3 infallible proofs that Christ rose from the dead

by Dr. R. L. Hymers, Jr.

"To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3).

The earliest Jewish argument presupposes the truth of the empty tomb. In other words, there was nobody claiming that the tomb still contained the body of Jesus. The question was, "What happened to the body?"

Jesus showed Himself alive. He "presented" Himself to the Apostles (Rienecker, A Linguistic Key to the New Testament). He presented Himself "alive after his passion," that is, after He had "suffered" (Strong's Concordance). This suffering included the scourging, which stripped the skin from His back, and inflicted great gaping wounds; His crucifixion, during which His feet and hands were nailed to a cross; His agonizing death; and the piercing of His side, when a sword was driven up into His heart. But Christ rose from the dead on the third day after He was buried. And He "shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs."

The words "infallible proofs" are the English translation of the Greek word "tekmerios." It means "demonstrative proofs" (Rienecker, ibid.). "In medical language 'demonstrative evidence'" (William Hobart, The Medical Languages of St. Luke, Baker, 1954, note on Acts 1:3). Calvin said,

That the truth hereof might not be called in question, he saith that it was proved by many signs and tokens [that] I have translated proofs (John Calvin, Commentary on Acts 1:3).

Here only, in Acts 1:3, we are told that Christ was "seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3).

If he had but once appeared unto them, it might have been somewhat suspicious, but in showing himself so often unto them, and by this means, also, he putteth away the reproach of the ignorance which he said was in the apostles, lest it discredit their preaching (ibid.).

Christ appeared to the Apostles repeatedly to make them sure of His resurrection and to strengthen their preaching.

"To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs" (Acts 1:3).

We will think about three of these "infallible proofs" of Christ's resurrection from the dead this morning.

I. First, the tomb was empty when they came to it.

The women who came to the tomb found it empty. They came with spices to embalm His body – but the tomb was empty. "A young man sitting on the right side" (Mark 16:5) said to them,

"Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him" (Mark 16:6).

The Apostles themselves found the tomb empty. Mary Magdalene ran and told Peter that the body of Christ was not there.

"Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple [John himself], and came to the sepulchre…Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie…Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed" (John 20:3-8).

Even the unbelieving Romans and Jews knew that the tomb was empty. Matthew tells us,

"Some of the watch came into the city…And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day" (Matthew 28:11-15).

Lee Strobel is the author of The Case for Christ and The Case for Faith. Strobel tells us,

The Jewish leaders proposed the ridiculous story that the guards had fallen asleep. Obviously they were grasping at straws. But the point is this: they started with the assumption that the tomb was vacant!…The earliest Jewish argument presupposes the truth of the empty tomb. In other words, there was nobody claiming that the tomb still contained the body of Jesus. The question was, "What happened to the body?" (Lee Strobel, Decision, April, 2003, p. 9).

The argument of the Jewish leaders was false for three reasons:

(1) Pilate, the Roman governor, had the tomb sealed and set Roman guards to watch it. It would have cost these guards their lives if they had gone to sleep. Roman soldiers were as hardened and nearly as well trained as Navy Seals today. It isn't possible that such men would go to sleep. Furthermore, Albert Roper points out that the Roman soldiers guarding the tomb numbered approximately twenty, and were under the leadership of a Roman centurion (cf. Josh McDowell, The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict, p. 235).

(2) Even if that impossibility occurred, and a centurion and twenty Roman soldiers all went to sleep, how could these guards have remained asleep while the seal around the stone was broken and that huge stone was rolled back? It would have made a great noise as it was rolled away from the door to the tomb. Hardened, well trained Roman guards couldn't have slept through all the noise that the breaking of the seal and the rolling of the huge stone would have caused.

(3) Even if the stone had been rolled away, how would the guards know that the body was stolen – if they were asleep? They could not possibly know what happened if they were asleep! So that whole story of bribery and deceit rests on a ridiculous, trumped up lie. But that sordid plot by unbelieving Jewish leaders and Roman guards does show one thing clearly – they knew that the tomb was empty. They knew that Christ was not there.

Lee Strobel writes,

In the face of these facts, skeptics have been impotent to put Jesus' body back into the tomb. They flounder. They struggle. They contradict themselves. And they pursue extraordinary theories to try to account for the evidence, yet each time, in the end, the tomb remains vacant (ibid.).

The first "infallible proof" of the resurrection of Christ from the dead is the empty tomb. I have been to Jerusalem. My wife and I have seen the tomb of Christ. I myself can tell you – that tomb is empty!

"He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay" (Matthew 28:6).

The empty tomb is the first infallible proof of the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

"To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3).

II. Second, the Disciples saw Him many times after He rose from the dead.

This is the second "infallible proof" of Christ's resurrection. Christ did not appear once to the Disciples. He showed Himself to them many times for an extended period of forty days. He came to ten of the Apostles when they were gathered together in a locked room,

"Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost" (John 20:19-22).

But Thomas, one of the Disciples, was not there. When the other Disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord" (John 20:25), he did not believe them. He said,

"Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side [into the sword wound], I will not believe" (John 20:25).

Dr. John MacArthur, though wrong on the Blood of Christ and "Lordship salvation," is correct when he says, "Thomas' actions indicated that Jesus had to convince the disciples rather forcefully of His resurrection, i.e., they were not gullible people predisposed to believe in resurrection. The point is that they would not have fabricated it or hallucinated it, since they were so reluctant to believe even with the evidence they could see" (MacArthur Study Bible, note on John 20:24-26).

"And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold [look at] my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God" (John 20:26-28).

When Thomas said, "My Lord and my God" he was convinced at last that Christ had risen physically from the dead!

We should remember that Jesus had said something quite similar to what He told Thomas to the ten Disciples a week earlier. When He came to them, they were frightened,

"But they were terrified and affrighted [when they first saw Him], and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat [food]? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them" (Luke 24:37-43).

This account clearly tells us that Jesus did not rise as a spirit. The Jehovah's Witnesses are wrong when they say that. No, His real "flesh and bone" body rose from the dead. It was the same body that was missing from the tomb. They could see the wounds from the nails in His hands and feet. They could see the sword-wound in His side. And Jesus said to them,

"Handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have" (Luke 24:39).

This was proof-positive that Christ's own body had risen from the dead!

"To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3).

The Apostle Paul gives us a list of people who saw Jesus after He rose from the dead,

"He rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And… was seen of Cephas [another name of Peter], then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep [had by this time died]. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also" (I Corinthians 15:4-8).

Dr. Henry M. Morris is the President of the Institute for Creation Research. He is a scientist who holds a Ph.D. in hydrology from the University of Minnesota. Concerning the list of eye-witnesses recorded in I Corinthians 15:4-8, Dr. Morris says this:

The remarkable parade of eye-witnesses of the resurrection of Christ (most of whom were still living when Paul wrote and could have denied the [account] if it were not true) is part of the overwhelming body of evidence ("many infallible proofs" – Acts 1:3) that makes this the greatest event in history since the creation and the most certain fact of biblical history. Jesus Christ has, indeed, conquered death itself, thereby demonstrating that He was the Creator of life and the only possible Savior from sin and death (Henry M. Morris, Ph.D., The Defender's Study Bible, note on I Corinthians 15:6).

"To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3).

The Disciples, and hundreds of other people, saw Him many times after He rose from the dead. This is the second infallible proof of the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

III. Third, the Disciples were willing to die rather than deny Christ's resurrection.

To me, this is the greatest proof of all that Jesus rose from the dead. These people lived out the rest of their lives proclaiming that Christ had risen – and that they saw Him alive. I Corinthians 15:5-8 tells us

"He was seen of Cephas [Peter]" (v. 5).

"He was seen of above five hundred brethren" (v. 6).

"He was seen of James; then of all the apostles" (v. 7).

"He was seen of me also" (v. 8).

They said they saw Him, and they suffered torture and martyrdom rather than deny it!

John Ankerberg and John Weldon asked this question,

Could the Christian Church ever have come into existence as a result of what had become, after Jesus' crucifixion and death, a group of disheartened, frightened, skeptical apostles? Not a chance. Only the resurrection of Christ from the dead can account for motivating the disciples to give their lives to preach about Christ (John Ankerberg and John Weldon, Ready With an Answer, Harvest House, 1997, p. 82).

John R. W. Stott says, "…the transformation of the disciples of Jesus is the greatest evidence of all for the resurrection" (John R. W. Stott, Basic Christianity,second edition, InterVarsity Press, 1971, pp. 58-59).

Simon Greenleaf, a Harvard attorney, said this concerning the apostles, "It was…impossible that they should have persisted in affirming the truths they have narrated, had not Jesus actually risen from the dead, and had they not known this fact as certainly as they knew any other fact. The annals of military warfare afford scarcely an example of [similar] heroic constancy, patience, and unflinching courage" (Simon Greenleaf, The Testimony of the Evangelists, Examined by the Rules of Evidence Administered in Courts of Justice, Baker, 1965 reprint of the 1847 edition, p. 29).

Josh McDowell said,

Just as Jesus Christ transformed the lives of His disciples, so the lives of men and women throughout the past nineteen hundred years have also been transformed (Josh McDowell, The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict, p. 253).

When your sins are forgiven, and your life is transformed by Christ, this is the most infallible proof of all – that He has risen from the dead!

Jesus Christ died on the Cross to pay the penalty for your sins. He rose from the dead, and ascended into the third Heaven, where He is now seated at the right hand of God. You can come to Jesus and trust Him. If you do that, He will wash your sins away with His Blood, and give you eternal life. Then come on home to church! Why be lonely? Come home – to church!

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You can read Dr. Hymers' sermons each week on the Internet at www.realconversion.com.

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

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Original Page: http://www.ynaija.com/3-infallible-proofs-that-christ-rose-from-the-dead/

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Get a Good Grip on God's Promises

Are you having a hard day? A hard week? A hard life? Are you facing difficult circumstances that seem to have no solution?

If so, I have good news for you: God is thinking about you right now as you read this article. He knows what kind of day you are having. He knows your greatest burdens and your deepest dreams. He cares.

And He provided a solution for your problems before they ever existed through the promises in His Word. All 7,487 of these promises were given to guarantee your victory. All you have to do is lay hold of them, as the Bible encourages us to do:

"Let's keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps His Word" (Heb. 10:23, The Message). We know we will not be disappointed, for "all the promises of God in [Christ] are Yes, and in [Christ] Amen" (2 Cor. 1:20, NKJV).

It's wonderful to know there are promises for every circumstance of life. Salvation promises. Hope and healing promises. Promises for finances, friends and family. Whatever your problem is, there is a promise for you. Whatever your dream is, there is a promise for you.

TICKET TO RIDE
A ticket to a movie costs about $7.50. A season ticket to the symphony costs around $650. Super Bowl tickets can go as high as $3,000! When you have a ticket to an event, it means you have a right to attend or participate in the event. Those with no tickets will be turned away at the door.

God's promises are like tickets, as this verse from The Message states: "We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God" (2 Pet. 1:3-4). These tickets didn't come cheap, but it costs you nothing to redeem them; Jesus already paid the price with His blood.

I heard of a woman who attended a Mercedes-Benz car show with her husband. While he was drooling over the features of a top-of-the-line Mercedes, she halfheartedly scribbled her name on a "Win This Car" contest card.

To her utter shock, six weeks later, the Mercedes dealership called to congratulate her on winning the car. "All you need to do to receive this Mercedes is bring us your winning ticket within 48 hours," they told her.

To her dismay, she didn't have a clue where she had put that insignificant piece of paper. Who would have thought she'd really win?

The hunt began. She dug through all her purses and pockets but found nothing. She went through all her drawers and even the community dumpster.

Her time was almost up, but she needed to pick up her son from school, so she stopped looking long enough to make a quick dash to the nearby junior high. In fact, too quick.

When she noticed the red lights of a police car flashing behind her, she groaned, pulled over and reached into the glove box for her registration and insurance card. To her surprise, she saw her winning ticking lying there, just waiting to be redeemed.

Jumping out of the car, she shouted at the police officer, "I found my ticket! I found my ticket!" She told him her dilemma and explained that she had only 20 minutes left to redeem it for a new Mercedes. The officer smiled and said, "Jump in!"

Sirens screaming, the policeman broke every rule to get her to the Mercedes dealership. They pulled onto the lot and saw the sales manager preparing to take the contest car off the display rack.

The policeman handed his radio to her. Across the car lot, her voice thundered: "Get your hands off of my car! I found my ticket!" The number on her ticket matched the winning number perfectly, and she was awarded the car.

God's promises are like that winning ticket. They are hiding in the Word just waiting to be redeemed, and God will break every natural law to fulfill them. If you're willing to search them out in the Scriptures, they will become tickets for you to participate in God's abundant life.

As you purpose in your heart to stand on the promises of God, a "higher authority" steps in. Just like the policeman who handed the woman his radio to claim her car, Jesus, your High Priest, has handed you His authority to thunder through the heavenlies: "Satan, get your hands off my family and finances! I found my ticket!"

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GET A GRIP ON THE PROMISES
My husband, Tommy, and I have stood on God's promises for more than 30 years and rescued hundreds of thousands of young people out of Satan's clutches. Based on personal experience, I can say unequivocally that if you refuse to give up, Satan will have to, just as the apostle James assured us: "Resist the devil and he will flee" (James 4:7, NKJV).

You might be thinking, If these promises are for me, why am I still troubled, and how do I get them from the pages of my Bible into my life? Most Christians know about the promises of God, but they haven't seriously claimed them. Here are four simple ways to get a grip (G-R-I-P) on the promises of God.

Trust God The moment you read a promise from the Word of God, God's character goes on trial. Does He really mean it? Can He be trusted to fulfill it?

The fulfillment of any promise is directly dependent on the character of the one making the promise. If you had to choose to do business with either a pastor or a criminal, you would probably choose the pastor because you could better trust his character.

The promises of God are not a list of wonderful wishes. They are guarantees from your Father, and He can be trusted.

Your checking account might be unsettled. Your weight might be unsettled. But God's Word is forever "settled in heaven" (Ps. 119:89).

You can't always trust people, but you can always trust God. To believe His promise is to take Him at His Word. "'God is not a man, that He should lie....Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?'" (Num. 23:19.)

I heard a funny story about a man who was hiking up a steep mountain when his foot slipped on some loose gravel. He began falling 200 feet through the air but was able to grab a branch that was jutting out of the side of the mountain. The force of the fall caused him to bounce a few times, but he was relieved to realize he was still alive and the tree held.

"Hellooooo, is anyone up there?" he yelled.

"Yes, I hear you!" came an instant reply.

"Can you help me?" asked the exhausted hiker.

"Yes, I can," responded the deep voice.

"OK, who are you and what should I do?" the hiker asked.

"I am God. All you need to do is trust Me and let go."

The hiker pondered a moment and yelled back a little louder, "Is anyone else up there?

If God's plan isn't easy, many of us are tempted, like the desperate hiker, to look for a Plan B. But God can be trusted, even when His ways don't make sense to us.

Rehearse Your Rhemas The word logos refers to God's written Word (the Bible). Rhema is illuminated logos—a personalized, jump-off-the-page-and-slap-you-on-the-face promise from the Bible. You know when God gives you a rhema word because faith and peace explode inside you.

Here's an example that will help explain the distinction between logos and rhema. Logos is like a patriotic letter from the president of the United States that is addressed to all U.S. citizens. Rhema is like a personal telephone call from him. The letter would be inspiring, but the phone call would be life-changing.

Of course, this is a very loose analogy. But it points out that logos is general, and rhema is personalized. Both are God's Word, but simply put, one is written and one is spoken in your spirit. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2 Tim. 3:16).

What should you do when God entrusts you with a rhema word? Write it down and mark the date and location. Rejoice over it and rehearse that personal, just-for-you promise over and over in your mind.

Several young ballerinas were about to perform Hansel and Gretel. An "X" on the floor made of masking tape helped them remember where to stand. The curtain worker was told, "When Sarah stands on her 'X,' open the curtain."

Sarah forgot where to stand, so nothing happened. A loudmouthed friend shouted, "Sarah, go stand on your 'X' so the performance can begin!"

Ladies, your "X" is your rhema promise from God, and I am your loudmouthed friend, screaming, "Go stand on your 'X' [rhema word] so His performance can begin!" God is "'watching over [His] word to perform it'" (Jer. 1:12, NASB) and as you once again rehearse your rhema promise, you'll enjoy a grand performance of His Word.

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Inspect Your Heart Many of God's promises are conditional. If you don't fulfill your part, God cannot fulfill His.

The Bible speaks of unforgiveness, fear and secret sin harboring in your heart. A harbor is an area of water where boats park. If the fulfillment of God's promise seems slow in coming, perhaps there's something harboring or parking in your heart. Inspect your heart and don't allow anything ungodly to harbor there. No parking allowed!

Sherry was a vivacious girl who genuinely loved the Lord. She was strong in God's Word and never wavered when diagnosed with severe ulcerative colitis.

But seven months passed, and Sherry's symptoms had grown worse instead of better. When she questioned God about this dilemma, He said nothing. Instead, He began to deal with her about an unforgiving attitude toward her mother-in-law.

She told me: "The more I talked to God about my sickness, the more He talked to me about my unforgiveness. Finally, I released my bad attitude, and within 10 days, I was completely healed."

Sometimes God promises are postponed or completely aborted because of sin. David said, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear" (Ps.66:18, NKJV). I am not saying that sickness is always because of sin, but if your victory is not forthcoming, take some time to inspect your heart.

Be Patient Have you noticed that God's promises aren't always manifested instantaneously? So what are you supposed to do between the "Amen" and "There it is"? You'll find the answer in Hebrews 6:12: "Do not be sluggish [lazy], but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises" (emphasis added).

Just whom should we imitate? Abraham is a good start. He gripped God's promise about his inheritance and held onto it for 25 years before his promised son, Isaac, was born. Joseph walked through 13 years of nightmares before his dream from God about ruling over his family was fulfilled.

Ask anyone whose walk with God you admire, and she will tell you that patience has been an important factor. What a key for possessing the promises of God!

Patience and faith go together, yet they function differently. Faith aggressively stands on God's Word, while patience says, "I don't care how long it takes; I will continue to trust God." Faith believes and patience waits, but if you develop both, victory is guaranteed.

When I was young, I spent time each summer in Minnesota with my grandparents. A neighbor of theirs had a long rope that swung over the lake. In a fit of mischief, two neighborhood kids and I taught the neighbor's bulldog, Oscar, to grip the rope, and we swung him back and forth over the water.

One sunny afternoon, we were on the patio when I noticed Oscar dangling motionless on the rope. I realized that we had taught him how to grip the rope but not how to let go! (Eventually, he learned.)

Reminding me of this incident one day, the Spirit of God said, "I'm training you to grip My promises like that dog and never let go." I have often said that the only difference between a bulldog and a woman of God is lipstick!

If your life seems to be falling apart, get a grip! Grip the promises of God and don't let go until you experience God's best.

Read a companion devotional.

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Rachel Burchfield is the co-founder of Burchfield Ministries International (www.burchfield.org).

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Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/life/women/10188-when-you-need-to-grip-god-s-promises

Article

No More Pentecostal Popemobiles

The election of the new pope is a prophetic slap in the face for our egotistical excess.

I'm not Catholic, and I've never completely understood Catholics' preoccupation with Vatican politics. But I've been watching the Vatican closely since last week when Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina became the 266th pope and instantly got 2 million followers—and counting—on Twitter.

Why is this man so popular? That's easy to understand. He's humble. He cooks for himself. He chose to live in a small apartment in Buenos Aires instead of the archbishop's palace. When he was the leader of Argentina's Catholics, he took el micro—the city bus—to get around. He took the bus again after his election last week in Rome.

He even slipped out of the Vatican after his election to go and worship with the regular people—without security guards or the popemobile!

And Bergoglio, who will go by the name Pope Francis, is a staunch advocate of social justice. He reportedly asked his Argentinean colleagues to skip his inauguration in Rome and give the money they would have spent on airfare to the poor.

Have you noticed a contrast between Pope Francis' simple lifestyle and the sickening excess that is on display among some of our Pentecostal/charismatic leaders?

I've pulled a lot of my hair out watching our embarrassing charismatic sideshows over the last few years. I think it is time we draw a line in the sand and say: "NO MORE."

NO MORE BODYGUARDS. We have evangelists who send a small squadron of muscular thugs to "scout" the lobby of a hotel before they arrive. This is extremely odd when you realize that most of the people in said lobby have never even heard of the guy! Sorry, but I really don't trust a man of God who claims he needs a bodyguard in church. Get down on the people's level if you want to minister to them.

NO MORE $10,000 PER NIGHT HOTEL ROOMS. We have traveling preachers who book 10,000-square-ft. hotel rooms with private pools so they can rest on their way home from international trips. Excuse me? We could build an orphanage with the money this man wasted. (P.S. I know a good Hampton Inn where you can get a nice bed for $89 a night—and it includes a hot breakfast.)

NO MORE PRIVATE JETS. We have egomaniac ministers who insist on flying in private jets to speaking engagements, claiming that preachers who fly commercial aircraft have no faith. These same ministers will hand you a fuel bill for $25,000. That is sick, especially when you consider that Jesus rode a donkey when He was presented as the Messiah to Jerusalem. (Note to Rev. Bighead: You are not the president, and you do not need Air Force One.)

NO MORE CHARLATANS. We have slimy TV preachers who beg for dollars on Christian television stations, pocket a large amount of the take and then use some of the funds to install marble floors in their four-car garages. That's worse than when medieval priests sold papal indulgences to get relatives out of purgatory.

NO MORE LIMOUSINES. I don't believe ministers have to drive clunker cars. Higher-priced cars usually mean lower repair bills. But we have a problem when a visiting preacher refuses to be picked up at the airport in a church van, or when the pastor of a 100-member church insists he must ride in a neon yellow Ferrari. Get over yourself. Maybe you should learn from Pope Francis—and take the bus until your ego shrinks to a normal size.

Last week in this column I shared a dream in which I saw a tsunami crashing into the Vatican and turning the Catholic system upside down. When the new pope was elected, an Argentinean newspaper called him "Tsunami Bergoglio" because they expect him to reform the stuffy, prideful, bureaucratic Vatican and challenge Catholics to return to a humble focus on Christ.

We need the same drastic reforms on our side of the evangelical/Catholic divide. We need Pentecostal and charismatic leaders who shun the palace, reject lavish excess and get back to the basics of true gospel ministry.

J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma and the director of The Mordecai Project (themordecaiproject.org). You can follow him on Twitter at leegrady. Click here to read his column from last week, in which he describes a dream he had about a coming reformation in the Catholic Church.

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Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/blogs/fire-in-my-bones/17130-no-more-pentecostal-popemobiles

Article

Why Christians Fall Away From Christ

The art of war begins with securing the lines before pressing in to an offensive against the gates of hell. The God who saved you has equipped you for and before each and every battle.

If you watch the nightly television news, you learn that major ministries tend to fail because of things that are within their own borders of authority, not because they have been overcome by reaching out to take new territory for God.

Ministers fall into sexual sin because they have not taken the proper precautions to guard themselves against it, or their finances fail because they do not discipline their spending or accounting procedures properly.

Many fail because they fall into pride, and it opens them to all kinds of difficulties. They stop relying on prayer or think they don't have time to seek the Lord of their work because they are too busy and too involved with the work of their Lord.

Defeat comes because they have not guarded the home fires, not because they have not launched the proper off ensives.

The first priority of spiritual war is protection from sin and temptation. Once the borders of your domain are secured, only then can you think about taking the fight to the enemy.

Cindy Trimm is the founder of Trimm International ministries. She is also a former Bermuda senator and a best-selling author. Her recent book is The Art of War for Spiritual Battle, from which this article was excerpted.

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Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/spirit/church-ministry/17140-why-christians-fall-away-from-christ

Article

When Intercessors Are Afraid of the Devil

When we walked into the prayer meeting, I sensed it was going to be an all-out war. Of course, the moment we got saved, we enlisted as soldiers in the army of the Lord. We are, indeed, in a war. The enemy of our souls is lurking and looking for an open door to attack. And sometimes his demons don't wait for an open door. They just attack.

The enemy is already a defeated foe. Jesus disarmed principalities and powers, making a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by His work on the cross (see Col. 2:15). As born-again citizens of heaven, we remain here to enforce Christ's rule in a foreign land. So, we effectively live in a war zone.

Jesus gave us authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means harm us (see Luke 10:19). But that doesn't mean we don't have to wage spiritual warfare. It just means when we wrestle against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (see Eph. 6:12) … When we seek to enforce Christ's rule on this earth, He always leads us into triumph (see 2 Cor. 2:14).

The key word is "leads." Nevertheless, I've met some intercessors who are downright scared of the devil. Instead of following Christ into triumph, they follow fear. How can a prophetic intercessor effectively wage warfare when they are flowing from a place of fear instead of victory in Christ? Selah.

Scared of Demonic Retaliation
When we walked into the prayer meeting and I sensed it was going to be an all-out war, I looked for fearless soldiers to run to the battle line with me—those fully armored up with the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit (see Eph. 6:14-16). We war from a place of victory in Christ. Still, no victorious soldier goes into battle without getting armored up. There is wisdom in wafare.

Long story short, we engaged the enemy over our territory. Prophetically, we identified strongholds in our region and took authority over them in the name of Jesus. We stood on God's Word. We worshipped the King. But some of the intercessors weren't ready for what happened next: demonic retaliation.

When you are wrestling against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places—which I wouldn't recommend you do unless you are in a corporate setting and unless the Holy Spirit leads you to—it literally is a wrestling match. And in a wrestling match the opponent doesn't go down without a fight. And in a wrestling match with demons the enemy doesn't fight fair.

The Masked Assassins
When I was a kid, my friend's dad watched wrestling matches on TV. The stars of the day were Dusty Rhodes with his "bionic elbow" and the Masked Assassins with their yellow and black disguises. Rhodes was the All-American hero and the Masked Assassins were the evil ones. I remember the tag team fights where the Masked Assassins would fight dirty against Rhodes, hitting him with chairs or bringing an extra man in to the tag team match to get an upper hand.

That's how the enemy works. He doesn't fight fair—and he doesn't fight alone. Have you ever noticed how, at times, you take authority over one spirit in the name of Jesus and it seems like nothing happened? That's because there's a vast army of demons under Satan's command and he often dispatches them in an onslaught. If you take authority over one demon, another may be sent to retaliate against you in rapid-fire succession.

That's just what happened after our prayer meeting. Some of the intercessors were dizzy all night long. It was uncanny. What are the chances that the intercessors would all manifest with dizziness so severe that you couldn't even stand up without risk of falling down? It was retaliation from the enemy. When it happened to me, I pled the blood of Jesus and thanked God for protecting me. The dizziness eventually left.

Fearful Intercessors Are Ineffective Intercessors
The enemy got to one of the intercessors, though. Ironically, she had propped herself up as the most experienced of us all. She often boasted about her experiences sending the devil running and was bold in prayer. But this experience struck fear in her heart. She began to criticize the prayer meetings—even though it was extremely rare that we entered into that level of warfare. She began to question the leadership. And she never came back to the group. In a way, the enemy gained a victory. He took her out with a little bout of dizziness.

Fearful intercessors are ineffective intercessors. If you are too scared of the enemy to follow the Lord into battle, you are walking in a measure of defeat rather than the Christ-won victory. They say dogs can smell fear on you. Well, so can the enemy. So enter into battle from a position of victory, understanding your authority in Christ. And when the battle is over, plead the blood of Jesus over yourself, bind spirits of retaliation and walk in freedom rather than fear.

Yes, sometimes the devil hits you back. But God is in control. Don't give up because the devil retaliates. Get more revelation that "the Lord is a warrior" (see Ex. 15:3) and "the battle is the Lord's" (see 2 Chron. 20:15-17). Get more revelation about your authority in Christ (see Luke 10:19). And get equipped practically with training on how to use the weapons of your warfare. Amen.

Jennifer LeClaire is news editor at Charisma. She is also the author of several books, including Did the Spirit of God Say That? You can email Jennifer at   jennifer.leclaire@charismamedia.com or visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.

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Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/blogs/the-plumb-line/17154-when-intercessors-are-afraid-of-the-devil

Article

How to Judge a Prophetic Word - Article

How to Judge a Prophetic Word

If a person claims to have received a word from the Lord to give to you, the first important point is to "recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you" (1 Thess. 5:12). Is the person respected in the church and in the body of Christ, or is he or she a rebel on the loose and a self-appointed prophet who left a church in a negative manner because the "pastor wasn't spiritual enough"? At times pastors detect arrogance and pride and a wrong spirit, and this is why this lone ranger prophet or prophetess was removed from the assembly of the saints! So the first point is not to accept a word just because a person claims, "The
Lord told me thus and so . . . " Know something about the person's reputation and character.

The second point is to examine if the word agrees 100 percent with the inspired Scriptures. Never, and I do mean never, will a word from the Holy Spirit contradict the Bible. The Lord will never tell a person to suddenly leave his or her companion for another "more spiritual" individual, because marriage is a covenant. (Some have done this in the name of "the Lord told me to.") The Lord
would never permit a person, in the name of Christian liberty, to participate in substances that cause drunkenness and addiction to an individual, for "drunkards" cannot "inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Cor. 6:10). God is not the author of confusion, nor is He the author of most church splits where individuals are hurt, offended, and quit serving God because of the confusion and distrust created when people divided their loyalty. God is the author of "peace . . . in all the churches" (1 Cor. 14:33).

The third point is that a prophetic word must agree with your spirit and will only confirm what you already know. Because vessels are human and subject to fallibility, prophetic words are to be judged by other mature and older people within the church, as it is written: "Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge" (1 Cor. 14:29). The Greek word for "judge" here is diakrino, which can mean to "separate thoroughly" and implies the ability to dissect what was spoken and see if it is a correct statement. The root word krino is a legal term meaning to make a decision on the basis of the information presented, similar to the informed decision a jury makes after hearing the pertinent information.

When you tell a person giving you a prophetic word that you are going to judge the message by sharing it with other mature believers, you will be able to tell if that speaker has the right spirit.
A humble sincere person will agree, but the "prophets" who speak out of their own spirits will become angry that you would even question their spiritual integrity and authority!

Perry Stone is the best-selling author of numerous books, including Purging Your House, Pruning Your Family Tree and his book, Exposing Satan's Playbook, from which this article is adapted.

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Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/spirit/prophecy/17135-how-to-judge-a-prophetic-word

Six Women Leaders to Avoid

A popular female evangelist arrived at an airport and was escorted to the baggage claim area. After she retrieved her luggage she was taken to the passenger pickup lounge where she met her hosts from a local church, who planned to take her in a comfortable van to a nearby hotel so she could rest before speaking at an evening service.

The members of the welcoming team were not prepared for this woman's icy response to their greeting. When they opened the door to the van, she told them bluntly: "I will not ride in that." Then she stormed back into the airport with her entourage. After making inquiries, one of the church staff was informed by the woman's assistant that Her Highness must be transported in a certain type of vehicle.

The stated choices were a Bentley, a Mercedes-Benz or a Lincoln Town Car! Nevermind that Jesus Christ rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. This regal woman of God insisted on arriving in luxury.

When I heard this story I didn't know whether to start a petition drive or just vomit on the spot. I was outraged, bewildered and nauseated.

For the last seven years I have given my life to help empower and release women leaders in the church. I have dedicated my life to ending gender discrimination—especially when it limits women's spiritual gifts and callings.

Yet when I hear of poor examples of women pastors and preachers, I must confess I fight discouragement. Yes, we need many more trained women church leaders—but we don't need any more bad examples!

In my travels I have observed all kinds of women leaders, some who are stellar role models and others who would do us all a favor if they pursued different careers. If you have aspirations to pursue leadership in ministry at any level, I pray you will avoid becoming like the ones I am about to describe.

1. THE DIVA To this woman, ministry is all about her. She is the star. Surely she started out with genuine passion for God, but today her message is not defined by her unseen prayer life but by what people see on stage. Greed and pride have deceptively lured her into compromise.

She knows how to move a crowd. There is obviously a strong anointing on her life, but it has been subtly fused with a carnal agenda. She can inspire people to success and wow them with her own accomplishments, but there is nothing in her sermon that brings true repentance or brokenness. Her message may be loud, and it can elicit shouts at the altar. But the people don't realize they've been drugged with a spiritual form of cocaine that triggers a religious high but can't bring them closer to Jesus.

The diva is known for her demands. Someone must carry her Bible, her water bottle, her purse and her cell phone. Those who ask her to preach in their church soon learn that she is "high maintenance." She will require the priciest hotel rooms and the biggest offerings—which she will collect with plenty of manipulative arm-twisting.

Her Christian values were once admirable. But the holy fire that burned in her heart a few years ago has been quenched by greed and an addiction to the crowd's approval. She stopped studying the Bible and now focuses more on what she plans to wear at her conferences. She stopped spending time in God's presence and began craving the glow of television lights.

The diva loves grand entrances. She comes into the meeting late and is whisked off the stage as soon as she has delivered her sermon. She doesn't associate with common folks or spend too much time praying for them. A strange atmosphere surrounds her: A mixture of the Holy Spirit's irrevocable gifting and a disturbing aura of self-importance. Only those who are discerning can recognize the difference.

2. THE CONTROL FREAK If you saw the movie The Devil Wears Prada you know the type of leader I am talking about. Unfortunately the main character of that film, the fearsome fashion publisher Miranda Priestly, has a few counterparts in the religious world.

Beware of this woman if she is in any church leadership position. She rules with an iron fist and leaves a trail of wounded bodies behind her. Somehow she missed the elementary Leadership 101 class, which teaches that every Christian leader must learn to serve. To her, authority is about dominating people.

This woman does not know how to delegate. She is not a team player. The control freak believes she knows all the answers, and therefore she must sign off on all decisions, no matter how petty. People line up outside her door night and day to get her approval, and anyone who needs an appointment is first advised to obtain a "weather report" on her shifting moods.

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Somehow this woman never took care of her anger issues when she was a young Christian. Now that she has a position of power, no one is brave enough to challenge her ungodly behavior. She surrounds herself with yes-men and yes-women who dislike her authoritarianism but are too intimidated to admit that her ruthless temper is a sin.

The control freak has no peers and doesn't have a relational style. She may claim to have an older mentor (who usually lives in a distant city) but she doesn't open up her life to those who work with her. They are her subjects, and she demands obedience and long hours of work to prove loyalty. Her employees usually resign on a regular basis because of her harsh criticism and abusive words.

3. THE FLIRT I recently took a pastor friend of mine to a conference to hear a visiting woman preacher from another state. Imagine my horror when this lady walked to the podium wearing a dress that looked like it had been sprayed on.

Every curve and crevice on this woman's body was visible to the ogling eyes in the audience. Some of the guys, to their credit, began looking at the floor toward the end of her sermon so they would not commit adultery in their thoughts. I wanted to run to the podium, grab one of those "modesty cloths" they use during prayer times and wrap it around Sister Shapely before anyone else stumbled.

This woman obviously missed the memo about adopting a "professional and sensible dress code" for ministry. Or perhaps she simply ignored the memo because of her own unresolved sexual issues. Somebody should have yanked her off the platform and sent her back to the new believer's class, where godly women teach other women why it's wrong to use their femininity as a sexual weapon.

The flirt disregards sexual boundaries. She hangs around with men alone in the church office, and might even counsel men alone. She may even use sexually charged language or veiled vulgarity in her sermons. (Note: Just because male leaders engage in this behavior does not make it acceptable.)

Women in ministry do not have to wear their hair in a bun or don ankle-length flannel dresses in order to be modest. There's nothing wrong with looking your best. My favorite women leaders usually wear smart pantsuits, tasteful jewelry and comfortable shoes when they preach. They dress like respectable businesswomen—and they command respect from their churches because of it.

4. THE FLAKE God knows we need leaders today who understand the gifts of the Holy Spirit. But whenever there are revivals of Pentecostal power, the devil always lures some people to unbalanced and unhealthy extremes. In the modern charismatic movement, leaders who misuse the gifts of prophecy or other supernatural phenomena have deceived or irreparably wounded many people.

The flake may have had a legitimate experience with God, but because of pride she begins to believe that her gift is unique. She may even claim special access to God and have frequent visions or dreams that bolster her claims. These experiences might be from God. But if she does not stay grounded in biblical truth and seek accountability in healthy ministry relationships, she may elevate herself to a point where no one can challenge her revelations.

No one who steps out in the supernatural is going to get it right 100 percent of the time. We prophesy in part, and those who use the gift of prophecy are likely to "miss it" from time to time. But the flake will rarely admit to missing it. She will stubbornly contend that she heard from God, even if all the evidence proves otherwise.

It's bad enough when flakes are in the pews because they can cause divisive splits in congregations. But when a flake is elevated to a leadership position, an even bigger disaster looms. That person may veer into extrabiblical methods or outright heresy because she cannot receive correction.

The flake usually has serious unresolved emotional issues. She may be prone to depression, and she might seek unusual spiritual experiences to soothe her damaged emotions. She is always in superspiritual mode and rarely enjoys the normal routines of life. My advice to the flake: Come down to earth!

5. THE FEMINIST I don't believe all forms of feminism are wrong. In the early years of the 20th century, many brave Christian men and women worked tirelessly to win women the right to vote. Gender equality is a human right, and it is something that God set down in the first chapters of Genesis. Because both male and female are created in His image, we should work to correct the injustices of gender inequality and abuse.

But there is another more sinister form of feminism that has no support in Scripture. It is a bitter, vengeful attitude that places women against men, and often elevates women to a superior position. Sadly, this worldly spirit has invaded the church.

The feminist church leader has a man-hating spirit. She may be a gifted communicator, but if you listen closely you will hear the sound of a grinding axe when she speaks. She has not forgiven the men who hurt her in the past, and she intends to punish those men who get in her way today. Her unresolved issues are transferred to her audience. Her poison is injected into everyone who hears her.

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She may claim that she believes in gender equality, but she will often surround herself only with women and refuses to put men in certain positions. Oftentimes the feminist has experienced at least one failed marriage and does not have any healthy relationships with men. Because she is unhealed, she cannot be an effective healer.

6. THE VICTIM This is the most pitiful of all the bad examples I've listed. She is guaranteed to make you feel sorry for her. And she might use a full box of Kleenex to help you understand her pain.

What the victim lacks in leadership skills she will make up for in sob stories.

Everyone is against her. She is suspicious of her own congregation. Other churches, she says, are maligning her. The devil, she insists, has targeted her ministry for destruction. Every trial that comes her way confirms that she is the focus of a demonic conspiracy.

Chaos surrounds this woman. Her ministry is always in turmoil. The victim moves from crisis to crisis, always anticipating another tragedy around the next corner. True joy has been replaced by a constant religious anxiety that repels people—thus making sure that her ministry will always be composed of a small "remnant" of people who have similar emotional baggage.

Of course if you suggest that this woman's misfortune might be the result of her negative outlook on life, she won't listen. That's because the victim has found a bizarre form of pleasure in her dysfunction. She's become quite comfortable at the center of her painful universe.

DON'T SETTLE FOR LESS
All these bad examples are in the church today—and each has her male counterpart. But I am not giving up in my resolve to see an army of gifted, trained women who will serve as pastors, missionaries, evangelists, CEOs, government leaders and social reformers. This is the hour for women to arise.

Instead of divas, we need humble women who are willing to serve even if they receive no public recognition. Instead of control freaks, we need leaders who wash the feet of their disciples and push them to greatness while modeling sacrifice. Instead of flirts, we need mature, dignified mothers of faith who have crucified their adolescent fantasies.

Rather than flakes who are tossed around by spiritual fads, we need discerning women who love biblical truth more than charismatic goose bumps. Rather than feminists, we need women who have resolved their issues with men and are willing to partner with them on equal footing. Rather than victims, we need women in ministry who are emotionally healthy.

Don't be discouraged if you see yourself in any of these negative examples. There is probably a little bit of diva in all of us! And all of us have resisted the urge to become control freaks.

If you are called to leadership, God will guide the preparation process—and He will bring mentors and positive role models in your life to challenge and encourage you. If you allow the Holy Spirit to shape your character, you may end up being the good example the church is waiting for.

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J. Lee Grady is contributing editor of Charisma and author of 10 Lies the Church Tells Women and Fearless Daughters. For more information go to his Web site, themordecaiproject.com.

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Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/life/women/10176-six-women-leaders-to-avoid

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7 Ways to Earn Respect From Your Wife

A well-known cliché declares, "All that women really want is to be loved, and all that men really want is to be respected."

Generalizations are seldom ironclad, but it follows that men who love their wives tend to be respected, and that women who respect their husbands tend to receive love. It's also true that the best way to get what we need from our wife is to both give her what she needs and to give her what we need.

Respect is a huge issue for men in 21^st-century America, and when men don't feel respected, they don't always handle it well. Mostly, respect is something we have to earn. It can't be taken, and it doesn't just fall out of the sky. Here are 7 ways to earn your wife's respect.

Treat her with respect. Make sure your wife knows how much you value and appreciate her. Don't take a chance on this.  Express it often. Take a look at this All Pro Dad Article for tips on how to Tune In To Your Wife.

Never demand respect. When we raise our voice, berate, bully, and otherwise posture or attempt to coerce respect, then we're moving in exactly the wrong direction.

Be a servant-leader in your home. When men demonstrate humility, grace, and mercy at home, the strength of character that defines them as servant-leaders commands the kind of respect that is rooted in love and appreciation.

Consistently put other people first, including her. Leaders who act like they are the most important person in the room get both obedience and rebellion. But leaders who put others first tend to be followed and loved. Are you putting her first? Read here on how to tell what's most important to you. 

Always follow through on your promises. One indicator of integrity is a consistent level of follow-through when it comes to keeping promises. And a byproduct of integrity is respect. If your wife knows where you stand, and she can expect you to follow-through, then respect is part of the package.

Volunteer in the community. Help organize a neighborhood cleanup, become active in the PTA, join a team at church, help out with your kids' sports teams. Take consistent time and trouble to lift others up.

Carry your weight around the house. Quietly, yet consistently, be a more visible, viable, and valuable member of your own household. That might mean taking responsibility for the kids' homework, staying on top of the laundry backlog, being a leader in terms of respecting on-time dinner, organizing cleanup every other day, or being "chores king" every Saturday. The possibilities are endless, but the principle is the same.

Here's an article to help remind you What Your Wife is Worth. 

All Pro Dad is Family First's innovative and unique program for every father. Their aim is to interlock the hearts of the fathers with their children and, as a by-product, the hearts of the children with their dads. At AllProDad.com, dads in any stage of fatherhood can find helpful resources to aid in their parenting. Resources include: daily emails, blogs, Top 10 Lists, articles, printable tools, videos and eBooks. From AllProDad.com fathers can join the highly engaged All Pro Dad social media communities on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

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Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/life/men/17059-7-ways-to-earn-respect-from-your-wife

What's the Difference Between Holiness and Legalism?

Holiness is beautiful, legalism is binding; holiness brings life, legalism brings death. They are as different as night and day, and yet at first glance they can seem similar, because they both stand against sinful behavior and call for holy living. How can we distinguish between the two?

Legalism is rules without relationship, emphasizing standards more than the Savior, and laws more than love. It is a system based on fear and characterized by joyless judgmentalism, producing futility instead of freedom.

To an unsaved person, the legalist preaches justification by works, saying, "You're a wicked sinner and you need to get rid of all your filthy habits if you want the Lord to accept you." There is no grace in this message; no exalting of the life-changing, sin-cleansing power of the blood of Jesus; no clear proclamation of mercy.

The declaration of God's love expressed through the cross is muffled, if it is even heard at all. Consequently, the proof of the new birth is seen almost entirely in what someone no longer does, and this continues to be the pattern for believers within the church: They are judged almost entirely by a few external standards (which, in many cases, are not even expressly mentioned in the Word) and they are monitored by conformity to the particular group's code of conduct. The result is external conformity rather than inward transformation—and that means either self-righteousness of self-condemnation (or both!).

Of course, it is absolutely true that God has very high standards, and for anyone honestly reading the Word, there can be no doubt that He calls us to live by very high standards—in our thoughts, words and deeds; in our attitudes; in our sexuality; in our families; in our relationships; and much, much more. (See Eph. 5:1-6.)

Tragically, legalists—despite their best intentions—get things terribly wrong. First, they try to change a person from the outside in, whereas God deals with us from the inside out. Second, they fail to present a balanced picture of the Lord, putting too little stress on His mercy and too much emphasis on His wrath. Third, they do not point the struggling sinner (or believer) to the Lord's supernatural empowerment, making holiness a matter of human effort alone. Finally, they add laws, standards, commandments, customs and traditions that are not found in the Word, making those things even more important than the biblical commandments themselves.

In contrast, true, scriptural holiness begins with the heart and flows from an encounter with God and His Word. It calls for repentance in response to the Lord's gracious offer of salvation and it offers a way to be holy—the blood of Jesus and the Spirit of God. Biblical holiness is free, although it requires discipline and perseverance. For the legalist, nothing is free. Everything must be earned! That's why legalism leads to bondage and holiness leads to liberty.

As Ralph Cudworth explained many years ago, "I do not mean by holiness the mere performance of outward duties of religion, coldly acted over, as a task; not our habitual prayings, hearings, fastings, multiplied one upon another (though these be all good, as subservient to a higher end); but I mean an inward soul and principle of divine life (Rom. 8:1-5), that spiriteth all these."

It is that inward spiritual principle that must be cultivated—the principle of intimacy with Jesus, the principle of being renewed in our minds by His Word and Spirit, the principle of being conformed to His image and character, hating what He hates and loving what He loves.

As Dr. Kent Hughes expressed in his book Disciplines of a Godly Man, "There is a universe of difference between the motivations behind legalism and discipline. Legalism says, 'I will do this thing to gain merit with God,' while discipline says, 'I will do this because I love God and want to please him.' Legalism is man-centered; discipline is God-centered."

Unfortunately, the moment you preach biblical holiness, many Christians put their hands over their ears and say, "That's legalism! That's condemnation! That's man-made religion! That's the dead letter of the law! You won't put me in bondage! I won't listen to stuff like that!" As Robert Brimstead observed, "The idea of living strictly by what the Bible says has been branded as legalism."

And so, these Christians run from the dangerous clutches of legalism and fall into the deadly grasp of license—that self-deceived state of fleshly liberty, catering to their carnality rather than crucifying it. What a terrible error!

Whatever comes naturally to these "liberated" believers is accepted as normal (and "understood," of course, by the Lord), while biblical commandments are brought down to the level of their own experience, and anything that brings any kind of spiritual pressure to bear on them is rejected as not being the easy yoke and light burden of Jesus. And when the Holy Spirit brings conviction on people like this, they rebuke the devil for trying to condemn them.

To quote Oswald Chambers, "Liberty means ability not to violate the law; license means personal insistence on doing what I like. … To be free from the law means that I am the living law of God, there is no independence of God in my make-up. License is rebellion against all law. If my heart does not become the center of divine love, it may become the center of diabolical license."

What then is the antidote? Flee from legalism, stay far away from license, and run to holiness. Reject humanly birthed, external religion. Give no place to false teaching that excuses carnality, and instead, embrace new covenant, heart transformation—and in the power of the Spirit, supernaturally enabled by God's grace, deal ruthlessly with sin in your life. That is the path to freedom!

(Adapted from Go and Sin No More: A Call to Holiness.)

Michael Brown is the author of The Real Kosher Jesus and the host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show The Line of Fire on the Salem Radio Network. He is also president of FIRE School of Ministry and director of the Coalition of Conscience. Follow him at AskDrBrown on Facebook or @drmichaellbrown on Twitter.

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Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/life/culture/17086-what-s-the-difference-between-holiness-and-legalism

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Why Paul and Jan Crouch Can't Escape Accountability

I was scheduled to be at TBN in Dallas Friday for an exclusive interview with Paul and Jan Crouch about the Trinity Broadcasting Network's 40th anniversary in May. But it won't happen because Jan Crouch canceled at the last minute.

We don't usually cover ministry anniversaries, but TBN is marking the milestone with a big celebration, and they approached me about running an article in Charisma. I agreed only after they agreed to an exclusive interview with Paul and Jan. Their younger son, Matt, the heir apparent, would have been there. Marcus Yoars, editor of Charisma, and I would have tag-teamed with the questions.

I have known Paul and Jan for many years. I respect what they built, and I recognize its value to the Body of Christ. I can identify with them. We have a common Assemblies of God heritage. They began with very little—just as I did—about the same time. I know they love Jesus and are committed to spreading the gospel.

But as TBN has grown, strange things have developed, and they now are one of the most controversial Christian ministries out there. As a family friend told me about the Crouches, they built an empire but didn't build a life.

Covering them objectively as a journalist has been tough. I'm aware that they have had negative press coverage from the secular media, which looks at everything with a jaundiced eye and enjoys ridiculing Pentecostals. I know the Crouches well enough to know they are good people. So when we've written about TBN, it has generally tried to focus on the good things—like saying a glass is half full instead of half empty!

But I've also learned that people at TBN don't like to deal with controversy—especially about TBN. I didn't know how we'd ask the questions the Christian community wants to know: about why their oldest son, Paul Jr., left the network, or the lawsuit and allegations from their granddaughter. Readers wanted to know why they allow ministers who have had nasty divorces—and in one case is accused of fathering a child by a teen in his church—on their telethons and stations. They wanted to know about how the more than $400 million-a-year budget is spent.

I know the Crouches well enough to know they feel the last part isn't anyone's business, as long as they follow the law. They rebuff inquiries about their finances. Though they aren't answerable to us, they are answerable to the Christian public who donate the millions, just as public companies must be accountable to their shareholders.

In some ways the Crouches know this. They gush over how they love their TBN partners. They talk about the "little grandmas" who send in their love gift every month.

But what about those who feel some things on TBN make a laughing stock of all charismatics and Pentecostals? Or that with some of the questionable programming they are spreading confusion around the world at the same time they're spreading the gospel?

I decided I'd invite you to suggest the questions that Marcus Yoars and I could ask on your behalf. And we have been inundated with questions. Click here and read them. Many are vicious—which may say more about the questioners than about TBN or the Crouches.

Before we could compile our final list of questions, I learned Jan cancelled only a few hours after my newsletter went out on the Internet asking what we should ask the Crouches. Maybe she saw the questions about her pink hair or plastic surgery, or questions about why she is seen with handsome young men over the years more than with her husband.

I would not have asked those kind of questions some would consider rude. We would have instead gone over their successes. But we also would have given them the opportunity to go on the record about some of these issues that need to be addressed.

That's because I believe TBN has a real public relations problem. In many circles, it's a laughing stock. And with Paul and Jan being as old as they are—he'll be 79 on March 30 and she turned 75 yesterday (March 14)—they need to be concerned about how they will be remembered in history after they are gone.

I went on record defending Paul Crouch several years ago when he was accused of homosexuality by a former employee who was also an ex-con. I said Paul has been a longtime Christian leader, so how could we believe the word of an ex-con over Paul's word that the allegation was absolutely a lie?

As far as I know, I was the only national leader to rally to Paul's defense by writing an editorial. I also said that if it was true, Paul should resign from TBN. Thankfully, the issue went away—it must have been false. But I did what I did based on principle. And I repeat it here to show I have no ill will and, in fact, came to their defense in the past.

I believe there are always two sides. The critics are not always right. And when you're in the public eye, there are many who will attack you—just because. (Look at how someone as respected as Billy Graham is still attacked). I'm sure there are legitimate reasons the Crouches have homes in various places and reasons the money is spent as it is. I respect the fact the network continues to grow. And Paul Crouch has more business acumen than almost anyone I know.

But this isn't about the Crouches. They don't own TBN. It is a non-profit ministry that is accountable to the public, or more specifically, to the body of Christ. I call on the Crouches to be ready to answer their critics and not ignore them or to demonize them as they've been known to do.

If you're a TBN partner—as I've been in the past—demand some answers. And if they aren't forthcoming, then there are many other ministries you can choose to support.

I wish TBN well. I am hopeful that the new generation of leaders will be more open and accountable, and that in the future they'll be willing to sit down with respected journalists—if not us, then someone else—to answer the many questions the public has.

Do you agree with me? What do you think about the questions people sent in? Add your comments to the conversation below.

Steve Strang is the founder and publisher of Charisma. Follow him on Twitter @sstrang or Facebook (stephenestrang).

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Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/blogs/the-strang-report/17072-why-paul-and-jan-crouch-cant-escape-accountability