The Gate and the Way

 

The Gate and the Way

“Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way
which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
MATTHEW 7:14

We cannot walk the narrow path until we have entered the narrow gate. But we cannot assume that because we have entered the narrow gate we are now finished. Most people lay stress on the gate, and their goal is to get people just far enough through the gate that they can claim salvation. But the narrow gate is only the beginning.

The narrow gate only opens the door to the narrow way. It is the narrow way which leads to Life, and few find it. Fewer still walk to the end of it.

Source: Embrace the Cross by Chip Brogden

5 Ways Jesus Is the Head of His Church

By Frank Viola

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This article is excerpt from Frank’s newest book, Jesus Now.

He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. Colossians 1:18 KJV

Throughout the New Testament, there is a subtle distinction between the headship of Christ and the lordship of Jesus.
The headship of Christ virtually always has in view Christ’s relationship with His body (Eph. 1:22–23; 4:15; 5:23; Col. 1:18; 2:19). The lordship of Christ virtually always has in view His relationship with His individual disciples (Matt. 7:21–22; Luke 6:46; Acts 16:31; Rom. 10:9, 13; 1 Cor. 6:17).
What lordship is to the individual, headship is to the church. Headship and lordship are two dimensions of the same thing. Headship is lordship worked out in the corporate life of God’s people.
A believer may truly submit to the lordship of Jesus in his or her personal life. He may obey what he understands in the Bible. She may pray fervently. He may live self-sacrificially. Yet at the same time, these people may know nothing about shared minis- try, mutual submission, or corporate testimony. To be subject to the headship of Jesus is to respond to His will regarding the life and practice of the church. Submission to the headship of Christ includes obtaining God’s mind through mutual ministry and sharing, obeying the Holy Spirit through mutual subjection and servanthood, and testifying to Jesus Christ collectively through mutual sharing and corporate witness.
Submission to the headship of Christ incarnates the New Testament reality that Jesus is not only Lord of the lives of women and men; He is also Master of the life of the church. One of the examples in which this became strongly apparent to me was through the life of a young brother in Christ who visited one of our open-participatory church meetings. The young man was saved before he visited us. And from what I could tell, he had a strong devotional life. But he would show up once in a while for our meetings, and when he did show up, he was quiet through most of them.
He continued to visit our gatherings on and off for several months. Then he moved away to another city to attend college there.
Several months later, he returned. Through a series of poor choices, frustrating events, and personal convictions, he had ended his academic career. With a broken voice, he com- municated that more than anything he simply missed being a part of the church. I found this interesting, as he wasn’t exactly devoted to the group when he was in town, and he never really participated or functioned much.
The next week, however, he threw himself into the life of the church. If there was a practical need, he was helping with it. If there was an opportunity to pursue Christ with others, he showed up. If there was a decision-making meeting, he was there and he participated. He even started to function in our open meetings, and his contributions were edifying. Then slowly, we began to see his friends coming to the meetings. His friends were inspired by his story of redemption, faith, and community. And they were drawn to “come and see.”
This young man’s life was changed forever when he simply saw a group of people responding to a Jesus he didn’t know too well. He was seeing Jesus in corporate expression. But it took his going to college, having a bad experience there, and coming back again to realize he needed Christ and His body. He was awakened to the fact that he needed face-to-face community.
This little story is so familiar and common that it can be multiplied by many who have been part of churches that are strong on intense community and mutual sharing. The young man’s story is an example of what it means to make Christ head over one’s life.
Interestingly, Paul said that when Christ’s headship is established in His body, He will become head over all things in the universe (Col. 1:16–18).
Five aspects of christ’s headship today

1. As the Head, Jesus Seeks to Express His Character and Nature through His Body

The purpose of a physical body is to express the life that’s in it. It’s the same with the body of Christ. It exists so that Jesus can express His personality in a visible way.
The local body of Christ is called to gather together regu- larly to display God’s life through the ministry of every believer. How?
One of the normative ways in the New Testament was through open-participatory meetings where every member of the believing priesthood functioned, ministered, and expressed the living God (1 Cor. 14:26; 1 Pet. 2:5; Heb. 10:24–25).
God dwells in every Christian and can inspire any of us to share with the church something that comes from Him. In the first century, every Christian had both the right and the privilege of speaking to the community. This is the practical expression of the New Testament doctrine of the priesthood of all believers.
The purpose of the open-participatory gathering is to edify the entire church and to display, express, and reveal the Lord through the members of the body to principalities and powers in heavenly places (Eph. 3:8–11).
The Greek word for church that I’ve been using through- out this book, ekklesia, literally means “assembly.” This meshes nicely with the dominant thought in Paul’s letters that the church is Christ in corporate expression (1 Cor. 12:1–27; Eph. 1:22–23; 4:1–16).
From a human perspective, the purpose of the church meeting is mutual edification. But from God’s perspective, the purpose of the gathering is to express His glorious Son and make Him visible.
Put another way, we gather together so that the Lord Jesus can manifest Himself in His fullness. When that happens, the body is edified. Note that the only way that Christ can be prop- erly expressed is if every member of a church freely supplies the aspect of the Lord that he or she has received. The Lord Jesus cannot be fully disclosed through only one member. He is far too rich for that (Eph. 3:8).
So if the hand doesn’t function in the gathering, Christ will not be manifested in fullness. Likewise, if the eyes fail to function, the Lord will be limited in His self-revelation.
On the other hand, when every member of a local assem- bly functions in the meeting, Christ is seen. He is made visible because He is assembled in our midst.
Consider the analogy of a puzzle. When each puzzle piece is properly positioned in relation to the other pieces, the puzzle is assembled. The net effect? We see the entire picture. It’s the same way with Christ and His church.

2. As the Head, Jesus Continues His Earthly Ministry

Luke began the book of Acts with this remark:
The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up to heaven. (1:1–2)
Notice the word began. The “first account” Luke was referring to is the gospel of Luke. The implication of this sentence is that Luke’s new volume, Acts, is a record of what Jesus continued to do and teach from His ascension onward.
Consequently, the theme of Acts is Christ’s continuing presence, already found in the name Emmanuel (“God with us”), as a present reality.
No longer visibly present to the human eye, Jesus is still at work in His people by the Spirit. The story of Acts is the story of Christ’s work on earth through His servants as they are energized and directed by the Spirit of Christ.
When Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, He chose to express Himself through a body of believers to continue His life and ministry on earth. That ministry is spelled out in Luke 4:18–19 (NIV):

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

We meet it again in Acts 10:38 (NIV): “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and … he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.”
Throughout His ministry, Jesus showed what the king- dom of God was all about by loving outcasts, befriending the oppressed, healing the sick, cleansing the lepers, caring for the poor, driving out demons, forgiving sins, and so forth. If you peel back His miracles, the common denominator underneath them all is that He was alleviating human suffering and show- ing what the future kingdom of God looks like.
When Jesus did His miracles, He was indicating that He was reversing the effects of the curse.
In Jesus’ ministry, a bit of the future had penetrated the present. Jesus embodied the future kingdom of God, where human suffering will be eradicated, and there will be peace, justice, freedom, and joy.
The church, which is His body in the world, carries on this ministry. It stands on the earth as a sign of the coming kingdom.
The church lives and acts in the reality that Jesus Christ is the Lord of the world today. It lives in the presence of the future—in the already-but-not-yet of the kingdom of God.
For this reason, the church is commissioned to proclaim and embody the kingdom now—to bring a bit of the new cre- ation into the old creation, to bring a piece of heaven into the earth—demonstrating to the world what it will look like when God is calling the shots. In the life of the church, God’s future has already begun.
This dimension of the church’s mission has to do with how she displays the Christ who indwells her to those outside of her. It has to do with how she expresses Christ to the world.
Jesus fulfilled the mission of Israel in His earthly ministry (Gen. 18:18). But since His resurrection, He has commissioned the church to continue that mission.
Hence, the church exists to fulfill Israel’s original calling to be a blessing to all the nations (Gen. 22:18), to bring good news (the gospel) to the poor (Isa. 52:7), and to be a light to the world (49:6).
The church stands in the earth as the new Israel (Gal. 6:16). And she shows forth that the Jesus who walked this earth is the same Christ who has taken up residence within her members.

3. As the Head, Jesus Directs Both the Church and the Work

Jesus is the Commander-in-Chief of His church and His work. Following are some examples of how Jesus directs both His church and His work by His Spirit as the head of each:

• The Spirit of Jesus led Philip to join a chariot where a man was reading Scripture (Acts 8:29). • Jesus appeared to Paul and called him into apostolic ministry (Acts 9:1–10).
• Jesus appeared to Ananias in a vision and instructed him to help Paul (Acts 9:11–16). The Spirit of Jesus spoke to Peter about three men who were looking for him (Acts 10:19).
• The Spirit of Jesus told Peter to go see Cornelius in Caesarea (Acts 11:12).
• The Spirit of Jesus showed Agabus the prophet that there would be a great drought coming to the world (Acts 11:28).
• The Spirit of Jesus instructed some men who were praying in Antioch to set apart Barnabas and Paul for the work (Acts 13:2). The Spirit of Jesus forbade Paul to preach the gospel in Asia (Acts 16:6).
• Jesus gave Paul a dream, directing him and his team to go into Macedonia (Acts 16:9–10).
• Jesus appeared to Paul in a vision and told him to speak boldly in the city of Corinth (Acts 18:9–10).
• The Spirit of Jesus witnessed to Paul in every city that he would be in chains and suffer afflictions (Acts 20:23).
• The Spirit of Jesus spoke through Agabus the prophet about Paul’s future in Jerusalem (Acts 21:10–11).
• Jesus appeared to Paul while he was praying in the temple in Jerusalem and told him to leave the city (Acts 22:18–21).
• Jesus stood by Paul when he was on trial, encouraged him, and told him what was to come (Acts 23:11).
• Jesus said to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for [my] power is perfected in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9).
• Paul received direction, reassurance, and encouragement from Jesus (2 Tim. 4:16–17).
• The Spirit of Jesus called and sent out workers (Acts 13:1–3; Gal. 1:1; 1 Cor. 1:17; 12:7–11; Eph. 4:7–16; 1 Tim. 1:12).
• Jesus worked with the members of His church, confirming their message with signs (Mark 16:20). In the book of Acts, we find the phrase “get up and go” repeated several times. Jesus said it to Ananias in Acts 9:11. He said it to Peter again in Acts 10:20. Ananias went, and so did Peter. As head of the church, Jesus still says, “Get up and go,” to His disciples today.

4. As the Head, Jesus Nourishes His Body

The way we feed our bodies is through our mouths. Jesus does the same with His body, of which we are a part.
Christ, then, is our Caretaker. He nourishes and cherishes His body:
No one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church. (Eph. 5:29)
Christ the head feeds His body through the ministry and functioning of each of its members (Eph. 4:16). For this reason, it’s important to be dependent on the body of Christ, allowing “every joint” to supply its portion to us.
In like manner, it’s critical that we function also, feeding the other sheep in the Lord’s fold.

5. As the Head, Jesus Is the Source of the Church’s Life

Jesus supplies all that His body needs, and we derive our life and being from Him.
“Christ … is our life,” as Colossians put it (3:4).
The head in heaven dispenses His life through His Spirit, who empowers the members of His body on earth.
The Jesus of the Gospels may appear remote and unavailable, but He lives inside every believer by faith and is as close to us as is the breath of our mouths.
No longer I … but Christ lives in me. (Gal. 2:20)
What Christ has accomplished through me. (Rom. 15:18)
I can do all things through [Christ] who strengthens me. (Phil. 4:13)
As followers of Jesus and children of God, we can live by His indwelling life. Jesus was “crucified in weakness” but now “lives by the power of God” (2 Cor. 13:3–4 ESV). He does this within His people.
the Eternal purpose
The eternal purpose of God is centered upon making Jesus the absolute head over all things. God’s goal is the establishment of the complete sovereignty and supremacy of His Son.
His driving passion is to make His Son preeminent over everything. All of God’s activities are toward this end. Hence, the chief work of the Holy Spirit in this age is to establish the headship of Christ in His body, to the uttermost.
Accordingly, the Holy Spirit will break down and dev- astate everything that opposes, obstructs, and hinders the Lord’s sovereign rule in the hearts of His people. He will stand against all that gets in the way of God’s ultimate intention of establishing the centrality and supremacy of His Son over all things. Strikingly, before Christ can be made preeminent over all things, He must first have the preeminence among His own people. Colossians 1:18 puts it this way:
He is the head of the body, the church … that in all things he might have the preeminence. (KJV; see also Eph. 5:23)
The great need today in the body of Christ is to reinstate the headship of Christ. Tragically, all sorts of things have replaced Christ’s headship. Church boards, committee meetings, church leaders, church programs, man-made rules and regulations, and so on, have often supplanted the headship of Jesus Christ.
Whenever there is a decision before us regarding the Lord’s work or the Lord’s people, the salient question should not be, “What do we think should be done?” or “What can we agree upon as spiritual leaders?” Rather it should be, “What does the Lord want in this situation?”
With respect to the church, when two people make a decision independent of the head, it constitutes conspiracy.
Christ alone has the right to rule His church—not any human or committee. It is His body, not ours. We all belong to Him. He has purchased us with a costly price, and thus He alone possesses full rights over us.
When Christ has His full and rightful place as head and absolute Lord over His people, then so many problems are resolved.
Consider the profound problems that the church in Corinth faced—carnality, divisions, envy, self-absorption, blasphemy, pride, immorality, strife, civil discord, and rivalry. Chapters 1–11 of 1 Corinthians paint a pitiful picture of the corruption in that assembly. What a tremendous burden for Paul—the man who planted and cared for that church. But what was his answer to it all? What was the all-inclusive solu- tion that he shared in 1 Corinthians? It was simply this:
I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified…. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (2:2; 3:11 KJV)
The answer was quite plain: that Jesus Christ be given His rightful place in the church. Can you see the force of that?
When God’s people get ahold of the greatness of their Lord and put Him in His rightful place, all of their troubles are dealt with. When Christ is presented in power and life, our problems get resolved.
God’s aim in this hour is for us to make Christ’s headship a practical reality in our lives and in our churches.
Such a way, however, is costly. It is a hard thing to yield our rights to the Lord, to wait on the Lord, and to put the absolute rule, authority, and decision-making rights into the hands of the Holy Spirit.
It tests whether we are going to put our hands on things or yield all rights to Christ. We must understand, however, that if Jesus Christ will return to reign on this earth in His fullness, His people must first give Him the preeminence in their midst.
In God’s plan, all things begin with the church. James told us that we are the “firstfruits of all he created“ (1:18 NIV). That includes this business of Him reigning over all things.
holding Fast to the head
Make no mistake about it. Holding fast to the headship of Christ (as Paul put it in Colossians) is not something that we are to practice as a last resort. Too often the mentality among Christians is, “I will do whatever I can, using my own clever- ness, gifts, and abilities, and only rely upon the Lord when I cannot do any more.” This is foolish thinking at best. Our human ideas and philosophies cannot fulfill one fragment of God’s work.
A great deal of our ecclesiastical traditions and programs are nothing more than wood, hay, and stubble. The church is a spiritual organism. Only that which comes out of God’s indwelling life can accomplish His purpose.
Under the old covenant, Moses commanded that no oil be “poured on man’s flesh” (Exod. 30:32 NKJV). So, too, the Spirit of God cannot anoint that which comes out of our human fleshly ideas. Recall the words of the Lord Jesus: “Without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 NKJV).
All of this will meet nodding heads from most Christians. But is it a reality? Is Jesus Christ truly the head of your church, or is someone else? Does the structure of your church allow for Jesus Christ to lead and direct His people through His body, or does it prevent that from happening? And how about your life?
God desires to sum up all things in His Son. That which originates from fallen humanity’s ideas, traditions, and systems will not last. Only that which comes out of Christ can find God’s highest blessing.
Even now, the Lord is awaiting a people to give Him that place of preeminence. When God’s people put themselves under His direct headship, the result is unity (Ps. 133). One day Christ will indeed be the “head over all things to the church” (Eph. 1:22 ESV), nothing excluded. His present-day ministry as head of the church is moving the world in that direction.
This article is excerpt from Frank’s newest book, Jesus Now.

Getting Direction

 

Getting Direction

“They were forbidden by the Holy Spirit
to preach the word in Asia. After they had
come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia,
but the Spirit did not permit them.”
ACTS 16:6,7

Our destination, as well as our departure, must be governed by the Spirit. How intriguing that the Spirit actually forbade them to preach the word in Asia and Bithynia! This ought to be proof enough that “need,” in and of itself, is insufficient guidance. The only thing that matters is being sent, and it is critical that we go only where the Spirit sends us.

The apostles were indeed sent forth by the Spirit, yet that same Spirit did not permit them to just go wherever they pleased. Later we see that Paul indeed went to Asia and a tremendous work was founded. This tells us that a “no” today does not mean a “no” is forever; nevertheless, when the Spirit forbids us, we dare not take matters into our own hands and go where we have not been sent.

Source: Embrace the Cross by Chip Brogden

Knowing Yourself

 

Knowing Yourself

“I know that in me (that is,
in my flesh) nothing good dwells.”
ROMANS 7:18

Paul knew this because he knew the Cross. Do we know it? Those who embrace the Cross have acknowledged this in themselves and have surrendered their way over to His Way.

In what areas must we acknowledge this inability to do anything apart from Christ? It must not only be acknowledged: it must be truly seen, deeply felt, and painfully experienced in every area of our life, one step at a time. This is the work of the Cross. In our daily life we come up against situations that we cannot overcome in our own strength, or with our own wisdom. We need a strength and a wisdom that comes from Above, that comes from Beyond, that comes from Another outside of us and yet rises up from within us.

Source: Embrace the Cross by Chip Brogden

Victorously Positioned

 

Victorously Positioned

“He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power.”
EPHESIANS 1:20,21

You will find that the whole strategy of the adversary is to bring you down from your heavenly position in Christ and engage you on a fleshly, carnal, earthly level. To overcome, you need only maintain the ascended position with Christ. We are not trying to get the victory. Instead, we have been made one with Victory. If I enter into a room and sit down in a chair I do not have to wonder how I will enter the room. God has already seated us together with Christ; therefore, we do not have to try to enter in, rise up, or “get” the victory. Having already obtained this triumph through the Cross, we no longer have to attain it in our own strength. The Cross of Christ! What a marvelous provision it is!

Source: Embrace the Cross by Chip Brogden

What Would Jesus Do?

 

What Would Jesus Do?

“We know that when He is revealed, we shall
be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”
1 JOHN 3:2

If we are abiding in Him then we will be as He is. If we have put on the Lord Jesus then we are being changed into His likeness, we are being made into His image, and we are in the process of being transfigured.

After some time following the Lord we should not have to stop and ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?” If we are being transfigured then that Light and that Life will respond spontaneously and effortlessly to any demand placed upon it.

Source: Lord of All by Chip Brogden

God's Progressive Recovery

 

God's Progressive Recovery

“Rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”
PHILIPPIANS 3:3

Self – meaning the innate tendency in man to put himself and his desires above God and others – is the real source of all wickedness. That explains why merely dealing with the devil is not enough to rid the world of evil. If the devil were to disappear tomorrow the problem of Self would remain. It is a condition that exists deep within every man, woman, boy, and girl. Although the Self-life is a formidable obstacle to the Christ-life, it is by no means too difficult for God to overcome.

Christ must increase, and Self must decrease. God is working to reestablish and recover that Heavenly Order in all things, beginning with individuals, then with a company of men and women, and ultimately extending to the entire creation, so that “God may be all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:28). The Bible is the story of the progressive recovery and increase of Christ in the midst of a world gone astray.

Source: The Irresistible Kingdom by Chip Brogden

Through the Fire

 

Through the Fire

“I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches,
in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for
Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 CORINTHIANS 12:10

Now it does not say that Paul made himself weak on purpose. We do not have to seek weaknesses, infirmities, tribulations, temptations, or trials. We already have them. The key is how do we respond to them? We can fight them, or we can embrace them. Paul clearly shows us that it is not always God’s will for us to be saved FROM the fire. Often we are called to walk THROUGH the fire, with no assurance except that His Grace is sufficient. In the fire we learn that “Grace” is a Man, just like Victory is a Man.

To be delivered from weakness is one thing, but to meet Grace in my weakness is something else entirely.

Source: Lord of All by Chip Brogden

Finding Grace

 

Finding Grace

“Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”
GENESIS 6:8

It took five hundred years of walking with God, but Noah found grace, and that made it all worthwhile. Let us learn to do nothing apart from this amazing grace. It is better to wait five hundred years for grace than to work for five minutes without it.

What is grace? I teach people that Grace is a Man. Amazing Grace is simply Jesus living in me, doing what I cannot do. It does not matter if “what I cannot do” is save myself, overcome sin, love my neighbor, or build an ark. “For by Grace (Jesus) you have been saved through faith (trusting Jesus to do what you cannot do); and that not of yourselves; it (He) is the Gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). I am insufficient; but His Grace (Jesus) is sufficient. His Grace (Jesus) is more than enough. His Grace (Jesus) is Infinite Supply! But “without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Source: Lord of All by Chip Brogden

Christ Spontaneously Revealed

 

Christ Spontaneously Revealed

“May [God] give to you the spirit of wisdom
and revelation in the knowledge of Him.”
EPHESIANS 1:17

The Lord reveals Himself to us in a variety of ways, and every testimony is different. Peter received the revelation of Christ while fishing. But Thomas received the revelation of Christ only after the Lord appeared to Him and showed him His wounds. Paul received the revelation of Christ on the road to Damascus, as he was on his way to kill Christians. One man says Christ was revealed to him as he stood watching a tree in the dead of winter. Christ was revealed to me as I sat in my backyard, arguing with the Lord over the Bible.

What do these experiences have in common? They are spontaneous unveilings of Jesus Christ. Without warning the Lord simply reveals Himself, and whereas we were blind before, today we see. It is like walking out of one room and into another room, closing the door behind us.

Source: Lord of All by Chip Brogden

Dying Daily

 

Dying Daily

“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”
LUKE 9:23

Do we need the power of God today? Do we seek the Life of the Lord today? Do we desire Him to have the preeminence in our lives today? Do we long for Him today? Then now is the time for us to be unconditionally and wholeheartedly surrendered to Him. We need not drag the process out for several days and weeks, months and years. Do it today, do it now.

If we must daily take up the Cross anyway, let us bow our head and give up the ghost instead of struggling to stay alive, which only prolongs our agony. The secret to overcoming is dying daily.

Source: Embrace the Cross by Chip Brogden

"Not I, But Christ"

 

"Not I, But Christ"

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is
no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”
GALATIANS 2:20

Just as salvation is ours through faith by grace, and not of ourselves, so it is with living the Christian life. The difference between a defeated Christian and a victorious Christian is simply this: the former lives by his own power and asks for God’s help and will almost as an afterthought, while the latter despairs of himself, lays down his life, and trusts Christ to live in his place, at all times.

The Cross is how God accomplishes this task of bringing us to the end of ourselves. Then we can say, “Not I, but Christ.”

Source: Embrace the Cross by Chip Brogden

LK10 is a Community of Practice

 

 

LK10 is a Community of Practice
May 12, 2014

Ordinarily, you would think of an email like this as simply containing helpful information.

My hope (request) is that it would be something more for you!

Because LK10 is a Community of Practice, I would like you to see these emails as something way more powerful.  As something much more important.  And, something that requires more of you.

I would like you to see these emails as an invitation to dialogue.  As an invitation to community.

Because, in a Community of Practice,  every member is both a teacher and a learner. There are no passive members.  (That's an oxymoron for us!)  There are no "lurkers" who simply stand apart and watch.  Because LK10 is a Community of Practice, I have three requests of you...

• That you are practicing our rhythms

• That you will send me stories (either written or videos) of what you are learning that I can share with the Community

• That you will click on the link to my blog in this email and comment on the stories I'm sharing with you  

Here's the story for today...

It's an 8 minuted video interview I did with Tim Morris.  Tim has been my CO2 partner for 4+ years.  In this video, he shares some of the creative modifications that we have made to the two basic CO2 rhythms.

So, watch the video in my blog and share your comments.  Tell us about your CO2.  How God is using it in your life.  What you have learned.

Here's the link to the blog...

http://www.lk10.com/john-interviews-tim-co2/

LK10 International Conference

I also want to remind you that you have only 19 days left to pre-register for the LK10 International Conference.  (Aug 29 to Sept 1)  By pre-registering for only $50, you can reserve your spot at the Conference and lock in the Early Bird rate.  For more information and to register, go here:    

http://www.eventbrite.com/e/2014-lk10-labor-day-weekend-conference-tickets-10955593475?utm_campaign=new_eventv2&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eb_email&utm_term=eventurl_text

 

Ever Present Victory

 

Ever Present Victory

“Thanks be to God, who gives us
the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 CORINTHIANS 15:57

When God is pleased to reveal His Son to us, we will learn that Victory is not a thing, but a Person; that Victory is not an experience, but a Man; that God does not give me a thing called victory, but has given me His Son in the place of victory in order to be my Victory. Then Victory will never be future-tense and far-away, but Ever Present and Now. For Victory is Christ. And Victory lives within you.

Thus, Victory has nothing to do with the devil, and everything to do with Christ. Since most Christians have more faith, assurance and reverence for the devil than they do for the Lord Jesus, it is easy to see why so many are defeated.

Source: Lord of All by Chip Brogden

Abundant Life

 

Abundant Life

“I have come that they may have life,
and that they may have it more abundantly.”
JOHN 10:10

Ask the Lord to open your eyes and show you the Life which is yours. Go to Him and say, “I have heard about this Life, but I don’t know how it works or what to do with it. Please show me, please teach me, please reveal this Life to me.” And He will do it.

If ever you see this, just once, you will discover the secret to the Christian life. You will shake your head and say, “All these years I thought I was really living the Christian life, and all I have been doing is playing tiddlywinks. This Life I have been given is greater, bigger, and more wonderful than I ever dreamed!”

Source: Lord of All by Chip Brogden

Continue in Tribulation

 

Continue in Tribulation

“[Paul and Barnabas] returned… strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.’
ACTS 14:22

Our idea of overcoming is to avoid tribulation, not pass through it. We certainly do not connect entering the Kingdom with going through tribulation. We think having the victory means eliminating all tribulation. Nothing could be further from the truth.

In order to enter the Kingdom there must be an increase of Christ and a decrease of Self. This is an ongoing process, and by it we judge how far along the Path we have progressed.

But how is Self decreased? The answer is in our circumstances and trials. They are sufficient to decrease us. We need not do anything but wait for them to come, and see them as our opportunity to have Self decreased and Christ increased.

Source: The Irresistible Kingdom by Chip Brogden

In His Likeness

 

In His Likeness

“If we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.”
ROMANS 6:5

It is impossible for us to take up the Cross and not be resurrected. I am almost afraid to make it so plain lest we fail to appreciate its mystery, but it is all there in the Scriptures. We cannot ascend until we have first descended.

Can we embrace the Cross, and love the hands that nail us to it, and hold nothing against the One Who put us there? Can we commit our spirit into His hands and give up Self, looking beyond the present suffering to see the joy that is set before us? This is the way of the Overcomers.

Source: Embrace the Cross by Chip Brogden

Only in the Beloved

 

Only in the Beloved

“No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.”
JOHN 3:13

No one has ascended because no one can ascend. Rest assured that if it were possible, someone would have done it! But just as we cannot make ourselves acceptable to God on the basis of anything we have done, so too we cannot ascend and seat ourselves at the right hand of God. “He has made us accepted in the Beloved” (Eph. 1:6). We are accepted only in the Beloved; we are saved only in the Beloved; and only in the Beloved can we be raised from the dead, ascend and be seated in the heavenlies.

Source: Embrace the Cross by Chip Brogden

How to Give Correction

There are no rules, but one: obtain a genuine love for someone before you ever say anything. You should be able to pray for them and ask the Lord to soften your heart towards them. Otherwise, if you do go to them, your words may be correct, but your attitude will be wrong.

We need to learn how to deal with people through the throne and not try to wrestle with flesh and blood. There are some people who are always having dreams and visions and words and the more they have, the less credible they become. But I am ready to listen to the quiet brother or sister who says a few sentences that I know are born out of a deep relationship with God and are the result of much prayer. I think the more we pray, the less we try to instruct others and leave them to God.
I think it’s better to have the kind of rapport with someone where you can give and accept criticism. For one thing you know that they really care about you and aren’t just trying to win an argument or make themselves out to be something special by taking you on.
I keep saying that you can have the WHAT and mess up the HOW. Some people think knowing WHAT means HOW is unimportant. We need to wait for the WHAT, the WHEN, and the HOW, particularly when dealing with people you hardly know, have no relationship with, and who didn’t ask for your opinion. The picture coming to mind is sitting at the foot of the Cross waiting for someone to humble themselves enough to come there and ask for your help. Letting the Father draw them. Of course, He could send you too. There is no set pattern. But I do know He desires us to be under His constraint.
WE cannot help people. Those who are helped, are helped by the Lord. There is a purpose in the desert and if we interfere with too much counsel, advice, or instruction, we can interrupt what God intends to work into a person. There are a lot of “one-another’s” – love, pray, serve, submit, forgive, encourage – but I haven’t found a “counsel one-another.” I believe there IS a place for Godly counsel, but “not as we’ve known it.”
The crux of the matter is that we cannot TELL anyone what to do. We cannot impart revelation. Who knows better what a brother needs: another brother, another sister, or the Father? What we can and should do is bring one another to CHRIST as the Source. IN HIM are hidden ALL the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge. Why settle for anything less?!
I always take the position that God shares something with me about someone else in order to pray for them, not counsel them. We have to learn how to deal with each other via the throne and not always go for the direct approach, which more times than not is misunderstood or not appreciated. Remaining silent in the midst of misunderstanding and choosing not to respond is not as passive as you may think. It is a resolution to deal with the situation via the Throne and not put forth the fleshly hand to handle it myself. The same holds true for offering counsel or sharing words from the Lord.
Second, after we have prayed concerning what we have seen regarding someone else, if God intends for us to share it, then He will work in the other person’s heart to prepare the way. When someone just plops down in front of me and says, “The Lord told me to tell you…” then I just automatically shut them out. The Lord is not going to tell someone else to tell me when He can speak to me perfectly well (the exception would be if I am living in sin). Anything that is said will be a confirmation (not a revelation) of what He has already been speaking to me. I think the very worst thing we can do is run out and tell the other person without giving the Lord an opportunity to work in their heart and prepare the way for what we are saying, assuming that He even wants us to share it to begin with.
Third, I have found that it is bad to either give or receive unsolicited counsel. Everyone wants to be a teacher and counselor, but there is little fear of the Lord. I don’t care if you are speaking in the name of the Lord or not, if you are not asked for your opinion or counsel or advice then KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT. For one thing, everyone has a word for everyone else and is trying to get the speck out of the other person’s eye when they have a beam in their own eye. We are not each other’s priest, and we do not represent God on behalf of one another. We are all priests and prophets and kings in this Kingdom.
To tie it all together, if God shows you something about someone then it should be a matter of prayer first and foremost. Why jump to the conclusion that you are destined to share it at all? There is no harm in praying over it. Just because it is laid on your heart doesn’t mean it is supposed to be announced to anyone other than the Lord. As we pray we trust the Lord to work in the situation according to His Will. As we continue to pray, we may have contact with the person in question, but if nothing is said or asked of you then remain silent and allow the Lord to work through your prayers. If the person in question asks for your opinion, or asks if the Lord has shown you anything, then you might venture to say what He has shown you. But even then you must use wisdom in your approach. And if they do not ask, then the Lord has not opened their heart to receive, so remain in prayer and do not force the issue. If the Lord has not moved on their heart, how can we improve upon Him?
So there are no rules, but one: obtain a genuine love for someone before you ever say anything. You should be able to pray for them and ask the Lord to soften your heart towards them. Otherwise, if you do go to them, your words may be correct, but your attitude will be wrong, and they will use your attitude as an excuse to dismiss what you’re saying. This is human nature. It would be difficult for me to refuse to hear someone that comes to me with tears in their eyes because they love me so much and have been praying for me. It is much easier to refuse to hear someone whom I don’t know, who has no tears, and whom I sense is only trying to make me look bad. Even if the truth is on their side, it is difficult to get past their spirit.
So I would say, guard your heart first of all. This should automatically slow you down and make you quiet, once you come to the Lord and ask for Light. The Light helps us to see the thoughts and intents of the heart. It’s the only way to stay humble. We don’t get humble by reminding ourselves to be humble. We are meek because we come to the Light and God shows us our real condition. Then we dare not lift ourselves up or think too highly of ourselves.
There is no need to be hasty. In fact, out of 100 hasty actions, hardly any of them will be led of the Spirit. Watch and pray, give the Lord a chance to work. It helps to remember that you are not the Holy Spirit. You are not responsible for convicting people of sin. Give them to God and let Him do His work. Part of that work may be to use you, and you have to be prepared for that also. Seldom are we always prepared to speak and act in total love. So it is wise to move slowly, yet confidently.

God's One Desire

God's One Desire

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”
ROMANS 8:32

Everyone who looks does not see. Everyone who hears does not listen. What are we looking for? What is it that we need to see? What would God reveal to us? There is but one desire of God for us, and that is that we may see Christ. God does not reveal one hundred, one thousand, or one million things to us. He is pleased to give us His Son, and He delights for us to look only to Him. Not even to the things He gives, but to Him Who is the Gift. We may pray for revelation into a great many matters, but only one thing is important to God, that is, that we may have revelation into the Son.

If we know the Son, if we possess the Son, if we see the Son, we know and possess and see all that God has and is, for He has deposited all of Himself into His Son, and all of His Son He deposited into us.

Source: Lord of All by Chip Brogden

LK10: A great video about Church 101 in Uruguay

 

Dear LK10 Family,

Matt and Toni Daniels are church planters in Uruguay who just started going through Church 101 a month ago and then began applying what they were learning with their own family.  I think you will be greatly encouraged as you hear their story in the video below.  Here are three things you might especially notice...

1.  I see Matt and Toni as answers to the Lk 10:2b prayer.  The Lord of the harvest called them a long time ago to church planting.  But, just recently He connected them to the LK10 Community which is giving them new tools for ministry.  Notice how the Lord was working preveniently(!) to prepare them for the Church 101 Course.

2.  Matt and Toni began practicing the rhythms first with their own children.  But, then, notice how those rhythms spilled over very naturally to people they had over for dinner.

3.  Then, on their own (no coaching from me!), they decided to form a cohort of their friends to go through Church 101.  Notice the viral nature of Church 101 which can be passed on from generation of people to the next.

To hear their story, click on this link (not the photo):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnUmQGGxdH4

"We always wanted to do this but didn't know how"  (Toni Daniels)

Early bird registration for the LK10 National Conference  (Aug 29 - Sept 1)

Who does the Lord want you to begin praying for and inviting?  This Conference may be the single most powerful tool for equipping and envisioning your friends for seeing a church planting movement in your city or region. 

Pre-Registration:  You can reserve your spot at the Conference and lock in the Early Bird Registration rate ($230) for only $50 (non refundable).  (The remainder of $180 is due by July 15th).  

For more information and to register:  http://www.eventbrite.com/e/2014-lk10-labor-day-weekend-conference-tickets-10955593475?utm_campaign=new_eventv2&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eb_email&utm_term=eventurl_text

*Questions?  Contact me (John White) at John.LK10@gmail.com

Pray for the West Coast LK10 Conference this week (Thursday through Sunday)

I'll be joining with Mina Millen and John Parker in leading several meetings in central California (Los Gatos, Gilroy, Chowchilla).  Dates:  April 10-13.  For more information contact Mina:  minamillen@aol.com or John:  coachingparker@comcast.net

*Pray that we clearly see what the Spirit is doing in each gathering and how to join Him.  Pray that the Lord of the harvest will thrust out people of peace (to start individual house churches) and apostolic church planters (to plant multiple churches).

Delighted to be on the journey with you!

John

John White
Team Leader
LK10:  A Community of Practice for House Church Leaders
LK10.com

A Simple Discernment Test

 

A Simple Discernment Test

“It is the truth concerning Jesus that inspires all prophecy.”
REVELATION 19:10 (Knox)

The prophetic word is given to point us to Jesus. Everything the Holy Spirit would speak, reveal, teach, and show us is towards this same end, which is CHRIST.

We do not need to mull over every dream, vision, word, or prophecy, trying to exegete its hidden meaning, struggling to extract some spiritual significance where none exists. If what we see and hear does not point us to Jesus then it is not prophetic and should be discarded. This simple test will keep us from distraction.

Source: The Irresistible Kingdom by Chip Brogden

Clothed With Christ

 

Clothed With Christ

“He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.”
MATTHEW 17:2

To be clothed with the Lord Jesus is to be transfigured. For too long we who claim a heavenly calling, a heavenly citizenship, and a heavenly birth have lived as earthly men. What light we have is hidden beneath a bushel; there is no glory that surrounds us. We are not talking about an outward display, or something fleshly, but a Light and a Life which demonstrates the presence of Christ. “In Him was Life – and the Life was the Light of men” (John 1:4).

Source: Lord of All by Chip Brogden

Clothed With Christ

 

Clothed With Christ

“The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus
has made me free from the Law of Sin and Death.”
ROMANS 8:2

Two laws are mentioned in this passage of Scripture: the Law of Life, and the Law of Sin and Death. We who are in Christ Jesus have been delivered from the Law of Sin and Death and are under a new law, which is the Law of Life. The difference between a theoretical walk with Christ and a practical walk with Christ hinges upon being able to differentiate between the Law of Life and the Law of Death. In the Garden the choice was between the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Law of Death) or the Tree of Life (Law of Life).

We must make the same choice today. Christians are much exercised in trying to discern between good and evil, right and wrong, Spirit and flesh. It seems the more we try to figure this out the more frustrated we become. Instead, God would have us come to the Tree of Life. This Life will instruct us in all things, including what is right and what is wrong, yet it is deeper than mere knowledge.

Source: Lord of All by Chip Brogden

Giving and Receiving

 

Giving and Receiving

“Not My will, but Yours, be done.”
LUKE 22:42”

The Cross demonstrates that we do not gain by trying to get, but by losing in order to gain. We cannot really receive from God until we have learned to give up to God. It is the spirit which cries, “Not my will, but Yours be done” and “Father, into Your Hands I commit my spirit.”

These words are easily uttered, but we cannot appreciate them or really experience them until we have been through our Gethsemane experiences and our Golgotha experiences. Until that time we are merely reciting some words, but we do not truly know what it means to give ourselves up to God, to be completely consecrated and submitted to Him. The Cross prepares us to receive by first forcing us to give up. Therefore, the Cross is gaining through losing.

Source: Embrace the Cross by Chip Brogden

All in All

 

All in All

“That in all things He may have the preeminence.”
COLOSSIANS 1:18

The unavoidable, inevitable conclusion is that Christ will have the preeminence – not just in some things, but in all things. To achieve this, He works one-on-one with His disciples. He then gathers all His disciples together into a spiritual family where they grow and learn together. This spiritual family then invites the rest of the world to join them in giving Christ the preeminence in all things, so that “God may be all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:28).

At the risk of over-simplifying the process, that is the essence of this great movement of God. The point must be reiterated that Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for all sins: “not for ours only but also for the whole world” (1 John 2:2) and He has sent His representatives into “all the world” to “preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

Source: The Irresistible Kingdom by Chip Brogden

On returning from Tajikistan

Friends, As some of you will remember, we began to partner with Jacqueline and her charity, Home of Change (www.homeofchange.nl), in serving women at risk in Tajikistan. We take this opportunity to congratulate Jacqueline & her team on being awarded the 2013 Charity of the Year!   Recently Jacqueline and two friends were in Tajikistan sharing time with the team and the friends there.  These are some of her thoughts on returning home to The Netherlands.  Steve

"These past one and a half days I have tried to find a place in my heart for all the stories I heard last week in Tajikistan.  I have never seen such sorrow, hunger, emptiness and grief . Tajikistan- Who knows that nation? Who remembers the widows and orphans who are desolate as a result of war, death, immorality and violence?

The girls we met now live in my heart, with their stories about rape, murder, abuse, forced prostitution, hunger, despair and their daily fight to live and find a glimpse of joy.

To my amazement most of the people we met had had an encounter with Jesus, quite often without people's "intervention", and when they spoke about Him their eyes would light up... In the midst of their poverty and desolation there was light in their eyes and their smiles. I might never understand the depth of their faith, but I do know that they have not put up a religious act to convince me to also start following the God they love. On the contrary, they have deeply understood the power of grace, they have grasped the truth about unconditional love and I have tasted it. Now I understand why the people they meet in the streets or in the prisons desire to meet the Person called Love. The way He is being reflected is real, truthful and pure. Nothing like the way most western believers live their faith.

To be honest, I feel ashamed of what we made God to be....of how we reflect Him by spending millions on our  buildings with all their tech toys. I am ashamed of rich people saying that it's not about the building and the money but that God also wants us to live a prosperous life. I am ashamed that western believers have the gall to spend one more cent on better chairs for their churches. We need to balance things, yes... Yet, many things are not about balance but plain selfishness under a religious cover.

I've been thinking this for quite a long time already, but now.....after having been in a country where people are being killed and persecuted for their faith in Jesus, after having tasted this new deep kind of integrity and complete transparency of heart, my thinking sort of anchored in my spirit...as if my fear to think like this disappeared and made room to be true to what I believe should change in churches world wide. I am done with excuses and ways to live a church life that is all about us and our pleasure, no matter the fact that God enjoys to bless us and give us what we (truly) need.

I love my simple life even though I sometimes worry about my finances and even though I am frustrated at times about "only" having one small shelf with clothes. My heart has been changed and challenged to embrace people with grace and unconditional love. Let those who must build their buildings and play in their bands on fancy stages do so but I now know that I am truly done with it.

All I desire is to live Love, and allow myself to be challenged by that."

Jacqueline Rijnsburger

www.harvest-now.org

Whose Agenda?

 

Whose Agenda?

“Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
MATTHEW 6:10

The chief objective of prayer is to bring us into cooperation with the Father so that we are harmonious with Him – with respect to our love relationship as well as our working relationship. Much time and effort in prayer is spent trying to get God involved with OUR agenda, with OUR plans, with OUR goals, with OUR cause, with OUR needs, real or imagined. But after all, who is the Master? Who is the servant? Whose will are we seeking anyway: ours, or His?

If our agenda is not harmonious with His then our agenda has to go. Most of our prayers are simply too small, too narrow-minded, and too constricted. We do not see anything beyond our present surroundings. We have not seen the big picture. We do not have a heavenly perspective. So to begin with we must empty ourselves of all preconceived ideas and seek the Lord’s Will and the Lord’s Kingdom when we pray, for this truly honors the Father.

Source: The Irresistible Kingdom by Chip Brogden

How to Get Revelation

“When it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me.”
GALATIANS 1:15,16

People sometimes ask me what they have to do to obtain this great revelation of Christ. They think it is God’s way of rewarding us for a lot of hard work. Nothing could be further from the truth.

To have one’s eyes opened is simply an act of grace, and God alone can do it, and will do it, if we will only ask Him. At the risk of making it sound “too easy,” I dare not make it any more difficult than that!

Source: Lord of All by Chip Brogden

Only One Thing is Needed

“Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
LUKE 10:41,42

This One Thing relates to Christ filling all things as the Preeminent One. If we see that God is working all things together according to this Purpose of summing up everything into Christ, towards the One Thing, then we will naturally seek those things which are conducive to this, and we will naturally shun those things which are not.

Later we see Martha continues serving, but everything is all right – there is no complaining about Mary, and everything seems to go on as it should. It is not that service, fellowship, or preparing meals is a bad thing: it simply has to be in the right order. It is not that we cannot perform many good works and spiritual duties, but the work of the Lord must never have preeminence over the Lord of the work.

Source: Lord of All by Chip Brogden

Seeing Victory

“Elisha prayed, and said, ‘Lord, I pray,
open his eyes that he may see.’ Then the LORD opened
the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold,
the mountain was full of horses and chariots of
fire all around Elisha.”
2 KINGS 6:17

Denying the existence of the adversary will not make him disappear. We acknowledge and admit that there is a real enemy, a real spirit of Antichrist, that is out to destroy the Remnant and hinder the Testimony of Jesus. We also acknowledge and admit that more often than not, this spirit of Antichrist seems to get the advantage over us.

Even so, the issue is not the enemy. We may look at the enemy, study him, and build an entire movement around different ways to fight him. We can write books and hold seminars on “spiritual warfare.” But when we look out from the mountain, what do we really see? Here is the difference between those who overcome and those who are defeated: it is not in their ability to fight, but in their ability to SEE, and this seeing is not of themselves, but is of God.

Source: The Irresistible Kingdom by Chip Brogden

Mental Illness & End Times

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USB Drive MP3 Bundle

We are now offering a discounted price on pre-packaged MP3 files. These will be sent through the mail on a USB Drive along with a card listing the files that are on the drive. They are divided into 6 different genres of MP3 files: Visitations, End Times, Hearing the Fathers Voice, House Church, Biblical Teachings, and a Drive offering all our MP3 files/PDF files up to March 2014.

The Revelation of the Holy Spirit -Part 2 of a 3 Part Series  This is part 2 of a 3 part series entitled: The Revelation of the Father, The Revelation of the Holy Spirit, The Revelation of the Son. In 'The Revelation of the Holy Spirit' we look at the relationship between the Father and the Holy Spirit, His role and function in us, Who He is, and are we to pray to Him? You will understand the trinity and flow of Father, Spirit, and Son as we flow in our lives spirit, soul, and body, and how the emotions of the Father God are manifest and flow outward to people - and much more!

 (2 cd/MP3, $12/set or MP3 $10)

Hi all,

Many of us know someone who lives in an ongoing state of emotional trauma, or perhaps even emotionally ill. Statistics in the US state and estimated 26% of adults over age 18 suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder, which is 1 in 4 adults or over 57 million people - so most of us know someone touched by a mental disorder. Yet helping these friends and family become healthy and whole in their emotions and minds is a mystery to most of us. ( http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-numbers-count-mental-disorders-in-America/index.shtml )

Where does the emotional end and the demonic begin? Where do the natural brain processes of chemical and electrical functions end and the demonic begin? What does scripture have to say about the causes and cures of emotional and mental disorders or illness?

"Conduct Disorder"

That was the diagnosis of an 8 year old boy who compulsively lied and believed his lies, with various behavioral issues related to Conduct Disorder. By the time he turned 18 the diagnosis became "Anti-social Personality Disorder". He was a compulsive liar, believing his own lies and version of reality, a manipulator, thief, and would argue violently if someone presented him with the truth.

In his 20's his condition and behavior became more criminal and complicated. He showed no remorse for any of his actions for in mind his scheme was real and everyone else was wrong. "It was a misunderstanding" became the most common explanation for everything from criminal charges he faced to getting fired from jobs to broken relationships.

He was promiscuous as he presented women intricate stories of supposed trust fund wealth and swept them off their feet, only to steal jewelry, cars, and money along with their hearts in the process. For instance: Several times he went to a high end car dealership, took a Ferrari or other exotic car for a test drive, used it for a quick date, then returned the vehicle, only to explain to the woman on the next date the Ferrari was in the shop or he sold it and was waiting for delivery of his next Ferrari.

He spent most of his 20's and 30's in prison for theft, larceny, fraud, and various other crimes.

Delusional or demonic?

He eventually married and seemed to settle down, children came along and life progressed. But he wasn't healed, delivered, nor was his mind renewed by the Word. Christianity held no power nor hope for him and he became an atheist.

He came from a Christian family but was the child of divorce. Was he simply mentally ill and needed healing, or did he need deliverance? What were the spiritual forces at work that led him into mental illness, and how much was willful indulgence and even enjoyment of the scams and intrigue? Just where do the natural and emotional processes of the brain end, and the demonic start?

Remember this example because next week I'll explain how he became that way, and his case will provide answers for others.

Suicide and Christians?

Mental and emotional illness is seen throughout scripture, though other words are used, and in some cases the situation is presented as having demonic influences as the reason for the illness. In the last 10 years I've seen more Christians than ever before battling emotional and mental illnesses, and about once a month someone will email me asking if a Christian commits suicide are they doomed to hell.

My response is that Christians die of a physical illness and we don't doubt their salvation, so why would we doubt a Christian's salvation when a mental illness results in them killing themselves? Also, how many believers are committing slow suicide through obesity, smoking, or substance abuse? A person can be mentally ill just like they can be physically ill while in their spirit, they are born again.

Mental illness a sign of the end times

In this series I intend to trace the process that starts a person down the road to emotional and mental illness, and how to reverse that process with the Lord. We will look at what opened the door for several people in scripture and look at solutions. I know many people who have triumphed over emotional and mental illness and there are some common elements that were key to their victory, which I'll share in this series.

Jesus and Paul made comments that in the last days people's hearts would fail them for fear, the love of many would turn cold, people would have no conscience, ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, people would be allowed to believe delusions. Paul also said people would become 'past feeling' or have no conscience (no remorse) and so give themselves over to various sins and evil.

(Luke 21:26, Matthew 24:12, I Timothy 4:1-2, II Timothy 3:1-7, Ephesians 4:19)

Mental and emotional illnesses are one of the signs of the end times, yet teachings about this fact are few and far between. Our society is emotionally and mentally ailing and we see the results in the headlines depicting senseless violence on all levels, involving Christians and non-Christians alike.

What solutions are there in Christian culture?

When Jesus said at His return He is looking for a people who gave food & drink to the hungry, clothed the naked, visited the sick and imprisoned, isn't it likely some of those people came to be in those conditions through emotional or mental illnesses?

In popular charismatic circles teachings about mental illness automatically blame demons without looking at other causes the Bible presents. And there are some ministries that tell people they must trace their family as far back as 10 generations to find what ancestor opened the door to demons that now all these generations later, are causing them misery.

Some ministries consider any negative event in a person's life as needing 'inner' healing, and the person is often led with a 'coach' to visualize the event, visualize Jesus coming into that event, and basically re-writing history to include Jesus standing there with great love and healing while they recall that situation.

The prevailing theme woven throughout these efforts is basically 'It isn't my fault', or 'the devil made me do it' or 'my ancestor is to blame for me being in this condition', or 'I would could gain the victory if I could find the one key that my ancestor used to open the door to the demonic in our family line'.  

The other end of the pendulum

If attacking emotional and mental illness as always demonic is on one end of the pendulum's swing, the opposite end is treating it as a strictly clinical 'Christian' issue, which to most charismatic's appears 'non-spiritual'. This is what scares many Charismatic's away from a 'Christian mental hospital' or residency program - fear over the combination of natural and psychological help when the assumption is the issue is demonic. Yet success is often found in these programs when they combine the Biblical and medical, which may include medications, with practical skills for the patient to combat wrong thoughts and emotions.

In between these two seems to be a no man's land of mystery, danger and suspicion. So let us start by looking at some people who suffered emotional disorders, conditions, or mental illnesses in scripture, then we'll peer behind the veil of their minds to discern the difference between the emotional, mental, and demonic, and the healing power of God available to all.

A few examples to consider

King Saul - uncontrolled outburst of rage, paranoia, fear - soothed by worship music.

Nebuchadnezzar - believed he was an animal, in modern terms: Lycanthropy, Boanthropy, Schizophrenia.

David, Job, Elijah - suffered from depression at times in their lives.

Gadarene man with 'Legion' - had an 'unclean' spirit (often means sexually unclean), cut himself, naked.

Judas - committed suicide when his plans to force Jesus to prove Himself failed.

Cain - murdered his brother in a fit of rage, but with a well documented path to his decision to murder.

And with this list of just a few people in the Bible I've run out of room for this week. Next week I'll examine THE root need in our lives as taught by Jesus, and the results of a person not having that need met - which can lead to mental disorders.

    Until then, blessings,

        John Fenn

cwowi.org and email me at cwowi@aol.com