Senin, 14 November 2016

Church, This is a Call for Familial Friendship

Church, This is a Call for Familial Friendship

In all of the controversy over Jen Hatmaker's statements on same-sex marriage, the phrase that continually rings in my ears is Rosario Butterfield's: "The cross is ruthless." She referred first to the ruthlessness between the cross and an unconverted person and then described how the cross is equally relentless toward the converted. This latter relentlessness--how the cross requires me daily to come and die to self and live to God--is something I've not always understood. Nonetheless, the cross has been relentless in my life, pursuing and crucifying my claims on self-rule and self-glory. The gospel, because it is by nature sacrificial, requires my self-sacrifice.
Church, the gospel lays claim to us all. Christ lays claim to our ambitions, our money, our minds, our work, our children, and, yes, even our sexual activity. We cannot lay out for the unconverted a Christianity that will "make life better," when in fact faith in Jesus often makes life more difficult, because the priceless value of knowing Him comes at a cost to self. We become no longer our own; everything we are and do must be submitted to someone else--namely Christ.

We certainly can't lay out the benefits without the costs for the unconverted, but perhaps even more so we must be careful about this within the church. We must be talking about the costs of following Christ with one another. What does the gospel cost you, unmarried Christian? What does the gospel cost you, Christian businessman? What does the gospel cost you, Christian mother pregnant with a baby the doctors tell you to abort? What does the gospel cost you, faithful pastor? What about you, college student studying at a public university antagonistic to faith? What does the gospel cost you, widow or widower? What does it cost you, dear reader?

The costs and demands of the gospel are some of the most vulnerable stories we hold, because they are sensitive and they are difficult and we're not always sure we're getting it right. These are the stories where our doubt and wrestling reside.

I can tell you what the gospel has demanded of me. Even typing that sentence brings tears to my eyes. I live where I live, write what I write, parent the way I parent, spend my money and my time the way I do because of the gospel. I've said goodbye to people and places I didn't want to say goodbye to, I've struggled with loneliness, I've overlooked offenses, I've had to place others before myself in ways that has made me feel invisible at times--all for the sake of the gospel. The cost of following Christ has seemed unbearable at times, especially when self rises up, bucking for a fight.

The truth is that there is beauty in self-sacrifice. I look back at all my wrestling against the claims of the cross and I'm beyond grateful that the cross has won. I'm still here. I'm still walking forward. The benefits of submission to Christ are becoming more and more joy-filled to me. And I also see the goodness of God to work on me slowly, otherwise I'd be crushed.

Do you know what encourages me when I'm faced with the call of the cross in a newly exposed area of my life? It's when I look around at the beloved people in my church and see that the cross is just as relentless in their lives. My single friends who want to be married could be traipsing around the city dating and sleeping with anyone and everyone. They could be taking their future into their own hands rather than waiting on the Lord and entrusting themselves to Him. My married friends who have experienced difficulties in their marriages could be taking their husbands to divorce court. My same-sex attracted friends could be succumbing to their desires. They hold steady in truth and grace for the sake of the gospel, and their stories not only compel me to do the same, but they also solidify our bonds of unity and friendship and show me anew the surpassing worth of the gospel.

We're in a new day, Church. We can no longer think of church as something we do, as if its a social club or somewhere we go to get a shot of "feel better." We must instead help create a culture within our churches of familial friendship. Kevin DeYoung says that friendship is the most important-least talked about relationship in the church, and I tend to agree. We must be actively pursuing deep relationships with others within our churches in which we bravely share how the gospel is laying claim to our lives. Of course, this requires vulnerability, and not vulnerability simply for its own sake, but so that we can know and be known in a way that helps us endure in truth and grace. If we don't do this, everyone stands apart as individuals, either not realizing how the gospel lays claim to them or believing they're the only ones having to give something up and, therefore, counting the cost as too great.

Church, this is a call to pursue and value familial friendship. We cannot call, for example, same-sex attracted people to submit their desires to Christ, quite possibly abandoning a dream for marriage, without offering the safe haven and deep companionship of lifelong family. We cannot call for singles to submit their sexual desires and hopes for marriage and children to Christ without also offering ourselves as their family. Church, listen to the words of our Christ:

"Peter began to say to [Jesus], 'See, we have left everything and followed you.' Jesus said, 'Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.'" (Mark 10:28-30)

The call of the gospel is to walk away and never come back. We belong now to Jesus. But He says that those who leave everything behind will be enveloped into family--the Church. He describes the benefits of the Christian family as far outweighing the costs of submitting ourselves to Christ.

This is our way forward in these times. This is how we hold both grace and truth together rather than simply condemning or, on the other hand, loving without truth attached. We share our stories--because we all have them--of how Christ has laid claim to us and how we're wrestling to submit to Him. We continually call our friends to die to self and live to God. (I believe this willingness to address sin is what makes friendship distinctly Christian.) We allow our friends to do the same for us. And as we call each other to walk away from who we once were, never to return, we invite them into a Church that looks like family more than anything else.

To Be With Him

To Be With Him
“He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him…”
-MARK 3:14

The first order of business was not the preaching or the sending forth; it was simply being with Jesus. During those times of being alone and apart with Christ He revealed Himself to them in a deep way. They walked with Him, watched Him, and listened to Him for three and a half years. Just as importantly, they learned to walk with each other. They learned how to serve one another in love. When Jesus finally did send them forth to preach they actually had something worth sharing and worth listening to.

Your primary calling as a disciple is to BE with Jesus, because that is how you LEARN OF HIM. It is not learning about the Christian faith – that is a thing. It is not learning about Bible doctrine – that is a thing. It is not learning about Christian things or religious things or spiritual things. It is not learning about the Bible. It’s not even learning ABOUT Jesus, it is learning OF Jesus FROM Jesus.


Source: "The Church in the Wilderness"  by Chip Brogden

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A Call to Praise

Apostle Colette Toach

A Call to Praise

My child today is the time to dance in my presences, knowing that I watch jealously over you. For in the dark times, my hand covered you. In the difficult times, I prepared the way for you. Now I am opening the way before you and I invite you to dance.
For joy is your greatest weapon against the enemy and it is also what draws you closer to me. So walk in this fruit of the spirit today and see how it pushes back every dark cloud and opens up the way before you.
For when the enemy has stolen your joy, he has stolen your hope and you no longer see ahead. You no longer want to keep walking. So do not look at what you see. Do not dwell on how you feel in the natural. Rather step into joy! Stand in faith, knowing that I am watching over you as a jealous groom - standing to protect and cover you, everywhere you go!
Come now and shake off the remnants of the past. Shake off the last traces of fear and dance before me in praise today and watch the heavens open on your circumstances says the Lord.

Press Towards the Goal

Press Towards the Goal
“I press toward the goal for the prize of the
upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
-PHILIPPIANS 3:14

God has a purpose for the universe: that in all things Christ would have the preeminence. This is the Heavenly Bullseye. Since you, dear reader, are part of the universe, you are one of those “all things.” So this purpose includes you.
Actually, this is the same purpose He had in mind for Adam: that Christ would have the preeminence in him. But Adam chose an independent path and failed to give Christ the preeminence. He took the preeminence for himself. Adam missed the mark, which is a life submitted to, and totally dependent upon, God.

Source: "The Irresistible Kingdom"  by Chip Brogden

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Draw up a New Battle Line

Apostle Colette Toach

Draw up a New Battle Line

Rise up and take the land that is set before you my child, for I fight on your behalf. Did I lead you to this land for you to be defeated? Did I lead you to the gates of the enemy, only to be overcome? No, I led you to this place so that you might have the victory!
For you have asked me why I led you into darkness. You wonder why I led you into situations that seemed impossible to overcome. I did not lead you here to overcome you my child! I led you here so that you might become the overcomer!
For you cried out to me and I answered your prayer. You sought me and I led you into this direction. You wanted change and so I have given you the power to bring about that change. You cannot bring the change though in the safety of your own battle lines! To take this land, you need to reach beyond what you have had before and take new land.
To reach the goals you have asked me for, means taking land you did not have before! This means taking the enemy's land. So do not be discouraged, but realize that I have led you right to where you asked me to take you. I have put a sword in your hand. I am giving you the opportunity to take this new land. All that is left for you now child... is to fight!

The Most High Rules

November 14
The Most High Rules
“The Most High rules in the kingdoms of men.”
-DANIEL 4:17

Christ is increasing and filling all things. Have you seen this? If you have, then
embrace it, submit to it, cooperate with it, be in harmony with it, order your life around it, demonstrate it to the world around you, and pray for its fulfillment.
Get aligned with something and Someone higher and greater than yourself. For when you see God’s Purpose, and you adjust your life according to that Purpose, and you consistently pray for the fulfillment of that Purpose, then His Purpose cannot be stopped; His Will cannot be frustrated; His Kingdom cannot be defeated. Heaven singles you out and Hell trembles with fear. You just became undefeatable! You just joined the Remnant.

Source: "The Irresistible Kingdom"  by Chip Brogden

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Time for Refreshing

Apostle Colette Toach

Time for Refreshing

My living water is inside of you my child. So no matter how thirsty or hungry you are, I have put the answer inside of you already. When you look over your life and see a wilderness or a lack, realize that the answer is not very far away. It is within you!
So take your eyes off the lack and the dryness in your life and put your eyes on me instead. Realize that I have answered even before you have asked. For when you put your eyes on me and begin to praise me, those living waters begin to bubble up from deep inside of you, watering every need.
For it is hard to see clearly when you feel so dry, but when my anointing comes on you, everything is clear again. All you need is a moment in my presence. All you need is a taste of living waters to understand everything that is going on in your life. Your answers will not be found out in the world. The answers will not be found in your escape and they will not be found in the desert. They will be found within you! They will be found in my presence.
So stop now and listen. Listen to my voice. Stop and praise! Allow those waters to bubble up from deep within. In that moment, as my living water washes over you, your mind will become clear. You will feel the peace you seek and you will understand the road that you are on. Then you will begin to walk in wisdom and see things as I see them. So come away now into my presence and experience the blessings I have in store for you, says the Lord. Amen

Sabtu, 12 November 2016

Why God Resists Us

Why God Resists Us
“God resists the proud.”
-JAMES 4:6

Our automatic assumption is that anything which resists us or hinders us is of satanic origin. Yet we learn from James 4:6 that there is Someone Else who can resist us. There is Another Who carefully watches what we do, and frequently hinders us from making progress. It comes as a shock and surprise to some Christians to see one day that God, not the devil, is resisting them. The Lord Himself resists us, closes doors, causes things to be unfruitful, and spoils all our plans. How so? Because “God resists the proud.”

This resistance from God is insurmountable. It is a fearful thing to fight the Lord. We spend most of our lives wrestling with God instead of cooperating with God, and in the end we have nothing to show for it. So much time and effort is wasted because we proceed in our own, stubborn way. We attribute all difficulties to the devil, or to other people, or our circumstances, or our environment, and fail to recognize that the Lord Himself is resisting us.


Source: "Embrace the Cross"  by Chip Brogden

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Hidden Manna, Secret Name

Hidden Manna, Secret Name
“To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”
-REVELATION 2:17

The manna is HIDDEN and the name is SECRET. The Lord is doing a work, but that work is, for the most part, hidden and secret. If we are always looking for something out in the open and in plain view then we will miss the deeper workings of God below the surface.

Source: "The Irresistible Kingdom"  by Chip Brogden

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Chip Brogden 

God's Response to Spiritual Decline

God's Response to Spiritual Decline
“Who is he who overcomes the world, but he
who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”
-1 JOHN 5:5

The Lord’s answer to a state of decline is to reveal Himself and His eternal purpose. Once the Lord has established for Himself a people that will represent His interests, then He will move immediately to secure, protect, establish, and strengthen the Remnant. Here is what I want us to see. When we align ourselves with God’s Thought, with God’s Kingdom, and with God’s Will in Christ, we are invincible.

Source: "The Irresistible Kingdom"  by Chip Brogden

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Chip Brogden 

I am Calling You

Apostle Colette Toach

I am Calling You

Listen to my voice today and hear that I am calling you out my child. I know that you feel uncomfortable and do not feel worthy to walk out the call that I have placed on your life. I know that it is sometimes easier to just hide away.
But I have called you and I have created you for a reason my child. I have place a sword in your hand and a treasure in your heart so that you can go out and change this world for me. So do not wait any longer but listen to my command. Listen to the words that I am speaking to you for I will guide you a step at a time.
I will give you what you need to embark the journey that lies ahead of you. It is for you though to take the first step so that I can form you into the vessel that I have called you to be.

Selasa, 08 November 2016

Knowing What vs. Knowing Whom

Knowing What vs. Knowing Whom
“I know Whom I have believed.”
2 TIMOTHY 1:12

A certain brother was always emphatic about what he believed until someone with equal or greater argument confronted him. This occurred one day when someone pointed out several supposed “errors” in the Bible. This caused the brother to be very alarmed. He went to an elderly sister and informed her of these alleged errors and wanted to know her opinion. She simply stated that the knowledge of God did not depend upon the answering of these questions.

He thought, perhaps not to you, but to me it is important! So he spent the next year investigating what this other person had told him and found it to be untrue. But, had he simply known God He would not have found it necessary to study the whole thing and reason it out. The elderly sister was right, the knowledge of God did not depend upon the answering of those questions. If you know Who, knowing what and why become less significant.


Source: "Lord of All"  by Chip Brogden

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Chip Brogden 

The Conjuring 2



Hasil gambar untuk the conjuring 2
The Conjuring 2

Sadarlah dan berjaga-jagalah! Lawanmu, si Iblis, berjalan keliling sama seperti singa yang mengaum-aum dan mencari orang yang dapat ditelannya (1 Petrus 5:8)

Orang-orang begitu heboh menyatakan bahwa film The Conjuring2 itu seru dan menegangkan. Bagi para penggemar film horror, ini merupakan film yang telah ditunggu-tunggu. Pada bagian awal film tersebut, saya melihat adegan dimana seorang anak kecil bermain-main iseng menggunakan oujia board (papan oujia untuk memanggil arwah). Tanpa sadar ia telah mengundang “makhluk lain” hadir dalam keluarga tersebut.
Melihat film tersebut, saya teringat masa ketika saya saat SD dan SMP dulu. Kami juga sering “iseng-iseng” bermain jailangkung, menanyakan hal-hal sepele seperti siapa yang naksir kita sampai nomor judi angka. Kami tidak menyadari bahwa kami juga telah mengundang kehadiran roh jahat dalam hidup kami sebagaimana anak dalam film tersebut.
Manusia kadang penasaran, mengatakan tidak percaya hal gaib tapi lalu mencoba-coba mencari tahu sebab penasaran. Sering kali dalam ketidaktahuan itu akhirnya manusia malah terpedaya oleh Iblis. Ada orang yang kecanduan untuk diramal, tiap hari dia membaca apa kata bintangnya, atau diramal menggunakan kartu tarot, ada yang mengunjungi paranormal. Para pecandu ramalan ini sangat terobsesi untuk mendapatkan petunjuk dari alam gaib. Sayangnya sumbernya salah, yaitu dari Iblis. Untuk sementara waktu mungkin semua tampak baik-baik saja tetapi perjanjian dengan Iblis akan berujung pada maut.
Tuhan menghendaki agar kita mencari jawaban pada sumber yang benar, yaitu diriNYA. Tuhan menjawab setiap doa kita, termasuk pertanyaan yang ada dalam benak kita. Yeremia 33:3 menyatakan,”Berserulah kepadaKu, maka Aku akan menjawab engkau dan akan memberitahukan kepadamu hal-hal yang besar dan yang tidak terpahami, yakni hal-hal yang tidak kauketahui.” Ayat ini merupakan jaminan dari Tuhan bahwa IA akan mendengar dan menjawab kita.
Datanglah pada sumber yang benar yaitu Tuhan dan jangan menyimpang ke jalan yang lain.

Doa: Tuhan ampuni kami bila pernah bermain api dengan Iblis, hari ini kami datang padaMU, Sumber Kehidupan dan Tuhan kami yang hidup.

Firman Tuhan: 1 Petrus 5:6-11