Congress proclaimed days of fasting and of thanksgiving annually throughout the Revolutionary War. This proclamation by Congress set May 17, 1776, as a "day of Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer" throughout the colonies...[Click Here To Continue Reading]
Holy Lord Jesus, I need Your perspective on ministry appeals that says give them a certain amount of money within a given amount of time and be blessed with great and unrealistic returns. As you know, I react badly to some of these appeals.
Following are some wonderful laws of the Spirit that will set your heart and mind free. You can be vibrant and happy and excited about life and about new possibilities, but part of what is required is that you let go of heartaches of the past, so that your past hurts do not control your future.
An excellent article titled: “Biblical Principles Concerning Ethics and Protocols Relating to New Testament Prophetic Ministry” is available for free downloading here.
If you desire to hear God more clearly, or remove some besetting sin, then let the testimonies below encourage you.
It is a joy to read the papers submitted by Christian Leadership University students, and I just need to share this amazing paper on experiencing the presence of the Holy Spirit during worship. Personally, I hunger to encounter Jesus in every worship service, and I do it best by presenting the eyes and ears of my heart to the Holy Spirit to fill, and fixing them on the worship taking place around the throne in heaven. After picturing that scene, I then tune to flow (Jn. 7:37-39; Eph. 1:17,18) and a vision unfolds where I find myslf in awe with a vast multitude, worshipping before the King in heaven. So enjoy Chloe's powerful description of spiritual worship which follows.
Nothing thrills us more than to be able to make a difference in people's lives, helping them step forward into the fulfillment of their God-given destinies. David Rocha was first introduced to our curriculum while in prison. Now he is a CLU graduate, ordained by our ministry, and powerfully serving the Lord. Be inspired by his amazing story!
Does your church take an offering or receive an offering? In semantics the difference between these is whether the initiative is on the part of the one giving or the one getting. It may be customary to refer to taking an offering, but it is, or should be, the case that any offerings are freely given. Perhaps you have had the experience of an appeal for an offering made with pressure or guilt or manipulation. In this case the terminology of taking an offering is indeed correct, but this is not my approach. My word says that I love a cheerful giver, and this can only happen when those giving do not feel exploited.
(I’m leaving town for a week for a family visit and will resume messages when I get back.)
Do you give advice freely? Do you also receive vast amounts of unsolicited advice? Do you receive advice that seems self-serving on the part of those who give it, tailored to their tastes, interests, and preferences rather than yours? Perhaps they feel the same way about the advice you give them. Wouldn’t you rather hear my voice on your own behalf than make something up for yourself out of your own imagination? If you will pause and inquire of me on behalf of someone else I will give you a word in season just for them, and you can speak divine life into their situation instead of making something up on your own.
Have you ever encountered something that was presented as being true, yet as you heard the whole story it was obvious that it was not? Did you find the false claims of validity annoying? It would have been better for the story to be presented with no claims, and left you free to decide for yourself. In the end this is what you will do anyhow. In my word I tell you not to swear at all as a means of enhancing your credibility, but to let your yes be yes and your no be no. It is evil to add more. Truth carries its own validity. If you develop a reputation for simple honesty you won’t need to enhance your credibility and if you don’t all your protestations of telling the truth will only make things worse.
