. And while the Lord desires that we enjoy His
gifts and His people, He would have us know we were created first for
His pleasure. In these closing moments of this age, the Lord will have a
people whose purpose for living is to please God with their lives. In
them, God finds His own reward for creating man. They are His
worshipers. They are on earth only to please God, and when He is
pleased, they also are pleased.
The Lord takes them farther and through more pain and conflicts than
other men. Outwardly, they often seem “smitten of God, and afflicted” (Isa.
53:4). Yet to God, they are His beloved. When they are crushed, like the
petals of a flower, they exude a worship, the fragrance of which is so
beautiful and rare that angels weep in quiet awe at their surrender.
They are the Lord’s purpose for creation.
One would think that God would protect them, guarding them in such a way
that they would not be marred. Instead, they are marred more than
others. Indeed, the Lord seems pleased to crush them, putting them to
grief. For in the midst of their physical and emotional pain, their
loyalty to Christ grows pure and perfect. And in the face of
persecutions, their love and worship toward God become all-consuming.
Would that all Christ’s servants were so perfectly surrendered. Yet God
finds His pleasure in us all. But as the days of the kingdom draw near
and the warfare at the end of this age increases, those who have been
created solely for the worship of God will come forth in the power and
glory of the Son. With the high praises of God in their mouth, they will
execute upon His enemies the judgment written (see Ps. 149). They will
lead as generals in the Lord’s army of worshipers.
www.frangipane.org
This
message was originally written by Pastor Frangipane's oldest daughter,
Joy. It since has become part of the material in Francis' book, This Day
We Fight (published by Chosen Books). Being mindful of the warfare
ensnaring many of our readers' children, we thought this word would be
particularly timely. The book can be ordered at
www.arrowpublications.com.
Your Children Will Return
by Joy Frangipane Marion
No one can tell me
that fathers and daughters can't have close relationships, or even
become best friends. People are almost envious of the love my dad and I
share. The only time we argue is about who loves who the most. But our
relationship was not always this warm. There was a time when I felt I
had lost my ability to love my father. I was a teenage Christian in a
public high school. My Christian background made me different. I was
new, craving acceptance. My father's rules seemed to be the source of my
rejections.
Fueled by my insecurities, in my eyes my dad became the root of my
problems. While I set an adequate standard and struggled to live by it,
he was strict. I was angry because he refused to back down from the
standard he knew was right. He refused to appeal to my ignorance in
order to keep my acceptance.
Things were going from bad to worse during those years. We hit bottom
the day I looked him square in the eyes and told him that I hated him.
They were harsh words, but it was a hard time. I didn't really hate him.
I hated me. I felt I wasn't bad enough to be accepted by my friends and
not good enough to be accepted at home. When these feelings take over
your life, you search for something--anything--to blame. I chose my
father. He carried the blunt of my pain. He even became my enemy.
In my heart I knew I didn't hate him. I was angry and confused. I felt
he wasn't concerned with how I felt. It seemed he had made no room for
compromise with my situation. He risked losing my love to save my soul.
It was a hard time for us both. He suffered the pain of rejection as I
did. He suffered the hurt and the loss, but from a different angle. His
fear of the Lord withstood his fear of pain. He loved me, but he had a
higher obligation than my favor and my approval. I'm sure at times he
wondered if he was doing the right thing. There must of been times when
he felt like his prayers were hitting the ceiling and bouncing back at
his feet.
At times I'm sure he considered lowering his standards. It would have
made things so much easier than wrestling with the power of an
independent, strong-willed child. These considerations may have come,
but he never gave in to them. He stood firm and prayed harder.
The prayers of a righteous man availeth much. Many times he cried out to
the Lord in anguish and in frustration: "What have I done wrong?" My
father has a wonderful ministry to God in prayer. I think I had
something to do with the character God worked in him during those days.
Before he ever prayed for cities and nations he was on his face praying
for me.
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will
not depart from it.” That verse was a promise that he would hold on to.
"Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy" was another promise he
stood upon. He had given me to the Lord, set a godly standard and held
God to His word.
At the same time, I was wrestling with my salvation. My desire to be
accepted by my non-Christian friends at school warred against my desire
to be with the Lord. James speaks of a double-minded person being
unstable in all of their ways. I was completely unstable. I walked on a
line between heaven and hell. I wanted the best of both worlds and was
satisfied in neither.
Although I had been brought up in the church, the world had taken its
toll on me. My eyes had been blinded to the sin in my own life, further
separating me from God and parents. It was so hard for me to see my way
out.
When a child is brought up in a Christian home, regardless of what may
happen, there is a seed that has been planted in their heart that
continues to grow. It's an amazing seed because it can grow in the dark
without water; it can even bloom in adversity. The reason we can never
outrun God is because He is that seed growing within us. Once you have
tasted the presence of the Lord, nothing satisfies you like He can.
Sometimes those who seem to be running the hardest from God are doing so
because He is so close to them.
On the outside my witness was weak, and I was in bondage to my unsaved
friends. But inside, my heart cried for oneness with the Lord. I hated
my double-mindedness as much as my father did. My whole life I wanted
strong Christian friends to save the world with me. I wanted the
support, I just never had it. I did the best I could, but I lost my
sensitivity to sin, and the more I was with non-Christian people the
more deceived I became.
Paul warns, "Do not be deceived. What fellowship has righteousness with
unrighteousness?" I didn't realize the impact my unsaved friends had on
me. The more I was with them the more I conformed to them. When I look
back, I know, unless my parents had been praying for me, I would have
been on my way to hell.
Sin has a way of moving in and taking control. But love is as strong as
death and many waters cannot quench love; love never fails. And prayer
is the highest power through which love is released. I had to relearn
how to love. My love had become completely self-centered and
conditional. I had failed to realize that my father and my Lord loved me
unconditionally. I had only to try. I had only to bridge the
communication gap to understand that God had loved me before I was even
aware of His standards. And my dad loved me for me alone, not for
something I had to become.
My relationship with my father is wonderful, and that's the truth. God
has proven faithful in the working of both our lives. The Lord has
bridged the gap and filled it with love. It took me leaving my
environment and being planted with Christian people who faithfully loved
me. It also took my will to change, but it did happen.
Listen, please don't give up on your teenagers. Don't sacrifice God's
standards of righteousness to appeal to their carnal nature. They can't
respect you for it and God won't honor it. Your children were not
consecrated to Satan; they were dedicated to the Lord. He has had His
hand on them and He will not forget them. He has heard your prayers and
He is faithful to your cries. He is God.
Prayer works. I'm living proof of it. I look back now and see how many
times nothing but the miraculous dedication of loving parents took me
out of hopeless situations. The Lord will not forsake His children. He
will not turn His back on them. We are never too far from His reach.
Believe the promises of the Lord. He is not a liar. He honors a
steadfast heart. Hold on. Your children will come back to the Lord.
Rule In
The Midst Of Your Enemies!
By Francis Frangipane
True peace does not
come from extreme indifference, nor does it originate from becoming so
"spiritual" that you fail to notice the world around you. Peace is the
fruit of being confident in God's love; it is born of the revelation
that, regardless of the battle, "greater is He who is in you than he who
is in the world" (1 John 4:4). You are not self-assured, you are
God-assured.
The God Of Peace Will Crush Satan
To wage effective spiritual warfare, we must understand and use
spiritual authority. Spiritual authority, however, is not forcing your
will upon another person. When you have spiritual authority, you have
established God's peace in an area that once was full of conflict and
oppression. Therefore, to truly be able to move in authority, we must
first have peace.
The apostle Paul taught, "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under
your feet" (Rom. 16:20). When we maintain peace during warfare, it is a
crushing deathblow to satanic oppression and fear. Our victory never
comes from our emotions or our intellect. Our victory comes by refusing
to judge by what our eyes see or our ears hear and by trusting that what
God has promised will come to pass.
We will never know Christ's victory in its fullness until we stop
reacting humanly to our circumstances. When you truly have authority
over something you can look at that thing without worry, fear or
intimidation. Your peace is the proof of your victory. Jesus' authority
over the violent storm (see Matthew 8:23-27) was the exercise and
expansion of His peace over the elements. He did not fight against the
storm, nor did He fear it. He faced its fury and subdued it with His
authority in perfect peace. In Pilate's court, in a world stirred to an
emotional frenzy by the powers of hell, a holy tranquility surrounded
Christ---peace that was born out of His resolve to do God's will no
matter what the cost. His Spirit emanated a calm that perfectly
represented the peace at God's throne. In a matter of moments it was no
longer Jesus who was on trial, but Satan, Pilate and the religious
establishment in Israel.
Satan's arsenal consists of such things as fear, worry, doubt and
self-pity. Every one of these weapons robs us of peace and leaves us
troubled inside. Do you want to discern where the enemy is coming
against you? In the network of your relationships, wherever you do not
have peace, you have war. Conversely, wherever you have peace, you have
victory. When Satan hurls his darts against you, the more peace you have
during adversity, the more truly you are walking in Christ's victory.
Paul tells us to be "in no way alarmed by your opponents---which is a
sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you" (Phil. 1:28).
Your peace, your immovable stand upon the Word of God is a sign that you
are positioned correctly in focused submission to the will of God. The
very fact that you are "in no way alarmed" by your adversary is a sign
that you have authority over him.
Peacemakers Are Sons Of God
Peace is spirit power. Peace is an attribute of the Holy Spirit, and
when you are walking in peace, you are walking in power. A peacemaker is
not merely someone who protests against war; he is one who is inwardly
so yielded to Christ in spirit and purpose that he can be called a son
of God (see Matthew 5:9). Where he goes, God goes and where God goes, he
goes. He is fearless, calm and bold. Peace emanates from him the way
light and heat radiate from fire.
In the battles of life, your peace is actually a weapon. Indeed, your
confidence declares that you are not falling for the lies of the devil.
You see, the first step toward having spiritual authority over the
adversary is having peace in spite of our circumstances. When Jesus
confronted the devil, He did not confront Satan with His emotions or in
fear. Knowing that the devil was a liar, He simply refused to be
influenced by any other voice than God's. His peace overwhelmed Satan.
His authority then shattered the lie, which sent demons fleeing.
Rest Before Rule
In the 23rd Psalm, David declared, "Even though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me"
(v. 4). There is a place of walking with God where you simply "fear no
evil." During his lifetime, David faced many enemies including a lion, a
bear and a giant. In this psalm he stood in the "shadow of death"
itself, yet he feared no evil. David's trust was in the Lord. He said,
"You are with me." Because God is with you, every adversity you face
will unfold in victory as you maintain your faith in God. David
continu