Radical Adjustment

"If I have told you earthly
things and you do not believe, how will you believe
if I tell you heavenly things?"
JOHN 3:12

The path of progress, of spiritual maturity, hinges upon our willingness to let go of the old ways and embrace the new ways; to rise above the lower order of things and walk in a higher order - a heavenly way, a spiritual way, as opposed to the earthly, natural, carnal way that we are so used to walking. Repentance is a continual process of agreeing with what God shows us about ourselves and then making the necessary adjustments.

The Holy Spirit is intent upon making radical adjustments - to create in us a willingness to look at things differently; an eagerness to begin seeing things as God sees them, regardless of how uncomfortable that may be; to value the things that He values and let go of lesser things; to align ourselves with His Mind and Will for all things; to leave our ground altogether and come onto His ground - regardless of the consequences.

TOUCHING "BELIEFS" VS TOUCHING CHRIST

"Put on the new man which was created
according to God, in true righteousness and holiness."
EPHESIANS 4:24

The old man (self) is put off, and the New Man (Christ) is put on - this is Christianity. Christ then becomes my Righteousness and my Holiness. But too many of us take a natural, intellectual approach to Christianity. We think if only we can instruct people concerning the tenets of our faith, or persuade them with a logical argument, or woo them with some emotional plea, then we will have disciples. This is a falsehood. That is not Spirit and Life.

Christianity is not memorizing certain doctrines or disseminating a systematic theology or having people repeat a so-called "Sinner's Prayer." Christianity is becoming one with a God-Man! You can have all the other in its proper place, but for too long that "other" has been offered as Christianity. And so people touch our beliefs, our doctrines, our religion, our theology, our zeal, but they do not touch a Living Christ.

THE ESSENCE OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY

"Indeed I also count all things
loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my
Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things,
and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ."
PHILIPPIANS 3:8

For the Christian, Christ is increasing, Christ is becoming larger and larger, Christ is becoming the focus. It is quite simple to see who is, and who is not, living up to this standard.

The more spiritually mature a person is the more Christ-centered they cannot help but become. This is the unavoidable and inevitable consequence of becoming a Christian, a disciple of Jesus. This is how the Holy Spirit leads each and every true believer, and there are no exceptions to the rule. It is as predictable and certain as the sunrise following after the darkness of night.

A WORD FROM TOZER

THE CHURCH - DIFFERENT FROM the WORLD
-by A.W. Tozer.

Therefore "Come out from among them and be separate," says the
Lord. "Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you."
- 2 Corinthians 6:17

The church's mightiest influence is felt when she is different from
the world in which she lives. Her power lies in her being different,
rises with the degree in which she differs and sinks as the
difference diminishes.

This is so fully and clearly taught in the Scriptures and so well
illustrated in Church history that it is hard to see how we can miss
it. But miss it we do, for we hear constantly that the Church must
try to be as much like the world as possible, excepting, of course,
where the world is too, too sinful....

Let us plant ourselves on the hill of Zion and invite the world to
come over to us, but never under any circumstances will we go
over to them. The cross is the symbol of Christianity, and the
cross speaks of death and separation, never of compromise. No
one ever compromised with a cross. The cross separated between
the dead and the living. The timid and the fearful will cry "Extreme!"
and they will be right. The cross is the essence of all that is
extreme and final. The message of Christ is a call across a gulf
from death to life, from sin to righteousness and from Satan to
God. (-The Set of the Sail, 35, 36).

-From the book, 'Tozer on Christian Leadership', published by
WingSpread Publishers.

LEARNING CURVES

Friends, Most will read the book of Acts and see the first apostles as the epitome of maturity, power and grace who did not need to learn or develop. Indeed as Luke writes Acts he records the events without any value judgements and we could think that each action was exactly as it should have been. Is that so?

In Acts 6:1 Luke records "there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution". Cultural prejudice in paradise! The response of the twelve was to appoint deacons to make sure no prejudice was involved in food distribution since they did not think it "desirable that (they) should leave the word of God and serve tables". Interesting response from men whose feet the Master had washed and who had heard His words "Whatever is done unto the least is done unto me." They still had not absorbed the teaching of Matthew 20:25- 28 given when they were arguing about who was going to be greatest!

The sentence, "But we will give ourselves continually to pray and the ministry of the word." has been used and abused to support a priestly, clergy, special class over the rest of the church. I wonder if the false apostles which Paul talked about used this as well? Was this why Paul was so insistent in his testimony and teaching of Acts 20:33- 35 that apostolic servants work to provide for not only themselves but also for those who are with them?

The apostles were commanded in Acts 1:8 to be witnesses to Jesus in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria "and to the end of the earth." By Acts 8:1 they and all the church were still in Jerusalem but due to "great persecution.... they were all scattered... except the apostles". The apostles were the ones who heard the command to go and they were the only ones who stayed? Why were they able to stay? Acts 6:7 records that "a great number of the priests were obedient to the faith". Had the apostles become friendly with or enough of a part of the religious establishment that they were protected and did not have to flee with the "ordinary" believers?

Even when the apostles had begun to go, Galatians 3:9 records that they were only still going to the "circumcised" while giving "the right hand of fellowship" that Paul and Barnabas should go to the Gentiles. Twelve for a minority group in the empire and and two for the rest of the world? The truth, of course is that the twelve did go to the world and gave their lives for the gospel but it took them awhile! They had their journey. They had their learning curve.

Maybe this is why Paul was a bit dismissive of them when he says that James, Peter and John "seemed to be something" twice in Galatians 2:6 and then says that they "seemed to be pillars" in verse 9. Or maybe Paul's problem with them was them being unclear over the circumcision thing and having to confront Peter on that one?

Why did he have to confront Peter? When Peter was alone with them, he ate with both the Gentiles- no problem but when the believers from Jerusalem came who were still jealous of the law, Peter separated himself and would no longer eat with the Gentiles. Galatians 2:11- 14 records that Paul, rebuking him for his duplicity, "withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed.... before them all" since this duplicity had already spread to the rest of the team. This is real iron sharpening iron and being done publicly. Do you think Paul was out of line? Do you think those you walk with would accept public rebuke?

It could be said that one of the steepest learning curves for the apostles was how to share the Kingdom without imposing their Jewish culture and background. Peter needed a vision to prepare him to go to the house of Cornelius. The first council was convened to settle this issue. One of the most heartening comments about "The Luke 10 Manual" comes from a brother who has chosen to remain in his muslim culture, "This manual presents the Kingdom of God stripped of all western religious institutionalism and culture values like nothing else that I have read." May I encourage you to go to www.lulu.com and order your copy?

Many have commented that one proof that the Scriptures are inspired is that they give a real accounts of the heroes of faith, not sanitized, romanticized and idealized fictions. The struggles are there. The failures are there. The world is not offended by our struggles. It is offended by our attempt to hide our struggles and failures behind masks of spirituality and perfection. Humility and struggle does not offend but hypocrisy does. Yes, the early apostles and the early church had a learning curve.

I trust that does not offend you.
I trust that encourages you.
We have certainly had our learning curve!
Thanks to all of you who are sharing our journey.
Steve & Marilyn

A CHALLENGING STORY

Friends, let me share a story with you as related to me by a Canadian friend who spends significant time in India. His last trip there was earlier this year during which time he met an Indian brother with a very challenging testimony. This brother, whose name is Randeep, was a nominal, Christian who identified himself as such simply because his parents were Christian and he was not a Muslim or Hindu.

However, his mother became an ardent follower of Jesus and felt to go to an area in Northern India near the border with Tibet. Her family felt she was crazy and refused to go with her so she went alone. Two years later Randeep and his Hindu wife decided to visit her. While Randeep was walking along a street he saw a Hindu priest trying to cast evil spirits out of a totally demonized woman who was writhing on the sidewalk. As he walked past, he heard a voice command him to pray for the woman and set her free. He kept walking arguing with the voice that he did not know what to say. Again the voice came commanding him to help the woman and said, "Do you not think I can manifest myself through anyone on this street should I choose to do so?"

He walked back and as he did so heard the priest telling the woman to bring certain offerings to the temple. Righteous anger rose up in him and he rebuked the priest for laying more burdens upon the woman and then laid his hands upon her to pray. To his amazement, for the first time in his life, he began to pray in tongues and the woman was set free.

The next morning he woke up to the noise of a crowd milling around outside the house. He became afraid that something had gone wrong with the woman and they were there to beat him up. So his mother went out to see what was going on. They asked her, "Does Jesus lives here?" "Yes He does.", was her reply. So they invited the crowd into the house and prayed for them all. That was the beginning of seven years of great grace and miracles.

Soon his mother was saying to Randeep that he needed to begin to teach the new followers but his question was what to teach them? Knowing it was Jesus who had spoken to him, he began to read the gospels to find out who Jesus was and what He did. Reading that Jesus had twelve disciples, he did the same and began to follow Jesus with them. Realizing that their state had twelve districts, after three years with his disciples, he sent them to start all over again in each of those twelve states. That was fifteen years ago and now this movement has baptized over 150,000 plus those baptized by other teams they have trained.

Once he had sent out his twelve disciples Randeep needed to start over again and seeking to obey Jesus in Luke 10 he moved to a new city and began to walk the streets. After three months of praying, walking, blessing the city and seeking a man of peace, a man came to him and said, "I have seen you walking by day after day. Why?" Randeep explained what he was doing and the man asked him to come into his home to pray for his sick wife. Jesus healed the woman and that home became the house of peace for the beginning of a new multiplication of the generations of Jesus Christ.

As my friend interviewed many to understand the dynamic of the movement, one phrase was repeated over and over. The phrase? "The Holy Spirit spoke, the Holy Spirit moved me, the Holy Spirit led me..." These believers had been connected to Jesus by the Holy Spirit. They had not been connected to a human leader, to a book, to a doctrine, to a system- they had been plunged deep into relationship with Jesus.

It is sad that one of the challenges this movement has to face is from western missionaries who have come to them and charge them with not planting "real" churches since they have no buildings, no bible schools and no paid, professional clergy. How can they be so blind? Jesus forgive them. How do these followers of Jesus respond to that charge? "We are simply following the example and words of Jesus. We are healing the sick, casting out the demons, raising the dead, baptizing those who believe, making disciples who do the same and forming communities of disciple who meet where ever life happens. Where is your fruit?"

We are challenged again about the simplicity of following Jesus
Jesus you capture our hearts again and again
Steve & Marilyn

www.harvest-now.org

Ziklag: The Test of Kings

Ziklag: The Test of Kings
by Chip Brogden

http://theschoolofchrist.org/articles/ziklag-the-test-of-kings.html


"...But David encouraged himself in the Lord His God."
(I Samuel 30:6b).


Early in my Christian walk I somehow reached the erroneous conclusion that if you love God and do what His Word says then nothing bad will ever happen to you. This idea was reinforced by teachers and preachers who claimed that people who knew how to exercise their faith and operate under the anointing and walk in the Spirit would never get sick, become depressed, lose money, or come under spiritual attack.

Time and experience are patient teachers, and in their classroom I learned a different view of life.

Consider the life of David, "a man after God's own heart", the "sweet psalmist of Israel." Surely a man after God's own heart will never have to experience terrible trials, afflictions, misunderstanding, suffering, rejection, pain or misfortune!

But in David we see that even someone who is after God's own heart, someone who seeks Him early and often, someone who desires Him more than anything else - yes, THAT kind of person, ESPECIALLY that kind of person! - will be called upon to endure some of the most excruciating physical, emotional, and spiritual rigors imaginable.


DISASTER AT ZIKLAG

David's problems began as soon as he was anointed! As soon as his calling and destiny was confirmed by Samuel the prophet, David became a target for the jealous rage of Saul. The anointing, for David, was like a huge sign around his neck that invited trouble.

I Samuel 30 records one of the severest tests in David's life. Circumstances would force him into a "do or die" situation. His response to this test would either confirm his destiny as king or destroy him completely. There would be no warning for what was about to happen, and there would be no second chances.

"And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way. So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives" (I Samuel 30:1-3).

How do you respond to impossible situations? How do you react when everything you hold dear is taken from you? The first reaction is quite natural, quite human, and quite understandable:

"Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep" (I Samuel 30:4).

I cannot imagine what those six hundred screaming, crying men sounded like. It must have been the most awful sound in the world. They wept, and cried, and screamed out in agony, until they had no more power to weep. How long did this go on? I don't know, but the episode left them emotionally bankrupt, absolutely numb from grief, with no more power to cry even though they wanted to.

But it would get worse before it got better!


WILL YOU CHOOSE TO GET BITTER, OR GET BETTER?

"And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters..." (I Samuel 30:5,6a).

Not only did David have to deal with his own personal loss, but he also had to deal with the combined losses of his men, who were now looking for someone to blame. David, as the leader, was the most likely target. Facing Goliath is one thing, but dealing with six hundred angry, grief-stricken men is another.

It looked like David was done for. Six hundred angry men coming against one man. There could be no escape from this.

I believe that every one of us will, at least one time in our life, come face-to-face with a Ziklag experience. Everything you have in this world is either taken away or burning down right before your eyes.

Friends, I have learned that when things like this "come to pass" in your life, you have a choice. You can get bitter, or you can get better. Six hundred men chose to get bitter. That is the easy path. One man chose to get better. That is the narrow path.

Kings are anointed by God and selected based on how they respond to situations like this.

How would you respond?

In a similar situation, many of us would have had this conversation with ourselves: "I thought God had called me. I thought God had anointed me to be king of Israel. But that was a long time ago, and I have seen nothing but trouble ever since. I have spent the best years of my life running from Saul. I did the right thing, and now I'm being punished. What do I have to show for it? Absolutely nothing! I've lost my family and everything I have is going up in smoke. The people are ready to stone me. Everything is against me. I quit! I give up! Just let me die so I can have some peace! God can keep his anointing, it's too much of a price to pay."

I know most of us would say this because most of us HAVE said this at one time or another. I have given up many times (at least temporarily) because the pressure was too great. The easiest thing to do in a situation like this is to just lay down and die. And that is what most people end up doing.

David had an opportunity to do the same thing.

This verse could have very easily read:

"And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters. So David gave up, and the people stoned him, and tossed his body onto the burning rubble of Ziklag. And God was very displeased and began looking for a new king..."

This worst-case scenario is actually played out in real-life with real brothers and sisters who have a real calling from God but are on the verge of giving up because Ziklag has left them wounded, hurt, bitter, disillusioned, jaded, frustrated, or disappointed.

Brothers and sisters, Ziklag can either be your graveyard or your greatest opportunity. The decision is yours.


"BUT DAVID ENCOURAGED HIMSELF"

What did David do?

"...But David encouraged himself in the Lord His God." (I Samuel 30:6b).

Thank the Lord for "but"! The sheer weight of things was piling up. The pressure was enormous. One bad thing after another was coming against David. One tiny word - "but" - introduces something new, something different, something that rises up to stand against all this doom, depression, disillusionment, distress, and desperation.

Nothing had changed and the situation looked hopeless - but David encouraged himself in the Lord His God.

In a similar situation we might call the pastor to come pray for us. We might look for a prophet to give us a word. We might go to our brothers and sisters and ask them to pray for a breakthrough. If we have people around us then we can and should ask for their prayers and support. Yet David had none of this.

What do you do when all visible means of support have collapsed? What do you do when the people you used to be friends with are now ready to stone you? And what do you do when you are all alone? The easiest thing to do is quit.

"But David encouraged himself in the Lord His God."

One translation says, "But David strengthened himself in the Lord His God." Another version says, "But David took courage from the Lord His God."

How did he do it? Was it a special song? Was it a special prayer? Was it something he confessed? Exactly how did David encourage himself?

We do not know, because the Bible does not say specifically. He probably did a little of all the above. He probably went back in time and remembered how the Lord helped him to kill the lion and the bear who tried to steal his father's sheep. He probably thought about the time the Lord helped him to slay Goliath. He probably thought about all the times when the Lord had delivered him from being destroyed by Saul.

All that is speculation, but here is what I want you to know: if David could encourage himself in the Lord, so can you. You can encourage YOURSELF.

Since most people are takers, and not givers, most people are looking to receive encouragement, not give it. It is very difficult to find encouragement in other people. I am always appreciative of encouraging letters and kind words when I receive them, but I cannot always depend on other people to encourage me. Neither can you.

"But David encouraged HIMSELF."

You have to learn to encourage yourself. You will not always find encouragement in your circumstances. It is not easy to look on the ashes of your life and imagine anything good coming out of it. Fiery trials and difficult tests are not conducive to encouragement. Most of the things in this world are specifically designed to DIScourage you.

"But David encouraged HIMSELF."

When the enemy says, "You've lost everything", you can encourage yourself in the Lord your God!

When friends forsake you and the people say, "It's all your fault", you can encourage yourself in the Lord your God!

When your circumstances say, "You'll never make it out alive," you can encourage yourself in the Lord your God!

What is the secret to David's strength? Where did David find encouragement? Certainly not in his situation. Not in the prophet Samuel. Not in his family and friends.

"But David encouraged himself IN THE LORD his God."

In the Lord! In the Lord! In the Lord!

This is why Paul could say, "When I am weak, then I am strong. Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice! Because it is GOD Who is working in you, and He WILL complete the good work He has begun in you, and ALL THINGS are working together for good according to HIS purpose!"

This is not some kind of positive confession, faith-promise formula. It is not up to you, it is up to Him, and since you have nothing to lose anyway, you have everything to gain by casting yourself completely upon the Lord and finding your strength IN HIM.


PURSUE AND RECOVER ALL!

When David had encouraged himself in the Lord, and asked God what to do next, the Lord said,

"Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all" (I Samuel 30:8b).

And so David wiped away his tears, took his sword, led his six hundred angry men into battle, defeated the enemy, and recovered everything they had lost.

That's what it means to be a king.

On that day, David turned tragedy into triumph. He passed the Ziklag test. He did not have his crown yet - that would come later, but that did not matter right now. He did not need a crown or a throne to prove he was a king. His kingship was demonstrated there in the rubble of Ziklag, where he learned to encourage himself in the Lord His God.

Don't ever give up! Ziklag is not your final resting place, it is only the test of kings. Encourage yourself in the Lord, pursue, recover, and move forward. This is your destiny, and this is the word of the Lord to you. May it be so!


I am your brother,
Chip Brogden