God's View Concerning the Value of Spiritual Advisors

Mark Virkler's picture

The following journaling was done by Sara Cornett as she worked her way through our training on 4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice. We emphasize that there is safety in a multitude of counselors (Proverbs 11:14), and that every rhema is to be confirmed by two or three others (2 Corinthians 13:1). This keeps one from getting lost in their own subjectivity, while providing encouragement and faith to continue on, as our spiritual advisors affirm to us that our journaling did indeed come from God.

Add new comment

daily word - evangelism?

Dale Cresap's picture

Are you an evangelist? You may think this is an office and title but my Great Commission was given to all believers. Do you have a hobby or favorite pastime or team? Don’t you find it easy to talk to strangers about something you love and have enthusiasm for? You can patiently explain the details about why it is important to you and you don’t consider it a burden to do so. This is a universal principle for all activities, beliefs, and associations. So the concept of evangelism is inherent in the human spirit.

Add new comment

daily word - humans?

Dale Cresap's picture

What do you know about humanism? Is this word, particularly paired with secular a code word for atheism? But doesn’t it imply a favorable attitude toward humans? Consider the commandment that I gave second priority after loving God, that you love your neighbor as yourself. Consider how I spent my own life. I declared the doctrine of the Kingdom of God, but I spent more time helping people and healing them, which is the practice of a doctrine of the Kingdom of God. Is doctrine or human compassion of greater importance to you?

Add new comment

daily word - seek truth

Dale Cresap's picture

Do you have favorite teachers and authors? Are you prone to accept what they say with less scrutiny than others? On the other hand, are you skeptical of those without a ‘name’ and reputation, and more prone to reject what they say? I am not a respecter of persons and you should not be either, but I know this is hard for you. I promised that if you seek you would find. If you love the truth then seek it and rejoice when you find it. It doesn’t matter whose voice speaks it, or whose pen writes it down.

Add new comment

daily word - progress

Dale Cresap's picture

In times past chloroform was used for general anesthesia. This was considered a great medical breakthrough. It is no longer used this way, since it is now considered toxic above a 2 ppm level. It was an increase in knowledge that led to its medical use, and a further increase in knowledge  that led to its replacement in this application. You can be glad for both things.

Add new comment

daily word - God's secretary?

Dale Cresap's picture

How do you see evangelism? Like sales or marketing? These are common activities you are familiar with, but is proclaiming the gospel message just like selling a product? Do you see it as a secretary making appointments for the boss? Your task is to introduce people to me, or facilitate their encounters with me. In the corporate world, a prudent secretary knows who should have access to the boss and when, and a wise boss will trust the secretary and honor the appointments. I have given you the authority to act as my secretary. If you make appointments for me I will honor them.

Add new comment

daily word - absolutely?

Dale Cresap's picture

Are you familiar with the concept of moral relativism? How often do you hear people say, ‘everything is relative’? Yet how much more often do you hear people say ‘ultimately’ or even more so, ‘absolutely!’. These are usually used in a context that has no connection to anything ultimate or absolute. Furthermore these terms do not belong in the lexicon of relativists. The fact that they are used so freely reveals an underlying hunger for something that really is absolute to provide a foundation for a framework of meaning.

Add new comment

daily word - junk faith?

Dale Cresap's picture

Are you familiar with the difference between junk food and real food? Junk food is loaded with calories but not much else. It doesn’t have the essential nutrients you need. Do you think there is a corresponding parallel between real faith and junk faith? Real faith is transformative and the process this involves is unsettling. Do you know believers who are secure and comfortable and in whom there doesn’t appear to be any growth or change taking place? If your faith isn’t challenging you to move forward then how much nourishment are you deriving from it? Let me be your dietitian.

Add new comment

Must I Work Hard To Be Successful?

Mark Virkler's picture

Hmmm, what does the Bible say? Seems like my constant pushing produced internal stress, which led to a heart attack three months ago. So is there something I need to learn about living in rest, and living stress free? Obviously stress is a killer. Below is my story, followed by some key biblical principles.

Add new comment

daily word - faith and belief

Dale Cresap's picture

If I received Abraham on the basis of his belief, and nothing that you currently think of as essential doctrine had been developed yet, then what did he believe? His belief was not based around a list of assertions, but in a living God. He believed me, and acted in response. You describe your faith as a relationship with me. Doesn’t this approach seem more relational than assent to a list of propositions, even if they are true? I challenged my audience to search the scriptures in which they thought they had eternal life, to see that they testified of me. Come to me and live.

Add new comment

Pages