Wednesday, May 29

Who Is This Holy Spirit?

Knowing the Trinity's third Person starts with recognizing Him as just that—a Person who wants to be intimately known

As a relatively young Christian, I began to wonder why so many other Christians seemed to know more of the indwelling love of Jesus than I did. Why did their lives display the fruits of His grace and demonstrate His power at work within them in ways that seemed sorely lacking in my life?

I became deeply troubled at the poverty of my spiritual walk with God. So much of what I knew was mere information about God without much of a direct relationship with Him. My heart longed to have an experience like that described by Scottish philosopher Thomas Carlyle, who spoke of what it meant to know God "other than by hearsay."

It was also hard for me to fathom how some Christians could be so different from others. Some overflowed with love and compassion for their neighbors, while others cloistered themselves away from the world, apparently fearful of contamination. Some seemed to exude a deep sense of inner joy, but others looked as if they had just received a death sentence rather than the blessing of eternal life. Some were on fire with expectancy that God would do great things in their lives; others seemed content to make survival their primary objective.

In all of this, the biggest struggle I faced as a young Christian was determining what I believed about the Person and work of the Holy Spirit. I began to encounter Christians for whom this Person was a vibrant reality in their lives—a Person to know and to love, not some vague, generic "force."

I eventually came to see that all my concerns about my faith and the faith of others had to do with answering this central question about the Person of the Holy Spirit.

Discovering the Spirit

If we want to discover who the Holy Spirit really is, then individual human experience is not the right place to start. When God intended to reveal His nature, will and identity to humankind, He determined to do so supremely in His Son. When He wanted to record His activities with the inhabitants of this planet, He chose to do so in a divinely inspired Book. And so, if we want to know what the Spirit of God is like and how He operates within the lives of the people of God, then it is to the pages of the Bible that we must first turn.

Throughout the pages of the Bible, it is assumed that the Holy Spirit is no more and no less than God Himself. He is called "the Spirit of the Lord" (1 Kin. 18:12, NIV) and "the Spirit of Jesus" (Acts 16:7). In Luke 11:13, Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the gift of the Father. Paul announced that "the Lord is the Spirit" (2 Cor. 3:17). When Peter rebuked Ananias for attempted deception, he boldly announced, "You have lied to the Holy Spirit ... You have not lied just to human beings but to God" (Acts 5:3-4). On the occasion that Jesus spoke about the unforgivable sin, He described it as blaspheming, which means speaking against or rejecting not the Father or even Jesus Himself but rather the Holy Spirit (Matt. 12:31-32).

It is because the Holy Spirit is God that Scripture describes Him as possessing all the essential characteristics that are the sole privilege of God Himself. He is:

Holy. God cannot deny His own character; therefore, in the same way that God is completely pure and totally unblemished, so must be the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19).
Eternal. If God were limited by time and space, He could not, by definition, be God. The Creator can neither be limited by His creation, nor can He die or face extinction. To be God, He must always have been God and must inhabit eternity. When Scripture says that the Holy Spirit is eternal (always was and always will be), then it is affirming that He is God (Heb. 9:14).
Omnipotent. The Holy Spirit is all-powerful, an attribute that is the sole province of God Himself (Luke 1:35-37).
Omnipresent. The Holy Spirit exists everywhere simultaneously. There is no place in heaven, on earth or anywhere else in the universe that is not inhabited by the Holy Spirit (Ps. 139:7).
Omniscient. The Holy Spirit knows everything there is to know (1 Cor. 2:10-11).

These supreme qualities of the Holy Spirit are neatly summarized in Isaiah's prophecy of the anticipated Messiah: "The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord" (Is. 11:2).

God is personal. He neither rules nor communicates by remote control, and He possesses personality. So it is with the Holy Spirit. It would be wrong to view this third Person of the Trinity as an indefinably nebulous force. He is not an "it"! To reinforce this point, the apostle John referred to the Holy Spirit by using a masculine pronoun (ekeinos, "He") with a neutral noun (pneuma, "Spirit"). This may seem like bad grammar to us, but it is superb theology. He does this to show that the Holy Spirit is a "He," not an "it." (See John 14:26; 15:26; 16:8-14.)

The Holy Spirit is the "breath" or "wind" of God (Is. 40:7). In this sense, it might be easy to picture the Holy Spirit as something broad and vague. Yet this phrase in Scripture often brings into grammatical play a definite article; instead of "a breath" or "a wind," He is called "the Spirit" or "the Holy Spirit."

The Holy Spirit's personhood is also affirmed in that He can be grieved, He comes upon individuals at particular times, He is the means by which God fills His people, and He can even be withdrawn from people under exceptional circumstances (Eph. 4:30; Judg. 14:6; 2 Kin. 2:9; Ex. 35:31; Mic. 3:8; Ps. 51:11).

The Holy Spirit is no mere arm or leg of God. He is a Person in His own right and exists as part of the Godhead. He is not remote but actually dwells in God's people and is therefore personal to each one of us.

The Personality of the Holy Spirit

Let us take this one step further. The vivid imagination of George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, conceived of a vast "force" that could empower us and be used for either good or evil. This force was personal, in that it was available for use by the human personality, but it lacked personhood in itself.

That is precisely how the Holy Spirit differs. He is not here for us to use, but we are here for Him to use to bring glory to Jesus through our lives. Furthermore, He possesses a unique personality. The three basic characteristics of personality are the capacities for feeling, knowing and doing—and you may be surprised to learn that the Holy Spirit is actively engaged in all three! Scripture affirms that:

He feels (Eph. 4:30).
He knows (John 14:26).
He does things (John 16:8-11).

While the Holy Spirit is like us in that He has a personality, He is also unlike us in that He is holy. The Greek word used to describe this reality is hagios, the root meaning of which is "different." In this sense, the Holy Spirit can never be as we are, and yet by the grace and mercy of God, the Holy Spirit dwells in unclean human beings. The very title Holy Spirit indicates this Spirit is different from us because He is, in fact, divine.

In the book of Revelation, the apostle John begins his letter to the seven churches in an unusual way, with a greeting that places God the Father first, God the Spirit second and God the Son third (Rev. 1:4-5). While this order might seem unusual to us, the phraseology gives the standard implication that these three are inextricably intertwined and always co-equal.

Furthermore, Jesus revealed this supreme mystery of the Christian faith when He declared the name in which His followers should be baptized. The word used by Jesus for name is singular, indicating there is only one God, but this name is also tri-personal because each one of us is baptized in "the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matt. 28:19).

God in Action

Because most Christians find it difficult to visualize and personalize the Holy Spirit, they often overlook the amount of work in which the Holy Spirit is engaged. He is very busy indeed! The Holy Spirit definitely understands the concept of multitasking, for while He is the corporate Holy Spirit of the universal church, He is also the One who dwells in the life of every individual believer (1 Cor. 12:13; Rom. 8:9-11).

The Holy Spirit is always busy. He works within us to bring about the conviction of sin, the recognition of the need for righteousness and an awareness of impending judgment long before we come to the point of conversion and surrender our life to Jesus Christ (John 16:8). We may not have realized it, but quietly and invisibly the Holy Spirit was already at work in our lives, preparing us to be confronted with the reality of Jesus Christ.

In the New Testament accounts of the conversions of Zacchaeus, Cornelius and the Ethiopian eunuch to whom Philip witnessed of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit was actively at work preparing the ground for their moments of truth. In the case of the Ethiopian eunuch, the Holy Spirit even called Philip away from a revival and into the desert to explain the Scriptures to the eunuch at just the right time.

When we come to Christ, the Holy Spirit makes His home in our lives. He is the giver of new life, and He becomes the seal and evidence of our salvation (John 3:5; 2 Cor. 1:22; Titus 3:5; Rom. 8:9-11). It is the Holy Spirit who then takes on the raw material of a new convert's heart and begins the often lengthy process of transforming it into the image of the Lord Jesus.

This whole idea of an indwelling Holy Spirit who inhabits the life of every believer introduced to the world a concept unknown in other major religions. For the first time, God was not just "out there somewhere," but He could be intimately known, loved and served. Christianity offers not a religionabout God but rather a relationshipwith Him. This is what creates that vibrant, loving, compassionate and fruit-bearing existence in the life of all believers.

Clive Calver is senior pastor of Walnut Hill Community Church, a network of five charismatic evangelical churches serving more than 3,500 people in western Connecticut. He previously served as president of World Relief, general director of the Evangelical Alliance of the United Kingdom, program director of Billy Graham's Mission England and national director of Youth for Christ in Britain.

Watch Reinhard Bonnke use Acts 2 to refute bad teachings about the Holy Spirit at spiritbaptism.charismamag.com

Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/spirit/supernatural/17418-who-is-this-holy-spirit

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Diabolical Crimes Mark a Troubling Sign of the Times

Recently a 15-year-old boy shot both of his parents when they insisted he do his chores. The reason for his anger? He was anxious to look up a Bible verse for a friend who wanted to know how to get saved. Two injured people hardly compare to some of the horrific mass murders we have witnessed in the past few years, but this incident does reveal an increasing number of people who have lost the ability to control themselves.

Of course, murder has been in our midst from the founding of this nation, but senseless killing has never been seen on the scale we are experiencing in our day. There have been some 25 incidents in the United States since 9/11 where at least five people have been murdered in wanton killing sprees. What is going on with people?

I believe Scripture holds the key to understanding the "helter skelter" happening in our culture. The spiritual deterioration of individuals (1 Cor. 1:18) and even an entire nation (Amos 8:1-2) are both documented in the Bible. However, I think what we are seeing today reflects something of much grander proportions than either of these historical phenomena.

It seems we are witnessing one of the final stages of the spiritual downfall of mankind. In Matthew 13, Jesus described false believers as "tares" the angels would reap "at the end of the age" (vv. 39-40, NASB). The book of Revelation describes the unbelievers alive in the last days as rotten grapes ready for "the great wine press of the wrath of God" (Rev. 14:19). The apostle Paul skipped the metaphor of maturing plants and simply said that in the end times, "evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse" (2 Tim. 3:13).

Just as it takes time for plants to ripen to the point of harvest, so too the sinful condition of mankind has taken several thousand years to arrive at its final state of evil. While this reasoning may sound good in a seminary course, does it really hold water in the real world? For instance, how do a couple hundred killings in America compare to the numerous occasions down through history when entire people groups have been exterminated?

It is true that there have been certain periods when Satan was able to possess a man and direct his followers to the point of massacring large numbers of people (e.g., Adolph Hitler, Idi Amin, etc.), but the number of victimizers in these cases were typically limited. What we are seeing in the U.S. and throughout the world now is an escalation of wickedness amongst the masses—not the few.

I can see two predominant contributing factors for this phenomenon.

First, the technological advances of our time have made it possible for people to indulge sin at a level and intensity never before imaginable. The book of Daniel predicted the last days would be a time of a great increase in knowledge (Dan. 12:4). What other generation has experienced the increase of knowledge that we have seen? Perhaps you are aware of the fact that it took nearly 18 centuries from the time of Christ for man's knowledge level to double. From 1750-1900, it doubled again, and once again from 1900-1950. By 1997, it was doubling every two years, and today it probably doubles within months. No generation in the history of mankind has experienced anything remotely comparable to what is occurring in our time.

"Yes, but many of those scientific advances have been for the betterment of mankind," some would contend. It is true that they have made temporal earth-life more comfortable and safe, but how much of it has contributed to man's eternal well-being?

Consider some of the ways these technological advances have contributed to the wickedness of our day. For instance, what American living in the 1900s could have imagined being able to view sexual deviancy of all kinds on a screen sitting in their homes? What early pioneer could have comprehended a day when 50 million unborn babies would be slaughtered in our country? How could those simple folks have envisioned an entire city of people being vaporized with the push of a button?

Perhaps even more close to home for most of us is what today's technology has meant to our personal lives. We now live in such a fast-paced society that we can have nearly anything we desire on the spot. Not only does such a lifestyle of instant gratification keep a person's carnal nature inflamed, but it also quickly hollows out people of the normal contentment that comes with a decent life. The prosperity and technology of our day has enabled people to quickly immerse themselves and burn themselves out in their sin of choice. These zombie-like burnouts who commit bizarre crimes are only going to increase.

The other major contributing factor in the escalation of evil we are witnessing is the increasing latitude God is allowing the enemy as the end approaches: "Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time" (Rev. 12:12). This ripening of evil is preparing the masses of humanity to come to the point that they will accept the mark of the beast.

You know that nice neighbor lady who always gives you a bright smile and a friendly greeting? One day she will be openly worshiping Satan (Rev. 13:8). Those close family members you pray for? They will be the very ones who turn you into the authorities (Luke 21:16). Those conservative pundits you admire? One day they will be calling for your execution (Rev. 6:9-11). That is where humanity is heading.

Considering the rapidity of the changes we are witnessing and the shocking way people are reacting to them, one must conclude that the final, terrible period of mankind's history is nearly upon us. The closer we come to that frightful time, the more we are sure to see people like Ted Bundy, James Holmes, Jared Lee Loughner and the Tsarnaev brothers emerge from the shadows to commit their diabolical crimes. What is even more disconcerting, however, is the change that is coming over "decent" citizens. It all points to the eventual demonic takeover of unredeemed mankind.

How do believers handle such foreboding predictions? First, we must live in God's reality. We cannot afford to seek escape in the world's entertainment system. Not only does it deaden the spiritual discernment so crucial for such a time, but it also puts us in the same spirit that is at the bottom of these atrocities.

Second, we must move forward in faith. Each of us has a rich history of God's love and faithfulness. When indiscriminate killings and human tragedies are occurring all around us, we must remember that the same God who has proven His trustworthiness to us in the past is on His heavenly throne, ruling sovereignly over all earth's activities. He will take us through victoriously whatever mayhem the dark lord of this world instigates.

Third, we must remind ourselves that we are citizens of heaven not earth. Whatever we face on earth is meant to better prepare us for our eternal home. Perhaps the best advice we can receive is from the One whose coming we all anticipate: "When these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near" (Luke 21:28).

Steve Gallagher holds an Associates of Arts degree from Sacramento City College and a Master's Degree in Pastoral Ministry from Master's International School of Divinity. He is also a certified Biblical Counselor through the International Association of Biblical Counselors (IABC) in Denver, CO.

Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/blogs/prophetic-insight/17857-diabolical-crimes-mark-a-troubling-sign-of-the-times

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Why Are So Many Christians Sick and Oppressed?

Sickness and disease touch almost every family on the earth. Many sick people are spending all their substance on remedies, diets, medications and doctors but are becoming worse each day. I believe the reason why more Christians do not receive their healing is because of lack of knowledge and obedience.

They just don't understand or know what the Word of God says about what Jesus' sacrifice on the cross of Calvary purchased for them. Other Christians simply do not know how to pray and worship God. Others have a hard time obeying God's principles for divine healing. It is estimated that at least 80 percent of people in America are Christians. Yet the percentage of sick people is about the same as non-Christians who don't believe in Jesus, our healer.

I frequently hear sick people say, "I'm not sure if it is God's will to heal me. If only I knew. Maybe I'm supposed to be sick to keep me humble or build up my faith." When God's Word promises healing in the new covenant, we should not be asking or saying, "If it be Your will." This implies a lack of faith.

Doubt and unbelief are deadly—they kill your faith, and without faith you will never obtain the promises that are legally yours. Be watchful over your heart, and diligently guard what you allow to come into your life. Each person you allow into your life will plant seeds, just as the Pharisees did in the lives of the disciples. If Satan can cause a seed of doubt and unbelief to be planted in your life, he is on his way to stealing your faith. If the enemy can steal your faith, he can steal everything in your life and everything God has predestined for you. A lifestyle of doubt says to God that He is a liar and cannot be trusted.

Doubt and unbelief will prevent you from obtaining the prosperity that God declares is yours. Choose not to fall into the trap of the enemy, and choose to believe God, no matter what. He is your healer and deliverer (Matt. 21:21; 13:58).

Your Healing Is Guaranteed!

Jesus Christ gave His life as a sacrifice. Isaiah 53 assures us that Christ took upon Himself all our grief, sorrows, pain, affliction, transgressions, iniquities and all our sins. By His scourging, by His wounds and by His death and resurrection, we are healed. Everything in God's kingdom you receive by faith. Without faith, you can't receive. You receive healing the same way you receive salvation. You confess it and believe it in your heart. It's our divine, born-again birthright (inheritance, entitlement, legacy and privilege). Don't settle for less than God's best for you.

What is the thing you've been battling for so long? You have a choice to make—to either stay in the same situation or decide to turn your situation over to God and dare to believe Him for a miraculous healing and transformation. It's your faith in action that will start moving out the evil squatters. It's your move.

Regardless of your circumstances, Abba Father is ready to meet you exactly where you are right now. All God needs is your faith to believe that He is willing to heal you. Faith is trust. When you trust someone, you love and respect the person. Father God is the same way with us.

He loves us unconditionally. When we surrender to His love and obey His Word, He produces. His gifts are extremely valuable and priceless. You don't have to make sacrifices and quote Scriptures day and night.

Scriptures and declarations will build up your faith and teach you how to stay in contact and relationship with your healer and Savior. There is something unique about declaring God's Word. It puts angels on the alert and causes evil spirits to flee. Evil spirits cannot trespass when our spiritual borders are reinforced with prayers and the Word of God.

Really think about this. It is life transforming. When you deposit God's Word into your heart and mind, it becomes a lifeline and health to all your body. I quote and take literally Proverbs 4:20–22 every day because I believe God is the Word and He is life!

Your prayers and declarations of God's Word are not to move the hand of God on your behalf but to strengthen your inner man and build up your faith. God is moved by compassion and love. All we have to do is surrender to His will, obey His Word and love one another.

Iris Delgado is founder and president of Crowned With Purpose Ministries. She has a doctorate in theology and counseling and travels worldwide ministering with her husband, John. She is the author of Satan, You Can't Have My Miracle, from which this article was excerpted.

Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/spirit/supernatural/17856-why-are-so-many-christians-sick-and-oppressed

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How to Ask Forgiveness If You've Offended Someone

The apostle Paul said: Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. — Romans 14:19

This shows us how to approach a person we have offended. If we go with an attitude of frustration we will not promote peace. We will only make it difficult for the one who is hurt. We are to maintain an attitude of pursuing peace through humility at the expense of our pride.

It is the only way to see true reconciliation.

On certain occasions I have approached people I have hurt or who were angry with me, and they have lashed out at me. I have been told I was selfish, inconsiderate, proud, rude, harsh and more.
My natural response has been to say, "No, I'm not. You just don't understand me!" But when I defend myself, it only fuels their fire of offense. This is not pursuing peace. Standing up for ourselves and "our rights" will never bring true peace.

Instead I have learned to listen and keep my mouth shut until they have said what they need to say. If I don't agree, I let them know I respect what they have said and will search my attitude and intentions.

Then I tell them I am sorry I have hurt them.

Other times they are accurate in their assessment of me. I admit, "You are right. I ask your forgiveness."

Once again it simply means humbling ourselves to promote reconciliation. Perhaps this was why Jesus said in the next verses: Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny. —Matthew 5:25–26

Pride defends. Humility agrees and says, "You are right. I have acted this way. Please forgive me." But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. —James 3:17, emphasis added

Godly wisdom is willing to yield. It is not stiff -necked or stubborn when it comes to personal conflicts. A person submitted to godly wisdom is not afraid to yield or defer to the other person's viewpoint as long as it does not violate truth.

Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/spirit/spiritual-growth/17875-how-to-ask-forgiveness-if-you-ve-offended-someone

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No More Spineless Christianity

The apostle Paul not only confronted sin but named specific sins when he preached. Why can't we?

People often complain about angry preachers. I don't like them either, and I agree that if a person mixes a sermon with hateful language (or if he believes God has called him to picket other churches), he's in the wrong profession. Yet today we've jumped to the opposite extreme. Now we are afraid to confront sin.

We can't preach about materialism because we might offend rich people in the audience—as well as the poor people who buy Lotto tickets every week. We can't preach about fornication because there are people in thechurchwho are living together. We can't preach about domestic violence because there are deacons who sometimes hit their wives. We can't preach about homosexuality because our culture says it's hateful to call that a sin.

And the list goes on. In fact, some preachers are avoiding the word sin altogether because it's too negative. And we all know that the latest polls show people want a positive message.

This temptation to dilute the gospel has produced a new recipe for a trendy sermon. We start with some great motivational speaking ("Your past does not define your future!"), add a few quarts of cheap grace ("Don't focus on your sin!"), pour in some prosperity gospel ("Run to this altar and grab your financial breakthrough!"), flavor it with some trendy pop psychology ("It's all about you!") and voila!—you end up with a goopy mess of pabulum that not even a baby Christian could survive on.

I've often wondered how the apostle Paul would view our "positive" American gospel. Just before he was martyred, Paul gave his spiritual son Timothy clear instructions on how to keep his message on track. He said, "Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction" (2 Tim. 4:2, NASB).

We've rewritten Paul's words today. Our rule is, "Preach what the people want to hear! Avoid controversy! Stroke, soothe and pacify the people so they will come back next week!" Is it any wonder that this low-protein spiritual diet has produced an anemic church?

Paul's preaching in the first century was unquestionably confrontational. He didn't hold back from addressing sin, nor was he afraid to call sin what it is. Paul knew that a spineless Christianity would produce spineless Christians. He told Timothy that biblical preaching would require three brave verbs:

Reprove. The Greek word here, elegcho, means "to convict, admonish or expose" or "to show one his fault." The word can also mean "to scold" or "to reprimand." Anyone who has ever been on the receiving end of a mother's discipline knows that reproof can be the purest form of love.

Rebuke. The word epitimao means "to admonish strongly" or "to charge strictly." The English definition means "to express sharp, stern disapproval." And the origin of the word means "to beat or strike." I'm not talking here about a preacher who beats people with the Bible. Screaming at people is not biblical rebuke. But when was the last time you felt the Holy Spirit strike you in your conscience during a sermon?

Exhort. This is the gentlest of the three words. Parakaleo can be used to mean "to comfort" or "to call alongside." It's the same root word used to describe the Holy Spirit, who is our Comforter. True biblical preaching not only exposes sin and warns us of its consequences, but it calls us to reach out to God for help to overcome our weakness. When we challenge sin we must provide a means of grace for deliverance and healing.

Paul was also not afraid to name sins. I recently did a survey of all of Paul's epistles to see how he addressed sexual immorality. I discovered that he confronted sexual sin head-on in 10 of his 13 epistles. He boldly called out adultery, fornication, sensuality and homosexuality in a culture that was saturated in hedonism.

After exhorting the Thessalonians to practice abstinence, he rebuked them sternly by saying that anyone who opposes God's laws about sex "is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you" (1 Thess. 4:8). Those are strong words. They need to be repeated in our pulpits today.

Paul wasn't trying to win any popularity contests, and his comments about sex would get him blacklisted today if he tried to buy airtime. Yet when he penned those tough words, he was speaking from God's heart—with love—under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to all of us.

It's time for us to grow a backbone. Let's get rid of weak Christianity, spineless preachers and jellyfish morals. Let's preach the message of the Bible instead of a neutered version. Let's not only point out sin but also point people to the only hope they have of overcoming it—our strong Savior, whose death on the cross was the ultimate confrontation of sin.

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. He is the author of The Holy Spirit Is Not for Sale and other books.

Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/blogs/fire-in-my-bones/17871-no-more-spineless-christianity

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Friday, May 24

Immorality Is Trending

Gay activists love to point to the changes in public opinion regarding same-sex "marriage," announcing triumphantly that this is a sign of moral and even spiritual advancement. In reality, it is part of a larger trend toward immorality, a sign of moral bankruptcy and spiritual apostasy.

According to a May 13 Gallup report, "Just three years ago, support for gay marriage was 44 percent. The current 53 percent level of support is essentially double the 27 percent in Gallup's initial measurement on gay marriage, in 1996."

But let's put that data into a larger, cultural perspective. A May 20 Gallup report is headlined, "In U.S., Record-High Say Gay, Lesbian Relations Morally OK," with the subtitle reading, "Americans' tolerance of a number of moral issues up since 2001."

What exactly is meant by "tolerance"?

The report states, "Americans' views toward a number of moral issues have shifted significantly since 2001. Their acceptance of gay and lesbian relations has increased the most, up 19 percentage points in the past 12 years—to a record high of 59 percent today. Americans' tolerance toward having a baby outside of marriage is also now much greater, up 15 points since 2001 [actually, 2002], to the current 60 percent."

Oh yes, "tolerance" is alive and well!

So, the America that increasingly deems homosexual relationships to be morally acceptable is the same America that increasingly deems having children out of wedlock (once called "illegitimacy") to be morally acceptable. And this is supposed to be a sign of progress?

According to the poll, American approval of fornication—or, as the poll put it, "sex between an unmarried man and woman"—was up 10 percent (from 53 percent to 63 percent), while support for polygamy actually doubled, from 7 percent to 14 percent (keep your eye on that stat in the coming years). This is something to celebrate?

In 2001, Gallup didn't even ask the question of the moral acceptability of teenagers having sexual relationships, but in the current poll, only 63 percent found it morally wrong, while 32 percent expressed their moral approval. How enlightening!

The pollsters used the following script: "I'm going to read you a list of issues. Regardless of whether or not you should think it should be legal, for each one, please tell me whether you personally believe that in general it is morally acceptable or morally wrong."

Interestingly, while the word sex was used with reference to "sex between an unmarried man and woman" and "sex between teenagers," and while the word affair was used with reference to "married men and women having an affair," no such explicit or derogatory term was used with regard to homosexual practice. Rather, that was referred to as "gay or lesbian relations."

I wonder if the response would have been different if the pollsters had asked about "two men or two women having sex"—unless, of course, "gay and lesbian relations" are all merely platonic. (Please forgive my sarcasm.)

But I digress. What is clear is that American sexual morals are in steady decline, and there is very little that shames us these days. After all, this is the nation in which a young woman's quickest ticket to fame is a best-selling, graphic sex tape. Sometimes the girl's parents even gush with pride at their daughter's achievements, and at the risk of sounding trite, we can honestly say that what used to shame us now makes us famous.

It is against this backdrop that public approval for same-sex relationships continues to increase.

And let's not forget that the same media that incessantly pushes the cause of gay activism also promotes shows like Teen Mom, glamorizing young women who have children out of wedlock, along with shows like Big Love and Sister Wives, normalizing and even celebrating polygamy. And this has no effect on the public's perceptions?

Leading the way in these changing views toward gay and lesbian relations is the younger generation, aged 18-29. According to Gallup, in 1996, 41 percent of them supported same-sex "marriage"; today, that number is up to 70 percent. But this is the same age group that believes that roughly 30 percent of the population is gay or lesbian—an error of 1,000 percent! (The best studies put the number at roughly 3 percent.) Does the media have nothing to do with these skewed perspectives?

We should also remember that Barna polls conducted over the last 15 years indicate that only 0.5 percent of Americans aged 18-23 held to what Barna defined as a biblical worldview, in contrast with about 10 percent of the population as a whole. Is it any surprise, then, that they are so strongly supportive of same-sex relationships?

As for our country's increasing "tolerance," it is not happening quickly enough for 18-year-old Kaitlyn Hunt and her family. She has been arrested for having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl, one which her father says was consensual.

The Daily Kos reports, "Florida teen Kaitlyn Hunt, 18, is seeing her young life turned upside down and her future jeopardized simply because she fell in love. Unfortunately for her, she fell in love with a younger girl who has vindictive bigots for parents."

Her father, Steven Hunt, wants prosecutors "to drop the two charges filed against his daughter in February. A rainbow-colored 'Stop the hate, free Kate' page on the online petition site Change.org had more than 56,500 supporters calling for prosecutors to drop the charges Monday afternoon, and a similar 'Free Kate' Facebook group page had more than 30,000 members."

Well, just give it a little more time. Soon enough, these things will be accepted too. Immorality is trending.

Michael Brown is author of The Real Kosher Jesus and 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.

Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/life/culture/17840-immorality-is-trending

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Thou shall not plagiarize: Priest accused of lifting sermons directly from the Web

A Massachusetts priest busted plagiarizing his sermons directly from the Web has been suspended.

The Rev. John McGinn, 65, is accused of directly lifting his speeches from the "Dynamic Preaching" book — which is only available via an online subscription at Sermons.com.

The Episcopal clergyman also allegedly published some of the work in written form under his own name.

McGinn, who has led St. John's Episcopal in the Cape Cod town of Sandwich since 1993, was put on administrative leave earlier this month.

His shocked congregation of 300, who meet each week in a small wood-shingled village church, were told of his fate in a letter from the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts.

"This is a serious breach of the pastoral relationship between John and each of you," wrote Bishop M. Thomas Shaw.

"I am sorry that this matter has caused pain and will likely cause further pain in the parish," he added.

Cape Cod Times reports that church elders launched an investigation last year.

They claim to have found 15 instances of where McGinn had lifted work from others and passed it off as his own.

Bishop Shaw also wrote that McGinn had confessed to his actions and that the diocese was now "working out a final agreement" with him.

McGinn now plans to retire from the role.

Tuesday, May 21

3 Secrets To Effective Leadership

If you want to be an effective and influential leader, what should you do? Write a book? Start a church? Come up with a vision plan for [insert world-changing vision here]?

If you're looking for influence and impact, don't overlook the greatest leader who ever lived. He started a movement that has been growing ever since his birth and has now spread around the globe. Here are two statements that Jesus made that should be the foundation of our leadership and influence:

Matthew 23:11
The greatest among you shall be your servant.

Luke 22:26
But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.

In both passages Jesus takes the human picture of leadership and turns it on its head. In Luke 22:27, Jesus makes the most important leadership statement the world has ever heard: "But I am among you as the one who serves."

Are you in a position of leadership right now? Here are three ways you can be an influential leader who serves:

1. Learn to follow.
Being a leader is lonely because one of the definitions of leadership means you're out in front, like a shepherd leading the way. But as followers of Jesus we're not the chief shepherd. He is. Our ability to lead and influence is only as great as our dependence on Jesus. We never arrive in our process of becoming more like Him (in this life) and so we need to be expert followers to be good leaders. How does this affect our ability to serve those under our leadership? We need to be reminded that before God we are all sinners saved by grace and that our position before Him is the same. This type of leading says, "Follow me as I follow Christ."

2. Value everyone
In today's culture, your position, title, and influence can often give you permission to separate yourself from others. Why should the CEO of a large company care about the individual factory worker who can easily be replaced? The farther you're separated from those you lead, the easier it is to see others as a commodity as opposed to a uniquely created individual. As a Christian leader, if the vision or goal of your leadership becomes more important than the people you serve (lead) then you have a value problem.
The servant leader places high value on people by:

Seeing people as God sees them
Putting people over programs
Creating a culture of listening – not just directing
Being willing to extend grace and teach others, instead of creating rules that eliminate those with perceived weaknesses

3. Serving means doing
Do you remember the time when you had to stack chairs, clean toilets, or some other activity that you're glad you don't have to do anymore? While it's true that roles change, leaders have to guard against the mentality of "I don't do that anymore". As a leader, people are counting on you and you do have to prioritize where you invest your time and energy. In light of this, how can you balance the unique role that only you can fill while still being a servant leader?
Do what you say.
Don't preach anything you aren't preaching to yourself and don't recruit for a vision that you aren't fully behind. Church leaders rely heavily on volunteers but rarely volunteer time themselves. Yes, practice what you preach.

The power behind our faith and our leadership is action, and leaders who shepherd like Jesus aren't afraid to get dirty, smell like sheep, and serve with all their heart.

Original Page: http://blog.olivetree.com/2013/05/21/3-secrets-to-effective-leadership/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=3-secrets-to-effective-leadership

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Identify Your Spiritual Gifts

The Holy Spirit is not only the gift to every believer, He's also the bestower of many spiritual gifts. Here's why it's important to identify those gifts and exercise them within the body of believers.

A young man in my last church cut off three of his fingers while cutting a piece of paneling in a van customizing shop. As he was being rushed to the hospital, he was asked, "Where are the fingers?" A man rushed back to the shop with a bowl of ice, grabbed the three digits and then rushed them to Birmingham in the ambulance along with the young man.

Nineteen hours of microsurgery reattached those fingers to the young man's hand. Had they been left in the sawdust of that shop, the fingers would have been useless. They were only good to him if they were attached to his body.

It's the same way when it comes to our attachment to the body of Christ, both globally and locally. We are members of the body—whether a finger, an ear, an eye or a spleen—and we need the rest of the body in order to live. We cannot make it on our own.

What's more, being a member of the body of Christ means we have a unique gifting the rest of the body needs too. We need one another and the giftings of the Spirit we each bring to the thriving of the body. Let's explore why.

The Singular Gift

First, it's important to understand the difference between the "gift" of the Spirit and the "gifts" of the Spirit. Much confusion abounds in many churches because of a failure to understand the difference.

The gift of the Spirit to the church was given after the ascension and glorification of our Savior. (See John 7:39.) The Holy Spirit had been in the world before then, but now He had come to live in the hearts of His people in a new and special way. He came to dwell permanently within us (John 14:16-17, 26).

In Acts 2:38, the sinner is commanded to repent, after which we are told the gift of the Holy Spirit is given. The word is singular here: gift. In Acts 10:45, this gift is discovered to be given to non-Jews also.

The gift of the Holy Spirit is given to every believer at the moment of conversion. In that moment, you are baptized by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; 1 Cor. 12:13). This means that you are immersed in the Spirit and He in you.

Once we are saved and have the indwelling Spirit, then we may be filled with the Holy Spirit. The filling of the Spirit is God's controlling presence in our lives. He will fill only what we yield to Him. This means we may have the Spirit and yet not be filled with Him.

The Multiple Gifts

Now, all of this so far has to do with the gift—singular
—of the Spirit. He comes into our lives to save us, sustain us and strengthen us. But the Holy Spirit is also the bestower of gifts—plural—to the believer (1 Cor. 12; Rom. 12). These spiritual gifts are endowments of power from God given so that we might fulfill the calling of God on our lives.

To understand the importance of these spiritual gifts, we must first understand the church as the body of Christ. Paul describes and compares the unity and diversity of the human body to the church body in explaining the purpose of spiritual gifts. Through this metaphor, we learn three important truths:

1. They are divine gifts. The gifts of the Spirit come from the same source. In 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, we see the source as the triune God. Verse 11 sets forth the fact that these gifts are sovereignly bestowed. God not only gives the gifts, but He also decides who gets which gifts. Verse 18 supports this by declaring that God sets the members into the church as it pleases Him.

Spiritual gifts are not natural talents or abilities that you are born with—those are your natural gifts. Rather, spiritual gifts are the supernatural gifts of God.

2. They are different gifts. The New International Version's translation of 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 uses the word different three times. In the verses that follow, three categories of gifts are listed: motivational gifts, ministry gifts and manifestation gifts. The important thing to note is that different gifts are given to different people.

The symbolism of the body holds true here. Every member of the body is different. Paul uses the foot, the hand, the ear, the eye and the nose as examples. How ridiculous it would be if we were all one foot, eye, ear, hand or nose! A body is made up of different members, and God has so designed the human body that each member is necessary for it to function properly.

Each church, then, has different members with different gifts. When will we learn that we are not all alike and that it is inthat diversity—both in our spiritual and social abilities and strengths—that we are best able to function as the body of Christ?

Most church problems come because we are intolerant of others who have a different motivation than we do. Many quit the church because they can't respond to the differences of others. But we must learn that all should not be alike. God made us and gifted us differently on purpose.

3. They are dependent gifts. Christ's body is unified but not uniform, and the value of a member is in its attachment to the body. First Corinthians 12:25-26 describes this dependence we ought to have on each other.

Suppose my stomach sends a signal to my brain of hunger. My feet carry me to the place where my eyes and nose tell me there is food. My hand grasps a fork and a knife when I see that steak. My hand carries a piece of that steak not to my ear or foot or eye, but to that convenient opening in the middle of my face called the mouth. There, enamel grinders called teeth chew the food and keep me from choking to death. Glands provide liquid so the food can be conveyed safely to my stomach, where the bloodstream will carry the food's nutrients to the rest of my body.

Just as the body cares for itself, so church members are to care for one another, hurt with one another and rejoice with one another. We are the body of Christ, and He is our head. We must move as He directs us. We are not to be divided but unified.

Dangers Associated With the Gifts

When it comes to the church and its exercise of the Holy Spirit's gifts, I see some interesting but dangerous trends in our day. Let me list them for you and explain. They are:

1. The neglect of spiritual gifts. God has provided gifts so His church will grow, yet very few churches operate on the basis of God's gifting. This neglect is one cause of the anemic growth of the Western church.

2. The fear of spiritual gifts. Some are afraid of the gifts, especially the manifested gifts such as tongues, healing and miracles. This fear is rooted in control issues. Certainly excesses can be dealt with in love, but the church must not fear the graces of the Holy Spirit.

3. The clustering of like gifts. Many churches have incomplete ministries because they have attracted those with like gifts. For instance, a pastor with a strong teaching gift attracts others with the teaching gift. You can end up with a group of well-fed, well-studied teachers while other ministries go neglected.

While we're on the subject of like gifts gravitating toward like gifts, you may need to hear the following: It may be time for you to share your gifts with the greater body of Christ. If you are constantly complaining of not being "fed," you may actually be a teacher who needs to be teaching. Babies need to be fed, but mature Christians should be feeding themselves and others.

4. The lack of balance in the body of Christ. Suppose my hands suddenly grabbed a pencil and wrote my eye a note and said, "I am cutting myself off. I am tired of you sitting up there in the head." Why, it would mean a crippling of the body and the death of the hand, just like in the example of what could have happened to the young man from my church.

Instead, we must learn some practical facts about the body of Christ. In summary, these facts are:

- One part cannot function as the whole (1 Cor. 12:14).
- The task of one cannot be given to another (vv. 15-17).
- There are no self-made members (vv. 18-20).
- All members are to be directed by the head, which is Christ (Col. 1:18).

That is why you, as a Christian, need to be in a local body of the church. You need to be exercising your gift to the glory of God and the benefit of believers. I encourage you to get and stay connected to your local body today.

Ron Phillips is senior pastor of Abba's House in Chattanooga, Tenn. His weekly television and daily radio programs are broadcast worldwide and available on the Internet. He is a sought-after speaker and the author of numerous books, including the four-part Foundations on the Holy Spirit, Our Invisible Allies and his latest, A God-Sized Future.

Ron Phillips explains the difference between the 'gift' and the 'gifts' of the Holy Spirit at gifts.charismamag.com

Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/spirit/supernatural/17427-no-gift-stands-alone

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10 Things Wives Want to Hear From Their Husbands

We recently posted the 10 Things Husbands Want to Hear From Their Wives from Family First's Mark Merrill. We would be remiss if we didn't reciprocate for the women. So, here they are:

1. "Thanks for all you do for our family." Yes, you work hard. You might even feel that your load is a million times heavier than your wife's. But your wife works hard, too—and a little thanks goes a long way.

2. "You are a great mom and wife." If you really want to make her day, go beyond saying "thank you" and praise her for doing a good job.

3. "Let me do that for you." Your wife realizes you are exhausted when you get home from work. She probably is too. So offer to help out. Start with something small, like cleaning up after dinner. Or, if you really want to score points, do the laundry or something else you normally don't do.

4. "I love you so much." Did you notice the extra words after "I love you?" Telling your wife you love her is a great start, but telling her why you love her, how much you love her or that you'll love her forever will melt her heart.

5. "You are beautiful." No matter her age, her size or how long you've been married, a woman loves to hear that you think she's attractive. And don't just say, "You look nice." Instead, use adjectives like great, lovely, fantastic.

6. "Let me watch the kids." If you already watch your children regularly, good job! If you don't, think of it this way: When you offer to take care of the children, your wife gets to recharge her batteries. A wife with a recharged battery is usually more patient, kind and loving.

7. "Let's go out tonight." Take charge of your next date night. This shows your wife that you enjoy spending time with her.

8. "I'm sorry you had a hard/frustrating/disappointing day." These words let your wife know that you are aware of what's going on in her life.

9. "I would marry you all over again." In one sentence, you're telling your wife you value your life together and that you're committed to her.

10. "How can I be a better husband to you?" Hearing these words will either make your wife burst into tears, smile like a kid in a candy store or, if she's completely shocked, laugh uncontrollably. Before you ask this question, though, be ready to hear what she has to say without being defensive.

For the original article, visit markmerrill.com.

Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/life/men/17785-10-things-wives-want-to-hear-from-their-husbands

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What Do You Believe About the People You Lead?

As a leader, have you ever stopped to think about what you believe about those that you lead?

What you believe about their intentions? Their dreams? Their desires?

Deep down, what you believe about them influences how you approach them. It impacts how you lead them.

If you're in a leadership role, that means God has positioned you to take part in the refining work He is doing in those you lead. That means He intends to use you to teach, to guide, to shepherd.

Sometimes that teaching or guidance is easy. It's not difficult to address and is readily received by the recipient.

Sometimes that teaching or guidance isn't as easy. Sometimes the topic is more sensitive and difficult to address—and isn't readily received.

In the past I've struggled to address difficult situations with those I've led. Maybe I'm afraid of how the other will respond. Maybe I believe I have no place to say anything. Maybe I believe they don't want to hear it from me.

Well, they likely don't want to hear it from me. Or anyone else, for that matter.
But that doesn't mean they shouldn't hear it.

In fact, Scripture is clear that we have a heavenly Father who loves us so faithfully that He will address issues in our life that get in the way of our relationship with Him. He will address issues that hinder us from being who He created us to be.

And one of the most important things I can do as a leader is to align myself with that work so those that I lead grow and become more of who God created them to be.

I've found that when I have a difficult scenario to lead someone through, there is an initial question I have to ask myself. The question serves as an internal compass for me and keeps my motives focused in the right place.

"Deep down, what do I believe about this person?"

Do I believe they want to be a better parent? A better teammate? A better Christ-follower?

The truth is, I don't think anyone on my team (staff or volunteer) wakes up in the morning and says, "Man, I wonder how I can really screw up today?" No. In fact, I'm convinced that every one of them wakes up in the morning wanting to be better today than they were yesterday.

The bottom line is, if I believe those that I lead want to be better, then I'm quicker to step into the hard conversation. If I believe that deep down they want to be more of who they were created to be, then I hesitate less. I'm not as hindered by the "what if's."

Truly leading others guarantees that you will have hard conversations. And leading well through hard conversations requires that we examine our beliefs about each person. And at the end of the day, I'm better served when I'm honest and choose to believe they want to be better.

What do you choose to believe? Tell us on Facebook.

Gina McClain is a speaker, writer and children's ministry director at Faith Promise Church in Knoxville, Tenn. Her marriage to Kyle keeps her marginally sane, while their three kids (Keegan, Josie and Connor) keep her from taking herself too seriously. Visit her blog at ginamcclain.com for more information about her ministry.

Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/life/women/17802-what-do-you-believe-about-the-people-you-lead

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Pope Francis Explains the Importance of the Holy Spirit

The following is a transcript of Pope Francis' speech, in which he explains the importance of the Holy Spirit. The speech was given last week, as Pentecost Sunday was approaching. Here is the translation of the Pope's weekly general audience address in St. Peter's Square, where he continued the cycle of catechesis dedicated to the Year of Faith.

Dear brothers and sisters,

Good morning! The Easter season that we are living with joy, guided by the Church's liturgy, is par excellence the time of the Holy Spirit, given "without measure" (cf. John 3:34) by Jesus, crucified and risen. This time of grace ends with the feast of Pentecost, in which the Church relives the outpouring of the Spirit upon Mary and the apostles gathered in prayer in the Cenacle.

But who is the Holy Spirit? In the Creed we profess with faith: "I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life." The first truth to which we adhere in the Creed is that the Holy Spirit is Kýrios, Lord. This means that He is truly God, as the Father and Son are, the object, for our part, of the same act of adoration and glorification that we address to the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Blessed Trinity; He is the great gift of the risen Christ that opens our minds and our hearts to faith in Jesus as the Son sent by the Father and that leads us to friendship, to communion with God.

But I would like to dwell in particular on the fact that the Holy Spirit is the inexhaustible source of the life of God in us. Men of all times and all places want a life that is full and beautiful, just and good, a life that is not threatened by death but that can mature and grow to its fullness. Man is like a wanderer who, crossing the deserts of life, thirsts for a living water, gushing and fresh, able to quench deeply his profound desire for light, love, beauty and peace. We all feel this desire! And Jesus gives us this living water: It is the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father and that Jesus pours out into our hearts. "I came that they might have life and have it in abundance," Jesus tells us (John 10:10).

Jesus promises the Samaritan woman that He will give a "living water," super abundantly and forever, to all those who recognize Him as the Son sent by the Father to save us (cf. John 4:5-26; 3:17). Jesus came to give us this "living water" that is the Holy Spirit, so that our life may be guided by God, animated by God and nourished by God. When we say that the Christian is a spiritual man, we mean just that: A Christian is a person who thinks and acts according to God, according to the Holy Spirit. But I ask: And we—do we think according to God? Do we act according to God? Or do we let ourselves be guided by so many other things that are not exactly God? Each one must answer this in the depths of his heart.

At this point we can ask ourselves: Why is it that this water can slake the very depths of our thirst? We know that water is essential for life; without water, you die; it quenches thirst, washes, makes the land fertile. In the letter to the Romans we find this expression: "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us" (5:5). The "living water," the Holy Spirit, the gift of the risen Lord who makes its home in us purifies us, enlightens us, renews us, transforms us because it makes us partakers of the very life of God, who is love.

For this reason, the apostle Paul says that the Christian life is animated by the Spirit and its fruits, which are "love, joy, peace, generosity, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Gal. 5:22-23). The Holy Spirit inserts us into the divine life as "sons in the only-begotten Son." In another passage of the epistle to the Romans, which we have mentioned several times, St. Paul summarizes it with these words: "All those who are led by the spirit of God, are sons of God. And you ... have received the Spirit that makes us adoptive children, whereby we cry, 'Abba! Father!' The Spirit itself, together with our spirit, attests that we are children of God. And if we are children, we are also heirs: heirs of God, joint-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order to participate in his glory (8:14-17).

This is the precious gift that the Holy Spirit places in our hearts: the very life of God, life as true sons, a relationship of confidence, freedom and trust in the love and mercy of God, which has as an effect, also a new gaze toward others, near and far, always seen as brothers and sisters in Jesus to be respected and loved. The Holy Spirit teaches us to look with the eyes of Christ, to live life as Christ lived it, to understand life as Christ understood it. That's why the living water that is the Holy Spirit quenches the thirst of our lives, because it tells us that we are loved by God as children, that we can love God as His children, and by His grace we can live as children of God, like Jesus.

And we, we listen to the Holy Spirit? What does the Holy Spirit tell us? God loves you. It tells us this. God loves you. He desires your good. Do we really love God and others, like Jesus does? Let us allow ourselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit. Let us allow Him to speak to our hearts and tell us this: that God is love, that He is waiting for us, that God is the Father, He loves us as a true Father [Papà], He truly loves us, and only the Holy Spirit alone says this to our hearts. Let us hear the Holy Spirit, let us listen to the Holy Spirit and let us go forward on this road of love, of mercy and of forgiveness. Thank you.
[Translation by Peter Waymel]

Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/life/culture/17806-pope-francis-explains-the-importance-of-the-holy-spirit

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Saturday, May 18

‘You forgot to be his girlfriend’: Wives, 5 mistakes you make that leads to divorce

'You forgot to be his girlfriend': Wives, 5 mistakes you make that leads to divorce

by Nikki Ransom-Alfred

Throw away those flannel pajamas that you sleep in and replace them with enticing lingerie (or sleep in nothing at all).

These marital don'ts can drive even the best husbands away.

As women, we can place a lot of emphasis on gettingmarried, but not enough on staying married. These are five common mistakes that married women make that you should be sure to avoid (if you don't want your relationship to end in divorce):

1. You nag him. Being nagged by their wives has become so common in marriage that it's become almost expected by men! As a wife, I can say that saddens me, especially since nagging is so completely unnecessary! Do not allow yourself to become a stereotypical wife by paying attention to the way that you speak to your husband. Your job as his mate is to uplift him, not bring him down with your words. Talking to your guy in a positive, loving way will go a lot further than fussing at him. An important fact to know is that studies have shown that the male brain does not process the female voice the same way it would another man's voice. To have effective communication with your husband, you should not only remember to watch what you say, but also how you say it.

2. You've forgotten to be his girlfriend.Continue to be his girlfriend (even if you happen to be his wife). Remember how hard you worked to make sure you were flawless whenever you saw him at the start of your relationship? Don't stop once you get a ring. Keep it sexy. I know that age, pregnancy and other health factors can get our bodies all out of whack, but we still should keep ourselves looking good for our husbands.

Throw away those flannel pajamas that you sleep in and replace them with enticing lingerie (or sleep in nothing at all). Be his trophy wife. Men love to feel desired and appreciated just as much as we do, so keeping yourself at your best shows him that you still find him just as delicious as you did the first day you met. This shows your husband that you value him and that you value your relationship.

3. You don't think of sex as a priority. Remember how Ray, on Everyone Loves Raymond would be so scared to upset Debra fearing it would mean no sex for him? Sex should be abundant after marriage! This televised example of marriage may explain why so many men are terrified of marriage and it is also what's keeping many husbands upset.

Sex is much more than just a physical act to your husband. Studies have shown that sex is a need and a source of validation for men. You do not want to continuously have your man feeling unwanted by the woman he loves and to change his own natural urges—that's not fair or right. Men also find great solace in making love to their wives. How beautiful is that to know we can be all of this to our husbands through an amazingly pleasurable, healthy act such as sex?

4. You're unadventurous in the bedroom. As I mentioned before, to your husband, sex is more than just a physical act. Men naturally crave variety! Knowing this, you should maintain an open mind when it comes to various sexual acts that your husband may want to try. Remember your vows to "honor thy husband" … that includes his bodily desires. You two are going to be together for the rest of your lives. You want to be open to new and exciting ways to keep your marriage hot! Keep an open mind and try anything (within reason) at least once, you may find out that you enjoy it.

5. You neglect yourself. As women, we can allow ourselves to become so consumed with our children, husbands, careers and other responsibilities that we neglect ourselves. We neglect our own wants and desires that we have for ourselves such as learning a new language, starting our own business or experiencing a new part of the world. Always remember to make deposits into your own personal stock and that the higher your stock grows, the better you will feel about yourself and your life. With this kind of positivity, you have no choice but to be an amazing wife to your husband!

A wife that does not nag, keeps steamy sex as a priority in her marriage and maintains her fabulousness on the outside as well as the inside will definitely have a very happy husband! The marriage will be filled with the peace and passion that all should have and wives being treated in the way they've always desired.

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Read this article on Your Tango

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

Original Page: http://www.ynaija.com/you-forgot-to-be-his-girlfriend-wives-5-mistakes-you-make-that-leads-to-divorce/

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Wednesday, May 15

Technology and the Gospel

At the end of 1998 I traveled with a small group of people into a country closed to the Gospel. We each brought a few paperback Bibles and we also brought the Bible on audio cassette. We knew that in one area we would traveling to that bringing a printed Bible wouldn't be enough because many couldn't read. Not only that but they didn't have access to current technology (at the time CD's were current technology!) which is why we brought audio cassettes.

15 years later and it's now estimated that more people have access to a smartphone than decent sanitation. What does this mean for missionaries and the advancement of the Gospel? It means that we live in a time where the Gospel can be transmitted like never before!

As the picture above demonstrates, we can now store over 1,600 Bibles on a Micro SD card that is smaller than a penny. If you've ever picked up a box of books, you know how significant the idea of being able to store an entire library's worth of books on a memory card is. That one cassette box I hid in the bottom of my bag years ago could hold enough Micro SD cards to resource thousands of pastors.

We live in a unique time and it will be exciting to see how technology continues to be utilized in the spread of the Gospel!

And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Matthew 24:14

Original Page: http://blog.olivetree.com/2013/04/29/technology-and-the-gospel/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=technology-and-the-gospel

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The Deception of Hyper-Grace

Someone wisely stated, "The church has suffered more from her exponents than from her opponents." This is certainly the case today, as we are seeing an onslaught of dangerous teaching sweeping through the body of Christ like never before. We have the graphic and prophetic picture of the serpent in Revelation pouring water like a river out of his mouth in order to sweep away the woman (Rev. 12:15-16). This, to me, speaks of the false river the enemy is attempting to use to deceive the church in these last days. Thank God that He has promised, "When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will raise up a standard against him" (Is. 59:19, NKJV).

One of the enemy's wiles is to take something that is inherently good and seek to make it appear better. The hyper-grace message is a prime example of this. What is more amazing than grace? Nothing sets Christianity apart more than the message of grace. None of us would ever know our magnificent Savior and Lord without His redeeming, reconciling grace. There is no sect, cult or religion that has any doctrine comparable to it. Grace is found in Christ alone!

Little wonder, then, that the enemy has sought to improve on this glorious message by appearing to make it even more glorious, while at the same time lacing it with his deadly poison of deception and distortion.

Consider how you would respond to a message exhorting you to guard your mind, stay sober, be obedient, don't be conformed to your former lusts, be holy, conduct yourself in fear, obey the Word and put aside all malice, guile and hypocrisy? What if the message went on to tell you to love and read God's Word, grow up, tell others about God's goodness, avoid fleshly lusts, do good deeds, do right, don't speak about evil, be zealous for what is good and sanctify Christ as Lord?

Many within the body of Christ today would cry out against such a message, claiming it to be nothing more than a religious spirit or legalism or even fleshly works. Grace, we are told, frees you from all these works and liberates you so that you are no longer under any obligation of any kind. Grace, they say, is the gift that comes to us with no strings attached. But is that really the message of grace? Has the enemy blinded our eyes through super-sizing the true message of grace—and thereby distorting it?

It may surprise you to know that all the exhortations I've listed above were taken directly from Peter's first epistle. Now, here is a most amazing truth: Peter tells us in the closing verses of his epistle, "I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it!" (1 Pet. 5:12, NASB, emphasis added).

Here we have one of the most complete and comprehensive revelations on true grace to be found in the New Testament. Yes, grace is totally and irrevocably free, and it provides us with God's power to change us. That was its original intent. Paul, in his letter to Titus, explains it this way: "The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age" (Titus 2:11-12, emphasis added).

Peter and Paul saw the Lord, who is the only true embodiment of grace and truth. If anyone had a correct revelation and understanding of grace, these two men certainly did.

Paul, you recall, had to correct the Romans on their tendency to abuse grace by continuing in sin. This abuse of grace has now raised its head again and is being taught in ever-widening circles within the church. Those proponents of the hyper-grace message will tell you that since your sins past, present and future have all been forgiven, there is no longer any need of repentance for the believer. Repentance, they claim, is the acknowledgment of a sin that has already been forgiven. Why put back in the ledger what has already been erased? So the reasoning goes.

But is this really sound biblical doctrine? Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, scolded them for not dealing with the blatant sin of a brother who was sexually involved with his father's wife. The Corinthians took to heart what Paul wrote. Then in his second letter, he commended them for their godly sorrow that brought them to a place of repentance (2 Cor. 7:9-10). He mentions repentance twice within two verses. If we did follow this erroneous concept of grace, then why was this sexual pervert disciplined in the first place, if his sin was already forgiven? Why punish him for something that is already under the blood? Jesus obviously didn't consider this to be the case when He admonished five out of the seven churches in Revelation to repent.

Finally, as I have said many times, if we say that repentance is no longer necessary because all sin has already been forgiven, then why do we need to repent the first time in order to be saved? There is the belief by some that since all sin has been atoned for, all are saved but just don't know it. This is the old but still very much alive false doctrine of universalism or ultimate reconciliation.

Jude was greatly disturbed by these errors in his day and tells us, "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3, NKJV). Why? Because there were those within the church who were distorting the grace of God and turning it into licentiousness. This, I believe, was also the subtle teaching of Jezebel in the church of Thyatira. I don't personally believe she was openly teaching that it was OK to engage in sexual immorality, but rather that the fruit of her distorted message led to this type of activity.

This is also my great fear regarding the hyper-grace message. While I sincerely believe that many advocates of the hyper-grace message firmly believe they are proclaiming a fresh revelation of grace, I truly believe the fruit of their teaching will instead bring disgrace to the very God of grace they seek to magnify.

I can only plead with those who are caught up in this false teaching to re-examine their beliefs in the light of God's Word rather than get carried along by the latest trend being taught by a few popular and flamboyant pied pipers. If the fruit of this teaching does not produce a longing after God and a desire to be like Him, then we should avoid it like the plague. Grace enables us to live and walk in victory over sin, the flesh and the devil. Anything less is not the true grace of God.

David and Nancy Ravenhill have a rich history in ministry. David worked with David Wilkerson's first Teen Challenge Center in New York City, Youth With a Mission, and pastored one of the largest churches in New Zealand. He is now a full-time itinerant minister and author of five books, including Blood Bought.

Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/blogs/prophetic-insight/17710-the-deception-of-hyper-grace

Xtian

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Thursday, May 9

Do You Seek God's Glory or Man's?

"How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?" (John 5:44, NASB). If we are displaying our spirituality to impress men, still seeking honor from others, still living to appear righteous or special or "anointed" before people, can we honestly say we have been walking near to the living God? We know we are relating correctly to God when our hunger for His glory causes us to forsake the praise of men.

Does not all glory fade in the light of His glory? Even as Jesus challenged the genuineness of the Pharisees' faith, so He challenges us: "How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another?"

What a weak comfort is the praise of men. Upon such a frail ledge do we mortals build our happiness. Consider: Within but a few days after the Lycaonians attempted to worship Paul, they were congratulating themselves for having stoned him (Acts 14:11–19). Consider: Was it not the same city whose songs and praise welcomed Jesus as "King ,,, gentle, and mounted on a donkey" (Matt. 21:5–9) that roared, "Crucify Him!" less than one week later (Luke 23:21)? To seek the praise of men is to be tossed upon such a sea of instability!

We must ask ourselves: Whose glory do we seek in life, God's or our own? Jesus said, "He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory" (John 7:18). When we speak from ourselves and of ourselves, are we not seeking to solicit from men the praise that belongs only to God? To seek our glory is to fall headlong into vanity and deception.

"But," Jesus continued, "He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him" (v. 18). The same quality of heart that made Christ's intentions true must become our standard as well. For only to the degree that we are seeking the glory of God are our motivations true. Only to the degree that we abide in the glory of Him who sends us is there no unrighteousness in our hearts.

Therefore, let us give ourselves to seeking the glory of God, and let us do so until we find Him. As we behold the nature of Christ, as our eyes see Him, like Job we "abhor" ourselves and "repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:6, KJV).

As we are bathed in His glory, we shall be washed from seeking the glory of man. If we truly find Him, no one will have to tell us to be humble. No one need convince us our old natures are as filthy rags. As we truly find God, the things that are so highly esteemed among men will become detestable in our sight (Luke 16:15).

What could be more important than finding God?

Take a day, a week or a month and do nothing but seek Him, persisting until you find Him. He has promised, "You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart" (Jer. 29:13). Find God, and once you have Him, determine to live the rest of your life in pursuit of His glory. As you touch Him, something will come alive in you: something eternal, someone Almighty! Instead of looking down on people, you will seek to lift them up. You will dwell in the presence of God. And you will be holy, for He is holy.

Francis Frangipane is the founder of River of Life Ministries in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and has traveled throughout the world ministering to thousands of pastors and intercessors from many backgrounds. His heartfelt prayer is to see established in every city Christlike pastors and intercessors, united before God, revealing the love of Christ to their communities. Since 1985, Frangipane has written 14 books plus a number of study booklets. Over the past decades, he has served on a number of other ministry boards. However, in recent years he has gradually resigned from these various boards. As of June 2009, he has also retired from his position as senior pastor of River of Life Ministries. In his more simplified life, Frangipane is devoting himself to prayer and the ministry of God's Word. This article was excerpted from Frangipane's book Holiness, Truth and the Presence of God.

Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/spirit/spiritual-growth/17619-do-you-seek-god-s-glory-or-man-s

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John Bevere: Should You Stay Under Bad Leadership?

Today men and women leave churches so readily if they see something wrong in the leadership. Perhaps it is the way the pastor takes offerings. Maybe it is the way the money is spent.

If they don't like what the pastor preaches, they leave. He is either not approachable, or he is too familiar. This list doesn't end. Rather than face the difficulties and maintain hope, they run to where there appears to be no conflict.

Let's face it: Jesus is the only perfect pastor. So why do we run from difficulties in America instead of facing them and working through them? When we don't hit these conflicts head-on, we usually leave offended. Sometimes we say our prophetic ministry just was not received. We then go from church to church, looking for a place with flawless leadership.

At the initial writing of this, I had been a member of only two churches in two different states in the past 14 years. I have had more than two—in fact, numerous—opportunities to become offended with the leadership over me (most of which, I might add, stemmed from my own fault or immaturity). I had the chance to become critical and judgmental with leadership, but leaving was not the answer. In the midst of a very trying circumstance, one day the Lord spoke to me through a Scripture verse and said, "This is the way I want you to leave a church: 'For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace'" (Is. 55:12).

Most do not leave this way. They think churches are like cafeterias; they can pick and choose what they like! They feel the freedom to stay as long as there are no problems. But this does not agree at all with what the Bible teaches. You are not the one who chooses where you go to church. God does! The Bible does not say, "God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as they please." Rather it says, "But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased" (1 Cor. 12:18, emphasis added).

Remember that if you're in the place where God wants you, the devil will try to offend you to get you out. He wants to uproot men and women from the place where God plants them. If he can get you out, he has been successful. If you will not budge, even in the midst of great conflict, you will spoil his plans.

John Bevere is a popular speaker at conferences and churches and the author of the best-sellers The Bait of Satan and The Fear of the Lord. He is host of The Messenger TV show and directs Messenger International ministry. This article was excerpted from his popular book The Bait of Satan.

Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/spirit/church-ministry/17648-john-bevere-should-you-stay-under-bad-leadership

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10 Ways to Make Good Kids Great

A Play of the Day subscriber wrote the following:

"I went to parent/teacher conferences and I was told what a nice, pleasant girl my daughter was. Once I got up to go, I was feeling pretty good, but by the time I got to the door, I had a new set of questions, so I turned back and sat back down.

"Lots of tension suddenly ... but I asked my questions: 'How do you challenge a pleasant kid? When your child is the likable, helpful, compliant person, are they being noticed?' My daughter told me that I wasn't allowed to go to any more conferences after that because all of her teachers suddenly were paying attention to her, giving her extra work, and making her work harder. Never felt bad about that."

If you have a "good" kid, that's wonderful. But there is always room for improvement. Nudge them from good to great. Here are 10 ways to make good kids better:

1. Understand the difference between criticism and challenge. A challenge builds on confidence; criticism typically erodes confidence. Simply put, we want our children to move forward from a position of strength.

2. Keep the conversation open. When kids are familiar with an ongoing dialogue that is both encouraging and motivational, "upping the ante" or special challenges come with the territory.

3. Develop a family ethos that values challenge and change. "Good to Great" will fail royally if it's a kids-only initiative. Make sure excellence defines your family like a strand of DNA.

4. Write a weekly family game plan. This might be a good time to initiate a weekly family meeting. Develop specific family goals and encourage mutual accountability. This could cover everything from cleaner rooms to planning the family vacation to a neighborhood food drive.

5. Require an individual game plan (read: goals). This builds on No. 4. It could look like, "I'm challenging myself to finish the garage. Mom has a project for her class. What's your plan for the week, Chris?"

6. Introduce justice into the family conversation. Fact: Children who develop a social conscience also achieve more personally. This is one reason college applications now look at volunteer work. Take this a step further and encourage your kids to develop their own ideas and interventions.

7. Model self-evaluation and self-improvement. We've said this before, Dad, and the principle remains ever true: You are your kids' role model and hero. They watch everything you do. Remember what your high school English teacher said about that story you wrote? "Don't tell me, show me." Hey, it's a great word for dads too.

8. Volunteer. We've already mentioned the power of social action to motivate. Well, incorporate the principle into the family plan. This isn't just about individual volunteering—we're talking about the whole family caring out loud, nudging one another from good to great.

9. Avoid using tangible rewards for achievement. But doesn't this sound counter-intuitive? Not at all. Our end game must be, "Excellence is its own reward." Paying for grades can cheapen achievement. Celebration is a different matter, but keep it within reason. We were created to live at capacity. When the kids get that, the idea becomes self-sustaining.

10. Use encouragement rather than guilt. This hearkens back to the difference between criticism and challenge. Guilt builds resentment and sows negativity where we should be planting positive motivation. The child pushed into achievement by guilt will never own the joy of achievement and never do his or her best.

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.

Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/life/men/17618-10-ways-to-make-good-kids-great

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Pages

Wednesday, May 29

The apostle Paul said: Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. — Romans 14:19

The apostle Paul not only confronted sin but named specific sins when he preached. Why can't we?

Friday, May 24

Immorality Is Trending

Thou shall not plagiarize: Priest accused of lifting sermons directly from the Web

Tuesday, May 21

3 Secrets To Effective Leadership

Identify Your Spiritual Gifts

10 Things Wives Want to Hear From Their Husbands

What Do You Believe About the People You Lead?

Pope Francis Explains the Importance of the Holy Spirit

Saturday, May 18

'You forgot to be his girlfriend': Wives, 5 mistakes you make that leads to divorce

Wednesday, May 15

Technology and the Gospel

The Deception of Hyper-Grace

Thursday, May 9

Do You Seek God's Glory or Man's?

John Bevere: Should You Stay Under Bad Leadership?

10 Ways to Make Good Kids Great

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